There are many reasons to be especially happy to live in Minneapolis.  Two of my top reasons are the bike trails and the growing number of quality restaurants and cafes in town.  I deeply appreciate food that is healthy, made from scratch and super tasty.  And I am glad to live in a place that was recently named America's Top Bike City.   Thus, my elation when I discovered the two of these things...awesome food and biking...conjoined in the heart of Minneapolis!  Behold the Freewheel Midtown Bike Cafe.

I have been riding the Greenway for years and was thrilled (in the way bike enthusiasts are subject to when the world periodically aligns with our passion) when Freewheel opened shop down on the Greenway, right across from the old Sears Building.  They added a coffee shop and had some snack items and the usual Gu, energy bars, etc.  That seemed like a gift.  I thought it was enough.  But, they went even further.

Last year I stopped in the cafe several times for some energy and was surprised to find what to me rated as gourmet soups and really healthy, tasty sandwiches...all made right on premise.  I ate with much contentment, happily continued my ride and didn't really think about the food again until my next ride and stop into the cafe.  Then, one day their blackboard outside had a message inviting passers-by to "come in and meet Chef Phil".  That got me thinking more about the food I enjoyed there and sparked an enthusiasm in me that hasn't diminished:  My Greenway Bike Trail has a unique and special Bike Shop Cafe with a talented chef!  That simple message helped me see it in a new light...illuminating how lucky I am, how lucky we are, to have this place in our town.  And I want to tell you a little about it so you, too, may enjoy this gem in Minneapolis.

Chef Phil harkens from the West; born in California and raised in Missoula, Montana.  He worked in small kitchens in Montana and then in Minneapolis when he moved here in his early 20's.  You wouldn't know it talking to him because he is humble, but he is an accomplished chef. Most recently, his reputation comes from his time as Executive Chef and Kitchen Manager at the Birchwood Cafe and as Executive Chef at Common Roots Cafe.  He notes an "eye opening experience" toward food while in France where he cooked (along with other Birchwoodians) for a Mello Velo Bike and Culinary Tour.  He was impressed by the quality of the ingredients and the regard for and treatment of them.

This respect and passion for quality ingredients shows in the food offerings at the Midtown Bike Cafe.  Casual conversations I've had at the cafe counter with staff tell of how Phil himself just that morning picked out some organic ingredients from the Midtown Global Market (across the bike path and up some stairs to street level) or that one of the day's salad offerings is a new recipe he's trying out or that the sweet smell I've noticed is a pastry still in the oven and if I have a few minutes I can have some.  How exciting!

Here is a comment from Phil on the food at the Midtown Bike Cafe:  "We make all of our food from scratch, including soups, deli salads, sandwiches and bakery items. We generally have 2-3 soups at a time, and always have a vegan option on the menu, same goes for our deli salads. Just last (fall) I implemented our baking program, where we do all of our own breakfast pastries as well as some cookies and bars. Again, there is usually a vegan option in the baked goods arena. What I am most proud of are our savory scones, every morning there is something different."  The day he told me this he had just prepped up "a leek, butternut squash, bacon and pesto scone for baking off tomorrow, should be delicious."  They also make fresh fruit smoothies.

I want to remind you that this is also a bike shop.  They have most anything you'd need, including quick repairs as you wait (flats, derailleur problems, etc.).   Phil is also passionate about cycling.  He had this to say on the topic:  "Freewheel in particular was of interest to me as my hobby, lifestyle and friends all are deeply intertwined with cycling. I average between 5-6000 miles a year, cycle year round and between myself and my wife currently have some 15+ odd bicycles in our stable. Working at Freewheel gives me the opportunity to see, feed and talk to cyclists of all walks of life. We have the hard-core roadies on full carbon race machines walking in the door right after someone on a vintage 3 speed cruiser in a dilapidated state."

My most recent visit to the cafe was out of laziness.  I was riding my bike home from work at the end of a long week, my stomach was growling and I was hoping my Sweetie was home already and starting dinner.  No luck.  He was still at work.   Just as my hungry brain started on a self-pity path, I realized I'd be passing by the Bike Cafe.  Saved!  I popped in and ordered a vegan soup (curry chickpea cauliflower bisque) and the "Howard" sandwich (homemade hummus, spinach and roasted asparagus with red onions and rosemary) to go.  I biked the rest of the way home, settled on the couch and had a most delicious dinner.  A very nice way to end the week and start a weekend.

photo by Innotata at Wikimedia Commons with this license

It is common to see people after a hard team practice, a long bike ride or a day of competition throw back a few beers and revel in their down time.  This can be great fun...but it can also interfere with one's goals of recovery, strength building or weight loss.  If you are one to imbibe, the following can help you partake wisely, or perhaps not at all, and succeed on your athletic or weight-loss path.

The four numbered points in this post are my summary of an already short and very readable article, Drinking and Exercise, written by Selene Yeager, a health, fitness and cycling expert.  (She has a blog with some good reading, too!)

1)  Muscle tissue needs to recover after a hard workout.  This has to do with the use of stored carbohydrates and your subsequent intake of protein and carbs post-exercise.  Alcohol blocks and impedes the cellular uptake of carbs needed for muscle recovery.  If you drink right after you work out, you are depriving your muscles of what they need.

2)  Alcohol is metabolized by the body in a complex manner that is counter-productive to weight loss.  The body "prioritizes metabolizing the alcohol over burning fat and carbs".  Once it is digested, it is stored as fat...especially in the thighs, glutes and midsection.

3)  Alcohol disrupts your sleep.  Deep and sufficiently long sleep is needed for muscle tissue repair and recovery.  Interfering with your sleep interferes with recovery and performance.

4)  Alcohol depletes your body of nutrients and water.  Your body's ability to absorb nutrients from your food is diminished.  I'm sure you know that alcohol dehydrates your body, but did you know this?:   "For every gram of ethanol you suck down, you pump out 10 milliliters of urine (that's about 9.5 ounces for two beers). As little as 2 percent dehydration hurts endurance performance."

So, if you want to succeed in your athletic pursuits or weight loss plan and you are a drinker, I recommend being smart about the timing and volume of your alcohol intake.  It's another way of being nice to your body.

photo by Tomasz Sienicki at Wikemedia Commons with this license

We all know we should be eating lots of vegetables.  Salads are a great way to incorporate them into your diet.  But, then we put the dressing on and thereby add a ton of calories...sabotaging our healthy effort.  Just one tablespoon of olive oil has 120 calories...all fat calories.

If you want to reduce your salad dressing calories, try this citrus juice and miso paste dressing.  If you've never used miso before, it might sound weird.  If you have used miso (and liked it) I bet your taste buds just perked up!

Simplest recipe:  mix some miso paste with the juice of a lemon, lime or orange.  The end.

Perhaps a ratio will help?  It's not necessary, really.  It's all to your taste.  No worrying about proper oil-vinegar ratio for taste or mixability.  For my salads, medium to large, I use about 1 teaspoon of miso paste and the juice of 1/2 lime (or lemon).

For added flavor I add 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 1 clove of garlic, grated with a microplane.  Calories for this?  Under 30!  Compare that to what dressing(s) you currently eat (and don't forget to account for what a serving size is listed as on the bottle and how much you actually use).

Miso is a Japanese food/seasoning made from rice and soybeans.  It is used to make soup broth, marinades, sauces and glazes.  I use Westbrae brand miso.  It comes in brown, white and red versions.  The darker the color, the stronger the flavor.  You can find more recipes and information for miso with a quick internet search.

Nutritional information for 1 teaspoon of Westbrae miso:
10 calories
0 grams  fat
0 milligrams cholesterol
1 gram sugar
230 milligrams sodium

Another beauty of this recipe is that you can build onto it as you would oil and vinegar.  Now, you can eat huge vegetable salads and not worry about undoing your good work with high-fat, high-calorie dressing!

photo by: Alex Ex at Wikimedia Commons with this license

We can suffer quite a few discomforts from dry air:  cracked lips, dry itchy skin, bloody noses, irritated vocal cords, etc.  But dry air can trigger more serious conditions such as asthma attacks, respiratory infections, and allergic reactions.

According to the website Allergy Be Gone, humidity levels below 35% can have negative effects on your health.  Insufficient moisture in the air makes the mucous membranes inside your nose and throat - your body's first barrier against airborne infections - dry and more susceptible to diseases like cold and flu. Dry air is also dangerous for allergy and asthma sufferers, since it can aggravate their symptoms. (1)

So, what is an ideal humidity level?  My internet research revealed a lack of consensus.  For example, the Mayo Clinic says "humidity in your home should be between 30 and 50 percent".   Comparatively, the National Institutes of Health says that "the majority of adverse health effects caused by relative humidity would be minimized by maintaining indoor levels between 40 and 60%".  I agree with the NIH.  My personal experience is that even 35% is too low.  At 35%  I still experience static electricity, and so do my poor kitties!

Humidifiers

Humidifiers can make a big difference in your comfort and health in the winter.  There are different types of humidifiers on the market.  The NIH recommends evaporative or steam humidifiers, as cool mist humidifiers can disseminate aerosols contaminated with allergens. (2)
Humidifiers require maintenance; dirty humidifiers can breed mold or bacteria that can make you sick.

Here are two links (to the Mayo Clinic) for some good basic information on humidifiers:  types of humidifiers and humidifier maintenance.

Hygrometers

Hygrometers are devices that look like thermometers and measure the amount of moisture in the air.  They can be purchased in hardware and home improvement stores for about $20.  Some humidifiers have a built in hygrometer (called a humidistat).

Low humidity and your home

The following effects of low humidity is derived from allergybegone (1):

• Hardwood floors, wooden furniture and expensive musical instruments can develop cracks and wood flooring can separate at the seams.
• Static electricity can damage computers and other electronic equipment.
• Houseplants suffer from dryness caused by low humidity.
• Wallpaper may peel at the edges
• Low humidity can make you feel as if the air temperature is lower than it actually is. Maintaining a proper humidity level can even save you a bit on heating bills!
  

We've got at least a few more months of dry air ahead of us.  If you are suffering from any of the conditions mentioned above, using a humidifier can make the rest of the season more comfortable for you.


(1) allergybegone.com
(2) NIH

Make it a healthy one.

The perfect fresh start:  Make your health a priority in 2012.  You and your loved ones will benefit!






photo by Milo44, from Wikimedia Commons with this license

During high impact sports (running, horse back riding, aggressive mountain bike riding, etc.) our breasts can get a little too bouncy.  This is not only uncomfortable but it can cause injury to ligaments in the breasts.

Cooper's Ligaments help hold the breasts up.  They are thin bands interwoven into the breasts and are not very strong. If the breasts are not supported properly with a good sports bra, repetitive bouncing from running can stretch the Cooper's ligaments permanently. (1)  Additionally, large and/or drooping breasts that are not properly supported can also cause upper back and neck pain. (2)

A well-fitting, quality sports bra will hold the breasts in place and make exercise a much more pleasant experience.  Through my years of shopping for sports bras I have learned that two main features affect the support a bra provides:  the amount of spandex in the main body of the bra and the chest band width.  The higher the percent spandex there is, the more support you will get.  The width of the chest band is even more important.  Look for a width of at least one inch for good support.  To prevent shoulder and neck pain, look for bras with wide shoulder straps and racer back straps.

Stores and sports apparel companies that cater to athletes should be able to help you find bras that fit your body and provide proper support.  If you engage in high impact sports, I advise against buying sports bras from non-sports focused stores.  This link has a nice list of things to look for when purchasing a sports bra, such as flat seams and moisture-wicking fabrics.



(1)  SportsInjuryClinic.net, "Breast Pain in the Female Athlete"

(2)  ehow.com,  "What Are the Treatments for Breast Ligament Pain"

photo credit:  Scott Feldstein at Wikimedia Commons with this license.