Top 10 Reasons To Exercise

Sustainable Healthy Living, by Sheila Mullen – March 31, 2012

Exercise may be the closest thing to the fountain of youth. Not only does regular activity strengthen your muscles and improve heart and lung function, but it can also reduce your risk of major diseases, stimulate the growth of new brain cells, and even add years to your life. Studies show just 30 minutes of physical activity on most days is all that's required to reap big benefits.

The range of health bonuses now attributed to exercise has surprised even doctors. Research suggests that workouts may do the following:

• Keep you young. Workouts such as brisk walking or cycling boost the amount of oxygen consumed during exercise. Improving your aerobic capacity by just 15 to 25 percent would be like shaving 10 to 20 years off your age. Aerobic exercise may also stimulate the growth of new brain cells in older adults.
• Reduce infections. Moderate workouts temporarily rev-up the immune system by increasing the aggressiveness or capacity of immune cells. That may explain why people who exercise catch fewer colds.
• Prevent heart attacks. Not only does exercise raise "good" HDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure, but new research shows it reduces arterial inflammation, another risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.
• Ease asthma. New evidence shows that upper-body and breathing exercises can reduce the need to use an inhaler in mild cases of asthma.
• Control blood sugar. Exercise helps maintain a healthy blood-sugar level by increasing the cells' sensitivity to insulin and by controlling weight. Regular brisk walking can significantly cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Protect against cancer. Exercise may reduce the risk of colon-cancer by speeding waste through the gut and lowering the insulin level. It may also protect against breast and prostate cancer by regulating hormone levels.
• Combat stress. Regular aerobic exercise lowers levels of stress hormones. For many people, exercise helps relieve depression as effectively as antidepressant medication.
• Relieve hot flashes. Increasing fitness by walking or practicing yoga enhances mood and reduces some menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats.
• Protect men's health. Pelvic exercises help prevent erectile dysfunction and possibly benign prostate enlargement, a common cause of urinary problems.
• Prolong life. Studies lasting many years have consistently shown that being active cuts the risk of premature death by about 50 percent for men and women.

Adapted from Consumers Reports, September, 2007

About Sheila Mullen - The founder of Continuous Motion Consulting, Sheila is passionate about engaging friends, family and community in improving their lives and the lives of those around them. Sheila spent more than 20 years in technology sales, marketing and development. She also has a background in organizational development, innovation and executive wellness coaching.

Go Fly a Kite!

Clean And Clear Catawba, by Alice Battle – March 30, 2012

I have blogged about the wonderful hikes Mecklenburg County guides on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesdays of the month. These hikes are free to all who show up. The group meets at the Latta Plantation Nature Center at 9 am on the appointed day.

Last Tuesday’s hike was unique.  We ventured out to Cowan’s Ford Wildlife Refuge hoping to find birds.  In the quiet of the Preserve, we heard the calls of wild turkeys. As we waited quietly, two big tom turkeys came strutting out through the trees to the edge of the prairie.  One puffed up his chest feathers and raised his wings.  He was magnificent.

I tried to take a picture of him, but he became skittish and turned tail for the safety of the trees.  Now that he knew we were present he was not going to venture out again. I missed an opportunity.

Next we went to Rural Hill Plantation.  There was a soft breeze drifting across the field at the crest of the hill.  We decided to fly kites.

The kites were simple. The design is known as the bumble bee. It requires a sheet of copier paper, a ruler, a stapler, masking tape, a paper punch and lightweight string or thread. The construction took about five minutes.

The beauty of this kite is that it requires very little wind to fly.  In no time, it was aloft. It was like being a kid again.

About Alice Battle – Alice lives on Mountain Island Lake has served on numerous groups devoted to protecting the lake, including the Duke Energy Relicensing stakeholders group. She currently is Lakekeeper for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.

Wildlife could be waiting for your backyard transformation

Catawba River Women, by Carla Linster – March 29, 2012

Do you know what the largest irrigated crop in the United States is?

Fescue turf grass. That’s right.  The U.S. has 40 million acres of irrigated fescue grass, and it’s nonproductive.

Craig R. Wyant, the March luncheon speaker for the Catawba River Women’s Group, shared this astonishing fact with us. Craig owns A Fine Line Design, a landscape architecture firm. He also is active in numerous environmental groups and serves as a habitat steward trainer for the NC Wildlife Federation.

Craig told us that most of the 40 million acres of fescue grass is in suburban housing developments that once were woods and meadows and home to an abundant and healthy wildlife ecosystem.

So what if we set aside a part of this nonproductive fescue lawn and gave it back to some of the animals that once lived there?

We can, Craig said, by turning our yards into backyard wildlife habitats. 

You’ll hear birdsongs, see squirrels frolic, enjoy the pollination benefits from bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, gain mosquito control from bats and – something that really gets my son excited – have far less fescue grass to mow.

What a backyard habitat requires

Four components make up a backyard habitat: food, water, cover and a place to raise young.

1. Food: Plants are good sources to provide food. Dogwood tree fruit, hearts a bursting, milkweed plant and millet are a few. Be sure not to plant invasive species that could take over and be a poor food. Feeders are an important supplement to a backyard habitat. Feeders you may want to consider: a basic hanging bird feeder, humming bird feeder, bin feeder and a suet feeder. 
2. Water: A birdbath on the ground is the most natural way birds drink water, and it will also be a water source for small mammals. On the other hand, an elevated birdbath provides protection from neighborhood cats. Butterflies also like water on the ground; place sand in a shallow pan for the “puddling” that attracts them. Make sure the water is fresh and clean with no algae buildup. 
3. Cover: Animals need two kinds of cover. Temporary cover provides a place to hide from a predator or spend the night in safety. Permanent cover provides a place to stay for the season or all year round and safety for raising the young. Look to nature when considering cover. In the forest you have the canopy (the tall, mature trees), mid-story vegetation (smaller trees like dogwood and bushes), herbaceous vegetation ground cover (shrubs and small plants), and forest litter. Cover can also be fallen timber. A hallow log makes a nice burrow. A standing snag that has a cavity in it can be cover for an owl, squirrel or raccoon. 
4. A place to raise young: This can be a constructed cover such as a grape arbor where birds and pollinators can build their nests; a concrete culvert with one closed end to forma sturdy burrow, or even a brush pile. For bird houses and nesting boxes, be sure to put on a pole or post with a predator baffle to ward off snakes and mammals. Butterfly nesting boxes will protect against weather and predators. Squirrel boxes, toad abodes and spider frames are some other cover elements you may want to add. But be sure to clean out nesting boxes at the end of the season.

Now get certified!

Once you’ve built your backyard wildlife habitat you may want to be certified by the NC or National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Federation. We humans have taken so much from our environment. Give a little back, and enjoy the beauty.

Great resources for learning and doing more

• Wildlife Federation BackyardWildlife Habitat
• NC State Wildlife Extension
• NC Cooperative Extension in Charlotte
• Invasive-plant list
• “Bring Nature Home” by Doulas W. Tallamy
• Birdhouse on the Greenway - local business
• Backyard Buddies - local business

 

About Carla Linster – Carla, 47, is enjoying a “mid-life spring” after overcoming several medical problems. One new joy is working with “an amazing group of women,” the Catawba River Women’s Group, as they seek to create a sense of unity among communities along the Catawba River.

How Do We Reach You?

Keep It Local, by Barbara Lawrence – March 28, 2012

Are you part of Generation X, Y, Z, Boomer, Post war, World War II, or Depression Era?  These are phases defining our age connections. (You can read more at The Social Librarian.)   
The world has changed at a rapid pace in just over 100 years, and it is changing exponentially faster each day with technology as one of the catalysts. Those younger than 35 don’t remember when there was no cable TV and only 3 major networks, no Internet, no personal computer and no email. Communication and getting acquainted is part of a complex new world.
The 5-mile radius I am using for this series of articles (with its center on the west side of the Catawba River and about 1 mile north of Belmont) had 68,266 residents as of 2010, the Nielsen Co. reported. Our age groups, experiences and lifestyles make a difference in how we interact. Statistical analysis produces a set of categories. As human beings, we don’t fit neatly into categories; however, there are some generalities that can help us understand differing context for these categories.
Change creates challenges and opportunities for our future. Let’s familiarize ourselves with some general information about the stated 68,266 individuals as provided in a 2011 report (2010 data) from the Nielsen Co.

The report  states that 50.8% of the population over age 16 is estimated to be employed (2010 figures). Numbers for retired and self employed are not usually tracked.  
Age differences provide a great deal of context for how we connect to our neighbors, friends and community. The advances and speed of technological change in the past 100 years challenge us beyond our historical generational differences. Most of us are aware that even buying in stores is trending toward "pay by phone" applications. I still like cash. 
According to New Media Trend Watch there were 245 million Internet users in the US in March of 2011, representing 78.2% of the population. 
Those of us considered ‘baby-boomers’  had to adopt Internet and personal-computer technology well past our college days. “Millennials (also referred to as Generation Y and echo boomers) are the first generation to come of age in the new millennium… From shopping to socializing to watching TV, they do it all online.”  (also from New Media Trend Watch)
Another source, emarketer.com, expects online Internet use by seniors age 65 and over to increase from 45% to 56% of total internet users in the US by 2015. As active adults continue to work and volunteer in our community, it is important to remember that many do not currently communicate via Internet. As we move more and more to social media for communication, it is important to reach out to these individuals with traditional advertising and mail services. 
How do we consider others in our efforts to build a strong local, and sustainable economy for our future?

About Barbara Lawrence - Barbara has a background in economic development and real-estate research. Her work has included revitalization of downtown Boone, downtown Gastonia and now Mount Holly.

 

Paddle And Row Your Way Into Natural Beauty

From Latta Plantation Nature Preserve program brochure

Naturally Wonderful, by Rich Haag – March 27, 2012

I grew up a mile from Lake Ontario and within an hour’s drive of some of the most amazing lakes in on the East Coast – the Finger Lakes of New York. Imagine glacier-formed lakes several hundred feet deep and so clean that you could look down 20 feet and see the bottom. Needless to say, our family grew up on the water.

My earliest memories of boating are on Galway Lake in the Adirondack Mountain foothills. Gasoline-powered boats were prohibited to protect the water. A few wealthy neighbors had massive battery-powered mahogany cruisers and sailboats. We tooled around in a rowboat, with no worries of being swamped by high-powered ski and bass boats. Of course, the water was pristine.

Mecklenburg’s two lakefront nature preserves offer great opportunities for to get out on the waters of our lakes without worrying about polluting them with gasoline. Both Latta Plantation and McDowell nature preserves have canoe and kayak launches that you can use for free, and many programs to help you enjoy the water with others. You can rent canoes at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve.

Canoe rentals

You can rent a canoe at Latta Plantation Park by the hour on weekends and holidays (call the park at 704- 875-1391 for details).

Note about programs

Many programs require registration and have limited space available. To ensure that you can participate, please register by calling 311 or 704.336.7600. All programs require pre-registration unless otherwise noted. For more information, call McDowell Nature Center at 704-588-5224 or Latta Plantation Nature Center at 704- 875-1391. You can also register online at www.parkandrec.com.

Park details

• McDowell Nature Preserve (Lake Wylie) 704-588-5224;  15222 York Road (NC 49), Charlotte, NC 28278 
• Latta Plantation Nature Preserve  (Mountain Island) 704-875-1391, 5226 Sample Road, Huntersville, NC 28078. Visitors with their own canoes and kayaks can launch from either the North Canoe Access directly into Mountain Island Lake or from the Gar Creek Canoe Access into the Gar Creek inlet.

Upcoming programs

• Boats and Bites: Canoeing – 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, March 31. Pack yourself a lunch and come out to McDowell Nature Preserve to let a skilled instructor teach you the basics of flat water canoeing. This class will begin with canoe instruction to familiarize you with paddling skills or to give you time to brush up on your skills. Beginners are welcome! After learning tips and tricks for canoeing we will head out on Lake Wylie to find a sunny spot for lunch. Bring your favorite snacks and lunch foods along with plenty of water.  Ages 10 and older - $35/ boat. Program No. 30883
• Family Sunset Kayak Tour – 6:30-8:30 p.m. April 18. Join the McDowell Nature Preserve staff for a relaxing kayak tour. During this class you will learn the basics of flat-water kayaking while watching the sunset over Lake Wylie. You will also learn some of the history of the lake including Buster Boyd Bridge, which connects North Carolina to South Carolina. Children ages 5-9 are required to share a tandem kayak with an adult. Registration required. Ages 5 and older - $15/single, $20/tandem. Program No.  30907 (single); Program No. 30908(tandem)
• Kayaking and Segway Adventure Day – 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 31. Spend the day with Latta Plantation Nature Preserve staff exploring the nature preserve’s trails on all-terrain Segways and enjoying the beauty of Mountain Island Lake by kayak. The adventure starts with the Segway Tour and a catered lunch, followed by the Mountain Island Lake kayak tour in the afternoon. All equipment provided. Meet at Segway Building at Waterfront Parking Lot. Ages 18 and older - $55. Program No. 30732.
• Sunset Paddling and Fishing – 6:30-8:30 p.m. April 14. Enjoy the “magic hours” of fishing and canoeing as the sun sets over Mountain Island Lake. Join the Latta Plantation Nature Preserve staff as they fish the areas not accessible from the shore and enjoy a peaceful paddle on the lake. Bring your own equipment or use park equipment for no additional charge. Some live bait provided. At least one adult required in each boat. Maximum three people per boat. Meet at Waterfront Picnic Area. Ages 12 and older - $15 per boat. Program No. 30741.
• Sunrise Paddling and Fishing – 7-9 a.m. Sunday, April 15. Get up early and enjoy some early morning fishing and canoeing on Mountain Island Lake. Bring your own equipment or use park equipment for no additional charge. Some live bait provided. At least one adult required in each boat. Maximum three people per boat. Meet at Waterfront Picnic Area. Ages 12 and older- $15 per boat. Program No. 30742.

About Rich Haag -  Rich gained his love for the outdoors while roaming the woods and river gorge near his upstate NY home. He has spent many vacations – one lasting eight weeks -  camping with his wife, Karen, and their sons. Rich still roams the woods nearly every day, either walking with Karen at Reedy Creek Nature Preserve or cycling on the Mallard Creek Greenway.

 

More Happenings On The Farm

That's Farming, by Jeffie Hardin – March 26, 2012

After living on our farm for a couple of years, I vividly remember asking my husband when we’d be done building and expanding our operation. Chris looked at me with a puzzled expression and replied, “Never.” True to his word – true to his entrepreneur spirit – there is always something new going on at Rivendell Farms. 

Some additions such as raising rabbits for meat have come and gone. It was hard to kill something so cute. On the other hand, raising grass-fed beef has been a great business for our boys. Last year we began growing hydroponic lettuce. This venture is also a keeper. 

Hydroponic vegetables are grown in nutrient-rich water, not soil. We use a system called Nutrient Film Technique, which means the water is continually moving past the roots of the vegetables … in our case, lettuce. I call it lazy lettuce. In regular gardening, after a lettuce seed is planted in the soil, it germinates and then all of the plant’s energy goes into finding nutrients within the soil. 

In a hydroponic system, the lettuce seed is first placed into a cube of rockwool medium and then placed into a channel which has water continually moving past it. The lettuce roots just need to absorb the nutrients from the water. In essence, the lettuce can just sit back and let the nutrients come to it, instead of having to go search for food. Thus, lazy lettuce. 

On the other hand, the hydroponic operator can’t be lazy. There has been tons to learn concerning Ph levels, types of nutrients, cooling methods, etc. Lots of trial and error, but it’s been fun and rewarding.

To get a nice head of lettuce from the garden takes from 8-10 weeks. The hydroponic system will produce a head of lettuce in 6 weeks. There are also less bugs and diseases to deal with. In addition we can grow vegetables all year round in our greenhouse.

Just the other day I was thinking how great things were going with our hydroponics, and then Chris mentioned he thinks it’s time to expand our operation. Oh, life is always an adventure around here.

About Jeffie and Chris Hardin – The Hardins left suburban life in 2001 for an 8-acre farm near Mountain Island Lake. Now the Hardins and their children seek to grow half of their family’s food and help others grow food, too.

 

What is Your Super Power?

Dr. Sandra Steingraber

Sustainable Healthy Living, by Sheila Mullen – March 25, 2012

Clean Air Carolina hosted acclaimed ecologist and author Dr. Sandra Steingraber at Providence Day School last week. Her talk was titled, "Why Care About the Air? The Untold Story of How Pollution Harms our Children".

It is rare to hear a speaker who can dive deep into the molecular structure of the earth’s bedrock, define the process and impact of fracking and discuss the chemical makeup of fertilizers while verbally painting a visual, sensory and emotional experience of how these complex concepts personally impact our health.

Did you know if you laid out your lungs flat, the surface area within them would be as big as a tennis court? That statement piqued my interest. Sadly, I then learned Charlotte is the 10th worst in the US for the number of high-ozone days,  according to the American Lung Association.

Air pollution harms everyone equally

What?! OK, now I am listening, as a health coach, a runner and a cyclist this hits home. The quality of the air we breathe is very important to everyone’s health. Air levels the economic and diversity playing field.  Think about it: When we are outside we share the same air. You can’t buy better quality air. The air we breathe is the air we ALL breathe.

Dr. Steingraber’s talk focused on what she believes is our ruinous dependency on fossil fuels and how we must invest and deploy renewable energy now.  The urgency and importance of this topic is a result of decisions currently being reviewed by NC politicians to lift a de facto moratorium on “fracking”. That is a process to harvest natural gas from bedrock by horizontal, high-pressure water drilling.

The detrimental impacts of fracking could be an entire article itself. Suffice it to say, fracking would be very bad for our air quality. For greater understanding of the environmental impacts of fracking, please review the additional information links provided below.

Months ago, I read Dr. Steingraber's latest book, “Raising Elijah”. The depth of environmental concerns she brought to light overwhelmed me.  Where does one start to address them? How do you have an impact? 

Overwhelmed by the problem's size?

I fell into what psychologists call “well-informed futility syndrome.” The paralysis caused me to take no action. Besides, I justified to myself, I have spent two years on myopic and intense research and on advocacy to piece together the various components of the harmful impacts of the food industry on our health.  When I thought about the environmental crisis presented in “Raising Elijah”, it seemed to be a form of mockery to only dip my toe into the significant environmental challenge of our day – what Dr. Steingraber calls an ecological holocaust. 

Then the importance of the broad, pervasive and complete storyline crystallized for me when a woman in the audience referred to what she called the anti-life cycle: Big Oil = Big Ag = Big Cancer (insert any disease) = Big Pharma.  That was the raw truth. Ugh, it was like a rock in my stomach. The truth is each aspect of the equation has resulted in things getting lined up with unintended consequences affecting every cell in our body. 

It is not about where or how much you contribute, but that you find a place of passion to contribute. Dr. Steingraber asked us to think of ourselves as heroes. What is your super power?

As a form of encouragement to find your place to make a big impact, I leave you with my favorite statement by Dr. Steingraber: “Failure of imagination and fear of the unknown is what stops us from making the changes we see before us."  Shake off the despair and get to it.  

Where to find additional information:

Rebroadcast of Mike Collin’s WFAE “Charlotte Talks” March 20, 2012, program: “Environmental Toxins and Children".

Website for Sandra Steingraber

New book, “Raising Elijah: Protecting Our Children in an Age of Environmental Crisis.”

Film trailer for “Living Downstream: An Ecologist’s Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment.“ This documentary follows Sandra during one year as she travels across North America, working to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links.

About Sheila Mullen - The founder of Continuous Motion Consulting, Sheila is passionate about engaging friends, family and community in improving their lives and the lives of those around them. Sheila spent more than 20 years in technology sales, marketing and development. She also has a background in organizational development, innovation and executive wellness coaching.

 

Don't Miss Free Online Premier of 'Hungry For Change'

Sustainable Healthy Living, by Sheila Mullen – March 24, 2012

If you haven't heard about this yet make sure you watch the free worldwide online premiere of "Hungry For Change".

Filmmakers James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch, producers of the documentary "Food Matters", have done it again to bring us updated information on the food or food-like substances we are eating, why we struggle with weight and health while being malnourished, and truths about the food industry.

The film runs for 90 minutes and you will be able to watch it for free anytime through March 31. A short trailer gives you a taste of what to expect. Make sure you join in the conversation happening around the film.

This is worth watching!

CLICK to watch the full film or a short film trailer.

DOWNLOAD the "Hungry For Change" 10-Step Action Guide. You can print this simple list of things to eat and do and post someplace you’re likely to see it daily, like your refrigerator.

About Sheila Mullen - The founder of Continuous Motion Consulting, Sheila is passionate about engaging friends, family and community in improving their lives and the lives of those around them. Sheila spent more than 20 years in technology sales, marketing and development. She also has a background in organizational development, innovation and executive wellness coaching.

These Walks Will Show You Natural Beauty And History

Marker remembers slaves of the McCoy family

Clean And Clear Catawba, by Alice Battle – March 23

Spring is here. A person is invigorated by being outside in this beautiful weather. What better way to enjoy the River than to go on a hike through the woods?

Every 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday, Latta Plantation Nature Preserve sponsors a hike through the preserves in Mecklenburg County. The group meets at the Latta Plantation Nature Center at 9 am on the appointed day.

I have been attending these hikes since last fall. The guide has taken us to areas that very few people know of.  There is the Stephen's Road Nature Preserve in the north end of Mountain Island Lake. It is calm and peaceful as you walk along the River.

Then there is the Gar Creek Nature Preserve, with a cemetery dedicated to the slaves of the McCoy Family. That hike will take you through the woods out to the prairie.

Rural Hill Nature Preserve is noted for the annual Rural Hill Scottish Festival and the Amazing Maze. The Scottish Festival will be April 20-22 this year. Rural Hill also has trails that take a hiker down to McDowell Creek, which feeds into Mountain Island Lake. The last one-room school house in Mecklenburg County is preserved there. The Davidson family cemetery sits near the road for the history buffs to study.

Cowan's Ford Wildlife Refuge is a birder's dream location. This area is especially interesting when the birds are migrating. The numbers are unbelievable. The Audubon Society has given this preserve the designation as an “Important Bird Area.”

Behind the Nature Center are trails that lead to the prairies being restored with native vegetation. Other trails lead to Gar Creek and the Overlook at Mountain Island Lake.

Join the group. It is a learning experience as well as exercise in the fresh air. Mecklenburg County has preserved these tracts of land to keep the quality of the water in the reservoir for Charlotte high. Enjoying nature is a bonus.

How to get there

Latta Plantation Nature Preserve is at 6211 Sample Road, Huntersville. The park is open sunrise-sunset (currently closing time is 7:30 p.m.). The staffed nature center is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays. 

Directions: Get a map link. 

Trail map and programs: Download a trail map and learn about upcoming programs.

About Alice Battle – Alice lives on Mountain Island Lake has served on numerous groups devoted to protecting the lake, including the Duke Energy Relicensing stakeholders group. She currently is Lakekeeper for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.