I’ve had the following conversation, or one very similar to it, every August for the past few years upon my return from participating in the annual Lake Placid Summit Lacrosse Tournament.

“What did you do this weekend?”
“I was up in Lake Placid playing in that giant lacrosse tournament they hold up there every year.”
“Wait. You’re … how old?”
“I’m 48.”
“Aren’t you a little too old to still be playing lacrosse?”

Yes, I’m older than 40. Yes, I still play lacrosse.

No, I’m not too old to play. In fact, the Summit tournament features hundreds of players my age and older who still play at a high level of competition and intensity. We may not be as fast as we were a decade or three ago. But we play hard and test our bodies and minds against, not only the competition in front of us, but also the very real and inevitable forces of the aging process.

Thus, we’re not blind to the prospect of injury. Even when we were much younger and playing college level, we knew we could get hurt, and many of us did. But now, we older athletes (many of us falling into the “weekend warrior” category) contend also with extra body weight and somewhat sedentary lifestyles that can readily contribute to pulled muscles, ligament and joint issues, or worse.

Fitness After 40

We can’t stop the aging process, obviously. But what we can do is ensure we’re making better decisions for ourselves that lead to a healthier, more active lifestyle to better prepare our bodies and minds for sports.

There are four things that I believe will help us be prepared for sports even at age 40 and above.

Realistic goals as we age

One of the main factors in one’s abandonment of a healthy lifestyle or fitness routine is the setting of unrealistic goals.

An all-too-common scenario: You set a New Year’s resolution saying you’re going to get in shape and hit the gym five times a week. Next thing you know, for a few weeks in February, life got in the way and you haven’t been to the gym in two weeks.

You failed to keep your resolution, so it’s time to give up, right? WRONG. Just brush yourself off and get back on the horse. If you can only get to the gym three times a week, or two, or one, that’s better than nothing. Persistence is key. Here’s an article from Self magazine that discusses using the “SMART” method for setting your fitness goals.

Don’t be duped. Real food for fitness after age 40

It’s harder than ever –since we no longer grow, raise or prepare most of our own food–to eat well.

With high fructose corn syrup, added sugars, saturated fats and processed, calorie-dense, nutrient-deficient foods dominating every grocery store aisle and restaurant menu, how do we properly feed and fuel our bodies these days?

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to do it. You must educate yourself about our food supply. Learn how to really read food labels and ingredient lists, both what they tell you and what they don’t.

Then skip all the garbage (including garbage that is marketed as being healthy, such as sports drinks, diet soda, smoothies and breakfast cereals) and feed yourself real, nutrient-dense foods. Perhaps most importantly, watch your portion sizes. Read this article from Healthline to learn how not to be duped by food packaging.

Exercise

We’re learning more about the importance of regular exercise to stave off chronic health issues that can befall us as we age. Simply put, get moving. Being healthier can be as simple as standing up. For more ideas, read 50 Small Changes for a Healthier Life.

Flexibility and stretching are also important. Take a few minutes to stretch in the morning and at night. Even better, take a yoga or Tai Chi class. Both are great for mind as well as body. Lastly, lift weights. Resistance training builds muscle, burns fat, contributes to heart health, and builds bone density. Livestrong.com offers this excellent slideshow of 20 great bodyweight exercises, and this Telegraph article offers many insights into staying fit after age 40.

Prepare and play smart

So we don’t move as fast as we used to, but we’re wiser, right? If you’re pushing age 50, don’t expect to blow away the competition with speed and skill.

You have to think.

My Potsdam College lacrosse coach used to bring us out on the field hours before game time to let us walk around the field and visualize ourselves being successful and playing well in the game.

Focus and peace of mind don’t occur naturally for any of us. Getting enough sleep, participating in hobbies (which contribute to learning, problem-solving, and concentration), and taking the time for meditation, reading and other activities that clear one’s mind should be a cornerstone of your daily living.

Leading an active lifestyle with a body that’s nearly a half-century old is not for the faint of heart. But it’s only as painful as you let it be. Get some exercise, eat right, and treat yourself well, and the dividends will come. Just keep at it.

As the late Five-Star General Douglas McArthur once said, “Age wrinkles the body; Quitting wrinkles the soul.”

“If we want to instill resiliency and develop children’s imaginations, we need to present children with stories about long odds, big dreams, and fantastic leadership that come in all shapes, sizes, and bodies.” – Jill Eisenberg, Educator

Before I had children, I used to think about how I would raise my daughter someday. We live in Rochester, in the shadow of Susan B. Anthony and the many other strong, powerful women who followed in her footsteps. What an inspiration for girls and young women!

Fast-forward several years. Today I’m the proud mother of a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old. And you guessed it; yup, both are boys.

I admit, sometimes I feel sad that I don’t have a little “me” running around to teach about all of this great history. My sons, however, are amazing young men. As time goes by, I realize they are exactly who I should be teaching about the history of women’s rights and how hard-fought those rights were won. And while I and many other people recognize there is still much work to be done, the 100^th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in New York state is something to celebrate.

Downtown Rochester and the surrounding area offer some great opportunities for local sightseeing and learning about our shared history. And the good news is, all of them involve walking and taking in some great scenery. Why not combine one of our beautiful fall days with one (or all) of these great opportunities?

Rochester’s Heritage Trail

The City offers a 1.25 mile self-guided walking tour showing Rochester’s contributions to history. There are 15 markers, plaques, and interpretive signs that tell some of the great stories that make up Rochester’s rich history. The Susan B. Anthony’s neighborhood, including her house, which is a National Historic Landmark, is a stop on the trail (admission to the house and museum are not included).

Rochester Public Library

Another stop on the women’s history tour is the public library. The Central Library in downtown Rochester is hosting an exhibition at the Rundel Memorial Building through October 14. “Because of Women Like Her,” looks at the role women, and men, played in the women’s rights and suffrage movements in Rochester in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. (By the way, while you’re at the library, check out the secret room.)

Mt. Hope Cemetery

If you’ve never been, Mt. Hope Cemetery is a treasure-trove of historical information—both factual and anecdotal. The cemetery is located on Mt. Hope Avenue in the city. It is the final resting place of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas—friends who led the fight for equality. With the distinction of being “America’s First Municipal Victorian Cemetery,” it’s easily one of the most serene, picturesque locations in the city. You can walk for hours taking in the beauty. The best way to learn about the history is on a guided tour. Volunteers from the Friends of Mt. Hope Cemetery can provide information your children will probably never read in history books or learn in the classroom. The tour season runs through October 29.

Ganondagan State Historic Site

Our area is rich in Native American history. Ganondagan is located in Victor, N.Y., about 20 minutes southeast of downtown Rochester. The site was home to the Seneca people in the 1600s. The Seneca were one of the five original nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. (I promise if you have a fourth grader or older, they can tell you about SCOOM—Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga and Mohawk nations!) The Seneca’s matriarchal society helped inspire the 1848 declaration of sentiments that eventually lead to women’s right to vote. Ganondagan is another area that boasts spectacular views that are especially enjoyable in the fall. It’s a beautiful setting to learn about the contributions of women to society, walk and be one with your surroundings.

I’m a fan of the “untold story,” and I’m so grateful to live an area that can provide the history of the women and men who helped build our great nation. This fall, talk a walk with your son, or daughter, through women’s history

Want to do more exploring this fall? Check out Rochester’s Secret Walk.

I’ve been there. Worried about too many calories or too much sugar, I ordered a diet soda, feeling a little bit better about my healthier choice.

I’ve heard that regularly drinking soda (or “pop” as I’ve learned it’s called in Western NY) has health risks like increasing the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. Since diet soda doesn’t have sugar or calories, it’s a better choice, right? Well, not quite.

How Diet Soda is Different

Diet soda may have fewer calories in the short-term, but there’s still long-term harm to your health. Diet soda and other “sugar free” drinks are sweetened artificially with high-intensity sweeteners. Research shows that regularly drinking artificial sweeteners harms the body:

• Increases the risk of dementia and stroke
• Greater risk for glucose intolerance
• Linked with extra fat around the waist
• Changes the way your brain detects the “sweet” taste

What’s the Bottom Line?

When it comes to regular or diet soda, moderation is key. What does moderation look like? Research shows that even one can of soda (regular or diet) per day can harm your health. If you regularly drink soda, some simple swaps can help you kick the habit:

• Add fruit to water to boost the flavor. Lemons, limes and oranges work great
• Try flavored sparking water. Look for one that has only 2 ingredients: carbonated water and natural flavors
• Carry a water bottle with you to make it easy to grab when you’re thirsty

Looking for other simple changes that can have a big impact on your health? Check out 50 Small Changes for a Healthier Life.

It’s funny how life can come full circle. Matt Mersfelder of Syracuse has experienced it firsthand. His first “real” job as an adult was with Arc of Onondaga. The nonprofit organization assists individuals who have developmental disabilities achieve their fullest potential.

Matt and his wife at the Arc of Onondaga event on Sept. 9.

In fact, Matt credits the traits he learned at Arc of Onondaga — patience and a willingness to listen – with helping him at his next career as a customer service advocate for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

Although he now works elsewhere, Matt and his family never stopped supporting the Arc of Onondaga. He completed “The Dunkin’ Run Arc Race” on Sept. 9 at Long Branch Park in Liverpool, N.Y. Matt, his wife and two children also volunteered at the event’s Family Fun Zone.

“We want to ensure that all families are given the best experience possible,” he said.

Arc of Onondaga: More than a job

Matt pretty much fell into his job at Arc of Onondaga. He worked the evening shift in a residential facility four days a week for 10 hours a day.

“I told myself this job would be a temporary thing until I found out what I really wanted to do,” he said. Two years later, he realized it was more than a job — it was a calling.

“I became very involved with the residents and truly felt that I was having a positive impact on their lives,” he said.

After picking up residents from either their day program or work, he would have the residents help him make dinner and get ready for the next day. Working on daily living skills – such as making their own meals – was the majority of the job, Matt explained. The goal was to help them live independently.

He held several jobs at the Arc of Onondaga. Eventually, he served as a residence coordinator, running the day-to day operations of two residential sites.

“This proved to be the biggest challenge of my life,” said Matt. “My job duties seemed to never end, no matter what day of the week or what time of the day or night it was.”

Time for a radical career change

Although the job was very demanding, Matt tackled it with diligence and care. All the while, he was honing his time management and problem-solving skills. He remembers putting out a lot of “fires.”

He loved the Arc of Onondaga and its clients. But Matt at times felt overwhelmed with all of his responsibilities. By this time, he had a wife and two young children.

“I couldn’t give my family the care and attention they needed while simultaneously serving as a residence coordinator at Arc of Onondaga,” he said.

Although his “temporary” job with Arc of Onondaga had stretched out over a decade or more and gave him great satisfaction and a feeling of pride, Matt decided to take another chance by making a radical career change.

The person I am today

It was a leap of faith that made Matt apply for a customer service advocate position at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

He was well aware that he had no experience in customer service. So, he approached the interview with a positive attitude and the willingness to learn and work.

That was what he needed to land the job. “Some people had an open mind and saw what they believed to be potential,” he guessed.

“After I got past my initial jitters of talking on the phone, I found that I actually enjoy providing customer service a great deal,” he said.

In his new position, he calls upon the same traits — patience and a willingness to listen — that helped him succeed in his job with Arc of Onondaga.

With his former employer, he had to keep an open mind, look for the potential among the people he served and support them in their efforts to do well. In his new position, he feels that his new employer took a chance with him and now encourages him to excel at every turn.

“All of my experiences with Arc of Onondaga made me the person I am today,” Matt said.

That’s why the opportunity to support one of Arc of Onondaga’s major fundraisers was especially important to him this year.

For more information, visit arcon.org.

I remember watching in horror as my grandmother ate freshly picked tomatoes as if they were apples, gripping them in the palm of her hand, and devouring them one bite at a time.

See, I’ve never understood the world’s fondness with these bitter, seedy vegetables (call them fruits if you’d like). I’ll choke down tomatoes if they come on my salad or in sandwiches. But if no one is looking, you can count on me picking them off, rolling them up in a napkin, and pretending like they were never there in the first place.

The Sauce

I’ve always made one exception to my usual all-encompassing distaste for the vegetable: spaghetti sauce.

My family used to buy jars of tomato sauce each week to be used on our spaghetti and other assorted pasta dishes. At that time, I thought tomato sauce out of the jar was great. But I realized how wrong I was when I tried my mom’s homemade spaghetti sauce for the first time.

My mom first got the idea for tomato sauce about three or four summer ago. Our vegetable garden was particularly fruitful that year, and tomatoes were piling high in the cardboard boxes on the porch. There was no way my parents could eat the entire bounty of tomatoes, which left my mom looking for other options.

Ketchup to the rescue

My mom’s journey to making the perfect sauce didn’t come without her fair share of flops and failures.

At one point, my mom made a huge batch of spaghetti sauce based on a recipe recommended by a co-worker. Excited about serving the sauce, my mom invited my uncle over for dinner. She thought the sauce was going to turn out wonderfully.

When it came time for dinner, we each chowed down on our steaming bowls of spaghetti and meatballs. We’d only been eating for a few minutes when we began feeling the burning in our mouths. My mom had put way too much cayenne pepper into the recipe. We ended up diluting the sauce with ketchup and putting ice cubes in our mouths to alleviate the burning after each bite.

Finally. Perfection.

But my mom didn’t give up. After many hours of research and practice through trial and error, she eventually adapted and perfected her own, specialized spaghetti sauce recipe.

The sauce is cooked in a giant metal vat which sits boiling on the stove for most of the day. During this period, your entire house will be filled with the aroma of spaghetti sauce, and probably for a few days after. I recommend serving spaghetti for dinner the night you cook the sauce. Smelling the sauce all day without eating any might drive your family crazy.

The process ends late at night when the sauce is poured carefully into 50+ different Tupperware containers that are then sealed, dated and carried to our box freezer in the basement. On days when my mom plans on making spaghetti, she’ll simply take a container of sauce out of the freezer and move it to the refrigerator to thaw while she’s at work.

My Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

You really can’t go wrong making spaghetti sauce. It’s efficient, delicious and cost-effective. If you have way too many tomatoes piling up this summer, or if you want a fun summer project, spaghetti sauce is the way to go. You don’t need to use homegrown tomatoes, either. In the past, we’ve supplemented our homegrown tomatoes with store bought ones, and we’re unable to taste the difference.

Below is my mother’s homemade spaghetti sauce recipe. While to us it’s the perfect sauce, I urge you to experiment with it just like my mom did in order to make it your perfect sauce!

“Bluerasps” are among my boys’ favorite summertime treats. My oldest invented this delicacy a few years ago at a local farmers’ market. He stuck a blueberry inside a raspberry  . . . and presto! He invented a new treat!

Farmers’ markets “save” me in the summer.  Basket upon basket of fresh, healthy fruit helps me satisfy my family’s appetite for “bluerasps,” peaches, cherries, etc.

You may love farmers’ markets like me. But are you a whiz at getting the most out of your visit? Do you know which produce is in season, how to keep your veggies safe and other tips?

If not, you’ll want watch the following videos by Janette Westman, a health & wellness expert at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. We’ve highlighted a few of Janette’s tips in the story below.

Video: Why eat local?

Tips:

1. When you buy foods from local farms, you’re likely eating in-season foods that are at their peak for flavor and freshness.
2. For August and September, aim for in-season produce, including sweet corn, green beans, apples, grapes, peppers and eggplant.

Video: How to keep farmers’ market goods safe and fresh

Tips:

1. Keep produce separate from meat, eggs and other dairy items.
2. When you get home with your produce, wash it with water. Berries are the exception. If you want your berries to last longer, wait to wash them until right before you’re ready to eat them.
3. Most produce, such as berries and broccoli, keep fresh in the fridge. Tomatoes and bananas, however, are best preserved on your kitchen counter.

Farmers’ market shopping tips

Tips:

1. Bring reusable bags, cash and a shopping list.
2. If you have a lower income, check with your farmers’ market about possible financial assistance.
3. Ask questions. Who will know how to prepare and store the food better than the people who grew it? You may even walk away with an old family recipe!
4. Arrive early for the best selection. Produce in high demand, such as sweet corn and berries, can go quickly.

600 Upstate Markets

Check out this website for a list of local farmers’ markets by county, with locations, links, days and hours.

A co-worker recently faced the reality that she had to floss. Cavities were likely on the horizon if she didn’t, her dentist said. She later discovered that she hated flossing because she “always had the cheap stuff around.”

My colleague started using Oral-B Glide floss and loved it. “It’s so gentle on my gums that I actually look forward to flossing my teeth,” she said. She now keeps flossing picks in her car and purse and at her desk.

We do a lot for our health. But there’s one thing a lot of us don’t do. We don’t floss.

Find Your Habit

I can count on one hand the number of people who “like” to floss. Since a lot of us didn’t floss as kids and we’ve had to adopt the practice (or not) as adults, it might not be an established habit.

Not that it’s hard to do. And the benefits of flossing certainly outweigh the little time and effort it takes to run a piece of floss between our teeth.

The trick is to find a way to make flossing a habit. I know a few others who’ve found odd ways of doing just that.

• One co-worker confessed to flossing when she watches TV.
• Another work colleague flosses in the shower. (Note: You use regular floss or buy an appliance that attaches to your showerhead and works like a Waterpik^®.)

Whether you floss before or after brushing your teeth or in the morning or at noon or night, make it a daily habit. Click here for 5 Steps to a Flawless Floss.

Is It Vanity? Or Is It Your Heart?

Are you still unwilling to floss, even while distracted by your favorite TV show? If so, let me share some scary thoughts about what could happen:

• Inadequate flossing can cause your gums to recede from your teeth as bacteria builds in your mouth. This not only looks unflattering, but can also cause increased tooth sensitivity.
• Or, maybe it’s your overall health you’re concerned about. According to the Harvard Health Letter, treating gum disease may lessen the burden of heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions.
• Then there’s your mouth health and appearance. Properly done, flossing removes plaque from your teeth and stimulates your gums, preventing the onset of gingivitis. Gingivitis can lead to tooth loss and unsightly bleeding gums. Tooth loss eventually may mean dentures or costly implants.

Have I scared you into flossing yet?

Thousands of Choices

Therein may be the problem—finding the “right” flossing material. And it doesn’t have to be “string.” In a search for floss, Amazon.com lists thousands of products on 40-plus pages.

There’s regular floss, waxed and unwaxed, and floss tape that comes in a variety of flavors from mint to cinnamon. Bacon flavor, anyone? Under the category of “I’m not making this up,” Dr. Tung’s Smart Floss in cardamom flavor rates five stars from 467 reviewers.

Once made of twisted silk, today’s floss is made of nylon filaments or plastic monofilaments. Some people swear by floss made of coconut fibers.

To make the task easier, some favor floss holders, interdental picks, floss threaders, tiny brushes, wooden plaque removers or expanding floss.

You can encourage kids to floss by modeling it yourself. Start them when they have two teeth that touch. Because flossing requires manual dexterity, you’ll probably need to help them until they’re around 8 or 9.

If you wear braces or have implants or bridges, special flossing holders are available. There’s one alternative to manual flossing, i.e., using a device such as a Waterpik. An abstract in The National Center for Biotechnology Information cited a study that compared the two ways of removing plaque from teeth. The authors concluded that oral irrigation is an effective alternative to dental floss.

Family Affair

Does the family that flosses together stay together? One of our department interns said that her parents and siblings are so committed to flossing that they keep the stuff handy near the dinner table.

Just don’t floss in public, as Amy Dickinson in her “Ask Amy” column calls it “personal care” and doing so in a restaurant is “disgusting.” Now, what are you waiting for? Start flossing, but, please, do it at home!