September is Hot

Perhaps the temperatures are beginning to turn toward Fall, but September is a "hot" month for health topics.  There are around 20 Health "Awareness/Safety/Education" highlights in September.  I'll focus on four of them:  Family Health and Fitness, Healthy Aging Month, National Cholesterol Education Month, and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  (For Childhood Cancer Awareness, I get to spotlight a friend, Jennifer McCoy, who will be guest blogging.)

Let's start with Family Health and Fitness.  What do you do with your family for fitness?  Or what fun do you want to begin?  Two of my favorite memories growing up were regular walks with my mother, having great conversation - meaning she listened to whatever I needed to talk about - and when I finally turned 13 and could go to the fitness center with her to workout.  (Back then we called it a "spa" but it was more workout than "spa".) 

Another activity we enjoyed was the 1980's version of workout videos.  Just like we have exercise DVD's today, she had exercise records to play on the turntable, complete with a brochure of pictures showing the exercises.  I know we looked silly, but it was great mother/daughter time in the family living room.  She instilled in me a love of exercise.

How can you instill in your children a love of movement that they will enjoy all of their lives?  It is not just sitting on the sidelines watching them play a sport.  Be active with them.  They need to see you as an adult enjoying physical activity.  Plus it will give you opportunity to listen to what is going on in their lives and teach them your values.  What a win for everyone!

The Oldies

My last installment in our Book Review Month turns back the clock and, hopefully, prompts you to question your assumptions.

As I was looking through my personal health/wellness library to select the final book(s), the heart disease and prevention books seemed appealing.  Then, of course, all of the healthy aging books wagged their canes at me and said, "Talk about us."  Next, the books on my strength training shelf tried to get my attention by flexing their binders.  Alas, it was the whisper of the antiques that won the challenge.  Why?  So that you will challenge what you hear. 

When you read or hear someone say "Three meals a day, no snacks," ask yourself "What is the history behind that?"  When you are told "Calories in, calories out...that is all that counts" question it.  Hopefully, you already wonder about the adage "No pain, no gain" for exercise.

These thoughts came from somewhere.  Research is always changing or confirming what we know (or think we know).  For example, in "Feeding the Family" by Mary Swartz Rose, a nutrition textbook from 1916, a diet of 1000 calories is advised for weight reduction.  (This particular diet even included snacks, if you want to call a single water cracker and a glass of water a snack.)  We now know the negative impact on metabolism of a diet that low in calories.  Also, a diet of 3000 calories was advised for a woman wanting to gain weight.  We also now know that hormones adjust, for a period of time, to more quickly burn off those "extra" calories.  It is not as simple as what the new (in 1916) research equipment could measure.  The body is complex.  Fortunately, the textbook was past the "tapeworm diet phase" of the 1800's.  There is wonderful information in "Feeding the Family," but by today's discoveries, 100 years later, it is not all accurate.  (Yet, we still hear the echoes of "It is easy...the more calories you cut out and burn off, the faster you will lose weight.")

A 1922 book on exercise, "Individual Gymnastics" by Drew Kinzly, has fantastic information on posture, strength, corrective exercises for posture, and flexibility exercises.  Almost all of the information is accurate even today.  However, a few of the exercises demonstrated we now know are dangerous for the neck or other joints. 

So, here's my challenge to you:  Go to an antique store or a used bookstore that carries older books (printed in the early 1900's) and glance through books on health.  You'll be surprised what has withstood the test of time and what hasn't.  Of course, you will also get some walking in around the store, and that is always a good thing.

Four Favs...Plus One

I can't have a book review month without telling you about my favorite cookbooks.  So, here are my four favorites...plus an interesting option.

Tied for First Place:

• The Mayo Clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook.  Pictures and nutrition information for every recipe.  Easy to follow.  Delicious...every recipe I have tried is outstanding.  And the International Association of Culinary Professionals agree...the book won the Julia Child Cookbook Award
• The Joy of Cooking.  This one recently came into first place.  Why?  We have a garden.  Previously it was not a favorite.  The cookbook has no pictures.  (That is a downside for me as I need help visualizing what a recipe will be like.)  And it reads like a textbook.  In fact, my mother-in-law said it actually was a textbook for her in college.  If I were a "serious" cook, it would have always been invaluable.  For example, how to de-bone a whole chicken is explained in detail...hmmm...I have a butcher so I don't need that.  But now with the garden?  Last year we had more squash coming in than I could make squash casseroles.  Ta-da.  Look up "squash" in Joy of Cooking and presto, there are over 30 recipes with squash.  If you have food coming in through a CSA or your garden, or you are a "serious" cook, Joy of Cooking is a must have.

Second Place:

The Schwarzbein Principle Cookbook.  Sadly, no pictures.  Easy to understand and follow.  Very healthy recipes.  Great variety.

Third Place:

Roast Lamb in the Olive Groves.  Yippee.  Lots of pictures.  And it is a delight to read.  The recipes and stories make you feel like you are in Greece.  Delicious and healthy.  Some of the recipes I will never use. (Octopus?  Nah.  Whole John Dory with tomatoes and fennel?  Not so much.)  But the recipes add a variety I would have never tried without the cookbook.

Just for Fun:

The Williamsburg Art of Cookery.  (You can order this cookbook from Colonial Williamsburg.)  I doubt I will ever cook from this book, but it is fun to read how recipes were written 200 years ago...and what they ate.  Split Pea Soup?  Familiar.  Pickled Figs and Gerkins?  Well, I don't even know what a Gerkins is.

Happy Cooking!

The Seven Pillars of Health

This week I'll review a comprehensive book on health..."The Seven Pillars of Health" by Don Colbert, MD.  It does not have any "false-advertising" or outlandish claims.  Even its marketing tag, "50 Days to a Healthier You," is reasonable. 

Dr. Colbert covers the essentials of water, sleep/rest, nutrition, exercise, detoxification, supplements and coping with stress.  And while experts may disagree on the specifics within each category, these remain 7 essentials - or Pillars - to health.

A few things I like (there are many more)...

• The highlighted sections, such as "Are You Getting Enough Sleep?," teach you how to listen to your body vs just a prescribed formula.
• Science and research is throughout the book, but in an easy to understand presentation.
• The information is divided into 50 days of reading.
• Action steps are included at the end of each day.  And tools/worksheets are included for those action steps.  So there are no excuses to at least try the action to see if it works for you.
• "Extremes" are discouraged.  For example, while supplements are discussed and encouraged where needed, mega-dosing is discouraged.  Another example is the nutrition and exercise recommendations are very doable, not demanding you go hungry or eliminate whole categories of food or only do high-intensity or long-duration exercise. 
• Consistent, step-by-step lifestyle upgrades are encouraged, with clear explanations as to "the why."

A few things perhaps to question (there are very few)...

• Water, specifically alkaline water.  There is research on both sides of whether alkaline water is good, bad, indifferent.  It is worth reading Dr. Colbert's information, researching for yourself various studies both for and against it, and perhaps experimenting with it yourself to see if it helps you.  (Of course, the need for drinking plenty of purified and de-chlorinated water is not in question.)
• Fasting.  While he discussed the benefits of fasting, be warned that it can be misused.  And for those with a bulimic or anorexic background fasting may re-trigger dangerous behavior.  I wish precautions for physical and emotional safety had been discussed more.

This is a health book that should be read by everyone, regardless of your health goals.  Way to go, Dr. Colbert!

Le Personal Coach

Read an entertaining and somewhat helpful book by Valerie Orsoni and you can (kind of) have your own "Le Personal Coach."  Her subtitle is "A French Trainer's Simple Secrets for Getting Fit and Slim without the Gym."

I agree with Valerie's premise:  you do not need a gym or hours a day to be fit.  Her tips include things like doing wall push-ups each time you go to the restroom, squeezing a ball between your knees when sitting at work and, of course, walk around or do lunges when you talk on the telephone. 

I like her way of teaching the idea that exercise can be incorporated into life.  I do caution you on two points:  (1)  Some of the promises are more motivation than reality.  For example, Valerie encourages readers to squat over (vs sit on) the toilet 6 times a day and "you're guaranteed great thighs for bathing-suit season!"  It takes more than 6 squat holds a day for most folks, but putting all of her ideas together may get you where you want to be for the beach.  Take those comments as an encouragement, not a promise.  (2)  This next one is a real concern...she advises readers to wear ankle weights when walking around.  That is dangerous for your knees and hips.  Please don't wear ankle weights for anything other than floor exercises. 

Speaking of the ankle weights...take my advice, like Valerie's and pull those weights out and use them while you are watching a movie this weekend (or at least during TV commercial breaks).  And do get the book "Le Personal Coach."  The layout of the book is great as a "reminder  book" to have around.  Pick it up; open it up; find an idea to follow.

It's Book Review Month!

Perhaps it is the "read a book on your last minute beach vacation" or the "Back-to-School" energy floating around, but it just seems we need to chat about some good health and wellness reads.  I'll start with two of my favorite mindful/intuitive eating books...French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano (Random House, Inc.) and Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch (St. Martin's Press).

For those who don't know my story, I started dieting at age 9.  It started years of anorexia mentality, yo-yo dieting, constantly thinking about food, etc.  By my early 20's I realized it wasn't working, but I knew no other way to think.  I didn't remember what having a "normal" relationship with food was like.  So I read two books, Diets Don't Work by Bob Schwartz and Breaking Out of Food Jail by Jean Antonello.  I highly recommend these two books if you have dieted and want to break free of the destructive mentality.

Along came many other books, but the two I'll review briefly today have helped me tremendously.  In fact, I am in the process of becoming a Certified Intuitive Eating Coach through Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch's program. 

First, French Women Don't Get Fat:  this is a "read it on the beach" book.  Full of ideas and stories in a style that you absorb the concepts that food is for both nutrition and pleasure and that you must have both.  Her teaching that Americans focus on not eating what is "bad" and French focus on eating what is "good" is central to the French Women philosophy.  I have read this book over and over (and listened to it on CD) to continually re-program my thinking about food and nutrition.

Second, Intuitive Eating:  this is a "study it" book, though it is not a dry textbook for back-to-school.  It is also full of ideas and stories, but presented more in a Step One, Two, Three fashion.  Each step is needed and they are very encouraging that a change of all the diet habits won't happen overnight and that is all right.

If you have dieted and want to be free, I recommend you read both of these books.  Like grilled asparagus is to grilled fish, they really complement each other.  Why?  Here's one example...in the Intuitive Eating book, one of the steps is "find ways to deal with emotions other than food."  There are ideas given, but the French Women Don't Get Fat book really gets into how to amp up the pleasure of life so that your emotions are soothed without even thinking about food. 

During August, I'll review other health and wellness books.  If you have any you would like for me to review, please let me know.

No stopping you!

It may be hot outside, but there is no stopping you!  Here are a few tips to stay safe exercising in the heat:

• Drink extra water before, during and after your exercise.
• If you are going to be outside sweating for more than an hour or two, drink sports drinks with electrolytes.  For extended sweating, if you drink water only, it dilutes your stores of electrolytes and can cause muscle cramps...or worse.  For less than 1-2 hours, water only is usually fine.
• During the day, increase your fruits and veggies and stay away from greasy foods.
• Wear a visor or hat that allows for airflow.
• Try wearing a thin cotton long-sleeve shirt.  Not only is it added protection against sunburn, it often keeps you cooler than a t-shirt.  Experiment as to whether a t-shirt or thin long-sleeve shirt is cooler for you.
• When possible, exercise before 8:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.
• Exercising at lunch?  A walk in a shaded park is perfect.
• If you aren't used to the heat yet, make your outdoor workouts shorter.
• Take a break in the middle of your cardio session.
• Decrease your intensity.  Who says you have to give it your all when it is 100 degrees F?  (And if you are training for an event and must increase your intensity...be smart...we have treadmills in air-conditioned gyms these days.) 
• Plan some extra cool-down time at the end of your workout.

You don't have to stop exercising when it is hot.  You just have to prepare and be smart.  And, as always, HAVE FUN!

Water Water Everywhere

So, just how important is water to you?  Go outside in the summer heat and you quickly find out.  But even without the intense heat, you need water to help every action/reaction in your body.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey Water Science School, water “regulates body temperature,” which is why you need extra water during the summer, “acts as a shock absorber for brain and spinal cord, allows body’s cells to grow, reproduce and survive, helps deliver oxygen all over the body, lubricates joints, flushes body waste, [is used] by the brain to manufacture hormones and neurotransmitters, and [transports] carbohydrates and proteins.”  No wonder we feel great when we drink enough water and have lower energy when we don’t!  And since water makes up 55-65% of your body, it goes to “vital organs” first when you are slightly dehydrated.  So, if you are noticing your skin a little drier or more wrinkled than usual, or – how shall I say this delicately – dealing with constipation or dark yellow urine, you probably need to drink more water.

How much water?  That is very individual.  There are some website calculators, including http://www.camelbak.com/HydrationCalculator.  For many people, simply cutting out the man-made drinks (especially sodas, pre-mixed flavor packets, etc.) and switching to what God made for the body – straight water or water flavored naturally (lemon slices, cucumber slices, herb infusions, etc.) will take care of water needs.  Always remember:  God loves you and what He has created for you is best.  I encourage you to read the following scriptures in the Bible:  Exodus 17:1-6, 1 Kings 17, Joshua 15:18-20, Judges 15:18-20.   Notice that when people were thirsty God did not bless them with milk or wine (or soda or…).  He blessed them with water.

Are you seeing RED this summer?

You should be.  At least on your table.  Here are a few reasons why...

• Watermelon - According to a research study at Florida State University, watermelon may help keep "pre-hypertension" from becoming "hypertension."
• Strawberries - Help to fight breast and cervical cancers.
• Cranberries - Dried or fresh UNsweetened helps prevent cavity-causing bacteria from adhering to your teeth.
• Pomegranates - High in anti-inflammatories (great for post-workout) and antioxidants; has been shown to slow increase in PSA.
• Tomatoes - You've heard of lycopene.  To get the best punch of lycopene, cook or juice your tomatoes.  It may help with prevention of various cancers and heart disease.
• Tart Cherries - An anti-inflammatory; can help with muscle and joint recovery after exercise.  Can also help control triglycerides (of course, that means not adding a lot of sugar to blunt the tartness.)

So, go see some Red at the Farmer's Market this weekend!

Standing Room Only

A friend presented me with a challenge recently.  She has reflux and can only exercise standing up.  And she needs to be able to workout at home.  Her concern:  how to train her chest and back muscles.  The usual chest press and "bent-over-row" wouldn't work.  So, here are a couple of ideas for her...and for anyone needing to exercise standing-only.

At Home Exercise:  Standing Chest Press -

• Wrap a resistance band around a sturdy post (light post, narrow tree in the backyard...)
• Face away from the post with your back toward the post
• Hold an end of the band in each hand
• Step far enough away from the post that you feel very light tension in the band
• Straighten your arms in front of your chest, bringing your hands together
• Adjust your distance or the level of resistance band to increase/decrease your intensity.

At Home Exercise:  Standing Back Row -

• Wrap a resistance band around a sturdy post (see above)
• Face toward the post
• Hold an end of the band in each hand
• Step far enough away from the post that you feel very light tension in the band
• Bend your elbows and pull your elbows behind you, close to your waist (as though you are rowing something toward you)
• Adjust your distance or the level of resistance band to increase/decrease your intensity.

At the Gym?  The same type of exercises can be done on a cable-cross-over machine.

HAPPY TRAINING...there is always a way!

To Grill or Not to Grill...

That is the question.  Here are a few ideas to help you decide.

If you are planning on grilling this summer and you are concerned about either food safety or carcinogens caused by grilling food, then read on...

Food safety: 

• All meat, poultry, eggs (ok, you aren't grilling eggs, but you might make deviled eggs for a picnic, so I'm including them in the discussion)... risk staphylococcus food poisoning.  It is a heat stable toxin.  Any high protein food stored between 40F and 140F can allow growth of the toxin.  Best prevention?  Use sterilized kitchen utensils, wash your hands, and serve (or refrigerate) the food immediately.  Do not allow food to cool slowly.
• Poultry and eggs are susceptible to salmonella.  Best prevention?  Of course, use sterilized kitchen utensils and wash your hands.  Grill chicken until it is completely white and serve immediately.  What to do with leftovers?  Refrigerate for up to 2 (yes, only 2) days.
• Another word about sterilized kitchen utensils:  If you are making shish kabobs, use separate knives and cutting boards (or sterilize) for the veggies and meat.  (Obvious...but just a reminder for when you are in a rush.)

Decrease carcinogens in grilling:

• You've heard this by now...but a (friendly) reminder is in order.  Do NOT char the food.  And if you get to chatting and something grills too long - cut off the charred areas.
• Rosemary!!!  This helps whether you are grilling, broiling or frying meat.  (I'm so glad the previous blogs on gardening spurred you to plant that Rosemary Bush by your mailbox.  All you have to do is go snip some and put in the marinade.)  In a research study by Kansas State University, it was reported that adding rosemary (specifically rosemary extract in the study) helped to prevent cancer-causing compounds in cooked meat.
• Fill your plate with colorful veggies.  (1)  The antioxidants you eat will help combat any cancer-causing compounds.  And (2) you'll fill up on veggies instead of a 2nd burger (therefore, less exposure, right?)

Hope this helps you to decide how (and how often) to grill out this summer.  (And if you live in the Nashville area and you are grilling grass-fed beef - let me know.  I might bring veggies from my garden and crash your party.)

Duct Tape and Chocolate

Growing up we all heard, "Duct tape fixes everything."  And as an adult I learned that any meal (or day) that was a "disaster" could be fixed with piece of dark chocolate.  (Not a bag of chocolate...that just creates another "disaster"...but that's another topic for a post.)

Well, we recently learned the BEST use for duct tape ever!  Gardening!  Seriously.  Take a strip of duct tape to collect bug eggs off of leaves...they typically pull right off, sometimes with a little pressure on the opposite side.  And flying insects and small grasshoppers are easier to catch, too.  I can't grab them fast enough with just my (gloved) hand, but I can slap duct tape on them and they don't move!  This week alone we've removed over 10 sets of squash bug eggs...so our squash plants are not getting eaten this year!  Plus, the duct tape makes the removal of bugs and eggs quicker.

Chocolate?  Well, I've not figured out how to use that in the garden.  Except savoring a piece while watching the garden grow.  If I hear of anything, though, I'll pass it along.

Health eating and happy gardening!

Help is on the way!

The lettuce/herb salad and kale/leek frittata pictured here is 70% from our garden.  If our leeks were finished growing, it would have been 90% from our garden.  Organic gardening in your backyard is worth it!

This past year has been a time of trial and error, but with a lot of success, too.  Why?  We got help!  If you are looking for help, check out the books and links below.  These have proven to be the best help for organic gardening.

• http://www.gardenguides.com/
• http://whiteharvestseed.com/
• http://nashvillefoodscapes.com/
• Book - "Organic Garden Basics" by Bob Flowerdew  (love the last name as the author of this book!)
• Book - "The Edible Garden" by Sunset Books

Hope these help you in your organic gardening and healthy eating!

Weeds! Bugs!

When we started our backyard garden we were given a lot of advice...some of it helpful and some, of course, not so helpful.  One of the "not so helpful" phrases we heard many times was, "Start small.  Don't plant more than you can weed."  To an experienced gardener, I'm sure that means a lot.  To us, well, let's just say we didn't know how fast weeds would grow.  I'm not writing this post to discourage you from gardening.  It is well worth it!  Just plan extra time for weeding and bug prevention.

Here's a typical scenario:  You prep an area to plant and then plant it.  You think "That was easy."  So, the next weekend you start another (larger) area to plant, almost finishing.  By the third weekend, you get the second area finished and planted.  But, oops!  The first area (which have not have time to watch) is full of weeds already!  Unfortunately, the weekend is gone and the next week you are at work late each night and the next weekend you have planned to be at a family gathering, not gardening.

Plus, I have learned that I have no idea how long various gardening and landscaping projects will really take.  For example, when I guessed that installing 30 rosemary and lavender plants (to deter deer) would take 10 hours (surely, it can't take that long to dig a hole and put in a plant), it took 40 hours of digging out large limestone rocks.  Of course, not much weeding got done in those extra 30 hours.  After the 40 hours of digging rocks, we noticed bugs eating our garden and had to research how to kill and prevent them (organically).  And somehow the weeds didn't stop growing just because I was on another project.  (That's a life lesson, too.)

So, my recommendations if you are new to gardening:  First, multiply whatever time you are planning for a project by 3.  Second, estimate how much time you can devote to weeding each week.  The 6 foot X 9 foot herb plot pictured above took me 23 minutes to weed after being left for 3 weeks untouched.  So, if I have 20 minutes to weed each week, I should have no more than 3 beds that size.  Either I can weed all 3 every week; meaning fewer weeds per bed, but weeding 3 beds.  Or I can weed one bed every 3 weeks.  This assumes not having other projects (or vacations) instead of weeding.

You'll work out your own system, and this is not an exact science.  And don't be discouraged.  We "got behind" in weeding and bug preventing many times.  Most things still survived, and we are doing better in our second year (no 40 hour rosemary/lavender projects).  But hopefully estimating how long it takes to weed a 6X9 bed will help you know what "don't plant more than you can weed" means for you.

The Backyard Garden

The sod getting cut out (and then bagged).

Since summer is upon us, I thought I would (try to) inspire you to grow a little of your own food this year.  There are so many options...a few herbs on a sunny window sill, a tomato plant in a pot, a "lasagna garden" (layers of organic material, no-digging or tilling required) or a full-blown garden plot.

Ours started a year ago this month.  I am lazy (efficient?) about maintenance.  I did not want to put in landscaping to be "just pretty" and take a lot of time.  But if I could eat it, too?  I'm in.  The problem was that putting in decorative lettuce instead of monkey grass would not work in our neighborhood, due to the deer that roam.

So, we called Nashville Foodscapes and they solved the problem.  Put in a blackberry arbor and some rosemary/lavendar to deter the deer.  It sounded simple enough.  (It was simple, just not easy because of the hard clay and limestone rock.)  The garden as a whole sounded like a 2 month project.  (Oops.  A year later, we're almost done finishing setting up the garden.)  We've learned a lot of lessons which I'll share over this month, as well as resources/people who have helped us.

But it truly is worth it.  While the "beauty" of the garden is still getting set up, the food itself is growing.  We know how it is grown and it is very convenient to have whatever herbs or vegetable I need just outside my backdoor.  So, I encourage you to start something.  Teach your kids how things grow.  And if you want to grow a large space, recruit a few neighbors to do a community garden.

Happy planting!

The soil has been delivered and spread, the arbors are in, and the 1st attempt at a retaining wall is set up.  This is 6 weeks after the sod was cut.

Exercising for (well, against) Arthritis

So you want to prevent or manage arthritis? Whatever you do, don't stop moving!  Here are just a few of the ways exercise helps your joints and bones:

• Exercise moves the synovial fluid through your cartilage.  While not an "oil," synovial fluid is the "grease" of your joints and has been shown to slow the progression of osteoarthritis.  It also brings nutrients to your joints.
  
• Exercise strengthens the tissues around your joints to help absorb impact.
  
• It increases your range of motion.
  
• Exercise improves your biomechanics (which means less stress on your joints).
  
• Most exercise strengthens your bones.
  

While I know you want to exercise after reading that list, you are probably debating what type of exercise.  Swim?  Bike?  Walk?  Run?  Recent research actually supports all of the above, including running...with some qualifications.  According to a report in the Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine (2011;2 [2], 205-12), mild (1st qualification) knee osteoarthritis responded well to progressive (2nd qualification) higher-impact exercise.  Patellar cartilage thickness improved by 7% and leg strength improved.

So, keep moving...and talk with your Health Care Provider or Certified Personal Trainer about an exercise program that is right for your specific situation.

(For more information, read "The Arthritis Cure - Revised Edition" by Jason Theodosakis, MD, MS, MPH, FACPM and Sheila Buff.  The list of arthritis-specific exercise benefits is based on this book.  The research article can be found in the Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine.)

Eating for Arthritis

It is National Arthritis Month. One in three Americans suffers from arthritis.  Is your family prone to arthritis?  Do you want to decrease your risk, regardless of family history?  Now is a good time look at your eating habits to prevent it. 

Let's focus on just one aspect this week:  Prevent inflammation in the body through what you put in your mouth.  (We'll talk about exercise for arthritis next week.)

• Eating fish?  Make sure it is WILD caught and not FARM raised.  In general, wild caught lowers inflammation.  Farm-raised increases it.
• Control your blood sugar.  Eat carbohydrates that digest slowly (vegetables, beans, old-fashioned oatmeal, etc.) vs. carbohydrates that digest quickly (processed cereal, white flour, etc.)
• Increase your use of garlic and warming spices, like chili pepper.
• Increase your anti-oxidant intake with more vegetables and berries (Hmmm...that seems to be a theme in all "eating healthier" research.)
• Increase your healthy oils, such as extra virgin olive oil and walnuts.
• So, dinner tonight is wild-caught salmon with a garlic and chili pepper rub, a salad with lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil, spiced garbanzo beans and spiced walnuts, then a warm berry compote for dessert.  Right? 

For detailed resources check out the Arthritis Foundation website, www.arthritis.org and the book Inflammation Nation by Floyd H. Chilton, Ph.D.

Motivation for Moms

It is the week of Mother's Day.  Mothers deeply love their children and others.  And we all appreciate it.  Unfortunately, many mothers focus solely on taking care of everyone else and forget themselves.  It's time for Moms to take care of themselves so they can soar.

Here's a little motivation you can share with women who need to remember the truth that "You must be cared for, too."

Proverbs 31:17 (Amplified) "She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her strong and firm."  Make time for your workouts!  Even 30 minutes each day of a focused program will help you to stay strong throughout life.

Proverbs 31:22 (NKJV) "She makes tapestry for herself, her clothing is fine linen and purple."  Make time to do what you love and what re-charges you emotionally.  And enjoy the best you can afford.  Perhaps right now you cannot buy luxury clothes like the woman in Proverbs 31, but don't let that stop you from doing what you can do to look and feel beautiful.  (And if you do buy something luxurious - that you can afford without debt - don't feel false-guilt.  Proverbs 31:22 does not say "her clothing was fine linen and purple, but she felt guilty about it" or "went into debt for it."  Neither false-guilt nor debt is healthy.)

Remember to take care of yourself so you can fulfill your potential and soar!  Happy Mother's Day.

Cancer Prevention...Lifestyle

So, we've talked a little about nutrition and exercise.  How about lifestyle to decrease your cancer risk?

Let's touch on four areas:  smoking, alcohol, de-chlorinated water and stress management.

• Smoking:  I'll keep this simple.  Not smoking?  Don't start.  Smoking?  Stop.  Find a way.
• Alcohol:  Consumption of alcohol increases estrogen levels in 10 minutes.  That's not good for breast cancer risk.  And according to Janet Friedmann, PhD, RD at Vanderbilt Medical Center, "there is a substantial amount of data linking alcohol to increased cancer risk for the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, liver, colon and breast."
• Water:  Increasing water intake decreases risk of colon cancer, likely because it increases bowel transit time.  However, chlorinated water has been linked to an increase in various cancer risk.  A simple solution?  Use an at-the-faucet chlorine remover and then drink up!
• Stress Management:  "How to" is a topic for several blog posts, but for now remember that unmanaged stress increases cancer risk.  In a University of London study "unmanaged mental stress was six times more predictive of cancer and heart disease than cigarette smoking, high cholesterol levels, and elevated blood pressure" (The Seven Pillars of Health, Don Colbert, MD).

take a stress break everyday!

So, don't let all of this information about decreasing cancer risk stress you out!  Keep it basic. 

• Eat a variety of several (ideally 7-8) vegetable servings a day.
• Be physically active (exercise) most days of the week, including a 2-3 days of vigorous exercise, if your medical situation allows.  Call your doctor and ask what intensity is good for you.
• Don't smoke.  Don't drink alcohol.  Drink chlorine-free water.
• Find avenues to manage stress - exercise is one of them.
• Get help where you need it - whether your physician, a Registered Dietician or a Health Coach.

Keep at it!  You can Find Your Path so you can Fulfill Your Potential.  And you can enjoy the journey!  Let us know how we can help.

Cancer Prevention...Exercise

I'll admit.  This topic may not be as appealing for some folks as Nutrition for Cancer Prevention.  But here we go.

Make sure you walk the beach this year on your summer vacation.

Let's start with the general benefits of exercise on cancer risk.  According to an editorial in the British Medical Journal, by epidemiologists David Batty and Inger Thune, exercise impacts immune function, energy balance, bowel transit time, hormone levels (tissues become more sensitive to hormones), antioxidant defense and DNA repair.  In an article review presentation by Patricia Martin, MS, Vanderbilt Medical Center, exercise also decreases anxiety and elevates mood.  (This is important for the Stress Management we'll talk about next week.)

All of this is good news to decrease your cancer risk.  "But how much exercise is enough?"  Great question.  I'm glad you asked.

Research studies show various results and it also depends on what type of cancer you are researching.  Always remember that "some is better than none."  It is never all-or-nothing.  Breast cancer and colon cancer in relation to exercise have been widely studied.  Breast cancer risk is decreased about 30% through exercise.  And specifically vigorous activity.  According to Leitzmann, M.F., et al (2008) in Breast Cancer Research, vigorous activity such as heavy yard-work, digging (yet another reason to put in that backyard garden), running, competitive sports that involve intermittent running, such as tennis, and aerobics lowered risk of breast cancer.  Non-vigorous activity, such as walking, bowling and dusting did not lower risk in this study.  So, if your joints and medical condition allow it, add in interval training a couple of days each week.

Colon cancer risk is decreased by half in active men and women.  And exercise for decreasing colon cancer risk does not have to be vigorous.  Just consistent.

So what does this mean to you?  To decrease your overall cancer risk, get active.  And, if you are medically able, increase your intensity of exercise a couple of days each week.  Why not everyday?  Because for long-term consistent exercise, alternating "vigorous days" and "gentle activity" days will protect your joints and increase your enjoyment. 

To design a specific plan to fit your lifestyle and what you enjoy, contact ViREO Life.  We are here to help you Find Your Path and Fulfill Your Potential.