Archive for September, 2009
September 30th, 2009
As we approach flu season and the return of H1N1 (swine) flu, we need to take all possible precautions to prevent the spread of flu viruses. As a dietitian, I have encountered misinformation and concern about whether it is safe to buy and eat pork. So I recently participated in a seminar on this topic to gather the most up-to-date information.
Bottom line is that you cannot get H1N1 from handling or eating pork. That’s because H1N1 is a respiratory illness, not a foodborne illness, so it can only be spread by inhaling the virus from coughs or sneezes or by touching a contaminated surface and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. In fact, there is no evidence that any flu virus can be transmitted by handling or eating food. The H1N1 virus stays in the respiratory tract and does not pass into muscle (meat) or blood.
Some of the confusion about H1N1 and eating pork comes from recommendations stating that “it is safe to eat properly handled and cooked pork and pork products.” This does not mean that you can get H1N1 from raw pork. Food safety is always a concern with handling (or eating) any raw meat, so this recommendation must be made to cover all food safety bases. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F is recommended to kill any illness-causing bacteria. Read more about why pork is safe.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the two most important steps you can take to protect you and your family from the H1N1 flu are to wash your hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
September 30th, 2009
Where is Serenity?
An outstanding world renowned consultant (www.jameseckblad.com) spoke this weekend about where he finds his serenity. The example he gave was a beautiful lithograph of a small child’s park in the middle of Central Park set inside one of the largest cities in the world – New York City. This simple child’s park with its teeter totter and one family enjoying the serenity of God’s creation was a place of refuge both in his office and in his mind. He shared with us that it was this Central Park scene that gave him courage and resilience to continue in a chaotic and very aggressive field of a trial attorneys. He attributed his outstanding success to the calmness that he found in that very painting that he shared with us. When other attorneys marveled at his trial attorney successes, he confided to us, his success was built upon an unflappable focus derived from the symbolism and serenity provided by that piece of artwork.
His talk began a mental journey for me. Where is serenity?
Artwork and movies have long been a source of serenity for me. As a supporter and board member of the Women’s’ Art Board of the Rockford Art Museum, I urge you to take advantage of this great local museum. The upcoming fundraiser on October 21, 2009 is a luncheon with Barbara Rinella who I am told is spectacular. This is not the first book which Barbara Rinella has literally brought to life. The last presentation I am told was about Marie Antoinette. This time the character she brings to life is from the book The Commoner which is about the current Empress of Japan. The cost is $40 here in Rockford. Other locations are charging $60 so you can see this is a great buy. 11:15 am is the social hour, 12:00 the program will begin at Giovanni’s. The Art Museum is an amazing collection that is always changing. Look at the website for many upcoming free events. http://www.rockfordartmuseum.org/
What do I love about art? To me, much like the movies, art transcends me spiritually; it takes me to a better place. For me, like that former trial attorney now consultant, serenity is found in art and many different visuals. Some visuals are movies; some visuals for me are moments taken from a movie.
My Grandfather taught me over and over again “To get my education, they can never take it away from you”. Of course, Grandfather was absolutely correct and I diligently spent decades learning and acquiring professional certifications and degrees. But artwork and the movies are also something that stays with us, becomes interwoven into the very being we become.
Many years ago some young girls who would visit me and my famous and sometimes infamous Golden Retrievers came to my new home in another suburb in Chicago. One of their first comments was that I brought a specific painting with me. It was a painting of a room with a black piano. I thought their comment was so funny. I wouldn’t leave my beloved pets behind no more than I would leave a painting behind let alone the special memories that painting represented. It was a simple small painting that reminded me of a movie perhaps you too have seen this movie – An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant. The painting is reminiscent to me of the room where Cary Grant visited with his Grandmother. It was a memorable scene that I wanted to retain forever. Many years later, I found a painting in Lake Geneva, WI that reminded me of that room where Cary Grant visited with his Grandmother. Of course, this is the painting the girls loved and were so pleasantly surprised that I brought with me.
All of us need a piece of serenity to take with us. Visit your local art museum this month. Find your special place, engrave that place upon your mind and take that special piece of artwork, that special memory you have with you into life’s turbulent pathways.
Where is serenity?
It is a moment frozen in time when a special someone says that they love you.
It is a walk in the beautiful sunshine of Fall.
It is in the painting reminiscent of special moments, great emotions, and fond memories.
It is great pieces of art that move our spirit, transcends our mind, allows us to connect fully and freely, unfettered by the world around us.
My goal is to increase your understanding of fitness, make it simple and fun and increase your quality of life. If you found this helpful and motivational, please share with your friends. Feel free to publish it on your blog or website (please don’t forget to mention the original source wwww.HealthyRockford.com). Kelly@AmericanSonProducts.com
September 29th, 2009
Metabolism – Your Body is Trained for Survival
The objective of your metabolism is survival. Your body’s goal is to keep you alive. The timing of your meals and snacks/your food intake, sends a clear and important message to your body. Remember our bodies were designed to protect us during times of food scarcity. While our mind knows our food supply is sufficient, we need to communicate to our body that our food supply is stable and sufficient. Are you sending the message you want?
Eating throughout the day, snacking or having small meals every 1-3 hours is needed for your body. And yes, it will serve to change your resting metabolism. Our metabolism determines how many calories we use. If we manage our fitness program well, we will balance strength training, cardio and nutrition together. An important part of our nutrition program is maintaining a steady food supply throughout the day.
Providing a regular supply of food tells your body what to expect. If your body is trained to know you will consistently provide it nutrition and food every 2-3 hours, your body adapts and begins to expect a constant fuel. If you only eat two large meals a day, you are training your body to actively store fat. Over time, by constantly providing a consistent supply of food, your resting metabolism will change because you have communicated the right message to your body which controls your metabolism.
EAT 5-6 MEALS A DAY
Eating small meals often trains your body to accept and used the food intake readily for fuel. Remember your body is designed for survival. If you train your body to starve, it will store food not use it for energy.
BE SURE TO EAT EARLY
Your body has been at rest all night, along with your metabolism. To start the day right, to not provide a flight to hunger, to provide a stable food/energy source for your metabolism, eat as soon as you are awake. Remember you don’t want to train your body to store food. You want to train your body that there is a plentiful supply of food. You want your resting metabolism to use your food for energy. One sure way to do this is to provide a consistent supply of food through the day. And this includes your body’s first impression of the day – your breakfast.
NEVER EAT LATE
If you go to bed at 10:30 p.m., you should not consume any food after 8:30 p.m. Remember the 2 hour rule for food. Your body needs time to digest the food. Eating late engages your digestive system. Managing your eating habits will also help your sleeping habits.
My goal is to increase your understanding of fitness, make it simple and fun and increase your quality of life. If you found this helpful and motivational, please share with your friends. Feel free to publish it on your blog or website (please don’t forget to mention the original source wwww.HealthyRockford.com). Kelly@AmericanSonProducts.com
September 29th, 2009
NEVER SKIP MEALS
Because your body is trained for survival, it is critical to never skip meals. When you skip a meal, your body goes into defense mode. You are sending a strong signal to your body that food is scarce. Your body’s reaction to lack of food is to start storing fat in order to protect and ensure survival. Additionally, your body now is in a flight for safety mode. Your body’s response when a meal is skipped is the perceived need that more food is now needed for survival in preparation for the next time a meal is skipped.
When you skip a meal, you are training your body to overeat and overstore fuel for future safety needs for your body’s survival.
Train your body correctly, tell your body food is abundant and readily available by never skipping a meal.
My goal is to increase your understanding of fitness, make it simple and fun and increase your quality of life. If you found this helpful and motivational, please share with your friends. Feel free to publish it on your blog or website (please don’t forget to mention the original source wwww.HealthyRockford.com). Kelly@AmericanSonProducts.com
September 29th, 2009
WHY STARVING DIETS DON’T WORK
Diets of skipping meals don’t work because we are not actively managing our metabolism. We need to send the right message to our bodies. We need to communicate correctly with our body who is in charge of managing our metabolism; we must clearly communicate that we do not need to store fat. In return, for this clear communications, our body will respond with a higher resting metabolism, burning more calories throughout the day.
Starving diets don’t work because we send the wrong message to our bodies.
My goal is to increase your understanding of fitness, make it simple and fun and increase your quality of life. If you found this helpful and motivational, please share with your friends. Feel free to publish it on your blog or website (please don’t forget to mention the original source wwww.HealthyRockford.com). Kelly@AmericanSonProducts.com
September 29th, 2009
DO YOU EAT LIKE A SQUIRREL? HOW TO EAT SMART
Do you eat like a squirrel? Squirrels are notorious for storing food and over eating. They harbor food for winter needs, but more importantly they harbor large quantities of food all at one time.
Our body is programmed very similar to the squirrel. We tend to hoard food for survival. When we do this as humans, we send a clear message to our metabolism, that we are scared for the scarcity of food. Since we know the availability of food is not scarce, we can eat smart and eat small meals throughout the entire day, thus sending the correct message to our body and allowing our metabolism to work as efficiently as possible.
My goal is to increase your understanding of fitness, make it simple and fun and increase your quality of life. If you found this helpful and motivational, please share with your friends. Feel free to publish it on your blog or website (please don’t forget to mention the original source wwww.HealthyRockford.com). Kelly@AmericanSonProducts.com
September 29th, 2009
Are you Communicating to your Body Correctly? – 3 Clear Messages
Your body only knows what you tell it. Are you sending the correct messages to best manage your metabolism? Eating throughout the day, snacking or having small meals every 1-3 hours is needed for your body. And yes, it will serve to change your resting metabolism. Our metabolism determines how many calories we use even when we are in a resting state. Three clear communication messages can over time change your metabolism:
Communication Message #1: EAT 5-6 MEALS A DAY NOT 3 MEALS
Your body is trained for survival. By eating 5-6 meals a day, you are clearly communicating to your body that food is abundant and readily available. If you deprive your body of food, eat less frequently or skip a meal, you are sending a message to your body that you need more food for survival.
Communication Message #2: EAT BREAKFAST
To start the day right, to correctly communicate to your body that food is readily available and abundant, that there is no need to store fat because meals are plentiful and frequent, be sure to always start with an early breakfast.
Communication Message #3: EVENING EATING 2 HOUR RULE
Remember the 2 hour rule for eating food in the evening hours. Your body needs time to digest your food. Actively planning your meals includes what time you are eating. Plan on not eating anything 2 hours before sleeping. Managing your eating habits will also benefit your sleeping habits. Follow the evening eating 2 hour rule, plan your meals to end at least 2 hours before bedtime.
My goal is to increase your understanding of fitness, make it simple and fun and increase your quality of life. If you found this helpful and motivational, please share with your friends. Feel free to publish it on your blog or website (please don’t forget to mention the original source wwww.HealthyRockford.com). Kelly@AmericanSonProducts.com
September 29th, 2009
We have 640 muscles in our body, and we use 300 of those muscles when we are standing. Our thigh muscles are an important set of muscles. Use this exercise not for spot reduction but as a part of your overall strength training workout. Remember to target your upper body, your core and your lower body.
BEGINNING POSITION: This exercise is a floor exercise starting with your left hip on the floor, left arm under your head. Your right leg is bent. Your right foot is flat on the floor behind your left knee. Place your right hand flat on the floor and feel free to use your right hand for balance. Your right hip will face the ceiling.
Check Your Posture: Your ears, shoulders and hips should be in a perfect line. Your right hip will face the ceiling. Abdominals are tucked in to protect the back.
SAMPLE EXERCISE 1: BODY WEIGHT ONLY TO BEGIN
Begin this exercise with no added weight. We will add resistance later in two other sample exercises.
Slowly lift your left leg off the floor.
SAMPLE EXERCISE 2A: PROGRESSION 1 – ADD 9 LBS OF RESISTANCE WITH THE BODY BAR®
Place one end of the body bar resting on the inside of your left foot. Rest the other end of the body bar on the floor; use your right hand to stabilize the fitness tool.
Slowly lift your left leg and your 9 lb Body Bar® off the floor. Return your left foot slowly to the floor. Lift and lower in a slow controlled movement. Repeat and then switch legs.
SAMPLE EXERICSE 2B: PROGRESSION 2 – MOVE UP TO 12 LB BODY BAR®Same as above simply replace your fitness tool with a 12 lb Body Bar®.
SAMPLE EXERCISE 3: ALTERNATIVE PROGRESSION
Move the Body Bar® further 6-10” down toward your feet, extending the fitness tool beyond your foot. As you do this, your foot will be leveraged for more weight and thus more resistance.
SAMPLE EXERCISE 4: ALTERNATIVE PROGRESSION
While your leg is lifted hold and pulse for a count of three at the end of each set of repetitions.
REPETITIONS & SWITCH LEGS: Lift and lower for a repetition of 5-12, working up to 3 sets, alternating legs. Remember this should be a slow and controlled movement. Your goal is to build your muscles and thus you are seeking to work until your muscles are fatigued.
TIP: Remember to breathe deeply, in through the nose, hold and out through the mouth. Your muscles need water and oxygen. The deep breathing helps your lungs grow stronger but also sends oxygen to your muscles.
EXPOSE THE MYTH: Remember, spot reduction does not work. A good fitness program is nutrition, cardio and strength. Seek to build muscle in all three areas of the body – upper body, lower body and core.
My goal is to increase your understanding of fitness, make it simple and fun and increase your quality of life. If you found this helpful and motivational, please share with your friends. Feel free to publish it on your blog or website (please don’t forget to mention the original source wwww.HealthyRockford.com). Kelly@AmericanSonProducts.com
September 25th, 2009
Why do we eat? Responses may vary and include: hunger, fuel for energy, nourishment or enjoyment Many of us lose sight of the primary reason to eat which is for nourishment & energy . Greens play an important role and many of us do not get enough greens into our diet, particularly leafy greens. Green leafy vegetables are important for a number of reasons. They are a great source of chlorophyll which helps you become healthier, have better skin and often times is thought to detoxify the blood. Green leafy vegetables have the highest percent of minerals per calorie than any other class of food and has the lowest amount of calories. There are a number of ways to incorporate more greens into your diet. Green juices, green smoothies, green leafy salads, green salad dressings.
Fresh is best for nutritional value and for taste. Nutritional value decreases as time lapses. If making your own, using a juicer that operates at low speeds and temperatures is also ideal for keeping essential nutrients & enzymes. Adding lemon or half an apple is often times a great way to enjoy your green juice even more. Try kale, parsley, cucumber, celery & carrot.
Green smoothies are fast & easy to make using a blender. Try starting with 60% fruit & 40% greens. Using a mango, banana and a handful of spinach is a tasty & hearty smoothie and is beautifully green. The more greens you include in your smoothie the better, so keep increasing those greens to your smoothie to your desired taste. Try it, many are surprised how delicious & satisfying it is, simply a bonus to beiing good for you.
The possibilities of a salad are endless. Vary your greens in a salad. Use spinach, romaine, arugula, mixed greens. Iceburg lettuce has very little nutritional value and any other leafy green is ideal. If you get bored with salads, change up your toppings and keep it to 2-3 toppings per salad for daily, weekly or monthly variety. Try marinating the greens such as kale or collards. This is a great alternative to cooking or sautéing them and also makes them tender and delicious.
September 23rd, 2009
I just wrote my weekly newspaper column about an apple tree. No, I’m not a descendant of Johnny Appleseed, and I do not eat an apple day to keep the doctor away. Although I am a big fan of apple orchards this time of year, the apple tree of my ardor was a small lone tree in my backyard when I was a kid.
That tree had a seat in it, a flat section of fat branch that was my favorite reading spot and place to hide away from the world. This was not a tall majestic tree and climbing it required merely scrambling up into the low spread of branches.
It was my thinking place, my day dreaming place, my wondering-what-the-world-has-in-store-for-me place. Somewhere along the way, I decided it was not cool to sit in an apple tree. How wrong I was.
We all need an apple tree. A little place that provides shelter, shade and security is good for you, no matter how old you are.
Now my apple tree is usually just my bed. When I need a break from the pressures of the world, I retreat to my comfy bed all by my lonesome. Sometimes I light a candle and listen to music. Sometimes I just breathe. And yeah, sometimes I fall asleep.
We need to take time to be with our thoughts, to daydream, to wonder what the world still has in store for us. If you take ten minutes a day to be with your mind, to let the tangled thoughts unwind, and to actively tell the bad thoughts to take a hike, you let in room for a little more peace in your daily grind.
Ten minutes of mind time, thirty minutes of body time (exercise in whatever way moves you), will give you a more balanced spirit. Mind, body, spirit are interconnected. We usually seem to neglect one of the three.
It doesn’t take much out of you, but puts so much calm into you. Carving out ten minutes a day to simply chill is worth the effort. Find your own version of the apple tree and enjoy a piece of peace.
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