This Sunday was Mother’s Day, so my sister, Kathryn, and I got proactive and made my mom dinner! Since Kathryn doesn’t eat meat, we had to get a little crafty with the food choices and we settled on bruschetta, which is super easy to make! (It also tastes pretty good too!)

We headed off to Coborns grocery store armed with an internet recipe, and used NuVal to help us whittle down our choices! For example, there were several brands of balsamic vinegar, and we didn’t know anything about them, so we used NuVal to help us decide! I have recently taken up the practice of using NuVal as the tiebreaker for foods I’m stumped about, it’s a really easy way to trade up!

The recipe called for 2 kinds of tomatoes – fresh and sun-dried. Fresh tomatoes didn’t stump us, they have a high NuVal score of 96 – but the sun-dried tomatoes were a bit of a surprise dropping to a 56 (still not bad!)…here’s more proof that fresh is always best!  Garlic scores a 91 and olive oil scores an 11 (low but definitely higher than other oils).  Overall – I’d say this was a healthy dinner choice!

So enjoy the video and if you want to take a look at the recipe and give it a try, click here!

Lydia

Click here to view the embedded video.

Having a work environment that supports and encourages health and fitness is something we can all get behind. It starts with the employers, but essentially it takes all of us to create an environment that welcomes healthy changes. This means taking advantage of what is offered, making suggestions to make improvements, and extending a hand or ear when opportunity presents itself.

National Employee Health and Fitness Day is Friday, May 18, 2012, and we’d like to offer some simple ways employers can provide a healthier work environment, as well as simple ways that employees can get involved and help shape a work environment where co-workers can find support.

• Bike Racks: Supply a bike rack or a place to store bikes during the work day.
• Health Insurance Information: Many people receive information the first week of work or once a year regarding benefit changes. However, employees may have made more recent lifestyle changes and could use some reminders about coverage such as health club and gym reimbursements.
• Monthly Reminders: A simple text message or email to staff each week or month reminding them of benefits, healthy habits, and changes your office is implementing. Find a local event to promote each month (like a bike ride, 5K, Relay for Life walk, etc) and let know who from your office is participating.
• Grill: Grilling isn’t just for home. Consider an office grill and make it available for use anytime. Turn regular potlucks or restaurant gatherings into healthier options without leaving your office. Salad bars make great potlucks too; assigning each person a couple items to bring.
• Break Room: Supply healthier snacks or at least options.
• Refrigerator: Having a refrigerator available for employees to store home lunches and snacks helps reduce eating out or reaching for candy.
• Water Cooler: Supplying readily available cold and hot water for employees is important.
• Fresh Lemons and Limes: Supply some fresh lemons and limes for water. It’s a nice gesture, healthy, and very cheap.
• Replace the Candy Bowl: Replace the candy bowl with fruit or gum. Many employees say they wouldn’t eat candy if it wasn’t there. Don’t make the office the place where you get rid of your kid’s Halloween and Easter candy.
• Celebrations: Instead of celebrating birthdays and milestones with cake, why not find healthier alternatives? Why not take turns making a healthy meal for the birthday staff to take home and share with their family for supper?! The time saved could be spent with kids or spouse getting outside or going for a walk instead of cooking supper!
• Incentives: in regard to small gifts or incentives, consider alternatives that send a clear message of a healthy work environment. Some ideas are bike locks, reusable water bottles, reflectors, umbrellas, exercise balls for desks, back packs for biking, etc.

Does your employers encourage a healthy work environment? Are there other ideas you can share?

Here I am on Prom Night!

Well, I thought it would never happen, but I’ve decided on a college and as it turns out, I’ll be studying abroad in England for the first year.

That got me thinking, what will the food be like in England? Healthier? Less junk food? More tea? I wish there was a NuVal app on my phone I could take to the UK with me!

So, I did a little research, the websites did say that generally, people in England are very accommodating to diets, and there are a lot of vegetarians! Another website said “People in England eat more fruit and vegetables and less salt and fat, reducing heart disease and some cancers, say Oxford University experts.” So that’s really promising!

Also, tea is a huge deal over there, so I went to the NuVal website and saw that I can trade up from Coca Cola (1) to Arizona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng (35). I’m not sure if they drink a whole lot of iced tea over in Britain, but that’s a promising trade up!

One thing I will miss is the Minnesota apples in the fall, especially honey crisp apples. I suppose I could just eat applesauce, but the NuVal website informs me that Mott’s Plain Regular Original Applesauce is a 4 while fresh apples are a 96. Maybe my family can mail me a few honey crisps? They might end up as applesauce in transit though…

Anyways, I’m looking forward to trying new things and hopefully staying healthy!

Lydia

P.s. Watch my “Stalker” video and trade up for health!

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

Biking can save you money, improve your health and save the environment all at the same time!  However… there are a few things we all need to keep in mind before we go biking around town.

Did you know…..by Minnesota law, bicycles are defined as vehicles, so bicyclists must follow the same laws as motorists?!  Many organization locally and around the country are promoting bike awareness and safety - this is in part due to the warm weather upon us and May is National Bike Month.  Understanding the laws are critical – without this knowledge, biking can be dangerous for you, your family, and everyone else on the road.

I remember growing up in my neighborhood and biking all over the place.  Down the sidewalk, up alleyways, down the middle of the street, really any where I wanted to go. This is something you can still see if you look out your window on a bright sunny day!  Which is fantastic because we need more kids out and active!  However, most people aren’t aware that no person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district unless permitted by local authorities. Also, local authorities may prohibit the operation of bicycles on any sidewalk or crosswalk under their jurisdiction.  More MN laws like the ones above can be found here.  It is important that we all know the laws when biking because it will keep us safe.

One way our community is coming together more to promote biking is through the Bernick’s Family Fitness Series!  This series is presented by the St. Cloud Area Family YMCA in conjunction with the St. Cloud Times and 104.7 KCLD.  We are able to promote biking through our next event, the Wells Fargo River Ride Bike Event – a BLEND Fit Kids Club Series endorsed event!!!!!

This event is taking place at the St. Cloud Area Family YMCA on May 19th.  The 10 mile ride throughout the city will start at 8:00am, and the 3 mile bike parade will start at 9:30am.  Before the ride, be sure your bike is properly tuned up for safety.  The team from Revolution Cycle and Ski as well as Fitzharris Ski and Sport will be out at the event providing free tune ups!  We will also have a ton of information about bike safety provided by Mn/Dot, as well as, Helmet fittings by the St. Cloud Hospital Trauma Center!  It is required that all participants wear a helmet and follow all street laws while biking.  A limited supply of helmets will be available for purchase.

This is an event you do not want to miss!  So, get out and support our biking community by registering here today!  We want you and our community to understand that biking can be something done on a daily basis. 

Also…we will be giving 2 bikes away to a couple of lucky participants!  And, BLEND will be giving hula hoops away to the first 200 kids!

 Click here to learn more about the Bernick’s Family Fitness Series!

Keep a look out for upcoming series events!
• Anderson Trucking Service, Inc. Family Field Day, August 11th, 2012
• Health Partners Wishbone Walk/Run, Thanksgiving Day, 2012

Hope to see all of you out there supporting our community’s health!
Thank you and good luck!
Chad Johnson
Health and Wellness Director
St. Cloud Area Family YMCA
chadj@scymca.org

Guest post from Greg Skoog – a member of the Apple Duathlon Committee. Greg is a runner and cyclist who has competed in the last six Apple Duathlons. He’s also a father who has cheered his kids through a couple of Apple Kids Duathlons, from top-ten finishes to just-happy-to-be-finishings!

When it comes to getting active, one is fun but two makes things so much more interesting! That’s the exciting part of the Apple Duathlon challenge coming up on May 25-26, 2012. Before you have a chance to get bored with one event, it’s time to switch and do something new.

Is the du for yu?

For 30 years now, the Apple Duathlon has been one of the most respected multi-sport races in the country. And, while it’s true that the Apple draws some elite racers, the majority of the participants every year are hundreds of local folks just like you. Some run/ride it alone – others pair up and do it in teams. Some have specific goals in mind – others just want to be able to say they did it (and proudly wear the race shirt, which is going to be exceptionally cool this year, btw).

The race itself consists of a fast, flat (once you get over that first hill!) 5K run course, followed by a challenging-but-not-impossible ride of just under 21 miles through Sartell and St. Stephen, finishing up with another loop around that same 5K course. The whole course is packed with cheerful, helpful volunteers to keep you on track. And when you’re coming around that final corner, the only thing that looks better than the finish line is the tent full of fantastic food just beyond it. It really is a great race and an accomplishment you’ll be proud of.

Get your kids started right!

This year is the 8th running of the Apple Kids Duathlon (Friday, May 25). As our flagship sponsor, BLEND shares our passion for getting kids started early on creating a positive, active lifestyle! There are two separate distances (plus the special Apple Seedlings race for even younger kids – check it out below). Young kids, ages 7-10, will run about a quarter mile (in clear view), then hop on their bikes and take off for a 3.5-mile ride through the clearly marked and well-staffed streets of Sartell before coming back to finish up with another quarter-mile run. Older kids, ages 11-16, will get to stretch themselves a bit by basically doubling those distances.

Duathlon is clearly a sport built with the attention span of a 7-year-old in mind. There will be no boredom! Plus, kids will love the swag. This year’s t-shirts are more awesome than ever. There are awards and prize drawings and free food and drinks at the end.

Seedlings start even earlier!

Kids ages 3-6 can get an early start on fitness in the Apple Seedlings Race starting just before the Apple Kids Duathlon on Friday, May 25. It’s a short, fun run, with no registration fee. (There’s no online registration for the Seedlings race – just sign your runner up on race day.) And everyone gets a special prize!

Make this the year you and your family du something different. You can learn more about both the Apple Duathlon and the Apple Kids Duathlon at the website. And keep in mind, if you’re not running or riding, volunteering is almost as inspirational! We’d love to have you join us and help out. Just email info@appleduathlon.com to contact us and find out more!

2011 North Junior High Walk-A-Thon

In the coming weeks hundreds of kids from the area will be lacing up their shoes and hitting the pavement to raise money for their schools.  Don’t worry, they’re not walking door-to-door selling products – they’re walking for better health. 

Walk-a-thons are making a huge come-back!  That’s right…the old-fashioned walk-a-thon!  Schools and parent teacher groups are partnering with BLEND to bring this healthy and active fundraiser back to life.  And, everyone is loving it!

Why do kids and parents like walk-A-thons?

• It’s easy and simple!  No confusing forms to fill out.
• There is no delivering of goods.
• Kids are getting out of school to have fun and be active!
• Parents are only asked to donate/fundraise one time instead of multiple times per year.
• Large or small donations are welcomed! (kids are turning in pennies and nickels to support their school)

Why is this such a hit with local schools?

• There are no upfront costs or contracts.
• There is no more sorting and delivering of goods.
• Walk-a-thons generate profits without selling products.
• 100% of funds stay at the school. 
• Increases student participation in fundraising efforts.
• Walk-a-thons promote physical activity.
• Schools may qualify for a $500 mini-grant.

THE EXCITEMENT BUILDS!

BLEND has been supporting healthy fundraising in local schools for a couple of years and the excitement continues to build.  More and more schools are switching from fundraising practices that push kids to sell unhealthy food products to fundraising efforts that considers the overall health of the students.  In fact, four St. Cloud Area School District schools are implementing their 1st annual walk-a-thon this spring – Clearview Elementary (May 11), Kennedy Community School (May 11), Westwood Elementary (May 25), and Talahi Elementary (May 25). 

They’re in good company.  Lincoln Elementary school is hosting their 4th annual walk-a-thon on May 24th and Stride Academy Schools has set their walk-a-thon date for June 21st.  Seven other schools are planning their 2nd, 3rd, and even 7th annual healthy fundraisers in the fall 2012.  We can’t wait to hear about their successes. 

We know that 2011 walk-a-thons were wildly successful!  South Junior High has planned their Walkin’ Wildcats walk-a-thon since 2006.  Last year, South students raised over $33,000. Unbelievable, right!  Even more incredible, in their first-ever attempts, Madison Elementary and North Junior High schools raised over $16,000 and $13,000! 

Click here to view the embedded video.

Other schools are reaching beyond students and staff to raise money the healthy, active way.  Several schools sought out the support of their greater community and planned a 1K and 5K run/walk.  Sacred Heart School (Freeport) and Talahi Elementary School did just that – both raising nearly $1,500.  Check out other success stories!

Sacred Heart School 1K/5K Walk and Run

This is no joke – schools are tipping the scales and exceeding their fundraising goals like never before.  Walk-a-thons are a win-win for schools, kids and our community!  They’ve proven to be enormously successful for Central MN schools – raising nearly $80,000 in 2011.  Please support our students seeking donations for their school’s healthy fundraising efforts.  Learn more about walk-a-thons and how your school could be the next to plan a walk-a-thon!

Be sure to watch all of the school walk-a-thon videos on the BLEND YouTube Channel.   

My high school play “Little Shop of Horrors - plant eating a snack! (Don't worry, Ivy's okay!)

I feel like I say this on every post, but my GOODNESS have I been busy!

The high school play “Little Shop of Horrors” just ended, and I was a lead! The play went really well, and it’s kind of funny how it relates: it’s all about an alien plant who eats people, and my favorite NuVal® saying is “the closer to nature, the healthier,” except this time nature is eating the people. That’s kind of macabre now that I read that sentence. Oh well!

The musical was a hilarious! On Saturday we had two shows, so in between the whole cast and crew scattered to find food. I went to Val’s (burger joint), which may not be the healthiest, but keeping NuVal® in mind, I made sure to order extra vegetables for my burger! I was impressed by other members of my cast who selected Subway® because they said it was healthier. Way to trade up!!

I think that “it’s healthier” mood has really been pervading the school lately. With the spring weather, people are starting to go out and exercise more and healthiness seems to be a theme in a lot of conversations. One of my friends told me just yesterday he was trying to eat healthier so he could be his best in track. This is all very encouraging! Health is in the air!

P.s. Watch my latest video!  Enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Guest post from Chad Johnson – the St. Cloud Area YMCA’s Health and Wellness Director, personal trainer and a Lifestyle Coach for the I CAN Prevent Diabetes program.

2011 River Ride Bike Event

Saturday morning, about 7:00am, just waking up for my morning coffee - I looked out the window at the busy streets below.  I wished to see a street full of bikers, runners and walkers instead of cars and trucks…and, more cars and trucks!  For a moment I imagined what it would be like in Minneapolis…St. Paul…or, Duluth where it’s an every day occurrence to see people walking, running and biking to go places.  Oh how I wish this was our community and every community!

Don’t get me wrong, St. Cloud has made leaps and bounds in becoming a healthier city.  I am very proud to represent Wellness at the St. Cloud Area Family YMCA, and I will never give up on continuing the journey on helping my home town community!

One of the ways I am able to do this is through the Bernick’s Family Fitness Series.  This series of events is presented by the St. Cloud Area Family YMCA in conjunction with the St. Cloud Times and 104.7 KCLD!  Our goal with this series is to give families an opportunity to try fun, seasonal, family-friendly events that all ages can enjoy.

Coming up on May 19th, the Wells Fargo River Ride Bike Event (formerly the BLEND Bike Parade) will take place at the St. Cloud Area Family YMCA!   This community event combines the River Ride Bike Parade and the Mayor’s Bike Ride in one giant Bike Celebration!   

St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis enjoying the 2011 River Ride Bike Parade

This event is designed to get families out and active while educating everyone on bike safety and how to commute through the city. There will be a 10 mile ride and a 3 mile bike parade!  What I am most proud of with this event is that the route will mainly take place on designated bike routes through the city. This is such a vital piece to the event because we want this community to understand that biking can be something done on a daily basis.  It will improve your health while saving gas money at the same time!

It is required that all participants wear a helmet and follow all street laws while biking.

Click here to learn more about the Bernick’s Family Fitness Series!
Click here to register for this event!

Keep a look out for upcoming Bernick’s Family Fitness series events!
• Anderson Trucking Service, Inc. Family Field Day, August 11th, 2012
• Health Partners Wishbone Walk/Run, Thanksgiving Day, 2012

The Wells Fargo River Bike Event and Anderson Trucking Service, Inc. Family Field Day are part of the BLEND Fit Kids Club Series!  The BLEND Fit Kids Club Series awards prizes to kids (14 years and younger) for getting active and participating in area fitness events! 

Hope to see all of you out there supporting our community’s health!
Thank you and good luck!
Chad Johnson
Health and Wellness Director
St. Cloud Area Family YMCA
chadj@scymca.org

Meadowbrook Elementary (Hopkins School District) Principle Greta Evans-Becker helps students in their school garden.

Earlier this week the U of M Extension and the MN Dept. of Health invited community leaders, schools, farmers, and parents across Central MN to attend a free screening and discussion of a 30-minute documentary on the Farm to School partnerships in our state.  This in-depth documentary, Farm to School: Growing our Future, provides viewers with ways communities can work together to improve children’s health and education with sustainable actions to build healthy, strong communities. 

Farm to School is a program that connects schools (K-12) and local farms with the purpose of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing agriculture, health and nutrition education opportunities, and supporting local and regional farmers.

Farm to School provides a model for positively influencing children’s eating habits.  There is a distinct connection between healthy food choices and knowing where food comes from, how it grows, and who grows it. This knowledge has proven to impact how a child thinks about and enjoys food.

What’s more – healthy diets positively and directly impact students’ academic performance.  What students eat directly affects their ability to perform in the classroom.  Efforts by Minnesota schools and producers to work together and put farm-fresh foods on lunch trays around the state are helping MSNA fulfill its vision of making quality, nutritious foods available to all students as an integral part of their education.

In Minnesota, more than a half million students (68% of K-12 students) are now engaged in Farm to School according to a pair of surveys released by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) and the Minnesota School Nutrition Association (MSNA). IATP estimates that $1.3 million of Farm to School foods were purchased by Minnesota school districts last year alone.

These numbers are profound.  We are now seeing the Farm to School benefits: more students are eating fresh and healthy foods, more farmers are selling to nearby schools, and more of our food dollars are circulating in the local economy.

Did you attend a local screening and discussion session?  Tell us about it!  Or, watch the video and share your thoughts with BLEND. 

To attend a screening and discussion session outside the Central MN area visit the U of M Extension website!

Although the St. Cloud screening has passed, if you have questions or comments about the Farm to School: Growing our Future documentary or about Farm to School in general, please contact Mary Caskey.

Deb Johansen (blue BLEND shirt on the right) helping KidStop kids decorate their hula hoops with duct tape!

BLEND partners with many youth-serving organizations, schools and teachers, medical professionals, and fitness groups in Central MN to learn about new ideas and innovative ways to promote fun and physical activity to kids and families.  While planning activities for the Earth Day Run BLEND Kids Health & Fitness Expo - BLEND asked members of their Physical Activity Committee to come up with ideas for give-aways – something kids could take home and continue to play and be active with even after the event.  Some suggested were balls, Frisbees and jump ropes…good ideas but BLEND has done that before. 

Deb Johansen, a member of the committee and a developmental adapted physical education teacher for Roosevelt Early Childhood Center in St. Cloud Area School District 742, encouraged BLEND to give away hula hoops to kids who attend the event. Naturally, questions were asked.

Deb’s response: Irrigation tubing – what else?   

For those who know Deb it’s no surprise to hear her ambitious and inventive ideas.  You see Deb knows a few things about kids, creativity and activities. She has been a teacher for more than thirty years and the founder of ARISE, A Recreational Inclusion Support Endeavor, whose mission is to support children with disabilities in accessing community and recreation activities with their able-bodied peers and in learning leisure and recreational skills they can enjoy throughout their lives. She also develops specialized equipment to assist children to be active.

So it was – BLEND made hula hoops out of irrigation tubing!  With the generosity of The Home Depot Foundation and their Team Depot Crew – BLEND constructed more than 820 hula hoops and gave them away to kids attending the BLEND Kids Health & Fitness Expo on Friday, April 20, 2012! 

With more than 2,400 kids and family members attending the expo you could only imagine the number of times the question was asked ”how did you make the hula hoops?”   It’s crazy simple and anyone can do it – just follow the instructions below and in no time you will have your very own hula hoop!

How to Make Your Very Own Hula Hoop! 

Supplies Needed:

• 3/4″ 160 PSI NSF Pipe (irrigation tubing)*
• 3/4″ Poly Insert Coupling Connector (one per hula hoop)*
• PVC and plastic tubing cutter*
• Heat gun* or hair dryer
• Tape measure*
• Duct tape*

 * Products found at your local Home Depot store.

1. Measure and Cut!  Determine how big you want your hula hoop.  BLEND made 9.5 foot hula hoops for the expo.  Use a tape measure or a flexible sewing tape measure to mark the length of tubing.  Cut with the tubing cutter.

2. Heat Tubing!  Have your coupling insert nearby.  You will need to heat the tubing so the coupling insert can easily slide in the tubing.  Heat one cut end of the tubing with the heat gun.  If using a construction heat gun you will only need to heat the tubing for 30 – 45 seconds. You will notice the tubing will turn glossy. Do not hold in one spot or the tubing will start to melt – move the heat gun around.  If using a hair dryer be sure to set it at the hottest setting and heat for 2 – 3 minutes – again, moving the dryer around the end and along the surface of the tubing.  Be careful – the tubing gets a little warm.

3. Insert Coupling!  Once the tubing is heated it’s time to insert the coupling connector.  Push the coupling piece into the tubing until it reaches the center marks.  This may take some effort.  If the insert doesn’t go in then simply continue to heat the tubing until the coupling piece slides in where it needs to be.  Cool completely before proceeding to step 4.

4. Bring Together!  You’re almost done.  Now take the other end of the tubing and repeat steps 2 and 3.  Heat tubing and slide the exposed half of the coupling insert into the tubing - trying to meet the ends.  It’s not critical the ends meet as the duct tape will hide the seam.

5.  Duct Tape!  Once you have constructed your hula hoop and the tubing is cool it’s time to decorate.  Cut (or rip) duct tape into 3-4 inch piece – tape the seam and decorate hoop.  The Home Depot sells a huge assortment of duct tape from printed (leopard, checkered, flames, etc) to solids giving kids the option to decorate with flare or simplicity!  

In the end, Deb Johansen gave BLEND an amazing idea – something that would get kids up and active…and, something that will last for years to come.  For those who attended the Earth Day Run BLEND Kids Health and Fitness Expo - THANK YOU!!!  BLEND looks forward to seeing you again next year!  A little secret - Deb is already thinking of something new to give away to kids for next year’s event!  Stay tuned!