This year we are again highlighting top fitness trends for the year. Some of the top trends are continuing from 2018 and some are new in the mix. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) annually surveys fitness experts from around the world and here are this year’s top results!
But now that it’s late January, “walking in a winter wonderland” may not be so easy, especially if you are among the estimated 14 percent of the population that suffers with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) according to the CDC. Approximately 10 percent to 20 percent of the population may experience a milder form called the “winter blues.” So what causes SAD and how can you learn to cope with it?
I’m 57 with some health issues (super high cholesterol, half a thyroid, menopause, fibromyalgia, shoulder issues, and herniated discs) and I refuse to take medication and will get healthy by using natural methods, exercise and diet. In 6 months, my cholesterol has dropped 50 points. I have not lost a lot of weight but am fitting better in my clothes and feel utterly fantastic. I look forward to getting up and getting on the gym at 5 A.M., which I NEVER thought I would say. No driving to the gym or membership fees. If I can do this, I know that others can too.
Whether it’s the harm to your health that comes from chronically failed New Year RE-solutions, blaming yourself for not being able to create and maintain healthy habits, feeling intimidated by setting “the right” fitness habits, you certainly aren’t alone. Learn how to form healthy habits for good!
As a fitness professional and naturopath, I am constantly asked the difference between an osteopath and a physiotherapist. Although both professions have extensive training in anatomy, physiology, pathology and hands on techniques, there are distinct differences with the two and they originate from quite different roots.
It is true that not all sugars are evil. Your body actually needs the sugar that it gets from fruits and vegetables. The sugar in fruit is a simple sugar, meaning that your body does not have to break anything down like it has to with complex and refined sugars. Refined (white sugar) sugar causes damage to your body and cells. It is also highly addictive.
Without question it is important to take rest days to first restart the body and the mind. Taking a break from a structured workout routine allows the body time to recover properly while also giving muscles, nerves, and bones time to rebuild. I have been asked by various people in my exercise classes about recommended activities to perform during a rest day. One of the first things we discuss are light activities they may enjoy so they will want to continue with it moving forward. Here are a few fun light activity recommendations along with their benefits.
Foam Rolling / Self Myofascial Release / Self Massage all are done using a soon to be archaic apparatus (at least for those of us that own a Total Gym) called the foam roller. One day, I was rolling out next to my Total Gym when I came up with the idea. Both of these products are time honored effective fitness tools that seemed a natural fit to me.
The holidays are a busy time, but… it’s also an important time to stay on track with your own health goals. You can accomplish this by keeping stress levels low in order to focus on things that really matter for a healthy lifestyle, such as eating a good diet, staying active, and getting rest. As we move into the new year, set yourself up to feel invigorated with a healthier, happier you.
Gout is typically referred to by medical doctors as a form of arthritis where patients experience pain and inflammation in the joints, typically in the big toe, but can appear elsewhere in the body such as fingers, knees and hips. An unhealthy diet triggers gout attacks, especially those diets that are loaded with alcohol, high fructose corn syrup, and processed foods, and too much purine rich foods such as organs and red meats, shellfish, anchovies, for example. The Total Gym is a perfect piece of equipment if you have gout because you can work out your entire body using your own body weight in the comfort of your home. You can perform all exercises in a lying, seated, or kneeling position, without putting any pressure on your feet, which is typically where the inflammation resides.