Thank You!
I had two new clients start in the past two weeks. I received some of the best compliments I’ve had in my career.
One client said they woke up the day after we had our first session “feeling better than I have felt in years”!
The other client said “You’re so educated and I didn’t feel judged or anything it was great! Thank you!”.
These are the reasons I do what I do.
Making a difference in people’s quality of life is the driving force that pulls me forward and inspires me to be the best I can be.
- Published in Public Blog
Can Exercise Slow Your Aging?!
Exercise can slow your aging…that’s a very big claim but it turns out there is evidence coming out of Brigham Young University to back it up!
To begin, we must understand what a telomere is. We can think of our DNA sequence as a shoelace. DNA is made of two shoes laces, they are paired strands of DNA. At the ends of the DNA strands there is an end cap called a telomere. Just like shoelaces have protective tips, so does DNA. When the cells divide, the DNA gets replicated. Every time a cell divides, the telomere ends get a little shorter. Therefore, as we age our cells have divided many times resulting in the shortening of length of the telomeres. Eventually, we run out of telomere and the cell can no longer divide and becomes inactive, declines in function, or dies.
So, now we understand that telomere length is important and as we age it shrinks. However, the most astonishing thing we are finding out is that your physical activity level directly correlates to how long your telomeres are!
According to exercise science professor Larry Tucker at Brigham Young University, those individuals who exercised at a high intensity at least five days out of the week (30 min per session for women and 40 minutes for men) had telomeres that suggested they were nine years younger than those the same age but with sedentary lifestyles!
“Just because you’re 40, doesn’t mean you’re 40 years old biologically,” Tucker said. “We all know people that seem younger than their actual age. The more physically active we are, the less biological aging takes place in our bodies.”
High intensity interval training needed to get these results is at a level that is very demanding on the body. I would recommend that anyone who has not consistently trained at high intensity levels recently get guidance and supervision from a personal trainer in order to increase to the conditioning levels needed for high intensity training and avoid injury.
Every pivot towards good health is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or how small. Please call to schedule your complimentary initial consultation and sample 1 on 1 training session.
Call or text: 407-205-7488
- Published in Fitness, Public Blog
Sugar’s Hidden Dangers
The American Health Association suggests that we eat only 3 to 6 teaspoons of sugar for children, 6 teaspoons for women, and 9 teaspoons for men per day. Yet, the CDC discovered Americans average over 19 teaspoons per day! To put it into some perspective how much sugar that is, one can of Coke Classic has over 9 teaspoons of sugar!
Sugar causes cavities in our teeth because it feeds the bad bacteria. We also have bad bacteria in our gut that proliferate when we consume too much sugar. If you have heard of probiotics you know that gut health is increasing in the spotlight. We are in a constant battle to keep balance of our gut bacteria and sugar tips the scale toward the bad bacteria instead of the good bacteria. Additionally, people that suffer from candida, too much yeast in the body, should know that sugar promotes yeast growth.
Obviously, excessive sugar leads to weight gain. Often times the food that contains a lot of sugar is low in nutrients- cakes, cookies, and sodas, for example. These foods give you lots of calories with very little or no nutrition. Our body turns sugar into glucose, the glucose turns to body fat if you don’t use it. Since Americans have moved to a more sedentary lifestyle which does not promote use of the extra glucose we get from our concentrated calorie foods we now consume, it often turns into body fat. Having extra fat around your mid-section leads to a whole host of problems. According to Harvard Health, extra abdominal fat leads to increased LDL (which can increase cardiac events), decreased insulin response (which increases chance of diabetes), and increases chances of “stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis, fatty liver, and depression.”
If that is not enough reason to be alarmed by sugar intake, wait until you hear this:
Sugar also activates reward receptors in the brain. Drugs, alcohol, even acceptance from others cause our bodies release dopamine when we get those kind of stimuli. Sugar also causes our bodies to release dopamine. Our bodies desire the dopamine release because dopamine activates our reward centers in our brain. These reward receptors literally make us crave more sugar. So yes, sugar addiction is real.
Knowledge is power! Now you know these things about sugar, I hope that it will give you a little more willpower to opt for water over soda or to learn to drink your coffee sans sugar. I learned how to skip the sugar in my coffee, it was not easy. It’s not nearly as enjoyable but to save myself from the unwanted health risks of over-consumption of sugar, it’s worth it to me.
Please note: I am not a fan of artificial sweeteners and I will cover that in an upcoming blog.
I have lots of tips for how to cut sugar out of your diet. I have learned how to make these changes in my own life and I have helped others change their eating habits. I have worked with diabetics that risk losing a limb if they did not get their blood sugar down. We had success and we actually lowered their blood sugar levels through diet modification! I am here to help you on your path towards better health anyway I can.
Every pivot towards good health is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or how small. Please call to schedule your complimentary initial consultation and sample 1 on 1 eating for health consultation.
Call or text: 407-205-7488
- Published in Eating for Health, Public Blog
Sample Beginner Mindfulness Session
The most important thing to remember when studying mindfulness is to remember to give yourself permission to take time for yourself. Set aside your worries and responsibilities for a few minutes while you complete your session. We often forget that step and it is actually an important step. In this world we are often criticized for not being productive but we forget that we can not pour from an empty cup. We need our mental and emotional health balanced if we are going to do our best work and take care of our responsibilities most efficiently.
Find a nice quiet space to practice your meditation. Somewhere free of distractions. Make sure the temperature is comfortable. Find a body position that is comfortable but not so much that you will fall asleep. I like to sit and have my back straight and tall. Holding this position keeps me from getting sleepy.
Take a few moments to find your breath. Place your hand on your stomach, where your belly button is. Breathe deep enough to feel your stomach move up and down with the breath. Often we are breathing too shallow and don’t use our lungs to the capacity they are made for. Breathing deeply puts more oxygen in the the blood and also more oxygen in your body tissue.
When a thought pops up simply notice it, let it go and return back to your breath. If you like you can count. One breath- one, the second breath- two. Every time a thought pops up, start back at one. Don’t get discouraged if you keep having to start over. People that train for years and years have a hard time getting to 20. It’s an exercise and just like any exercise you get better with practice.
Your session should last at least five minutes but if you wish you can go even longer. When you are done simply relax your focus and return to your day.
Every pivot towards good health is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or how small. Please call to schedule your complimentary initial consultation and sample 1 on 1 mindfulness training session.
Call or text: 407-205-7488
- Published in Mindfulness Resources, Public Blog
Exercise for Seniors
There is no doubt that exercise is important at any age but we have found out it especially important for seniors. As we age we tend to add body fat, while simultaneously losing lean muscle mass. As we lose muscle mass, it causes our metabolism to slow down. Also, moving our joints helps keep them lubricated by circulating the synovial fluid inside the joint. Additionally, weight bearing exercise and weight training provide a type of stress on the bones that can increase bone density. That is important in fighting osteoporosis.
According to the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and the American College of Sports Medicine, aerobic fitness lowers risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis, certain types of cancers, decreases stress, and also improves sleep, digestion, and elimination.
If that is not enough reasons to get moving, The Journal of Gerontology Series reports that after six months of regular aerobic activity increases grey and white matter in various regions of the brain !
Balance is another place where exercise can benefit older adults. This is important because this population is at risk of injuries that result from falling. Exercise in general improves balance and a trained professional will have activities that focus on increasing your balance and strength in all joints from shoulders to ankles. The activities will be fun, challenging, and monitored for safety.
Exercise can positively impact many of the diseases that plague the elderly such as high LDL, diabetes, high blood pressure and poor circulation.
Every pivot towards good health is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or how small. Please call to schedule your complimentary initial consultation and sample 1 on 1 senior exercise program protocol.
Call or text: 407-205-7488
- Published in Fitness, Public Blog
A Word on Meal Prep
Meal prep is one of the easiest ways to set yourself up for success during the week. By reducing the amount of chemicals and preservative we ingest we take back control of our health. Many of the pre-packaged food and food from restaurants are loaded with fats, sugar, and salt.
I will continue to add recipes and videos. Eventually, I would like to have livesteam and one on one skype sessions. Please contact me if you are interested on being the first to do these remote cooking sessions.
There are some Eating For Health resources here.
Every pivot towards good health is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or how small. Please call to schedule your complimentary initial consultation and sample 1 on 1 eating for health consultation.
Call or text: 407-205-7488
- Published in Eating for Health, Public Blog
Body Positioning During Mindfulness Practice
Although mindfulness can be done during daily activities such as walking or doing dishes, it would benefit you to learn formal body positioning in case you want to practice mindfulness more intently. I will be recording audio and video, you can use this blog post to help you learn body positioning before doing these more formal training sessions.
One example of proper body positioning for formal mindfulness training:
Take a few moments to get into a comfortable position. I recommend seated, on the floor, legs folded in a position that is comfortable to you. You can sit on a pillow so that your knees are below your hips. You can also be seated in a chair, have your feet on the ground sitting back. Make sure your back is upright, gently leaning forward, back and neck straight and tall. Your eyes can be closed or slightly open, gazing downward.
Your hands can be in your lap, thumbs touching, when your thumbs start drifting apart, you know you are too relaxed. Bring attention back to your posture. You can also position your hands in any position that is comfortable to you.
From here, take a few moments to consciously let go of everything that is pressing on you: your to-do list, your chores, work or school…just let it all go and fade away from your thoughts.
Every pivot towards good health is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or how small. Please call to schedule your complimentary initial consultation and sample 1 on 1 mindfulness training session.
Call or text: 407-205-7488
- Published in Mindfulness Training, Public Blog
Children and Exercise
There is no doubt that children (age 6-11) have become the unexpected victims of the technological advances and technological dependence. We are truly in the middle of an epidemic of childhood obesity, unfortunately obesity comes with increased risk of diseases such as type II diabetes and heart disease, among others. The medical community is truly worried that this generation my be the first generation that will not outlive their parents. These are scary revelations. Not only is sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits hurting the adult population but children seem to be falling in line with these poor lifestyle habits.
What can we do???
The Journal of Pediatrics recommends children get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous exercise daily. Be sure your children are walking, playing, participating in sports, riding bikes, doing physical chores….anything to get them moving. Limit time in front of the computer, TV, or on the phone. Trainers also work with children. We make sure the workouts are fun. We have a looser style protocol for children. We create stations that challenge and engage the children, while preventing boredom. We make sure the activity level varies from moderate to vigorous and are sure to provide sufficient rest.
Trainers can also focus on helping children become better coordinated and increase their balance. It is now known that supervised resistance training is recommended for children. Resistance training helps with bone mineral density, aerobic fitness, meeting ideal weight, and most importantly helps increase children’s confidence.
The best part of having someone like me, who has worked in high school sports and youth summer camps for years is not only that I have an ease with interaction of this age group but as an Athletic Trainer, I have extensive experience with evaluating, preventing, and rehabilitating athletic injuries.
Every pivot towards good health is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or how small. Please call to schedule your complimentary initial consultation and sample 1 on 1 youth exercise program protocol.
Call or text: 407-205-7488
- Published in Fitness, Public Blog
Managing High Cholesterol and Triglycerides
During my heath project last month I was able to help a client rehabilitate their diet. I had complete control over her diet and was able to take her cholesterol from 245 to 234 and her triglycerides from 252 to 241! That’s astonishing but lets take a moment to understand what that means and why those numbers are important.
Triglycerides are fats that are floating around in the blood. When we eat foods but do not use the energy that food contains, they become triglycerides. The body packages them up for future use and turns them to fat. Excessive triglycerides in the blood can be a warning sign you may be a risk for heart disease. Above average triglyceride levels are basically telling you that you are consuming more food than you are using.
Cholesterol on the other hand is something your body naturally makes, it makes all the cholesterol it needs. Animals also make cholesterol and consumption of animal meat and animal products can cause the cholesterol levels to increase. Although some people naturally have high cholesterol levels due to genetics, excessive consumption of cholesterol in the diet certainly doesn’t help this problem. When we have high cholesterol levels we are prone to arteriosclerosis. The excessive cholesterol deposits on our artery walls and leads to heart disease.
So how did I alter her blood levels? First of all, portion control. What triglycerides and cholesterol have in common is excessive consumption. Instead of giving her the whole tub of hummus to snack on, I gave her three tablespoons. We must realize that our bodies are only designed to have so much food. Additionally, we must make sure that food is nutritionally dense and able to give us the micro- and macro- nutrients we need. That leads me to the second aspect of how to lower these levels: choosing your food properly. Instead of using chips with the hummus, choose carrots to dip. Instead of choosing refined, white bread, get whole grain or sprouted bread. Instead of having chocolate cake for dessert, choose a handful of antioxidant rich berries.
This client is a diabetic so our focus was choosing foods that would not spike her insulin levels. You can look up a foods glycemic index. Look and nutrition labels. Look for low sugar levels, low carbohydrates levels, while also looking for high nutrients, high fiber, and natural ingredients. Preserved food, processed food, and convenience food has many added sugars and fats added in for taste. These will contribute greatly to increased triglyceride levels. For cholesterol, curb the meat intake, while substituting plant based proteins into your diet.
There is certainly a method to this natural approach of correcting our blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and I would love to help you on that journey.
Every pivot towards good health is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or how small. Please call to schedule your complimentary initial consultation and sample 1 on 1 eating for health consultation.
Call or text: 407-205-7488
- Published in Eating for Health, Public Blog
Mindfulness and Health
So many times we navigate through life on autopilot. We rush from one engagement to another, texting or facebooking at every stop light- we are always multitasking. We are so distracted from what we are actually doing. We grab food that is already made, thinking very little about where the food came from or how it would affect our health. Mindfulness helps us control our attention, our thoughts. Observing our thoughts and our motivations can help benefit many factors in our lives. Many people believe that even just setting your intention or “game plan” for the day can help make the day more successful.
Even by slowing down when we eat and thinking only about the food we are eating, experiencing the consistency and flavors, can help us eat less because we become aware of what we are doing. We often eat fast, while distracted by something else, our phone, the TV etc. We often eat to much or don’t chew or savor our food. Additionally, by noticing that feel sluggish or have indigestion after we eat a specific food, we can better choose foods that make us feel good when we eat them.
Another place I see mindfulness playing a role in our health is our breathing. Being able to bring your attention on your breathing not only allows you to be present in the moment but can also be very calming. When we allow ourselves to breathe deeply, we allow more oxygen in our blood and more to our brain. When we learn to breathe properly during exercise we avoid injuries, such as hernias, which are cause by holding our breath at the wrong time. We breathe constantly and take for granted all that can breathing do for us.
Every pivot towards good health is a step in the right direction, no matter how big or how small. Please call to schedule your complimentary initial consultation and sample 1 on 1 mindfulness training session.
Call or text: 407-205-7488
- Published in Mindfulness Training, Public Blog