Warming Up!

We hope everyone will come out to this week's Pathfinder Produce on Thursday, March 17. Along with St. Patrick's Day, we will be celebrating World Down Syndrome Day just a wee bit early, with some cooking demonstrations of Utica Greens and Green Smoothies. We'll also have some blue-and-yellow half-moons for sale (hmmmmm), and produce items will be discounted 5%. We hope to see you at the Village Commons from 1 to 5 p.m.
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This past weekend's warm weather had many folks outside, eager to begin springtime activities. At Pathfinder Village, we're like everyone else, looking forward to outdoor fun, like strolling on the Community Walking Trail, planting our veggie beds at the hoop house, and of course, getting ready for the Splash Path 5K and Fun Walk, which is coming up on Saturday, May 21.

This year, we are introducing some new features to Splash Path, our family fun color run and walk: To gear everyone up, we are offering a training program DASH TO THE SPLASH, for community members so they gain in strength and endurance in their quest to complete a 5K. Monica Clark of our Program Office is heading this free program, which begins on March 21. We still have openings in the program; the main requirement is the time commitment of 20-30 minutes three times each week.  Reach Monica at (607) 965-8377, ext. 107 if you are interested in joining in on the fun.

The premise behind DASH is to focus on gradual improvement and NOT PUSH too much, too soon (which is why most people don’t continue training programs). Each person will be paired with a team member for encouragement (you can sign up with a partner or we can help find one for you); and will be provided with program materials that will help inspire progress. By the end of nine weeks, participants should be ready to walk or run their first 5K.

For those who can’t join us in DASH because of other commitments or distance, the program goes as follows, with Days 2, 3, and 5 being rest days.  If you aren’t a runner, just walk faster during the jog sessions.  Note that each session should begin with warm-up and cool-down stretching, and be sure to increase your intake of water to stay hydrated.  It is important that you wear proper footwear; your shoes don’t need to be expensive, but they should provide proper support, not rub your feet (blister prevention), and suitable for the environment where you are training.

Week	Days 1 – Mon.	Day 4 – Thurs.	Day 6 – Sat.	Day 7 – Sun.
One 3/21/16	Warm up stretches 5 min. walk 2 min jog 5 min. walk Cool down stretches	Warm up stretches 5 min. walk 2 min jog 5 min. walk Cool down stretches	Warm up stretches 5 min. walk 3 min jog 5 min. walk Cool down stretches	Rest
Two 3/28/16	5 min. walk, 3 min. jog, 5 min. walk	5 min. walk 4 min. jog, 5 min. walk	5 min. walk 5 min. jog 5 min. walk	Rest
Three 4/4/16	5 min. walk 6 min. jog 5 min. walk	4 min. jog 5 min. walk 4 min, jog, 5 min. walk	5 min walk 7 min. jog 5 min. walk	Rest
Four 4/11/16	5 min walk 7 min. jog 5 min. walk	5 min walk 8 min. jog 5 min. walk	5 min walk 9 min. jog 5 min. walk	Rest
Five 4/18/16	5 min walk 9 min. jog 5 min. walk	6 min. jog 5 min. walk 6 min, jog, 5 min. walk	5 min walk 10 min. jog 5 min. walk	5 min walk 11 min. jog 5 min. walk
Six 4/25/16	5 min walk 11 min. jog 5 min. walk	13 min. jog 5 min. walk	15 min. jog 5 min. walk	Rest
Seven 5/2/16	15 min. jog 5 min. walk	8 min. jog 5 min. walk 8 min, jog, 5 min. walk	16 min. jog 5 min. walk	17 min. jog 5 min. walk
Eight 5/9/16	17 min. jog 5 min. walk	18 min. jog 5 min. walk	20 min. jog 5 min. walk	Relax
Nine 5/16/16	20 min. jog	18 min. jog 5 min. walk	SPLASH PATH DAY

In other news, the Splash Path committee will be bringing in a time clock at the event this year, so that runners who like to track their times may do so. We also will have Zoe Curtis at the event to lead a ZUMBA warm-up before the 5K starts, and our post-run party will feature lots of vendors, a barbeque, music by DJs Tom and Chris Hogan of Cooperstown, and of course, our ever popular raffle auction.

This year we're also introducing an online registration through the RaceWire platform … it's an easier way to get your entire group registered. But if you are old school, we are still offering a printable registration and waiver form at the Pathfinder Website …. prices remain low : $45 for families, $20 for adults, $10 for youths, and kids up to 9 FREE, through May 1.  After that, prices increase by $10 for families, adults and youths, and $5 for kids.

Until next time, warm up, get moving, and think spring!


Lori

Adding Color!

We hope that everyone will join us for this Thursday’s tasteful Pathfinder Produce Market at the Village Commons from 1 to 5 p.m.  Next week, we’ll be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and our third anniversary of the market with some specials.  We’ll also be marking  World Down Syndrome Day, which takes place on 3-21 (representing the triplication of the 21st chromosome, the genetic cause of Down syndrome for most individuals).  We hope you’ll join us during these festive weeks at Pathfinder Produce!

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As we’re contending with some gray days, I love it when we get glimpses of color indicating spring’s arrival (blue skies, colors of buildings heightened by  rays of sun, etc.)  My colleague, Martha, offers this column about using a simple ingredient – peppers – to add color and flavor to ordinary foods to make them more tasteful and festive!

A great way to add color and flavor to many dishes is with bell peppers. Bell peppers, which are not hot or spicy, come in several colors. Pathfinder Produce carries green, red, and yellow bell peppers; there are also orange and—less commonly—brown, white, lavender, and dark purple. (For the purposes of this blog, I’ll focus on the three colors available at Pathfinder Produce.)

So what is the difference? Aside from the color, the first difference you’re likely to notice is availability. Green bell peppers are much more likely to be stocked on store shelves than any other variety. The other obvious difference is price; the green peppers are generally lower in cost. The reason for both of these is that green bell peppers are actually under-ripe. They are harvested earlier, so since there is a shorter time from seed to harvest, they are cheaper and more plentiful. Yellow and red varieties start out green, and are allowed to ripen before harvesting, thus longer growing times and higher prices.

Another difference is taste. The green peppers can have a bitter edge, while the yellow and red peppers are sweeter. And while all of the varieties are excellent sources of Vitamin A, C, and Beta Carotene, the amounts vary. Based on a 1 cup serving, green peppers have more than three times the amount of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene than the yellow peppers, but about half the amount of Vitamin C. The real vitamin champ is the red variety, however, with almost 9 times the amount of Vitamin A, twice the amount of Vitamin C, and 2 ½ times the amount of Beta Carotene as the green bells. World's Healthiest Foods

Bell peppers are great either raw or cooked. You can cut them into sticks for a colorful veggie tray, or dice them into a salad. They are a nice addition to a stir fry or almost any veggie-based casserole. You can also slice them into rings, put them in a frying pan, and use it for an egg ring to make your breakfast a little fancier and nutritious. For other ideas, see this article on MyRecipes.com.

Until next time, be well!

Martha (and Lori)

DASH TO THE SPLASH!

We hope everyone will join us for our next delicious Pathfinder Produce market on Thursday, March 3, from 1 to 5 p.m.  The weatherman has indicated that winter storm Quo may provide some precipitation over the next few days, but we won’t let that dampen our enthusiasm for our friendly market and tremendous customers.  Thank you for all the great support for Pathfinder Produce.

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Many of us here at Pathfinder Village are starting to think spring and want to prepare for some 5K runs and walks in our region.  To help those who live or work near Pathfinder achieve their fitness goals, we are starting a new program, DASH TO THE SPLASH, a low-key, FREE, fun activity that will help you and a partner get ready for your race-walk season.  To learn more, you can read this flyer, or contact splashpath@pathfindervillage.org.  We hope to have many area residents join us for what should be a fun and beneficial program. 

DASH TO THE SPLASH will start on March 21 (part of our Show Your 21/World Down Syndrome Day observation), and will provide coaching and encouragement to anyone who would like to improve their fitness level.  The program is designed for partners – parents and kids, siblings, cousins, friends, co-workers – and will help everyone build stamina and strength to get ready for Pathfinder’s third annual color run/walk, Splash Path, which is set for Saturday, May 21.  More details on Splash Path (including sponsorship and vendor information) are at our website.  Splash Path is a low-cost family fun event, and quite honestly, it’s just good, messy fun! 

(In the spirit of sharing, we also invite you to try the Cider Run, a 5K and 10K event, which will take place at the Fly Creek Cider Mill on April 23, and will benefit the Athelas Therapeutic Riding program, Otego, which is an activity Pathfinder residents and students have enjoyed through the years.)

Another way to get healthier this spring is to focus on our diets, to choose better quality foods, and to cut back on portions and excessive fats and sugars.  To follow up with February’s healthy heart advice, I’m sharing this neat post on 10 foods that help unclog arteries naturally.  I know that oats are great artery scrubbers, but I didn’t know that other foods I really like --tomatoes, cranberry juice, kiwi -- are helpful in addressing high cholesterol.  (I also started to take an over-the-counter Vitamin D supplement recently, knowing that it too can nudge bad cholesterol levels lower, and it may be something that I’ve been deprived of during these days of less sunshine.)  As always, we encourage you to check with your medical providers to plan out a healthy heart path that’s right for you.

Until next time, think spring and be well!

Lori

Rounding Out American Heart Month

We hope everyone will join us at our next tempting Pathfinder Produce market this coming Thursday, February 25, from 1 to 5 p.m.  It’s hard to believe that we’re rounding out February; we’re looking forward to our special events in March to celebrate our THIRD anniversary for the “Little Market that Could.”  Stay tuned for details! 

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This month, in partnership with the American Heart Association, we've focused on American Heart Month in our “veggie blog.” Hearts are something that are near and dear at Pathfinder Village, as many of our friends and loved ones with Down syndrome may have heart conditions.  (There’s still time to support our team at the upcoming America's Greatest Heart Run & Walk in Utica on March 5th!)

According to the National Down Syndrome Society, about half of all people born with Down syndrome have congenital heart defects (holes in the walls of the heart, valve issues, etc.).  Many of these conditions require early surgeries, and tremendous advances have been made in recent decades that allow children to lead full and active lives.

Research into heart conditions and new medical treatments have directly contributed to increased longevity for people with Down syndrome:  Back when Pathfinder Village opened in 1980, life expectancy was 25 years; today, with better cardiac care and improved access to medical care, longevity is now more than doubled for those with Down syndrome, according to researchers from the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

But while treating congenital conditions has helped greatly, people with Down syndrome also need to follow the same healthy heart advice as everyone else:  We all need to restrict fats, excessive sugar and salt in our diets, watch our portions and maintain healthy weights, and stay physically active in regular heart-pumping exercises.  Doing all these things not only improves heart health, but also offers benefits for pulmonary health, bone and muscle health, and mental health.

Here at Pathfinder Village, we’ve offered many fitness and sports activities to members of our remarkable community through the years.  We now regularly offer ZUMBA, seasonal Special Olympics training activities, fitness swimming and personal training sessions; and we will be opening up our next session of OVER 21 classes later this spring to members of our area communities.  We are presently offering a new program, DASH TO THE SPLASH, to provide training guidance, support, and incentives for those who would like to get into a beginner’s walking/running program.  (Call Monica Clark here at the Village for details on how to join DASH TO THE SPLASH, which will lead into our third annual Splash Path 5K and Fun Walk on May 21).

And of course, diets are big factors in determining heart health …. Pathfinder Produce is here to help you eat more tasty nutrient packed vegetables and fruits, which is a great way to get away from highly processed and sugar-salt laden foods.  By focusing on fresh produce, and cutting back on carbs and meats, you can really make some meaningful changes to your health!

Until next time, eat and be well!

Lori

Risk factors and Heart Histories

We hope everyone will join us this Thursday, February 18, at the Village Commons from 1 to 5 p.m. for our next Pathfinder Produce fresh fruits and vegetables market.  Buying fresh produce is a key way that you can directly improve your family’s health, and during these blah, gray days of winter, it’s the perfect excuse to get outside and feel productive.  We look forward to seeing you!

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In our continuing observation of American Heart Month, it’s a good time to remember the risk factors for heart attacks.  As we work toward improved cardiac health, it’s also good to know what to do when a heart attack is happening.  If you think that you or a loved one are experiencing a heart attack, call 911 and get immediate help.  Minutes count!

Common warning signs of heart attacks may include:

·        Chest pressure, fullness or a squeezing pain that lasts for several minutes or goes away and returns.

·        Pain or discomfort that extends beyond your chest to one or both arms, your back, neck, stomach and jaw.

·        Unexplained shortness of breath.

·        Cold sweats, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, anxiety, indigestion, and unexplained fatigue.

After you call 911, have the person sit or lie down and remain calm.  Be prepared to do CPR if the person stops breathing; the 911 dispatcher can coach you if you don’t know what to do. If you have an AED unit nearby and know how to use it, send someone to get it as you help the person.  If the person is alert and not allergic, give the person a baby aspirin if it is available.

 

Many of us think that we are not at risk for heart attacks -- statistics say otherwise. Each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Approximately 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes occur.
• About 800,000 people die from heart disease, about 1 of 3 deaths.
• About 150,000 deaths occur in people under age 65.
• Heart disease kills roughly the same number people in the U.S. each year as cancer, lower respiratory diseases, and accidents combined.

Heart attacks and cardiac disease result in staggering losses for families, our communities, and our country, which incurs over $320 billion in direct and indirect costs each year through heart disease.  Recently, those losses have come into focus through the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.  News stories indicate his health history and risks were consistent with those who die from heart attacks:

Smoking:  According to the PBS Newshour, Justice Scalia was a smoker of cigarettes and pipes.  This factor is key, as 1 out of 5 cardiac-related deaths is attributable to smoking, the main preventable cause of death and illness in the U.S.

High Blood Pressure: The New York Times, U.S. News, and other sources have stated that Justice Scalia’s doctor, Rear Admiral Brian P. Monahan, had said he suffered from high blood pressure.  This happens when the pressure of the heart’s pumping action strains arteries and veins. This damage can result in vascular scarring, plaque build-up, and clot formations that lead to strokes or heart attacks. 

Other preventable risks for heart disease include being overweight, not exercising, having high cholesterol and eating an unhealthy diet, and having diabetes or high blood sugar.

Other factors that contribute to heart disease are those you can’t control -- age and heredity.  Justice Scalia was 79, and according to biographer Joan Biskupic, his parents, Salvatore and Catherine, died within weeks of each other in the mid-1980s due to a stroke and heart attack.

Looking at Justice Scalia’s life through the lens of heart disease is sobering.  And although he was controversial, he was also respected and well-loved by his colleagues (he enjoyed opera with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and took Justice Elena Kagan hunting several times).  I offer this unique look at his health in hopes that it may offer perspective, point out our own risks, and inspire readers to make meaningful changes.

Until next time, be well!

Lori

Matters of the Heart

Hello! We hope everyone will come out to our next Pathfinder Produce market at the Village Commons on Thursday, February 11, from 1 to 5 p.m. Our fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables are perfect ingredients to heart healthy meals during February, which is American Heart Month.  We'll be looking for you!

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This week, our students from Pathfinder School are collecting on behalf of the American Heart Association, doing their part to help out its worthwhile work and raise awareness, all in preparation of Friday's HOOP FOR HEARTS event. Our school has participated in this event, along with AHA’s Jump Rope for Heart, for several years, and our students and staff always come up with some innovative twists to make the learning unit fun.

The students are also learning about the heart's role in the body, how it circulates oxygen­rich blood through arteries and capillaries to our cells, and then how the depleted blood circulates back though capillaries and veins, leading back to the lungs. (The history of William Harvey, physician to James I and Charles I, first described this system in 1628. His work was based on observation and experimentation; before then, it was thought there were two independent systems, one for “nutritive” blood that circulated nutrients from the liver through the body, and one that pumped “vivyfying” blood to distribute the life ­force from the lungs through the body).

This year, our Adaptive PE Teacher, Susan Johnson, is creating an obstacle course, planning some basketball skills events, and even has a “Vote for Your Favorite Apple” table in the works. (The students will be encouraged to try several varieties of apples and then vote for the ones they like best). Then, those students who have reached their fund raising goals for AHA will have the fun of hitting our Director of Education Maura Iorio and other instructional staff members in the face with whipped cream pies. (We hope to get some good pictures!)

It's good that the activity focuses on nutrition too ... watching what we eat is one of the ways that we can improve our overall heart health. Although many named diets incorporate these measures, it really comes down to eating more fresh fruits and veggies, cutting back on fats,  drinking lots of water instead of highly sweetened beverages, limiting meats, salts and sweets, and being aware of portion sizes. The Mayo Clinic has a good website that offers specific advice on the foods you should eat to promote better heart health. They even offer a regular e­newsletter if you are interested.

As we head into Valentine's Day Weekend, why not change up your game and present your sweetheart with a fresh fruit basket or homemade heart­ healthy meal. February is a good time to take stock of your heart health and plan adjustments through better eating and exercise, stopping smoking, and losing weight, to give your loved ones the best Valentine’s gift ever.

Until next time, enjoy life, eat well, and be well.  <3

Lori

National Wear Red Day & American Heart Month

We hope everyone will join us at the next Pathfinder Produce market here at the Village Commons on Thursday, February 4, from 1 to 5 p.m.  Stop by, say hello to our great staff, and enjoy some great deals on fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy items on sale.  You’ll be glad you did!

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This Friday is National Wear Red Day in support of promoting women’s cardiac health; this is the tenth year of the observance by the American Heart Association.  I plan to wear red that day, as a sign of solidarity.

When I was younger, it was assumed that men had more heart attacks than women.  But through research by the American Heart Association, our understanding of how women experience heart disease has expanded greatly. A decade ago, the AHA discovered that heart disease killed more women than men, and that it resulted in more women’s deaths than all forms of cancer combined.  Now, women’s heart health is tracked better, medical care is improved, and women are being helped as evidenced by these Top 10 Accomplishments by the AHA. 

February is also American Heart Month, a four week observance of how we can improve our heart health and address some serious health trends that plague Americans.  As part of Pathfinder Village’s commitment to improving community health, we are sponsoring a team for the Greatest American Heart Run & Walk, which will take place in Utica on March 5, 2016.  To join our team or to donate to a team member, visit our team page by clicking this link.  We welcome new team members, donations, and invite you to join us for a fun day at the AHA’s “flagship” run & walk event.

This year’s chairman of the Greatest Heart Run & Walk is Edmeston’s own Albert Pylinski, the Executive VP, CFO/CRO and Treasurer at NYCM Insurance, and a former Trustee of the Pathfinder Village Foundation.  He is leading the effort in support of AHA’s 2020 impact goal: to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20% while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20%.

Until next time, Wear Red, Team Up, and Be Heart Smart!

Lori