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• National bike month
• Bike mistakes to avoid

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

It’s National Bike Month and who wouldn’t want to hop on a bicycle and relive the days of their youth?

While biking is a great way to fit in your cardio during the summer months, there are some mistakes that beginner bikers should avoid before they get out on the open road.

Some of those mistakes include:

• Seat is too low – if you are experiencing pain in your knees while biking, then your seat may be too low. At the right seat height, your knee should be slightly bent at the bottom of your pedal stroke.
• Assume you need the “best gear” – you don’t need the best of the best to enjoy a bike ride for exercise. Start small and get the fancy gear as you ride more.
• Not maintaining your bike – just like your car needs a tune-up every so often, so does your bike. Routine maintenance will not only save you money at the bike shop but will prolong the life of your bike.
• Too much too soon – one of the biggest injuries on a bike comes from trying to go longer and faster than you should. Build up slowly, ease into it and give your body time to adjust to this new workout.
• Not bringing along a spare or patch kit – flat tires happen, more often than you think. Always be prepared for the inevitable!
• Not using your gears – gears are your best friends when you are tackling hills or when you are speeding along a long stretch. Practice makes perfect when it comes to figuring out when to shift.

• benefits of banana
• health benefits of bananas
• banana benefits
• banana recipes
• healthy banana recipes

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

• We consume about 25 pounds of bananas per person each year.
• There are more than 1,000 varieties of bananas.
• Bananas don’t grow on trees – trees have bark and banana plants don’t have bark.
• Bananas are low in saturated fats, cholesterol, and sodium.
• A large portion of the calories in bananas come from sugars.

Recipe: Classic Banana Bread 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
• 1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cooking spray

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Recipe: Banana Chia Pudding

• 1 ½ cups vanilla-flavored flax milk
• 1 large banana cut in chunks
• 7 tablespoons chia seeds
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

 Put milk, banana, chia seeds, honey, vanilla extract, and sea salt in respective order in the blender, blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until thickened, at least 2 hours. Spoon mixture into small bowls to serve.

• Superfoods
• Healthy superfoods
• Benefits of superfoods
• Summer superfoods

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

With all of the great summertime crop shares and farmer’s markets, the summer months are the best time to stock up on great and fresh superfoods.

These summertime fruits and vegetables contain high amounts of “keep-you-full” fiber, and essential vitamins like A, C and E.  These foods can be eaten alone, or added to smoothies, salads, sandwiches, or can even be the star of your seasonal barbeque.

They are:

• Kiwi
• Asparagus
• Watermelon
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Eggplant

• Cicadas
• Cicadas general information

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

(Continued from Part I…)

While you can eat cicadas, some people should avoid eating them like:

• People with shellfish allergies. Cicadas are considered “land shrimp” as they are related to shellfish.
• People who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Cicadas accumulate mercury, which can harm an infant’s brain.
• Anyone with gout or at risk for gout. Cicadas can cause gout flare-ups. 

What do cicadas taste like?

Some people say that they have a nutty flavor. Others call them gushers, but not in a good way.

Should I fear cicadas?

Cicadas are biologically fascinating, have no negative impact on people, and are important to the ecosystem.

If that doesn’t ease things for you, keep in mind that they typically only emerge amongst long-term vegetation in late spring and early summer. If you are still afraid of encountering cicadas, then it is best to avoid the areas where they are known to emerge during this time frame.

How long will they stick around?

Cicadas will be around for roughly four to six weeks. During that time, they will mate, lay eggs, and feed. Then they will either die of cicada old age or they will be eaten by predators.

• Cicadas
• Cicadas general information

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

It has been over 200 years since the last time that two groups of periodical cicadas have emerged at the same time… and it’s about to happen again.

While there are over 3,000 species of cicadas in the world, there are 7 different species in North America that emerge either every 13 years or every 17 years. But this May and June, Cicada Brood XIX (13-year cycle) and Brood XIII (17-year cycle) will surface at the same time. These two species have some of the largest populations, and together, will cover most of the eastern United States.

This article will focus on all things cicadas and will hopefully enlighten you on these interesting creatures.

Where can you find cicadas?

You are likely to find cicadas in places that are heavily populated with trees and shrubs that have been there for at least 13-17 years.

Are cicadas loud? 

That likely depends on how active they are. Some reports say that they can omit a noise that sounds like a siren, whine and/or a roar. You may hear the more in rural areas, than suburban areas. Cicadas are daytime insects, so you likely won’t hear them at night. 

Can cicadas bite or spread disease? 

Cicadas only feed on plants and trees. They do not bite or sting and don’t spread any diseases to humans, plants or animals. In the off chance that a cicada lands on you, it’s likely not on purpose as they aren’t interested in hanging out on people and won’t stick around long. 

Can you eat cicadas? 

Surprisingly, you can eat cicadas and there are lots of recipes online. 

(Continued in Part II…)