ForeCourt June 2018

June 2018

www.forecourtri.com

44 Cray Street, Cumberland, RI 02864

401-333-4480

A New Chapter

in her internship that the organization offered her a job after graduation. After raising four kids, we’re watching the last one go out into the world. I’ll be honest — there’s some relief in getting to this stage. We did it! We brought up our kids, guided them, kept them safe, warm, and fed, and let go enough to allow them to reach and eventually grab onto their own identities and independence. There’s sadness, too. Since Lindsay has been working at Fore Court and lives at home, we get to see her quite a bit. Now that she’s graduating and starting her career, she’ll be building her own life. We’re excited to watch her take this step even as we feel a bit of sadness to be past this special chapter. That’s the journey of parenting, right? You raise them, you watch them grow, and at some point, you let go. You trust that you’ve done the best you can to prepare them for what lies ahead. Since they were born, Linda and I watched each step our kids took with joy, pride, and a little fear. We saw them begin to crawl, listened to them make tiny sounds that eventually turned into their first

On May 12, Linda and I reached a milestone as parents. We watched our youngest daughter, Lindsay, graduate from college. After sending four children through private schools and college, this is it. It’s the end of an era. The last tuition payment has been made, and we’re starting our next chapter as parents — one in which we watch from a distance. Throughout their childhoods, my children’s education has been a focal point in my life. Linda and I have always emphasized the importance of education and felt it was our duty as parents to encourage and support our kids through their studies. We saved and put money aside to support their dreams, and we couldn’t be more proud of what they’ve done with the opportunities we gave them. While attending college full time as a social work major, Lindsay lived at home with us and also worked part time at Fore Court. On top of that, she managed to find time for an internship with a local social work organization. Most days, she left home at 4:30 a.m., worked at the club until noon, went to school, worked with clients, and got home at 8 p.m. In fact, she did so well

words, watched as they stood on their own two feet. It hardly seems possible that all those little moments have already brought us here — to this incredible, bittersweet milestone of watching our youngest daughter walk across the stage in her cap and gown. Of course, I have the utmost confidence in Lindsay. She’s a hard worker, and she is going to find success in anything she pursues. And we’ll be there, cheering her on every step of the way. Have a happy Father’s Day, and soak in that time with your loved ones. It goes by a lot faster than you think. -Dave Morin

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Improve Cognitive Function in Minutes How Meditation Helps You Maintain Brain Health

THE HIPPOCAMPUS Your hippocampus helps you process and form new memories, and it’s very sensitive to stress. In fact, research shows that your hippocampus will shrink in response to stressful situations and chronic stress. The remedy? Meditation. Dr. Lazar’s study showed a positive correlation between meditation and a higher concentration of gray matter in the left hippocampus. THE AMYGDALA Often called the fear center of the brain, the amygdala is triggered by stressful situations. But unlike the hippocampus, which shrinks in response to stress, the amygdala has been shown to become denser. In one study, people who attended mindfulness meditation classes showed a smaller stress response in brain scans compared to those who did not attend the classes. Meditation may help to decrease the density of the amygdala and therefore increase your ability to handle stress. Of course, in addition to these benefits, there’s a good chance that five minutes of meditation each day will simply make you feel better. People who meditate report an increase in overall well-being. Why not give it a try?

Meditation has often been touted by New Age gurus as a way to find inner peace and stillness. But what if meditating could reduce the effects of aging on your brain? According to research, taking a few minutes out of your day to meditate may improve cognitive function. As meditation’s popularity has spread, so have studies of the practice. The results of 100 studies examining the cognitive effects of meditation all show evidence of improvements in psychological and cognitive functions. Some of the results are intuitive, such as how meditation helps us deal with stress. But other results are incontrovertible, such as scans showing that meditation causes structural changes in the brain. For people facing age-related changes like memory loss, the results of these tests are especially relevant. The studies point to evidence that meditation can strengthen certain areas of the brain — the prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus, and the amygdala — that weaken as we age. THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX Your prefrontal cortex thins with age, which is associated with decreased cognitive function in your later years. However, meditation may reduce this age-related thinning. Dr. Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist specializing in the effects of yoga and meditation on cognitive and behavioral function, reports that long-time meditators don’t show a decline in the thickness of the prefrontal cortex.

JUNE HAPPENINGS

There are lots of things happening this month at Fore Court.

The obstacle course has been very busy. Dave & Buster’s held an event for their staff here in May and had an unbelievable turn out. They will be back for more. Now there’s a new obstacle. We have fabricated an over-under-through wall set up with handholds along the outsides to test grip strength. We are also starting to offer birthday parties on the course with some smaller obstacles for the younger generation. We will be once again donating our facility for the graduating seniors of Cumberland to hold a safe, alcohol-free evening of fun that will feature activities including basketball, rock climbing, a dance class (Sh’bam), palm reading, and comedy. It will be supported town-wide with local restaurants and overseen by the Cumberland Police Department. Tennis Our 3.0 Women’s SNEITA team captured first place for the second year in a row. Way to go, girls! USTA summer has kicked off. We have over 29 teams playing this year and will again host the sectionals in August.

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Tight on Time but Like Intensity? We Have Your Solution.

CARDIO Burns FAT and IMPROVES ATHLETIC ABILITY

Are you looking for a jolt in your fitness but are short on time? We have your answer! High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves short rounds of high-intensity exercise followed by periods of recovery. The basic recipe is to go as hard as you can, rest, and then repeat. Olympic athletes have been using this type of training for years and it is now one of the most popular fitness trends in the world. True HIIT training is only 30 minutes per session and you burn calories for up to 36 hours after your workout! At Fore Court, our HIIT program of choice is Les Mills GRIT. Why? It’s backed by science and provides three different HIIT formats — Strength, Cardio, and Plyometric.

• No equipment needed. This session combines high-impact body weight exercise for an explosive workout.

• Get the double whammy of maximizing your calorie burn within the workout and burn fat for hours afterwards.

PLYOMETRIC Builds a POWERFUL, AGILE, and ATHLETIC BODY.

• Based on the principles of plyometric, uses a bench to build power, increase speed and leg strength

STRENGTH Builds STRENGTH and LEAN MUSCLE

• Power agility training transforms up to 40 percent more muscle fiber, producing a lean, athletic shape

Uses barbells and plates to take training to the next level

Testimonial “This workout rapidly increased my strength and fitness. It gives me the same adrenaline rush I had when competing in collegiate gymnastics. If I’d had this workout back then, I would have been an even better athlete. Now, I can hold handstands longer and do more pushups than the girls I coach, and I am 43.” –Christy D Buy your punch card at the front desk to join our June 2– June 27 session!

• Blasts all major muscle groups, leaving muscles lean and toned

• Puts your metabolism into overdrive to burn fat for hours after the workout

Have a Laugh!

Balsamic Chicken With Bacon & Apples

Ingredients

inspired by wholesomelicious.com

• 2 apples, cored, peeled, and coarsely chopped • 6 slices bacon, cut into squares • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1/4 cup rosemary, finely chopped • 10 ounces Brussels

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into pieces • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar • 1/2 cup olive oil • Juice of 1/2 lemon

sprouts, halved, stems removed

Directions

1. Blend balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon, rosemary, and garlic to create marinade. Pour into bowl or sealable bag and add chicken. Marinate for at least 5 minutes or up to 12 hours. The longer you marinate, the more flavorful the chicken will be. 2. Heat oven to 375 F. Spread Brussels sprouts, bacon, and apples on a baking sheet. Add chicken and pour any extra marinade over the top. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Bake 20–25 minutes until chicken is cooked through. For extra crunchiness, turn the heat up to 425 F for the last 5 minutes. 4. Transfer to platter and serve immediately.

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44 Cray Street Cumberland, RI 02864 Call us! 401-333-4480 www.forecourtri.com

INSIDE

This Issue

The Crazy Incredible Journey That Is Parenting

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How Meditation Can Help the Aging Brain June Happenings HIIT Bootcamp Balsamic Chicken With Bacon and Apples A Natural Sweetener With Real Health Benefits

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Hone In on Honey

Nature’s Wonder Sweetener

honey contains many of the pollens and allergens you would normally breathe in on an average day. The pollens in local honey are just enough to kick your immune system into gear. As a form of immunotherapy, raw, local honey helps your body become acclimated to those allergens. But these three points — raw, unfiltered, and local — are crucial. When honey is processed and filtered, it loses practically all of its allergy- fighting power and becomes an ordinary sweetener. Most experts advise finding honey that was produced as close to your home as possible, preferably within 20 miles. The closer, the better. Keep in mind that it can take several weeks before you feel results. Of course, you won’t find a more delicious way to combat allergies.

Honey is a wonderful all-natural sweetener. Despite being sweet, it comes with actual health benefits — something you can’t say about other types of sugar. But some honeys are better than others, so it’s important to buy the right kind. Raw honey may help your body heal itself more effectively. One study in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine pointed to raw manuka honey as an effective way to speed up the time it takes wounds to heal while also reducing risk of infection. Simply apply manuka honey to a wound and let it do the rest. One of the best types of honey you can buy is raw, unfiltered, local honey . While it isn’t known to decrease the healing time of wounds, it can reduce symptoms related to allergies. Raw honey contains trace amounts of pollen, as well as other allergens from grasses and weeds. Local

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