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October 2011 TheBusinessJournal 1B
2B TheBusinessJournal October 2011
Commercial Real Estate
Commercial real estate hasnt been ex-
empt from the pain felt across much of the
real estate industry in the last few years.
Yet, according to the latest reports, it may
be stabilizing.
Lawrence Yun, National Association of
Realtors chief economist, said a pullback
in construction is helping to stabilize the
market. Very limited construction of new
commercial real estate over the past few
years has essentially fixed the supply of
available space, he said. This means va-
cancy rates could fall quickly from any in-
crease in demand for commercial space.
With a renewal of job growth should
come increased apartment rent, says Yun.
Supply and demand rule the rising and
declining of rent. And the demand of the
younger population entering indepen-
dence, and the housing market, may lead
to a rise in demand and prices.
The rise is expected to be around 3.4
percent this year and 4.2 in 2012.
Rising apartment rent in combination
with rising oil prices could push the over-
all inflation rate beyond a comfort level,
which could then force the Federal Re-
serve to raise interest rates later this year
or early in 2012, Yun added.
Retail markets see the silver lining as
well, with vacancy rates expected to drop
marginally from 13.0 percent to 12.9 per-
cent. Some areas are faring better than
others. San Francisco, Miami, Honolulu,
and Long Island, N.Y. have vacancy rates
considerably lower at 7 to 8 percent.
For now, average retail rent is expected
to decline 0.9 percent in 2011. Experts see
a rise on the horizon, however, in 2012.
Office markets are still struggling, as
well, but a decline is expected. According
to the NAR, Vacancy rates in the office
sector are forecast to decline from 16.5
percent in the first quarter of this year to
16.0 percent in the first quarter of 2012.
The lowest vacancies are see in New
York City and Honolulu, with vacancies
near 8 to 9 percent.
As job growth is experienced across the
nation, vacancy rates should begin to de-
cline across all sectors, though real relief
may be some distance off in our future.
Commercial real estate trends
Commercial Real Estate Deals Decline
The U.S. commercial real estate market
has slowed in the past three months as the
sputtering economy and a pullback in debt
financing limited deals, cooling a recovery
from Washington to California.
A total of $49.8 billion of commercial
property changed hands in the third quar-
ter, down from $58.5 billion in the previous
three months, according to a report released
today by Real Capital Analytics Inc. The 15
percent decline is the second-biggest since
the first quarter of 2009, the real estate re-
search firms data show.
Deals slowed after concern deepened that
the debt crisis in Europe may spread and
the U.S. economy may enter another reces-
sion. Smaller markets are being hurt by less
availability of commercial-mortgage bonds.
The retreat may be an indication of a mar-
ket awakening to the fact that it was getting
ahead of itself, said Susan Wachter, profes-
sor of real estate and finance at the Univer-
sity of Pennsylvanias Wharton School.
You cant turn an ocean liner around on
a dime, Wachter said in a telephone inter-
view. The market itself realized that deals
were getting done at pretty pricey points,
and at the same time you had all of the
events that undermined confidence.
Growth probably wont accelerate as
long as conditions are as unsettled as they
are, Wachter said.
Commercial Recovery
In contrast to the U.S. housing market,
where sales are near the same level as when
the recession ended two years ago, commer-
cial property demand has rebounded, partic-
ularly in the so-called core markets of New
York, Washington and San Francisco. Com-
mercial real estate transactions in the second
quarter were more than double their level
from a year earlier and quadruple the post-
recession low of $12.9 billion in the first
quarter of 2009, according to Real Capital.
Commercial real estate prices were little
changed three of the last four months as
fear crept into the market, Green Street
Advisors Inc. reported on Oct. 6. Prior to
the slowdown, prices had recovered three-
quarters of the value lost after credit markets
froze in late 2008, according to the Newport
Beach, California-based property research
company, which compiles its data from real
estate investment trusts.
Third-quarter deals for office buildings,
hotels, industrial properties, apartments and
shopping complexes were up 38 percent
from the same time in 2010, according to
Real Capitals report.
All Property Types
While this growth is respectable, it falls
well short of the gains posted at mid-year,
the company said in the report. The slow-
ing was evident across all property types and
most markets as well. Nevertheless, sales
have totaled $143.5 billion year to date, al-
ready surpassing the full-year 2010 total.
Part of the sequential decline stemmed
from large portfolio transactions in the sec-
ond quarter, which included Blackstone
Group LPs $9 billion takeover of Australian
mall owner Centro Properties Groups U.S.
shopping centers. Portfolio deals totaled
$9.36 billion in the third quarter, down from
$17.8 billion in the previous three months,
according to Real Capital.
Sales showed some surprising strength
in the third quarter, Dan Fasulo, managing
director of New York-based Real Capital,
said in an e-mail. Still, he said he expects
volume to be tempered until Europes
debt issues are clarified, and the market for
commercial-mortgage securities recovers.
Bigger Decline
Preliminary data from a competing re-
search firm, Washington-based CoStar
Group Inc., showed an even bigger decline
in third-quarter sales, with transactions tum-
bling 29 percent from the second quarter
to $62.6 billion. Real Capital only counts
deals of $2.5 million or higher, while Wash-
ington- based CoStar has no minimum size.
CoStar is still entering data, so the decline
will likely be smaller than the current num-
ber, said Aaron Jodka, manager of U.S. mar-
ket research.
The U.S. economy and the global econ-
omy are very much on shaky ground, said
Stephen Malpezzi, professor of real estate
and urban land economics at the University
of Wisconsins business school in Madison.
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October 2011 TheBusinessJournal 3B
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Decline
(Continued from page 2B)
Commercial real estate doesnt exist in a
vacuum and its only going to recover to the
extent theres confidence amongst business-
es -- the users of commercial real estate --
and that, in turn, depends on the consumer.
Standard & Poors on Aug. 5 cut its credit
rating for the U.S. to AA+ from AAA, while
the Federal Reserve said last month that
there are significant downside risks to
the economy. Europes sovereign debt crisis
poses a serious risk to U.S. growth, the
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco said
in an Oct. 17 paper.
CMBS Pullback
Financing for deals has tightened. Bor-
rowing costs in the market for commercial
mortgage-backed securities have jumped
more than a full percentage point since the
second quarter, according to an index from
Barclays Capital Inc.
The $600 billion CMBS market had pro-
vided the cheap debt financing that drove
commercial real estate to record highs in
2007, and sales of the securities were start-
ing to come back gradually until late July.
The market got a jolt that month when S&P
pulled its rating on a $1.5 billion commer-
cial-mortgage bond sale by Citigroup Inc.
and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which had
already overhauled the transaction after in-
vestors demanded better collateral protec-
tion.
The CMBS turmoil has hurt secondary
markets such as Minneapolis; Austin, Texas;
and Raleigh, North Carolina, said Spencer
Levy, a Baltimore-based executive man-
aging director on the U.S. capital markets
team at CBRE Group Inc., the worlds larg-
est commercial real estate brokerage. There
have been fewer bidders and lower offers, he
said.
Important to Markets
CMBS conduits werent the only lender
there, but they were more important than in
primary markets, Levy said. Many second-
ary markets are already suffering due to poor
job and economic growth, he said.
Uncertainty about potential U.S. bank
losses from Europes debt crisis is sapping
confidence and halting sales dependent on
CMBS, particularly in smaller markets, ac-
cording to Michael Knott, managing direc-
tor at Green Street. Real estate investment
wont match levels seen in previous quarters
of 2011 until some lasting peace is reached
in the euro zone, he said.
Among bigger cities, property deals rose
in the third quarter in New York, while fall-
ing in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston,
Chicago and Washington, the major markets
considered to be the drivers of commercial
real estate sales volume, according to Co-
Star.
4B TheBusinessJournal October 2011
By NEIL WINGETT
I dont know if you have ever seen any
of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies
starring Johnny Depp, but if you venture
out to see the latest version, you might
want to pick up on some leadership points
from his character, Captain Jack.
While a guy who wears a pirate outfit
and eye shadow may not be your version
of an ideal corporate CEO, he does make
some interesting leadership points.
Captain Jack Sparrow says:
There should be a captain in there
somewhere. While you could inter-
pret this as just another one of his off the
wall remarks, Captain Jack does have a
point. As a leader, you should never
fail to remind others of your qualifica-
tions. You dont want to alienate your
team or co-workers with arrogance, but
you can subtly remind others whos in
charge with your confidence, vision,
and passion for the work. Once those
qualities are displayed, your employees
will know whats expected and have an
example to follow.
You know that feeling when you are
on a high place, that sudden urge to
jump? I never have it. Hes talking
about going with your gut and impro-
vising. A true leader has the instincts
and self confidence to know when to
move forward, no matter what direc-
tion the tides take the ship. The ability
to take calculated risks is a plus on the
leadership resume.
I thought I should give you a warn-
ing. We are taking the ship. Its noth-
ing personal. Honest leaders know
its never easy to deliver bad news.
Hearing bad news from you personally
and upfront makes it easier for your
employees to digest and move forward.
They need to be reminded that decisions
are based on what is best for the compa-
nynot personal. What is best for the
long run may not be what is necessarily
popular.
Knowing there is a Captain, and
knowing who that person is, will always
help to rally the crew to face any situa-
tion.
Rally the crew
to face any
situation
October 2011 TheBusinessJournal 5B
Construction/Architecture/Engineering
Your Competitive Advantage
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The expectation is that the demand
for commodities will not be quite as brisk
from this point forward. --ABC Chief
Economist Anirban Basu.
Summary
While the nations wholesale prices in-
creased for the first time in five months,
construction materials prices were un-
changed in September, according to the
October 18 Producer Price Index (PPI)
report by the Department of Labor. Con-
struction materials prices decreased 0.2
percent for the quarter, but are 8.1 percent
higher than one year ago.
Generally, metal prices trended down-
ward for the month. Nonferrous wire and
cable prices dropped 3.5 percent in Sep-
tember and were down 0.8 percent for the
third quarter. However, prices were still
up 9.3 percent year-over-year. Steel mill
product prices slipped 0.6 percent last
month, 1 percent lower for the quarter, but
are still 13.5 percent higher from one year
ago. Similarly, iron and steel prices were
down 0.1 percent for the month, down 0.2
percent for the quarter, but up 13.8 per-
cent over the past twelve months.
However, not all metal product prices
were down for the month. Fabricated
structural metal product prices were un-
changed in September and the quarter, but
are 5.2 percent higher from September
2010. Prices for plumbing fixtures and fit-
tings inched up 0.1 percent on a monthly
basis, up 0.5 percent for the quarter, and
2.8 percent higher from one year ago.
Prepared asphalt, tar roofing, and sid-
ing products fell 2.3 percent in September,
were down 1.5 percent for the quarter, but
are up 3.7 percent over the past twelve
months. Prices for softwood lumber fell
1.2 percent in September, but were up 1.4
percent for the quarter and rose 3.7 per-
cent from the same time last year. Con-
crete product prices were up 0.1 percent
for the month, up 0.3 percent for the quar-
ter, and are 0.3 percent higher compared
to September 2010.
Crude energy prices jumped 7.7 percent
in September as crude petroleum prices
rose 23 percent. Crude energy prices
were down 0.5 percent for the quarter, but
were up 20.3 percent over the last twelve
months. Overall, the nations wholesale
prices were up 0.8 percent for the month,
up 1 percent for the quarter and are up 7
percent from one year ago.
Analysis
Despite todays report, there is no rea-
son to believe that construction materials
prices will generally decline during the
months ahead, even if the global econo-
my continues to soften, said Associated
Builders and Contractors Chief Econo-
mist Anirban Basu.
A weak worldwide economy would
represent a problem for many asset class-
es, including sovereign debt and equities,
Basu said. If investors begin to sell those
assets on net, proceeds from those sales
could end up in hard assets like commodi-
ties, thereby preventing construction ma-
terials price declines.
For now, commodity investors appear
heavily focused on the ongoing slow-
down in global growth, said Basu. The
economic issues in Europe are now well
known and have been thoroughly dis-
cussed, but China and other emerging na-
tions are also experiencing their own set
of economic problems.
In short, the expectation is that the de-
mand for commodities will not be quite
as brisk from this point forward, Basu
said. Therefore, it is likely that materials
prices are no longer on the rise.
Construction Materials Prices Unchanged
in September
6B TheBusinessJournal October 2011
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The most recently available data has
been decidedly positive, indicating rising
construction spending and job growth.
--ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu.
Summary
Despite a stagnant national unemploy-
ment rate, the construction industry added
26,000 jobs in September and the unem-
ployment rate improved to 13.3 percent for
the month, according to the Department of
Labors Oct. 7 jobs report. The unemploy-
ment rate is down from 13.5
percent in August, and much improved
from 17.2 percent the same time last year.
Year over year, the construction industry
added 37,000 jobs, or 0.7 percent, compared
to September 2010.
Nonresidential construction employment
improved by 11,200 jobs for the month, with
a total of 680,000 jobs. The sector expanded
by 21,200 jobs, or 3.2 percent compared to
the same time last year.
Heavy and civil engineering construc-
tion employment rose by 6,200 jobs for
the month and has added 9,700 jobs, or 1.2
percent, during the last twelve months. Spe-
cialty trade contractors added 5,100 jobs in
September and increased by 13,800 jobs, or
0.4 percent, for the month. Within the spe-
cialty trade contractor sector, nonresidential
contractors added 10,700 jobs for the month,
while residential contractors lost 5,600 jobs.
Residential building construction employ-
ment grew by 1,800 jobs for the month, but
is still down 7,400 jobs, or 1.3 percent, com-
pared to the same time last year.
Across all industries, the nation added
103,000 jobs as the private sector added
137,000 jobs and government lost 34,000
jobs. However, 45,000 of the jobs added
were the result of rehiring striking telecom-
munication workers. Year over year, the na-
tion has added 1,490,000 jobs, or 1.1 per-
cent. However, the nations unemployment
rate remained at 9.1 percent in September.
Analysis
Todays construction employment re-
port offers hope that the industry is expe-
riencing a positive trend in activity, said
Associated Builders and Contractors Chief
Economist Anirban Basu. Though there
is much concern regarding the direction of
construction spending as we approach 2012,
for now activities remain stable. In fact, the
most recently available data has been decid-
edly positive, indicating rising construction
spending and job growth.
In September, the U.S. nonresidential
building industry added more jobs than it
has since January 2007, Basu said. This
fits neatly with what ABCs Construction
Backlog Indicator (CBI) has been predict-
ing through the second quarter of 2011--that
relatively robust growth in backlog, fore-
shadowing the current period of spending
and employment, improves the industry.
If the economic momentum that exist-
ed in early 2011 had persisted, the outlook
for construction spending and employment
would still be positive, said Basu. How-
ever, much of that pre-existing momentum
has been lost during the past seven months,
with the implication being that the current
pace of recovery in nonresidential construc-
tion is unlikely to last.
Given little hope for significant stimulus
in the near term, the expectation is that the
pace of increased employment in the nonres-
idential construction industry will eventu-
ally begin to wane during the months ahead.
If the economy continues to deteriorate, the
growth trend will be reversed, Basu said.
Construction Unemployment
Rate Edges Down to 13.3 Percent
October 2011 TheBusinessJournal 7B
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2011 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing is a division of
BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc.
Many local companies are happy they did.
Thats because they recognized the benefts of
working with an established company for every
phase of construction, including design/build
expertise. As your local Butler Builder

, we offer
a full-range of systems construction capabilities
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endless design possibilities. Give us a call today,
and put us to work on your project.
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experience.
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our
2011 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing is a division of
BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc.
Many local companies are happy they did.
Thats because they recognized the benefts of
working with an established company for every
phase of construction, including design/build
expertise. As your local Butler Builder

, we offer
a full-range of systems construction capabilities
that combine effciency, functionality, and virtually
endless design possibilities. Give us a call today,
and put us to work on your project.
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or visit us on the web.
experience.
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2011 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing is a division of
BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc.
Many local companies are happy they did.
Thats because they recognized the benefts of
working with an established company for every
phase of construction, including design/build
expertise. As your local Butler Builder

, we offer
a full-range of systems construction capabilities
that combine effciency, functionality, and virtually
endless design possibilities. Give us a call today,
and put us to work on your project.
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or visit us on the web.
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2011 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing is a division of
BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc.
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MONROE, La. CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE:
CTL) has received the 2011 Secretary of Defense
Employer Support Freedom Award, the highest
recognition given by the Department of Defense
to public sector employers for their exceptional
support of employees serving in the Guard and
Reserve.
CenturyLink CEO and President Glen F. Post,
III accepted the Freedom Award, presented to the
company at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
CenturyLink is committed to providing a
supportive atmosphere to our employees who
serve our country in the armed forces and to
their families, Post said. We are honored to be
recognized by the Defense Department with this
award.
The Freedom Award recognizes the support
given to Guard and Reserve employees by Qwest
Communications, which was acquired by Centu-
ryLink in April 2011. Qwest had previously won
the Freedom Award at the state level for three
consecutive years. CenturyLink is among 15 or-
ganizations receiving the national award this year
from a field of more than 4,000 nominations sub-
mitted by service members or their families.
In another recognition of its commitment to
employees who also served in the military, Cen-
turyLink has been named to the list of 45 Great
Employers for Vets by Military Times EDGE.
The magazine determined the list based on survey
responses from Fortune 1000 companies and top
government contractors that rated the employers
on their vet-friendliness in three areas: recruiting,
corporate culture and reserve policies.
According to Military Times EDGE, We
looked for companies that could prove they make
veterans a priority not just with slogans and
statements of support, but with programs, poli-
cies and positive track records. For the surveys
results and more information: www.military-
timesedge.com/links/2011-employer-surveys
About CenturyLink
CenturyLink is the third largest telecom-
munications company in the United States. The
company provides broadband, voice and wire-
less services to consumers and businesses across
the country and advanced entertainment services
under the CenturyLinkTM PrismTM TV and
DIRECTV brands. In addition, the company
provides data, voice and managed services to
business, government and wholesale customers
in local, national and select international markets
through its high-quality advanced fiber optic net-
work and multiple data centers. CenturyLink also
is recognized as a leader in the network services
market by key technology industry analyst firms,
and is a global leader in cloud infrastructure
and hosted IT solutions for enterprises through
Savvis, a CenturyLink company. CenturyLinks
customers range from Fortune 500 companies in
some of the countrys largest cities to families liv-
ing in rural America. Headquartered in Monroe,
La., CenturyLink is an S&P 500 company and is
included among the Fortune 500 list of Americas
largest corporations. For more information, visit
www.centurylink.com.
CenturyLink also named to Military Times EDGE list
10B TheBusinessJournal October 2011
The Business Journal
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...taking pride in helping shape the communities we serve.







Architects
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38 S. Lincoln Drive
Minster, OH 45865
419-628-4240
419-628-4299 - Fax
www.garmannmiller.com
Education Commercial Industrial Municipal Healthcare
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Architects
Engineers
Landscape Architects
38 S. Lincoln Drive
Minster, OH 45865
419-628-4240
419-628-4299 - Fax
www.garmannmiller.com
Education Commercial Industrial Municipal Healthcare
...taking pride in helping shape the communities we serve.







Architects
Engineers
Landscape Architects
38 S. Lincoln Drive
Minster, OH 45865
419-628-4240
419-628-4299 - Fax
www.garmannmiller.com
Education Commercial Industrial Municipal Healthcare
...taking pride in helping shape the communities we serve.







Architects
Engineers
Landscape Architects
38 S. Lincoln Drive
Minster, OH 45865
419-628-4240
419-628-4299 - Fax
www.garmannmiller.com
Education Commercial Industrial Municipal Healthcare
A picture of the academic entrance to the
new Elida High School. School is sched-
uled to start August 30. The new school
dedication will be held Sun., Sept. 25 at
2 p.m. Alvada Construction (ACI) out of
Alvada, Ohio, was the general contrac-
tor for this project. The new building is
located at 401 E. North St., in Elida. The
picture was found in a slide show on the
Elida Schools Website.
Garman
Miller
Totally Committed To your Peace of Mind
Your Facilities Construction Advocate
2301 Baton Rouge Avenue Lima, Ohio 45805
P: 419.228.7272 F: 419.222.5559 www.TouchstoneCPM.com
ZERO Projects Over Budget. ZERO Delayed Openings.
ZERO Litigations. ZERO Customer Regrets.
PROFESSIONAL
CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS
SPECIALIZING IN GREEN
bUILDING PRACTICES
9 LEED APs on Staff
with BD+C Specialty
GREEN
GENERAL CONTRACTORS
1201 CRESTWOOD DRIVE LIMA, OHIO 45805
PH. (419) 227-2000
Email: m1201w@mandwconst.com
CONSTRUCTION, INC.
COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL
ROOFING
BEBOUT & HOUG
ROOFING & SIDING INC.
116 N. WALNUT VAN WERT, OHIO
419-238-4100
ROOFING
TOM BEBOUT
GARY HOUG
TREVOR
BEBOUT
SERVING
AREA -
OVER 30
YEARS
FREE
ESTIMATES
Rubber PVC TPO Roofs
Standing Seam Roofs
Modified Bitumen Roofs
Asphalt Built-Up Roofs
Single Roofs
October 2011 TheBusinessJournal 11B
Health - Medical
100 Red Oak Drive
Cridersville, OH 45806
419-645-7151
SENIOR LIFESTYLE CHOICES
Longaberger
Basket
BINGO
November 19
th
starting at 10:30 a.m.
$20.00
As the foliage starts to turn colors, we
may notice a change in the foods our bod-
ies crave. The desire for an ice popsicle
just might be replaced by a yearning for
a warm bowl of soup. In Chinese medi-
cine consuming foods that correspond to
each season is thought to create harmony
and balance. Fruits and vegetables contain
the most concentrated nutrients and flavor
when they are consumed in season. Au-
tumn is the perfect time to try new produce
that is packed with delicious phytochemi-
cals to keep your taste buds and health in
shape throughout the entire season!
Whether you enjoy apple picking or pe-
rusing through a pumpkin patch, you will
fall into health with these tasty picks!
An Apple a Day Keeps the Weight
Away
These shiny gems are not just for your
teacher anymore! A recent USDA-funded
study assigned 160 women from ages 45
to 60 to eat dried apples daily for one year.
The results demonstrated a 23% drop in
LDL cholesterol and lower levels of C-
reactive protein and lipid hydroperoxide.
The women dropped an average of three
pounds, despite consuming the extra calo-
ries from the dried apples. This miracle
fruit may be enjoyed raw, dried, or baked,
but limit the apple pies if you want the full
benefits.
Tasty Tip: Chop a crispy apple into your
hot oatmeal and sprinkle with walnuts and
your favorite spices for a boost of fiber and
heart-healthy omega three fatty acids.
Brussels Sprouts Defend from Cancer
and Disease
You may want to rethink feeding Fido
your Brussels sprouts under the table!
Countless studies link Brussels sprouts to
cancer prevention and protection from dis-
ease. Chock full of vitamin A, C, E, and
powerful antioxidants, it is time to invite
these mini cabbages back to your dinner
table. Their cardio protective and anti-in-
flammatory benefits make them a perfect
fall side dish. You may also want to try
a variety of cabbages for their digestive
health benefits. Studies demonstrate that
cabbage contains a multitude of nutrients
that benefit our stomach and intestinal lin-
ings.
Delicious Dish: For a colorful meal,
shred red and green cabbage together. Then
add some sesame oil, lemon juice, and your
favorite spices. Enjoy with baked fish for a
wholesome meal packed with phytonutri-
ents and flavor!
Root Your Way to Health
If you love to chomp on bright orange
carrot sticks or savor the terrific taste of
turnips, you will be happy to take advan-
tage of the root vegetables that are staples
of the fall season. Tasty tubers like sweet
potatoes, yams, cassava, and taro pack a
punch of potassium, fiber, beta-carotene,
iron, and folic acid, supporting a healthy
immune system. Baking, roasting, or add-
ing these delicious roots to stews is a great
way to enjoy these nutrient powerhouses.
Make a mlange of roasted beets, turnips,
rutabaga, and parsnips for a low-fat side
dish that will keep your bellyand taste-
budssatisfied.
Chew on This: Beets contain powerful
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant proper-
ties, thanks to betalains, the pigment that
gives them their deep red hue. Grate raw
beets into your favorite salad or steam and
serve them with lemon juice and a drizzle
of extra virgin olive oil for a tasty side
dish.
Bonus Tip: For an added antioxidant
kick, try Liquid Whole Foods Vitamins, a
bio-absorbable liquid whole food vitamin
formula made with organic ingredients.
The Perfect Pear for an Antioxidant
Boost
In season through October, this juicy
and sweet fruit comes in a variety of col-
ors and textures. This fragrant fruit is a
member of the rose family and is a great
source of copper and vitamin C, which
can help protect our bodies from free radi-
cal damage. To enjoy the full antioxidant
benefits of pears, it is best to eat them ripe.
How to tell if it is ripe? Check the neck!
Gently press your thumb against the neck.
If it yields to slight pressure, it should be
ready to eat. Pears are also an excellent
source of dietary fiber, which has been
shown to promote colon and cardiovascu-
lar health.
Mouthwatering Meal: Add a chopped
pear to a warm bowl of quinoa, sprinkle
with toasted sunflower seeds, and drizzle
with honey.
4 Fall Foods = Weight Loss, Heart Health, and Immunity
100 Red Oak Drive
Cridersville, OH 45806
419-645-7151
October 20 from 12-4
in the Community Room
BP checks, BS checks, information
seminars, and much more
FALL FESTIVAL
GOODIES
Apple Cider, Caramel
Apples, Bratwurst,
and much more
SENIOR LIFESTYLE CHOICES
& FALL FESTIVAL
A nutrient-poor diet filled with added sug-
ars and unhealthy trans fats is known to cause
high cholesterol, so it sure makes sense try
and fix the problem with healthy food. Al-
though 25 percent of adults over the age of 45
take cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins,
which can sap your energy and cause prob-
lems for your sex life, a new study reveals that
changes to your diet might actually do a better
jobwithout the energy-sapping, sex-killing
side effects.
A new study in the Journal of the Ameri-
can Medical Association followed 345 people
with high cholesterol who were placed on one
of two vegetarian low-cholesterol diets for six
months. The first was a low-saturated-fat diet
and participants were told simply to eat low-fat
dairy and get more fruits and vegetables into
their meals. The second group had help from
nutritionists to incorporate specific cholester-
ol-lowering foods into their meals, including
soy proteins, nuts, oats, peas, and beans. That
group saw a drop in cholesterol three times
higher than the group on the regular low-sat-
urated-fat diet, and both diets proved to be at
least as successful as early trials of statins.
Lower Cholesterol without Pills?
Study Shows Its Possible
12B TheBusinessJournal October 2011
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