Worried about your child's weight?

Here is one of the best posts I've ever read talking about the childhood obesity epidemic.  Please read it and see if this approach makes sense to you, too.

Just another reason for me to love my iphone!!!

Ever been blown away by just how smart your smart phone is?  I am! (and slightly scared too)

Here is some research that indicated our phones might provide just what is needed to make prosthetic limbs work better!  Super, duper cool.

Controlling your life force

Just listen to what breathing can do.....  Pranayama -- can it really effect our genes?

10 Interesting Facts about Women from Avivah Wittenberg-Cox

Here are some cool statistics about women and our changing world from a manifesto at ChangeThis.

21st Century Reality


So where are we today? In these early years of the third millennium, the roles of women have
changed dramatically and the gender balance of our global economy is shifting below our feet:

1. In 2010, women became the majority of the US labor force (51%)

2. Women now represent 60% of university graduates in developed (and many developing) countries

3. Women make most of the purchasing decisions in everything from cars and computers, to real estate and tourism. They also are majority of Internet users and dominate the leading social media websites.

4. They start most of the new companies created each year in the US.5. The number of wealthy women in the U.S. is growing twice as fast as the number of wealthy men.

6. Women represent more than 40 percent of all Americans with gross investable assets above $600,000.

7. Forty-five percent of American millionaires are women.

8. Sixty percent of high net worth women have earned their own fortunes.

9. 80% of the jobs lost in the US in the current recession were lost by men.  Three quarters of the jobs created in Europe since the year 2000 were filled by women.

10. Fortune 500 Companies with more gender balanced leadership teams outperform their peers financially.

Here's a neat map

Check out how different areas of our country measure up in access to information, life expectancy, and standards of living.  This is a neat way to view opportunities for improvement or play to our strengths!

But....how can YOU change the world???

What can you do to change your world?  --Anything you can imagine.

Our evolution???

Reposted from Jay Parkinson -- an interesting thought about evolution.

Evolution typically works through environmental stressors. The environment becomes harsher, a gene mutates, and that gene propagates throughout the population because the mutant is actually better able to deal with the environment.

But what happens when the environment in which we live isn’t overly harsh, but overly productive? Our consumer culture over-produces and over-consumes. We have a huge excess of calories in everything, especially cheap sugars and fats.

Does this mean that genes that determine your level of self-control are now evolutionarily more advantageous? Is this massive amount of calories we can consume now an evolutionary stressor?

Is it now beneficial for the population of people to have a large number of individuals with strong self-control genes?

A Thanksgiving Day appreciative look at our Gut and what it does for us

Kids and concussions

It seems like this has been in the new a lot lately.  Here is an interesting talk by a neuropsychologist working in the field of brain injuries.  Enjoy!

Vitamin D related to childhood obesity

Many of us are worried about what are children are getting, how much exercise they are getting, and how those things relate to their weight (and ultimately their health).

In walks a study from the University of Michigan, that takes a look at blood levels of Vitamin D and how it relates to weight gain. (Low levels indicate increased risk for weight gain).

The best source of Vitamin D is when our bodies are stimulated to manufacture it's own Vitamin D by exposure of the skin to sunlight.  So here's my question:

Are the kids with lower levels of Vitamin D the ones spending most of their time inside (as opposed to outside playing in the sunshine)?  It seems possible to me that if we sent our kids outside to play more, their levels of Vitamin D would go up and their weight would go down due to the fact they were outside moving around!

Simple enough and a Win-Win situation.  Tell me what you think.

Click here to see the Science A GoGo article.

Hate the gym? There are a million ways to skin a cat

Do you hate going to the gym?  Do your kids think soccer is boring?  How about giving this a try?

Exercise -- good for what ails you

Not be beat a dead horse (and yes, I am TOTALLY biased about the power of exercise!) -- but here is an a summary of 40 research article findings published between 2006 and 2010 that support the premise that exercise positively effects TWO DOZEN health conditions -- from cancer to dementia.

Here are some highlights:

•Regular moderate to intense physical activity is associated with decreased risk of coronary heart disease and ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke.


•A growing body of evidence suggests that increasing physical activity can also reduce the risk of certain types of cancers, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity and high blood pressure.

•Evidence of the beneficial effects of physical activity in the primary prevention and management of cancer is growing and there is an association between higher levels of physical activity and lower cancer death rates.

•Research has found that walking or cycling for at least an half-an-hour a day is associated with a reduction in cancer and that when this is increased to an hour cancer incidence falls by 16 per cent.

•Evidence is mixed when it comes to specific cancers. Research has shown a strong relationship between increased physical activity and reduced colon cancer in both sexes. And men who are more active at work -- not just sitting at a desk -- have lower rates of prostate cancer.

•Other cancer studies show that physical activity after diagnosis can aid recovery and improve outcomes.

•Studies have also shown that men who are physically active are less likely to experience erection problems.

•There is growing evidence that physical activity could decrease the risk of dementia in the elderly.

As a note: the highlighting is mine.  Sure...you probably know that exercise decreases the risk for Type II Diabetes but the C word (cancer) is SCARY!!  And if you can do something that will make you feel better immediately and decrease the risk of cancer -- I am all for that!!!

How powerful is exercise?

An extensive research review, published in the December issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice, says that apart from not smoking, being physically active is the most powerful lifestyle choice any individual can make to improve their health.

The most powerful choice you can make second to being a non-smoker!  Wow! 

Call to ACTION

The other day I was listening to a report about some farmer/ranchers/ORV hobbyist out West who were concerned than an native endangered toad would cause the government to legislate how they could use their land in an effort to save the endangered toads' habitat.  Their fear was the government would step in and tell them no more off-road riding, no more ranching, etc.

In an effort to stop the government from doing this, land owners got together and figured out how to create habitat for the toad population in a way that would let them still use their land like they wanted to.  And it worked!  The toad population is on the rise!

The real point I want to make here is the "why" of why this worked.  It worked because people took action together.  They created a tribe of people interested in tackling this problem...now!  People are powerful when they rally together and act -- most of the time we just need a place to come together and get to work.

If you are concerned with our rising inactivity and how our behaviors are effecting our kids -- here is your rallying place.  Sound out and leave a comment.  Let others know your out there and you have the will to take action on this problem!  Today. Let's move (literally) on this today!!!

A Kanasas State University Professor goes on the "Twinkie" Diet

Ok -- there is a LOT of confusion out there about "healthy" eating, healthy weight and portion control.  Think you have it all figured out???  You may need to think again!  Click here to read how this university professor ate Twinkies, Little Debbie snack cakes, Doritos, and the like and LOST WEIGHT, reduced his cholesterol, reduced his triglycerides and became healthier by current health standard.

This is definitely food for thought!

Soda may accelerate the aging process!

Check this out! 

What we can learn from our Kids

I just read a wonderful article in the Atlantic about how some schools are using creative (and dare I say common-sensical) presentations to get our kids to choose healthier food options instead of the cookie and chocolate milk stand-bys.

Maybe we should consider like-minded changes for our own homes, too.

Taking a Fresh Look at an Old Idea.

This below is an experpt  from the forward thinking website Future Now.  The cool thing about this idea isn't that it would work everywhere, it's that there are a million creative ways to encourage people to interact, support one another, build community and become healthier as a result.

"Take Good Gym, a scheme which is currently being piloted in Tower Hamlets, London. Good Gym starts from the premise that the very idea of gyms as a place to exercise are symptomatic of a sick society. As an alternative to the treadmill, participants sign up to run a set number of miles in their neighborhood, and on their way, they drop in to visit an elderly person who might struggle to get out and about. Participants might drop off a library book or some grocercies, or they might just stay for a chat. The motivation to stick to a running schedule is hugley increased with the knowledge that there is someone waiting for a visit. And the elderly participants in the scheme go from being passive recipients of a volunteering project to much needed "coaches," helping someone to achieve their fitness goals."

I hope it inspired you to take a fresh look at your activities and the possibilities of what you can do!

Great news for our kids!

Young teenagers who play sports are found to be happier with themselves and their worlds!  Great news for parents!

Click here to read the article and study results!

Pay yourself First

Chris Brogan posted a list of  "pay yourself first" principles -- I think they are really worth taking under consideration.  The healthier you are, the more productive you can be -- but more importantly, the more you are able to find the joy in your own life (which has the benefit of making you healthier....note the positive reinforcing circle?)  So here they are ( if you like the list -- click on over to Chris' site and check it out):

If you want to improve your lot in life, if you want to balance your priorities, here’s my quick little recipe for paying yourself first:

Get as close to 8 hours of sleep a night as you can.

 

Schedule “do not disturb” time with your family as often as possible.

 

Weigh every business opportunity against your change in quality of life.

Ask for what you’re worth, so you can work the right number of hours for respectable pay.

Work your core projects first over all external projects.

Weigh the negatives and positives of any trip you might be asked to take. Decide accordingly.

Realize that physical fitness boosts mental fitness and make it a priority, not a nice-to-have.

Listen for warning signs (your body tells you when you’re messing with its parameters).

Cut out junk: food, hours, consumption, entertainment. Your mind and body deserve the best.

Audit how you’re spending your time and validate whether it’s working for you.

Get out into nature once every two days at least. Nature is that other window with the higher resolution.

Halloween Candy Spending facts

According to the National Retail Federation, the average American will spend $66.28 on Halloween this year. Second only to costumes, candy eats up the largest chunk of this budget with American families spending an average of $22 each Halloween on confections.

OH MY GOODNESS!!  Who knew???

A new formula for Marathon Runners

Runners know you need carbs to keep going.  When marathoners run out of stored carbs, it's called "hitting the wall".  Some think it's inevitable during the race but here's a researcher who has a calculation that just might improve your changes of hitting the wall all together.

Green tea affecting iron absorption?

We all try to eat healthy -- increase our antioxidants -- do all the things we should to maintain and improve out health.  What happens when too much of one good thing interferes with another?

Research has recently reported at study looking into what happens when participants ate grape seed extract and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) found in green tea.

The take home:  these compounds may block iron absorption.  Interested in learning more?  Click here.

Thought for the Day....

There's lots of people in this world who spend so much time watching their health that they haven't the time to enjoy it. ~Josh Billings

An interesting thought on Pain Relief

"Love is the drug....." --I can't remember the next part of that song.

New research using MRI scanners indicates that love (or in this case looking at a picture of one you love) can reduce the amount of pain a person feels.

Researchers put study volunteers into an MRI and induced pain (a hot probe to the palm) -- while the participant was in pain, they were shown a picture of an acquaintance or a picture of their beloved or given a distracting cognitive task (naming sports that don't use balls).

Researchers found that looking at a picture of a beloved reduced the participants moderate pain by 40 percent and reduced severe pain 10-15 percent.  The distracting task reduced pain by similar level but used mostly cogitative pathways of the brain where as the picture of the loved one lit up the pleasure centers of the brain indicating dopamine release (similar to the pain relieving effects of a runner's high).

Cool, huh?  For more information on this study, click here!

Significant Health Problem Alert

 "Obesity is among the most significant public health problems of the 21st century...." says a report coming out in JAMA October 27.

It is also almost completely in our power to change.  We will never have everyone the size of Barbie -- Thank goodness for that!  But we could all weigh less tomorrow than we do today by making just a few changes....today....to how we eat.  If we do that today then get up and do that again tomorrow (and so on), we will knock out "one of the most significant public health problem" -- no muss, no fuss, no telethon.

BMI

The other day, I was out in the community delivering a Wellness presentation to a group of professionals.  One of the subjects of the talk was BMI (or Body Mass Index), what it is a measurement of, and what ways can the data it gives accurately be used.

I got into a little bit of trouble from this particular group and I am not entirely sure why.  It might be because they were getting conflicting reports about what the measurement really says about them -- and maybe I added to the problem by adding another wrinkle.

Here is an extension of what research is saying about BMI.  I agree with some of the cited researchers when they say sometimes, the stress of being labeled overweight is worse for you than the motivational benefit that the label provides.

If you feel you have a good grasp on BMI already -- I encourage you to click here and scroll to the bottom of the page under the heading Limitations and Shortcomings. 

Read the article -- and then let me know what you think!

Cultivating Luck

This is a prime example of why I love this blog.  The article I just read was posted in the NY Times and is all about how luck can be cultivated.  Lucky charms, lucky underwear -- they work.  They inspire us to try harder and longer.  And isn't that what luck is all about???

Fear of Getting Fat captured on MRI

Here is an interesting observation:

Researchers looking for better diagnostic tools for eating disorders screened women to see who was at risk for body image issues.  Once screened, the women were put in an MRI and shown pictures of women of different body size. 

The researchers were surprised to see that when a picture of an overweight female stranger was put in front of the test subject, the part of the brain active when body image issues are present lit up --even in women who seemingly had no real body image issues.  --Sure, the response was not as large as those with known body image issues -- but it lit up no the less.  (and to a much, much greater degree than did the male test subjects under the same conditions).

It just goes to show something we have known for a while -- even the most secure women are susceptible to body image issues -- it's just the culture we live in.

For more information on this study, click here.

Average soda consumption

I did some math this weekend for a friend of mine -- I thought it was interesting and worth sharing:

The average American consume 50 gallons of soda per year.  That's .96 gallons per week.  That's just over 6 - 20oz bottles per week.  (that doesn't seem so bad right?)

Well...if you figure there is 40.5 grams of sugar in a can (12 oz) of Coke.  Then a 20 oz bottle has 67.5 grams.  That's 4.7 tablespoons per bottle --  1.75 cups of sugar per week just from the soda you're drinking.  No wonder we have diabetes issues in the US!!

Life is about balance

I just read an interesting article on folate and Vitamin B12.  Each one has benefits -- appropriate folate is associated with fewer neural tube defects in newborns, and better cognitive functioning in older adults.

B12 helps regulate normal body functioning and assists in red blood cell formation.  Life gets tricky when things get out of balance:

"After adjusting for other factors, the researchers found significant links between low B12 and increased risk of anemia (170%) and cognitive impairment (150%). Among the subjects with low vitamin B12 status, high levels of folate were associated with both anemia (210%) and cognitive impairment (160%). Those findings suggest a possible harmful effect from excess folic acid when paired with B12 deficiency.



For subjects with normal B12 levels, however, folic acid seemed to have a beneficial effect on cognitive impairment. High folate levels in this group were associated with a 60% lower risk of cognitive impairment. No significant association was seen for other conditions."

For more information on the importance of folate/Vitamin B12 balance, click here!

Good news!!

Want your child to be smarter?  Get them moving!!  A recent study found that kids who were better at utilizing the oxygen they breathe (THE measure of fitness), had better developed parts of the brain that control memory and spacial relations (the hippocampus) -- 12% larger than unfit children.

Perhaps we are cutting funding to physical education classes prematurely.  Perhaps we should think about how much time kids get in front of the TV.  Perhaps they should be outside running around -- building up their fitness levels so they can grow the brains they need to do well in life.

Thought for the Day....

As a people, we have become obsessed with Health. There is something fundamentally, radically unhealthy about all this. We do not seem to be seeking more exuberance in living as much as staving off failure, putting off dying. We have lost all confidence in the human body. ~Lewis Thomas, The Medusa and the Snail, 1979


Live your life exuberantly today!  Carpe Diem!!

Sports drinks do not mean health drinks

Okay, this is a pretty big no brainer if you take time to think about it.  There has been a ton of research recently about perceptions of food based on the context it is presented to the consumer.  (Think "anything at Subway must be healthy because Jerod lost a bunch of weight and it's slogan is "Eat Fresh") -- so not necessarily true!

This next study talks about sugar-sweetened sports drinks, who's drinking them, and how much they are drinking.  Many times, kids are presented with these drinks as "Healthy Options" to soda because they are related to sport -- again, not necessarily true. 

Sports drinks do have large value in certain situations -- those who have lost salt and water (whether athlete or senior citizen) can benefit from the replacement factor sports drinks offer.  But if the kids are just drinking them instead of water when their shleppin' around school, then need to know it's the wrong tool for the job.

Tight Blood Pressure Control

I always find it interesting when a study comes out saying that there isn't a real difference between tight regulation (though pharmacological means) and improved long-term outcomes of the disease the tighter control is meant to help.

This study is a case in point.  It looks at the incidence of adverse cardiovascular outcomes during the follow up period.  It determines that those with BP kept under 130 mm Hg systolic pressure did not decrease their chances of dying in the follow-up period more than those with a BP kept between the 140-130 mm Hg level.

Usually, the extra control comes from adding another BP medication.  But my question has always been, is that extra med doing any good?  And, is that extra med doing more harm, since it is another non-food item the body has to metabolize and get out of the system.

I am not advocating you go off your BP meds right now -- but I think it at least bears some thought and perhaps some thoughtful discussion with your health care provider.  Like so many other things -- sometimes more is not better...it is just more.

Is more communication better?

I have been reading (a lot) lately about the web and how it increases connectedness and communication between individuals -- with the result of becoming more productive and inspired.  That idea excites me!  I want to be more productive and inspired!!

Here is a downside (and an important one at that) from a new study out of  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute about increased communication:  If there are delays in feedback -- the longer the delays between nodes (people or groups communicating), the faster the overall coordination of the group will deteriorate -- all the way down to zero.

And another important thing to note, the study authors say:

..."But, after a point, you also need to know when to "shut up," Korniss explained. After a certain period of poor communication, he said, no matter how fast or accurate you attempt to make your future communication, all communication is counterproductive."

For more information click here and here.

Back pain?

Back pain is a huge source of lost work days in the US and sufferers are getting younger and younger.  Several physical therapist I know that specialize in the spine say they are seeing 16 and 17 year olds' with backs more like 50 and 60 year olds' due to sitting and playing videos games so much.

I'm preachin' to the choir when I tell you that if you are suffering back pain -- exercise is the last thing you want to do.  However -- it just may be the key for pain reduction according to a study from the University of Alberta.

Those who exercised 4 days per week had  28 per cent less pain and 36 per cent less disability but those working out 2-3 days didn't have those same significant results. 

So don't let your pain slow you down -- the slow down might just keep you in more pain!

Do you want to be part of the solution ???

Jamie Oliver has thrown out a challenge to the world -- How can we engage our kids to like/LOVE fresh, real, whole foods -----




Do you have a great idea?  Do you need some good ideas for your own home?  Help the world or let the world help you....click here!

Email Apnea

Definition: temporary absence or suspension of breathing, or shallow breathing, while doing e-mail

Holding your breath causes a number of physical responses in the body, as researcher and author Linda Stone points out in her article on email apnea.

Just pay attention as you open your email today and see if you are holding your breath -- thereby increasing your  blood pressure (which no one needs these days) and increase our stress and muscle tension.  The first step on the path to a healthier you is to breathe!

Percentage of Adults who eat 2 or more fruits per day --

Only 32.1% of adults in Michigan eat 2 or more fruits per day!  Want to see how other states compare?  Click here for a cool, interactive map!

Thought for the Day....

He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors.  ~Chinese Proverb

An interesting risk factor for Heart Disease

Loneliness.

We are social creatures by nature.  When I was a kid, I heard about a study where a baby monkey would rather spend its time on a wire frame covered by a soft blanket than on a bare wire frame with a bottle attached to it.  I have heard that some people in nursing homes die from lack of human touch.

In this study, researchers have linked loneliness to higher blood pressure, lower sleep quality, and dementia to name just a few.  The really great news though?

The most effective treatment for loneliness is working on how people view themselves and others.  It's not all about finding 4000 hobbies that keep you in the presents of people 24/7 (which is good because I could never survive that much socialization!)

It is about learning to recognize the negative thoughts we let float around in our head and then reframe them into something more neutral.  This is the same sort of intervension that is sometimes used for people with depression.  Loneliness is more about how a person perceives their interactions with others because it downgrades the quality of the interactions they do get.

The mind really does effect the body -- treat the loneliness and the physical body gets healthier.

Corn sugar?

Did you all see the articles or hear the reports about the Corn Refiners Board asking the Federal government for permission to change the name of high fructose corn syrup to corn sugar???  Doesn't corn sugar sound more wholesome?  After all, corn is good for you.  And sugar (although we know we eat too much of it) is still natural, right?  That must mean that corn sugar is wholesome, too!??

Here's the deal, America: 

We eat too much sugar....period.

And in much the same way what we decide to wear is determined by what happens at fashion week in New York, what we chose to eat is determined by food politics.  Big ag growers, small farmers banning together to create Eat Local campaigns, what and how celebrities are choosing to eat....We are being marketed to -- all the time.

Pay attention to the name changes -- it means the food is trying to shed an image (think prunes turning into dried plums a few years back).  Maybe there is nothing wrong with starting to call high fructose corn syrup corn sugar -- but it doesn't make it "more natural" or "more healthy" than it was before.

Kids and body image

Alright....  The kids are back to school and the control parents seemingly had during the summer about who their kids were seeing and interacting with is now completely gone.  According to the news, our kids are back in school with bullies, drug seekers, kids having pre-teen sex, and just about all the bad influence  nightmares a parent could have.  We also know that adolescences is a hard time for kids to adjust to their growing, changing bodies -- especially for girls.

I have some good news and I have some bad news.  The good news is there are ways a parent can help kids make it through this age without developing many of the body image issues that plague our society.  The bad news is the help that is out there seems not very helpful when faced with the enormity and lifelong consequences for our beloved kids.

A leading psychologist gives the advice that we should help our kids fight the tendency to gain weight as a means of helping them with body image issues.  The advice seems logical in the "well, duh!" kind of way.

But is that helping them deal with the real issue of liking who they are -- or are we merely keeping them in parameters that help them not become what they (or we) fear?  Yes, I want kids to get more time playing and moving -- that is a healthy choice for all of us.  But rather than weight, should we be teaching our children to focus on the choices that really matter in life?  Like putting effort into their school work, working hard on the debate/soccer/yearbook activities they are involved in?  And then helping them gain an appreciation for how much easier they can participate in debate/soccer/yearbook/etc when their bodies are healthy and well-fueled?  Their (and our) lives are made better by a body that has been well cared for  -- and with some teaching, those choices can seem obvious and easily made.  And then, perhaps, body image wouldn't be such a big deal.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810025239.htm

Pro-Ana???

This weekend, I learned something I didn't know.  I guess it shouldn't surprise me but there are sites on the Internet that help and support people to stay anorexic and bulimic.  There are forums, information, and support for those struggling to stay super-sickly thin.

I guess it shows the power of the Internet that no matter who you are or what is important to you, you can connect with like-minded people. 

I struggled with writing this post -- on one hand, you don't have to talk to me for more than 8 minutes before you will probably get the sense that I am extremely passionate about empowering people for greater health.  Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia (pro-bulimia) sites, although empowering to their members, are not empowering them for greater health.  I don't really want to raise awareness of these sites for the people seeking them -- but... they aren't really my readers anyway, right?

So, Readers, the point of me blogging this news to you is that this is something to be aware of.  If you have adolescent kids (boys are at risk too), it bears checking out some of these sites so you can become aware of the language and kinds of support they offer -- if those phrases start popping up in your child's speech, it may be a sign that professional help is needed sooner than later.  Intervention sooner means healthier kids and fewer unproductive behaviors to relearn.

New thought on Stroke Rehab

Using a split belt treadmill, physical therapists can retrain the brain to walk in a more even gait.  The effects are only temporary but would more training on this new treadmill retrain the brain enough to make the brain rewiring permanent?

Click here to watch the video.

Burnout

Today at the Eating Coach blog, I talked about burnout (as it relates to chronic dieting).  Burnout it a pretty interesting topic because it takes over so much of the person's life and seems, at least sometimes, to be unrelated to objective measures of success (promotions, salary, success in relationships, etc.)

Especially now, as the economy is slow to come back and jobs are still precious, I am running across more people feeling trapped in their current jobs -- unable to move because they fear there is no place to move to.

On top of that, there is a relatively new study that says parental professional burnout is related to their adolescent children becoming burned out in school.  The study only cited the connection, it did not suggest a solution for the situation.  But I think it is worth the reminder (as a new school year starts) that we do bring our work home with us and if you are burning out, your kids are going to be picking up those feelings and learning those behaviors.  Just being aware of the connection might help break that cycle of burnout transference.

Teen sleep linked to food choices???

From ScienceDaily:

A study in the Sept. 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that teens who slept less than eight hours per weeknight ate higher proportions of fatty foods and snacks than adolescents who slept eight hours or more. The results suggest that short sleep duration may increase obesity risk by causing small changes in eating patterns that cumulatively alter energy balance, especially in girls.

My hope is that we won't just get stuck on the obesity issue here -- the extra weight is a symptom of unhealthy behaviors -- it is not an unhealthy behavior itself.

School is back in session and the sleep that some of our kids were getting in the summer while were went to work is a thing of the past.  But how are we going to educate our kids on the life-long importance of sleep as a recovery time for our bodies (not just a breaktime of lost productivity)?

My Paranoia might not be wholey unfounded???

All this summer I have faced the dilemma of just how necessary 30+ SPF really is.  I am extremely suspicious that it might just be the sunscreen that will do me in in the end (but of course then it wouldn't be skin cancer, right?)  And sure, I don't want tons of wrinkles and to look 147 years old -- but I live in Michigan!  With the exception of the few summer days when the planets perfectly align (I have a day off, the sun is out, it isn't too hot, hot, hot to be outside, and I am actually outside), most of my skin is covered up most of the time.

And without the sunlight hitting skin, bodies don't make Vitamin D.  Many of you know how important this vitamin is to calcium absorption (essential) but you may not know that our bodies are much more efficient at making Vitamin D we can actually use than it is absorbing the Vitamin D that comes from the drug store.

Strong bones are important -- really important!  But this study suggests that strong bones might just be the tip of the iceberg for what Vitamin D does. 

The researchers found 2,776 binding sites for the vitamin D receptor along the length of the genome. These were unusually concentrated near a number of genes associated with susceptibility to autoimmune conditions such as MS, Crohn's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus (or 'lupus') and rheumatoid arthritis, and to cancers such as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and colorectal cancer.

It's not a done deal -- these are merely associations right now, so don't run off to a nudest colony in the Bahama's and try to get your HSA to pay for it.  Just give it some thought and keep your eyes and ears open for further research.

Changing your community

The other day, I got into a big discussion with my class about whether I am an advocate of the smoking ban in restaurants and bars (which I am not!).  Now...I will tell you that I am not an advocate of smoking and I do not smoke. But  I feel it is my right as an American to have that choice -- both as a restaurant owner (where I would have the choice of opening a non-smoking or smoking restaurant) and as a patron (where I can choose what kind of environment I would like to eat my meal in). I do not think we need the government making these choices for us.

The flip side of that is others of our community have great influence over us.  If most of our community (macro or micro) do not smoke, there will be much greater pressure on us to choose not to smoke.  This is the avenue of change I like to participate in.

In their book Connected - the surprising power of our social networks and how they shape our lives, the authors give numerous examples of how the people around us influence our choices to give to charities, make healthier food choices, and to what extent we are active.  By the same token, we are influencing others by all of our choices as well.

Take a look at your behaviors.  Are there some you do not want to see duplicated in the world?  Are there changes you would like to see -- well, start living those changes!  You will make it easier for those you come into contact with to make those changes too.

It is fall.  A perfect time to step outside and go for a walk.  Put more veggies and fruits in your grocery basket (and then actually eat them).  Smile.  Laugh.  Share the positive behaviors in your life with your loved ones.  If you just do that, you will be changing the world!

What are we doing to our children???

I am sure most of you have heard that Type 2 Diabetes (what used to be called Adult Onset Diabetes) is on the rise in children.  (Type 2 is the one where the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin just wear out because they have had to deal with so much sugar).  So...with all of the sugar in the American diet, children are wearing out their pancreas at younger and younger ages.  That is bad enough...

However, a new study suggests children (kids ages 7-11 ... so really! we are talking about young kids) with poor blood sugar regulation have 4-5% less bone mass.  This is the age kids should be building bones!  How are they going to be able to avoid having hip and wrist fractures at 50, let alone 70, if they have weaker bones at 11.

This makes me want to cry and gets me MAD all at once!!!  We are choosing to let our children drink sodas (that contribute to the diabetes)!  We are not encouraging them to drink milk (to provide the calcium and vitamin D necessary to build strong bones)!!  We are not MAKING them go outside and run around (to stimulate bone formation AND to make their bodies more sensitive to insulin in the first place)!!  We are not doing these things for ourselves (not modeling the behavior) and we are not creating an environment where they have to participate in the decisions that will allow them to grow up healthy and strong!!

What is wrong with us?  Are you mad about this?  Are you doing something about it in your own home?  Are you setting a good example for the kids who wouldn't otherwise have one???

Medical Marijuana

Yesterday, Diane Rehm was discussing medical marijuana on her show.  I have heard of the compounds cannibaniods but didn't know there were a number of them.  I knew that THC was a component that would produce the "high" but didn't know there was another cannibanoid that would produce many of the healthful benefits (anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant properties, etc) but didn't make the user high.

This "other" cannibanoid has been breed down in plant where the users and growing were looking to increase the amount of THC in the drug for recreational uses.  There are some grower now however, who are looking to increase the amounts of health producing cannibanoids while decreasing the amount of THC.

What would be the ramifications of this?  Take a listen here and you might get a new perspective! (there is a "listen" button just below the "Home" tab)

Exercising restores sensitivity of neurons that make one feel full

A very, very important study that is close to my heart!!

Exercising restores sensitivity of neurons that make one feel full

Useful Emotions

For whatever reason, I haven't really ever given consideration to the idea that emotions are useful -- that I would cultivate one particular emotion because it would assist me in completing a particular task.  Sure, I have seen the football player type guy yelling at himself to get himself pumped up for the game (and secretly thought he was stupid) but using emotions as tools??

Here is a study that talks about the usefulness of anger.  Interestingly enough, the study authors found that study participants liked music and activities that made them angry if they had to complete a task that was confrontational (in this case, a shoot em' up video game). 

On the flip side though, anger was not helpful when completing a task that was non-confrontational (a video game where the participant was a restaurant server trying to deal with her customers).

We have all heard the idea that anger is healthy and I believe that to be true but...it looks like perhaps we should give some consideration to how and when we are using that emotion -- perhaps it is the right tool for the job and perhaps not.

Dementia related to midlife stress?? Is there any hope for us?

Here's something that is not exciting -- a study published in Brain indicates a link between times of high-stress in mid-life and developing dementia later on.  Yikes!!  Who isn't stressed in mid-life?

According to this article:

"Stress was defined as a sense of irritation, tension, nervousness, anxiety, fear or sleeping problems lasting a month or more due to work, health, family or other problems"

The study authors say much more research is needed in this area before we jump to any conclusions.

The good news??

"Most of those who said that they were stressed did not develop dementia"  --So there isn't any reason to get stressed about your stress level. 

The take home? An over-abundance of  stress isn't healthy and there are a million ways to reduce your stress level.  Go for a walk, turn off the TV, don't watch the news, meditate, enjoy your friends when you're with them...and the list goes on. 

Don't change your stress coping behaviors because you are scared of increasing your risk of dementia -- change your stress coping behaviors because when you do, you will enjoy your life more!

Are more kids getting kidney stones?

If you have every seen anyone experiencing kidney stones (or experienced them yourself), you have some idea of just how painful they can be!  I didn't know kids could experience them -- let alone that the number of children dealing with kidney stones may be on the increase.

Why? 

Some professionals think it it likely due to the same diet and low-fluid concerns that put adults at risk.  Why is that?  Read on:

"...Obesity is a risk factor for kidney stones, and the rising rate of childhood obesity in the U.S. could be at work. Since 1980, the percentage of obese kids between ages 6 and 11 has nearly tripled to 19.6 percent in 2008 according to the Centers for Disease for Disease Control and Prevention.



Diet is another potential culprit, Routh noted. Low fluid intake, and high intakes of sodium as well as animal fat and proteins, can contribute to kidney stones, he explained.


Children who have a family history of kidney stones or have ever had stones in the past are at greater risk of developing them than other kids are. Routh suggested that parents of these children, in particular, try to make sure their kids stay well-hydrated, especially during summer months.


Hydration, he said, is the best way to prevent stone formation in children at elevated risk."

Click here to read the article in full.

Teen hearing loss increasing

Here's an interesting statement I hadn't ever considered:

"There is a difference between what we consider to be loud and what is physically intense and could be hazardous to the ear"

Seems pretty straight forward right?

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, teen hearing loss is up from 15% of teens having some degree of hearing loss in the early 1990's to nearly 20% by the mid 2000's.

As much as our teens are listening to their electronics via their rockin' Skull Candy  and as happy as I am not to be assaulted by that noise myself, perhaps they need a bit more guidance on the difference between what they consider loud and the noise level that actually creates hearing loss.  I bet there is a pretty big disconnect between the two!

Trying to decide on which diet to try next?

Okay -- if you originally started reading the Eating Coach blog, you will know I am an advocate of NOT DIETING to lose weight.  I will make the distinction here just to be clear -- I am not a fan of weight loss through cutting out things that you like to eat.  Honestly, if your strategy is to do without your favorites, how long are you going to last?  Forever?  I think not.

But -- if you are going to diet to lose weight as a means of addressing a particular health concern, this article provides some insight on whether to go low-fat or low-carb to achieve your goals.

The most important part:  pick areas of change you can live with.  Otherwise, you will put in all that hard work losing the weight only to gain it back when you go "off" your diet and return to your "normal" behaviors.

It's your whole diet pattern that matter -- not individual components

Ever consider just taking a pill instead of eating your veggies?  Same thing, right?  Sorry!  The answer is no it's not.  Scientist have looked at people with Metabolic Syndrome.  Those most successful at reversing their health issues are the ones that change their whole dietary pattern to include less high-fat, highly processed food and add in more whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  (in other words, REAL FOOD)

There's just no getting around it!  We need to eat things that grow in the ground and on trees if we want to achieve that next level of health.

Click here and here for more information.

Think Tai Chi is only for old people?

No way!  If you have ever taken a class, you might have notice how the movements highlight your lack of balance and coordination.  Think your coordinated?  Maybe, maybe not -- but you'll know for sure after your first session on Tai Chi.

Young and old alike can benefit from these ancient, smooth movements.  Alternative forms of movement are attracting the attention of the West's scientific community.  The newest study I have come across looks at whether Tai Chi is a better therapy for Fibromyagia sufferers than just stretching.  And the results of that study??

Survey says "Tai Chi wins out as a more effective pain management technique.  As an added bonus -- with less pain, people suffer from less depression.

Interested in trying Tai Chi?  Click here for classes at BHFC.

Does your child suffer from recurrent headaches?

A new study out in the journal Neurology sites teens who smoke, have poor dietary habits and are sendentary also have a higher incidence of recurrent headaches.

Maybe this is a question of the chicken and the egg -- kids have headaches because of poor diet, smoking or limited physical activity kids get headaches.  OR...maybe kids prone to headaches and the same kinds of kids likely to smoke, make poor food choices and be sedintary.  The evidence is not conclusive.  But I don't think it really matters.

The take home message is:

Kids need to move more than they do.

The need to be educated on positive food choices.

And we need to continue to send the message that smoking is a negative choice.

But the biggest thing we can do for them?

Model those behaviors so they can see them in action!!!

Health discount plans aren't insurance???

"Health discount plans are not insurance. They don't pay your medical bills."

Did you know that?  I didn't.  Did you know the FTC was cracking down on fraudulent insurers?  Me neither!

For more information, click here for more information.

The Institute for the Future Health and Healthcare Forecast Map

By 2020, the population aged 65 or older is projected to reach 55 million, but Medicare’s Hospital

Trust Fund may be insolvent as soon as 2017. Overall health care spending is projected to exceed 20%
of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

What if demands for sustainability require achieving healthy outcomes without harming the environment?

What if new technologies enable us to experience the future effects of present-day behavior choices?
What if self-tracking goes mainstream and shapes research and treatment practices?

Interested in seeing how these ideas could play out?  Click here for the report that describes the endless possiblities for the future.

Obesity is expensive. How expensive? According to a new report by the CDC, obesity related illness is costing the US more than $147 billion annually. 24/7 Wall St. did some number crunching and came up with a state by state cost of obesity based on the figure that obesity adds $1429 to healthcare costs per person per year.

Here are the 5 states with the lowest obesity rates.

Colorado
*Percentage Obese: 18.6%
*Population: 5,024,748
*Number Of Obese: 934,603
*Cost: $1,335,547,869

District of Columbia
*Percentage Obese: 19.7%
*Population: 599,657
*Number Of Obese: 118,132
*Cost: $1,035,692,511

Connecticut
*Percentage Obese: 20.6%
*Population: 3,518,288
*Number Of Obese: 724,767
*Cost: $1,035,692,511

Massachusetts
*Percentage Obese: 21.4%
*Population: 6,593,587
*Number Of Obese: 1,411,027
*Cost: $2,016,358,466

Hawaii
*Percentage Obese: 22.3%
*Population: 1,295,178
*Number Of Obese: 288,824
*Cost: $412,730,487

Michigan is in the middle of the pack.
*Percentage Obese: 29.6%
*Population: 9,969,727
*Number Of Obese: 2,951,039
*Cost: $4,217,035,005

And the 5 states with the highest rates???

Oklahoma
*Percentage Obese: 31.4%
*Population: 3,687,050
*Number Of Obese: 1,157,733
*Cost: $1,654,401,457

Kentucky
*Percentage Obese: 31.5%
*Population: 4,314,113
*Number Of Obese: 1,358,945
*Cost: $1,941,933,255

Tennessee
*Percentage Obese: 32.3%
*Population: 6,296,254
*Number Of Obese: 2,033,690
*Cost: $2,906,143,070

Louisiana
*Percentage Obese: 33%
*Population: 4,492,076
*Number Of Obese: 1,482,385
*Cost: $2,906,143,070

Mississippi
*Percentage Obese: 34.4%
*Population: 2,951,996
*Number Of Obese: 1,015,486
*Cost: $1,451,130,385

**figures by Ashley C. Allen
Read more: The Obesity Index: The Cost of Obesity by State - 24/7 Wall St.















































Read more: The Obesity Index: The Cost of Obesity by State - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/2010/08/05/the-obesity-index-the-cost-of-obesity-by-state/







http://www.cdc.gov/VitalSigns/pdf/2010-08-vitalsigns.pdf

What really matters is what you doing

Here is a video from Don Miller's blog.  She isn't talking about health per say -- she is talking about living life in a way that makes you happy you have a life to live.  Sometimes, we get so caught up in our day to day -- in making good health choices, getting the kids to their practices, slugging out our treadmill time (or feeling guilty if we don't) that we lose sight of why we started doing these things in the first place.

Here's your reminder for today :)  I hope you take it to heart.


Angela from Donald Miller on Vimeo.

Another way to think about Health Insurance

Four Corners of Health Insurance - "I Do Fine Without It" from Everynone on Vimeo.


I came across this at Jay Parkinson's site. 

The Web can be a great (and terrible) resource for people dealing with disease

From WebMD to Wikipedia, the web is full of places to get information on disease.  I just came across this one though.  PatientsLikeMe is a community website where you can connect with people working through the disease process.  There is information on symptoms, treatments, and research.

If you or a loved one is struggling to make sense of what is happening with your health, this might be a great tool to receive or share information.  If you're considering posting your health information, though, please be sure to read this.

Botox and your emotional connection to the world

Whether you've had Botox or not, you've probably seen the sitcoms on TV making fun of it.  The mom trying to get mad at her teenager but the anger just not coming through because she can't make the accompanying angry face.

There's a new study out that suggests that not only will that mom not be able to express her anger, she might not be able to feel it as intensly either.  Now...before the curfew breaking teenagers rejoice too much, it's not just anger that would be dulled.  The research was looking at the question, do emotions create expression or expression create emotion?

Apparently, it works in both directions -- you smile because you experience something positive but you experience something positive when you smile.  And if you can't smile or frown?  You will experience less depth of either of those emotions.

Wondering if your suppeiments are effective? How about "Are they safe?"

Supplements are a booming business -- and they are not regulated by the FDA (because they are neither food nor drugs).  There is lots of talk about the effectiveness of any given supplement but what about their safety?  Are they doing you more harm than good?

"Of the more than 54,000 dietary supplement products in the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, only about a third have some level of safety and effectiveness that is supported by scientific evidence," says Consumer Reports.

And yet, reports from Nutrition Business Journal say the US spent $26.7 billion in 2009.

The key?  Do your homework.  Where are your supplements being manufactured?  In the US?  China?  Mexico?  Have there been rigorous scientific studies done?

And perhaps, lastly, if you are eating a varied and nutritionally dense, whole food based diet, do you really need supplementation???

For more information on real-food eating, check out the book In Defense of Food.

Too much caffeine

The Canadian government is taking a look at the amount of caffeine in energy drinks and how to keep them out of the hands of children.  The are investigating dozens of caffeine related deaths and 15 that were cardiac events linked to caffeine.

For example:

a 250-ml bottle of Coca-Cola contains 26 milligrams of caffeine
a 75-ml bottle of Rockstar “energy shot” contains 200 mg of caffeine
a 355-ml can of Red Bull contains 113.6 mg of caffeine.

Health Canada says children between 10 and 12 should not consume more than 85 mg of caffeine a day and
healthy adults shouldn’t consume more than 400 mg a day.

A couple energy drinks really add up in a day.  Yikes!

Click here to visit the source article

And here for a link to what the Mayo Clinic has to say about caffeine.

Prayer can heal hearing and vision issues?

A new study out says just that and goes on to say that those in physical proximity during the prayer experience greater effects.  Why?  Is it placebo?  Is it the healing hand of God?  Does it really matter if the results are measureable and statistically relevant?

Growing your own replacement parts?

Replacement rabbit bones

You just can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone who has had knee, hip or shoulder replacement surgery!

 478,000 knee replacements along are done annually with the total expected to grow to 3.4 million by 2030.  One of the down sides of current replacements is they wear out, necessitating another replacement in 10-15 years.  In a person undergoing replacement at age 50 or 55, 10-15 years means several procedures on that joint in their lifetime.

Scientists have been successfully experimenting (in animals) with implanting a biodegradable bioscaffold that was 3D designed to match the original joint.  As the body breaks down the bioscaffold, it replaces the man made substance with bone.  Cool, huh??? 

Looks like there are better options on the horizon!  For more information, click here to get the NIH report.

The world is getting more addictive?

Paul Graham wrote an interesting essay on the Acceleration of Addictiveness.  It wasn't my intention to use the same links on this blog as the ones on the Eating Coach blog -- however, I found this idea interesting.

Here are a few of his thoughts:

What hard liquor, cigarettes, heroin, and crack have in common is that they're all more concentrated forms of less addictive predecessors....

...If some new technique makes solar cells x% more efficient, that seems strictly better. When progress concentrates something we don't want to want—when it transforms opium into heroin—it seems bad. But it's the same process at work....

...The world is more addictive than it was 40 years ago. And unless the forms of technological progress that produced these things are subject to different laws than technological progress in general, the world will get more addictive in the next 40 years than it did in the last 40....


Some interesting things to think about since we are careening through time and space with much less time to plan or set our course.

He continues his thoughts with a discussion of normal -- as in normal-what everyone does and normal-what are the ideal operating conditions for us.  It bears consideration to our health to see if our "normal" is just unhealthy habits we share with our friends, family, and community.  Or if our habits are allowing us to live optimally.

Social Network and Longevity

Alright, we know that studies have shown people with a larger social network tend to life longer.  Recently, researcher from Brigham Young University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reviewed data from 148 studies on health outcomes and social relationships.  These studies included better than 300,000 people -- so this is not a small group study.

Researcher found that those with fewer social connections had a 50% increased risk of dying in study's follow-up period (averaging 7.5 years) than those with a larger social network.

Cool, huh?  Yeah, I thought so but here's the really interesting part:

That is the same life expectancy difference (poor social connections vs. more robust social ties) as the life expectancy between smokers and non-smokers!  And it is a greater difference than known health risk factors such as obesity or lack of exercise.

Wow!  Looks like we should be paying attention to our friends if we want them (and ourselves) to live a longer life!

For more information, click here.

Muscle loss and Aging

Think that muscle loss is inevitable???  Harvard has another take on it.

"No matter how many birthdays come and go, muscles perform the same type of action. But as muscle mass in the body shrinks with the passing years, strength also declines. Sarcopenia—the gradual decrease in muscle tissue—starts at around age 30. The average 30-year-old can expect to lose about 25% of muscle mass and strength by age 70 and another 25% by age 90.


Some of these changes stem from the physiological effects of aging, but disuse plays a bigger role than many people suspect. Studies of older adults consistently prove that a good deal of the decline in strength can be recouped with strength training........:

Myofacial Pain Syndrome -- Have you ever heard of it?

Seems like you can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone who has muscle pain.  Muscle pain is pretty common -- most of us have experienced it and likely will again.  But what about those you know who have muscle pain that just doesn't seem to go away?

Fibromyalgia is getting a lot of press in the last few years (mostly because they have some new drugs to treat the pain).  But what if you aren't meeting those diagnosis criteria?  Perhaps you feel like you have chronic muscle knots -- they might move around but they're always somewhere -- and they hurt!  What are they and what can you do about them?  Myofacial Pain Syndrome is often misdiagnosed as tendinitis or fibromyalgia. 

Trigger point therapy is used to treat the more mild cases.  With a little knowledge and know how -- chronic muscle pain could be a thing of the past!

Inefficient packaging

I just came across this article on inefficient packaging.  The design idea is that if something has annoying packaging, the user will have a diminished experience and therefore might not engage in the activity.  --That is why so much time and money is spent on product design -- if you want people to buy and use your product, make the experience pleasurable for them.

Obviously, the cigarette manufacturers will not use this design for their product -- they WANT to sell it.  Same goes for junk food manufacturers -- they will not make their packaging LESS convenient -- they want to sell their product.

But what if you changed how the packaging worked on your bag of chips to make it more difficult/less rewarding to eat.  That is one reason I am a proponent of NOT buying trigger foods just to have on hand.  It makes them less pleasurable to eat if you have to go to the store to get them when you have the first inkling you want them.

And what about the positive habits you are trying to create?  Would it help if you packed your gym bag in a more convenient way -- say bought a second set of shampoo, conditioner, razor, make-up -- whatever -- to keep in there so you didn't have to keep packing and unpacking the bag?

Is there an area you can put this idea into positive use?

I am a HUGE advocate of you being your best you!

But this author has put it more eloquently than I have been able to.  Enjoy!

Just to make you laugh....

Sit More, Die Sooner women.webmd.com



Sit at leisure, die at haste. In a 14-year study, those who spent at least 6 hours of their daily leisure time sitting died more often than those who sat less than 3 hours.

How could they die more often?  Aren't we all going to get one shot at that?


I saw this on one of the sites I visit.  It really is a study published on WebMD -- but I thought the comment said something about how our society deals with studies and common sense.  The study and common sense agree that people need to move around -- at least a little bit.  Whether it is so you get your blood (or bowels) moving or just so you increase the likelihood of running into people you like (because odds are they won't just happen to walk in front of your TV set day in and day out) -- people who are engaged (a verb/action word) in life live longer and have greater contentment with their lives.

So...move a bit more today (and decrease your chances of dying more often :)

The Most Effective Tool to create Behavior Change

Write it down.  -- both the change you want to make and what you are actually doing each day.  Or another way to put it is "Journal, Journal, Journal!"

Want to decrease your spending on lunches per week?

Increase the number of steps you take per day?

Drink more water?

Cut down on TV time?

Find a new hobby to enjoy?

It doesn't matter what behavior change you are trying to make happen in your life -- If you write down what you are doing each day to get you to your success point -- you are more likely to achieve it.  And maintain the behavior.

You don't need any specific kind of journal -- just something small enough to be convenient -- post-it notes that you add into a spiral bound notebook will work if it works for you.

There are also great online goal/journal tools that you can use (or add to your Facebook page -- to give you added accountability).  Try this one!

The point is -- if it is written down, you can clearly see what you are doing without either under- or over-estimating your success.  Want to read about the research?  Click here -- this is an excerpt from a Log that I particularly like.

The Dangers (and biological rush) of Multitasking

Here's an interesting article from the New York Times on how multitasking (and the technology that supports it) is effecting our lives.  It's fairly long -- I hope you can stay engaged enough to finish it!

I found it super interesting but had a little bit of trouble keeping focused because I could actually feel my list of morning reading piling up as I went off on this Times Tangent.

Leave a comment and let me know how you did with it!

Looking for inspiration to make healthier choices?

IFTF BodyShock the Future entry idea: Shock Your Body from Institute for the Future on Vimeo.

What do you think of this idea?  (no, really...leave me a comment and let me know if this would work for you!)

Hand and Slow Stroke Massage

Lots of studies have been done on the effects of massage and most of us that have ever had one will agree -- they reduce stress and tension.  Massage relaxes and lowers blood pressure.  Duh!  But what happens if you don't have 60 minute, $70, and a quiet massage therapist's office?

Workplace massage is becoming more accepted as part of a comprehensive workplace wellness program.  15 minute chair massage (although, let's be honest -- is not as great as an after work /1 hour/ be driven home and go straight to bed massage) has been shown to significantly reduce workplace stress.  The time allotment and cost are significantly reduced and employees stay healthier.

Studies in older folks is showing that 10 minutes of hand massage and 3 minutes of slow-stroke back massage can decrease anxiety, depression and improve sleep habits (which will in turn decrease anxiety and depression -- which will improve sleep habits).  End result -- fewer drugs are needed to help these people feel more comfortable.

Chocolate Milk as a Recovery Drink???

We have all seen the cool Gatorade commercials -- we know we need to rehydrate with carbs and electrolytes after we exercise (especially when the heat index is at 90+).  But what about chocolate milk?

Studies in the last couple years, have indicated that chocolate milk is as good or better as a recovery drink (post-exercise) even than the sports drinks with protein added.

The cool thing is that it is less expensive ----  and rich in calcium and Vitamin D, too. 

Tabata Method

In the last post, I talked about the 14 minute workout I did with Bryon.  Here is some background on the high-intensity training method.

In 1996, Izumi Tabata and his colleagues studied the effects of high (really high) intensity exercise training.  Most of us have been taught we need cardio AND strength training.  The general guidelines are 20-30 minutes of strength training and then 30+ minutes of moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise = 1 hour-ish of exercise.  Tabata found that 60 minutes of moderate intensity exercise would, indeed, improve cardiovascular fitness but wouldn't do anything for our other energy systems.  --which is why we do those two components separately in the gym.

He also found that 20 seconds of super high intensity cycling with 10 second rest, cycled through 7-8 times improved both cardiovascular fitness AND strength -- all in much less than 60 minutes -- which rocks! because it is so much easier to find 14 minutes in your day than 60.

The down side to this form of exercise (for me at least) is it really isn't in any way relaxing.  (Maybe you don't find exercise relaxing now -- so it wouldn't be that big of a deal!)  Performing at maximal effort (even for 20 seconds) takes a lot of concentration.  I was no where near maximal when I worked out with Bryon -- sure it was hard but with some mental training, I bet I can do better.  When I got done, I was fatigued but didn't have that feel-good feeling than usually happens when I run or bike.

But did I mention that it only takes 14 minutes?!  And Tabata found that it increased VO2 max by 7 ml/kg/min and increased anaerobic capacity by 28%.

WORD OF CAUTION!  This intensity workout is NOT recommended for everyone!  The intensity is such that injury could result -- either muscle/bone/joint (if you are not properly warmed up and using good technique) or injury to the cardiovascular system (this kind of training requires an initial level of fitness and then you build up slowly!)

You will notice if you reread the previous post -- I did NOT do a full Tabata program (we rested between the squats and then next section).  Exercise is supposed to make your life better and your body healthier.  Causing injury is counter productive -- please be sensible.

I just had the coolest experience....

For those of you who don't know, my background is in Exercise Science.  I really, truly enjoy working out.

Yesterday, after much fear and trepidation, I did my first workout with my friend Bryon, the coach, at the Borgess Sports Performance.  WOW!!

I was pretty nervous about this because he is one fit individual.  And he expects his clients to put for 120% (what if I wasn't up to the task?)

He taught a class yesterday that was 14 minutes long (the actual working portion) and Oh! My! Goodness! -- it was challenging!

He started us off with Tabata squats (20 seconds on -- 10 seconds rest with a goal of 20 per session ....I didn't hit that goal) for 2 minutes.

Then we moved to alternating 3 stations :

1. was a 50 foot heavy rope that you had to move to create the sine wave all the way to the end (I improved but didn't actually achieve the goal -- in any of the rotations through) for a minute

2. picking up an awkward bag of sand and carrying it as fast as a could around 2 cones (Yikes!)

3. picking up another awkward bag of sand -- throwing it -- running to it -- dropping to the ground and doing something like a squat thrust (remember those from gym class?) and then throwing the bag again -- back and forth between 2 cones.

We rotated through each station 4 times.  By the last, I was completely shot!  And only 14 minutes older.

The cool thing about this program was that even though each station was really tough, I only had to concentrate on doing it for 1 minute -- and like I tell my classes "you can do almost anything for a minute!"

More on the research behind why a short/intense workout is as good or better than a longer/slower workout in the next post.

Thought for the Day....

"A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs." Joan Welsh

The great thing about health is....today you can make a different choice, a healthier choice, and be healthier today than you were yesterday.

Take a 20-30 minute walk and you will experience:

• Positive changes to your blood sugar levels.
• Positive changes to your triglyceride levels.
• Decreases in muscle tension.
• Decreases in stress hormone levels.
• Decreased blood pressure.
• Increased memory function.
• Increased ability to problem solve.
• Increased bone cell growth (to fight osteoporosis) -- and speaking of... 1 in 4 men over the age of 70 meet the clinical diagnosis for osteoporosis!  Sorry, guys, it's not just a women's disease.

This list is NOT comprehensive.  I could go on and on (but I won't).  These are immediate benefits!  Take a walk at lunch -- you will be healthier by the time you get back to your desk.

The Benefits of Laughter

 

Physical Health Benefits:

• Boosts immunity
• Lowers stress hormones
• Decreases pain
• Relaxes your muscles
• Prevents heart disease

Mental Health Benefits:

•  Adds joy and zest to life
•  Eases anxiety and fear 
• Relieves stress 
• Improves mood
• Enhances resilience

Social Benefits:

•  Strengthens relationships
•  Attracts others to us 
•  Enhances teamwork 
•  Helps defuse conflicts
• Promotes group bonding

For a better understanding of how humor improves your health, click here.  I don't know about you all, but I could use more laughter in my life :)

 

 

 

The 7th Leading cause of Death in the US is largely preventable!!

Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the US. 

When I was younger (and even though it was a while ago, I wasn't THAT young), I didn't think diabetes was any big deal.  So you got some diagnosis.  Your body could deal with the sugar you age efficiently enough.  You tested your blood sugar -- tried to stay away from some the the sugar in your diet -- things were fine -- no big deal.

Then I started learning that with diabetes, a person without good control dies by parts.  First is just the diagnosis.  But then some time goes by and you lose feeling in your feet .. then your hands -- Hello!  the nerves have died!  As in dead!!  --Because you don't have good blood supply.  And you know what?  If you don't have good blood supply there -- your whole system -- every part of you has decreased blood supply.

Blindness can occur from this tissue death.  Irreparable organ damage happens.

And then most impactful to the younger version of me???  The time I spent in the hospital with a family friends while their diabetic dad was in surgery and might not come out of it with both legs because he had a sore that wouldn't heal and each time they tried to surgically help him, they had to take more of his tissue -- until finally the leg needed to come off so the rest of him could live.

But here's the mind-boggling thing:

What life lessons do we get from gamers???

Can you tap into these ideas to make your world (or others) a better world? 

This is an amazing speaker with an amazing twist on online gaming.  Having never been a gamer myself (but a person who loves a good epic adventure -- especially if I get to be involved), her ideas have captured my imagination.  Give a listen and see Jane's take on why so many people spend so many hours participating in the online world -- her answers might surprise you -- they did me.