Keeping Balance in Perspective

Sep 24th, 2007

Hey, Lena here from the ‘Wellness Fast Lane’ again… 

On my path to wellness nirvana, I hear/read/see/eavesdrop on a lot of conversations that have to do with balance.

I find that it stresses me the heck out!

The five areas of your life…the six quadrants of your world….the seven components of a well-lived life.

Blah, blah, blah….

I’m sorry but my world doesn’t come segemented into bits and pieces like a McDonald’s Happy Meal. Sometimes my personal life edges over into my professional life and vice versa….and there are other grey areas.

Now, I know what these experts mean when they say these things, but I guess what really stresses me out is when they tell me that all my areas have to get equal attention or I’m some kind of colossal loser.

Well, you know what? The more I focus on embodying wellness, the more I realize that there are going to be certain areas of my McDonald’s Happy meal that are going to get more attention than others — sometimes I’m going to like the fries more and sometimes I’m going to like the toy more. Deal.

And, you know what else? That’s what makes me SANE.

I don’t say that to say it’s healthy to work all the time and get no physical activity but, sometimes you’re just going to have to work for months at a time on a work project and everything else takes a backseat. Sometimes your parents will get sick and you just focus on them for however long it takes and everyone else can go scratch.

I think the healthy attitude comes into play when it’s a conscious choice and when you set limits. Saying to yourself, “I’m going to work on this really diligently for 6 months and then I’m moving on.”

Is it just me or are your ‘life lines’ blurry, too?

P.S. It’s probably horrible that I just used a McDonald’s Happy Meal analogy on a wellness blog, but hey, I made my point, right?

Self-Care Tips for the Cold Season

Sep 24th, 2007

Self-care is your best defense during cold season which tends to run from September until March or April.  To avoid getting sick, wash your hands frequently, get plenty of sleep, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, stay hydrated, and reduce stress.  Yes, that’s a lot to do, but it’s the basic prescription for a strong immune system.

Because colds are caused by viruses, there is no cure for the common cold. Antibiotics do not kill these viruses and can lead to resistant strains of bacteria. Prevention is the best approach to combat the cold virus. However, once it’s taken hold, the best you can do is try to minimize your symptoms. The following self-care tips should help.

Self-Care Tips

1. GARGLE with salt water to help soothe a sore throat. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of plain salt in a glass of very warm water.
2. Increase FLUIDS such as water, juice, hot tea, soups, etc. Hot liquids can help relieve nasal congestion & soothe a sore throat.
3. WASH your hands often.
4. EAT regular, well-balanced meals.
5. STAY HOME and get more REST. SLEEP at least 7-9 hours per night.
6. If you have trouble sleeping because of stuffy nose or nasal drainage, use extra pillows to PROP yourself up at a 45° angle.
7. Use soothing music, peaceful surroundings, rest, and/or a fun book to relax and combat pain.
8. AVOID smoke & alcohol. They can aggravate and prolong symptoms.
9. Take HOT steamy SHOWERS — helps suppress coughs and loosen congestion.
10. Use HUMIDIFIER or VAPORIZER to keep air moist and sooth irritated nasal and throat passages.
11. Use a MENTHOLATED OINTMENT around your nose. This will help open breathing passages and soothe irritated skin.

If your symptoms do not gradually improve within 7 days and/or you experience other symptoms, see your health care provider.

10 Fitness Myths Exposed

Sep 23rd, 2007

As an exercise physiologist, I work to dispel fitness myths.  It’s not always easy because myths have a way of perpetuating themselves – they’re viral. 

At ediets.com I found a good article that dispels 10 popular myths.  Here they are:

By Raphael Calzadilla, B.A., CPT, ACE
eDiets Contributor

It’s that time again… Time to dispel some of the prevailing fitness and nutrition myths. Oh, and believe me, there are many.

So pull up a chair, put aside your “lose 50 pounds by eating only grapefruit” article and open your mind for just a little while. You may disagree with these facts, but that’s what keeps the myths alive.

And away we go…

MYTH: Women will get big if they weight train.

A woman has approximately one-third the testosterone compared to a man, so putting on a ton of muscle is not going to happen. The women you see in the magazines who look big and manly are on steroids, growth hormones, etc. You may look bulky if you’re carrying excessive body fat and building muscle. However, if you’re reducing body fat, you’ll eventually be able to see those lean, defined muscles.

MYTH: You must work out five to six days per week to make progress.

I see a lot of people in the gym five to six days a week, and they’d be better off playing ping pong. Consistency and level of effort is the key. I’d rather see someone work out three days per week with enthusiasm and intensity, than five inconsistent days of lackadaisical effort. In fact, for those clients that have trouble with motivation, I recommend only two days of workouts per week, but they must do it every week.

MYTH: Spot Reducing is Possible.

The human body loses fat over the entire body at various rates of speed. It’s impossible to spot reduce. If you’re focusing on only losing fat that sits on your hips, it won’t work. Generally, the first place you gain fat is the last place you lose it.

MYTH: Stretching prevents injuries.

After analyzing the results of six studies, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could not find any correlation between stretching and injury prevention. According to Dr. Julie Gilchrist, one of the researchers involved with the study, “Stretching increases flexibility, but most injuries occur within the normal range of motion.” Dr. Gilchrist goes on to say, “Stretching and warming up have just gone together for decades. It’s simply what’s done, and it hasn’t been approached through rigorous science.”

Make no mistake — a stretching program is not without benefits. Seven of nine studies suggest that a regular stretching program does help to strengthen muscles. However, it does not appear to actually prevent injuries. Warming up prior to exercise and increasing blood flow to the muscles is actually more conducive to injury prevention. I’m not suggesting that you eliminate stretching. It is valuable and flexibility is certainly important as we age. However, we may be off base assuming it’s an injury-prevention technique.

MYTH: One should lose weight before they begin an exercise program.

There is no physiological reason to lose weight prior to beginning an exercise program. Exercise is the best thing for your health, and there is no time like the present to start. There are too many benefits of exercise to list here, but you’re doing every system and cell in your body a world of good by exercising. Any amount — starting with five minutes a day — is beneficial.

Fat loss and muscle gain are only two of the many benefits that your body will experience from exercising. Each day will get a little easier as you become more fit. There is no justification for waiting to begin — unless you have orders from your doctor.

Whether you exercise with 20-percent body fat or 30-percent body fat, you’ll still be providing your body with the same benefits. When you carry less weight, you can move a little more easily, and it may be less strenuous on your heart. You can be more fit at 30-percent body fat if you are exercising than if you try to achieve 20-percent body fat without exercising.

The goal is to gain or preserve muscle and lose fat, not just lose weight (which implies both muscle and fat).

MYTH: Lifting weights very slowly is the best way to weight train.
Lifting super slowly produces super long workouts — and that’s it. University of Alabama researchers recently studied two groups of lifters doing a 29-minute workout. One group performed exercises using a 5-second up phase and a 10-second down phase, the other a more traditional approach of one second up and one second down. The faster group burned 71 percent more calories and lifted 250 percent more weight than the super slow lifters.

The real expert says: “The best increases in strength are achieved by doing the up phase as rapidly as possible,” says Gary Hunter, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., the lead study author. “Lower the weight more slowly and under control.” There’s greater potential for growth during the lowering phase, and when you lower with control, there’s less chance of injury.

MYTH: Eating a lot less or going on a crash diet will get the results you seek.
This was a dietary strategy popularized prior to the 1980s. People would go on crash diets like the grapefruit diet and lose weight — meaning muscle and fat. They assumed just eating less would take care of everything.

Today, we know total calories are important, but so are the amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats in the diet.

A slight caloric deficit (less than maintenance) must be adhered to, as well as eating small meals and snacks every two to three hours. This helps to control blood sugar, and it is a fact that blood-sugar control will help you to lose fat. eDiets.com takes all the planning and hassles away by doing it for you.

I always recommend some sort of structured nutritional program. Just guessing doesn’t work.

MYTH: Performing countless abdominal crunches thinking it will get rid of the “pooch” area on the lower tummy/abdominal area.

I get a question related to this issue approximately 20 times per week. It is not possible to spot-reduce any area of the body.

The real solution is to reduce overall body fat through a slight caloric deficit, add resistance exercise (weight training) to stimulate the metabolism and cardiovascular exercise to burn additional calories. That’s the way to fat loss.

Performing crunches will never reduce the abdominal area because it only serves to strengthen muscle, not flatten a specific area. Just as 200 bicep curls will not make the arm smaller, nor will 200 abdominal crunches make the waist smaller. You cannot spot reduce any part of the body. It’s just not physiologically possible.

MYTH: Performing a lot of cardio is the best way to lose fat.

Some people go up to 90 minutes or longer on a cardio machine. The problem with this strategy is it’s completely ineffective. It’s a poor method to lose body fat and a real time waster.

You can workout for long sessions with moderate intensity or use shorter sessions with higher intensity (based on your fitness level). You can’t do both!

The shorter, more-intense session will burn more overall calories and preserve muscle, which will make you look tight and lean when you get to your scale weight goal. In addition, the shorter, intense sessions will have a more profound effect on the calories you continue to burn 24 hours after completing the session.

Want to lose fat efficiently through cardio? Pick up your pace a bit and try to get a more intense and efficient 30 to 45 minutes. You don’t need to be huffing and puffing for dear life, just increase the intensity a bit and keep it sustained at a higher level within your target heart-rate range.

MYTH: Calories are the only thing that counts when trying to lose fat or gain muscle.

Ratios of proteins, carbohydrates and fats are also important. The key to losing fat and gaining muscle is controlling and manipulating insulin levels. In simple terms, when we consume excessive calories or excessive amounts of high glycemic carbohydrates at one meal, the body’s blood sugar rises. When this happens, the pancreas secretes insulin to lower blood sugar levels.

One of the many drawbacks of this happening excessively is, along with putting you at risk for diabetes, the body also holds onto stored fat! A balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats works most efficiently in losing fat and gaining muscle.

Don’t forget, the ultimate key to a lean and tight body is the combination of proper nutrition, exercise and consistency.

As always, check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.

 A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and 2005 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.

The Drugs I Need!

Sep 18th, 2007

Did you ever laugh out loud when watching a drug ad on television – all the side effects – or were you just hopeful that taking the drug would fix whatever ails you? In the U.S., we have a love affair with drugs. Our motto seems to be “better living through chemistry.” Hey that sounds familiar!

Watch this little video on this topic. Funny, yes?
The Drugs I Need

Ah….A Massage!

Sep 18th, 2007

Good self-care includes getting a great massage! Check out this loving massage

The Massage (it’s so funny, it’s worth clicking–oh, and it’s clean. It’s a cat massaging a puppy—aaaawwwww)

Thin Waist, Fat Wallet?

Sep 17th, 2007

I’m curious what you think about carots and sticks as they relate to employers strategies to encourage healthy living – in order to get a break from exploding health care costs and to increase productivity, morale, and well-being.   After reading the article below, please let us know your thoughts at the comments link at the bottom.  Do you love carrots or sticks, or a combination? 

By Lindsay Garrison
eDiets Contributor

Is your health affecting your bottom line? When was the last time the cost of your health insurance premium crossed your mind while on the scale? If the answer is “never,” you may be happy to learn that the benefits of a healthy lifestyle can extend beyond the scale into your wallet.

It’s no secret that healthcare costs are rising, especially in the United States where approximately two-thirds of adults are either overweight or obese. Both employers and employees are suffering from “high premium-itis” and there appears to be no cure in sight. However, many employers and insurance companies are taking steps to get healthcare costs under control.

So what exactly is being done to address the issue? Well, several approaches seem to be rolling out to combat these super-sized healthcare costs. Some are more obvious than others and some penalize unhealthy habits while others take a more affirming approach. What does not change, however, is the need to provide some form of motivation for employees to take ownership of their health. And, as the old saying goes, money talks.

One approach that will be used by a mid-western employer in the coming years will deduct penalty fees from the paychecks of employees who don’t meet prescribed health criteria. Weight, cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking guidelines have been set forth and the company will charge employees $30 every two weeks if they don’t meet the criteria. Easy math tells you that’s a “health tax” of $720 a year!

On the insurance side, some healthcare companies are now offering health plans with deductibles that can be dramatically reduced by meeting and maintaining specific health criteria. In addition, some insurance companies are now offering programs that promote and reward preventive measures and healthy lifestyles.

For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware offers a program called “Healthy Dividends,” which provides reimbursement for weight loss, smoking cessation and fitness efforts. (www.bcbsde.com). It’s understandable that programs like this are popping up when you consider that a considerable portion of medical benefits go to preventable conditions.

Another much less documented and more controversial approach has been to alter the pay scale based on weight. According to a Stanford University study of obese workers with health coverage, “those surveyed were paid an average of $1.20 less per hour than non obese workers, perhaps because employers intentionally adjust their wages to account for health costs.”

Now take that obesity factor and add a side of gender. Another study has suggested that highly-educated, obese women earn about 30 percent less than women of average size. The study concluded that the pressure to be thin may be felt the most by women of higher socio-economic classes. Now that’s heavy.

So, here’s a call to action! Check out your health insurance policy to see if you there are any programs offered by your employer which reward healthy living. You may find that the cost of your gym membership could be supplemented or that your healthcare premiums could be reduced. Isn’t it worth a few minutes to see if your healthy habits can put a few bucks back in your wallet?

Lindsay Garrison is posing as a freelance writer while pursuing her MBA at the University of Delaware.

See the comment link below?  Click that and tell us what you think.

Chemicals in Health & Beauty Products

Sep 12th, 2007

Have you ever read the list of ingredients on your favorite health and beauty products?  You’d need a degree in chemistry to be able to make sense of the list.

People (you and I!) are just now starting to pay attention to the ingredients in products we use every day to keep us beautiful and healthy!  It’s a very good sign. 

Recently a friend sent me an email about tooth soap.  It caught my eye because I’ve been having difficulty finding a tooth paste that doesn’t make my mouth swell up.  I don’t know if my mouth has suddenly become sensitive or if tooth pastes have changed their formulas in recent years – but the bottom line is that my mouth is not happy with most tooth pastes.  Enter tooth soap…..

TOOTH SOAP

Is tooth soap a better alternative than chemical laden toothpaste?  I don’t have the answer but I found this website interesting.  What I do know is that it’s getting more and more difficult to find gold ol’ toothpaste that doesn’t have a gazillion chemicals in it.  So I’m thinking that tooth soap is worth looking into.

Comments

What do you think about chemicals in health and beauty products?  Tell us at the comments link below. 

Organic Fraud – Milk!

Sep 12th, 2007

Have you noticed that “green” is IN?  And that organic is big business?  I think it’s great that we’re finally paying more attention to cleaning up the environment and eating cleaner food – but there is a downside.  It’s called hoodwinking.  It’s called making huge profits.  It’s called marketing.  It’s called finding the loopholes so agribusinesses can lie and not get caught–until now!

The Aurora milk producer has been caught – but it took 3 years.  Here’s an excerpt of that story from the Organic Bytes newsletter:

ACTION ALERT OF THE WEEK:
PUT AN END TO ORGANIC DAIRY FRAUD–ONCE & FOR ALL
SUCCESS STORY: Thanks to pressure from organic consumers, Cornucopia Institute and the OCA, the USDA has finally taken preliminary enforcement action against Aurora Organic for falsely labeling factory farmed milk as “organic”. Aurora is the nation’s largest supplier of “private label” organic milk to large retail chains and wholesalers including Wild Oats, Wal-Mart, Costco (”High Meadows”), Safeway (”O” Organics), Target, Giant (”Natures Promise”), UNFI (”Woodstock Farms”), and others. Part of USDA’s long overdue slap on the wrist of Aurora includes a legally binding Consent Agreement by Aurora to stop labeling some (but not all) of its milk as “USDA Organic” and to sell off hundreds of conventionally raised cows from their massive feedlots. In effect the USDA has forced Aurora to admit that they have deliberately and willfully defrauded organic consumers since 2003 by selling millions of dollars of cheap feedlot milk as organic, utilizing intensive confinement of their milk cows and illegally importing calves from non-organic dairy farms. More information on this issue

As consumers we need to be on the look out for too-good-to-be-true health claims – this includes pricing.   Big chains have been offering cheap “organics” – and now some of the under-the-radar-stretching-the-truth practices are coming to light.  As consumers, we can be part of the solution instead of part of the problem (not paying attention and listening to our guts).

How to Get Fat Without Really Trying

Sep 11th, 2007

Before his death, Peter Jennings produced a fabulous series of programs on How to Get Fat Without Really Trying.  He interviews experts in nutrition, farming, public policy, and others.  Each video is short but eye-opening.  If you want your eyes opened, watch this this series.

Jennings discusses farm subsidies and a variety of unintentional consequences of our public policies.  The interviews shine the light on the disconnection between U.S. agricultural policies and public health.  Also up for discussion is…who is responsible for Americans getting fat?  Is it the individual, the government, the media, agribusinesses?  You may be surprised by what you see.

Watch it!

Do the Gratitude Dance!

Sep 10th, 2007

Have you noticed how happy people are who have a regular gratitude practice?  They seem to be grateful for something – no matter what.  I think that’s a great way to live.  I’m keen on gratitude. 

If you’d like a little gratitude inspiration, watch this little 3-minute  video.  It’s fun!

Do you have a gratitude practice?  Tell us about it  – click the comment link below.