While looking for herbs, flowers and plants to buy, remember our own “Alaska Grown” products! Our selection of agriculture products grows every year. Forget Lowe’s and Home Depot, help fellow Alaskan farmers by using their wonderful local products!

The Matanuska- Susitna Valley is the hotbed of Agriculture in Alaska. A large selection of Alaskan farms exists in this fertile region, between the Alaska and Brooks ranges. Known as “the interior,” it gets good exposure to sun and has some of the best soil in Alaska.  This is due to Loess, the soil created by the Matanuska and Knik winds. This soil contains glacial silt and various other geological elements, that work together to create the area’s rich soil.

A complete guide, containing everything from seasonal produce charts to soil composition reports can be found on the Alaska Department of Agriculture website.  It is called “The Alaska Grown Sourcebook 2012-2013, you can download it from the website or call Rebecca Jeffers @ 907.761.3850 to receive one in the mail.

This Sourcebook includes a ton of information about farmers markets as well as farms. It is a very helpful guide that lists the farm’s name, contact/owner information, selling location, products they feature, and anything else you need to know.  An example of this is, do they offer farm tours, or have a “You- pick’ program?

Farmer’s Markets in Alaska are a favorite source for everything from perennials to beautiful tomatoes, and everything in between. I was happily surprised to discover a huge listing of Farmer’s Markets in Alaska on the Alaska division of Agriculture website.

On the site, you will find a map of Alaska divided into regions, and all the Farmer’s Markets are listed by region. There are many right here in South Central. It’s a user-friendly website, full of information.

Some of my favorite farmers markets here in the Anchorage area are:

The South Anchorage Farmer’s Market.  Held every Saturday, from 9-1, in the O’Malley Center, by the AT&T building. This market features flash frozen and fresh seafood, Sunrise Bakery breads, organic and non- organic vegetables, herb and flower venders, baked goods, bar-b-que, and other freshly prepared food items, and dairy products including cheese and ice cream. They also feature live music, and some times host wine tastings.

Spenard Farmers Market. located on the corner of 26^th & Spenard, under the windmill, in the parking lot of Chilkoot Charlie’s. The Market runs from May 18^th to September 28^th.  Market hours are 9am-2pm on Saturdays. The market features artists and music as well as locally raised produce and products. It is considered less expensive than the South Anchorage market.

A complete list of the farmers markets around Anchorage can be found here.

See you at the market!

Come on, admit it; you’ve done this. If you’re trying to get into shape, however, going for the ride might not be doing you any favors. Using the stairs whenever possible instead of an elevator is just a very simple way to add a little more exercise into your daily routine!

Even if you work on the 10th floor of a 20 story building, a little stair walking can do you a whole lot of good. Start out small, climb the stairs from the first to the second floor and then hitch the ride the rest of the way. After you can easily tackle the single flight, start adding more. Before long, you’ll be skipping the elevator all together.

If you really want to put those stairs to good use, climb them even when you don’t have to. Rather than just take the stairs on your way into and out of work, consider using part of your lunch break to walk – or better yet – run a few flights.

Why?
Stair climbing is just a great cardiovascular activity. It gets you up and moving and your blood pumping. Plus, you’re going to find that your endurance is likely to increase the more regularly you work stair climbing into your routine.

Now, let’s say you don’t work in an office with stairs or have them at home. You can still opt to climb anytime you’re in a location that has stairs.

Need Other Simple Ways to Exercise?
Taking the stairs is a great place to start with adding exercise into your routine. If you’re looking for other simple measures you can take, here are a few:

1.    Run in place – This is a great way to get the blood pumping, especially if you work sitting down and just need to move once in a while.

2.    Park far way – Skip going for that front-row parking space and hike from the back lot into the office, the store and so on.

3.    Walk – Just getting up brisk walking once or a few times a day can make a big difference.

And, of course, we are here to help. Getting expert advice on your workouts is the best way to stay safe and make sure you are getting an effective workout.

About the Author

Ginny Grupp is a co-author of the #1 Best-Selling Book, 3 Steps to Your Best Body in Record Time.  She has also been featured on radio (KSKA’s Line One: Your Health Connection), television (ABC News with Mike Ford and Natasha Sweatte)  and the internet (KTUU’s Alaska’s Health Connection).  She is an expert in the art of body and lifestyle transformation who has helped hundreds of local Alaska residents achieve the body and lifestyle they have always wanted.  She is the owner of AlaskaFit, LLC, Anchorage’s only Results Guaranteed fitness and nutrition business.

If you’re ready to begin making life-long, real, healthy changes to your lifestyle, please call 783-1241 right now to receive a complimentary nutrition and fitness consultation
(valued at $87).

If you’re not yet ready for our free consultation offer, please enjoy our free reports.  Just click the link to the right and let us know where to send the information.  Start making changes to your health and fitness right now!

“There’s serious confusion about cholesterol; whether high cholesterol levels are responsible for heart disease, and whether statins — which are cholesterol drugs — are really the appropriate solution to reduce heart disease risk.

As noted in the film, heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, the most common form of which is coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD affects the blood vessels supplying blood to your heart, causing them to narrow, thereby restricting the amount of oxygen supplied to your heart.

The conventional view is that high cholesterol is a major risk factor for this condition — even children “know” that cholesterol forms plaque and is bad for your heart.

The focus on cholesterol has created an enormous market for statins; drugs that act by blocking the enzyme in your liver that is responsible for making cholesterol.

Statins are now among the most widely prescribed drugs on the market, and are the number one profit-maker for the pharmaceutical industry, largely due to relentless and highly successful direct-to-consumer advertising campaigns.

Meanwhile, as of 2010, there were no less than 900 studies proving their adverse effects, which run the gamut from muscle problems to increased cancer risk! Besides the fact that statins are dangerous to your health, they also do not reduce your risk for heart disease, because high cholesterol does NOT increase heart disease risk…” – Dr. Mercola

Another very important reminder to do your research and know what you are ingesting.

Beans are anything but boring!  There are all kinds of tasty dishes and recipes that make this superfood delectable.  Taste isn’t the only exciting thing about beans though.  Beans are FULL of good nutrition that YOU need!

Beans are a powerhouse of protein and complex starches that are a great addition to a healthy diet.

Beans are a great source of fiber both soluble and insoluble.  Insoluble fiber helps keep your colon healthy.  Not only is fiber good for colon health but the soluble fiber found in beans also helps lower LDL cholesterol and in turn protects cardiovascular health.

Beans are an economical source of protein, giving you a great way to get protein without a lot of cost.

On top of the individual benefits of fiber and protein the combination is great for blood sugar regulation.

In addition to fiber and protein beans are a great source of phytonutrients.  These phytonutrients act as antioxidants to reduce inflammation throughout the body.  Inflammation is one of the leading causes of chronic conditions.  The more we can do to reduce inflammation the better!

Beans are a great source of folate.  Folate acts to improve brain function and elevate mood.  Folate is essential for serotonin production which affects everything from mood to quality of sleep.  Folate is also a key player in red blood cell and DNA production.  Folate is also extremely important for women and has been shown to reduce the risk of cervical cancer.  Folate is even more important to pregnancy.  Folate is crucial to brain and nervous system development in babies.

Besides all this, beans contain magnesium, tryptophan, B vitamins, copper, iron, phosphorus and  many other vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.

Hopefully by now you are convinced that beans need to be regular part of your diet.  How should you incorporate them?

Canned beans are a quick and easy way to incorporate beans into your diet.  A couple of things to look for are additives, especially sodium.  Take a look at the label and make sure there are just beans in the can and as low sodium content as possible.  Rinsing beans removes much of the sodium as well.

Cooking your own beans is a great, economical way to add beans into your diet.  Besides, it is SO easy.  There are a couple of ways to cook your own beans

First, you can take 2 cups of beans and put them in a crock pot, cover with water, set on low and let simmer for 4-6 hours depending on the beans.

The other method is to soak your beans overnight, pour off the water, re-cover with water and simmer for 1-2 hours.

The reason that you pour off the water after soaking is because the soaking process releases some substances in the beans responsible for flatulence.  If you cook the beans in the water they soaked in then you will ingest those substances.

After beans have been cooked there are all kinds of recipes for enjoying these healthy gems. Here are some recipe ideas to get you started.

Remember, just because you don’t like one variety of bean that does not mean you may not love another.  Experiment and have fun with this SUPERFOOD!

Did you know that Anchorage has a year round farmer’s market?  I did not know about the Center Market until a couple of weeks ago.  When I found out about it I was excited to go scope it out.

Center market is located between Northern Lights and Benson at the mall at Sears.  The market is open from 11am to 6pm on Wednesday every week.

As you can imagine selection varies from week to week.  When I visited last week there was a wide variety of potatoes and we aren’t talking boring ol’ russets.  There were potatoes I didn’t even know existed!  They also had squash, sprouts, some greens and there was a whole section of mushrooms.  Besides produce you can get a wide variety of local meats; beef, pork, chicken, and fish.  They also had local eggs and cheese!  In addition to edibles there was a variety of locally made skincare products.

I highly encourage everyone to go check it out for themselves.  Support local business and get great quality food.

In addition to the year round market there will be many farmer’s markets popping up around Anchorage as we move closer to summer.  Here  is a list of Anchorage Farmer’s Markets.

There are six markets total:

1)      Downtown Market and Festival

3^rd Ave between C & E Street

May 11 – September 8 2013

Saturday & Sunday 10am-6pm

2)      Anchorage Farmer’s Market

1420 Cordova Street

May 4 – October 12, 2013

Saturdays 9am-2pm

3)      Center Market

Benson & Denali

Wednesdays 11am-6pm (year round)

Saturdays 10am-4pm (Summer only)

4)      Northway Mall Wednesday Market

3101 Penland Blvd

June 26 – October 2, 2013

Wednesdays 9am – 4pm

5)      South Anchorage Farmer’s Market

Subway Sports Centre/Cellular One Sports

May – October, 2013

Saturdays 9am – 2 pm

6)      Spenard Farmer’s Market

Spenard & 26^th

May – September

Saturdays 9am – 2pm

This summer take the time to check out some or all of these great Farmer’s Markets.  Take this opportunity to support local, quality produce and meats!

So, how can you work in an office and still battle the bulge?
The answer is fairly simple: Just get up and move!

Taking a short break about once every 30 minutes to stretch or just go on a walk can make a very big difference. Even better, click here to view our 1-minute workouts. These are exercises you can do at your desk for a minute at a time…easy and effective.

Plus, if your job entails staring at a computer screen all day, it’s important for the health of your eyes that you do take frequent breaks.

Here are some tips you can work into your routine to help you keep that office job and your figure:

• Take the stairs – If your office has stairs, trying walking or running up and down a few flights a few times a day to get the blood pumping while burning off a few extra calories.

• Do chair exercises – Click here to view our 1-minute videos. If your job doesn’t allow you to get up every 30 minutes and leave your desk for a walk or a run up and down the stairs, exercise where you are! There are some great chair exercises and stretches that can help you keep the pounds off.

• Park far away in the morning – One of the best ways to enjoy a little exercise in the workday without getting into trouble with your boss is to do it before and right after your shift. Just park your car as far from the front door as possible and walk briskly to your station.

• Bring in healthy snacks – Office workers tend to love bringing in snacks for everyone to share. While this is incredibly friendly, those snacks aren’t always the healthiest. Mix things up a bit by bringing in nuts, fresh veggies and other healthy, raw foods that are easy to share and snack on.

Working in an office can be a lot of fun, but it can be a nightmare for your health. Fight back by taking small steps to increase your activity level throughout the day.

And, for the time you’re not in the office, you can come in and visit us, here at AlaskaFit. We will get you the results you want…guaranteed!

About the Author

Ginny Grupp is a co-author of the #1 Best-Selling Book, 3 Steps to Your Best Body in Record Time.  She has also been featured on radio (KSKA’s Line One: Your Health Connection), television (ABC News with Mike Ford and Natasha Sweatte)  and the internet (KTUU’s Alaska’s Health Connection).  She is an expert in the art of body and lifestyle transformation who has helped hundreds of local Alaska residents achieve the body and lifestyle they have always wanted.  She is the owner of AlaskaFit, LLC, Anchorage’s only Results Guaranteed fitness and nutrition business.

If you’re ready to begin making life-long, real, healthy changes to your lifestyle, please call 783-1241 right now to receive a complimentary nutrition and fitness consultation
(valued at $87).

If you’re not yet ready for our free consultation offer, please enjoy our free reports.  Just click the link to the right and let us know where to send the information.  Start making changes to your health and fitness right now!

Did you see our deal on KTUU.com?

Of the six essential nutrients, the one you can go the least amount of time without is water. You can go three to four weeks without food but only three days without water before the lack is fatal.

Three days without water may kill you but depriving yourself of water in small amounts can have some negative consequences, too,  like reduced energy levels and can even be detrimental to your health.

Mild dehydration is defined by 1-5% of your body fluid being lost. That’s right, as little as 1-5% can cause symptoms like lethargy and headache.

Moderate dehydration, defined as the loss of 5-10% of body fluid can result in the following symptoms.

• Dry, sticky mouth
• Sleepiness or tiredness
• Thirst
• Decreased urine output
• Few or no tears when crying
• Dry skin
• Headache
• Constipation
• Dizziness or lightheadedness

Severe dehydration, defined as being down 10-15% of body fluid, is very serious. When the body’s fluid supply is severely depleted, hypovolemic shock is likely to occur.

This condition, which is also called physical collapse, is characterized by pale, cool, clammy skin; rapid heartbeat; and shallow breathing. Blood pressure sometimes drops so low it cannot be measured, and skin at the knees and elbows may become blotchy. Anxiety, restlessness, and thirst increase. After the patient’s temperature reaches 107 °F damage to the brain and other vital organs occurs quickly.

The reason lack of water causes such serious symptoms so quickly is that water is vital to so many functions of the body. 50-65% of the body is comprised of water. That is a lot of water!

Here are just some of the many functions that water facilitates in the body.

• Keeps tissues throughout the body moist so they are able to function.
• Protects body organs and tissues.
• Prevents constipation.
• Dissolves nutrients, making them accessible to the body.
• Regulates body temperature.
• Lubricates joints and other vital tissues such as the eyes.
• Transports nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.
• Detoxifies by removing waste and toxins that are byproducts from reactions in the body.
• Flushes the kidneys.

How much water should we be getting to benefit from all these important functions? A person should intake half their body weight in ounces daily. Body Weight in Pounds/2 = Ounces of Water Daily.

Keep in mind that this is the minimum requirement. If you are exerting yourself or exposed to severe heat or cold your intake should increase to accommodate the fluids you are losing.

Now that you know how much water you should drink you may be a little intimidated. That’s okay! It isn’t as much as it sounds. Let’s say you weigh 150 lbs. That means you should be consuming 75 ounces of water. That is only about 2 liters. You can do that!

If you don’t enjoy drinking plain water try adding some lemon or lime. You can also make summer water by cutting up cucumber, apple, oranges, or grapefruit and throwing them in a pitcher of water to steep (be sure to use organic and to wash your fruit before hand).

Be creative!

Also, if you don’t like flat water try sparkling water for a little more zip.  This does NOT mean drink soda…that’s a whole ‘nother issue.  Carbonated water with your own splash of something is fine though.