downtown fresno blog

Posted by Cole Judge

Living a healthy life is one of my highest priorities. One of the main reasons that I live downtown is to live a healthy, active life where I can walk and bike on a daily basis and only use my car on weekends.

The CDC recommends we get at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. The U.K. Department of Health noted that “the only realistic way that adults will meet physical activity requirements is through regular walking and bicycling” (Litman et al. 2006). Believe it or not, bicycling can be a realistic mode of transportation, especially since 60% of all vehicle trips are less than 5 miles and 40% are 2 miles or less (NHTS 2001). The Van Ness corridor has a bicycle lane leading right into downtown. H Street does too. These short vehicle trips could be replaced with bicycle trips on these bike lanes. Other data show we should be averaging about 10,000 steps a day. Pedometers out for a lunchtime walk!  Numerous studies show that the built environment plays an important role in daily physical activity. I find this to be true.

Downtown Fresno is still the “new frontier,” but it is on its way to meet its potential be a very vibrant, dense urban core. We already have places to walk and bike to in downtown!

How can one live a healthy life in Downtown Fresno?

• Bike and walk: to work, on your lunchbreak, to run errands. Start a lunchtime walking club.
• If you live within a mile, it’s a lovely walk to work. That’s you, you downtown lofters!
• Exercise downtown:
  • Walk or bike to work, of course, with a Public Bike from Fulton Cycle Works.
  • Get your yoga on at COIL Yoga or The Dungeon’s Hot Yoga.
  • Work out at The Dungeon’s group fitness classes.
  • Contact Biz Werks to have personal training sessions downtown.
  • Contact Vital You for nutritional consulting, corrective exercise and tai chi.
  • Work out with the local celebrity street performer, Mr. Body Fitness, on the Fulton Street Mall.
  • Eat healthy!! Eat whole foods, lean proteins, vegetables, organic  and local at:
    • Revive Café, a delicious raw food café with smoothies, coffees, lunches, and desserts. Revive Café is such a gem in downtown Fresno. Everyone go here now!!
    • Broadway Farmer’s Market, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7am to 2:30pm, year-round.
    • The Market on Kern, Wednesdays 9am-1pm from April 3^rd to Oct 30^th
    • The Grizzlies’ Farmers Market, during home games
    • Teazer ‘s World Tea Market
    • Fresh and Easy’s organic section
    • Lean protein, including fish, with veggies from places like Sushi Hana and Saigon Deli
    • Take time to meditate.
      • Take a walking meditation around Downtown’s public art.
      • Find a spot to relax at a café in Civic Center Square.
      • Walk and enjoy the trees at Courthouse Park.
      • Take advantage of any healthy living initiatives going on by Community Regional Medical Center.

Bicycle commuter, Michelle Wong, enjoys bicycling in the sunshine downtown

Also check out Downtown Adjacent Neighborhoods:

Organic Fresno
Organic Fresno is just outside of downtown and they believe in making nutrition accessible to all. You can assist by visiting their restaurant, attending their dinner theater or sponsoring their grocery market.

Tzu Chi Mobile Clinic
Healthy Fresno is hosting its first annual Healthy Fresno clinic with the Tzu Chi Mobile Clinic in a downtown adjacent neighborhood, Sunnyside. This clinic will bring medical services (health screenings, diabetes check, breast exam, blood pressure check, dental cleanings-fillings-extractions, vision screening, acupuncture, flu shots) and resources (zumba, yoga, child activities, theatre) to the community on March 16^th from 8am-6pm and March 17^th from 8am-4pm at Sunnyside High School (1019 S. Peach Ave).