Healthy Backs

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 80 percent of Americans will experience back pain at some time in their life. When back pain first occurs, the body's immediate response is to shut down movement to that aggravated area, which causes the muscles and spine to tense even more and allow the back to be easily re-aggravated.

The good news is, there are many treatment options for back pain, including chiropractic adjustment, surgery or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), such as acupuncture. Statistics show that 45 percent of all Americans who suffer from back pain will try a chiropractic remedy. In addition, many physicians are quick to recommend surgery or drugs before the alternative methods or basic maintenance procedures to deal with these back problems.

There are several problems that can arise with the "rushed" surgery techniques. In 1995, the Orthopedic Clinic of North America did follow-up research on the aftermath of back surgery and found these alarming statistics:

- 25,000-50,000 failed back surgery syndrome cases each year
- Overall failure rate 30 percent (fusion), 37.3 percent (non-fusion)
- Re-operation rate 6.9 percent overall at two-year follow-up
- 11.9 percent (fusion), 10.2 percent (non-fusion) at four-year follow-up
- Re-hospitalization 22.4 percent (fusion), 18.3 percent (non-fusion)

Most of these re-operational statistics do not show the fault of the patient in the recovery process. No matter what treatment method is used, the patient is the key to helping their backs recover from treatment.

One treatment method that should not be overlooked is exercise and wellness. Exercise is not an exact treatment for back pain, although it can be used as a tool for many associated problems that people with back pain encounter. Exercise should be thought of as a preventative measure, and to also help cope with the irritability of back pain.

Even if you do not or never had back pain, take preventative measures now before it is too late. Listed below are some tips on preventative back care:

Take part in a consistent exercise program to include strength, cardiovascular and flexibility training (consult with a certified personal trainer for advice)

- Practice good posture and body mechanics
- Use back support when needed
- Incorporate a healthy diet and drink plenty of water
- Reduce the stress in your life
- Get adequate rest. Most people need at least seven hours of restful sleep each night
- Perform activities of daily living (ADLs) in a healthy spinal manner
- Stop smoking

Always seek the advice of your doctor and get educated about the different treatment options. If you are not satisfied with your physician's response, seek a second opinion.

Deborah Plitt, C.C.S has been in the health and fitness industry for 13 years. She has owned her own home-based personal training business for seven years and has been the Assistant Director of Conway Hospital Wellness & Fitness Center for five years. Deb is certified as a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, water aerobics instructor, weight management consultant and is an expert in arthritis and exercise. Deb is also an ACE faculty member and a member of the Life Fitness Academy.

When Good Foods Aren't So Good

Olive oil, protein bars and tuna sandwiches all sound really healthy, don't they? Well, according to Tanya Zuckerbrodt, MS, author of The F Factor Diet, you have to watch for extra calories, even with foods that sound healthy.

Olive oil is good for your heart, but while a little is good for you, a lot of olive oil is not. Ms. Zuckerbrodt says, "oil is oil - whether it’s olive oil or some other kind of oil, it still has 120 calories and 14 grams of fat per tablespoon.

What about a tuna sandwich? "The average overstuffed tuna sandwich served in a restaurant contains 700 calories and 43 grams of fat. Tuna fish has just 35 calories per ounce and it’s full of omega-3s, but mayonnaise has 100 calories per tablespoon," Ms. Zuckerbrot says. "You’re better off having a turkey or even a roast beef sandwich."

Protein bars and a frequently consumed "healthy" snack. Ms. Zuckerbrot describes protein bars as her least favorite food and said they are basically glorified candy bars. They’re also often high in calories, fat and do little to satisfy a person’s hunger.

A better choice is hitting the salad bar and grabbing lots of lettuce, artichokes and broccoli, topped with plain balsamic vinegar. For 100 to 200 calories, you get a lot more for a lot less calories.

You need to watch out for those frozen diet meals too. "They are fairly low in calories and convenient, but they’re also highly processed and high in sodium," says Ms. Zuckerbrot. A better choice? Ms. Zuckerbrot suggests eating a slice of whole wheat bread with some light sauce and light mozzarella or an egg white omelet with some vegetables.

For more about Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, visit her website.

Crepitus...crackling joints

When I walk around in the morning, my joints sound like popcorn popping. Am I normal? Many people have some degree of crepitus, a crackling or grinding sound made when uneven cartilage surfaces rub against each other. It usually occurs in large joints, like the knee or shoulder. Crepitus is different from the loud snap you hear when you crack a knuckle: That's caused by nitrogen bubbles inside the joints popping under pressure, says Raymond Rocco Monto, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. If you feel pain along with the popping (especially while climbing stairs, squatting or kneeling), see an orthopedist. It could be a sign of injury or arthritis. Yes, you heard us right: Arthritis has become more common in young athletic women who got hurt playing sports as adolescents, Dr. Monto says.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/health-questions-answered?page=2

Rev Up Your Metabolism

Many of my clients come to me and tell me that they have been struggling with weight loss for a long period of time. They are tired, sluggish, and just do not have the energy and control that they would like to have.

It is important to understand what happens when you skip a meal or go on a crash diet. When you skip a meal your metabolism slows to conserve your energy; your body thinks it is threatened with starvation and goes into survival mode. It fights to conserve your fat stores, and any weight loss comes mostly from water and muscle.

I had a client who began training with me and told me that before coming to me she had been working out regularly for a month and had not lost any weight and did not understand why. I had her write all of her food down for me for three consecutive days. After reviewing her food journal, it was just as I had suspected; she was only eating about 3 meals per day for a total of about 500-700 calories per day. Her body was starving! Women often think, the less I eat, the less I will weigh. Please get that out of your head!

Never skip a meal, especially breakfast. Try to eat five or six small meals rather than three large ones. Eating frequently prevents hunger, binges, provides consistent energy, and simply maintains metabolic efficiency. The trick, however, is not to eat any more calories than usual but to spread them more evenly throughout the day. This strategy prevents overeating, since you’re never ravenously hungry.

It takes your body 2 to 3 hours to break down the sugars in the food you eat, release them into your bloodstream, and convert them into energy. Go longer than that without eating again and your energy levels will start to fade.

I understand that snacking regularly can be scary, that is why it will be very important to make your snacks healthy. It is important to pre-portion your meals so you won't be tempted to overeat, and make meal sizes slightly smaller to compensate for the additional calories the snacks provide.

Exercising regularly, of course, is key to keeping your metabolism revved up. Dieting or restricting your caloric intake can cause your metabolism to slow. Exercise can help to counter this effect. Exercise is also the one sure way to burn more calories safely. Be sure to participate in both aerobic and strength training activities on a regular basis. Not only does the exercise itself increase your metabolism, but strength training builds muscle, which helps to keep your metabolism elevated 24 hours a day, essentially making you a more effective fat burning machine.

While genetics will always have an affect on your appearance, through healthy eating and exercise you can control your body composition. Play a constant roll in your healthy life by never skipping breakfast, eating healthy meals every 2-3 hours, and exercising regularly.

Don't wake up on the wrong side of the bed

Here is a great way to start your day:

Do this simple exercise in bed when you first wake up and you'll feel revived, grounded, and ready to face the day.

Full Body Warm-UpBenefits: Increases circulation, flexibility, and warmth in your ankles, calves, shins, hips, abdominal muscles, shoulders, and arms.

Lie on your back with your legs straight out in front of you, your head and neck resting on your pillow, and your arms relaxed by your sides. Flex your feet and stretch your toes toward your nose while pressing your heels away from your body. Hold for a second. Point your toes away from you and bring your heels toward you. Continue flexing and pointing your toes 10 times each.

On an inhale, bring your knees into your chest, hugging your shins with your arms.
As you exhale, release and straighten your legs to return them to the mattress. Reach your arms up toward the wall behind your head while simultaneously stretching your legs toward the foot of your bed. Repeat this move 5 times with your head resting on your pillow.

Do the move 5 more times, now curling your head and shoulders up as you hug your shins and lowering your head and shoulders to the pillow as you stretch your legs and arms.

http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/bed_exercise_fitness_circulation/fit_for_life/65

Food Diary

Research has shown that keeping a log of everything you down can help you eat better and
lose weight. Use this format to keep track of every meal, snack, and beverage (if it has calories).
Tip: Aim to eat before you're ravenous (you should be at a hunger level of about 3) and stop before you're stuffed. Eat slowly since it takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you're full.

http://www.shape.com/eatright/7998

Metabolism and Hunger

You likely find you're hungry when you leave the gym, or get hungry earlier in the day. As frustrating as it is to have to eat MORE on the days you work out, there’s a great way to deal with your hunger in a way that won’t counter-act all those hard-spent hours at the gym.

Try eating six small meals during the day instead of the typical three (and you better be eating breakfast for these same reasons!!) When you continually fuel your body, it jump starts your metabolism and helps you more efficiently use your food for energy, and can help you in reaching your weight-loss goals. Not only does it keep your metabolism going strong, but it also helps keep your energy level more constant throughout the day so you won’t be feeling the consequences of an early morning workout at 3pm at the office.

How can I be more productive in the gym?

Time your rest intervals. By carefully monitoring rest periods between sets, you can accomplish in 30 minutes what used to take an hour. What's more, your levels of muscle-building hormones will soar throughout your workout. This increases size and attacks your body's fat stores. Try resting 30 to 45 seconds between sets if your primary goal is endurance; 60 to 90 seconds for muscle growth; and 2 to 3 minutes between sets for serious strength gains.

Improving Your Perspective on Exercise

It’s the start of a new year and you want to get back on track and make healthy lifestyle changes, but you may not know where to begin. Regardless of what your personal goals may be, success is right around the corner. You just have to have the right mind set and take it one step, or one small goal, at a time.

The first thing you need to do is develop a positive attitude about exercise. If you have a negative attitude, you are already setting yourself up for failure. Often, people look at exercise as: an obligation, a penalty for bad eating, time consuming, and impossible to maintain. Does this sound like a program that you are willing to stick with? Nobody wants to do something painful, boring or obligatory.

Instead, think about exercise as: a way to boost your mood and energy level, a break from a stressful workday, a chance to do something solely for yourself, and a way to immediately begin improving your quality of life!

Now that you are ready to make this change, what you need to do is be real with yourself! Keep a food/activity journal for an entire week. Write down every thing that you eat and how much activity that you do. You are simply trying to gather a perspective of what your nutrition and exercise honestly looks like. Your journal will help reveal what may or may not be preventing you from reaching your goals. Continuing your food/activity journal will be a very important aspect in your success. Writing it down keeps you accountable whether you are the only one reading it, or if you are sharing it with your trainer or gym buddy. You will be more likely to put that candy bar back, knowing what your trainer or friend will say when they see it in your journal.

To be successful in your healthy lifestyle you will need support. Be sure to surround yourself with a positive support system.
Join a gym, if you have not already
Ask a friend or family member to be your “gym buddy”
Seek help from a Certified Personal Trainer and/or Nutritionist
Inform friends, family, and coworkers about your new endeavor- this will keep you accountable and hopefully gain more positive support.

These are all things that will get you in the right direction to a new healthy lifestyle. Making changes in your life is never easy. If you have a positive attitude, set realistic goals, and surround yourself with a support system to help you in this journey you will be successful.

*This is also posted on http://intheskirt.com/index.php/mind-body/index/ as will future posts

What is Shaklee?

Here is what they had to say:

As the number one natural nutrition company in the U.S., we've been making people healthier for over 50 years. And we've made it part of our job to make the planet healthier along the way.
We were doing it back when green was just a color and biodegradable was barely a word. In fact, as early as 1960, we made one of the first biodegradable household cleaners ever. And we were the first company in the world to obtain Climate Neutral™ certification and totally offset our CO2 emissions, resulting in a net zero impact on the environment.
We do what we do because we think it's essential to do our small part as part of the movement to make people and the planet healthier. In doing so, we believe each of our contributions put together will create the major change we wish to see in the world.

http://www.shaklee.com/company_home.shtml
We believe in these products. Ask us about them on your next visit.

Yoga poses to try at your desk

Take some time to relieve the stress of the day.
Here are some poses to try at your desk:

1. Neck Rolls
Take your shoes off before starting these stretches if you are wearing high heels.
Close your eyes.
Let your chin drop down to your chest.
Begin to circle your neck slowly, taking the right ear to the right shoulder, the head back, and then the left ear to the left shoulder.
Try to keep the shoulders relaxed and not to hurry through areas of tightness.
Take 3-5 rolls and then switch directions and take another 3-5 rolls.


2. Cat – Cow Stretch
Bring both feet flat on the floor.
Bring your hands onto your knees.
On an inhale, arch the back and look up toward the ceiling.
On the exhale, round the spine and let your head drop forward.
Repeat for 3-5 breaths.

3. Seated Forward Bend
Push your chair back from your desk.
Bring both feet flat on the floor.
Interlace your fingers behind your back.
Straighten your arms, drawing the interlaced fingers down.
Fold at the waist, bringing your interlaced hands over your back.
Rest your chest on your thighs and release your neck.

4. Eagle Arms
Take your arms out to either side, parallel to the floor.
Bring the arms forward, crossing the right arm over the left and bringing the palms to touch.
Lift the elbows while keeping the shoulders sliding down your back.
Repeat with the left arm over the right.

5. Seated Spinal Twist
Turn so you are sitting sideways in your chair.
Bring both feet flat on the floor.
Twist towards the back of the chair, holding the back with both hands.
Turn the chair the other way and repeat.

6. Wrist Stretch
Stand up.
Turn your hands so that the wrists face your computer and the fingers face the edge of the desk.
Lean in to the wrists and flatten your palms as much as possible.
Back off if you feel pain.

7. Standing Pigeon
Stand up.
Bring the left knee up and the left shin onto your desk parallel to the edge of the desk.
Take a forward bend over your left leg, bending from the waist.
Repeat on the other leg.

http://yoga.about.com/od/yogasequences/tp/deskstretches.htm

Cholesterol May Actually Pose Benefits, Study Shows

Researchers at Texas A&M University have discovered that lower cholesterol levels can actually reduce muscle gain with exercising. Lead investigator Steven Riechman, assistant professor of health and kinesiology, and Simon Sheather, head of the Department of Statistics, along with colleagues from The Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, have recently had their findings published in the Journal of Gerontology.

Bottom line: Before you have that second helping of oatmeal, it’s very possible that cholesterol may not be the mean Mr. Evil thing we tend to believe it is.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109173717.htm

Body Fat: explained

Learn how body fat affects you!

Women are supposed to have more body fat than men. While it's common for the average fit guy to have 14 to 17 percent body fat, the National Institutes of Health recommend that women ages 18-39 maintain a body fat percentage between 21 and 33. We may think it's an unsightly nuisance wedged on our hips, thighs and buttocks, but fat can serve a positive purpose: It cushions us from injury, insulates us, and energizes us when we haven't eaten in awhile. The fat to watch out for is the visceral fat that collects around the organs at your core. It can greatly increase your risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes because it produces and deposits free radicals into your blood stream. If you're body fat percentage is high, you could gain huge benefits from losing just a few pounds. Just make sure you're not over or under eating, both of which can contribute to weight gain!

article from womens health magazine online
www.WomensHealthMag.com//weight-loss/body-fat-and-weight-loss

Excursions!!!!

We are in whale watching season right now, so check out the excursion guidebook and plan a trip to go WHALE WATCHING in Virginia Beach. Its only $28.

ALSO....

Anyone interested in learning to rock climb: stop by the front desk for more information about getting a free pass to a "learn to climb class"!!!!

Should I train my abdominal muscles every day? Also, how many repetitions of crunches should I optimally perform?

You should treat your abdominal muscles like any other muscle group, which means you shouldn't train them every day. Your abdominals, like all of your other muscle groups, need recovery time between workouts.

As with any resistance training exercise, you ideally want the last few repetitions to be difficult to complete.

Performed correctly, 10 to 25 repetitions for one to three sets of abdominal exercises provide a more than adequate training stimulus. If you can perform more than 25 repetitions of an abdominal exercise, you are most likely performing the repetitions too rapidly or with improper form.

You can increase the challenge and intensity of abdominal exercises by using added resistance, moving more slowly or performing the exercises on a slant board or exercise ball so that your head is at a lower elevation than your legs.

Source: Bryant, Cedric X. 101 Frequently Asked Questions about "Health & Fitness" and "Nutrition & Weight Control".

What's your image?

In a twelve week study, men and women were instructed to lift weights for five days a week. Before and after the twelve week period a subjective questionaire and objective measurements were administered. For men, body image improvements were correlated only with subjective physical changes. But for women, body image improvements were correlated with subjective physical changes as well as objective increases in strength.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18089201?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Don't forget to lift those weights.

HealthyME

HealthyME is a new on-line personal training company that we have launched to be an affordable alternative to our personal training program. As a member of the program you will have 24 hour access to a personal trainer by telephone and email to discuss exercise and nutrition plans. The program will also give you access to exercise demos, recipes, and workout calendars along with your personalized workout plans. http://www.healthymetraining.com/

Childcare

Saturday, Jan 12th, Childcare will be available from 11:00am-1:00pm at our Shockoe Bottom location