Sport Fitness & Physique

Posts Tagged ‘healthy’

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Gosh, I wish I knew…

I wish I knew what the newly passed National Health Care Reform Bill had in store for you.

In truth, I don’t even know what the newly passed legislation has in store for me or for my family!

I do know that there are now inclusions for folks with ‘existing conditions’ that were previously unavailable.  And, I also understand that children are now covered under their parent’s plans until the age of 26.

The previous health care model was not as forgiving or as understanding in this regard.

I suppose this is good news for many people -well at least a big ole’ bunch of college students anyway.

Of course, as of the writing of this post, President Barack Obama has yet to sign the new legislation into law.  However, it is widely anticipated that the President’s signatory approval is simply a pending formality.

If it truly is a ‘Done Deal,’ there is no telling what this new legislation will do for our country and its 150 million under-insured and non-insured citizens -let alone what it may not do or even the social calamity it may cause.

There is also no way of knowing how this government sponsored initiative might ultimately impact the citizens of this great nation.

We just don’t know…

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chi-liu/

However, no matter what the new Health Care Reform Bill does -or does not do…

Here’s what we really DO know!

We have long known that we are all ultimately responsible for our own Health.

We have also long known that and only we can make the Life altering Changes needed to improve our Health and Wellness!

We may not be able to turn back the recently passed Health Care Reform Bill, but here’s what we can do to greatly limit our need for health care and health intervention in the first place:

First-
Stay Healthy:

There is no better substitute for a healthy life than a healthy lifestyle.  Keep your immune system healthy and able to withstand all of the unhealthy toxins your environment throws at you. Eating well to support your efforts will ensure you live a long and healthy life.

Get in the habit of purchasing fresh, whole foods and limiting your intake of soy, breads, grains, pastas and dairy products. All of these foodstuffs are notorious antigens and allergens for a great percentage of our population.

Second-
Get Physical:

The more our bodies are challenged -the better our bodies respond.
It is no secret that the human body is an amazingly responsive and receptive machine.  The harder and the longer we push our bodies -the more our bodies tend to respond.   Don’t kill yourself -but please do get outside your comfort zone and push yourself towards a goal. Push hard and then take the time to properly recover.

Your body will only be strong and lean when it is tried, tested and forced to be strong and lean!

Third-

Be Consistent:

Find the physical activities that you enjoy!
This is SO important! If you enjoy it -you’ll most likely do it -and do it often enough to really make a significant impact.

Without intrinsic motivation -encouragement that comes from within -we just will not succeed.
Think long and hard about what it is that you would like to do for FUN!! -It doesn’t have to be an activity that you excel at -It doesn’t have to be an activity that you are particularly Good at….You only need to enjoy it!

If you enjoy it…you will stick with it…and you will continue to stick with it -your body will adapt and that is exactly what you need!

Consistency is the key!

So ……I may not know how to handle the newly passed Health Care Reform legislation….but I certainly DO know what it takes to be healthy, stay healthy and reduce your over-all health-care costs!

Take the above recommendations to heart….and see how well you can improve your health and wellness.

If you need help -if you need some guidance -I am only a click away!
Call on me to help you through any and all of your Health Care dilemmas.

To your Good Health!

Paul D'Arcy NSCA, CPT, Poliquin certified BioSignature Practitioner

According to recent data from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), one in five people suffer from Type 2 Diabetes, a serious and potentially deadly disease.   Type 2 Diabetes can be both preventable and reversible with the proper diet and lifestyle modifications, so let’s try to understand the root cause of Type 2 Diabetes and how we can correct the condition.

The identifying factor of Type 2 Diabetes is insulin resistance.  Insulin is the hormone released to handle energy circulating in the bloodstream. When we eat a meal, the food we eat is digested and converted to an energy source that our cells can handle.   This energy source is called glucose.  When glucose enters the bloodstream, insulin is released to assist the cells in glucose uptake. The more glucose we have circulating in our blood, the more insulin that is released to distribute the glucose to our cells.

When large doses of insulin enter the bloodstream on a daily basis, our cells will eventually become less and less sensitive to the hormone.  This desensitizing leads to a surplus of circulating glucose each time we eat.   And, since our cells are no longer responding to insulin properly, the excess glucose is not going to the cells but is being quickly stored as body fat instead.   To compound this problem, any extra body fat we accumulate will contribute to an even greater resistance to insulin, and so the cycle will continue and the condition will continue to worsen.

Fighting a Losing Battle?

People with Type 2 Diabetes often complain of hunger and rightly so.   Insulin resistance interferes with normal hunger signaling between the brain and the digestive system.   Most of us believe we get hungry because our stomach is empty, but that’s just not true.   Hunger is not a function of an empty stomach. Hunger is first a chemical response triggered by a lack of glucose in our cells and a lack of vital nutrients circulating through our bloodstream.

When our cells are starved for energy and there is a lack of vital nutrients in the bloodstream, a gland in the brain called the hypothalamus sends a signal to the gastrointestinal system to prepare for food.  This is what causes our stomach to ‘growl’ or ‘rumble.’  Digestive juices are being released as our digestive system prepares to accept food for the purpose of converting it to glucose.  Our stomach will begin to feel uncomfortable and we will begin thinking of food as the hunger signal is triggered within us.

Choosing our foods carefully when we feel hungry can greatly improve our insulin response.  The proper food choices will provide our cells with the energy the nutrition necessary for a healthful life.  Choosing the proper foods will help us manage our circulating glucose levels while preventing and even reversing the weight gain we typically experience with Type 2 Diabetes.

Since glucose is responsible for our insulin response at meal time, we would like to avoid foods that release large doses of insulin.  We should begin choosing foods that digest slowly, convert to glucose less readily and therefore cause less insulin to be released.  The following foods will help us manage our insulin while fortifying our bodies with the essential nutrients we need.   Think of this as an outline for your next trip to the grocery store and use these guidelines to help create your next shopping list.

Look for lean red meats like beef and any wild game. Lean pork is okay too.  You can enjoy any cut of lean meat which contains less than 10 grams of fat per serving.

Enjoy chicken, turkey breast or any other kind of fowl.   Be sure to eat a balance of white meats (breast) and dark meats (leg, thigh and wing) when eating fowl.

Explore all kinds of fish; fresh is best, but all all types of fish and all crustaceans (like shrimp, crab and lobster) are excellent sources of protein and healthy fats.

Fresh meats, poultry and seafood are important staples of a healthy diet.  The protein helps us build and maintain our muscle and the healthy fats they contain help us rebuild our cells, improve our insulin sensitivity and fortify our immune system.  The proteins and healthy Omega-3 fats contained in lean cuts of meat digest slowly, satisfy our hunger much better and prevent us from overeating as well.

Don’t skimp on fresh fruits.  Fruits are important!   Choose fruits that are in season where you live and indulge in a wide variety of fresh fruits, berries and melons when you can. The antioxidants, fiber and water these delicacies provide are crucial to a healthy lifestyle.

Experiment with a wide variety of fresh vegetables in your diet.  Vegetables may be even more important than fruits.  Vegetables contain the B family of vitamins that are necessary for a healthy liver and healthy brain function.

For a special treat, gently steam your vegetables and enjoy them with a spritz your own homemade dressing.   Simply combine equal parts of olive oil and white vinegar together in a spray bottle.   Use this simple, tasty and tangy dressing to top your meats and vegetables for a delicious and healthy alternative to sugary, store-bought dressings.

Use healthy oils in your daily diet.  Oils such as fish oil, flax oil, coconut oil, olive oil and canola oil are all very healthy, good for your heart, will improve your insulin resistance and will improve your cholesterol levels too.  Virgin coconut oil is fantastic for cooking; it has a high flash point (which means it will not burn readily) and adds a light, healthful flavor to meats, poultry, fish and grilled vegetables.

Season your foods with a wide variety of fresh herbs like anise, basil, bay leaf, caraway, chervil, chive, dill weed, fennel seed, fenugreek, marjoram, mustard, oregano, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, sage, savory, spearmint, tarragon and thyme. These herbs are healthful, tasty and calorie free additions to your diet.

Spice up your menu with a wide variety of fresh spices like black pepper, cardamom, cayenne,  chili powder, cinnamon, clove, corianders, cumin, curry powder, ginger, mace, nutmeg, paprika, red pepper, saffron and turmeric.   There are so many spices to choose from and the variety that spices can provide will help keep your diet exciting and your hunger satisfied.

If your doctor or health professional allows salt in your diet, choose all natural sea salt instead of ‘table salt.’  All natural sea salt contains many of the natural minerals that your body needs.   Typical table salt contains sodium and is mostly chemical in nature. Table salt raises blood pressure and increases the risk of heart attack or stroke so avoid it when you can.   All natural sea salt is a much better alternative to table salt.

Limit your condiments to fresh salsa, horse radish, prepared mustard, Tabasco and vinegar and use them in moderation.   Avoid things like barbeque sauce, catsup and store-bought dressings, sauces and marinades.   They contain far too much sugar, salt and sodium –all of which will sabotage your healthful diet.

Choose from these abundant whole foods as you prepare your daily meals and you will find that you feel more satisfied, less hungry and more energetic.

In our next installment, we will offer meal planning suggestions using these foods in new and exciting ways.

To your good health!

Paul D'Arcy NSCA, CPT, Poliquin certified BioSignature Practitioner

Back ache?

Do you suffer from back pain?

Do you wake up with a backache?

Uncomfortable lying down?

Lose sleep because of it?

Is standing for long periods uncomfortable?

If you’re like most folks, you probably spend a lot of time in the seated position -working from a desk, sitting at a computer terminal, driving, commuting, watching television in the evening etc…

When our bodies are in the seated position day in and day out we lose elasticity in our muscles, tendons and connective tissue.

Muscles begin to shrink -to adapt to the seated positioning we adopt so often. This shrinkage causes our posture to change and will even begin to shift our pelvis into a forward alignment called hyperlordosis.

This exaggerated alignment causes compression on our lumbar spine which in turn gives us pain.

Do you have excessive, compressive lordosis of the lumbar spine?

Take a look at your waistline from the side.

Is your belt or waistband parallel to the floor -or is it angled forward?

A healthy alignment would be parallel.

Chances are if you suffer from back pain, your pelvis has a forward alignment…..but we can fix that.

Physical therapy and corrective stretching and strengthening exercises provide relief in over 75% of back pain sufferers.

Take a look at this short video series and take action!

Hip Activation

Hurdler Stretches

Hip and hamstring series

Use these stretches and strengthening movements and stay with it.

You will be surprised at how a little rehab can go a long way to correcting your lower back pain problem.

~To your Good Health!

Swordfish is loaded with muscle building protein and heart healthy fats

Starting to get bored with summer burgers and brats?

Here’s a nutritious recipe I’m sure you’ll enjoy!

Begin with fresh swordfish fillets, drizzled with olive oil.

Sprinkle fresh chive, green onion, salt pepper and spices to flavor.

Place the fillets on the grill for 2-3 mintues. Carefully turn the fillets with a spatula and tongs.

Grill for just a few more minutes until done.

For your side dishes, gently steam one head of chopped cauliflower and mash as you would potatoes.
Add chopped chives, salt and butter to taste.

If you’ve never had it, it’s quite delicious and satisfies that creamy, starchy, fill-up-my-belly craving very well.

Grilled bell peppers are also a tasty treat and go great with this recipe.

To your Good Health!

Sleeping like a baby

Do you wake feeling tired?

Do you need an alarm to get you up in the morning?

Are you feeling depressed? -a little down? overly anxious or jittery?

All of these are symptomatic of sleep deprivation and sleep deprivation can seriously damage your immune system which will inevitably lead to more serious illnesses.

“So what can I do?”

Try organizing your daily activities so the bulk of your work is done early in the day.

Avoid late meetings, appointments and afternoon deadlines.

Choose a bedtime (preferably 10:30 pm) and stick to it.

Sleep in a completely darkened room -the darker the better. Remove electronic devices and light emitting sources.

You may not be able to control some of your life or work situations, but you can certainly control what you eat and when.

Try incorporating more white proteins into your diet -especially later in the day.

Turkey breast, chicken breast, cottage and swiss cheese (if you tolerate dairy well) are all good protein sources in this regard.

Incorporate more salmon, mackeral and bluefish in your diet.

Colorful fresh fruits and vegetables have important nutrients for immune system support -incorporate more of these into your daily diet.

And here’s the best tip of all:

Stop eating three hours before bed -and that means ‘snacking’ too!

Your body can’t rest when it has food to digest. Either you won’t rest or your body won’t digest and neither one of those options are very healthy.

You’ve heard that drinking water before a meal will allow you to feel satisfied with less food.

Not entirely true.

Thirst and hunger operate through two completely different mechanisms in the brain.

Here’s a BETTER plan:

Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Fresh fruits and veggies are full of great vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and water! Fresh fruits and vegetables will  hydrate you, fortify you and satisfy your hunger deliciously and nutritiously!