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LETTERS OF PROOF (928) 440-3106 | www.ProofPT.com
July 2025
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From Burgers to Bonding How Backyard Grilling Became Our Family Tradition
One of my favorite things to do outside on a Saturday night is grilling. Come rain, snow, or sunshine, I’ll grill or smoke chicken, hamburgers, or other meats in our backyard nearly every weekend. Even when there’s 2 or 3 feet of snow on the ground, I truck out and throw something on the grill. Our family has fun grilling foods no one else would think of, from pancakes to bananas! July is National Grilling Month, so this is a good time to reflect on how this family tradition has unfolded over the years. It all started with my craving for real Southwestern barbecue. We had just moved to Flagstaff, and I was hungry
for smokier and smoother flavors than what I found here. So, I decided to make my own. We bought our first smoker on Facebook Marketplace for $40. Cooking on that smoker required a lot of time and attention because it was a “stick burner” that used only log splits or sticks, rather than charcoal. The flavor it produced was great, but I had to keep feeding the fire and regulating the oxygen intake to keep the temperature steady. I’d get up at 6 a.m., start the grill, make coffee, then put the meat on and smoke it until 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. that night. The smoked meat was great and we loved it, but it was a big time commitment. We finally bought a pellet smoker a couple of years ago, and while it doesn’t produce the same smoky flavor, it’s definitely more convenient. I can put a pork shoulder in it before bedtime Friday night and smoke it until midafternoon Saturday, and the result is delicious. One thing our family looks forward to every Saturday night is grilled bananas. My wife makes homemade ice cream, and we cut bananas in half, place them face down on the grill for a few minutes, then pop them on our ice cream. Those Saturday night desserts are a highlight of my summer. Recently, my two sons have taken an interest in picking up grilling. My 18-year-old grew up learning to use
the grill beside me, packing the oak hardwood charcoal we use, and starting the fire. My other son, who is 13, helps me at the grill too, asking, “How long do I need to leave this on for it to be done?” or “When should I turn it?” Grilling is a family event at my parents’ home in New Mexico, too. My mom grew up in Peru, and we like to grill a Peruvian dish — anticuchos, or marinated beef hearts. We usually celebrate the Fourth of July with them, and that’s one of our favorite holiday meals. Another family tradition, grilling pancakes, was born on our oldest child’s 5th or 6th birthday. We were enjoying special birthday pancakes in the backyard when I asked him, “How about we grill some pancakes?” He thought that was the greatest thing in the world, so I fired up the gas grill, put a skillet down, and grilled some pancakes. I have been grilling birthday pancakes for all three of our kids ever since. We are always on the lookout for something new and different to grill — heart, cabbage, different fruits, pancakes — you name it! If our kids take nothing else from all the hours we’ve spent enjoying our smoker, I hope they will remember how much fun it can be to experiment and try new and different foods to enjoy together.
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FROM PLATE TO WELL-BEING THE IMPACT OF FIBER ON DIGESTIVE HEALTH
Have you taken your fiber today?
subsequent crashes at bay. This can be particularly beneficial for people managing diabetes or prediabetes. Heart Health Hero Fiber is believed to reduce blood pressure and inflammation and lower the chance of heart disease. It also helps lower cholesterol levels by binding with fat and sugar molecules, preventing their absorption and flushing them out of your system. Weight Management Fiber-rich meals add bulk to your diet without adding calories, leaving you feeling satisfied longer. This feeling of fullness can help reduce snacking and overeating, which is key to maintaining a healthy weight. Digestive Health The most well-known benefit of fiber is likely its ability to keep things moving in the digestive
tract. Adequate fiber helps prevent constipation and promotes regular bowel movements, which is key for expelling toxins in the body. How to increase fiber in your diet. Increase your intake by including a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes in your meals. • Fruits and Vegetables: Apples, berries, oranges, and pears, along with carrots, beets, and broccoli, are all fiber-filled. • Legumes and Nuts: Beans, chickpeas, lentils, as well as cashews and almonds are excellent sources of fiber and also pack a protein punch. • Whole Grains: Swap out white bread and regular pasta for whole-grain versions, or try grains like quinoa, brown rice, and oats.
If you’re looking to boost your health naturally, fiber is your best friend. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025, the amount of fiber adults require varies by age and gender, which is why a balanced diet is so important. Medical experts recommend that men ages 19–50 consume 31–34 grams daily, while those older than 50 should aim for 28 grams daily. Women ages 19–50 should have 25–28 grams daily, and those over 50 need about 22 grams. Why fiber? Fiber may seem like just another dietary requirement, but its benefits extend far beyond the obvious. Blood Sugar Control Fiber-rich foods help slow down the absorption of sugar, keeping spikes and
Fix Your Home Office Fatigue Simple Tweaks to Boost Comfort and Focus
connect an external keyboard to support better alignment. This simple adjustment can do wonders for your back and neck. Next, take a look at your chair. If it’s a repurposed kitchen or living room chair, it’s probably not offering the back support you need. Big box stores offer affordable office chairs, but you can also improve what you have if you’re on a tight budget. A cushion or rolled towel behind your back adds support, and a small footrest or box under your feet can reduce pressure on your legs. Move more, strain less. Even the best chair won’t help much if you sit in it all day without a break. Often, the key to staying comfortable while working from home is movement. Set reminders to get up and stretch or take a short walk regularly throughout
the day. Shifting from a seated to a standing work position can also improve circulation and reduce tension. Eye strain is another common issue, especially for people working on screens all day. Practicing the 20-20-20 rule can help. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives your eyes a break while shifting your posture. Don’t overlook the importance of good lighting, either. Poor lighting causes eye strain and headaches. Working in natural light is ideal, but a quality table lamp with soft, even lighting is the next best thing. With these easy adjustments, you can create a workspace that works with you instead of against you. Once you do, it becomes easier to stay focused and energized during your workday.
Many people work remotely these days, making a home office a necessity. If your work setup was thrown together quickly, you’re not alone. While kitchen tables, living room chairs, and makeshift laptop stands work fine as temporary solutions, they’re not great for long-term use. Over time, the little discomforts add up, and you need to make changes. Fortunately, a few simple, affordable adjustments can be very helpful. Start with the basics. If you work on a laptop, it’s probably sitting too low. This can lead to poor posture and neck strain, but there’s an easy fix. Prop the laptop on a stack of books or an inexpensive stand and
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Bone Facts You’ve Likely Never Heard THE SECRETS OF OUR SKELETONS REVEALED
Our bodies are made up of bones and joints that we rarely acknowledge unless we feel pain or are recovering from an injury. We have no reason to worry about them when we can move comfortably, but that doesn’t mean they’re unimportant. Without bones, we would be squishy blobs on the ground, unable to move, eat, speak, or do anything else. Let’s explore three lesser-known facts about our skeletons, no bones about it! We have fewer bones now than we had as children. Humans are born with 275–300 bones, the malleable framework for our tiny infant bodies, but that drops to 206 bones once we reach adulthood. Where did they go? Childbirth requires flexible membranes, and hard, sturdy bones would make the process painful for any expectant mother. Many baby bones are nothing more than cartilage, and as we grow, our bones fuse and harden through ossification, leaving us with around 100 fewer bones. However, bone density and strength continue to change as we age. Stronger bones replace what we broke. Breaking a bone is a scary experience, regardless of age. Arm bones are the most commonly broken
among adults, making up nearly half of all cases, whereas collarbones are the most common for children. When you break a bone, you may believe it needs time to return to its original position and shape, but that’s not exactly how it works. Instead, blood vessels immediately form in the area of a broken bone to advance the healing process. After three weeks, collagen takes the place of the blood vessels, starts to harden, and keeps any broken pieces in place. Over time, the pieces fuse to form a new bone, often stronger than the original.
Male and female skeletons are similar. When you compare men’s and women’s skeletons, they share a few
characteristics. The femur is the longest and strongest bone, and the stapes in our middle ear is the smallest and lightest bone in both bodies. Both skeletons have 54 bones in the hands, fingers, and wrists. The only major difference is in the pelvis. A woman’s pelvis’s shape, size, and angle are optimally designed for childbirth.
CHEESY TOMATO-BASIL STUFFED CHICKEN
TAKE A BREAK!
Inspired by HalfBakedHarvest.com
INGREDIENTS • 4–6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts • 1/2 cup basil pesto • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese • 1/3 cup oil-packed sun- dried tomatoes (separate oil and tomatoes) • 2–3 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, divided • 2 cloves garlic, smashed • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. 2. Slice chicken down the middle horizontally; (not cutting all the way through). 3. Spread pesto inside filleted chicken, then stuff with cheese and tomatoes before closing chicken, covering filling. 4. Place chicken in a large oven-safe skillet. Drizzle with oil. 5. Set the skillet over medium heat; cook 5 minutes. 6. Add 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and season with chili flakes. Cook 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat. 7. Bake in oven for 7–10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tomatoes burst. 8. Toss remaining 1/2 cup tomatoes with basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. 9. Serve the chicken topped with fresh tomatoes.
• Chili flakes, to taste • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves • Salt and pepper, to taste
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(928) 440-3106 | www.ProofPT.com
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460 N. Switzer Canyon Dr., Ste. 400 Flagstaff, AZ 86001
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1.
Beyond Burgers: How Our Grill Became a Center of Family Fun
2.
Fortify Your Health With Fiber
A Better Way to Work From Home
3.
How Our Bones Adapt, Heal, and Shape Us
Cheesy Tomato-Basil Stuffed Chicken
4.
Sip Your Way to Better Health
WHY YOUR MUG MIGHT BE THE KEY TO FEELING GREAT Ready to steep yourself in the healing power of herbal The Tea on the Benefits of Tea
Black Tea If you want an energy boost, black tea might replace your morning cup of coffee. Robust and flavorful, this variety has high amounts of antioxidants called theaflavins and thearubigins, which support healthy cholesterol levels and the heart. Black tea can also reduce the risk of strokes, lower blood sugar levels, and provide focus without all the jitters. Chamomile Tea Sleep is crucial for your health, and you can sip your way to better Z’s with a cup of chamomile tea. This popular drink’s calming effects are thanks to its antioxidant properties — natural stress and inflammation reducers. Along with its well-known calming benefits, chamomile can soothe upset stomachs, protect against certain cancers, strengthen your immune system, and even improve your skin. (That’s what we call beauty sleep in a cup!) So, whether you’re brewing up energy, relaxation, or a health boost, tea has you covered, one sip at a time. Go ahead and grab your favorite mug, steep your favorite brew, and let the stress melt away!
drinks? We’re reading all the tea leaves on, well, tea! Whether you need a morning boost from a bold black tea, a stress- melting sip of chamomile, or a green tea glow-up for your immune system, there’s a brew for every mood. Let’s sip through the world of teas and explore the different varieties, their benefits, and why your kettle might be your new best friend on your health and wellness journey. Green Tea People have turned to green tea for centuries for its health benefits, hosting powerful antioxidants to support your
immune system. The natural catechins in these leaves protect cells in the body from damage and can even reduce inflammation. Green tea can also aid in weight loss, support healthy brain function, and reduce the risk of severe conditions like heart disease. Studies have found that this brew can also improve your oral health, manage blood sugar, and could add years to your life!
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