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Gentlenature
Surprising Health Facts
~4.0 mins read
With new studies and reports being released daily it can
be hard to keep track of what’s new in health and
wellness.
To help you stay on top of your health knowledge we’ve
put together 10 health-related facts that just might
surprise you.
10. Drink something hot to cool down
Conventional wisdom may tell you that if you are hot,
drinking something cold will cool down your body.
However, research has shown that on a hot day, drinking
a hot beverage may help your body stay cool. The reason
being that when you drink a hot drink, your body produces
sweat to cool down your body temperature. Initially you
may be adding heat by drinking the hot liquid, but the
amount of sweat that your body produces to cool down
more than makes up for the added heat from the liquid.
The increased perspiration is key; when the sweat
evaporates from your skin, it is able to cool down your
body temperature.
9. Your sweat is mostly made up of water
Speaking of sweat , our sweat is composed mostly of
water – about 99 percent! How much we sweat is unique
to each individual; factors like gender and/or age can
contribute to a person sweating more or less.
8. The strongest muscle in your body is ….
Our muscle strength can be measured in different ways. If
you are referring to the muscle that can exert the most
force, then your calf muscle, the soleus, would be the
winner. However, if you want to find the muscle that can
exert the most pressure, then the jaw muscle, or the
masseter, would be the strongest. The human jaw can
close teeth with a force as great as 200 pounds, or 890
newtons!
7. More than half your bones are located in your hands
and feet
We are born with approximately 300 bones and cartilage
which eventually fuse together by the time we reach
adulthood. The adult human body consists of 206 bones.
Of these bones, 106 of them are located in our hands and
feet. Bones in the arms are among the most commonly
broken bones and account for almost half of all adults’
bone injuries.
6. You can physically see high cholesterol
It is possible to see signs on your body that you may have
high cholesterol. Xanthelasmata , or xanthelasma, are
cholesterol-filled bumps that form under your skin. It can
be an indicator of possible heart disease. The lesions can
be found all over the body and tend to appear on the skin
of older people with diabetes or other heart ailments.
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5. Cholesterol-free can be bad for your cholesterol
Food labels may say that it is cholesterol-free, however,
that does not mean that the food is good for your
cholesterol levels. Trans fats, which are cholesterol-
raising, naturally have no cholesterol but can be
detrimental to your cholesterol levels. Trans fats can be
found in many fried foods and baked goods. Trans fat,
such as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, and
saturated fats are not good for your cholesterol levels and
should be avoided as much as possible.
4. If you are tired, exercise will help
If you are physically tired, the best thing to do is exercise
as it will give you more energy than sitting. Studies have
found that the blood and oxygen flow through the body
will give you more energy and improve your mood. The
increase in endorphin levels can contribute to a feeling of
well-being.
3. Cold temperature can be good for your health
If you live in Canada, you know all about cold weather.
But did you know that colder temperatures can benefit
your health? Colder temperatures may help reduce
allergies and inflammation and research has shown that it
can help you think more clearly and perform daily tasks
better. The cold can also help lower the risk of disease;
mosquitoes that carry diseases such as Zika, West Nile
virus and malaria are not around during the winter season.
2. Bananas can help improve your mood
A banana has approximately 30% of your daily
recommended intake of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps the
brain produce serotonin, which is considered a mood
stabilizer. Serotonin impacts your motor skills and
emotions. It is also the chemical that helps you sleep and
digest food. Eating a banana can help relieve depression
and anxiety by stimulating the serotonin levels in your
body.
1. Optimism may help you live longer
Can seeing the glass half full help you live longer? Studies
have found that there is a correlation between increasing
levels of optimism with decreasing levels of death from
cancer, disease, infection and stroke. This is particularly
true for cases of cardiovascular disease. Those who had
the highest levels of optimism had an almost 40% lower
risk of heart disease.
So there it is, 10 interesting facts that you may not have
known about your health. Share with us on Twitter
@Spectrum_HC about your favourite health facts.
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Gentlenature
Start Your Day With These 13 Local Coffee Roasters
~10.1 mins read
We may not have the coffee culture of Seattle or Portland,
but Madisonians are no less committed to caffeine
consumption. We don’t need massive bean farms disrupting
our Dairyland reputation to brew up a cup of joe worthy of
the java gods — we have plenty of small roasters right here
to blow our minds and satisfy our taste buds. Whether you
enjoy the beans in the comfort of your home or like to stop
at a local coffee shop for a specialty drink, you’re
guaranteed to get a quality caffeine fix from these local
roasters. Warning: Reading may induce a sensation that can
only be cured with a fresh cup of coffee.
Ancora Coffee
Coffee trees can take root and survive for up to 100 years 
— a resilience reminiscent of Madison gem Ancora Coffee.
Established in 1994 by then-owners George and Sue Krug,
Ancora has been caffeinating Capitol Square for some time.
Its King Street and University Avenue cafes are now run by
Tori Gerding — who took over when the Krugs retired in
2013 — and she’s certainly filled the role and built upon
Ancora’s legacy. Matcha lattes? Check. Lemon curd French
toast? Check. Seasonal coffee drinks packed with flavor?
Triple check. The coffee is pretty great when brewed at
home, but drinks like the Pistachio Vanilla Zombie or
Blackberry Sage Latte sound far too fun not to order in the
cafe. What makes it all better is that Ancora’s bagels,
kombucha, chocolate, milk, honey, meat, eggs, bread, baked
goods, cheeses and more are all ethically sourced and
locally produced right here in Wisconsin. While you can find
beans at its shops, the USDA organic, fair trade coffee is
also available online. 107 King St., 255-0285; 3318 University
Ave., 233-5287, ancoracoffee.com
EVP Coffee
Courtesy of EVP Coffee
Air fryers have hit the mainstream, but what about air
roasters? Using fresh, hot air instead of a heated plate or
other surface to roast coffee beans, EVP Coffee focuses on
eliminating the bitter taste from burn-inducing, nonuniform
roasting methods. The cook times of beans aren’t the only
things EVP roasters meticulously pay attention to — they
want to spread the spirit of kindness and love, alongside
bold flavors and simple excellence. “We hope every person
who walks through our door feels seen and valued,†says
owner Tracy Danner. “Madison has always been about
supporting and creating community … there is no place for
empty gestures when it comes to serving [here].†EVP
Coffee has five locations that serve up snazzy drinks, and
Oasis Cafe in Fitchburg serves EVP Coffee alongside
homemade breakfast burritos and scrambles. Willy Street
Co-op’s east and north locations also carry EVP grounds
and beans, and traditional shipment options are available
online. 700 University Bay Drive, 655-2460; 741 University
Row, 709-1126; 555 S. Midvale Blvd., 441-1103; 1250 E.
Washington Ave., 294-6868, evpcoffee.com
JBC Coffee Roasters
Photo courtesy of JBC Coffee Roasters
JBC Coffee Roasters has crafted coffees worthy of the
impressive and elusive 90-plus coffee designation (as
graded on a scale of 100 by Coffee Review). JBC has
earned this grade numerous times, in addition to garnering
Golden Bean medals, three Good Food Awards (“the Oscars
of food products,†according to JBC co-owner Laura
Salinger Johnson) and national media attention. Still not
convinced about JBC Coffee Roasters? You can read
detailed stories on its website about where each of its
signature beans comes from. JBC’s story and products will
lift your spirits in more ways than one. Try Karani with
flavors of mixed berries, persimmon and dark chocolate
from Kirinyaga, Kenya, or Miraflores with hints of pink
lemonade, hibiscus and bubblegum from Colombia. If you
want to spice up your coffee regimen, consider a coffee
subscription. Get high-quality beans delivered to your door
once a week — or twice a month, or once a month. Best
part? The variety is a surprise so you never know what
you’re going to get. Curbside pickup available at 5821
Femrite Drive, but online is the best place to order, 256-5282,
jbccoffeeroasters.com
Just Coffee Cooperative
If transparency is what’s in this season, then Just Coffee
Co-op is an absolute trendsetter. After visiting Chiapas,
Mexico, to start fostering what would become a more than
10-year relationship with the small-scale farmers in the
area, the collective started roasting and distributing the
beans back in the Midwest. Just Coffee’s online coffee
tracker allows buyers to see where their beans were grown,
when they were roasted and even the price-per-pound paid
to the grower, so you can feel good about your purchase.
Originally sold at farmers’ markets and protests via bicycle
so the company could deliver its spiel on sustainable
trading, Just Coffee Co-op is now sold coast to coast. Willy
Street Co-op and Bloom Bake Shop have Just Coffee Co-
op’s brew at the ready, and the fair trade coffee is sold by
the bag online. 204-9011, justcoffee.coop
Ledger Coffee Roasters
Courtesy of Ledger Coffee Roasters
A microroastery and full-service coffee shop tucked inside
Garver Feed Mill, Ledger Coffee Roasters is all about getting
back to the basics. Its handcrafted, single-origin coffees are
roasted in a 2009 Diedrich IR-24 with a Vortx EcoFilter
ventilation system. This add-on not only reduces odors and
dust from the batch of beans, it also consumes zero fossil
fuels and produces zero greenhouse gases while in use. In
addition to eco-friendly production, Ledger also specializes
in espresso. Enjoy a brown sugar flavor with the Rally Cry
dark roast, or Ledger’s Ethiopian single origin blend
channels blueberries and citrus. Shop online and order for
pickup. If debating when to pickup, come early Thursday
through Sunday for dibs on the day’s selection of Level 5
Donuts to go with your coffee. (Options rotate weekly, but
past flavors of churro, matcha and mango con chile sound
pretty tempting, if you ask us.) 3241 Garver Green, Suite 140,
609-8054, ledgercoffee.com
Kin-Kin Coffee
Kin-Kin Coffee is all about building — and retaining — the
community around it. While Kin-Kin is roasted at a different
location, Johnson Public House is its home base. Regulars
make the cafe all that it is (as does the lineup of baked
goods, smoothies and sandwiches), and beans from Peru,
Burundi, Tanzania and more fill the cups of JPH drinks.
Folks can purchase brew-it-yourself beans, too, and can
even read up on the altitude of growth and processing
methods of the beans on Kin-Kin’s website. Pomegranate,
chamomile, citrus, almond and honey are among the tasting
notes, so you might just have to try them all. 908 E. Johnson
St., 347-0483, kinkincoffee.com
Rusty Dog Coffee
Photo courtesy of Rusty Dog Coffee/Hilary Schave
Valentia, High Noon Saloon, Jennifer Street Market, Black
Saddle Bike Shop, Hy-Vee, Metcalfe’s Market, Miller & Sons
Supermarket, n + 1 coffee + beer … the list of places you
can purchase Rusty Dog Coffee goes on and on. “Nothing
warms up a cold morning like a great cup of coffee,†Rusty
Dog Coffee co-owner Tony Bitner says. “Sitting by a window
in your kitchen or favorite cafe watching the snowfall — 
that’s romance!†Rusty Dog’s beans come from all over.
(No, seriously. Honduras, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya and
Peru are just a few of the countries the company sources
from.) For the frequent coffee drinkers, enjoy a monthly
subscription box. Choose a Lighten Up subscription for
lighter roast coffees or a Dark Side subscription for darker
roast coffees. There’s also Roaster’s Choice for the person
who likes a little mystery. If you want to drink coffee in the
morning and tea at night, Rusty Dog exclusively distributes
6&12 tea, too. 888-901-4146, rustydogcoffee.com
True Coffee Roasters
Courtesy of True Coffee Roasters
Did you know that K-Cups are rarely recyclable? The folks at
True Coffee Roasters sure did. To its knowledge, True was
the first coffee roaster in Wisconsin to sell compostable
pods, which chops down decay time to a week. Beyond
eco-friendly perks, the Fitchburg-based roastery is always
staying “true to the bean†with its blends, espresso and tea
selection. The spicy Black & Tan and Moka Java — skirting
between wine-like acidity and fruity-smooth finish — are
among the most popular. True’s renditions of our favorite
morning beverage originate from Africa, Indonesia, Latin
America and Central America. Those who want something a
little funkier can shake things up with the Free Wheel Biker’s
Blend’s symphony of tart cherry and vanilla. True Coffee
Roasters Cafe: 800 W. Broadway, Monona, 663-9390,
truecoffeeroasters.com
Wisconsin Roasters With Madison Connections
Around the state, roasters are crafting quality beans that
find their way to Madison.
Courtesy of Wonderstate Coffee/Olivia Molier
Brewhaha Roasters
You may have heard of garage bands, but what about
garage roasters? Matt Snow started roasting small batches
in a garage before Pat Mahoney and Aaron Holverson
rounded out the operation in Spring Green. Brewhaha works
with small-scale growers implementing sustainable farming
practices and those providing fair and healthy working
conditions for their workers. Roasting weekly — and even
doing live roastings on Facebook — has obviously paid off,
earning Brewhaha the 2019 Microbusiness of the Year
designation in the River Valley. Brewhaha is slowly making
its way across the state, but it can be found locally at
Woodman’s, Festival Foods, Metcalfe’s Market and Miller &
Sons Supermarket. 616-9994, brewhaharoasters.com
Colectivo Coffee
What began as a love for vinyl records and java in
Milwaukee in 1993 has transformed into a statewide
powerhouse, Colectivo Coffee. Its adorable candy skull
stickers line the laptops and street poles of campus. For
Colectivo, 1999 marked a new era, as a super sweet
decision to offer baked goods, like almond croissants and
orange currant scones, has endured. While you can find
Colectivo at a multitude of restaurants and cafes in the
Madison area, including Mother Fools Coffeehouse and
Gotham Bagels, there are also three standalone Colectivo
Coffee locations in Madison. 2530 Monroe St., 630-8930;
583 State St., 709-1911, colectivocoffee.com
John Joseph Coffee
Here Ye! Here Ye! Make way for John Joseph III and John
Joseph IV. OK, so they aren’t real royalty, per se, but rather
kings of roasting. The father and son duo from Sauk Prairie
are doing it solely “for the love of coffee.†Well, and the fact
that they love their community so much. “Our goal is to be
on every counter of every home in Sauk Prairie, with as
much of that going back out to local businesses,
organizations and charity groups as we can,†co-owner John
Brennan says. Take a short half-hour drive to Sauk City to
grab a bag of fair trade and organically grown coffee at
Wyttenbach Meats. John Joseph Coffee also ships.
469-8786, johnjosephcoffee.com
Ruby Coffee Roasters
About two hours north of Madison in Nelsonville is the
4,000-plus-square-foot home of Ruby Coffee Roasters. The
small rural town with a population of less than 200 is where
the people behind Ruby have put down roots in a renovated
warehouse to roast and ship their nationally acclaimed
coffee. If you pay a visit to the tasting room, be sure to take
extra time to check out the nearby hiking trails and blow off
some energy. These folks roast beans multiple times every
week and try to ship as quickly as possible. But why so
much commitment? “We like to think that we have deep
connections to the coffee we source,†says Ruby’s Sale
Manager Jesse Raub. Find Ruby at The Heights or Alimentari
and just outside Madison at Wildwood Cafe in Stoughton.
Roastery/tasting room: 9515 Water St., Nelsonville,
715-254-1592; Cafe: 1410 Third St., Stevens Point,
715-544-6139, rubycoffeeroasters.com
Wonderstate Coffee
Formerly Kickapoo Coffee, this group of roasters swapped
out its name for a new one over the summer. With humble
beginnings in a train depot in 2005, Wonderstate has now
revamped its brand and is expanding its effort to sling
ethical coffee. Powered by solar energy, the roastery in
Viroqua aims to help the environment. Carbon offsets are
purchased to balance out wholesale shipments, and a 96-
panel solar display right outside the front door handles the
rest. Wonderstate’s new Capitol Square cafe is in the works,
but you can pop online or travel to Viroqua, Milwaukee or
Bayfield for the time being. From the bright and punchy
Panorama blend to a rich and fudgy bag of Big Dipper,
sustainability is coupled with satisfaction if you are sipping
on a Wonderstate brew.
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