Senior Viewpoint: Playing with the Masters, H&H

benefits of intergenerational play, UP holistic wellness, senior viewpoint, UP holistic wellness publication

Did you know the young can help keep you young?

According to Jennifer Crittendon, Assistant Director of the University of Maine Center on Aging, research has shown that spending time with kids benefits your cognitive, emotional, and physical health. It also can give you a sense of purpose, which can help minimize depression. (1) Another study showed older people who volunteered with youth had greater life satisfaction than peers who did not. In fact, a study has even shown that babysitting grandparents have a 37% lower mortality risk than adults of the same age who have no “caring responsibilities.” (2)

Research has also shown that spending time with children and adolescents improves seniors’ communication, self-esteem, decision-making skills, and memory; results in feeling they’re assisting the next generation and making a difference for our future society; and causes them to feel appreciated and valued.(3)

And with good reason! As civicsplus.com describes, children mentored by seniors benefit through improved academic achievement, feeling loved and enjoying dedicated attention, emotional bonding, gaining confidence through non-judgmental companionship, and being exposed to the knowledge and demeanor of older adults. (4)

A University of Oxford study by Professor Ann Buchanan of the Department of Social Policy and Intervention showed “a high level of grandparental involvement increased the well-being of children.” Their study of more than 1,500 children showed that those with a high level of grandparental involvement had fewer emotional and behavioral problems. The influence of positive role models is crucial as children tend to model the behaviors they see.(5)

But perhaps most importantly for seniors, children are masters of play!

And play relieves stress; boosts creativity and mental function; fosters empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others; and increases your energy, vitality, and even resistance to disease.(6)

If you are fortunate enough to have grandchildren in your life, whether your own or others’, below are some tips to keep things fun and play-full. And if you don’t have young ones around, seek out opportunities at your local school, library, or community center!

Don’t be afraid to be silly.
Let mess fall where it may, so fun can take precedence! Clean-up can always be taken care of afterward.]
Be flexible. If they want downtime, go with it. If the museum you passionately wanted to share with them has them yawning, move on to something else.
Laugh together.
If you’re related, tell them stories of their mom or dad.
Find ways to be together even if you’re apart—phone, Zoom, online games, letter writing….
Don’t just give things, do things. Shared experiences will benefit both of you more than giving and receiving gifts.(7)

Not sure how to best spend your time together? Here are some ideas to get you started!

Indoors

Draw family tree – can share stories as they ask questions
Make a fort
Ask 20 questions about each other, alternating back and forth
Play cards
Make holiday decorations
Do kid-friendly crossword puzzles together
Have a tea party
Take turns reading from favorite books together
Draw portraits of each other
Bake together
Have a dance party
Make ice cream sundaes
Cook dinner together
Decorate T-shirts with tie-dye or puff paint
Play dress-up–walk around in costumes or put on a play
Play board games
Put on a puppet show
Color together
Have movie night with special snacks
Have a spa day
Make gifts for parents
Play Legos
Teach each other a hobby
Make a racetrack for toy cars with cardboard and masking tape
Make special drinks such as specially flavored lemonades or milkshakes

Outdoors

Walk
Plant flowers
Bikeride
Picnic
Paint rocks
Play hide ’n seek
Make a birdhouse
Go to a zoo
Go bowling
Draw with sidewalk chalk, including hopscotch and tic-tac-toe
Play mini golf
Visit a Farmer’s market
Go to the park
Blow bubbles—even in winter! Can make from simple online recipes
Go to a public pool
Take a class together—painting, cooking, pottery, art, movement, music….
Go berry or apple picking
Make a sandcastle together
Visit a museum
Go bowling
Go fishing
See a game
Go out to dinner
Go to a movie (8)

1 https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2018/adult-kid-benefit.html

2 https://tinybeans.com/benefits-for-kids-to-spend-time-with-grandparents/

3 https://www.civicplus.com/blog/pr/six-benefits-of-intergenerational-parks-and-rec-activities

4 https://www.civicplus.com/blog/pr/six-benefits-of-intergenerational-parks-and-rec-activities

5 https://tinybeans.com/benefits-for-kids-to-spend-time-with-grandparents/

6 https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm

7 https://shebuystravel.com/how-to-be-the-fun-grandparent/

8 https://mommypoppins.com/boredom-busters/activities-for-grandparents-to-do-with-kids

Green Living: PLAY NICE in the U.P. Outdoors, Steve Waller

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Summer is here. School’s out. Time to play. Remember what mom said years ago…. “Play nice!” She meant have fun while treating others and things respectfully. If you play nice, friends always want to play with you, and playthings won’t get broken. So, call those nice friends and schedule some fun activities in the U.P.

Take the kids to a U.P. zoo. Go whitewater rafting down the Menominee River. Google “Hiking Upper Peninsula Trails” for an exhaustive list of some of the best and most beautiful hiking in the Midwest, right here near home, healthy and inexpensive!

Google “Upper Peninsula waterfalls map,” then go. We in the U.P. have the best waterfalls. Lower Michigan has only one puny public-accessible waterfall. Too bad for them!

There are five-hundred-and-fifty miles of the famous North Country Scenic Trail running from St. Ignace at the Mighty Mackinac Bridge to Tahquamenon Falls State Park, to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, through Marquette to the virgin forest in the Porcupine Mountains, then to the Wisconsin border and beyond—enough to wear out two pairs of hiking boots!

Our outstanding U.P. state and national parks and forests are great for fishing, hunting, canoeing, kayaking, camping, photography, birding.

There’s no need to fly to some other state. Instead, experience what the U.P. has to offer!

We have some of the cleanest beaches in the nation thanks to the sparkling waters of Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron—so many beaches, so little time. There are centuries of shipwrecks to explore. If you haven’t been snorkeling, do it! Don’t let all that crystal clear water go to waste. If needed, rent or buy a wet or dry suit, mask, and snorkel. There is a whole world of subsurface surprises waiting for you.

Bike trails—some are paved and relaxing, some are rugged and exciting. Take your pick. Michigan offers more rail trails than any other state and is home to the International Mountain Biking Association Silver Level Ride Center in Copper Harbor. From top-rated singletracks to thousands of miles of family-friendly rail trails, Michigan is one of the most bike-friendly states in the nation. Some trails are e-bike friendly. Call your local bike shop for details.

The above activities all share some critical qualities. They’re local, interesting, healthy, fun, and a great way to be with friends respecting the outdoors by minimizing recreational gas burning.
Notice none of the activities above require an airplane, an outboard motor, a jet ski, motorized dirt bike or ATV. I just suggested more than a few summers’ worth of activities that require absolute minimal gas burning. Don’t fly in fuel-guzzling airplanes to play in some other state. Instead, save those fuel dollars or spend those dollars on an electric vehicle rental for your “play nice” local adventure.

Burning fossil fuels just to have fun is not how we play nice in the outdoors.

The International Panel on Climate Change issued its comprehensive summary report earlier this year. They are desperately pleading to get people, especially Americans, to burn less fossil fuel. All regions, including the U.P., are experiencing “widespread adverse impacts.” Oceans and ice caps routinely break high temperature records.

People are slow to change. Marketing relentlessly entices us to distant exotic vacations, powerful, speedy gasoline engines on land, water, and in trucks, and suggests that a beach in another state is better than our own beaches. I’m not convinced.

So, play nice this summer. Leave the gas can at home. Breathe clean fresh air and less CO2. Help keep the climate stable and our amazing U.P. playground beautiful and unbroken, today and tomorrow.

Steve Waller’s family lives in a wind- and solar-powered home. He has been involved with conservation and energy issues since the 1970s and frequently teaches about energy. Steve can be reached at Steve@UPWallers.net.

The Co-op Corner: Play with Your Food, Marquette Food Co-op

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Cooking can sometimes feel like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be! By inviting play and exploration into your cooking, you can turn it into a fun and creative activity. Here are some of our favorite ways for finding play in preparing your food:

Visit the farmer’s market: Visiting a farmer’s market can be a great source of inspiration for cooking. Seeing all the fresh produce and talking to the farmers can spark ideas for new recipes. You might find yourself drawn to a particular ingredient or combination of flavors that you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.

Try a new recipe with an unfamiliar ingredient: Cooking the same dishes over and over again can get boring. Creating a dish with an ingredient you’ve never used before can be a fun challenge. Use an interesting vegetable, herb, or spice as your starting point, and search online for a recipe that features it.

Host a food-based party: Themed parties can be a blast, especially when the theme is food-related. Consider hosting a party where everyone brings a dish from a particular cuisine, or an ingredient to create a dish such as Greek spanakopita, burritos, samosas, or pizza. This can be a great way to try new foods and learn about different cultures.

Have a family cooking night: Cooking with family members can be a bonding experience. Assign everyone a role, such as chopping vegetables, stirring the pot, or setting the table. You can even make it a competition by seeing who can come up with the most creative dish using a particular set of ingredients.

Take a cooking class: The Marquette Food Co-op offers public and private cooking classes. We share a full range of food experiences, from half-hour food demos to multi-course feasts. We can host bridal showers, birthday parties, business team building meetings, or friend groups looking for a unique culinary experience. Visit https://marquettefood.coop/outreach/ for more information.

By finding play in cooking, you can make it a more enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Whether you’re exploring new ingredients, trying new recipes, or cooking with loved ones, there are many ways to inject some fun and creativity into the process. Give it a try and let us know what you make!

Spanakopita Recipe

Have a spanakopita making party! Everyone brings an ingredient, helps prepare the pie, and can leave with leftovers! This dish freezes well, so it’s perfect to make ahead and bake as needed, straight from the freezer.

Ingredients

1/2 package fillo dough (thawed)
3 eggs
3/4 lb feta cheese
plenty of butter – about 1 lb
3 C chopped fresh spinach or 20 oz. frozen cooked spinach
1/2 medium onion chopped
1/4 C dried dill

Directions

Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and set aside.

Mix together the chopped spinach, onion, feta cheese, and dill. Pour the whisked eggs over spinach mixture and mix. Smell the mixture. If the dill scent is not the first thing you smell, add a little more dill. Set mixture aside.

Melt the butter in a separate dish. While the fillo dough is still rolled up, cut it into equal thirds. Take two and set aside wrapped in a damp cloth to keep the dough from drying out. Unroll the dough. Place one sheet of dough down and with a basting brush, lightly butter the dough. Place another sheet on top of the buttered one and repeat. Do this with 5 sheets of fillo dough.

Take about 2/3 cup of the spinach mixture and place it at the bottom of the 5 sheets of fillo dough. Shape the mixture into a right triangle so that one corner of the “spinach triangle” is in line with a corner of the dough. Proceed to fold the mixture into the dough in a “flag fold” fashion. When you reach the end, butter the end to the wrap, and lightly butter the top of the wrap. Continue doing this until all fillo dough is used.

Place wraps on a lightly buttered cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

*Article sponsored by the Marquette Food Co-op

Spotlight On…. Blossom Bird Bubble Tea Café with Co-Owner Daniel Ball

Blossom Bird Bubble Tea Cafe Marquette MI, UP holistic wellness, UP holistic well-being publication

What’s Blossom Bird Bubble Tea Café all about?
We are the first dedicated bubble tea café in Marquette and most likely the whole UP. We also have a tiny bakery—all baking is done on site and fresh baked daily—and have a small selection of Japanese collectible toys available to purchase. We started with bubble tea and slowly added the rest over the year and a half we’ve been open.

Our atmosphere is very eclectic–a mix of fantasy vibes, woodsy vibes, with lot of plants, and “nerdy” vibes—lots of anime and video game figures and stuff. Some would say it’s “cottage core.” And it’s welcoming to everyone.

We relaunched our bakery section so we can finally do what we’ve wanted to from the beginning. The original oven just wasn’t cutting it for creating uniquely-shaped macarons—sometimes shapes of characters from different shows and video games—and other pastries we haven’t had before. We always try to do something different, something a little unique that sets us apart.

What led you to open the café?
My wife Kaila and I had an opportunity to follow through on this idea I had in the back of my head but had never really pulled the trigger on. We decided to take a chance when we saw the perfect spot for it had become available and follow our dreams to open it.

Neither of us had done anything like this before. Neither of us had owned or managed a business. My wife’s background is in biochemistry, mine is in warehouses and stuff.

We’ve been fans of bubble tea our whole lives. We put a lot of ourselves into our business—the decorations, collectible toys. The atmosphere is an extension of our selves.

What’s been your biggest surprise so far?
How many people resonate with the vibe of the business—people who’re into Japanese animation and video games, pop culture, nerdy stuff like that. I think it’s the first place where a lot of these people feel like they’re at home when they come into our business. It’s definitely been rewarding.

What led you to choose Blossom Bird for your business name?
We were brainstorming names. The original name we came up with was Bumble Bird Bubble Tea. Bumble Bird was my wife Kaila’s screen name on an old video game called Neo Pets that she played when she was a child. We liked it but thought it might be a little too weird and people might not resonate with it, so we compromised on Blossom Bird.

What do you and your wife enjoy most about running the cafe?
The community aspect—seeing people smile when they come in. Lots of people feel like they’re at home when they’re here, people who are fans of the same things we’re fans of—anime and videos, and stuff. We love offering a unique atmosphere to the area.

What do your customers enjoy most about it?
People say they love the atmosphere and finding all the little hidden decorations we have. You never know what you’re going to see. And definitely the bubble tea. Lots of people enjoy our drinks and baked goods.

Anything else you’d like our readers to know?
We’re not just a bubble tea café. We’re always getting a new selection of collectible toys in. It’s always fun to see what we have. There’s always something different and new.

You can check out our social media, Facebook and Instagram, for what baked goods we have and special drinks that aren’t on our regular menu.

Senior Viewpoint: Successful Aging, Kevin McGrath

successful aging, senior viewpoint, gifts of aging, tips for successful aging, UP holistic wellness, UP holistic publicatioin

When you think about aging, what you are actually thinking about is being alive.

Oftentimes people tend to allow corporations and their advertising campaigns to define what aging is through all of the anti-aging and look-younger products that are being pushed at us in the media and markets, indirectly telling us that the aging process isn’t desirable. Whether it’s gray hair, wrinkles, or reduced energy levels, capitalistic business tries to take advantage and convince us to spend money to change ourselves.

Of course, you’re entitled to spend your own money how you want, but be sure it’s on your own terms. Looking younger isn’t being younger, but if that’s what works for you, then spend away! Just don’t let the ad campaigns make you feel inferior, because you’ve developed considerable amounts of experience through your life’s adventures that give you greater insight and wisdom to deal with challenges than a younger person, who may be overwhelmed by them.

Having more free time in retirement can enable older adults to do things they’ve only dreamed about.

Whether it’s going on trips to places on your bucket list, starting a new career in something that’s always interested you, spending more quality time with loved ones, or taking a course at a nearby college or online. You could even teach a course in something you’re good at as an enrichment class for others to expand their skill sets, or attend an enrichment class yourself.

Having more time also offers you the ability to volunteer with different organizations that fit your fancy. Many these days are in desperate need, creating a win-win scenario.

In addition to more time, seniors may also have greater disposable income due to Medicare and Social Security guaranteeing basic health insurance and a minimum income. Senior discounts are also a very nice perk to advancing in years, as they can be found nearly everywhere.

Of course, your mental and physical fitness level is a big influence on how much you might tend to enjoy your later years.

Here are some tips from the National Institute on Aging for aging “successfully,” to help you stay healthy and deal with potential cognitive challenges:

Learn a new skill.
Follow a daily routine.
Plan tasks, make to-do lists, and use memory tools such as calendars and notes.
Put your wallet or purse, keys, phone, and glasses in the same place each day.
Stay involved in activities that can help both the mind and body.
Volunteer in your community, at a school, or at your place of worship.
Spend time with friends and family.
Get enough sleep, generally seven to eight hours each night.
Exercise and eat well.
Prevent or control high blood pressure.
Don’t drink a lot of alcohol.
Get help if you feel depressed for weeks at a time.

There’s no point in trying to fight aging—we either advance in years or not, and until that final day arrives for each and every one of us, it would be wise to make the most of the advantages we’ve earned over the years.

Kevin McGrath is schlepping toward retirement and is looking forward to his next adventure on the highway of Life.

Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/memory-forgetfulness-and-aging-whats-normal-and-whats-not

Healthy Cooking: Hot Soup for Cold Days, Val Wilson

healthy cooking, healthy winter soup recipe, UP holistic wellness, UP holistic wellness publication, UP holistic business

Nothing will warm you up on a cold winter day better than a nice hot bowl of soup. Soup is such a versatile dish. It can be served as an appetizer before a meal, be the main course, or even just a snack.

When you make a soup with red lentils, you have the added bonus of a thick creamy texture because red lentils break down when they are cooked. Red lentils are an excellent source of protein, high in fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, manganese, and B vitamins.

Whenever you cook beans or lentils, add a small piece of kombu. This incredible nutrient-dense sea vegetable helps strengthen your intestinal tract and aids in digesting the lentils, helping to eliminate the gas some experience when eating beans and lentils.

Burdock root is an excellent strengthening root vegetable native to Michigan.

You may have come across it while hiking in the woods. It is the plant with the huge leaves and round burs that get stuck on your pant legs. You can dig up the plant and eat the root, but most prefer to just buy it from the store.

Burdock is great for your skin, can cleanse the blood, is good for your digestion, and can help eliminate toxins from the body. It’s best known for helping people with diabetes as it contains inulin, the nutraceutical that helps stabilize blood sugar levels.

Burdock root has a unique bitter, earthy taste. It is always best paired with a sweet vegetable such as the sweet potato in the soup recipe below. The seasonings paprika, curry, and cumin give a little spice to the soup without making it too spicy. They spices are warming spices, helping to keep you warm during the cold winter months.

Red Lentil Burdock Root Soup

10 cups water
1 (2 inch) piece of kombu
2 cups red lentils
1 onion (diced)
4 cups sweet potato (peeled and cut in cubes)
2 cups burdock root (cut in thin rounds)
3 celery stalks (diced)
1/4 cup minced kale
1 T. olive oil
3 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. curry
1/2 tsp. cumin

Directions

Put the water and kombu in a soup pot and bring to a boil. Remove the kombu once it’s soft. Cut in small pieces and put back into pot. Add the red lentils and let water come back up to a boil. Add the vegetables, one at a time, letting the water come back up to a boil in-between adding each vegetable. Once all vegetables are in the soup pot, reduce to low, and simmer for twenty minutes. Turn off heat and add the seasonings. Stir everything together and serve hot.

Chef Valerie Wilson has been teaching cooking classes since 1997. She offers weekly, virtual cooking classes that all can attend. Visit http://www.macroval.com for schedule, cookbook purchases, phone consultations, or her radio show, and follow her on Facebook at Macro Val Food.

The Co-op Corner: Recipe For Success Program Receives Funding to Continue Food Education Across U.P., Marquette Food Co-op

food education program, nutritional support, healthy cooking, Marquette Food Co-op, UP holistic wellness, UP holistic business, UP wellness publication

MFC Outreach Director Sarah Monte (right) and Education Coordinator Amanda Latvala (left) at a Feeding America distribution site this summer.

Feeding America West Michigan (FAWM) sends monthly trucks to locations all around the Upper Peninsula to distribute food to people in need. FAWM recently performed a detailed assessment of their mobile pantry distribution program and learned that attendees wanted to learn more about how to prepare healthy meals with the ingredients they were receiving. FAWM, the Marquette Food Co-op (MFC), and the Northern Michigan University Center for Regional Health (NMUCRH) teamed up to create a food education program that would specifically serve attendees of the mobile pantry distribution.

Funding from the Superior Health Foundation has enabled the team to create this multi-faceted project with a virtual and in-person food education component that links food educators across the Upper Peninsula. Seven mobile pantry locations whose attendees indicated strong interest in food education were selected for live food demos or sampling. These locations include Marquette, Ishpeming, Newberry, Sault Ste. Marie, Manistique, Norway, and Ontonagon.

Comprehensive kitchen equipment kits were put together so that our partners had the tools necessary to prepare and serve the food.

At mobile pantry distributions throughout the summer and fall, our partners prepared food in certified kitchens and brought it to the pantry distribution so attendees could taste the prepared recipes. Depending on the location, our team of food educators would demonstrate recipe preparation, or move from car to car serving the featured recipe and chatting about how they prepared it.

This is a particularly fun and challenging partnership, as what food will arrive on the truck often isn’t known until twenty-four hours before the event. FAWM notifies the food educators of the products, and the team gets to work finding the right recipe that features food participants will be taking home that day. Recipients get a copy of the recipe so they can recreate the meal at home.

The MFC and Food for Life Nutrition services developed a suite of recipes tailored to the items most often delivered via the mobile pantry, so the demo team has resources ready to go. These recipes are housed on the NMUCRH website. NMUCRH also worked with the MFC to put together video demonstrations to accompany the recipes. These demonstrations and recipes are available to anyone and can be found at nmu.edu/ruralhealth/recipes.

The MFC provided staff for the demos at the Marquette and Ishpeming locations.

We used our experience with food demonstrations offsite to create equipment kits for each team of food educators at each location. NMUCRH, as an organization that serves the entire Upper Peninsula, travels frequently and was instrumental in dropping off the kits to our partners.

Preliminary evaluations indicate that the recipes are a big hit. For example, out of the 128 evaluations at the Marquette location, 115 people indicated they would make the recipe at home, with another 11 saying maybe they would make the dish at home. 119 people stated they would share the food and/or recipe with other people. It’s not just the participants enjoying the event. As one food educator said, “I loved getting to interact with so many people, cracking jokes and chatting with them. This filled my cup.”

We are thrilled to announce renewed funding for the Recipe for Success Program and are looking forward to another year of bringing food education to sites across the Upper Peninsula. Be sure to visit the NMUCRH site above to learn more about our partners and to try out some of the recipes in your own home!

*Article sponsored by the Marquette Food Co-op

Healthy Cooking: The Art of Blueberry Pie, Val Wilson

There is nothing as sweet as wild blueberries picked fresh in the UP! The challenging part is not eating all of them as you pick so you still have enough to make a pie. The beautiful flakey crust and rich blue color can make that pie look like a work of art!

There are many health benefits in these little sweet berries. Blueberries are full of antioxidants, which are important for getting rid of free radicals in our bodies that can cause disease. What gives those beautiful blueberries their blue color is the antioxidant anthocyanins which studies have shown can help prevent neuronal diseases, cardiovascular illness, cancers, diabetes, and other inflammatory diseases.

Containing vitamin K, iron, calcium, and zinc, blueberries are good for your bones. They also contain vitamins C, A, E, magnesium, folate, manganese, and beta carotene, and are high in fiber and protein. Plus research has shown consuming blueberries can help increase the rate of muscle strength recovery and muscle repair if you suffer from exercise induced muscle damage (EMID). And the wild berries are reported to have more of the healthy antioxidants and, in my opinion, more sweetness.

In the following recipe I use whole grain flour. I prefer spelt or kamut flour. If you want to create a gluten-free crust, I would suggest using oat flour. Any flour will work to create the crust for this recipe.

Blueberry Pie*

Crust
3 cups whole grain flour
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
Pinch of sea salt

Filling
5 cups blueberries
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
2 T. lemon juice
5 T. arrowroot
1 tsp. cinnamon

To make the crust, mix together all the ingredients until you get a firm dough that will hold together. Divide into two equal parts, form into round discs, and cover in plastic wrap. Put in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, then roll out the crust between two pieces of plastic wrap and put in an oiled pie pan.

For the filling, put all of the ingredients in a sauce pan, then cover and heat on low. Once the filling starts to heat up, the blueberries will release their natural juices. Once this occurs, mix everything together. As it heats, the arrowroot will thicken the filling.

Pour filling into bottom crust. Roll out the top crust in the same way as the bottom crust. Place the top crust over the pie and pinch the edges to create a decorative edge. Bake at 350 degrees or one hour. Let cool before cutting.

*Recipe from Chef Val’s new cookbook Simply Healthy Scrumptious Desserts

Chef Valerie Wilson has been teaching cooking classes since 1997. She offers weekly, virtual cooking classes that all can attend. Visit http://www.macroval.com for schedule, cookbook purchases, phone consultations, or radio show, and follow her on Facebook at Macro Val Food.

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