An Apple A Day

We've heard the old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and it really is true.  When we eat real, whole foods like apples, we are feeding our bodies genuine replacement parts.  Our bodies can take these nutrients and repair our bodies so they can continue to function at their best.

Try to aim for veggies, meats, seafood, nuts and seeds, fruits, and dairy (in moderation).  Add in clean water each day; usually about ½ your body weight in ounces.  Try to avoid processed foods.  You can recognize these by their labels.  Products usually have really long labels!  Asking yourself if you could have found this item 100 years ago is another trick to finding out if it is processed.

While “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” it only does so if you eat it!  Remember that this real food is likely to spoil faster than product foods so you’ll want to remember they are in the refrigerator and eat them while they are fresh.  Experiment with different recipes and learn what you like and how you like it fixed. 

As with most things in life, when you start to change your diet it needs to be done gradually.  Don’t expect to change it completely overnight.  The purpose of changing your diet should be for improved health and function of your body and not a temporary change.  Because this is a life-long change, it must be done in such a way that you can maintain the changes.  This is the reason for making smaller changes gradually.

It may be helpful to set realistic goals while you are improving your diet.  You may want to set both short term and long term goals.  If, or when, you “fall off the wagon,” don’t let that stop you in your quest to regain your health.  Don’t expect yourself to be perfect.  Each moment is a conscious decision to be healthier so just keep making that conscious decision.

Improving your diet isn't simply for decreasing your waistline.  Other benefits include decreased pain, better digestion, increased energy, and generally better health overall.  An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but adding more green veggies and other whole foods helps even more!

December Healthy Tip

Diet doesn't have to be a four letter word.  Many forget that everyone has a diet—diet is simply the food and drink you regularly consume.  Instead of ‘dieting,’ which usually means that the ‘diet’ will eventually end, try making small changes to your usual diet that you can maintain for a lifetime.  Even with Christmas around the corner, you can still start to make small changes that will add up to better health!

Live Like No One Else

I just read a portion of Dave Ramsey’s book “The Total Money Makeover” and a particular phrase he uses struck me as something I wanted to share.  He uses the phrase “Live like no one else so later you can live like no one else.”  In the context of the book he is referring to financial health but this same concept can be used when it comes to physical and spiritual health as well.

We make choices all day long, every day.  People sometimes look at what I choose to eat and not eat and say things like, “oh, that little bit won’t hurt you” or “you only live once” or other comments.  Controlling what I choose to eat now will allow me to, as Mr. Ramsey says, “live like no one else” later.  Other healthy choices I make include getting my own spine checked weekly and always starting with nutrition first before resorting to medication.

I want to be that person who has all her original parts, requires no assistance moving around on a day to day basis, is still physically active…basically I want to have the highest quality of life I can as I age!

Don’t get me wrong, I still live in the present.  I am not so concerned with the future that I neglect the present.  I just try not to let what I do today negatively impact my tomorrows; I plan for there to be many of them!  I don’t look at choices made as one of deprivation but of making wise investments.

You too need to think about what investments you are making in regard to your health.  Are you “spending” more than you have?  Are the choices you are making today going to set you up for problems in the future?  Remember, it is never too late to start making a change for the better.

Just as we make choices regarding our physical and financial health, we also make choices regarding our spiritual health.  This is the most important area to work on.  The investment for spiritual health is the ultimate one…eternal life with Christ Jesus!

November Healthy Tip

The holidays are a joyous time to spend with family but they can also be stressful when you are trying to eat healthy.  Start preparing your holiday menus now.  Try to find foods that you enjoy but are also healthier choices.  Many of our favorites can be tweaked a little without changing the overall feel of the food.  You may need this extra time to do some practice runs as well, which can be fun!

The Winter Ick: The Rest of the Story

Illness seems to become rampant with the onset of cooler temperatures.  Most people think this is due to the colder temperatures and others think that it is because we are stuck inside and in more contact with other people.

While cooler temperatures may stress the body some as well as the immune system and staying indoors with deprive many of the benefits of vitamin D I believe that one of the major problems is not either of these.

I have noticed that over the last 7 years in practice people don’t seem to do as well overall after fall arrives.  It is particularly bad about the first week in November.  I believe that much of the illnesses in winter actually are rooted in sugar consumption.  Sugar actually decreases your immune system response by 50% for around 4 to 5 hours!

The sugar influx begins with Halloween on October 31 with all the candy—and it’s not just the kids!  This is one holiday where eating lots of sugar seems to be encouraged.  When the candy is finally all consumed from Halloween it is just in time for Thanksgiving pies!  Following Thanksgiving are all the Christmas parties and family get-togethers that also invariably have holiday sweets galore!  Following on its heels is New Years.  Winter is rounded out by Valentine’s Day and Easter baskets.

While I’m not saying you can’t enjoy any of the sweet treats you’ve come to love, be aware of what you are eating and eat wisely.  If you know that you want to be able to eat something later, don’t do a bunch of mindless munching as you will be compromising your immune system.  Continual suppression of your immune system will leave you susceptible to lots of bugs out there!

Some of your favorite treats can be made without refined sugars and can contain less sugar.  Look around for recipes.  You can also look in our collection of recipes in the office to see if we’ve already found one!

Again, make wiser choices this winter and help protect your body against the winter ick!

October Healthy Tip

October is Chiropractic Health Awareness month.  Use this month to take inventory of how your health is and resolve to find ways to improve it.  Find an activity to get you moving, get more sleep, add more green veggies to your diet, see your chiropractor for a checkup.  If you don’t have a chiropractor, consider starting care while you are not hurting so that you can prevent some future problems and maintain your active lifestyle! 

Health and Healing

I read an article this week and I’d like to share an excerpt.  The article was in The Lookout from August 26, 2012.  Here is the portion I’d like to share from “When God Doesn’t Heal” by Tammy Darling.

“Sometimes, however, explanations are available as to why God doesn’t heal.  For example, I have suffered from migraine headaches for about 10 years.  I have prayed to be free from them and others have prayed faithfully as well.

“Some of my migraines are the result of unhealthy habits—lack of exercise and poor eating habits.  If God had healed me when I was oblivious to this fact, my bad habits would have continued.

“What loving father gives his children a stone when they’ve asked for bread, or a snake when they’ve asked for fish (see Matthew 7:9, 10)?  Without realizing it, we sometimes ask for a stone or serpent when we pray for instant healing.  God wants to provide solutions that will nourish and sustain, not harm us in the long run.

“Since I have begun to exercise regularly and started to eat healthful, natural foods, my migraines have greatly decreased in frequency and intensity.  Now I understand why I wasn’t healed sooner—God had something better in mind.

“Through this experience and the experiences of others, I have learned that when God doesn’t heal, it may be that he wants us to make some practical lifestyle changes.”

I can relate to Tammy’s story.  I have struggled with weight pretty much my whole life.  I remember sitting at my desk while still in chiropractic college and saying to God, “If you can just make me lose weight, I’ll maintain it from there.”  Such a silly prayer!  There is no way I would have been able to maintain a healthy weight if it was just handed to me on a silver platter!  I had not learned to make wise choices when it came to food or exercise.  And even if God had answered that prayer, I would not have received all the other wonderful benefits—like Tammy, my migraines have almost gone away entirely!  I have a sense of accomplishment and greater self-esteem from the entire process.  Because I had to work for it I can also understand where others are coming from and have more compassion while helping others to regain their health.

When you find yourself asking for something, don’t forget to look inside you and ask if you are making choices that compromise your physical, emotional and mental health.  Don’t forget to continue to ask God to help and heal you as well.  I will pull another quote from the same edition of The Lookout from David Faust’s article “Take your medicine.”  “The Great Physician is available when we reach out to him in faith.  Amazingly, he still makes house calls.”

Healthy Tip

Organic fruits and veggies not only don’t have pesticides and chemicals used on them, they also often have more nutrients than conventionally raised produce.  If the soil is properly cared for, the produce is more nutritious and even tastes much better!  Produce from local farmers is also fresher and again this means higher nutrient content.  Enjoy more fresh produce and better health!

Statistic or Survivor?

As of January 2011 there were 25.8 million children and adults in the United States—8.3% of the population—with diabetes.  Over 18.8 million people were diagnosed with diabetes and it was estimated that 7.0 million people were undiagnosed.  Seventy nine million people had prediabetes and there were 1.9 million new cases diagnosed in people age 20 years and older in 2010.¹

These numbers are growing as are the complications that go along with diabetes.  Some of the illnesses that go along with diabetes are obesity, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system disease (neuropathy), and amputation.

Not only does diabetes take a toll on physical health, it is expensive!  In 2007 diabetes cost $147 billion!  Direct medical costs were $116 billion and then an additional $58 billion in indirect costs (disability, work loss, and premature mortality).

What really hurts is that diabetes is entirely preventable AND reversible!  You cannot, however, reverse diabetes on accident.  You have to do it on purpose.

“If you have type 2 diabetes, there is only one cause—lifestyle.  That means the wrong diet, the nutritional deficiencies caused by the wrong diet, and lack of exercise.”²

You must change lifestyle to prevent diabetes as well as reverse it.  Eat a low-carbohydrate diet.  Skip the grains like wheat, corn, rice and even oats; these feed the imbalance that leads to diabetes.  I know ‘they’ say to eat whole grains, but if you already have diabetes this is too much for your body to process.  If you must have grains, eat only whole grains and keep it to a minimum.  Stick to whole foods in general:  meat, veggies, nuts/seeds, and some fruits.  If you already have diabetes, avoid the starchy vegetables such as potatoes and beans as they will make it difficult to maintain healthy blood sugar.  Stick to berries when it comes to fruit as these are naturally lower in fruit sugar.

Start exercising.  Start out with simple weight bearing exercises: walking, push-ups, pull ups, squats.  Start with just a couple of minutes of exercise if you haven’t done any recently.  You don’t have to do hours of exercise!  Mercola.com has a good write-up on Peak 8 fitness.  I use a similar workout plan using Dr. Al Sears PACE program myself.  My workouts are always under 20 minutes and yet it gets the job done.

Nutritional supplements may be necessary to help restore balance to the body as quick as possible.  If you haven’t done so already, ask us about Nutrition Response Testing.  A nutrition program can be developed that is specifically tailored to your body’s needs.

Diabetes does not have to be a life sentence or inevitable.  You do not have to be a statistic.  To not be a statistic, however, you must DO something about it!

1.      Statistics taken from American Diabetes Association, http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/

2.      Dr. Bruce West, Health Alert, July 2012/Volume 29, Issue 7, pg 1

August Healthy Tip

Many believe salt must be eliminated from the diet.  Believe it or not, not salting your food on the table does NOT make a dent in sodium consumption —decreasing processed foods does!  Our bodies actually need some salt, but the sheer amount of sodium in processed foods is way too much.  Switching to sea salt can give you added minerals with less sodium for the same amount of salt.  Eat whole foods, not processed, and enjoy some sea salt on your veggies!

The Sunscreen Myth

How Sunscreen Products Actually Promote Cancer

(Excerpts taken) by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

The idea that sunscreen prevents cancer is a myth. The scientific evidence…shows quite clearly that sunscreen actually promotes cancer by blocking the body's absorption of ultraviolet radiation, which produces vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D, as recent studies have shown, prevents up to 77% of ALL cancers in women (breast cancer, colon cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, brain tumors, multiple myeloma ... you name it).

Meanwhile, the toxic chemical ingredients used in most sunscreen products are actually carcinogenic and have never been safety tested or safety approved by the FDA.  They get absorbed right through the skin (a porous organ that absorbs most substances it comes into contact with) and enter the bloodstream.

Proponents say sunscreen prevents sunburn, but in fact, the real cause of sunburn is not merely UV exposure: It is a lack of antioxidant nutrition. Start eating lots of berries and microalgae (spirulina, astaxanthin, blue­green algae, etc.), and you'll build up an internal sunscreen that will protect your skin from sunburn from the inside out. Sunburn is actually caused by nutritional deficiencies that leave the skin vulnerable to DNA mutations from radiation, but if you boost your nutrition and protect your nervous system with plant-based nutrients, you'll be naturally resistant to sunburn. The same nutrients, by the way, also protect the optic nerve and eyes from radiation damage. That's why the consumption of berries and carrots, for example, has historically been associated with healthy eye function. (The same nutrients that protect the eyes also protect the skin.)

 

Sunscreen directly promotes vitamin D deficiency. You show me a person who regularly uses sunscreen, and I'll show you a person who's on the road towards cancer and other degenerative diseases. People who use sunscreen are killing themselves and they don't even know it!  

 

Think about it. Our ancestors did not have indoor lighting; they exposed their skin to the sun regularly. They didn't run and hide from the sun; they used it as nourishment to generate a crucial vitamin that supports human health in a multitude of ways. The idea that "the sun is bad for you" makes about as much sense as "water is bad for you" or "the Earth is flat."

 

The more people use sunscreen products, the more they'll get cancer. And that's due to two primary reasons: 1) Sunscreen blocks vitamin D production, a nutrient that strongly prevents cancer, and 2) Sunscreen products almost always contain cancer-causing chemicals that are absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream where they cause severe DNA damage, leading to cancer.

 

The next time you see some public service advertisement urging you to smother yourself and your children with sunscreen chemicals, think hard before taking action.

 

If you choose to buy sunscreen, only buy natural sunscreen products containing no petrochemicals! One brand I recommend is Caribbean Blue Natural Basics "Sun Shield." You can find more at www.gocaribbeanblue.com

 

Smearing berries on your skin also works as a natural sunscreen, as does smearing Aloe Vera gel on your skin. Amazon Herb Co. distributors use a product called Camu C Serum as a natural sunscreen. It works great! http://www.amazondreams.amazonherb.net

 

[If you choose not to buy sunscreen], don't just rush out and get burned; boost your nutrition and work up a natural tan as nature intended. The best sunscreen…is an internal sunscreen built with nutrition. Eat chlorella, spirulina, goji berries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, astaxanthin, carrots and nutrient-rich superfoods to boost your skin's natural UV protection (takes about 30 days of nutrition to boost skin levels)

 

Note from Dr. Call:  Remember that prolonged sun exposure will eventually lead to a burn.  Do not expect to be able to stay out in the sun for hours at a time.  Use natural fiber clothing to cover up when out for long periods.  The natural fibers will ‘breathe’ better and keep you cooler.  In case you get sunburned you can apply USF Ointment from Standard Process or a good Aloe Vera Gel.

Healthy Tip

Bad knees?  Squats, though feared, are great for improved knee stability, leg strength, and hip health when done correctly.  Here’s how:  Standing in front of your chair, move to sit back in the chair.  Stop before actually sitting, and then stand back up; repeat.  Make sure your knees don’t extend past your toes.  Putting your arms out in front will aid in balance and the chair is always there in case you start to lose your balance.  See, you’ve been doing squats every day anyway!  Add more and help your knees!

The Low Down on TMJ

Did you know that you could have a Temporomandibular joint problem and not even know it?  The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull.  Traditionally we think of people that have TMJ problems as having pain at rest or during jaw movement, difficulty opening the mouth or having some degree of locking of the jaw either open or closed.  They find it difficult, if not painful, to eat or chew and may have crepitus (that popping noise).

However, there are other less commonly known symptoms. These are aching in the face, head, neck, and ear, grinding of the teeth, and, the one I find most often is biting of the cheeks, lips and tongue on accident.  This is a sign that the jaw is not functioning as it is supposed to.

Many people are not even aware that they may have a misalignment of the jaw joint.  Neck pain, headaches, tinnitus (ringing of the ears), ear infections, and a perceived hearing loss may also indicate a TMJ problem.  Whiplash trauma, from car accidents and even amusement park rides, can cause a TMJ misalignment.  Even a trip to your dentist for your six month cleaning and checkup can cause stress on the TMJ resulting in a misalignment.

Chiropractors can check this jaw joint, gently adjust it if needed, and make sure that your body is able to function at 100% of your potential.  (Not to mention eating your meal in peace!)  If you suspect that you or someone you know may have a TMJ misalignment, please talk to your chiropractor.  Additional research can be found at www.Activator.com.

Healthy Tip

Summer is upon us and the weather has turned hot.  With all that work outdoors the chances of dehydration increases.  Be sure to drink plenty of good, clean water while outside.  Recent research has also shown that bananas are superior to sports drinks at replenishing electrolytes, offering additional nutrition, and cost less.  While not in the study, other whole fruits are also likely to be a better choice to naturally balance your body.

What's Your Motivation?

Have you stopped lately to ask yourself why you do what you do?  When I first started making bigger changes in my life to get healthier I had people ask me, “why?”  It was usually followed by a comment like, “What if you are doing all this and you get hit by a car tomorrow and die?”  My usual comment back continues to be, “But what if I don’t?” 

Years later, I’m still asked the same question and continue to find some people that just don’t get why many of us have chosen to forgo some of the “pleasures” of this world.  It becomes a little clearer when you ask yourself, “what’s my motivation?”

When it comes to health there are 2 major ideas that will motivate a person.  One idea seems to be very popular.  That idea is:  Running from Death.  Fear of death will motivate a person to change habits.  Following a diagnosis of diabetes a person is told “you must keep your blood sugar within these parameters or it will kill you.”  After a heart attack a person is told “you must change your diet and start exercising or the next time this could kill you.”  Someone who is obese may have a doctor tell them that if they continue this path, they are more likely to die an early death and therefore need to make changes.

We are very attached to these bodies…we’ve had them for years!  The motivation of running from death can be a good starting point for many people.  The problem is it doesn’t need to stop there.  You may start out trying to avoid death but the changes you do make should evolve into more than that.  Forgoing some of those “pleasures” in life will actually lead you to be able to enjoy the real pleasures in life.

The second motivation is:  Running towards LIFE.  Running towards life means that we are not making changes simply to have more years on this planet but that we are adding Life to our years.  We make changes so that we can DO more while we are here.  Spending time with family, being a servant and blessing to others, thriving instead of just existing or surviving.  I don’t believe that we were placed here to simply survive.  We are meant to do great things.

 
So, what’s your motivation?  Do you simply want to live longer or do you want to LIVE?

May Healthy Tip

If you have lower back or hip pain you may want to try sleeping with a thin pillow between your knees when sleeping on your side.  This takes pressure off of your hips and lumbar spine and will allow the areas to rest and heal at night.  Don’t go out and buy a pillow—find a towel or blanket, fold it and put it into a pillow case.  If you are more of a back sleeper, a larger pillow is needed to place under your knees while sleeping on your back.

Don’t Live With the Agony of ‘Da Feet’

April is Foot Health Awareness month, so what better time to discuss your feet?  Your feet, as the foundation of the body, are important and should not be overlooked.
 

Any competent builder will tell you that a firm, level foundation is the top priority when constructing a building or other structure.  If the foundation is not firm and level, nothing else that is built above it will be straight.  Look at the Pisa Tower in Italy.  The ground that the tower was built on was soft on one side and began to settle as it was being constructed.  The builders tried to compensate for the lean by constructing the remaining floors at an angle.

Just like the Pisa Tower, your feet are part of your physical foundation.  If feet are unstable, nothing else above will be straight.  Pain can develop in the feet themselves and your body will start to compensate and make changes further up the body as well.  This can lead to further dysfunction such as low back pain, mid back pain and even headaches.

A few problems in that may occur in feet themselves are:

~  Plantar fasciitis (commonly called Heel Spurs)—pain that is at the bottom of the foot or heel that hurts worse after a walking again after a time of rest.  When not severe, a short time of walking will lessen the pain.

~  Hallux valgus (also known more commonly as bunions)—this is when the great toe joint is misaligned inward and is often caused or made worse by tight fitting shoes at the toes. 

~  Pronation (fallen arch/flat feet)—flattening of the arches of varying degrees.  This can be mild or severe.  Excessive pronation of the feet causes changes in the normal gait cycle (walking and running) and produces stresses to the leg, hip, pelvis, and low back.  The result is recurring misalignments and eventual ligament instability affecting the low back and potentially the entire spine.

What to do?

·         Limit use of flip-flops, high heels, and constricting footwear.  Opt for supportive shoes when walking and running.  Make sure these shoes can ‘breathe’ to help prevent fungal infections in the feet.

·         Stretch—stretch your calf muscles.  If you have plantar fasciitis pain (described above) stretch the bottom of the foot by placing a golf ball or other similarly sized ball on the floor and rolling it around with your foot.  Do no more than a minute on each foot until you know how your foot will respond.

·         Have your feet checked by your chiropractor.  Adjustments to the bones of the feet can help rebalance the body.  Some people need additional support from custom made orthotics, but not everyone requires them.

Many women (and men!) love their shoes.  Make sure that this love of fashion doesn’t cramp your health-syle.  Take care of your feet and they will take you places!

Heatlhy Tip

Do you have foot, heel or arch pain, especially when you stand up after sitting awhile?  You may have plantar fasciitis.  Adhesions (scar tissue) form in the ligament supporting the foot and cause pain.  Solution:  while seated, roll a golf ball on the floor using the bottom of your foot.  This will help stretch your foot and get rid of the adhesions.  If this isn’t enough, consider chiropractic or other less invasive treatments first!

Dying Too Long?

I once heard that life should be like a candle.  It should burn bright all the way to the end, flicker a few times and then go out.  The people that I admire and amaze me are the ones that live a full life with vitality and when they are well on in years, seem to flicker some and then they leave this world for the next with little to no suffering.  The ones my heart goes out to are the ones that seem to never fully burn.  They smolder and flicker for years and even decades with illnesses and pain.  I see too many of this second group of people.
 

People are dying too long and living too short.  The reason many people are dying so long is often poor choices and bad habits.  Bad habits are expensive physically, emotionally and financially.  We must learn to accept that what we do to our bodies, put on our bodies, and put in our bodies directly effects the entire body.

There are changes that can be made that can start to change the trend of dying too long in our country.  We have heard these before, but here they are again:

·         Eat whole foods.  The closer a food is to its natural form, the more likely it is to be nourishing for your body.

·         Drink clean water.  Filtering city water is recommended because of chemical treatments to ensure that our water is not contaminated with organisms.  Just like removing the packaging from your lettuce, remove the chemicals before drinking!

·         Get moving.  You don’t even have to use the “E” word!  Find something you enjoy doing: biking, walking, swimming, dancing.

·         Get outside more.  We have been told to stay out of the sun so much that we have epidemic levels of Vitamin D deficiencies in the U.S.  We need sunshine for healthy bodies.  Avoid getting burned by using cotton clothing and don’t rely so much on sunscreens as these are mostly chemicals.  Eating real foods will also give you natural protection from burns.  If still concerned, some nutritional supplements can also help.

·         Get adjusted.  A well-adjusted spine allows for a well-functioning nervous system.  You nervous system controls everything else!

·         Have your nutrition assessed. 

·         Rest.  Your body needs time to rest and recover.  Set aside an average of 8 hours for sleep.  You may need more.  Don’t forget to take care of your spiritual health as well!

Every whole food, supplement, and adjustment is a payment on your real insurance premium.  What you do today will determine your tomorrows.  Life should be a celebration not a burden.

Every winner was a beginner…start making healthy changes today so that you can add life to your years.

March Healthy Tip

It’s March and spring is just around the corner.  That also means that summer will be here soon and, for most, the desire to look better in shorts and short sleeves…even swim suits.  Making some dietary changes now will help make that dream a reality.  Eat whole foods including vegetables, meats, fruits, and nuts.  Leave the grains alone!  As Americans we consume so many excess carbohydrates that even whole grains are often doing more harm than good and adding to our waistlines.  Think simple:  if you can’t find it growing outside or grazing in a field, it’s probably not a whole food!  Have you seen any Cheerios trees lately?

Challenge Your Heart

We have been told for decades now that the way to get healthy, lose weight, and be good to our hearts is to do 3-4 hours of cardio workouts each week.  If you are anything like many other people, the thought of this is…um…well, boring!  “It takes too long” is often a major complaint as well.

What if I was to tell you that this 3-4 hours of cardio workouts does not actually strengthen your heart?  When you work out at a moderate intensity for long periods of time you actually condition your body to expect moderate activity all the time. 

Let me elaborate a little bit.  Long workouts mean that the best energy source your body can have is fat.  Yes, you burn fat if you work out long enough but you also signal your body that fat is your preferred energy source and the body will be very kind and provide a ready supply of fat for you to use.  This means that it is very hard to lose fat pounds while doing cardio workouts!  It also means fat pounds increase when you stop cardio workouts.

Long workouts at moderate levels also condition the body for endurance and while this sounds like a good thing, what the human body really needs is strength.  During normal life we have times of exertion that require more strength in the heart and lungs than endurance.  Examples:  picking up a heavy box, moving groceries, lifting your children/grandchildren, cutting wood, shoveling snow, some gardening, and even love making.

To build heart strength, as well as other muscles and lungs, the body must be challenged.  I have read articles and books from two medical doctors that have been recommending this type of exercise for years and have seen wonderful results.  Dr. Al Sears calls his method PACE (Progressively Accelerating Cardiopulmonary Exertion) and Dr. Mercola calls his method Peak 8.

Both techniques have a tendency to copy nature.  Instead of long workouts at a moderate intensity, the workouts are short intense bursts of activity followed by recovery.  Have you ever watched a cat chase a squirrel?  They first watch for the ideal moment, and then spring into action trying to catch the squirrel.  Within about 30 seconds or less it is over…the cat has either caught the squirrel, or, as often in my backyard, the squirrel has again gotten away.  The cat then sits and rests and then moves on.  I have never seen a cat run a marathon!

Working out at an intense level for short bursts signals your body to increase muscle strength and build lung power so that you have the oxygen and energy needed for these activities in the future.  It also tells your body that fat is a very poor source of fuel as it takes too long to burn for energy and will start to store more energy as glycogen in the muscles.  The body will actually burn more fat after the workouts and then stores less fat later.

The other really nice thing about this workout strategy is that it requires much less time!  You can use this technique with walking, jogging, biking, swimming, jumping rope, squats, tennis…the list goes on!  A key to this type of workout is the intensity.  An example of high intensity would be if you can only do 30 seconds at that intensity and then get out of breath.  After the short burst, let your heart rate and breathing return to normal before your next burst of energy.  Hours of exercise can be done with only 10 minutes of exertion.

You can read more on this exercise by going to www.Mercola.com and searching “Peak 8” or you can read more on PACE in the book P.A.C.E: The 12-Minute Fitness Revolution by Al Sears, MD or search more online at www.pacerevolution.com.

February Healthy Tip

To get the greatest benefit from exercise in the least amount of time, do short bursts of exercise that cause you to be out of breath within 30 seconds to a couple of minutes.  Once winded, rest until breathing and heart rate have returned to normal.  Build up to 8-10 minutes total of exertion-to-exhaustion time; it does not have to be done all at once...and you get to rest in between each burst!  High intensity exercise 3 times a week will build heart and lung power.

Get Out of Your Rut

Many of you may know that my dad is a minister.  He had an excellent sermon on New Year’s Day entitled, “Get Out of Your Rut.”  I thought I would share the basic outline (originally from Rod Farthing) with you this month with some of my own insights.  

1. Assume responsibility for your own life.  No one can make a change except you.  Once you assume responsibility you can break out of the rut and start making improvements.  This includes your health and fitness, as well as your social life and spiritual life.

2. Believe that you can change.  If you don’t believe you can change, you won’t.  While simply believing won’t actually make those changes happen, they will not happen without that belief.

3. Clarify what you really need.  Take time to find out what you would like to see happen this year.  Actually sit down and write out your personal goals.  You can also make goal list for work as well.  Remember, it doesn’t have to be something fancy.  You may need to write down sub-goals.  For example, weight loss is a common goal.  If you need to lose 20 pounds, make sub-goals of 5 pounds and as you reach each of those smaller goals it will give you the motivation to keep moving towards the larger goal.  This can even work for something like house cleaning or organization.  Have a smaller goal of cleaning/organizing one area at a time.  Hitting small goals spurs you on and keeps getting you out of that rut.

4. Stop worrying about what other people will say.  We worry too much about what others say and think.  You know that exercise is critical for a healthy body.  Don’t let others intimidate you into staying out of the gym.  You know that a diet high in veggies and fruit is critical for a healthy body.  Don’t let others sabotage you into eating poorly (believe me, they are out there!).  There are people out there that want to keep you in your rut because then they know what to expect!

5. Stop waiting for ideal circumstances.  The following short article appeared back in 1985 in the LA Times:  "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me a slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. "Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least eight or nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician.  His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion."

          Don’t wait for the ideal circumstance—begin now to get out of your rut.

6. Do something bold and dramatic.  There is a slogan that says, "We’re going to try something so big, that if God isn’t in it we are destined to fail." That kind of faith honors God.  Sometimes this bold and dramatic move is sharing a goal with those who will ask you about it later, keeping you accountable.

7. Make your move now.   There is no time like the present.  And remember, God calls and stands by ready to help... but we must take the step first.

Author James Herriot writes the following about the difficulty of getting out of a rut that kept him from beginning his writing career: "After talking about writing a book for a long time my wife finally said,  "Jim, you are never going to write a book." She said it kindly, but nevertheless, I was aghast. "Whatever do you mean?" I said. "Well," she replied, "You have been talking about this book for twenty-five years.  Don’t take it to heart, Jim. You are only one of thousands of people who think they are going to write a book, but they never do it." "But I will, I will," I protested. She smiled again with a touch of sadness. "You must realize that is impossible. Old vets of fifty don’t suddenly start writing books." That did it. I went straight out, bought a lot of paper and got down to the job.”

May God bless you in 2012. May this be the day that you break out of whatever rut is holding you hostage.  Make this year an unforgettable year.  Live this year.

January Healthy Tip

It’s here again, the time we make resolutions.  Consider this year making a one word resolution.  Then take that word and apply it to your life and what you want for the coming year.  For example, “simplify.”  This might mean paring down what you own and donating to others in need, eating more whole veggies and fruits, getting  back to the basics and spending time with family.  Find your word and go from there!