The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a warning for consumers not to consume certain weight loss pills. The primary reason is that these pills contain active pharmaceutical ingredients that may cause serious health risks.
The list includes the following weight loss pills:
- Fatloss Slimming
- 2 Day Diet
- Japan Lingzhi 24 Hours Diet
- 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming
- 7 Day Herbal Slim
- 8 Factor Diet
- 999 Fitness Essence
- Extrim Plus
- Imelda Perfect Slim
- Lida DaiDaihua
- Perfect Slim
- Perfect Slim 5x
- ProSlim Plus
- Royal Slimming Formula
- Slim Express 360
- Slimtech
- Superslim
- TripleSlim
- Venom Hyperdrive 3.0
- 3x Slimming Power
- 3 Day Diet
- 7 Diet Day/Night Formula
- GMP
- Miaozi Slim Capsules
- Phyto Shape
- Slim 3 in 1
- Somotrim
- Zhen de Shou
Some of the ingredients found in these pills were substances like sibutramine, rimonabant, phenytoin, and phenolphthalein, as well as other substances in amounts that exceed what the FDA would consider a safe level. If you have been taking one of these products it is recommended that you stop and consult with your physician immediately.
I have never heard of most of these weight loss pills and I have a feeling many of them come from other countries. However, they are available in the U.S. and I think the moral of the story here is that just because something is being sold on the shelf doesn’t mean it is safe for you to use. I don’t recommend the use of any weight loss pills but if you insist on using one please consult with your physician first and make sure you know the complete list of ingredients.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Get paid to lose weight!
The Study: The Journal of the American Medical Association recently released the results of a study about cash incentives for weight loss. The results were very interesting but not surprising. 57 participants were randomly assigned to three categories: A lottery based incentive program, a deposit contract that allowed for participant matching that would pay out if goals were met, a group that simply performed monthly weigh-ins but had no additional incentives. The goal for all participants was to lose 1lb per week for 16 weeks.
The results: The two incentive groups lost significantly more weight than the control group. The two incentive groups lost on average 13-14 lbs while the control group averaged 4 lbs of weight loss. About 50% of the incentive groups met the goal of 16 lbs of total weight loss while only 10% of the control group met the goal.
Analysis: These results might have you thinking you need to have some one offer you money to lose weight, or you might want to try offering money to people you know if they lose weight. This really touches on the constantly debated issue of whether or not money is a motivator. This study would indicate that to some extent the money motivated people to lose more weight than they would have otherwise. Now let me give you the rest of the results. Within 3 months of the conclusion of the study, participants in the incentive groups found their weight changes fall more in line with the control group indicating that they did not sustain the weight loss they experienced.
Chew on that for a couple days and in my next post I’ll address this money as a motivator issue and include some recommendations when it comes to motivation.
Stay tuned…
The results: The two incentive groups lost significantly more weight than the control group. The two incentive groups lost on average 13-14 lbs while the control group averaged 4 lbs of weight loss. About 50% of the incentive groups met the goal of 16 lbs of total weight loss while only 10% of the control group met the goal.
Analysis: These results might have you thinking you need to have some one offer you money to lose weight, or you might want to try offering money to people you know if they lose weight. This really touches on the constantly debated issue of whether or not money is a motivator. This study would indicate that to some extent the money motivated people to lose more weight than they would have otherwise. Now let me give you the rest of the results. Within 3 months of the conclusion of the study, participants in the incentive groups found their weight changes fall more in line with the control group indicating that they did not sustain the weight loss they experienced.
Chew on that for a couple days and in my next post I’ll address this money as a motivator issue and include some recommendations when it comes to motivation.
Stay tuned…
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Muscular Strength and Endurance – Getting Started
So you want to start doing some muscular strength and endurance training to complement your cardiorespiratory exercise program. That sounds like a brilliant idea but there is just one problem. Your body has over 600 muscles and if you target each one individually you may find yourself doing hours of ridiculous things like eyebrow raises, toe curls and lip puckers. Ideally the best way to get started in working out your muscles is to meet with a professional that can help you develop a program that suits your needs and will help you meet your goals. That being said let me give you a couple pointers to consider when you are getting started.
1. The workouts your family and friends do might not be the best ones for you. We see a lot of people that workout regularly but through their workouts have developed drastic muscle imbalances, and injured themselves severely, both of which cause functional problems on a daily basis. It is a great idea to workout with other people but make sure your workout is benefiting you, not hurting you.
2. Divide your muscles into groups. Some of the more common muscle groupings are: Lower legs, upper legs, hips/glutes, Abs and low back, chest, shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, back. After grouping your muscles then you can pick a few groups to focus on at each workout.
3. When working out a specific muscle group you should try to think functionally. Let’s say you have decided to focus on your shoulders for your next workout. Think about what types of regular movements you do that use your shoulders. Use these functional movements to guide you in choosing beneficial workouts for your shoulders.
4. Keep things even. Muscles often work together to make your body do what you want it to. You might find that you enjoy working out certain muscles more than others or that some muscles are hard to work at the same intensity level as others. I encourage you to give each of your muscle groups a fair share of attention regardless of these challenges. If you begin neglecting muscles you will find yourself at risk of injury and susceptible to long term complications.
Muscular strength and endurance training can be tough to get started but if you get on a well-rounded program and keep it up on a regular basis you will experience tremendous results. We are well aware of the challenges people run into when they start working out so please don’t hesitate to ask us questions if you need some help. You can submit questions to our staff by visiting our website, http://www.brocktonpt.com/, and clicking on the tab that says “Contact us”.
1. The workouts your family and friends do might not be the best ones for you. We see a lot of people that workout regularly but through their workouts have developed drastic muscle imbalances, and injured themselves severely, both of which cause functional problems on a daily basis. It is a great idea to workout with other people but make sure your workout is benefiting you, not hurting you.
2. Divide your muscles into groups. Some of the more common muscle groupings are: Lower legs, upper legs, hips/glutes, Abs and low back, chest, shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, back. After grouping your muscles then you can pick a few groups to focus on at each workout.
3. When working out a specific muscle group you should try to think functionally. Let’s say you have decided to focus on your shoulders for your next workout. Think about what types of regular movements you do that use your shoulders. Use these functional movements to guide you in choosing beneficial workouts for your shoulders.
4. Keep things even. Muscles often work together to make your body do what you want it to. You might find that you enjoy working out certain muscles more than others or that some muscles are hard to work at the same intensity level as others. I encourage you to give each of your muscle groups a fair share of attention regardless of these challenges. If you begin neglecting muscles you will find yourself at risk of injury and susceptible to long term complications.
Muscular strength and endurance training can be tough to get started but if you get on a well-rounded program and keep it up on a regular basis you will experience tremendous results. We are well aware of the challenges people run into when they start working out so please don’t hesitate to ask us questions if you need some help. You can submit questions to our staff by visiting our website, http://www.brocktonpt.com/, and clicking on the tab that says “Contact us”.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Target Heart Rate
We frequently get questions from people about how they can know if the exercise they are doing is enough to get results. This is a tough question to answer without being present to exercise with the person to get an idea of their intensity and duration. An understanding of your personal target heart rate can help you feel confident that the exercise you are doing is giving you the cardiovascular benefit you are trying to achieve. The American Heart Association sets the target heart rate range at 50 to 85% of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate in beats per minute (bpm) can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220.
Age Target Heart Rate Zone Maximum Heart Rate
20 100 – 170bpm 200bpm
30 95 – 162 190
40 90 – 153 180
50 85 – 145 170
60 80 – 136 160
70 75 – 128 150
In order to assure that you are maintaining a heart rate within your target zone while exercising you will need to be able to check your pulse periodically. Starting out you should try to exercise at 50% of your maximum heart rate. When you can sustain that pace comfortably then you can push yourself a little bit harder moving higher in your target heart rate zone. It is important to remember that you do not have to reach 85% of your maximum heart rate in order to get results. Exercising anywhere in your target heart rate range will be beneficial for your.
Hopefully this will be a helpful tool for you as you attempt to ensure you are exercising effectively. I want to conclude with a very important caution. If you are taking any type of blood pressure or heart medication or anything that might affect your ability to exercise it is essential that you consult your physician before beginning an exercise program.
Age Target Heart Rate Zone Maximum Heart Rate
20 100 – 170bpm 200bpm
30 95 – 162 190
40 90 – 153 180
50 85 – 145 170
60 80 – 136 160
70 75 – 128 150
In order to assure that you are maintaining a heart rate within your target zone while exercising you will need to be able to check your pulse periodically. Starting out you should try to exercise at 50% of your maximum heart rate. When you can sustain that pace comfortably then you can push yourself a little bit harder moving higher in your target heart rate zone. It is important to remember that you do not have to reach 85% of your maximum heart rate in order to get results. Exercising anywhere in your target heart rate range will be beneficial for your.
Hopefully this will be a helpful tool for you as you attempt to ensure you are exercising effectively. I want to conclude with a very important caution. If you are taking any type of blood pressure or heart medication or anything that might affect your ability to exercise it is essential that you consult your physician before beginning an exercise program.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Childhood Obesity
I'm sure you've all heard that obesity in children is still on the rise and you have probably heard it referred to as an epidemic. I recently read about a study done by the University of Michigan on the topic of childhood obesity that produced some concerning results. The study included 2000 parents of kids ages 6 to 11. Of the parents whose kids were obese 40% believed their kids were at a proper weight level. Amazingly once parents were informed that their child was obese 10% said that they weren't concerned about it. So basically there are parents out there that either don't know their child is obese or refuse to acknowledge it. There are also parents out there that know full well their child is obese but don't see it as a problem or don't care. It is frustrating to hear those kind of things considering the health of these children is in the hands of these parents. Some of the parents stated that they felt like it would be cruel or insensitive to tell their child that he/she is obese and needs to lose weight. I agree that it would be cruel considering the blame and responsibility should be on the parents. By making some healthy changes to the family's eating habits and by embracing a more active lifestyle both the kids and the parents would experience great improvements to their health. I know addressing obesity can be difficult and uncomfortable but ignoring it is really not an option. By letting it go unaddressed we are putting our children at risk of very serious health problems and failing in our duty to look out for them and keep them safe.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Measuring your heart rate
Your heart rate can serve as a basic indicator of your cardiovascular fitness level and your heart's efficiency. If you check your resting heart rate regularly you can also see results from your regular exercise. The general range for healthy adults is to have a resting heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute. If you are an athlete that participates in intense training and competition then the range is going to be lower, 40 to 60 beats per minute. To check your resting heart rate do it when you are relaxed and haven't been moving around a lot. Sit down and find your pulse, the easiest place is going to be in your neck slightly to either side of your throat, or on the inside of your wrist toward the thumb side. Once you can feel your pulse look at a clock and count the beats for 30 seconds, be sure you are counting your pulse beats and not the seconds on the clock. Multiply the number of beats you counted by 2 and you'll have your resting heart rate in beats per minute. It might be a good idea to write it down and check it every few days or once a week. Also, you may want to record what time of day you checked it so you can see if there is any variance throughout the day. Factors that will have an impact on your resting heart rate are: Activity level, Fitness level, Air temperature, body position, emotions, body size, and some medications. If you find that your heart rate is consistently below 60 or over 100 I recommend you go see your doctor and point it out to him/her.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Nutrition Summary
In closing this series of posts on specific nutrition components I'd like to give some general advice for planning your diet. My recommendation first and foremost is to sit down with a licensed dietitian, not some one who says they are a nutritionist, and plan out a diet that suits your needs. A diet is personal and it needs to take into consideration your lifestyle, your current health, and your goals.
That being said, my general recommendations are: First, know what your are eating. Keep track of the nutritional value of the foods you eat and the quantities you are consuming. It is difficult to pinpoint changes that should be made if you don't know what you are eating. Second, set some specific goals before you make changes to your diet. Simply saying you want to eat more healthy is not clear enough because foods are not that easily categorized as healthy or unhealthy. With specific goals defined you can then create a diet that will help you achieve those goals. Third, you don't have to follow a trendy diet plan. Just because your friends are all on the same diet or you heard one works great doesn't mean its the right one for you. You diet needs to be tailored to your body, your needs, and your goals. Remember your diet is not something you do for 3 months, meet your goals, and then stop. Following that model you will simply lose any benefits you may have attained in those 3 months. You need a diet that you can comfortably sustain for life. Fourth, supplements are not a quick fix and are probably not even necessary. Severe deficiencies are not particularly common among Americans. If you did find that you were lacking in some particular nutrient you could simply eat foods containing that nutrient rather than take a chemcially engineered pill. I can't tell you that supplements are harmful because I don't have any research to back that up. I will say that I don't see them as necessary and I personally would rather eat foods with the nutrients I need rather than try to get those nutrients from a chemically engineered pill.
I hope these posts on nutrition have been informative and have motivated you to give some serious consideration to your diet. I hope you find a diet that suits you and will help you achieve your health goals. Remember, diet and exercise are both huge components of your overall health, don't make the mistake of relying solely on one or the other. Use them in tandem to get the results you want.
That being said, my general recommendations are: First, know what your are eating. Keep track of the nutritional value of the foods you eat and the quantities you are consuming. It is difficult to pinpoint changes that should be made if you don't know what you are eating. Second, set some specific goals before you make changes to your diet. Simply saying you want to eat more healthy is not clear enough because foods are not that easily categorized as healthy or unhealthy. With specific goals defined you can then create a diet that will help you achieve those goals. Third, you don't have to follow a trendy diet plan. Just because your friends are all on the same diet or you heard one works great doesn't mean its the right one for you. You diet needs to be tailored to your body, your needs, and your goals. Remember your diet is not something you do for 3 months, meet your goals, and then stop. Following that model you will simply lose any benefits you may have attained in those 3 months. You need a diet that you can comfortably sustain for life. Fourth, supplements are not a quick fix and are probably not even necessary. Severe deficiencies are not particularly common among Americans. If you did find that you were lacking in some particular nutrient you could simply eat foods containing that nutrient rather than take a chemcially engineered pill. I can't tell you that supplements are harmful because I don't have any research to back that up. I will say that I don't see them as necessary and I personally would rather eat foods with the nutrients I need rather than try to get those nutrients from a chemically engineered pill.
I hope these posts on nutrition have been informative and have motivated you to give some serious consideration to your diet. I hope you find a diet that suits you and will help you achieve your health goals. Remember, diet and exercise are both huge components of your overall health, don't make the mistake of relying solely on one or the other. Use them in tandem to get the results you want.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Understanding Vitamins
Vitamins are defined as organic essential nutrients that are vital to life. Vitamins are broken into two groups, water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins enter directly into the blood when consumed and move about freely. These vitamins need to be eaten regularly and have less risk of reaching a toxic level because the body can get rid of some excess. The water-soluble vitamins are Vitamin C, and the B Vitamins (Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid, B6, Folate, and B12). The fat-soluble vitamins are stored by the body and must be transported around by protein carriers. Because these vitamins are stored by the body with no excess being secreted they do not have to be consumed as regularly and there is more risk of reaching toxic levels. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K.
It is important to understand that vitamins do not provide the body with fuel or energy but they do play vital roles in the bodies many functions. Vitamins contribute to the health and function of the eyes, skin, teeth, nervous system, GI tract, blood, lungs, bones, protein synthesis, growth and reproduction, and the metabolic process. Vitamin deficiencies can cause some severe diseases and conditions, however the body’s vitamin needs can easily be met by eating a balanced diet. Vitamin supplements should only be taken if advised by a physician or a registered dietitian and only in cases where a dietary adjustment has not been able to correct a deficiency.
It is important to understand that vitamins do not provide the body with fuel or energy but they do play vital roles in the bodies many functions. Vitamins contribute to the health and function of the eyes, skin, teeth, nervous system, GI tract, blood, lungs, bones, protein synthesis, growth and reproduction, and the metabolic process. Vitamin deficiencies can cause some severe diseases and conditions, however the body’s vitamin needs can easily be met by eating a balanced diet. Vitamin supplements should only be taken if advised by a physician or a registered dietitian and only in cases where a dietary adjustment has not been able to correct a deficiency.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Understanding Fat
In casual discussions about nutrition and dieting fat often is considered a bad guy. This is not necessarily true so lets take a closer look at fat to get a better understanding of its role in nutrition. The human body uses fat for energy, insulation, protection against shock, efficient use of protein and carbohydrates, and building cell structures. These are very necessary functions making fat essential to the body. That being said, because of the high fat content of a lot of the foods we eat regularly in the United States we run into problems with excess fat consumption. Rather than give you a chemistry lesson on the different kinds of fat I’ll stick to food label references to fat and the American Heart Associations intake recommendations. There are essentially 4 classes of fats: Trans, Saturated, Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated. The American Heart Association recommends that Trans fats be less that 1% of your daily caloric intake. Saturated fats should be less than 7% of your daily caloric intake. Other fat intake should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats but your total fat consumption should be less than 25-35% of your total daily caloric intake. Keep in mind when reading food labels that there are 9 calories in 1 gram of fat no matter what kind of fat it is, this will help you monitor how much you’re eating. Eating high amounts of trans and saturated fats will increase your cholesterol level, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke. Eating excessive amounts of any fat will cause your body to store those extra calories and unless you are exercising enough to burn them off you will experience weight gain. So be diligent in reading those food labels and keep control over how much fat you’re eating.
Sources:
American Heart Association website, www.americanheart.org
Understanding Nutrition, E.N Whitney and S.R Rolfes. 2002 Wadsworth Thompson Learning
Sources:
American Heart Association website, www.americanheart.org
Understanding Nutrition, E.N Whitney and S.R Rolfes. 2002 Wadsworth Thompson Learning
Monday, August 18, 2008
Understanding Protein
Protein is composed of amino acids that our bodies use for numerous purposes. Some of the main functions of protein include: providing building material for tendons and ligaments, strengthening artery walls, knitting torn tissues back together and helping heal injuries, replacement of skin cells when they are shed, and serving as antibodies to help defend against disease. The institute of medicine recommends consumption of .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This is to keep the body from experiencing tissue breakdown. Beyond that there is not firm information on which to base a recommendation of more or less protein. However, where we get our protein from deserves some consideration. Complete proteins (containing all the amino acids your body needs you to consume) come from animal products. The typical American diet includes a lot of meat and dairy foods therefore protein deficiency is pretty rare. Unfortunately many animal products (especially red meat) are high in saturated fats, so a good recommendation is to eat a variety of vegetables and nuts and make the steaks and cheeseburgers an occasional meal choice. If you do not eat any meat or dairy products then make sure you are consuming a good balance of vegetables, legumes and grains.
Sources:
Protein, the Bottom Line. Harvard School of Public Health
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/
Understanding Nutrition. S. R. Rolfes, E. N. Whitney. Wadsworth Thomson Learning
Sources:
Protein, the Bottom Line. Harvard School of Public Health
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/
Understanding Nutrition. S. R. Rolfes, E. N. Whitney. Wadsworth Thomson Learning
Friday, August 15, 2008
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (carbs) are the main source of energy in our bodies. In the metabolism process carbs are broken down and converted to Glucose for immediate energy needs or they are stored as Glycogen for reserve energy to be used as needed by the body. Carbs are made up of sugar units (saccharide units) and are divided into two types, simple and complex. Simple sugars contain only one or two units (monosaccharides and disaccharides) and are quickly broken down for energy. Complex carbs are chains of simple sugars bonded together (polysaccharides). The body breaks the bonds in the chain so that the units can be absorbed and used for energy.
The complex and simple classifications are primarily on a chemical level, so a newer system exists to help classify carbohydrate foods for dietary purposes. The Glycemic index classifies foods based on how quickly and how high they will boost blood sugar compared to pure glucose. This coupled with the food’s Glycemic load can help you determine which foods should be a part of your diet and which ones should be limited or removed. This system is especially helpful when managing type 2 diabetes. For more information on Glycemic index, Glycemic load, and lists of food ratings I recommend you visit www.glycemicindex.com.
When determining your own personal diet I recommend you consult with a trained professional (i.e your doctor or a registered dietitian). Learn all you can about carbohydrates and their role in your body before you make any drastic changes to your diet. Stay tuned and we’ll talk about some other elements that need to be considered when formulating your diet.
Sources:
Carbohydrates, The Bottom Line. Harvard School of Public Health.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/carbohydrates/
What is the Glycemic Index? http://www.glycemicindex.com/
Carbohydrates, A. Carpi. Vision Learning. http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=61
The complex and simple classifications are primarily on a chemical level, so a newer system exists to help classify carbohydrate foods for dietary purposes. The Glycemic index classifies foods based on how quickly and how high they will boost blood sugar compared to pure glucose. This coupled with the food’s Glycemic load can help you determine which foods should be a part of your diet and which ones should be limited or removed. This system is especially helpful when managing type 2 diabetes. For more information on Glycemic index, Glycemic load, and lists of food ratings I recommend you visit www.glycemicindex.com.
When determining your own personal diet I recommend you consult with a trained professional (i.e your doctor or a registered dietitian). Learn all you can about carbohydrates and their role in your body before you make any drastic changes to your diet. Stay tuned and we’ll talk about some other elements that need to be considered when formulating your diet.
Sources:
Carbohydrates, The Bottom Line. Harvard School of Public Health.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/carbohydrates/
What is the Glycemic Index? http://www.glycemicindex.com/
Carbohydrates, A. Carpi. Vision Learning. http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=61
Friday, August 8, 2008
Understanding Nutrition
I was recently reading an article about making dietary adjustments to help a family member dealing with a specific medical condition. At first I thought I could post about certain conditions and what dietary adjustments can be made, but I decided that should be left to the professionals with advanced training on those conditions. Instead I think it would be helpful if I did a series of posts on basic nutrition elements. A better understanding of what makes up the food you are eating and how it works in your body will be helpful when it comes to evaluating our own diet. In my next few posts I will try to give you a basic understanding of things like, fats, carbs, protein, sodium, vitamins, etc. There is a lot of information about these things and for those who are really into science and would love to hear about the chemical make up of a carbohydrate I'm going to have to dissappoint you. My intent is to keep things practical, so I will try to describe these nutritional items in such a way that you can use it when you are creating a suitable diet for yourself.
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
How healthy are you? Conclusion
After reading the last few posts on this topic and considering the questions I prompted you to ask yourself my hope is that you have a little bit better idea of how healthy you are. In answering the questions you may have found areas where you can make improvements and that’s great. I gave some very basic recommendations to start with but I would encourage you to consult with a professional if you want to get serious about improving your overall health. Physicians, dietitians, personal trainers and physical therapists are all great resources that can help you set and achieve very specific health and fitness goals.
I would like to close this topic with one final recommendation; anything you do to improve your health needs to be specific to you. What I mean is what your friends, family, and coworkers are doing may not be the best thing for you. You need to have your own goals and your own plan on how to achieve those goals. Others can help you by keeping you accountable and exercising with you but I would encourage you to trust only trained professionals with developing a program for you to follow.
I would like to close this topic with one final recommendation; anything you do to improve your health needs to be specific to you. What I mean is what your friends, family, and coworkers are doing may not be the best thing for you. You need to have your own goals and your own plan on how to achieve those goals. Others can help you by keeping you accountable and exercising with you but I would encourage you to trust only trained professionals with developing a program for you to follow.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
How healthy are you? Part 4
When you feel like a snack, what do you typically eat?
Snacking is an area where people often lose sight of their diet. Determining what you are snacking on can reveal a lot about how healthy your habits are. If you realized that when you want a snack you find yourself reaching for a bag of chips, a candy bar or maybe a bowl of ice cream, you probably need to make an adjustment. Fruits and vegetables are great snack items, some nuts is a good option as well. Snacking is almost an unconscious act by a lot of people so it takes some real discipline to make a change in this area. I recommend starting small, so if you eat a snack every day, try to make it something healthy twice a week. Once you have that down you can progress with your ultimate goal being to make those not so healthy snacks an occasional indulgence rather than a daily routine.
Do you smoke?
This one needs little discussion. I am assuming by now everyone knows that smoking is terrible for your health. If you smoke I strongly recommend you quit, but if you don’t want to quit then I don’t have any advice for you.
How much Alcohol do you drink?
Some studies have pointed to health benefits associated with moderate consumption of alcohol but I have yet to read anything that would make me recommend you start drinking. If you don’t drink at all I think that’s great and you should stick with that. For those that do drink it is best for your health to keep it to moderate levels. Moderate would be no more than one drink a day for adult women and anyone over 65, and 2 drinks for adult men. People under the legal age, pregnant women, and people on certain medications or with certain medical conditions should not drink alcohol at all. In those cases involving medication and medical conditions I recommend you consult with your physician about alcohol consumption.
What do you do to relieve stress?
Everyone experiences stress. It is important to have a way to regularly relieve that stress to minimize the effects it can have on you. You may already be doing something that relieves your stress and that’s great, for those that don’t, pick something and give it a shot. Consider things you like to do for fun or things that you know relax you. Some examples include reading a fiction novel, going for a walk or jog, going to the beach, going out to eat with friends or family, watching a movie, or going to the gym for a good hard workout. The idea with stress relief is to remove yourself from the parts of your daily routine that cause the stress, get those things off your mind, and relieve the tension that those things brought on. It may be hard for you to start doing your stress relieving activities everyday but it would be good to start with at least once or twice a week.
Snacking is an area where people often lose sight of their diet. Determining what you are snacking on can reveal a lot about how healthy your habits are. If you realized that when you want a snack you find yourself reaching for a bag of chips, a candy bar or maybe a bowl of ice cream, you probably need to make an adjustment. Fruits and vegetables are great snack items, some nuts is a good option as well. Snacking is almost an unconscious act by a lot of people so it takes some real discipline to make a change in this area. I recommend starting small, so if you eat a snack every day, try to make it something healthy twice a week. Once you have that down you can progress with your ultimate goal being to make those not so healthy snacks an occasional indulgence rather than a daily routine.
Do you smoke?
This one needs little discussion. I am assuming by now everyone knows that smoking is terrible for your health. If you smoke I strongly recommend you quit, but if you don’t want to quit then I don’t have any advice for you.
How much Alcohol do you drink?
Some studies have pointed to health benefits associated with moderate consumption of alcohol but I have yet to read anything that would make me recommend you start drinking. If you don’t drink at all I think that’s great and you should stick with that. For those that do drink it is best for your health to keep it to moderate levels. Moderate would be no more than one drink a day for adult women and anyone over 65, and 2 drinks for adult men. People under the legal age, pregnant women, and people on certain medications or with certain medical conditions should not drink alcohol at all. In those cases involving medication and medical conditions I recommend you consult with your physician about alcohol consumption.
What do you do to relieve stress?
Everyone experiences stress. It is important to have a way to regularly relieve that stress to minimize the effects it can have on you. You may already be doing something that relieves your stress and that’s great, for those that don’t, pick something and give it a shot. Consider things you like to do for fun or things that you know relax you. Some examples include reading a fiction novel, going for a walk or jog, going to the beach, going out to eat with friends or family, watching a movie, or going to the gym for a good hard workout. The idea with stress relief is to remove yourself from the parts of your daily routine that cause the stress, get those things off your mind, and relieve the tension that those things brought on. It may be hard for you to start doing your stress relieving activities everyday but it would be good to start with at least once or twice a week.
Friday, July 25, 2008
How healthy are you? Part 3
How do you typically spend your free time?
This question helps us determine if you have an active lifestyle or not. If you find you use your free time to do things like, go for a walk, work in the garden, play a sport or go play outside with your kids/grandkids, then you probably live a pretty active life. If you answered this questions with things like, watch TV, go to the movies, have a snack or go out to eat, or read a book, then you might not be living a very active life. I don’t want to lecture you on how you spend your free time, I simply want to make you aware of the impact your usage of your free time has on your overall health. People who are living an active lifestyle have much less difficulty incorporating a regular exercise routine into their life. This is because they are use to being up and about doing things so some specific exercise can fit right into what they are already doing. If much of your free time is spent sitting you will probably find it much more difficult to take time regularly to exercise. My suggestion is to make a list of your usual free time activities, and then try to find a way to mix in something a little more active. You get to pick but here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing: play catch with a Frisbee or some sort of ball, go for a walk, hike or bike ride, go window shop around the mall, start a project in your backyard like a new garden or repairing a fence. These are all things that will get you up and moving and I believe you will find that you have some fun.
How much fruit do you eat each day? And
How much vegetables do you eat each day?
Hopefully I don’t sound too much like your mother with this one, but you really do need to be eating fruits and vegetables. The general recommendation for fruits and vegetables is around 7 to 9 servings per day (3-4 fruits, 4-5 vegetables). How much is a serving varies depending on the fruit or vegetable so for simplicity’s sake you may want to estimate a little bit. Figure a medium sized piece of fruit like an apple or orange is one serving, and ½ a cup of most vegetables is one serving. The tricky part is making sure these are a part of your diet. I have a couple of tips that may help you. Chances are there are some vegetables you just don’t like the taste of, they are either bland or have weird texture. I would encourage you to check around for ones you do like; there are a lot of vegetables and some tasty ways to season them so that you will enjoy them. Vegetables often come into play at dinnertime, which is great, but it would be good if you could work them into your lunch as well. Try a side salad or some cauliflower with your lunch, and maybe push yourself to snack on some carrots if you need something to much on in between meals. Fruits are a little bit different of a situation. Most people like fruit because it is sweet the problem is fitting it in regularly with meals. Vegetables seem to go nicely with most dinner entrées, but with fruit its not so easy. Here are a couple suggestions. Always include a piece of fruit in your lunch whether it is a traditional apple or orange, or maybe try things like slicing up melon or something interesting like passion fruit. Fruits also work great as a snack, there are some that take very little preparation and you will likely find that you can stock up on fruit for much cheaper than some of the snacks you currently have in the cabinet. Lastly, fruit can cleverly be incorporated into your deserts. My wife likes to make a little concoction of strawberries, blueberries and a little bit of whipping cream. Be creative and I know you can find ways to make sure you are getting those fruits and vegetables into your diet. The added benefit is you will satisfy your hunger and you won’t have to resort to less nutrient rich options.
This question helps us determine if you have an active lifestyle or not. If you find you use your free time to do things like, go for a walk, work in the garden, play a sport or go play outside with your kids/grandkids, then you probably live a pretty active life. If you answered this questions with things like, watch TV, go to the movies, have a snack or go out to eat, or read a book, then you might not be living a very active life. I don’t want to lecture you on how you spend your free time, I simply want to make you aware of the impact your usage of your free time has on your overall health. People who are living an active lifestyle have much less difficulty incorporating a regular exercise routine into their life. This is because they are use to being up and about doing things so some specific exercise can fit right into what they are already doing. If much of your free time is spent sitting you will probably find it much more difficult to take time regularly to exercise. My suggestion is to make a list of your usual free time activities, and then try to find a way to mix in something a little more active. You get to pick but here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing: play catch with a Frisbee or some sort of ball, go for a walk, hike or bike ride, go window shop around the mall, start a project in your backyard like a new garden or repairing a fence. These are all things that will get you up and moving and I believe you will find that you have some fun.
How much fruit do you eat each day? And
How much vegetables do you eat each day?
Hopefully I don’t sound too much like your mother with this one, but you really do need to be eating fruits and vegetables. The general recommendation for fruits and vegetables is around 7 to 9 servings per day (3-4 fruits, 4-5 vegetables). How much is a serving varies depending on the fruit or vegetable so for simplicity’s sake you may want to estimate a little bit. Figure a medium sized piece of fruit like an apple or orange is one serving, and ½ a cup of most vegetables is one serving. The tricky part is making sure these are a part of your diet. I have a couple of tips that may help you. Chances are there are some vegetables you just don’t like the taste of, they are either bland or have weird texture. I would encourage you to check around for ones you do like; there are a lot of vegetables and some tasty ways to season them so that you will enjoy them. Vegetables often come into play at dinnertime, which is great, but it would be good if you could work them into your lunch as well. Try a side salad or some cauliflower with your lunch, and maybe push yourself to snack on some carrots if you need something to much on in between meals. Fruits are a little bit different of a situation. Most people like fruit because it is sweet the problem is fitting it in regularly with meals. Vegetables seem to go nicely with most dinner entrées, but with fruit its not so easy. Here are a couple suggestions. Always include a piece of fruit in your lunch whether it is a traditional apple or orange, or maybe try things like slicing up melon or something interesting like passion fruit. Fruits also work great as a snack, there are some that take very little preparation and you will likely find that you can stock up on fruit for much cheaper than some of the snacks you currently have in the cabinet. Lastly, fruit can cleverly be incorporated into your deserts. My wife likes to make a little concoction of strawberries, blueberries and a little bit of whipping cream. Be creative and I know you can find ways to make sure you are getting those fruits and vegetables into your diet. The added benefit is you will satisfy your hunger and you won’t have to resort to less nutrient rich options.
Monday, July 21, 2008
How healthy are you? Part 2
How much sleep do you get each night and is it consistent?
Lack of sleep can contribute to the onset and complication of diseases and conditions such as, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. Less severe but maybe more problematic in our daily lives is that fact that when we’re tired we just feel bad. Being tired can make us irritable, lethargic and poor performers of our typical everyday tasks at work and at home. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. If you insist that you have too much to do and just can’t sleep that many hours then you need to remove some of those demands from your life. It is essential that you give your body the rest it requires. If you are having trouble sleeping at night, see my blog post on that topic for some helpful tips.
How much water do you drink each day?
Your body absolutely needs water to function. The exact amount needed varies by person so it is hard to say how much you should drink. My advice is to be mindful of how much you are drinking and not to let yourself get thirsty. So on a hot day, when you’re exercising or when you’re sick be sure to drink a couple more glasses of water. A basic estimate is to drink around 8 glasses of water a day (8 ounces in each glass). Any beverage is going to have some water in it but I recommend you don’t rely on drinks like coffee or soda to meet your body’s water needs.
What kind of exercise do you do each day?
This one is a little bit complicated. There are thousands of things you can do for exercise and it is hard to make a general recommendation that goes for everyone. You’re exercise needs to be personalized to your needs and your abilities. I recommend that you consult your doctor to find out if you have any conditions that need to be accounted for when exercising. Then you should find a fitness professional that can help you determine in what specific ways you would like to improve your health. Once you know what you want to do then this professional can help you develop an exercise program that will be beneficial for you. Any exercise is better than none, but there are some risks of injury involved so if you aren’t completely clear on what to do it is important that you get help. If you don’t know any fitness professionals please feel free to contact us through our website and we can help you out.
My next two posts will address the rest of the questions from the original “How healthy are you?” post. Check back soon.
Lack of sleep can contribute to the onset and complication of diseases and conditions such as, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. Less severe but maybe more problematic in our daily lives is that fact that when we’re tired we just feel bad. Being tired can make us irritable, lethargic and poor performers of our typical everyday tasks at work and at home. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. If you insist that you have too much to do and just can’t sleep that many hours then you need to remove some of those demands from your life. It is essential that you give your body the rest it requires. If you are having trouble sleeping at night, see my blog post on that topic for some helpful tips.
How much water do you drink each day?
Your body absolutely needs water to function. The exact amount needed varies by person so it is hard to say how much you should drink. My advice is to be mindful of how much you are drinking and not to let yourself get thirsty. So on a hot day, when you’re exercising or when you’re sick be sure to drink a couple more glasses of water. A basic estimate is to drink around 8 glasses of water a day (8 ounces in each glass). Any beverage is going to have some water in it but I recommend you don’t rely on drinks like coffee or soda to meet your body’s water needs.
What kind of exercise do you do each day?
This one is a little bit complicated. There are thousands of things you can do for exercise and it is hard to make a general recommendation that goes for everyone. You’re exercise needs to be personalized to your needs and your abilities. I recommend that you consult your doctor to find out if you have any conditions that need to be accounted for when exercising. Then you should find a fitness professional that can help you determine in what specific ways you would like to improve your health. Once you know what you want to do then this professional can help you develop an exercise program that will be beneficial for you. Any exercise is better than none, but there are some risks of injury involved so if you aren’t completely clear on what to do it is important that you get help. If you don’t know any fitness professionals please feel free to contact us through our website and we can help you out.
My next two posts will address the rest of the questions from the original “How healthy are you?” post. Check back soon.
Monday, July 14, 2008
How healthy are you?
Some people think they're healthy and they aren't, others think they aren't but they really are, so how do we know if we're healthy or not? There is a lot of information out there regarding health and it is not uncommon to find conflicting information. We have thousands of research studies, some are scientific and some aren’t, we have doctors with different specialties giving different recommendations, television and the Internet are bombarding us with new diets and exercise techniques, pills and supplements are crowding our medicine cabinets; Take all that mixed with some cultural values and societal norms and we are at risk of being driven insane trying to figure out if we're healthy or not, and being insane is definitely not healthy.
I decided it would be nice for you to have a basic way to gauge how healthy your lifestyle is that will only take a couple minutes of your time. I’ve compiled a simple series of questions that you can answer about yourself. Now you may be tempted to lie when answering these questions but be aware you are only lying to yourself since no one else will see how you answer.
How much sleep do you get each night, and is it consistent?
How much water do you drink each day?
What kind of exercise are you doing each day?
How do you typically spend your free time?
How much fruit are you eating each day?
How much vegetables are you eating each day?
When you feel like a snack, what do you have?
Do you smoke?
How much alcohol do you consume on a weekly basis?
What do you do to relieve stress?
Each of these questions relate to core aspects of your health. In my next couple of posts I’ll address each of these questions and how it can be an indicator of your current level of health. After reading my upcoming posts you’ll be able to identify whether or not you are living a healthy lifestyle, and if you’re not, then you’ll understand what you can do to get there. Stay tuned!
I decided it would be nice for you to have a basic way to gauge how healthy your lifestyle is that will only take a couple minutes of your time. I’ve compiled a simple series of questions that you can answer about yourself. Now you may be tempted to lie when answering these questions but be aware you are only lying to yourself since no one else will see how you answer.
How much sleep do you get each night, and is it consistent?
How much water do you drink each day?
What kind of exercise are you doing each day?
How do you typically spend your free time?
How much fruit are you eating each day?
How much vegetables are you eating each day?
When you feel like a snack, what do you have?
Do you smoke?
How much alcohol do you consume on a weekly basis?
What do you do to relieve stress?
Each of these questions relate to core aspects of your health. In my next couple of posts I’ll address each of these questions and how it can be an indicator of your current level of health. After reading my upcoming posts you’ll be able to identify whether or not you are living a healthy lifestyle, and if you’re not, then you’ll understand what you can do to get there. Stay tuned!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Health and Fitness Questions?
Just wanted to remind you, if you have any specific questions about nutrition, fitness or living a healthy lifestyle there is a way for you to ask us. Go to our website, www.brocktonpt.com and on the left hand side there is a link that says "contact us/questions", click there and it will take you to a page where you can submit a question. Either myself or one of our physical therapists will respond to you by email. If the questions raises a concern that we think other people might benefit from hearing the answer then we'll use it as a topic for the blog.
Ask away, we're here to help!
Ask away, we're here to help!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Can't Sleep?
Recently I have been having trouble getting good quality sleep at night. Either I can’t fall asleep, or I find myself waking up a couple times during the night. I did a search on the Mayo Clinic’s website and found some better sleep tips, and I decided to share them with you.
- Go to bed and get up at the same times everyday, even on weekends. Sticking to a schedule will help program your body to know when to sleep and when to be awake.
- Don’t eat or drink large amounts before bedtime. This will help you avoid things like heartburn or trips to the bathroom interrupting your sleep.
- Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening. These are all stimulants that can keep you awake. With caffeine it may be necessary to avoid it 8 hours prior to your bedtime in order to give your body time to eliminate the stimulant and its effects.
- Exercise regularly. Just don’t exercise right before bed, give yourself about 3 hours between your workout and bedtime.
- Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable. You shouldn’t have to battle your surroundings to fall asleep, setup the environment you need to be able to fall asleep.
- Limit naps. Daytime napping can cut into your nighttime sleep, so if you nap keep it to a half an hour.
- Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow. Make sure they are what is right for you.
- Start a relaxing bedtime routine and make it something you do every night as you prepare for bed. This may be things like a warm shower or bath, some reading, listen to some calm and soothing music, etc.
- Go to bed when you’re tired. If you don’t fall asleep in 15-20 minutes get up and do something. If you lay there agonizing about not falling asleep it will only make things worse. Occupy yourself and go back to bed when you feel tired.
If you are having sleep problems 3 nights a week or more you should see your doctor. You may have sleep disorder that your doctor can help you with. I hope these are some helpful tips, this is one blog posting that I actually hope will put you to sleep!
- Go to bed and get up at the same times everyday, even on weekends. Sticking to a schedule will help program your body to know when to sleep and when to be awake.
- Don’t eat or drink large amounts before bedtime. This will help you avoid things like heartburn or trips to the bathroom interrupting your sleep.
- Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening. These are all stimulants that can keep you awake. With caffeine it may be necessary to avoid it 8 hours prior to your bedtime in order to give your body time to eliminate the stimulant and its effects.
- Exercise regularly. Just don’t exercise right before bed, give yourself about 3 hours between your workout and bedtime.
- Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable. You shouldn’t have to battle your surroundings to fall asleep, setup the environment you need to be able to fall asleep.
- Limit naps. Daytime napping can cut into your nighttime sleep, so if you nap keep it to a half an hour.
- Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow. Make sure they are what is right for you.
- Start a relaxing bedtime routine and make it something you do every night as you prepare for bed. This may be things like a warm shower or bath, some reading, listen to some calm and soothing music, etc.
- Go to bed when you’re tired. If you don’t fall asleep in 15-20 minutes get up and do something. If you lay there agonizing about not falling asleep it will only make things worse. Occupy yourself and go back to bed when you feel tired.
If you are having sleep problems 3 nights a week or more you should see your doctor. You may have sleep disorder that your doctor can help you with. I hope these are some helpful tips, this is one blog posting that I actually hope will put you to sleep!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Do you pat down your pizza?
I’m sure you’ve all seen some one pat down their pizza with a napkin to soak up some of the grease, or maybe you do this when you have pizza. I recently read an article about this “pizza pat down” so I thought I’d share the results with you. The article cited the Georgia Pacific Health Smart Institute’s study on this topic. The study reported that patting down greasy foods like pizza can absorb up to 14% of the total fat content. With the average slice of pepperoni pizza having about 10 grams of fat, the pat down technique can help get rid of 1.4 grams. When I eat pizza I’ll usually eat 3 slices. By doing the “pat down” I can reduce my fat intake by around 4.2 grams. That’s pretty good, especially because my pizza will still taste pretty much the same. So there seems to be some benefit to the “pat down” technique and really no harm in trying it. However, I would caution you not to start eating pizza everyday thinking you’re eating healthy just because you dabbed some of the grease off. There is still 86% of the total fat left so I recommend pizza be a once in a while meal.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Stretching, Why Not? Part 3-5
Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.
Today’s stretch is a core stretch primarily for the abs. This is a pretty simple one and you may find that after performing it you’ll want to lie down for a nice little nap. Abdominal tightness is really not that common, but this stretch can also help relieve some tension in the hip flexors which tend to be a common problem area for inflexibility. So without further ado…
Ab Stretch:
1. Lay flat on the floor on your stomach. Don’t start your nap just yet.
2. Place your hands about even with your chest like you are going to do a pushup.
3. Slowly push your upper body up keeping your hips and legs flat on the floor. As you raise you will start to feel a pull in your stomach area. When you feel it hold it for 20 seconds. Don’t push so far that you have trouble breathing or feel discomfort in your back.
4. Lower yourself back down slowly. Rest for 30 seconds, and then repeat.
5. After doing it twice you may now commence napping.
There you have it. This series of blog posts has left you with the knowledge of why stretching is valuable, how to overcome your reluctance to start doing it, and a set of basic stretches to get you on the path toward greater flexibility. I hope these are helpful for you and I hope you commit to giving this stretching thing a try, remember, you won’t be disappointed with the results if you stick with it. For those of you that would like some more advanced stretching or some more detailed instructions on getting started please come see us at our clinic.
Today’s stretch is a core stretch primarily for the abs. This is a pretty simple one and you may find that after performing it you’ll want to lie down for a nice little nap. Abdominal tightness is really not that common, but this stretch can also help relieve some tension in the hip flexors which tend to be a common problem area for inflexibility. So without further ado…
Ab Stretch:
1. Lay flat on the floor on your stomach. Don’t start your nap just yet.
2. Place your hands about even with your chest like you are going to do a pushup.
3. Slowly push your upper body up keeping your hips and legs flat on the floor. As you raise you will start to feel a pull in your stomach area. When you feel it hold it for 20 seconds. Don’t push so far that you have trouble breathing or feel discomfort in your back.
4. Lower yourself back down slowly. Rest for 30 seconds, and then repeat.
5. After doing it twice you may now commence napping.
There you have it. This series of blog posts has left you with the knowledge of why stretching is valuable, how to overcome your reluctance to start doing it, and a set of basic stretches to get you on the path toward greater flexibility. I hope these are helpful for you and I hope you commit to giving this stretching thing a try, remember, you won’t be disappointed with the results if you stick with it. For those of you that would like some more advanced stretching or some more detailed instructions on getting started please come see us at our clinic.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Stretching, Why Not? Part 3-4
We’ve been working our way down the body with these stretches so continuing down from the hamstrings we hit the calfs (the back of your lower leg). Tight calf muscles can cause issues in the knee and down in the ankle and foot. As you become more active your calf muscles will likely experience soreness if they lack flexibility and that soreness can be very uncomfortable. These stretches will help increase flexibility and relieve soreness.
Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.
Calf Stretch:
1. Stand arms length from a wall, make sure the wall is one that you can lean against and will support your body weight.
2. Take a large step forward toward the wall with your left foot, keep your right foot planted with your heal flat on the floor.
3. Place your hands on the wall to brace yourself. Then slowly bend your left knee toward the wall leaning in toward to wall, but keep that right foot planted.
4. You will start to feel a pull in your right calf. When you feel a slight pull hold it there for 20 seconds.
5. Slowly straighten your knee and step back to your starting position. Then switch to stretch the left calf. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
Modified Calf Stretch: This modification follows the same steps but with a small variation to stretch lower down the calf muscle closer to the ankle.
1. Follow steps 1-3. As you lean forward when you just barely start to feel the stretch, stop.
2. Make sure your hands are bracing you against the wall, then slowly and just very slightly bend your right knee. You will feel the stretch move down your calf into the back of your ankle.
3. Hold for 20 seconds then switch. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
There is a temptation when stretching to push further and further once you feel the stretch. The temptation is telling us, “just push harder, why progress slowly when you can just hit that higher intensity right now and speed up the benefit.” DON”T LISTEN TO THE TEMPTATION!!! When you start to feel the stretch it is an indication that you are reaching the limits of your flexibility. Think of a rubber band, when as you stretch it further the resistance increases, stretch it to far and SNAP! Similarly your body will start to resist as you stretch, if you push past that resistance what do you think is going to happen? Be careful stretching, injuring yourself is a very real possibility and all it will do is foil any progress you’ve made.
Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.
Calf Stretch:
1. Stand arms length from a wall, make sure the wall is one that you can lean against and will support your body weight.
2. Take a large step forward toward the wall with your left foot, keep your right foot planted with your heal flat on the floor.
3. Place your hands on the wall to brace yourself. Then slowly bend your left knee toward the wall leaning in toward to wall, but keep that right foot planted.
4. You will start to feel a pull in your right calf. When you feel a slight pull hold it there for 20 seconds.
5. Slowly straighten your knee and step back to your starting position. Then switch to stretch the left calf. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
Modified Calf Stretch: This modification follows the same steps but with a small variation to stretch lower down the calf muscle closer to the ankle.
1. Follow steps 1-3. As you lean forward when you just barely start to feel the stretch, stop.
2. Make sure your hands are bracing you against the wall, then slowly and just very slightly bend your right knee. You will feel the stretch move down your calf into the back of your ankle.
3. Hold for 20 seconds then switch. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
There is a temptation when stretching to push further and further once you feel the stretch. The temptation is telling us, “just push harder, why progress slowly when you can just hit that higher intensity right now and speed up the benefit.” DON”T LISTEN TO THE TEMPTATION!!! When you start to feel the stretch it is an indication that you are reaching the limits of your flexibility. Think of a rubber band, when as you stretch it further the resistance increases, stretch it to far and SNAP! Similarly your body will start to resist as you stretch, if you push past that resistance what do you think is going to happen? Be careful stretching, injuring yourself is a very real possibility and all it will do is foil any progress you’ve made.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Stretching, Why Not? Part 3-3
Today’s stretch will focus on the back of your upper leg, the hamstring.
Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.
Hamstring Stretch: When people have tightness in their legs it can frequently be felt as low back pain and stiffness throughout the lower body. The legs our obviously essential for our mobility and even if we don’t feel tightness down there its important to make sure the legs remain flexible. In physical therapy we regularly see injuries to ankles, knees, hips and groins. Stretching to protect these joints is not only for people who are participating in physical activity, a simple stumble in the parking lot can wreak havoc on a nonflexible person.
1. Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you.
2. Spread your legs apart as far as you can without it being uncomfortable.
3. Sit up straight and then slowly slide both hands down your right leg toward your ankle. When you feel the tension in the back of your leg, hold it for 20 seconds. Make sure your leg stays flat; your knee may want to rise up but try to keep it down on the floor.
4. Slowly slide back up to your starting sitting position.
5. Switch and go to the left side. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
Groin Stretch: You can get a slight groin stretch from the same position so I’ll describe that for you as well.
1. From the same sitting position with your legs spread and sitting up straight.
2. Slowly slide both hands straightforward on the ground so that you are leaning forward between your legs. You will start to feel tension either in the back of your legs, the inside of your thighs, or in your groin. When you feel it in any of those places hold it for 20 seconds.
3. Repeat twice allowing about 30 seconds in between.
Remember your body needs to be loose and limber while stretching to get the most benefit. Holding your breath and forcing your body into stretches is not going to get the results you want. Never hold your breath, if you can’t breath steadily then you are pushing too hard. Try to clear your head while you hold the stretches, your stretching time can be a nice way to relax and relieve the stress of the day.
Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.
Hamstring Stretch: When people have tightness in their legs it can frequently be felt as low back pain and stiffness throughout the lower body. The legs our obviously essential for our mobility and even if we don’t feel tightness down there its important to make sure the legs remain flexible. In physical therapy we regularly see injuries to ankles, knees, hips and groins. Stretching to protect these joints is not only for people who are participating in physical activity, a simple stumble in the parking lot can wreak havoc on a nonflexible person.
1. Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you.
2. Spread your legs apart as far as you can without it being uncomfortable.
3. Sit up straight and then slowly slide both hands down your right leg toward your ankle. When you feel the tension in the back of your leg, hold it for 20 seconds. Make sure your leg stays flat; your knee may want to rise up but try to keep it down on the floor.
4. Slowly slide back up to your starting sitting position.
5. Switch and go to the left side. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
Groin Stretch: You can get a slight groin stretch from the same position so I’ll describe that for you as well.
1. From the same sitting position with your legs spread and sitting up straight.
2. Slowly slide both hands straightforward on the ground so that you are leaning forward between your legs. You will start to feel tension either in the back of your legs, the inside of your thighs, or in your groin. When you feel it in any of those places hold it for 20 seconds.
3. Repeat twice allowing about 30 seconds in between.
Remember your body needs to be loose and limber while stretching to get the most benefit. Holding your breath and forcing your body into stretches is not going to get the results you want. Never hold your breath, if you can’t breath steadily then you are pushing too hard. Try to clear your head while you hold the stretches, your stretching time can be a nice way to relax and relieve the stress of the day.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Stretching, Why Not? Part 3-2
Today’s stretches are for the shoulders and chest.
Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.
Shoulder Stretch: Our shoulders can frequently get sore because we are constantly using are arms. Poor posture and improper lifting techniques can also add to pain in the shoulders. Before doing this stretch do some slow rotations of your arms to get your shoulders loosened up a little bit.
1. Place your left palm on your right elbow.
2. With your right palm facing toward you, slowly reach your right arm across your body bringing you right elbow toward your left shoulder.
3. When you feel a slight pull in the back of your shoulder hold your arm in position there for 20 seconds.
4. Relax and then switch to stretch the left shoulder. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
Chest stretch: Tightness in the upper chest where our shoulder muscles connect to the chest muscles may not be something you commonly feel. But it is important to maintain flexibility in that area to help us feel comfortable standing upright with good posture.
1. Find a door way and stand with your right shoulder lined up with the edge of the door.
2. Place your palm and forearm flat against the wall (the part of the wall where you would typically find the light switches) and make sure your elbow is forming a 90-degree angle. So you are now standing with your right arm against the wall and you are looking through the doorway.
3. Make sure you are standing up nice and straight and slowly take a small step with your right foot through the doorway keeping your hand and forearm against the wall. As you move forward you will feel a slight pull in your chest and the front of your shoulder. When you feel this stretch hold it for 20 seconds.
4. Relax and then switch sides to stretch the left side of your chest and your left shoulder. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
Remember take it slowly with these stretches. You may find that you don’t really feel a whole lot but that’s ok. It may be that you already have some flexibility in these areas and that’s great. It may also take some time for you to get used to how your body responds to stretching, as you do it you will get a feel for how best to push yourself. There is no quick fix when it comes to flexibility, it takes regularity and time to produce results so don’t try to rush it.
Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.
Shoulder Stretch: Our shoulders can frequently get sore because we are constantly using are arms. Poor posture and improper lifting techniques can also add to pain in the shoulders. Before doing this stretch do some slow rotations of your arms to get your shoulders loosened up a little bit.
1. Place your left palm on your right elbow.
2. With your right palm facing toward you, slowly reach your right arm across your body bringing you right elbow toward your left shoulder.
3. When you feel a slight pull in the back of your shoulder hold your arm in position there for 20 seconds.
4. Relax and then switch to stretch the left shoulder. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
Chest stretch: Tightness in the upper chest where our shoulder muscles connect to the chest muscles may not be something you commonly feel. But it is important to maintain flexibility in that area to help us feel comfortable standing upright with good posture.
1. Find a door way and stand with your right shoulder lined up with the edge of the door.
2. Place your palm and forearm flat against the wall (the part of the wall where you would typically find the light switches) and make sure your elbow is forming a 90-degree angle. So you are now standing with your right arm against the wall and you are looking through the doorway.
3. Make sure you are standing up nice and straight and slowly take a small step with your right foot through the doorway keeping your hand and forearm against the wall. As you move forward you will feel a slight pull in your chest and the front of your shoulder. When you feel this stretch hold it for 20 seconds.
4. Relax and then switch sides to stretch the left side of your chest and your left shoulder. Repeat twice on each side holding for 20 seconds each time.
Remember take it slowly with these stretches. You may find that you don’t really feel a whole lot but that’s ok. It may be that you already have some flexibility in these areas and that’s great. It may also take some time for you to get used to how your body responds to stretching, as you do it you will get a feel for how best to push yourself. There is no quick fix when it comes to flexibility, it takes regularity and time to produce results so don’t try to rush it.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Stretching, Why Not? Part 3
Now you’re ready. You know the value of stretching and have eliminated all obstacles keeping you from doing it so now you just have to get started. In the next 5 posts I will give you instructions on some basic stretches (one per day) that will get you on your way toward improved flexibility.
Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.
Neck Stretch: The neck is not necessarily thought of as a strong muscular part of the body, but it has to keep your heavy head up all day so it can get tired and sore.
1. Sit up straight and tall with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Keeping your face forward gently tilt your left ear toward your left shoulder. Relax and let the weight of your head stretch the side of your neck. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds then switch to the other side.
3. Repeat each side 2 times.
4. For a little bit more intense stretch you can gently place your hand on your head (use the hand on the side you are tilting your head to). You will feel the added strain on your neck so you do not need to apply any real force with your hand.
Part 2: This next part will stretch the back of the neck.
1. Sit up straight and tall with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Turn your head so that your nose is pointing at your left armpit. Relax and let your head lower toward that armpit to stretch the back of the neck.
3. Hold for 20 seconds then switch to the other side. Repeat 2 times for each side.
4. For a little more intensity again gently place your hand on the top of your head and let that added weight increase the stretch (use the hand on the side you are tilting your head to). There is no need to pull or push your head with your hand, just let it rest there.
Remember, these stretches should be relaxing and comfortable, don’t tear your own head off trying to make your neck flexible.
Warning: There is risk of injury when stretching. If you don’t understand these instructions please do not try to figure out how to do the stretches. Warm up your muscles before you try these stretches (something like some light jogging in place or after a hot shower will suffice). Do these stretches slowly and carefully and stop at the slightest hint of pain.
Neck Stretch: The neck is not necessarily thought of as a strong muscular part of the body, but it has to keep your heavy head up all day so it can get tired and sore.
1. Sit up straight and tall with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Keeping your face forward gently tilt your left ear toward your left shoulder. Relax and let the weight of your head stretch the side of your neck. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds then switch to the other side.
3. Repeat each side 2 times.
4. For a little bit more intense stretch you can gently place your hand on your head (use the hand on the side you are tilting your head to). You will feel the added strain on your neck so you do not need to apply any real force with your hand.
Part 2: This next part will stretch the back of the neck.
1. Sit up straight and tall with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Turn your head so that your nose is pointing at your left armpit. Relax and let your head lower toward that armpit to stretch the back of the neck.
3. Hold for 20 seconds then switch to the other side. Repeat 2 times for each side.
4. For a little more intensity again gently place your hand on the top of your head and let that added weight increase the stretch (use the hand on the side you are tilting your head to). There is no need to pull or push your head with your hand, just let it rest there.
Remember, these stretches should be relaxing and comfortable, don’t tear your own head off trying to make your neck flexible.
Check back on Monday for the next stretch as we work our way down the body.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Stretching, Why Not? Part 2
Regardless of the many benefits we’ve pointed out people still are reluctant to make stretching a regular part of their life. In this post I will address the primary reasons given for not stretching and I’ll provide you with some solutions to overcome these obstacles.
Obstacle 1: “I don’t need to stretch.”
If you have never experienced either the benefits of flexibility or the problems associated with a lack of flexibility then this may be what you’re thinking. This mentality is often due to a lack of understanding of what flexibility truly is.
Solution: Flexibility is ultimately an issue of range of motion in your body’s joints. It may very well be that currently you are not pushing your body in such a way that tests your range of motion therefore you don’t feel your lack of flexibility. However, as you age and continue not stretching your range of motion will gradually diminish likely resulting in severely limited mobility, muscle aches and joint pain. I would urge you to give stretching a try and see what kind of benefits you experience. Give it a few weeks of regular stretching and you won’t be disappointed.
Obstacle 2: “I don’t know how to stretch.”
Stretching is not very difficult but it does take some know how. A lot of people think they know how to stretch but they are really doing more harm to their body than good.
Solution: Ask some one to show you. Look for some one who has some training in stretching like a personal trainer or a therapist. They can quickly show you a handful of stretches that will be easy for you to start with. If you don’t know some one who can teach you, come see us at our clinic, we’re happy to help.
Obstacle 3: “I don’t have time.”
I know you can’t possibly miss out on watching American Idol or reading about what Brad and Angelina did last week but I think you can find 5 minutes somewhere in your day.
Solution: If you do 10 stretches holding them each for 30 seconds that is 5 minutes. Cram it in when you finish exercising, while you watch TV, just before bed or after your morning shower. It’s a little pathetic if you can’t set aside 5 minutes and if that truly is the case you might have some bigger problems than a lack of flexibility.
Obstacle 4: “It hurts to stretch.”
That’s because you’re not flexible! All the more reason to stretch! This could also be because you are not doing the stretches properly.
Solution: Stretching should not be painful, but there will be a little bit of discomfort. You are pushing your muscles and joints to go farther than they are comfortable with so of course they will want to resist you. When you reach that point where you can really feel the tension and it is slightly uncomfortable don’t push any further. Find some one who is experienced with stretching to help make sure you are using proper techniques.
Obstacle 5: “Stretching is boring.”
We do live in a time where every other person seems to have some sort of ADD so people bore easily.
Solution: Talk to some one while you stretch. Watch TV. Listen to music. Do some controlled breathing and take advantage of a chance to relax. Lastly, It’s only 5 minutes!!!
All benefits have been stated and obstacles have been overcome. Now all that remains is to start stretching. Don’t worry you’re not on your own for this. My next post will describe some basic stretches to get started with. Stay tuned!
Obstacle 1: “I don’t need to stretch.”
If you have never experienced either the benefits of flexibility or the problems associated with a lack of flexibility then this may be what you’re thinking. This mentality is often due to a lack of understanding of what flexibility truly is.
Solution: Flexibility is ultimately an issue of range of motion in your body’s joints. It may very well be that currently you are not pushing your body in such a way that tests your range of motion therefore you don’t feel your lack of flexibility. However, as you age and continue not stretching your range of motion will gradually diminish likely resulting in severely limited mobility, muscle aches and joint pain. I would urge you to give stretching a try and see what kind of benefits you experience. Give it a few weeks of regular stretching and you won’t be disappointed.
Obstacle 2: “I don’t know how to stretch.”
Stretching is not very difficult but it does take some know how. A lot of people think they know how to stretch but they are really doing more harm to their body than good.
Solution: Ask some one to show you. Look for some one who has some training in stretching like a personal trainer or a therapist. They can quickly show you a handful of stretches that will be easy for you to start with. If you don’t know some one who can teach you, come see us at our clinic, we’re happy to help.
Obstacle 3: “I don’t have time.”
I know you can’t possibly miss out on watching American Idol or reading about what Brad and Angelina did last week but I think you can find 5 minutes somewhere in your day.
Solution: If you do 10 stretches holding them each for 30 seconds that is 5 minutes. Cram it in when you finish exercising, while you watch TV, just before bed or after your morning shower. It’s a little pathetic if you can’t set aside 5 minutes and if that truly is the case you might have some bigger problems than a lack of flexibility.
Obstacle 4: “It hurts to stretch.”
That’s because you’re not flexible! All the more reason to stretch! This could also be because you are not doing the stretches properly.
Solution: Stretching should not be painful, but there will be a little bit of discomfort. You are pushing your muscles and joints to go farther than they are comfortable with so of course they will want to resist you. When you reach that point where you can really feel the tension and it is slightly uncomfortable don’t push any further. Find some one who is experienced with stretching to help make sure you are using proper techniques.
Obstacle 5: “Stretching is boring.”
We do live in a time where every other person seems to have some sort of ADD so people bore easily.
Solution: Talk to some one while you stretch. Watch TV. Listen to music. Do some controlled breathing and take advantage of a chance to relax. Lastly, It’s only 5 minutes!!!
All benefits have been stated and obstacles have been overcome. Now all that remains is to start stretching. Don’t worry you’re not on your own for this. My next post will describe some basic stretches to get started with. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Stretching, Why Not? Part 1
I considered calling this blog entry “The secret to the healthy body you’ve always wanted!” or “Miracle cure for aches, pains and soreness!” I figured a title like that would either get me millions of readers because everyone is always interested in the quick fix, or no readers because those titles have already been used a couple thousand times only to disappoint people.
I’m sure you’ve heard the benefits of being flexible many times but for some reason they haven’t sunk in enough for you to make stretching a part of your daily life. So I will tell them to you again. As you read these consider how each benefit would impact your life:
- Less muscle soreness after exercise
- Faster recovery from exertion
- Ability to exercise at higher intensity for greater benefits
- Improve balance
- Improve coordination
- Improve range of motion
- Improve blood circulation
- Improve Posture
- Relieve stress
- Prevent injuries
- Less issues associated with aging
- Relieve muscle pain, soreness and aches
- Everyone will love you*
* While there is no evidence to support this benefit of stretching there is also none to refute it.
Only a crazy person would not appreciate all these benefits!
I’m sure you’ve heard the benefits of being flexible many times but for some reason they haven’t sunk in enough for you to make stretching a part of your daily life. So I will tell them to you again. As you read these consider how each benefit would impact your life:
- Less muscle soreness after exercise
- Faster recovery from exertion
- Ability to exercise at higher intensity for greater benefits
- Improve balance
- Improve coordination
- Improve range of motion
- Improve blood circulation
- Improve Posture
- Relieve stress
- Prevent injuries
- Less issues associated with aging
- Relieve muscle pain, soreness and aches
- Everyone will love you*
* While there is no evidence to support this benefit of stretching there is also none to refute it.
Only a crazy person would not appreciate all these benefits!
In my next posting I will address the primary reasons people don’t incorporate stretching into their daily routine. It can be challenging but don’t fret; I will include solutions that will help you overcome the obstacles that are standing in your way. Stay Tuned!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to the Brockton PT blog. Our blog is a place where you can learn about improving your health ultimately reducing your risk of numerous health problems. Our goal is to provide you with information in 4 primary areas: Fitness, Nutrition, Health Conditions, and Lifestyle. The information we provide is meant to be educational as well as practical. If you ever have questions regarding anything you read in our blog please feel free to post them and we will be sure to address them.
Thank you very much for visiting our blog, we hope you enjoy it!
Thank you very much for visiting our blog, we hope you enjoy it!
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