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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEMENTIA

Resources increasing for memory care

8SPRING ON THE BLUFF

Favorite agriculture area gears up for fun festival season

14 | STOP WISHING AND START TRAINING8 ways to begin the journey

16 | GET GARDENING Dig all of the possible health benefits

18 | LIVEWELL CALENDAR Your official guide to what’s ahead

20 | SEEING PATIENTS Telemedicine has plenty of potential

24 | KEEPING FIT How to have shorter, better work-outs

28 | THE MANY BENEFITS OF BIKING Cycling fans appreciate social options

30 | A GROWING NEED Medical schools emphasize rural delivery

32 | FIT AFTER 55 Many ways for today’s seniors to stay active

12Connect with us!

22How animals are saving our

service members

PETS AND VETS

Community Fitness Events In Inland NW Good Goals To Launch A Fitness Regimen

A SEASONAL APPROACH26


CONTRIBUTORSJOE BUTLER, Editor/WriterJoe Butler tries so hard to be a reformed junk food junkie. He draws the line at switching to carob though. Yuk.

JULIE HUMPHREYS, Writer Julie Humphreys is a longtime Spokane news anchor, reporter and writer. She covers healthy living and works with Second Harvest to fight hunger and feed hope in our community.

RENÉE SANDE, WriterA Spokane native, Renee Sande has spent 15 years in communications, from PR to publishing, and is currently a freelance writer and designer who enjoys traveling and the greener side of things. Reneesandecom.com.

SHALLAN KNOWLES, PhotographerShallan Knowles is a web designer, photographer, yoga instructor and owner of GlutenFreeSpokane.com, which covers gluten-free dining options around the Inland Northwest.

ERIKA PRINS, WriterFind more of Erika Prins’ health and wellness writing at erikaprins.com.

NICOLE SKINNER, WriterA freelance writer and mother of three, Nicole Skinner’s days are fueled by coffee and hugs. When she’s not working for clients as a copywriting ninja, she blogs at saveliveeatlove.com about saving money and resources, living debt-free, eating organic and natural, and loving life.

JEAN ARTHUR, WriterJean Arthur writes from Bozeman, Mont., where her latest book on hiking and culturally significant areas in Northwest Montana, “Top Trails: Glacier National

Park,” was published in 2014 by Wilderness Press.

MARIESA STOKES, WriterLiving the dream and loving the view, Mariesa Stokes is a Spokane transplant, health and wellness writer and obsessive beagle mom. Explore more of her work at mariesastokes.com.


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EVERY THURSDAY & SUNDAY

PAGE O1 I THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2014OUTDOORSSPOKESMAN.COM/OUTDOORS FIND ARCHIVED STORIES, PHOTOS AND COLUMNS FROM EDITOR RICH LANDERS

Coming SundayThe Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife

Refuge, southeast of Colville, is celebrating its

75th anniversary this summer with activities

ranging from butterfly walks to a bicycling event

to acquaint more people with this niche habitatmeant mostly for wildlife.

A fter a strong ride with a weekly group, Janet and David Merriman

pedaled home, with a detour to check on a friend’s house they were

watching. As dusk gathered, they turned left on 16th, east of Sullivan

in the Valley, taking it easy after the 25-mile run out of Wheel Sport East.

They saw deer grazing off to the right as a car approached. Suddenly a fawn

darted from the left into the path of the car.It happened so fast that David thought the fawn was thrown into Janet,

knocking her to the pavement. (He later found out a second fawn bolted

across the road and broadsided Janet.) She suffered facial abrasions and too

many bruises to count. Repairs to the bike were in excess of $500.

And David Merriman’s resolve was strengthened.

TYLER TJOMSLAND [email protected]

Rearview mirrors are always a good idea for a bike since it has been proven bikers veer off track when turning their heads to see behind them.

Proponents of safetyCouple’s key to accident prevention is preparation

Janet andDavidMerriman areboth sticklersfor bicyclesafety andthey believe in teachingand mentoringothers on

safetywheneverpossible.

By Dave Trimmer � Correspondent

STAYED CONNECTED

· Fall fever: Spring isn’t the only time allergy sufferers reach for the tissues.

· E-cigarettes: Are vaping fans blowing smoke about a ‘healthier habit’?

· Special requests: How local restaurants deal with more dietary demands.

· Mom power: Daily exercises you may already be doing. And more!

Stories include:

To learn how you or your business can be part of this issue, please contact Bill Davidson at (509) 459-5272

sue 7 | April 2015

physically, mentally, spiritually

HELP, HOPE & HEALINGHow Animals Are Saving

Our Service Members

TELEMEDICINEThe Future of Medicine BRING ON SPRING

at Green

Bluff

spokesman.com/health

The LiveWell excitement keeps going! Look for our Fall issue Sunday, Nov. 1

mailto:[email protected]


By NICOLE SKINNER Marketing Correspondent

here’s never a bad time to take a drive to Green Bluff.

You might be more familiar with this northeast Spokane agricultural community in the busy days of summer, or the ultra-busier days of fall when the Apple Festival is in full swing and cars – and people – can line up for blocks. Is it worth the wait for giant pumpkins and fresh donuts? Certainly!

But springtime in Green Bluff offers a fun glimpse of farm country that’s much more low-key and relaxed, and really, a perfect time to get outdoors and let the fresh air rejuvenate your spirit.

While there won’t be fresh produce available this early in the season, there’s still plenty to see and do here.

The festival calendar kicks off with Blooms on the Bluff, which is Mother’s Day Weekend, May 9-10.

Todd Beck of Harvest House says he enjoys this time of year because everything is so green and clean-looking as the growing season starts.

“It’s just a nice weekend to get out for a drive and to get out of the house,” Beck said.

It’s also a good time to get a prized delicacy – a pumpkin donut, which Harvest House’s Country Kitchen fries up all year, not just during the busy harvest season. They’re available every weekend.

Tery Story from High Country Orchard is excited for the start of the season this year. Just as the farms and orchards will be aglow in new growth and blooms, farm owners will show off fun décor and gift items they gathered over the winter. High Country’s gift shop always includes new unique goods worth checking out.

“Our customers love to stop by in the spring for a panini lunch, homemade salad or a fresh-baked pie, and browse through the gift shop for decorating ideas,” she said. “It’s a nice outing.”

As the season kicks off you’ll also find hanging baskets, bedding plants and starters for purchase at some of the farms.

Seeing what Green Bluff is like in spring and then coming back during a later festival is an exciting way to be a see the growing process from start to finish.

Will Jordan from Twilight Cider Works and vice president of the Green Bluff Direct Marketing Association said it’s worth a visit anytime.

“It’s important to get families out to the farms,” he said.

SPRING ON THE BLUFFFavorite agriculture area gears up for fun festival season

T


“Why? Because you are learning and seeing first-hand where your food comes from.”

In addition to the farms and orchards, there are also several specialty shops, wineries and breweries. Many locations are open year-round on weekends, but officially open for the season with Blooms on the Bluff.

Twilight Cider Works has a tasting room where you can enjoy samples and also watch the bottling process.

Whether you want to pile the kids in the car to get out of the house, make it a date or a girl’s lunch. Green Bluff in late spring has something for everyone (minus the heavy traffic of fall). Remember that each farm, grower or specialty shop may have their own small events or activities planned, especially during festivals.

For those new to visiting Green Bluff it can be confusing to find that there isn’t one central location for everything, with the exception of the Cherry Pickers Trot. However, most people find that driving around exploring all the different stops just makes the trip to the bluff even more like an adventure; you never know what you might find at your next stop. •

Spring/Summer Events 2015

• Blooms on the Bluff May 9-10

• Strawberry Festival, late June/early July

• Cherry Festival & Cherry Pickers Trot, mid-July

For a complete list of event dates, growers, orchards, libations and specialty shops visit: www.greenbluffgrowers.com. Visit each grower’s web site directly or call for more information on hours, offerings and events if not listed.

Opposite page photos: orchard photo courtesy Kim Beck, donut photo Tim Bresnahan. Left photo by Shallan Knowles.

This time of year at Green Bluff means blooming trees, shorter lines for donuts and some tasty berries for Katie Weed.

http://www.greenbluffgrowers.com


By Julie Humphreys LiveWell Correspondent

t appears everybody and their dog is using technology to track their exercise – and that’s not just a clever turn of phrase.

Spokane’s Stephanie Aden uses a Fitbit wristband to measure her fitness, but also has a similar activity tracking device for the family’s English springer spaniel, Bentley.

It’s called Whistle and is one of several available wireless doggie activity trackers. The devices snap onto a collar and record how much physical activity Bentley, or anyone’s pooch, gets in a given day. Owners can view the data on their computers or smart phones using the Whistle app.

Aden’s son Erik thought would be a fun, techie gift for his mom – and it has been.

“We walk Bentley regularly and are interested in his health,” she said. “It’s a great way to keep track how much activity he gets in a day. Sometimes at the end of the day we discover he really needs to get out and move more. He’s always happy to oblige!”

As with “people” fitness trackers, doggie smart devices continue to advance.

Aden can tell how much of Bentley’s activity comes from intentional walks or runs (logged as walk) and how much activity he gets from running up and down stairs, in and out the back door, or romping with another pooch (play). If she really wants to dial into Bentley’s day, she can enter his food intake, medications, and daily fitness goals. She can also add family and friends to Bentley’s account, so every “owner” can log in and share in his adventures.

Taking things one four-legged step further, Whistle and a similar product called FitBark now offer add-on subscription services that include GPS tracking that not only keep tabs on Fido’s physical activity but also his location in the event he gets separated from the pack.

Lest you think this article has completely gone to the dogs, the pet fitness tech push also points back to the importance of human fitness, concisely stated with a Spokane veterinary clinic billboard: “If your dog is overweight, YOU are probably not getting enough exercise.”

When Aden’s husband realized how much fun his wife was having with the dog fitness tracker, he bought her a Fitbit wrist

tracking device, which she uses diligently.

Along with Fitbit, there are all kinds of wireless tracking devices available including those by Garmin sold at Spokane’s Fleet Feet Sports. Wade Pannell owns both specialty running and walking stores and sells a lot of activity trackers.

“It’s primarily people interested in weight loss or in getting active who are buying them,” he said. “I think monitoring what you do and knowing how you’re improving is invaluable. If you set goals and

measure your activity you are more likely to accomplish your goals.”

Aden’s fitness goals include taking 10,000 steps a day, which is the American Heart Association metric for improving health, plus 30 minutes of daily continuous movement. While the 53-year-old has always been active and naturally motivated to move, she has found that some days, she lacks time or opportunity to get as much exercise as she would like.

“The fitness tracker is a great tool to push you to get up and get moving. It shows me in real numbers when I haven’t had enough physical activity and when I’m over my daily goal, that’s motivating as well,” she said. “Overall, I’m more aware of my health habits with the tracker.”

Aden has been known to head out for a walk after dinner if she’s shy of her daily steps, and of course Bentley then gets some bonus walk time on his tracker, especially if the backyard squirrel chase was slow that day.

Pannell said as the activity trackers have advanced, they have become lighter weight and include more features. Some connect to a heart rate monitor, and some trackers allow you to log your daily calorie intake then calculate calories in (food) with calories out (energy expenditure). Some, like Aden’s Fitbit, monitor how well you sleep.

“I’m pleased with how well the sleep app does in tracking my sleep. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to learn that most nights

TRACKING YOUR PROGRESS

As with fitness trackers for

people, doggie smart devices

continue to advance.


New tech for fitness seekers

to plug intoI’m at or above 90 percent sleep efficiency,” she said. Studies show sleep is a big factor in our overall health and that adults need between 7 and a half and 8 hours quality sleep a night.

Basic activity trackers generally cost between $130 and $170 plus another $50 for a heart rate monitor. High-end GPS trackers that read running distance, elapsed time, and lap time can run up to $500. There are also sophisticated trackers for tri-athletes and swimmers that can be worn in the water.

One requirement with trackers, says Pannell, is a connection to the Internet.

“More people are using devices that connect to their smart phones or computers and do more than just store information

– they are using devices that map information as you go in real time and calculate outcomes,” he said. “This category of wireless trackers continues to grow and improve, and more and

more apps are being developed.”

The market for wireless trackers – human or otherwise – looks pretty snazzy. Consider fashion-forward smart watches that not only track physical activity but play music, run mobile apps and take pictures. You can also make phone calls from some of these intelligent wrist adornments. We’ve come a long way since the pedometer. •

“Overall, I’m more aware of my

health habits with the tracker.”

- Stephanie Aden

Stephanie Aden uses a Fitbit to track her exercise, and also a product called Whistle, opposite page, to measure her dog Bentley’s physical performance.

Photos by Shallan Knowles

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By Renee Sande LiveWell Correspondent

hether you’re a seasoned athlete or novice getting in shape for your first big event, local trainers agree that while the tried-and-true elements are required

—stretching, consistency, cross-training, rest, nutrition— your training schedule should be uniquely yours.

Think of training as a recipe, where you must throw in certain required ingredients, but can and should personalize things with your own special touches and substitutions. Season to taste, if you will.

Jenny Van Cott, fit specialist and community outreach coordinator at Fleet Feet Sports in Spokane, and owner of JVC Wellness Consulting and PantryFuel.com, says even if you’ve been training for years, your body is complex and ever-changing, and your training might need to reflect this.

“All of a sudden your body can decide it doesn’t like soy protein anymore or you might need to switch shoes,” says Van Cott. “I can help you figure those things out, as well as provide a fun experience while reaching your goal.”

Often the pain, cramps and fatigue experienced during training can be pinpointed to a specific culprit, but if you choose to ignore warning signs and/or don’t do things you know you should, you’re not only limiting your training potential but could be setting yourself up for more serious injury.

At Fleet Feet, fit specialists are not only trained to get you into the perfect pair of shoes through the FIT Process, but they also lead running groups throughout the year where they can personally guide you and help you understand your training ups and downs.

Van Cott also says that a lot of runners will switch up their training and/or diet and then not make the correlation with feelings of discomfort, injury or just not feeling well.

“The first thing I ask is ‘What have you done differently?’ ” says Van Cott. “It could be they’ve upped their distance, and now need a shoe with more cushion or it could just mean that their body’s needs have changed.”

Lyssa Thaden is in her seventh year of coaching for the Washington-Alaska chapter of Team in Training (TNT), an endurance sports training program in which participants raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society throughout their training for a specific event. She often sees people not

paying attention to what their bodies are telling them.

“They might be injured but they think ‘I’ll just run through this,’ or they go out too fast when their bodies aren’t quite warmed up yet—I always say go out slower than you come in,” says Thaden.

She ran her first race in 2007 for TNT, and said the biggest lesson her coach taught her was the importance of consistency.

“You can’t just go out and run once a week and think you’ll make up for it later, doubling or tripling up your workouts,” says Thaden. “Rest is as important to your training as your training.”

Thaden also stresses the importance of knowing what “fuel” works best for you.

“The analogy I love is that your body is like a car. You have to put fuel in your car for it to go, but you have to keep fueling along the way so you don’t hit zero; if you let your tank hit zero, it’s going to take awhile to fuel up again and get that fuel to where it needs to go.”

Brian Cronin, part owner of U. District PT in Spokane, sees injury all the time due to people not cross-training enough.

He, Jeff Hart and Mike Nilson founded the business in 2004, based on the idea that by uniquely combining physical therapy with personal training, they could help reduce injury during workouts.

U. District PT focuses on local high school and collegiate student athletes, local semi-professional teams, plus offers boot camps and other group classes for the public. It also sponsors the annual Fun Run 5K series in July.

No matter the level of athlete, Cronin said the lack of cross-training is a problem.

“We see it in youth sports today, where there’s an absolute epidemic in injuries due to the idea that you have to play one sport year-round,” he said. “This causes overuse of certain muscle groups, which leads to injury. You have to look at the complexity of the activity for which you’re training, and work in that versatility—flexibility, speed work, the endurance to do that activity well.”

For example. a runner training for a half-marathon should, in addition to logging miles, work on strengthening their abs and back so that they have a strong core, run sprints and lift weights to increase speed, and include flexibility and agility

exercises to increase range of motion.

“If you look at a lot of professional athletes, you’ll see they didn’t just play football or baseball to get to where they are, that the versatility of the sports they played contributed to them being a really well-rounded athlete and not overusing one specific area of their body,” says Cronin. •

W

A SEASONAL APPROACHCommunity Fitness Events In Inland NW Good Goals To Launch A Fitness Regimen

Jenny Van Cott, owner of JVC Wellness Consulting, participates in the Race the River Triathlon.

Courtesy photo


SEE HOW TO GET STARTED TODAY!

Upcoming fitness events to get you and your body in gear: Lilac Bloomsday Run, May 3. The area’s largest and most

favorite timed run brings together elite athletes and people who like to take their time. www.bloomsdayrun.org

Nitty Gritty Dirt Fondo, May 9, Nine Mile Falls, Show your pedaling power on this 65-mile cycling event. www.signmeup.com/105935

Coeur d’Alene Marathon, May 24. Enjoy the area’s beauty with a full or half-marathon or a 5K. www.cdamarathon.com

Winderemere Marathon, June 7, Liberty Lake to Riverfront Park. Event is a Boston Marathon qualifier and includes a “Victory Stand Photo” area for all finishers. windermeremarathon.com

Hoopfest, June 27-28, downtown Spokane. The world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament covers 42 blocks, involves 7,000 teams, 250,000 players and fans, and 3,000 volunteers. www.spokanehoopfest.net

Valley Girl Women’s Sprint Distance Triathlon, July 12. Annual event starts at Liberty Lake. www.valleygirltri.com

Muddy Miles Coeur d’Alene, July 18, Kootenai County Fairgrounds. The 5th annual fitness event lets people get dirty as they get physical.

Race the River Triathlon, July 19, Swim, run and bike around Coeur d’Alene, racetheriver.com

Jederman Gran Fondo, July 25, Cheney. Try your cycling skills with a 30, 66, or 100-mile route and a 12-hour team challenge. www.signmeup.com/105932

Strides for Strong Bones, Aug. 16, Medical Lake, 5K fun run or fun walk to benefit WA Osteoperosis Coalition, www.signmeup.com/89782

West Plains WunderWoman Triathlon, Aug. 16, Medical Lake, women’s only sprint triathlon and Olympic distance triathlon. Sprint portion includes quarter-mile swim, 10.2 mil bike and 3-mile run, and Olympic portion includes 1,200 meter swim, 40K bike and 10 K run. www.emdesports.com/wunderwoman_triathlon/home.html

Coeur d’Alene Crossing, Aug. 16, Take part in a 2.4 mile swim across the lake and help the Union Gospel Mission, Coeur d’Alene Area Swim Team and North Idaho College Booster Club, www.cdacrossing.com

SpokeFest, Sept. 13, Riverfront Park. The 8th annual cycling celebration for all skill levels includes different routes and a party in the park. www.spokefest.org

Coeur d’Fondo, Sept. 26, Enjoy this competitive or non-competitive 15- to 84-mile bike ride through Harrison, St. Maries, Coeur d’Alene and other scenic towns. cdagranfondo.com

Spokane Marathon, Oct. 11, Riverfront Park. This fitness event is considered one of the most scenic courses in the country. spokanemarathon.us

For more information on the training groups mentioned:

www.teamintraining.org

udistrictpt.com

www.fleetfeetsports.com

jvcwellnessconsulting.wordpress.com

www.pantryfuel.com

Members of Team in Training compete in local running events while raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Courtesy photo

http://www.bloomsdayrun.org

http://www.signmeup.com/105935

http://www.cdamarathon.com

http://www.spokanehoopfest.net

http://www.valleygirltri.com



http://www.emdesports.com/wunderwoman_triathlon/home.html

http://www.cdacrossing.com

http://www.spokefest.org

http://www.teamintraining.org

http://www.fleetfeetsports.com

http://www.pantryfuel.com


By Renee Sande LiveWell Correspondent

oad Your Carbs: Eat a carbohydrate-rich diet all week, including whole grains, fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy. Also, train with carbs and recover

with carbs (sports drinks, gels) so that your glycogen stores are always fully stocked.

Run Recovery: Consume a good 4:1, carbs-to-protein ratio recovery snack within 30 minutes of a strenuous workout to repair muscle tissues and replenish glycogen stores, as well as decreasing your training fatigue tomorrow. The longer you wait, the less you’ll benefit. Good examples are chocolate milk, tuna on whole grain, pita and hummus, peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! Stay hydrated all week as it’s easier to keep up with hydration than to play “catch up.” Signs of dehydration include headache, dizziness, confusion. Dehydration is not only dangerous due to the increase in body temperature, but is also an unnecessary cause of training fatigue.

Be an Iron Giant: Consume a diet rich in lean meats and/or vegetarian sources of iron such as whole grains, dried fruits, deep green vegetables and foods fortified with iron. Eating a Vita C source (tomatoes, strawberries, citrus) with non-meat iron sources enhances iron absorption. Lack of sufficient iron can lead to anemia, which will lead to extreme fatigue. Higher-risk individuals include women with heavy

menstrual cycles, vegetarians/vegans, people with gastric bleeding, those taking many prescription medicines, or with eating disorders. Talk to your doctor about getting your Ferritin (iron) level checked if you think you may be low.

Be Smart: B vitamins are also important to maintain healthy energy levels. Get your dose by consuming a variety

to stop wishing and get training

L

8 WAY

S


of foods, including great carbs like whole grains and low-fat dairy. A multi-vitamin/mineral supplement typically provides enough extra B-Vitamins if you think you’re low.

Make Calories Count: Bottom line: calories are fuel. If you’re eating a wide variety of healthy foods, you’re more than likely getting the carbs, iron and B-Vitamins you need. However, inefficient gait, posture, or arm swing may be wasting unnecessary calories needed to go the distance, so have a coach guide you with good posture and form to ensure you’re efficiently using your calories.

Rest on Your Rest Day: When your training schedule says “rest day,” that’s exactly what it means, so plan ahead to get the added rest and nutrition your body needs. Go for a leisurely bike ride, make a hearty soup full of hearty vegetables, beans and lean turkey, take a cat nap…and don’t forget, drink plenty of water!

Get Your ZZZZs: Getting restful sleep every night is important, as well. Limit your caffeine intake to early in the day and start relaxing an hour or two before your head actually hits the pillow, by establishing a routine, such as making a cup of herbal tea and taking a warm bath. Avoiding things like alcohol – while it conks you out, it leads to less restful sleep; exercise, which revs you up rather than winds you down; and technology time – the light from the screen increases stress hormones, decreases melatonin production and stimulates the brain. •


GARDENING… A Wealth of Health BenefitsBy NICOLE SKINNER Marketing Correspondent

or many modern homeowners, gardening has grown from a necessity into more a hobby. We no longer need to grow our own food to supplement our

family’s diet or help a war effort – now we can garden for the fun of it.

Sustainability advocates endorse the activity, and nutritionally, it can’t be beat. Provided you don’t dump-and-run those giant zucchinis on the neighbor’s porch too often, you also can enjoy sharing your healthy produce with friends.

And now here’s another reason why gardening is good: because it helps your physical health.

Instead of hopping on the bike or lacing up your shoes for a brisk jog, consider walking outside to your flower or vegetable beds. It’s a whole-body exercise which will help you meet your 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.

A study from Michigan State University even found that those who chose gardening for their regular workout exercised 40-50 minutes longer than those who chose walking or biking.

There are also specific benefits to gardening, both physically and mentally.

In addition to reducing your risk for obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions, gardening is emerging as a scientifically-proven stress reliever.

According to Gardening Matters, a Minneapolis nonprofit, a 10 percent increase in nearby green space was found to decrease a person’s health complaints in an amount equivalent to a 5-year reduction in that person’s age.

You also acquire a sense of pride and accomplishment that your hard work creates something tangible that nourishes and feeds your family – maybe even more people, depending on the size of your harvest.

Mike Molan of Spokane has been gardening for 12 years.

“I enjoy it because of the labor that goes into it and the benefit that comes from it,” he said. “I enjoy knowing that my hard work is going to pay off with healthy food for my family.”

From start to finish gardening offers something for your body, mind and soul.

Wondering how to get started? Try these strategies.

Go Organic Take your garden to the next level by incorporating organic methods. This means avoiding synthetic fertilizers, herbicides

or pesticides, which keeps harsh and potentially toxic chemicals out of your garden, your food, and also protects animals in the vicinity.

This method helps prevent killing off beneficial soil organisms and prevents traces of these chemicals entering the water supply. Studies have shown that organically grown food may also have higher nutrient levels than conventionally grown produce, yielding more nutritional benefit per calorie.

There also can be a definite savings for your pocketbook when growing organic vs. buying it, since health-conscious shoppers know that the “organic” label at the grocery store sometimes comes with a premium price tag.

Spokane’s Mary Molan prefers growing organic.

“I love that we can eat healthy and fresh, save money and really everything just tastes better with home-grown produce,” she said.

There’s also the added benefit of creating valuable learning opportunities for her son.

“Since gardening, my 4-year-old son, when at the store, will ask if something’s organic. He knows that’s a great word!”

Getting startedWhile small nurseries and shops may carry organic plant starts, you’ll find that you may just need to buy seeds and start your plants indoors. Many major retailers carry organic seed versions, including Fred Meyer and Lowe’s Home Improvement. Northwest Seed & Pet also normally carries a wide variety of organic seeds.

While preparing your garden, consider healthier methods of weed control and fertilizers. You’ll often find safer versions of these alongside conventional versions at many garden

F

Kathy Wilson harvests carrots at a West Central backyard garden. More studies are showing connections between gardening and physical and mental health. Photo by Shallan Knowles


supply stores. Weed control is more likely to be done by manual methods such as ground covers, mulch or hand weeding rather than sprays. This can take more time, but also lets you spend more time outdoors.

Pest control can be a challenge for a new organic gardener. While there are some organic pest solutions and sprays available, many pests must be controlled manually or by prevention methods.

Steve Cole from Cole’s Orchard in Green Bluff said there are some short-cuts.

“If you’ve been typically been spraying conventionally there won’t be a large beneficial insect population in the area,” he said.

Squash bugs can be tricky though.

“You may now try to control them by covering up the plants with some sort of a protective cover, during the emergence of squash bugs that overwintered, and then opening up the plant during pollination and then recovering to keep the squash bugs away,” he said. “Others might want to just monitor the whole situation and pick off the squash bug eggs as they’re laid.” •

thelifestyle Y O U W A N T

ENRICHED LIVING. LASTING VALUE.

thequality Y O U D E S E R V E

thecommunity Y O U L O V E

g r e e n s t o n e h o m e s . c o m


May 3 Lilac Bloomday Run, This timed 12K event has become an important part of Inland Northwest culture. The 39th year will attract everyone from competitive international athletes to people who enjoy a nice walk through Spokane. www.bloomsdayrun.org

May 9 Nitty Gritty Dirt Fondo, Nine Mile Falls, Show your pedaling power on this 65-mile cycling event north of Spokane. www.signmeup.com/105935

May 9 Dog d’Alene, downtown Coeur d’Alene. Celebrate the role of our furry friends in our lives with activities, costume contests, and races. www.cdadowntown.com/index_content.asp?pageid=514

May 24 Coeur d’Alene Marathon. Enjoy the area’s beauty with a full or half-marathon or a 5K. www.cdamarathon.com

May 29 Light the Way Auction and Dinner, Lincoln Center, Spokane. The American Childhood Cancer Organization of the Inland Northwest’s annual fund-raising event helps young cancer patients and their families. www.acco.org/inlandnw

June 6-7 Spokane BellyFest 2015, Focus Fitness Community Center, Spokane Valley. Includes belly dance workshops, dance and music classes, performances and clothing drive. www.culturesdance.com/spokanes-bellyfest-2015

June 7 Windermere Marathon, Spokane. Course goes from Liberty Lake to Riverfront Park. Event is a Boston qualifier and includes a “Victory Stand Photo” area for all finishers. windermeremarathon.com

June 27-28 Hoopfest, downtown Spokane. The world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament covers 42 blocks, involves 7,000 teams, 250,000 players and fans, and 3,000 volunteers. www.spokanehoopfest.net

June 28 Ironman, downtown Coeur d’Alene. Come cheer on super athletes as they bike, run and swim on a grueling course. www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/coeur-dalene.asp

July 12 Valley Girl Women’s Sprint Distance Triathlon. Annual event starts at Liberty Lake. www.valleygirltri.com

July 18 Muddy Miles, Kootenai County Fairgrounds. The 5th annual fitness event lets people get dirty as they get physical. www.muddymiles.org

July 19 Race the River Triathlon, Swim, run and bike around scenic Coeur d’Alene, racetheriver.com

July 24-26 Barefoot in the Park, Liberty Lake Pavillion Park, Community event includes games, contests, barefoot 3-on-3 soccer tournament, plus food festival, dance and car show. www.libertylakewa.gov/387/Barefoot-in-the-Park

July 25 Jedermann Gran Fondo, Cheney. Try your cycling skills with a 30, 66, or 100-mile route and a 12-hour team challenge. www.signmeup.com/105932

Aug. 15 Strides for Strong Bones, Medical Lake, 5K fun run or fun walk to benefit WA Osteoporosis Coalition www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/106138

Aug. 16 Coeur d’Alene Crossing, Take part in a 2.4 mile swim across the lake and help the Union Gospel Mission, Coeur d’Alene Area Swim Team and North Idaho College Booster Club, www.cdacrossing.com

Aug. 16 West Plains WunderWoman Triathlon, women’s only sprint triathlon and Olympic distance triathlon. Sprint portion includes quarter-mile swim, 10.2 mil bike and 3-mile run, and Olympic portion includes 1,200 meter swim, 40K bike and 10 K run. www.racecenter.com/race-details/?race=9329

Sept. 13 SpokeFest, Riverfront Park. The 8th annual cycling celebration for all skill levels includes different routes and a party in the park. www.spokefest.org

Oct. 11 Spokane Marathon, Riverfront Park. This fitness event is considered one of the most scenic courses in the country. spokanemarathon.us

CalendarThe following are highlights of local health and welllness events taking place in the Inland Northwest. For a complete list of events and information about how to submit your own free listing,

visit www.spokesman.com/health/calendar

http://www.spokesman.com/health/calendar

http://www.bloomsdayrun.org


http://www.cdadowntown.com/index_content.asp?pageid=514

http://www.cdamarathon.com

http://www.acco.org/inlandnw

http://www.culturesdance.com/spokanes-bellyfest-2015

http://www.spokanehoopfest.net

http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/coeur-dalene.asp

http://www.valleygirltri.com

http://www.muddymiles.org

http://www.libertylakewa.gov/387/Barefoot-in-the-Park


http://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/106138

http://www.cdacrossing.com

http://www.racecenter.com/race-details/?race=9329

http://www.spokefest.org


Mark your calendars today!

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By Jean Arthur LiveWell Correspondent

hen most people feel ill, they’re supposed to seek a health care provider. This is how the medical model has worked for centuries.

But these days, more and more consults are being routed through monitors or other electronic equipment so the doctor and patient don’t even have to be in the same room – or the same city – anymore.

This is the medicine of the future. This is telemedicine.

Telemedicine, defined as the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients through technology, can include two-way video, email, smart phones, remote-controlled robots, wireless tools and other forms of electronic communication.

For instance, ‘e-health’ can be as simple as a remote monitor of a patient’s vital signs displayed at a nursing call center down the hall, or a nurse transmitting images to a provider across

town or even in another state.

“We use telemed daily,” says clinical audiologist Samantha Kleindienst who serves the remote Alaska community of Unalakleet for the Norton Sound Health Corporation.

The service includes mobile applications and live video to connect patients and providers in Nome and 15 surrounding villages.

While telemedicine in places like Unalakleet seems like a no-brainer, given that mail is delivered twice weekly and the school bus is actually a plane since there are no reliable roads, Kleindienst predicts telemed will soon become more commonplace throughout the entire health care industry.

“It is the direction health care will need to take to keep up with accessibility and affordability,” she says. “Telehealth also empowers the patient. We’ve already got parents sending pictures of infected eardrums for consult, and pacemakers monitoring and transmitting data. There are devices that can

alert us if someone is having or about to have a heart attack. The list goes on.”

Closer to home, some Mountain West states are working with the National Rural Health Resources Center to add more telemedicine networks, in part because rural communities have a hard time attracting and retaining medical specialists.

In Wyoming, there are few full-time medical specialists like pediatricians and psychiatrists state-wide, and the practicing ones are in high demand.

Wyoming’s Department of Health recently noted that “While licensing of physicians continued to rise, the percentage of newly-licensed physicians choosing to practice full-time is well below the current average for all Wyoming licensed physicians.”

It’s a region-wide problem in which the loss of even one doctor can create gaps in coverage.

“The overall trend is not good for our communities,” James Anderson, M.D., Wyoming Board of Medicine President, told the Wyoming’s Office of Rural Health.

Embracing technology and changing a medical practice model may be a solution.

Anderson said over the past several years national teleradiology practices have been getting physicians licensed in Wyoming so they could read studies performed at Wyoming hospitals while sitting at their computers nearly anywhere in the world.

The Wyoming’s Department of Health indicates that of 2,805 currently licensed physicians in Wyoming, only 1,074 – about 38 percent – report that they practice full-time. This shortage means that patients may need to travel to larger cities like Cheyenne for care, or even seek providers in larger nearby out-of-state cities like Billings or Denver.

“Telehealth is making care more accessible especially as used in mental health and very small communities without providers,” says James Bush, MD, Wyoming Department of Health Medicaid Medical Director and the Wyoming Telehealth Consortium Chair. “At this time, we use telehealth primarily for mental health, but it is also bringing new services to under-served areas or for specialty care like Barbara Davis Diabetes Center in Denver, and Seattle Child Psychiatry.”

Spokane’s Providence Health is also taking steps to improve delivery through technology. It works with 16 smaller hospitals, including four recent additions of Idaho partner hospitals, to add specialists’ knowledge to clinics that may only have a few general practitioners.

SEEING PATIENTSW

Dr. Benjamin Atkinson meets remotely with Erik Johnson at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. Assisting in the exam is ER tech Molly Lancosty. Photos by Shallan Knowles


Providence also partners with its sister telehealth network through INHS/Northwest Telehealth serving additional hospitals, clinics, corrections facilities and physician offices.

The NW TeleHealth network has more than 44 telehealth sites, and completed 98 additional consultations in diabetes education, pain management and wound care in addition to extensive education programs throughout a five-state region for hospitals, providers, EMS staff, Parkinson’s patients and more.

For example, a monitor can be placed at a rural patient’s bedside and share data with specialists in Spokane via what’s called Telestroke.

“With a growing shortage of specialty providers, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for patients in rural areas to get specialized care for time sensitive emergencies like cardiac and stroke care,” says Denny Lordan, Telehealth Program Coordinator at Providence Health Care. “However, with the help of telemedicine, it is now possible for physicians and staff at community hospitals to access and collaborate with a vast network of specialists at major health centers such as Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, and provide patients with fast life-saving care.”

Kleindienst, the Unalakleet audiologist, adds that the network allows her and colleagues to diagnose specialty ailments such as dermatology, audiology, otolaryngology, optometry, primary care.

The patient sits in front of a screen and high-resolution camera and a cart equipped with a stethoscope, otoscope for ears and an ultrasound. Patients can visit with medical staff, pictures can be screened by specialists, and patients can even talk to therapists—a discreet conversation that a patient might feel he or she cannot have in a small, rural community.

“We’ve helped with some urgent care cases, including possible heart attacks,” she adds. Other providers have even been able to treat other illnesses and even trauma such as gunshot wounds.

While skeptics may decry the computerization of medical

care as severing the traditional doctor-patient relationship, Dr. Bush, the Wyoming Telehealth Consortium Chair, suggests that the resistance is misdirected.

“It’s a lack of understanding of the technology and how easy and inexpensive it has become; a lack of technical support (they think they will need more than they do), and inertia–they are used to doing it the old way and patients aren’t demanding it yet,” that stops more clinics from exploring E-medicine, Dr. Bush says.

Providence’s Lordan agrees.

“The movement toward telemedicine is growing in acceptance. The first step is getting providers in urban and rural settings to experience what can be accomplished with these new systems and processes,” he said. “Providers can consult with a specialist regarding a patient, deliver great care with the benefit of professional collaboration, improve the life of the patient at less expense and inconvenience. That benefits everyone.” •

More docs, patients embracing remote visits

Other telemedicine initiatives showing promise include:

A collaboration between the Veterans’ Administration and Indian Health Service to create telemedicine clinics to assist rural residents, including veterans, American Indians and Alaska natives.

Increased video conferencing between neurologists and Parkinson’s patients

New tech, including CellScope, an iPhone ear probe add-on that includes a mini-cam that can scan the ear and send data to doctors who can analyze the info within two hours. CellScope was one of 300 health and biotech exhibits at the January 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show.

NW Autism Center3x4

324046


Help, Hope and Healing How animals are saving our service membersme

almemlinn

beembeBy Mariesa Stokes

LiveWell Correspondent

ir Force veteran Chris Carson isn’t alone – and thanks to his support dog, Shelby, he no longer feels completely alone anymore, either.

“I’ve come a long way in the last couple of years. I’ve transitioned out of the service, I’m trying to adjust to civilian life, being broken and dealing with random issues at the same time, but she gives me purpose.”

Like hundreds of thousands of American veterans, Chris suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The Sandpoint man is one of the lucky ones in the Inland Northwest. He’s far from cured, but has been taking steps toward healing with the help of Shelby, a specially trained black Labrador Retriever.

The benefits of the canine therapy are unmistakable – studies show that canine and equine therapy achieves faster results vs. traditional counseling. For combat veterans, sometimes the unconditional love of a specially-trained dog or horse can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Dawn Gray, a psychotherapist at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, said animals are the perfect listeners.

“A lot of times people assume a therapist is judging them,” Gray said. “Vets assume counselors can’t handle the gruesomeness of the stories they need to tell.”

Carson served four tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kurdistan before being discharged in 2012. Today, in addition to his wife and kids, he shares life with Shelby.

“Trust itself is hard with PTSD, but it’s easier to trust a dog than a human,” he said. “She doesn’t judge me, or anything I’ve done. She’s there for me no matter what.”

Joe Scheffer, a Vietnam vet and director of Operation Dog Tag, a veteran support organization, has found that a lack of trust for veterans is normal, especially with PTSD.

“There’s a fear of exposing yourself and telling what you’ve seen, heard, tasted, felt, and what you’ve had to do. That usually leads to pushing people away,” he said.

Equine and canine therapy can help patients feel comfortable and confident – they can first communicate with animals, and learn to grow close to people again.

“There have been things I’ve wanted to say to my wife but I don’t want to cause secondary PTSD in her,” said Carson. “I’ve been able to talk to my dog – run things by her first – then the second time I talk about it with my wife, it’s easier.”

Gray, a combat veteran herself, is also certified in equine assisted therapy.

“Vets can relate to animals like horses, that’s why this therapy works so well,” she explains. “In a war zone, you’re trained to be hyper-vigilant, to be completely attuned to sound and movement and what’s happening in your environment. Those who have been in that situation understand the way horses operate.”

Traditional individual sessions can show results around 12 to 15 weeks, but with equine therapy, she says tremendous benefits can be seen in as few as 10 weeks.

“It’s so important for our vets to relive moments, whether they’re highlights or lowlights,” says Helena Rouhe, program director for the Mica Foundation, an organization that promotes equine therapy for veterans. “Our clients enjoy spending time with the horses, telling them their stories and reminiscing.”

Rouhe works with treatment teams at Blue Moon Mending in Coeur d’Alene – one of several area facilities that offer equine therapy. Each session for veterans or family members includes a mental health professional, a horse specialist, and several horses roaming free in an open arena.

“We’re not ‘talk therapy’ in a stuffy office,” Rouhe explained. “Horses tend to mirror and reflect back the feeling and emotion of the room. Clients will recognize what the horse is feeling and talk through that – and most of the time it’s what they are feeling as well.”

Almost all of Rouhe’s military clients live in rural areas. Many are women who have faced military sexual trauma. Others are older men, maybe Korea or Vietnam veterans, mostly homebound.

“Our goal is to get them back into the community, living a more functional life,’” she said. “We’ve seen huge improvements in mood and willingness to engage. We have clients who dress up to see the horses, brush their hair, wear cologne.”

Service dogs help give vets their lives back, according to Kelly Golden, a blind rehab outpatient specialist at Spokane’s Veterans Administration. Whether they’re guides for those with visual impairments, can detect seizures or monitor blood sugar, or serve veterans with PTSD, service animals help people get back into the community.

“Their job is to help vets become more mobile and more independent,” says Golden. “Emotionally, service animals help vets feel watched over and protected. They give them the confidence to go out when they wanted to stay at home. Most people blossom when they get the dog. They know they’re not alone and that makes them a little more brave.”

Scheffer trains qualified dogs to meet the physical, mental or emotional needs of combat vets. Almost four years ago he started Operation Dog Tag after hearing that 6,000 U.S. veterans killed themselves in 2010 after struggling with the effects of combat.

“We have psychiatrists, we have counselors, we have medications, but it’s not enough,” he said. “These vets aren’t crazy – there are just too many memories, so much anguish and pain in their heads, they’ll do just about anything to shut it down.”

Scheffer has felt isolation and desperation first-hand. In the late 1960s he lived in the jungles of Vietnam for a long, horrible year.

“When I came back, what I needed above all else was to trust someone,” he said. “The weapons may have changed, the countries where we’re fighting may have changed, but war is war and it’s horrific all the same.”

So he combined his career as a professional dog trainer and his painful life experiences to help improve – and hopefully save – lives of veterans.

Operation Dog Tag serves veterans who use crutches, canes, walkers or wheelchairs. Many also suffer from PTSD and/or brain injuries. The program also works with traditional counseling, and applicants permit Scheffer to speak with

A

Veteran Chris Carson and his ‘battle buddy’ Shelby. Photo courtesy of Chris Carson.


their psychiatric team.

The goal is to get specially-trained canine companions to live, work and care for vets – and show they’re worthy of love, and worthy of living.

One of Scheffer’s client teams is Chris Carson and Shelby. For the last two years, the pair has been strengthening their bond and working towards Shelby’s service dog certification. Even though the training isn’t quite finished, Shelby is already far more than a family pet.

“Since I’ve been back, one of the problems I’ve faced daily is the need for a battle buddy,” Carson said. “In war you always have someone with you… it’s easier to have someone else’s back and to be more concerned with their life than your own. Shelby’s always by my side – she makes things bearable. She gets me up off the couch. With her, I actually have motivation and drive. I have to get up and train with her, feed her, let her out.”

Dogs like Shelby are trained to be aware of a vet’s body language and sense mental turmoil.

“No one understands PTSD unless they have it themselves – it’s so big and versatile. I can’t be isolated and alone,” said Carson. ”When I start having flashbacks or a hard time she senses it, pushes her nose on me and snaps me out of it.”

Scheffer said with time, many vets re-learn to trust and communicate with spouses, family members and friends, and gain the confidence to leave home and start living again.

“Some of these guys love their animals so much,” Scheffer said tearfully. “Many have told me if it wasn’t for their dogs they would have killed themselves. It’s just a different kind of love, genuine and compassionate. The unconditional love of these animals leads the way, every time.” •

More information... Blue Moon Mending offers about 10 therapy sessions per week, serving about 50 people – and Helena Rouhe wants to triple that number over the next year. The

program needs funding to support a bigger facility, more horses, more staff, and to continue to provide treatment to vets and families. bluemoonmending.com.

Joe Scheffer at Operation Dog Tag trains about five dogs at a time. His goal is to teach other people to become certified, so the organization can grow and help more combat veterans. He’d prefer to work with a female combat veteran, who could help make the organization be more approachable for women veterans needing support. pointmannorthwest.com or Operation Dog Tag on Facebook.

Spokane’s Veterans Administration doesn’t yet offer equine therapy as psychiatric treatment. Dawn Gray said one obstacle for funding has been showing enough research that the therapy works successfully for veterans with PTSD and other trauma. Similar programs have been used in other communities through the Departments of the Army and Navy, with favorable results. A documentary on the Pentagon Channel highlights the results veterans with PTSD are experiencing through horse therapy. Gray says she’ll continue to gather evidence and be a champion for this program being approved for Eastern Washington.

Veterans are seeing more benefits working with dogs and horses. Joe Scheffer, center, with Penny, started Operation Dog Tag to offer support for veterans, including helping train qualified dogs.

Top photo courtesy Reins of Hope. Center photo Mariesa

Stokes. Bottom photo Courtesy Richard Kinsey,

Refuge Services.


By Julie Humphreys LiveWell Correspondent

o here we are at the end of April – how are your New Year’s fitness resolutions going? Every year “getting fit and healthy” and “losing weight” make pretty much

everyone’s top 10 list of resolutions. And every year, millions of us give up on our goals a few months in.

The good news is that it’s never too late to get back on track. You may just find that not tying your health goals to your New Year resolution is healthier for you. Instead, consider making lifestyle changes that involve exploring new health trends.

This year, two top fitness trends from the American College of Sports Medicine are body weight training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Molly Benzel has been teaching group exercise classes in Spokane for 31 years. She’s seen all the trends, and says body weight exercises are great because you can do them anywhere, anytime, with no equipment.

“People want short, efficient workouts, and they can achieve that with both body weight exercises and HIIT workouts,” she said. “You can burn as many calories in an intense half-hour workout as in a traditional hour workout, and get the same results, which really appeals to people.”

Body weight exercises, which use your own body weight as resistance to build strength, in and of themselves are beneficial, but Benzel and others suggest incorporating them as part of a high-intensity interval training workout. HIIT involves short bursts of activity followed by a short period of rest or recovery; for instance two minutes of activity followed by 30 seconds of recovery. A HIIT program is generally only 30 minutes long.

One popular HIIT program is Tabata. Based on a study of speed skaters by scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata, the training involves 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated in eight rounds. The actual workout only lasts four minutes.

Tabata’s study found that participants increased not only their aerobic system (cardiovascular) but their anaerobic system.

A strong cardiovascular system allows your heart and lungs to meet the increased demand for oxygen during physical activity. The anaerobic system determines cardiovascular endurance, how long your body can maintain when working at a high intensity level.

High intensity interval training basically conditions your body to stay at an anaerobic (without oxygen) threshold longer without fatiguing. The method has proven effective at fat burning and increasing metabolism.

And the effects of an intense exertion afterwards are shown to be greater. You burn more calories in the hours after your workout which helps you maintain a higher metabolism.

Roger Junkermier has always worked out. He runs, cycles, and uses weight machines. The 52-year-old businessman appreciates shorter HIIT classes and the discipline a class

setting provides, and really likes the results of HIIT.

“It provides a lot of variety to your body. We need variety

in order to create change,” he said. “Our bodies build resistance if we do the same thing over and over.”

Benzel says you can apply HIIT to many different types of classes, including

cycle, Pilates, TRX, and boot camp, as well as running and

elliptical or treadmill workouts.

“People are seeing muscle tone and weight loss and faster results.

They like that their bodies become more efficient and they like that they are challenging themselves and meeting the challenge,” she said.

Like HIIT, CrossFit is another top fitness trend. While it didn’t specifically make the American

College of Sports Medicine list for 2015, it’s still going strong. What did

make the newest list is functional fitness and strength training which are key elements of CrossFit.

CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that incorporates high intensity interval training with Olympic weightlifting. Kettlebells, medicine balls, dumbbells, and pull-up bars are some of the equipment used in CrossFit workouts.

Gabe West is the co-owner and head trainer at CrossFit Expedition on Spokane’s South Hill. He believes what sustains CrossFit is the community aspect.

“In a lot of gyms, you go in, do your own workout, maybe you have your headphones in, and don’t really interact with others,” he said. “The cool part about CrossFit is people from all walks of life come together and by the end of class they

all have something in common. They have experienced a really intense workout, relative to their individual ability level. That builds community.”

That is certainly a draw for 21 year old Danika Christen, a senior at Eastern Washington University.

“I like the community with CrossFit. We support each other and cheer on everyone’s workout, right down to the last person finished who gets the most cheering.”

She also likes that CrossFit breaks the stereotype that girls can’t or shouldn’t weight lift.

“As a female in CrossFit, you are encouraged to lift weights and be strong. It’s not just about cardio.” After a year of CrossFit Christen says she feels the strongest she ever has been.

West said CrossFit doesn’t often include the rest period that HIIT does.

“Our workouts are either task priority, a set amount of work, or time priority, a set amount of time to complete the work as quickly as possible with proper form,” he said. “The goal is general physical preparedness, meaning we strive to help you become as well-rounded in all areas of fitness as possible.”

All of these trends are really about functional fitness, which is using strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living. Functional fitness is particularly big for older adults, so much so that it’s a category of its own in the 2015 American College of Sports Medicine trend list. Dubbed age-appropriate fitness programs, they’re aimed at keeping older people healthy and active. •

S

New methods to keep fitHIIT, body weight training offer faster workouts

“People want short, efficient workouts, and they can achieve that with both body weight

exercises and HIIT workouts” - Molly Benzel


FIVE BODY WEIGHT EXERCISES to incorporate into your workout from Molly Benzel, group exercise coordinator at the Spokane Club.

The Burpee. You love to hate them, but there’s no way around what Burpees can do for you. The exercise involves a squat, a push-up, a squat jump and a vertical jump for one of the most effective full-body exercises around. Burpees use virtually every muscle in your body and place a significant load on your cardiovascular system for a strong aerobic workout.

Squats. Not only good for your leg muscles but also for your hips, back, and glutes. Squats keep the muscle under tension to fatigue it, create change and build muscle. Squats can help make real life activities easier. Think about how often you bend down in a squat-like position – if you fire your glutes and abdomen correctly you strengthen and balance your core (internal abdominal and back muscles).

Push-ups. Push-ups work the shoulders, chest, and triceps. If you are doing a push-up correctly from a strong plank position, it serves as a great core exercise as you engage your buttocks and legs.

The Plank. This isometric core strength exercise is most commonly done in push-up position with the body’s weight borne on forearms, elbows and toes. As you push your heels back you use your glutes. Your chest is fully engaged as you hold yourself up. It is a very challenging move that becomes more so the longer you hold it and the more variety you add, like holding out one arm and one leg.

Pull-ups. This is the most difficult body weight exercise because of the many muscle groups involved and in that your body is working in all phases.

These five exercises are a new form of the traditional exercise many of us did in school. Push-ups and pull-ups were a foundational part of the now-retired Presidential Physical Fitness Test because they all work to build strength and muscle mass, and help with balance.

Participants in exercise programs at the Spokane Club include, clockwise from top left, Mary Cat Yalung, Emily Sloper and Susie Young performing inch worms; Jennifer Smith doing a one-legged squat with a Bosu ball; Bobby and Molly Everson performing tricep dips, and Chris Kerley and Darren Young performing single-handed kettlebell swings. Photos by Shallan Knowles


By NICOLE SKINNER LiveWell Correspondent ementia is defined as a chronic or persistent disorder of

the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury,

and marked by memory disorders, personality changes,

and impaired reasoning. In reality it’s more like a journey that often begins later in

life and takes sufferers and their loved ones to places they

never imagined. But unlike other journeys, this one begins with little preparation.

You don’t get to make an itinerary or even look forward to

reaching your destination. However, it doesn’t have to be a journey completely filled with

only sorrow and challenges. With proper support and resources

it’s possible to still find moments of joy along the way.Living with Dementia The most well-known type of dementia is Alzheimer’s – it

normally appears after age 65 but can affect anyone at any age.

Roughly 10 percent of seniors are living with Alzheimer’s

right now. “It’s important to distinguish dementia and Alzheimer’s from

normal aging,” said Joel Loiacono, executive director of the

Inland Northwest Chapter Alzheimer’s Association. “This is the

best way to find the most effective care plan for the patient and

also find resources and support for caregivers.”For those diagnosed with any form of dementia, activities and

social life vary. Those with early-stage symptoms can often still

enjoy social occasions with proper planning. The Inland Northwest Chapter Alzheimer’s Association has

support groups for those with early-stage dementia, and may

be adding additional groups in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene this

year due to increased demand. The association is also in the

processing of developing a group in the Moscow, Idaho, and

Pullman area.Palouse residents already have access to the services of

DAWN, short for Dementia & Alzheimer’s Wellbeing Network,

which approaches dementia with a goal of integration into

the community. “Our goal is to lessen the stigma of dementia by normalizing

the lives of sufferers. We support each person’s existing or

previous social contacts and activities, and augment them where

necessary,” said Judy A. Cornish, founder of DAWN. “Through

their services and program, clients are accompanied and assisted

so they can continue what would have been their normal lives,

rather than allow them to isolate themselves due to social

impairment or being secluded in an institution.”Social and sensory stimulation are a key part of DAWN’s care

plans, and the activities clients enjoy support of their personal

preferences and habits to maximize their physical fitness.

Achieving the right balance between sensory and social

stimulation can help sufferers develop a sense of well-being

and emotional comfort despite their disease.

If you or a loved one lives in a senior community or are

considering moving to one, many local communities offer

trained staff and living options for those needing memory care.

Jeff Blair, executive director of Touchmark South Hill says, the

location has received “Best Friends Environment” certification

for its memory care efforts.“We draw on the proven practices pioneered by Virginia Bell

and David Troxel, who wrote ‘The Best Friends Approach

to Alzheimer’s Care,’” he said. “One of their tenets is that

the art of activities is ‘not in what is done; it is in the doing

– this means care partners focus on being a best friend and

knowing the interests of each resident. By doing this, they

create meaningful activities that include celebrating birthdays

and holidays, singing, telling stories, cooking together, visiting

restaurants, making gifts, exercising and much more.”

Other area communities share a similar passion for providing

care that promotes quality of life. Pat Johnson, executive director of Spokane’s Park Place, one of several local Brookdale independent living communities, said she and the staff like to involve families, not just residents. It offers family support groups the first

Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m.

“Our support groups are open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to come and participate,” Johnson said. Brookdale communities also

try to accommodate married couples, and for residents to live near friends and families when possible. Couples can live in the same apartment in their memory care area even if each resident

may need different levels of care.“The importance is that as a married couple they can remain

together as long as possible. After 50-60 years of marriage, a

husband and wife should not be separated just because of the

diagnosis of dementia,” Johnson said. Caregiver resourcesMore than 15 million Americans devote time and energy to

caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia,

according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Without support systems, it’s not hard for caregivers to burn out

or even become ill from round-the-clock care.

There are several support groups in the area for caregivers organized through the Inland Northwest Chapter Alzheimer’s Association. These groups are safe places for caregivers to share common frustrations, including guilt. Feeling supported and knowing you are not alone can make a big difference.“It’s important to offer monthly support

groups for people caring for a loved one who has dementia,” said Jeff Bair of Touchmark.

These meetings are open to the public and free. Park Place offers monthly family

education workshops covering topics like legal

and financial pre-planning, grief and hospice care. If caring for a loved one becomes too much, there are in-home care and adult day services/respite care options, even for a short break.

It’s estimated that nearly 60 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease will wander at some point. Programs like MedicAlert + Safe Return or Comfort Zone can help lost or wandering

patients return home safely. IMedicAlert® + Alzheimer’s

Association Safe Return® is a 24-hour nationwide bracelet

identification program. Comfort Zone uses GPS and cell

phone technology devices to track Alzheimer’s patients.

Visit www.alz.org comfortzone for details.Don’t take the journey of dementia and Alzheimer’s alone.

Connect with resources and support groups. Create a care

plan that maximizes the quality of life for the entire family.

Remember, it’s not only OK to ask for help – but it’s absolutely

necessary so you can capture moments of

joy on this journey. •

Resources increasing for memory careD

DEM

ENTI

A

Ruth Berning, activity coordinator at Providence Adult Day Health, solves a

crossword puzzle with the help of area patients. Joe Butler

http://www.alz.org

http://www.alz.org


1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure

4. Confusion with time or place5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships6. New problems with words in speaking or writing

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

8. Decreased or poor judgment 9. Withdrawal from work or social activities

10. Changes in mood and personality

Courtesy of alz.org

RESOURCESAlzheimer’s Association: The local chapter of this nonprofit organization connects

patients and caregivers with a caregiver action plan, helps find physicians, connects

to support group options and offers online support to connect with others in similar

situations. Visit www.alz.org/inlandnorthwest or call the 24-hour help line at

1.800.272.3900. DAWN (Dementia & Alzhemier’s WellBeing Network): Provides personalized local care

on the Palouse. Call (208) 388-8898, email [email protected] or

www.dawn-network.com. It includes The DAWN Method, a set of tools that lowers stress

for caregivers and helps sufferers develop skills to progress through stages

of dementia. Providence Adult Day Health provides supervised daytime care for people with dementia

and Alzheimer’s, plus cargegiver support groups and more. (509) 482-2475 or

washington.providence.org/senior-care/spokane-adult-day-health/

Circles of Caring offers adult day care services in the Pullman area. (509) 334-6483 or

www.circlesofcaring.org.

10 EARLY SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF ALZHEIMER’S

®

http://www.alz.org/inlandnorthwest







http://www.dawn-network.com




http://www.circlesofcaring.org




By Erika Prins LiveWell Correspondent

gangly man with long, wavy hair waves as he pedals past, music blasting from the boom box affixed

to a trailer behind his bike.

Bradley Baysinger raises a hand to greet him. “He rides with us,” says Baysinger. He’s talking about the Full Moon Ride, a monthly year-round nighttime bike ride he organizes with some friends.

“It’s not really even a bike ride so much as it’s a social event,” he says.

Though the routes vary, they’re generally short and flat. The first hour is purely social—the group trickles in at The Swamp west of downtown before heading out. Then, without announcement, the crowd on the patio begins to thin. Outside, riders unchain every kind of bike from poles, racks and wherever else they’d found to leave them on the way in.

The ride starts, again unannounced, when the first rider takes off.

“Nobody knows where we’re going,” he says. “It’s follow the leader.”

That means the group more or less has to stick together and keep the pace easy. More often than not, the ride ends at another bar or eatery, where riders may hang out for hours afterward.

“You don’t have to be a cyclist to be into this,” Baysinger says.

Baysinger feels strongly about the ride’s inclusiveness because stumbling upon the Full Moon Ride was how he found a community of cyclists. He’d swung by work on his bike one evening and was headed home when the group crossed his path. He spontaneously joined the ride.

“I didn’t even really care where they were going,” he recalls. “It really made a huge impression on me of what cycling is and what it could be in Spokane.”

Several years later, the Full Moon Ride’s original organizer left town. Baysinger and a few other cyclists revived the tradition and plan to carry it on.

These organizers aren’t the only Spokane bicyclists working hard to engage new riders. Events all through the season invite riders of varied ages, abilities and comfort levels to participate.

Bike to Work WeekThe name has stuck because Bike to Work Week is a long-standing national event, but the Spokane chapter has, since its inception, aimed to broaden the scope of the week-long bicycle commute challenge beyond riding to one’s job.

For the miles to be counted as part of the annual Commute Challenge, they simply have to get you from point A to point B on your own pedal power — whether that’s the coffee shop, the grocery store, work, school or anywhere else life takes you. Anything that isn’t purely recreational qualifies as a commute ride. Last year, local participants logged upwards of 5,000 miles ridden during the week.

The week kicks off on Monday, May 18, with a pancake breakfast in Riverfront Park, and concludes on Friday May 22, with an equally delicious catered wrap-up party at River City Brewing. All Bike to Work Week events are free and open to the public.

spokanebikes.org

Commute of the CenturyFounded last year by a city engineer, the series of five “extended lunchtime rides” during Bike to Work Week 2014 expanded into more neighborhoods.

This year, they will focus on potential future greenways—roads optimized for pedestrians and bikes. Though City of Spokane has identified a series of ideal locations for greenways,which include wide and accessible

A

A RIDE FOR

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sidewalks, bike lanes, reduced vehicle speeds and landscaping, it still seeks funding.

Commute of the Century rides follow the best option for bike paths along their course—both the good and the bad. Riders are invited to provide feedback on where roads could improve for cyclists.

spokanebikes.org

Friday Night Bikes New this year, Friday Night Bikes will occur monthly throughout the year to connect people interested in bicycling and bike event organizers.

spokanebikes.org

Summer Parkways & Kidical MassMany new riders express concern about riding on busy streets. Summer Parkways offers riders of all comfort levels an opportunity to ride the streets worry-free, with streets along the course blocked off to cars and instead lined with booths by active-lifestyle-oriented organizations.

The main event on June 18 begins at Manito Park, and is free and family-oriented. Two additional Kidical Mass rides for kids provide safe, chaperoned rides for kids of all ages—the first is confirmed for May 18 at Chief Garry Park.

summerparkways.com

SpokeFestDesigned to be challenging but accessible for casual or new riders, SpokeFest features a variety of course lengths. “We are working on getting more kids to ride and getting the word out on our Park Loop,” says volunteer organizer and promoter Anna Bresnahan.

This year, Bresnehan said organizers will focus on increasing participation in the 1-mile Riverfront Park, which includes kids’ entertainment and a “Bike Safety Rodeo.” The 8th annual SpokeFest is Sept. 13 at Riverfront Park. Four route choices range from the Great Harvest 1-mile Loop to the Spokesman Outdoors Half-Century.spokefest.org

Belles and Baskets“The thing about biking is, it’s better for a lot of bodies than a lot of other things,” Belles and Baskets founder Betsy Lawrence says.

Lawrence started the women-only group to find riding companions. “I created it just to have people to ride with,” she says.

When Lawrence began experiencing back pain and arthritis, she was forced to give up her intense yoga regimen and other activities she loved. So she had her bike adjusted for maximum comfort and found new ways to get active.

Belles and Baskets courses explore different neighborhoods in Spokane and always finish at a cafe or restaurant -- and Lawrence says even the rides themselves lend themselves to socializing. “There’s lots of chatting that goes on the whole time.”facebook.com/bellesandbaskets

EVERYONE


By Renée Sande LiveWell Correspondent

he health care industry refers to an “invisible problem,” where patients can’t receive adequate care due to a shortage of doctors. Or, even if care is

available, the process can be slow and difficult to provide.

In rural America, however, the problem is more than invisible – the time isolated patients can spend waiting for a provider can sometimes mean life or death.

“Twenty-five percent of our nation is rural, but only about 9 percent of our nation’s physicians practice in the rural setting,” said Dr. Gary Newkirk, program director of the Providence Family Medicine Residency Program in Spokane, which operates a Rural Training Track (RTT) for resident physicians.

“This problem is magnified in the Pacific Northwest where we have such a large rural community,” said Newkirk.

Rural residents often must travel long distances for care, or wait weeks or months for nearby appointments.

Nationally, death rates among rural men and women are 25 percent higher than in urban areas, and 60 percent of rural accidents result in death or serious injury compared to 48 percent in urban areas.

“Most doctors in rural areas are looking to retire so now we have this looming deficit,” said Newkirk.

Combine these statistics with a swiftly aging rural population needing greater care, in addition to fewer students entering medical school, and the need for more doctors in rural settings has never been higher.

The challenge is getting them thereAccording to the Association of American Family Physicians, 56 percent of graduates practice within 100 miles of where they performed their residency,

Providence’s RTT program, which offers one to three residency slots each year to grad students, keeps residents in Spokane for their first year, then sends them to Mount Carmel Hospital in Colville for two years.

As the nation’s first rural residency training track for family practice doctors dating back to 1986, Mount Carmel is one of the few rural hospitals with a doctor in its emergency room around the clock.

Retaining brightest mindsIn addition to the general shortage of primary care doctors, a problem in Washington—especially Eastern Washington—has been keeping students in-state.

“We simply need more medical seats for our students and more in rural training,” said Ken Roberts, acting dean and associate professor, WSU Medical Sciences. “In Washington, 350 students go to medical school every year, but two-thirds of them leave the state because there aren’t enough slots here.”

Nearly half of Washington counties have fewer than 10 doctors per 10,000 people. The national average is closer to 27 per 10,000, according to a paper written by Spokane Dr.’s Henry Mroch and Jeremy Graham, representatives of the Washington Alliance of Teaching Physicians.

Part of this reason is that by law, since 1917, there has only been one medical school in Washington—the University of Washington.

In 1979, the UW created a regional medical education outreach program to small communities, called WWAMI (for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho), training medical students at extension sites throughout the five states. The extension site in Spokane was managed by WSU Spokane, with Roberts as WWAMI Director.

However, even with WWAMI’s extension into Spokane and outlying rural areas, the program has only added 34 medical education slots over the last 35 years, while our state’s population doubled.

What’s more, there haven’t been enough

doctors to attract to rural communities, even with programs like the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program, which encourages licensed primary care health professionals to serve in Washington’s rural/critical shortage areas.

So that’s why Spokane is stepping up the effort to add more education options.

“Washington is too big of a state to give one university a monopoly on medical education,” said Rich Hadley, who leads a local group advocating for a WSU medical school, during a legislative session in February, to discuss an amendment to the 1917 law.

Hadley, the former president of Greater Spokane Incorporated, added that most states our size have two, if not three or four medical schools.

Finding a new pathAfter months of argument over the future of medical education in Spokane, the two universities decided to part ways on a decades-old partnership in November 2014.

While WSU is still hoping to collaborate with UW in medical education at some level, the schools may soon be competing to train doctors in Spokane.

Buoyed by recent support from groups such as WATP and Hadley’s group, WSU is already planning its own medical school.

“A WSU medical school will double the number of medical seats for students…that’s huge,” said Roberts.

Not only will the school keep more students in state, but it will focus on a new community-based model where residents train at “teaching

T

A GROWING NEED: Med programs battling to attract new providers, rural focus

Top Dr. Jacob Chaffee, left, from Coulee Medical Center, and Tara Olson, a first-year University of Washington medical student in 2012, were both part of a mentoring program that partnered first-year students with rural providers. Bottom, Dr. John McCarthy, from the UW School of Medicine, has taken students to variety of rural health care providers, including Colville’s Mount Carmel Hospital. Courtesy Washington State University College of Medical Sciences


health centers,” aimed at getting the doctors to practice in rural, critical-shortage areas.

Funds designated for “teaching health centers” by the federal Affordable Care Act is what prompted WSU to look at the model, and join with Providence Health Care and Empire Health Foundation to form the Spokane Teaching Health Center consortium, which plans to sponsor residents.

“With our training center model, you don’t build a new hospital, you utilize current underused facilities; we’d be increasing the opportunities for medical students with a focus on rural medicine,” said Roberts. “In addition to saving money on building infrastructure, residents are getting hooked on where they’re located.”

STHC is now funding six new medical residents in Spokane, which brings the number of residency slots in Spokane from 74 to 80.

If federal funding is approved at the end of this September, STHC will apply for additional funds to create up to 39 more residency positions over the next five years.

Raising the bar“We’re very optimistic that in two-and-a-half years we’ll be up and running,” said Roberts. “We’re asking for initial funding to have our first class of 40 students in the fall of 2017.”

While WSU hopes to be training 120 students annually by 2021, UW, in the meantime, is looking to increase its WWAMI presence in Spokane, with plans to enroll 80 students per year by 2017, and 120 per year by 2021.

While increasing the number of primary care doctors is important, Roberts says the changing healthcare landscape also requires looking at other healthcare professionals –

pharmacists, nurse practitioners, technicians – and ultimately expanding the availability of services to underserved populations in rural settings.

For example this year, there’s a unique partnership between the [WSU] College of Pharmacy and PNWU (Pacific Northwest University) in Yakima, where WSU student pharmacists and PNWU students of osteopathic medicine learn to care for patients as a team.

“We’re not saying that we’re going to solve this problem purely by educating physicians,” said Roberts. “We need these other professions to be practicing at the top of their game so that we maximize everybody’s capacity.”

Roberts will continue his post as director of the WWAMI Spokane medical education program until the end of the academic year in mid-May. •

Residents assigned to the rural track residency program in Colville enjoy sharing their experiences with visiting medical students during their visits. Courtesy

Washington State University College of

Medical Sciences


By Erika Prins LiveWell Correspondent

t 50, Betsy Lawrence was teaching and practicing “really high-level, hard, aggressive” yoga. The Spokane Falls Community College English instructor

had already begun to experience acute arthritis pain. When she learned she had a herniated disc, it became clear to her that her body couldn’t withstand the impact of her current routine.

Emotionally coping with new physical limitations isn’t talked about that much, says Lawrence, now 55, but for her, it felt like mourning.

“That was probably a year of grieving and not really being OK.”

But she was far from admitting defeat: she turned to bicycling, which was easier on her body, eventually having her bike adjusted and altered to accommodate a more comfortable upright posture.

Lawerence was never into sports, but learned from her family to stay active.

“My parents walked into their 80s,” she says.

Her three older siblings, now in their 60s and 70s, walk, play tennis and dance. Most of her relationships involve physical activities, from bike rides followed by coffee to walking to meetings.

Surrounding herself with active people and working around her barriers have become the gospel Lawrence preaches to her students and friends.

“That’s why I do all the things I do: because I want people to feel good and know that stuff is still going to hurt.”

In time, Lawrence found new opportunities to teach. She trained to become a certified Jazzercise instructor, which opened up an opportunity to instruct yoga again, this time at a local Jazzercise studio.

“I teach yoga at the exercise center to women who are age 30 to 75, super active and amazing,” she says.

Influenced by her own journey, she’s taking a fresh approach to her classes: “trying to give options in a way that it’s not, ‘This is the lowest level and this is the highest level,’ but in a way that is, ‘These are different ways to do the same thing.’”

When she couldn’t find a bicycling group to fit her needs, Lawrence founded Belles and Baskets, an informal monthly women’s ride that follows an easy pace and ends at a cafe for socializing.

“I wanted to ride with other women and was afraid of being in something competitive,” she says. “I realized other women were saying the same thing.”

An active lifestyle helps Lawrence stay limber and prevent further injury.

“You have to be consistent. You can’t think you can be a weekend basketball player,” she says. “You have to be more

aware of your body.”

Still, pain is a regular part of her life now. On her doctor’s recommendation, she stays active while working to minimize her discomfort. She says in her own case, her health will fare better long-term by enduring extra pain in the service of staying fit.

Daily activity matters at any age, but becomes essential to maintain independence and quality of life as one ages, she says.

“It’s not just fun after 50, it’s a necessity to being able to have any lifestyle you want.”

Core strength, balance, bone density, range of motion and muscle retention are key to preventing and mitigating the consequences of falls for aging adults, says Eric Denny, Health and Wellness Director for the Central Spokane YMCA. “We’re trying to work against some of the things that generally happen as we age.”

Through Medicare and private insurance, many seniors qualify for Silver Sneakers, a free YMCA membership program for seniors.

All classes at the YMCA include modifications for different fitness levels. Classes for specifically seniors provide something Lawrence says has been essential to her ongoing motivation to stay fit: a low-pressure, supportive environment. Senior-specific classes focus on the key elements for senior health and safety, and offer work-arounds for physical limitations.

“If we’re teaching a class to senior populations, we’re going to make sure that there’s some kind of piece in there to work on fall prevention and balance,” Denny says.

A

STAYING FIT AFTER55

Continued on Page 34Members of the Striders walk along the Centennial Trail. Photos courtesy Striders INW

Spokane and Spokane Valley

1.800.230.PLANWWW.PPGWNI.ORG


Many seniors at the YMCA struggle with arthritis pain, so many senior-focused programs take place in a heated therapy pool. The Healthy Hearts program offers classes for those at risk for or suffering from heart problems. Chair Yoga works on flexibility and muscle strength without some riskier elements of traditional yoga.

Striders INW in Spokane Valley and Coeur d’Alene, an affordable way for seniors to stay fit, connects active seniors with a supportive, vibrant peer group through classes and accountability for independent exercise.

From September through mid-May, the group meets for exercise classes to increase strength and balance. During the summer, the group meets in the morning to walk twice a

week, followed by coffee.

“The greatest benefit that I find—and, I think, anybody who you asked in that group—is the friendship and caring and camaraderie between the people,” says organizer Carol Stobie.

When someone misses a class or a group walk, another group member is likely to notice and check in with them. “We look out for each other.”

Striders INW members currently range from 60-92. Though the walks and classes require a minimum level of mobility, the group welcomes everyone.

“We have one lady who uses a cane—and she’ll be getting her knee replaced next week.”

Striders INW’s incredible support system extends far beyond its classes. Members track walking miles throughout the year and enter them into quarterly competitions.

Awards banquets celebrating top walkers feature educational speakers, such as a representatives from the Alzheimer’s Association, the Parkinson’s Foundation and Bloomsday founder Don Kardong.

“They all comment on how healthy we are for our age,” says Stobie.

Overall, Lawrence continues to find ways to help her health – and encourage others to do the same.

“There is a great accomplishment in doing a small step and finding a way to do that,” she says. “Don’t ever let people make you feel like you aren’t doing enough.” •

Continued from previous page.

Striders members walk by the pond at Manito Park. Betsy Lawrence organized Belles and Baskets, a social-focused cycling group. Right photo courtesy Striders. Left photo Erika Prins

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