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Considering Food for Self-Care

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When you hear the term “self-care,” what comes to mind?

For many years, I have thought that self-care involved getting a massage, receiving a luxurious facial, hiking in our beautiful forests, attending a fancy retreat, enjoying a relaxing bubble bath, reading a good book and listening to jazz music with some lit candles.

Through the years, I have found that self-care was holding my grandsons and rocking them to sleep after story time.

I became an herbalist in 2017 and learned about the power of plants and herbs. The education I received has allowed my company to include wholesome ingredients for our clients for whom we cook and cater.

We need self-care all the time. Self-care practices are activities we engage in on a regular basis to reduce stress and maintain well-being. Eating food you enjoy is self-care. I also use cooking as a form of relaxation and nurturing. Meal planning to save you stress and time later in the week is also a tool of self-care. Eating ice cream to make you feel better can be self-care. Working through struggles with food and a challenging eating disorder is self-care. We have some wonderful professionals in our community who can assist. We work with local Certified Dietician Katy Kimball. Katy has supported our business with nutritional and dietary consulting with our clients and daily menus. Her biggest focus is portion size.

Self-care is about honoring your body and respecting yourself.

In 2020, we will focus on education to the community to support the program “Healthy Food and Healthy Living!” We want to create the opportunity for everyone to be able to make great choices when it comes to food and self-care.

May 2020 bring prosperity, love and wonderful self-care to all. QCBN

By Debbie Maranville

Debbie Maranville is the co-owner of The Natural Healing Garden/Goods from the Garden. The Natural Healing Garden/ Goods from the Garden can be reached at 928-237-4116 or 928-237-3214 or Naturalhealinggarden@gmail.com

 

Anticipating Economic Development, New Leaders, Celebration

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Happy New Year to all!

2019 was been a bright year for Chino Valley and our surrounding communities. The Town of Chino Valley has had many positive things happen last year and has endured a few challenging things.

One of our biggest endeavors in 2019 was asking our citizens for a property tax for road maintenance. We were unsuccessful in this endeavor, and will be struggling with funding for road maintenance for many years to come. Although this did not succeed at the local level, this may become a state issue and one that may be settled by our state legislators. Anyone who has traveled on the state interstate system or state highways surely recognizes that funding for the maintenance of our roads must be secured and we need a more permanent funding source. The gas tax has not been increased in more than 25 years. Additionally, the lack of a permanent funding source for Arizona Department of Public Safety needs to be resolved – the sweeping of funds to offset Public Safety Retirement shortfalls and other public safety issues is irresponsible and non-sustainable.

A positive note for the town was the re-zoning of 200 acres of the business park at Old Home Manor. A goal of our council and the previous council is to create more jobs within our community. Creating the business park, which was primarily funded through grants, will be a long-term vision for creating jobs and allowing people to live and work in the same community. The grants brought water, sewer and a road to the business park, and council recently agreed to invest some additional funding to bring natural gas to the property, signage at both entrances and create the initial lots to make them site-ready. We have hired an economic development staff person who is actively working with outside investors and other interested parties who may be interested in relocating their business headquarters to Chino Valley. The future looks bright and Chino Valley is ready to say we are “open for business” in the near future.

This next year will bring some new council members to our current slate. This will be my last term as mayor, and we have three council member seats up for re-election. To date, we have had nine people pull papers to run for council, and one for mayor. All filings for the seats need to be completed by early April 2020, with the primary being held in August. As there are so many people in the running for council, it is unlikely that any will win outright through the primary, as you need 50% support plus one vote to win outright. We have only one incumbent for a council seat. The run-off election will be in November, the same time as the national election. With our primary election in August, it will also be Home Rule, which occurs every four years. It will be important for our community to vote in Home Rule as citizens have successfully done in all the years we have been incorporated.

Next year will also bring the town’s Golden Jubilee, celebrating 50 years of incorporation. Events will be held around Territorial Days, which is Labor Day weekend. Besides a beefed-up celebration, the town is selling bumper stickers, shirts, license plates and a commemorative book. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with our citizens and the surrounding communities.

God bless you and please have a safe 2020. QCBN

By Darryl Croft

Darryl Croft is the mayor of Chino Valley.

Making Resolutions, Spreading Kindness

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Welcome to “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” Happy New Year! It is never too late. Every day, people pass up opportunities to make a difference in our community. We can all do something and it doesn’t have to cost anything. So, start a daily habit of doing something. If you have the power to make someone happy – DO IT. Our world needs more happy!

Tom and I thought our first column of 2020 should be about more happy, human kindness and resolutions. Settle in, and thanks for reading “At Home with Tom & Sandy.” We appreciate your readership, comments and to the many new friends that we have met through our column, thanks for your support.

SANDY: Tom, it is that time of year again – the New Year, time for those resolutions. Some resolutions are hard to stay the course like those diets and the exercise.

TOM: I am so bad about doing those personal varieties of resolutions, but for business, you bet I have made resolutions.

SANDY: Well…continue, Tom.

TOM: OK, there are two major issues that I resolve to continue to address along with other community partners and that is continuing to make a real push locally to broaden the opportunities for our young generation of men and women to join the trades as a career.

SANDY: Tom, I like that one and as you know, YCCA developed our first YCCA Bootcamp for young adults one year ago, January 2019, and our second YCCA Boot Camp is taking place this January 2020. The Bootcamp is FULL! This is a fabulous way to teach the trades to our younger generation.

TOM: I am really looking forward to helping those efforts. The struggle for qualified tradesman is not going away. I firmly believe this is a worthwhile resolution. I am honored to be able to share my knowledge on blueprint reading and construction math to the young adults. I am excited about my three hours of classroom time.

SANDY: What is the second resolution you are so passionate about?

TOM: It’s a resolution to our homeowners that by using venues such as our column, radio shows, our company newsletter and printed information we will help keep them apprised of new information, maintenance schedules, and continue to be an effective resource for them. We need to expand our ability to share all the new products on the market, new design trends and generally cool stuff that is out there and coming out there.

TOM: What about you? What about YCCA? Has the board jumped on the resolution bandwagon?

Your turn, Ms. Sandy!

SANDY: As an organization and partner in the community, we have resolved to continue to promote our organization and share with the community the importance of using local licensed contractors. YCCA and our board have also resolved that we will continue to give back to the community through our membership. There are many good causes that matter and YCCA will continue to give, mentor and volunteer in our community to try to make our community a better place. The most recent community partnership was the Shop With a Cop in December 2019. YCCA partnered with SignalzAZ and through our members, who graciously contributed. We collectively raised more than $15,000 for the underprivileged kids in our communities.

TOM: How about those resolutions that homeowners can follow all year long, like resolve to hire licensed contractors, resolve to hire local contractors.

SANDY: Right on, Tom, and I can add to that list: resolve to verify insurance; resolve to get estimates in writing, nothing verbal; resolve to turn the estimate into a signed executed contract; and, always resolve to put changes in writing.

SANDY: These resolutions are non-fattening, easy to stick to, healthy for your remodeling projects and headache-free.

SANDY: Tom, in the introduction of our column, we talked about “Happy.” I love to SMILE at everyone – it may be the only smile they get all day and gosh, it makes me feel good, and the smiles I receive in return are amazing. What about your input on Happy for our readers?

TOM: I always like to hold a door open for the person coming in or going out, young or old, male or female, it is the polite thing to do. Yep, kindness. Now, more than ever, people need to honestly think about what it means to be kind, not because the world is in any more of a state of chaos than it ever has been, but because our world lends itself less and less to kindness. The automatic sliding door has eliminated a common act of kindness people do every day, which is holding the door for someone. There are many instances that still require people to act on their sense of kindness and hold doors open, but the automatic door has diminished those acts.

SANDY: I think it is very important now-a-days to give affirmation, to praise people about a quality that they have that you really appreciate. Their faces just light up. That is Happy!

SANDY: I also love helping someone. When I see an elderly person struggling with belongings or groceries, I offer to help carry them and have even put bags into his or her car. I love the sweet golden-year citizens.

TOM: Another Happy for me is when I stop for cars backing out of parking spaces. With our narrow streets in Prescott, I am always watching for the back-up lights and stop to let the car pull out. The waves I get from the drivers are great.

TOM: I will continue to resolve to let another driver into my lane when I see a turn signal on. It takes a nanosecond to slow down and let the driver into your lane.

SANDY: I say the ripple effect starts with one. One person to be a spark of kindness, we can all be that ONE person.

TOM: Everybody has the potential to change the world and I believe everyone wants to seize that potential. These people are called a RAKtivist. RAKtivists are the heroes of our world. They live and breathe kindness, sharing knowledge and leading by example. RAKtivists leaves a trail of warm-and-fuzzy feelings in their wake.

So you say, “WHAT IS A RAKTIVIST?” RAKtivist is short for ‘Random Acts of Kindness activist.’ RAKtivists are everywhere. RAKtivist: Anyone who believes kindness can change the world, who reminds everyone how much love there is. Let’s all be a RAKtivist.

SANDY: What I see happening is that when people are not kind, they are labeled as rude. Rudeness is becoming easier to recognize than kindness, such as not stopping to let the car pull out of the parking space, not letting the driver into your lane, not holding a door open, not saying, “please” or “thank you.” How about the people who not only just talk on the phone in a public place, but shout into a conversation?

Without kindness, there is rudeness. Kindness is simply when a person isn’t rude. To avoid rudeness, simply be kind. Kindness is stepping away from the self-centered oblivion so often promoted in modern culture and appreciate the people around you, even if it is someone just a few steps short of catching the door. So, the only New Year’s resolution we should all care about for 2019 is keeping kindness in mind and following our resolutions to be better people, better company owners and better community partners.

TOM: I got it, Sandy, and I agree with you. Everyone, go make a change.

SANDY: Nearly 100 years ago, aviator Amelia Earhart observed, “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”

 

From Tom and Sandy – Happy New Year! These resolutions, happiness expressions and widespread kindness makes our community feel happier. We crave the sweetness that kindness brings to life. In 2020, clear your schedule for kindness. Small, intentional acts of kindness can change the world.

Thanks for stopping in “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” You’re in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. See you next month. QCBN

 

Tom Reilly, Architect, Contractor, Renovations 928-445-8506 renovationsaz.com

 

Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association.  928-778-0040.

Windows 7 End of Life: Do You Upgrade or Replace Your Computer?

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Microsoft has publicly announced Jan. 14, 2020, as the end date for extended support, also known as End of Life (EOL), for the Windows 7 operating system. As of this date, Microsoft will no longer produce any patches or updates to address known or otherwise newly discovered issues for the Windows 7 platform. This potentially exposes users of devices with the Windows 7 operating system to vulnerabilities that could potentially be exploited by threat actors – exploits, bugs, viruses and ransomware.

UPGRADE VS. REPLACEMENT With Windows 7 End of Life, your organization will need to determine whether upgrading devices is sufficient or replacement is necessary.

To help you make this choice, here is a checklist to consider when looking to migrate from Windows 7 to Windows 10 successfully.

Check hardware details. Identify devices that will meet the minimum hardware specifications necessary for a desirable and productive level of performance. The minimum hardware recommendations from Microsoft are often insufficient at being productive in the long term, resulting in device hardware being replaced sooner than expected.

These are Microsoft’s basic requirements for installing Windows 10 on a PC.

Confirm licensing compliance. The audit of devices and applications is the ideal time to verify your business has sufficient licenses for Windows 10. In some cases, newer Windows 7 devices may already have a license for an upgrade to Windows 10. Microsoft has become vigilant in pursuing companies out of compliance with licensing. We will help to ensure your devices are properly licensed for use.

Decide whether to replace the device, perform a clean install or an in-place upgrade on the current device. There are several factors to bear in mind when considering an “in-place” migration.

Are there any 32-bit operating systems needing to become 64-bit? If so, does the hardware architecture support it, and will it need additional or improved/ upgraded resource (e.g. more RAM)?

Are there any Professional edition devices upgrading to Enterprise, or Enterprise to Enterprise?

Are there any Home edition devices used in the business?

Perform a pilot deployment. Deploying to a small test group first will pay dividends over the duration of the project.

If you find that a majority of your devices have aged out and do not meet minimum specifications for an upgrade, here are our recommendations for replacement of devices:

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or System on a Chip (SoC)

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit

Hard drive space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS 32 GB for 64-bit OS

Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver

Display: 800×600

Verify application compatibility. Determine which applications you have installed on your current Windows 7 and check they will be compatible with the new Windows operating system. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

For more information, contact Theo Soumilas at 928-719-7724 or theo@northernazit.com, or visit northernazit.com.

 

Plants that Promote Better Sleep

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There is no question that proper sleep hygiene is essential for optimal brain function. Perpetually debated is the precise number of hours we should sleep to feel our very best, a number that varies for mostly genetic reasons.

Research has confirmed that there is an active correlative link between sleep impairment and subsequent decline in one’s mental and physical health. Humans who do not get sufficient restorative sleep suffer from a host of problems, including pronounced anxiety, chronic stress, insomnia, hypertension and diabetes.

Encourage a healthier sleep environment by keeping your bedroom cool, dark, restful and, as best as possible, shut off from household and neighborhood noises. Consistency is also key to a beneficial sleep routine.

There are several plants that, when placed in your bedroom, can help achieve a more restful slumber. The following plants should not be used for medicinal purposes or to treat chronic sleep problems such as sleep apnea, insomnia or chronic anxiety. Plants are used as supplemental natural aids for effective sleep hygiene instead of resorting to melatonin supplements and prescription medicines.

Before you seek professional advice for chronic sleeplessness issues, try setting several of these plants in your bedroom. The next morning, see if you feel a bit more rested and refreshed. Read on for the health benefits of these particular plants. As always, discuss this idea with your doctor if you have any chronic ailments that need to be addressed.

Aloe Vera

Dubbed the “plant of immortality” by Egyptians because it reproduces quickly. If you buy one plant, you soon will have aloes for ALL the rooms in your house! Aloe emits oxygen at night, which helps you combat insomnia, and improves overall sleep quality. The plant doesn’t need much direct sunlight or water. Listed as one of NASA’s top air improving plants, it tolerates low maintenance and upkeep and is a plant worth investing in for its myriad health benefits.

English Ivy plant

Another one of NASA’s top plants for purifying the air, English ivy is simple to grow and only needs moderate exposure to sunlight. Beneficial for those who have breathing problems, allergies or asthma, which severely impact both the quantity and quality of sleep. Studies show that English ivy can reduce air molds 90-94% in only 12 hours.

Lavender

This plant is well known to induce sleep and reduce anxiety by enhancing GABA levels, the inhibitory neurotransmitters that influence feelings of natural drowsiness. The smell of lavender actually slows down your heart rate and reduces anxiety levels. Interestingly, psychological studies have shown that in women, lavender increases light sleep, decreases REM and reduces the amount of time to wake up after first falling asleep. The opposite effects were noted in men.

Jasmine

Studies have shown the scent of jasmine reduces anxiety levels, leading to a high quality of sleep while hitting more cycles of REM and staying longer in REM. This, in turn, promotes more restorative sleep, after which feelings of alertness and productivity are increased.

Valerian

The root of the Valerian plant has been used as a tea or tincture since ancient times. Galen, Roman physician and philosopher, prescribed it for his patients to combat excessive anxiety and insomnia. Newer research has shown that Galen was well ahead of his time when specifying the Valerian root. Merely inhaling its pleasant sweet aroma is enough to help one fall asleep quickly and efficiently with a likely chance of achieving restorative sleep.

Snake Plant

Also known as “mother-in-law’s tongue,” this plant emits oxygen at night while you sleep, and simultaneously takes in carbon dioxide from the air inside your bedroom. It also filters nasty household toxins from the air, including formaldehyde and benzene.

With stress and anxiety causing half of all insomnia issues and sleep problems, it’s a good idea to fill your bedroom with a variety of plants with calming effects. Studies show that spending time in nature reduces stress, so why not bring nature indoors?

I recommend wiping down your plants’ leaves every week or so to ensure they can do their jobs effectively. Watters carries a plant shine specifically for houseplants that keeps your plants not only looking their best but also functioning their best in the bedroom.

Finally, be sure to include a quality mix of plants that purify the air in other areas of your house, as well. These plants help induce sleep and restful slumber. You might just end up getting a better night’s sleep while being a more productive and happier person overall.

Until next month, I’ll be helping gardeners get a better night’s rest with houseplants here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter.

 

The New Year Brings Much Aviation Activity

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Aviation as we move into 2020 has both challenges and exciting times ahead.

The shortage of airline pilots has driven flight training to new heights and the good economy has brought many rusty pilots back to flying. As I write this article, just in the past week alone, I’ve spoken to three such pilots.

Flight schools and rental companies are expanding radically to meet this need. At Embry-Riddle, this past fall saw the largest class of aviation students in the college’s history. In addition to the student expansion, Embry-Riddle is also receiving additional training aircraft to help meet students’ needs.

Other companies on the field, such as Leighnor Aircraft, have seen this past fall become extremely crazy in terms of business expansion. Leighnor Aircraft started September flying two aircraft – two Cessna C-162 Skycatchers light sport aircraft (LSAs). As of the first of December, we are now flying six aircraft. Two of these aircraft are instrument certified 4-seat aircraft that are extremely good for cross-country trips. We now have a Cessna C-177 Cardinal and a Cessna C-182 Skylane available for pilots to rent. We also can offer Instrument Rating training.

In addition to these new rental aircraft, Leighnor Aircraft launched our advanced flight training program, which offers training that is hard to find nationally. We now offer tail wheel endorsement training, spin training, upset recovery training and basic aerobatics. This training is done in our very sharp Super Decathlon tail wheel aerobatic trainer.

On top of all this craziness, Leighnor Aircraft is expanding operations to Cottonwood airport, taking over operational management of Kestrel Aviation Services, which will be named Leighnor Aircraft-Cottonwood starting this month.

Other companies on the field are flying more hours and seeing more students. If you’re out at the airport on a nice flying day, the airport is now quite busy.

The Prescott Airport just broke ground on its new terminal in December and additional SkyWest departures will be coming in 2020. In addition, the runway extension project has been accelerated. Even though the timeline has moved up, this work is multiple years from being completed just because of the amount of process and approvals that are necessary to undertake such a project. Once completed, the runway extension will allow our existing jet aircraft to depart with full passenger loads even on hot days in the summer. Furthermore, this runway extension will allow SkyWest to start flying the next larger size of regional jet.

The challenges the airport faces are equally numerous. Managing all the construction projects with all the airport traffic will be a test of project management skills. Even as airport traffic increases, construction will be ongoing that will impact all airport users.

For Embry-Riddle and the flight training and rental companies like Leighnor Aircraft, managing growth of this nature is much like walking a tightrope. One wrong step and down you go!

For pilots, just getting in a line to take-off and fly can result in a line that’s seven or more aircraft deep! There are also times now where the airport traffic pattern can be too full, and pilots must wait outside this traffic pattern to get in line for landing. A traffic pattern, for those who might not know, is basically a rectangular pattern that is used for aircraft to take-off and land. One side of the rectangle runs right down the runway and the other side of the rectangle is roughly a half-mile away. Aircraft must maintain specific separation and be under control of the Prescott tower while in this traffic pattern to take-off and land.

For those of you who might want a nice visual picture of what I’m talking about, go to these links:

cfinotebook.net/notebook/aircraft-operations/terminal/traffic-pattern-operations

pea.com/blog/posts/airport-traffic-pattern/

For General Aviation pilots, a big challenge will come probably by the time you read this article. Some time in January 2020, all General Aviation gates will go under ID badge control. What this change means is that everyone going through a gate will have to have his or her own ID badge to access the airport security perimeter. Right now, this change does not include Embry-Riddle, but all GA gates will be impacted.

With all this expansion and the construction of homes close to the airport, General Aviation pilots need to become more engaged with the airport community. Please consider joining the Prescott Airport User’s Association to help make sure the voice of General Aviation is heard.

Welcome to 2020! QCBN

By Lance Leighnor

Leasing vs. Financing a New Car or Truck

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Before you get a new car, one of the most important decisions you have to make is whether it’s better to lease or finance it. Since buying a new car is one of the biggest things you will purchase, you have to be very careful and take the good, the bad and the ugly of each option into account.

Both leasing and financing have their advantages and disadvantages. It is up to you to decide whether you want to own a car for a longer period of time, but make large down payments and relatively high monthly payments, or lease a new car every three or four years, which comes with significantly lower monthly payments.

Benefits of Leasing

In general, leasing is a more convenient option for those who don’t want to make a large down payment, or simply can’t afford it, and want their monthly payments to be as low as possible. There are many no-money-down leases, which means you don’t have to pay anything upfront and just make the monthly payments, which are usually lower than for buying a car.

This is because you are only paying for the deprecation for the term you are leasing. You are also only paying sales tax on the payment, not the whole car. With leasing, you are always driving a newer car with the newest technology and safety features. When putting low miles on a car, most of the time you save on maintenance when it comes to major service intervals and new tires.

With leasing, you have more options at lease end. You can buy the lease out, trade it in, sell it outright or turn it in and walk away. In many cases, in a business situation, you are able to write off the entire lease payment instead of depreciating it out on your taxes. When talking about how to do this, it is best that you consult your tax professional.

In the case of rolling negative equity into your next loan, with a lease, you save interest and time only paying for that during the lease term of three to four years, rather than a finance purchase of six or seven years. Knowing you will be back to a break-even point at the end of the lease is sometimes comforting.

Downsides of Leasing

The biggest drawback of leasing is that you don’t own the car and are not building equity. Let’s face it, most people who finance a car put little down and the bank really owns it anyway. This essentially means that you are renting the car, and you don’t have anything to show for the money you have spent on monthly payments. The second drawback is that you are locked in for the lease term. Because you are making less of a payment and getting more car, if you try to get out of the lease early, you will be upside down. In other words, you will have negative equity in the lease. There are options of rolling over the negative equity into the next lease or finance option, but that puts you further behind.

 

Benefits of Financing

If you want to own your car, then you should consider financing your new purchase. After you have paid the loan off, you get to keep the car, and you can sell it or trade it in to the dealer. You then would use the money to make a down payment on a new car. How much it would be worth would depend on the quality of the car and how many miles you put on it.

Another advantage of financing is that you can drive your car as much as you want without having to worry about mileage limits. If you lease a car, you will have to pay a certain fee if you exceed the limit that the lessor has set, which is usually somewhere around 15,000 to 20,000 miles per year. Some leases offer anywhere from 10,000 miles to 20,000 miles.

 

Downsides of Financing

The high monthly payments are the biggest drawback of financing. They can be as high as $600 or $700, depending on the car’s sales price and how much money you put down. In any case, the monthly prices for financing are significantly higher than for leasing, and you are also required to make a down payment of at least 10 percent on the car’s purchase price depending on your credit. Another drawback of financing is most people have to finance the car for longer terms to keep the payment down. When you have to keep the car longer to pay it off, you stand to pay more in maintenance the more miles you put on the car.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, in order to be able to choose the option that’s right for you, you have to take into consideration how much you are willing to pay each month, whether you intend to drive more than 20,000 miles a year, whether you want to drive a new car every three years and if you are fine with driving the same car for five to seven years. A good retailer that has a great Google review can consult with you about the right choice. QCBN

By Dave “Mac” Macfarlane

Dave “Mac” Macfarlane is the general manager of Findlay Subaru Prescott. Contact him at Dmacfarlane@findlayauto.com or 928-771-6900.

Managing Chronic Pain in YRMC’s Your Healthy Kitchen

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If you suffer from chronic pain, could diet changes provide any relief?

The answer is … yes.

Good research suggests that healthy meals and snacks featuring colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and beneficial fats can often reduce pain, in a number of interesting and surprising ways. Here are some examples:

High fiber fruits and whole grains support the growth of healthy, anti-inflammatory gut bacteria.

Healthy carbohydrates like legumes, sweet potatoes and whole grain pastas promote feelings of well-being and improved mood.

Colorful red, green, orange, purple and blue fruits and vegetables have powerful anti-inflammatory effects on joints, muscles and every other body tissue to reduce lower back pain, severe neck pain, fibromyalgia and more.

Most researchers agree that filling your plate with lots of colorful vegetables and liberally flavoring meals with fresh herbs and spices are two of the best steps anyone can take to reduce chronic pain.

The Mediterranean diet is likely the easiest and most recognized eating plan that fits with those recommendations. Mediterranean-style meals and snacks are loaded with colorful vegetables – with whole grains, legumes, root vegetables, fruits and lean proteins starring as healthy sides. Good fats, like those found in fish, avocados, nuts and olive oil show up in small quantities throughout the day.

Abundant resources exist online to help with planning Mediterranean-style meals, including the site Oldways Cultural Food Traditions (oldwayspt.org), which features a neat Mediterranean diet pyramid and many delicious recipes.

While the Mediterranean diet plan works well for most, some people find that eliminating foods to which they’re allergic or intolerant can provide added pain relief. For example, grains containing gluten (wheat, barley and rye), dairy, soy, eggs and peanuts are common triggers of discomfort, inflammation and sometimes outright allergic reactions.

Experiment with avoiding one of these foods or food groups for a few weeks at a time to see if omitting them from your diet impacts your level of pain. In addition, experts agree that chronic pain sufferers should all eliminate or significantly restrict added sugars and artificial sweeteners, as well as certain types of fat, like those found in fried and processed foods.

Cooking more at home can help you follow these pain-reducing diet guidelines. Here are some tricks that can help you prepare your own healthy meals:

Prepare your meals in stages, at the times of the day when you feel best. For example, you might chop some onions and other veggies in the morning and store them in the refrigerator to use in a dinner soup or stir-fry. In the afternoon, prepare some chicken or other simple protein to cook with your veggies later in the day.

Make enough food so you have leftovers that you can freeze or refrigerate and use on the days when you’re just not up for fixing yourself a meal from scratch.

Rely on healthy pre-chopped or frozen vegetables or prepared, jarred sauces like pesto, marinara or olive tapenade to brighten up a simple meal of rotisserie chicken, pasta or grilled meat or fish.

Grocery delivery or the many meal delivery services available these days can lighten up meal prep time and responsibilities.

Fortunately, the foods that reduce inflammation, support healthy gut bacteria, improve mood, and reduce pain also prevent lots of other chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Recipes in YRMC’s Your Healthy Kitchen feature loads of vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains, legumes, herbs, spices and lots of color, so check them all out at YRMCHealthConnect.org.

You can also follow me on Facebook at YRMC’s Your Healthy Kitchen where you can see what I make at home, watch my mini-videos and check out links to fun recipes, food blogs and food and garden-related events in the community. QCBN

By Rita Carey Rubin

Rita Carey Rubin is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator at Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC).  She is also a freelance writer and host of YRMC’s Your Healthy Kitchen, an online video series that features cooking tutorials, local guests and simply delicious, affordable recipes.

 

Common Home Selling Mistakes: The Offer and Pricing

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We may have all heard the old adage, “The first offer is always the best offer.” Like the phrase “Location, Location, Location,” it’s a real estate myth that we will hear until the end of time. In the phrase, “always” seems concrete, with no flexibility, which is simply not true. There are many exceptions to the rule. In reality, while the first offer may generally be one of the best offers, most of the time, it is not always the case. It all depends on the circumstance. Previous transactions reveal that YES, in many instances the first offer was, in fact, the best offer. On the other hand, we have seen sales where the seller was able to hold out, play his or her cards and take a much better offer. Each sale circumstance is different and certain variables will weigh in. Pricing, Days on Market, Property Condition (updated and remodeled vs. original condition or “outdated”), Vacant vs. Occupied (or tenant occupied), Owner Occupied Purchaser vs Investor, Seller and/or Buyer Motivation are some of the considerations. Here are a few examples:

Pricing

A well-priced home, updated and “move-in ready” priced comparably to recent sales as well as priced comparably to actively competing homes for sale will generally sell quickly with the offer price very relative to the marketplace, while a similar overpriced home will tend to sit and age on the market. The longer the days on market, the more the property attracts lower-priced offers. This is where a real estate investor will throw in a much lower price. If it’s been on the market a while, particularly longer than the average market time for the area, it is obviously overpriced. In these instances, the “investor” buyer type is more apt to go with an aggressive much lower than list price. Many sellers reluctantly will take one of these offers and simply wave the white flag of defeat without much, if any, countermeasure. We have seen this again and again. Holding out for an owner-occupied purchaser will generally yield a much higher price but again, those buyers will seek value as well.

Days on Market

We have seen homes sell with “0” or “1” day on market and the listing agent gloats about the sale with a postcard mailer to the subdivision. In studying some of these transactions it was revealed that the home was listed at a price much lower than “active market competition” also known as “Market Position Pricing” and/or lower than comparable sales. Simply put, the agent probably could have got a much higher price. This generally happens when the subject property has more strengths or compensating factors that were not taken into consideration on the price strategy. Lenders on foreclosed properties oftentimes mandate a five-, seven-, or even 10-day grace period, in which case they wait until the end of said time and tell all offerees to produce their “highest and best,” even if there is only one offer on the table. Be the bank! We highly suggest sellers steer clear of taking the first offer within the first week of being on the market and see other opportunities will present themselves, i.e., not respond to any offers until after the first full week on the market.

Property Condition

The pulse of the retiring baby boomers and the emerging millennial demographic reveal that they are all generally looking for that “turnkey” or “move in ready” home. The home is updated, remodeled, with newer modern flooring, updated counter tops, high ceilings, updated fixtures with at least a two-car garage. Homes that are a “fixer-upper” or are “original” or “outdated” are generally passed over, despite adjustment pricing to reflect such needs. No matter how much less an outdated home is priced, these buyers would rather pay more, in some cases, significantly more, for a move-in ready home. Example: the seller is inheriting his or her parents second home or vacation home that is in its original pristine condition. This product is not going to fetch what the same sized remodeled home across the street sold for. Time and time again, we see sellers or inexperienced agents not taking into account the property condition relative to the list price strategy. In the above example, the price starts high, the days on market accrue, and finally, after repeated price cuts, offers start to materialize. The owner-occupied buyer offering 10% off the list price 30 days into the market was much better than the investor offer at 18% below the original list price at 120 days on the market. We see this time and time again.

Top 10 Home Selling Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Leaving money on the table is always a bad strategy. Property pricing is the single biggest consideration when selling a home. Ask us for a copy of our free report entitled Top 10 Home Selling Mistakes and How to Avoid Them. QCBN

By Peter Medal

Andrea Mauk, Peter Medal and Leslie Nelson are the Principals of the Prescott Elite Team at My Home Group Real Estate. Their offices are in downtown Prescott at 240 S. Montezuma Street, Suite 101. Reach them at 928-597-5151 PrescottEliteTeam.com or PrescottEliteTeam@gmail.com

 

 

Trekking to Good Health

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If hiking is a fitness goal for the New Year, you may want to consider using trekking poles. Trekking poles look like ski poles and are standard equipment among hikers. They’re a great way to provide stability and support on all types of terrain when they are fitted and used properly.

When selecting trekking poles, hikers have a variety of options. Two poles can be used in tandem for stability, or one pole can be used for flatter terrains. Whether using one or two poles, however, a hiker should find one that allows a 90-degree bend at the elbow when the pole hits the ground. The pole’s weight, adjustability, locking features and shock absorption also should be considered.

Trekking poles can help reduce the impact of hiking on knees and leg muscles because arm and shoulder muscles help provide support and relief. Poles also offer stability and can help improve balance when walking through rough terrain or when crossing streams.

Studies have shown that trekking poles can reduce the impact strain of hiking on the knees and legs by 20-25 percent. In 1981, Dr. G. Neureuther proved that the use of “ski poles” while walking reduced pressure and strain on the opposite leg by 20 percent. A study in the Journal of Sports Medicine in 1999 showed that trekking poles can reduce the force on knees by up to 25 percent.

In a 2007 study from Medicine & Science in Sports & Science, it was found that a significant reduction of force was observed in the ankle and knee joints with pole use during downhill walking. In another study from the same journal in 2011, perceived exertion while hiking was lower in the people hiking with poles compared to those hiking without. There is also reduced muscle soreness in the legs of those hiking with trekking poles in the days following a hike.

To reap the benefits, Newell says, you have to be sure to use the poles correctly. To get the most out of trekking poles, consider:

 

  • Alternating poles and legs. Plant the opposing trekking pole with the opposite foot for a natural rhythm.
  • Double planting. On steep climbs or descents, plant both poles at the same time before taking a step.
  • Walk naturally. Maintain a natural arm swing.
  • Negotiating obstacles. When wading through water, plant the pole and make sure it’s secure before moving forward. To cross large rocks, plant both poles on the ground as you step up. QCBN

By Maribeth Newell, PT

Maribeth Newell is a physical therapist at Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital.

 

Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital provides specialized physical rehabilitation services to patients recovering from or living with disabilities caused by injuries, illnesses, or chronic medical conditions. The hospital is consistently ranked in the Top 10 percent of inpatient rehabilitation facilities nationally by the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR) and is certified by The Joint Commission in stroke and brain injury rehabilitation.

 

For more information, visit MVRRH.ernesthealth.com.

 

3700 N. Windsong Drive • Prescott Valley, AZ  86314 • 928-759-8800 • www.mvrrh.ernesthealth.com