Health Food Article in Schooled Magazine

Well most of the article was chopped off due to space issues, and the fact I didn't interview enough young people to reach our college-aged audience, but I had something published in Schooled Magazine about health food stores and their products in the last mag.

Check out page 18 of this issue to see a blurb of the article w/a list of health food stores in Utah Valley. Or read the full article (minus the photo/color) below:

Health stores have been popping up around Utah Valley in recent years. This trend suggests Utahns are becoming more health conscious.
But what could be the cause for the interest in this unconventional style of eating? And what does it take to be healthy?

For Ruth, a 69 year-old resident of Orem, it took a complete change of perspective.
“I would make fun of the health stores; I thought they were quacks,” Ruth says.
Then, about 38 years ago, Ruth made a trip to a health food store when she didn’t trust her doctors, who prescribed iron tablets for anemia. When those pills didn’t work, the docs prescribed another iron tablet. After two months with no progress, the doctors ordered Ruth to take both tablets and to drink Jell-O water three times per day. Instead, Ruth found some iron supplements – at a health store – that soon solved her anemia problem.

Ruth said she liked health store foods because they are free of MSG, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated fat. These foods have helped her lose 30 pounds and lower her cholesterol substantially.

Good Earth is one of the health food stores that have become popular in Utah. The business, which has locations in Orem, Provo, Riverdale, Sandy and American Fork, has this mission statement posted on its Web site: “Good Earth is committed to providing fresh, wholesome foods and nutritional supplements that will help each individual gain optimum health of body and mind.” So, clearly, keeping one’s mind and body healthy and strong is at the forefront of the health food phenomenon.

Even college students have to be careful about what they eat. BYU student Tori Kohlieber’s allergies to wheat and dairy products have led her to look for alternatives – some of these can be found at health food stores.
“You feel ‘normal’ because you still can eat cookies and find specialty foods and ingredients,” Tori said of finding healthy products that don’t betray her allergies.
Tori said knowing how food affects one’s body is essential because every individual is different. She also said exercise is a key to feeling well physically, as well as emotionally and mentally.

While shoppers sometimes gripe about the prices of health foods, Ruth offers a simple quip to those who ask if she can afford to follow her diet.
“Well, it’s cheaper than a triple bypass [heart surgery],” Ruth says.

Humor(less)ous Poetry

I was out running (check out this link) the other day, and what I saw inspired me to write some poetry.

Hands are placed at 10 and 2,
She peers directly into the horizon, grinning.
What is she thinking?
Focused intently on what is directly ahead of her...
while her hair rests inside a shower cap

And now for a re-do on my picks for NBA individual awards

During the early part of the NBA season, I wrote my predictions for who would win the MVP and other individual awards in the NBA this season. Now, that the regular season has come and gone, I will re-visit my picks and share who I now think will win the awards.

MVP

Earlier prediction: Dwight Howard
Who should win: Chris Paul ... or Kobe Bryant
Who will win: Kobe Bryant
But if not, who else might win?: Paul

Rookie of the Year

Earlier prediction: Kevin Durant
Who should win: Durant
Who will win: Durant
But if not, who else might win?: Al Horford

Defensive Player of the Year

Earlier prediction: Josh Smith
Who should win: Kevin Garnett
Who will win: Garnett
But if not, who else might win?: KG is pretty much a shoe-in

Sixth Man

Earlier prediction: Manu Ginobili
Who should win: Ginobili
Who will win: Ginobili
But if not, who else might win?: [::crickets chirping::]

Most Improved Player

Earlier prediction: Ronnie Brewer
Who should win: Rudy Gay
Who will win: Hedo Turkoglu
But if not, who else might win?: This award has too many potential candidates to list.

Coach of the Year

Earlier prediction: Stan Van Gundy
Who should win: Byron Scott
Who will win: Byron Scott
But if not, who else might win?: Phil Jackson, Doc Rivers, Rick Adelman

Click here for a list of the actual award winners, which will be updated as they are announced.

Well, I may have been wrong before, but not this time

At the beginning of the season (no, not winter, spring, summer or fall), I made predictions for how teams would fare in both the regular season and the playoffs. I had a mixed bag of accurate picks and terrible picks. Now that the playoffs are about to start (about one hour after I write this), I will take a mulligan and make my playoff prognostications. We'll see if I continue the roll I was on during the NCAA Tournament, when I got seven of the Elite Eight right. Woo Woo!

First, let's took a look the goods, the bads, and the terribles of my early season predictions.

"My bads"

• I had the Bulls earning the No. 1 seed in the East and advancing to the Conference Finals. Instead they went 33-49 and missed the playoffs.
• The Heat were supposed to win their division (yikes!) and earn a spot in the playoffs, but they won 15 games--the worst total in the league this year.
• "Philadelphia 76ers - Won't make the playoffs." My bad.
• Ditto for the Atlanta Hawks.
• I said choosing a division winner in the Pacific would be easier than in any other division. If it were so easy, than why did I pick the wrong team? The Lakers won it - not the Suns. In fact, I had the Lakers just on the outside of the playoff picture, wondering if Kobe would be traded (or become a malcontent if he stayed in La-La Land), commenting that "Either way this team is first-round playoff fodder at best." I guess I did not foresee the improvement of the supporting cast, or the Pau Gasol steal trade.
• While I thought the Southwest Division would be a three-way race for first place, my fourth-place team, the Hornets, won the prize.
  

"The Goods"

• 7 of my 8 playoff picks out West qualified. The one who didn't make it: the Warriors, who went 48-34, and still got left out of the postseason party. In the East, on the other hand, the Hawks got in with just 37 wins.
• The Jazz and Celtics won their divisions.
• The Texas Triangle was extemely tough, with all 3 teams winning more than 50 games.
• Other than the Timberwolves finishing 2 games ahead of the Sonics, I had the order of the Northwest Division picked perfectly.
  

My updated playoff predictions...

First Round

Eastern Conference

(1) Celtics vs. (8) Hawks; Celtics in 4

(2) Pistons vs. (7) 76ers; Pistons in 6

(3) Magic vs. (6) Raptors; Magic in 5

(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Wizards; Wizards in 6
Western Conference

(1) Lakers vs. (8) Nuggets; Lakers in 5
(2) Hornets vs. (7) Mavericks; Hornets in 7
(3) Spurs vs. (6) Suns; Spurs in 7

(4) Jazz vs. (5) Rockets; Jazz in 6

Conference Semis

East: (1) Celtics over (5) Wizards, 5 games; (2) Pistons over (3) Magic, 7 games
West: (1) Lakers over (4) Jazz, 7 games; (3) Spurs over (2) Hornets, 7 games

Conference Finals
East: (1) Celtics over (2) Pistons, 6 games
West: [pulling teeth] (1) Lakers over (3) Spurs, 7 games

NBA Finals





Celtics defeat Lakers in 6

Ladies and gentleman...your (potential) NBA champion Boston Celtics!

Honeymoon Photos! Exclusive!!!

Space Needle

Pike Place Market

Experience Music Project

Pictures from reception in Othello

Take a look at the new issue of True Blue Magazine

The latest issue of True Blue Magazine is out on newstands, so if you are in Utah, there's a good chance you could find it at a grocery store or some place that sells mags. It's got a slick design and good writing, so if you're interested in BYU sports, or you just want to see some stuff I have being doing lately, you might check it out.

For the new issue, I researched key stats and quotes for the games played in the second half of BYU's football season, and I edited the entire season recap (see pages 62-87). I also wrote and edited a full-length article previewing the school's men's volleyball season (pp. 48-51), which has seen the Cougars ranked No. 1 in the nation, and I researched 2007 team stats and 2008 preseason predictions for the football team (p. 112).

Get a sneak peak at some articles on the True Blue Web site, including the football season recap, a feature on BYU Brazilian basketball star Jonathan Tavernari , and a story on running back Harvey Unga, who is featured on the cover.

Check out my stuff--It's tight!

A few months ago, I linked to an article I did for Schooled Magazine that gave some tips on making friends. The next month, I did an article on date ideas--creative, unique and romantic date ideas. Click on any link in this paragraph and read page 8. Unfortunately, they misspelled my last name in the byline, but oh well.

Coming up soon in Schooled Magazine, you should see these articles I wrote: 1) something on health foods and health food stores. What does it take to be healthy? and 2) A profile of Chicago hip-hop artist Prince Early The Magnanimous. Prince is now living in Utah and his second album is coming out soon. He's even backed by a jazz band at some of his performances.

Wedding Pictures Are Here At Last

(Click on a picture to enlarge)

Happy Birthday, Blog!

Yep, this here blog is one year old. The first posts went up on Jan. 18, 2007. Every month since then, the blog has featured at least one new post. Thanks for a memorable year and for checking out the site.

Now let's cut the cake!