All MFN blog Archives - Page 28 of 143

Taking Fear from Foe to Friend

Lisa Charles/20 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

Step One: Acknowledge and Accept Fear

Acknowledging and accepting your fear is the first step toward limiting its power over you. Acknowledgement requires you to admit that you have fears, and acceptance requires you to realize their power. Congratulations, you are human! We all have fears, but the ways they affect our lives depends on the relationship we choose to create with them.

Don’t be a Denier. Deniers bury their fears so deeply that the fears often go unrealized, gaining an unknown power over the Denier. The danger is that at any moment, the Denier may be confronted by their formerly hidden fears, which seem to come out of nowhere, overwhelming the person’s thoughts, decisions, and actions. Just because you deny them doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Don’t be a Pretender. Pretenders admit their fear, but rely on their ability to vanquish, destroy, eliminate, and ultimately control it. They live under the misguided belief that they can make fears disappear. The problem arises when the fear the Pretender thought was destroyed comes back with a vengeance at an inopportune time. As with the Denier, that re-emerged fear can affect thoughts, decisions, and actions, potentially placing the person on the pathway to unwittingly forfeit their dreams.

Once you acknowledge the existence of your fear and learn how to address it productively instead of fighting it, you reclaim some of your power over it.

Step Two: Find Your Fear’s Origins

Determine where your fear originates and gain a deeper understanding of yourself. Knowing “the why” is a power diffuser. Is your fear based in lack of self-worth, self-love, self-doubt, rejection, or feelings of failure, or trepidation of success? If so, where did this emotional trigger come from? Examine the negative assumptions you are making and determine their source. This could be a childhood experience, something someone said that you internalized, or some other event that created a negative self-assessment, which in turn is creating a fear. Knowledge is power, and it places you on the pathway toward healing.
Take action to heal your fears’ origins. Healing comes through loving yourself and seeking a deeper and richer understand of your authentic core. In my book, Yes! Commit. Do. Live, I explain, your “passions, loves, talents, gifts, and desires, along with your character values, all inform and empower you.” These elements form your inner core. So let your fears reveal more of this inner core and show you something important that you may not have recognized. For example, if you have a fear of public speaking, a deep dive into your inner core could unearth your talent for storytelling, listening, and using empathy to connect with others. Nurturing those talents, which are all components of a great public speaker, would empower you to meet your public speaking fear. So, use that inner core power to meet and ultimately tame your fears.

Step Three: Focus on the Positive

First, ask yourself what opportunities and adventures are now presented due to the fear that has arisen. What possibilities for building new talents and skills are now open that were previously closed to you? Write them down and celebrate them as “what can be,” and then start envisioning them as “what is.” For example, that fear of public speaking could be preventing you from experiencing new opportunities in your career, family, and friendships that could change your life. By focusing on the positive aspects of what can be and the emotions that flow from that positive outlook, you shift your mindset away from negative thinking.
Second, remember that negative thinking is often at the core of our fears. Without facts or evidence, we allow negative thoughts to paralyze us and convince us that defeat/disaster is inevitable. By choosing to focus on the positive outcomes we can gain from facing the challenge, we gain power over negative thinking.

As a state and federal prosecutor, I was afraid at the beginning of every trial. What if I didn’t succeed? What if I made a mistake? However, none of these fears were based on facts. By focusing on creating a positive outcome for the victim and empowering them through the trial process, I could move forward through my fear. According to Andrew Newberg, M.D., and Mark Robert Waldman in Words Can Change Your Brain: 12 Conversations Strategies to Build Trust, Resolve Conflict, and Increase Intimacy, a single positive or negative word can actually alter our brains. There is neurological power in positive thinking, so the time is now to live in the positive.

Step Four: Transform the Feelings

You can use your body’s responses to gain more control of your fears. What happens to you when fear arises? According to MedicalNewsToday, for some people, their limbs shake, their breathing becomes shallow, their mouths get dry, and their hearts race. While these reactions may on the surface seem negative, those physical manifestations are tied to the excitement of the moment.
Once you are aware of your fear responses, redefine them. Remember, there is power in positive-thought realignment. When I left the practice of law to begin a singing career, during my early musical auditions, I was confronted with the physical manifestations of fear. I had a choice. I could allow those manifestations to derail my singing career, or I could retrain my brain and body to create a new understanding of what those manifestations represented. I chose the latter—and you can, too. Here’s how:

Redefine those manifestations and repeat the new definition continuously until they feel real. Repeatedly tell yourself this new positive understanding:

My body’s shake is the energy surge that fuels my excitement.
- My shallow breathing is my body’s signal to slow down and take in rich oxygen.
- My rapid heart rate is my body’s preparation on a cellular level to ready me to step into my excellence.

Visualize your success over your fear and allow the positive emotions that flow from that success to flood your body, head to toe.

Find your calm and peace the “DDB” way—engage in deep diaphragmatic breathing. At each fearful moment, use the 5-5-5-5 breathing pattern: Inhale for a count of five, hold for five, exhale for five, and repeat for five. This practice allowed me to stay present and focus on the beauty of the moment.

Reset those feelings further by recording your successes and focusing on each time you were able to feel the fear and do it anyway. I allowed every positive audition to reinforce my new positive understanding of my body’s response to each exciting opportunity. This process of transference turns negative thinking positive.

Step 5: Look at Fear as Your Friend and Celebrate It!

Fear is an extension of ourselves. It moves us. It represents a chance for a beautiful life transition. Fear offers an opportunity for immense growth and introduces us to new and wonderful challenges. It can be a gateway to the most beautiful, exciting opportunities, helping you to unleash talents and unearth new passions.

By taking the preceding steps, you are able to tame your fears. Remember, fear is not a villain, so there is no need for an epic battle. Instead, fear requires a relationship with yourself. It is a welcomed companion, a catalyst for change to constantly challenge your status quo. So, the next time you feel fear, ask, “What opportunity lies on the other side?” Challenge yourself to live through it. Do what makes you shake! Do what makes you shy away! It may not be easy, but it’s essential for continued breakthrough as you journey to your highest state of excellence.

When you’re willing to feel the fear and move forward anyway, you position yourself to truly write your story, live your purpose, elevate your thoughts, visualize your success, and live a life without regret and with passion, laughter, self-determination, and endless optimism.

Join Lisa for her webinar, How to Take Your Fears from For to Friend

Lisa Charles is a federal prosecutor turned singer/actress, wellness expert, certified health coach/consultant, and an acclaimed speaker. She served as the Fitness/Wellness Research Coordinator for the Rutgers University Aging & Brain Health Alliance, and is the CEO of Embrace Your Fitness, LLC, and the Author of YES! COMMIT. DO. LIVE.

Join my email list at yescoachlisa.com
lisa@yescoachlisa.com
IG: @lisaembracefitness

10 Keys to Planning for Your Health and Fitness Needs

Nicholas Prukop/20 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

Being proactive beats reacting every time. With our nation’s level of fitness deteriorating with each passing year, I thought it important to highlight these 10 keys. I am evaluating what it is that I may want to change in my own world and by sharing these thoughts with you hopefully move you to such a review as well.

1. Get a physical

As a nation we are not being proactive when it comes to our health and as a result we are over medicating ourselves and creating other significant health related problems as a result. Being on drugs is not an effective way to maintain our health – making healthy choices instead is a far better strategy for preventing illness and disease in the long run.

2. Get “real”

Being “real” with yourself starts with an honest evaluation of where you ARE in your physical and mental – and emotional life. Dumping old behaviors – and attitudes – that are no longer serving you is a place to start. Another step we can take is to get moving – doing whatever you can to positively move in the direction of what I call “your highest good”. We all have something we are here to do in life so get going and don’t waste a single day. Writing these articles is part of what I am to do so I am writing them!

3. Get moving

By way of reminder – we are meant to be active beings – not sitting beings. Find out what it is you enjoy doing and get moving. Your body will thank you every day you do this. I know how I feel after I run and lift weights and it is in one word — happy.

4. Get a handle on your stress

We are all stressed at some point during our day so why don’t we start working on strategies for dealing with the stresses – and stressors – in our lives BEFORE they happen. Being proactive in stress management means knowing we are going to have to deal with stress in our lives so why don’t we practice before the event or stress occurs? I have passed on some of my strategies in prior articles: Meditation, prayer, visualization work, focused breathing, running, quiet reflection, etc. These and other techniques are readily available and can be learned through classes and other forums.

5. Get excited

Getting excited about life fuels our imagination and creativity. The more I think about my potential to make a difference in the world the more excited I become about each day of my life. The same experience can happen to you if you are open and receptive to what your subconscious is trying to tell you. The world of technology is taking away our ability to “go into the silence” and discover what life has in store for us. The “noise” we face every day is keeping us from hearing anything that could be of help to us in planning for it is we may want to do – and accomplish. Take a moment and ask yourself “am I living up to my full potential and if not what can I do about it?”

6. Get clear on your purpose

Purpose driven people are happy people and they are self-actualized – meaning they don’t need someone to tell them what to do, think, feel, say, or do. They approach life from a position of “real power” and at the same time are able to acknowledge the uniqueness of each one of us. I got an email today from a reader telling me I would go to hell if I didn’t believe what he did and my response is – “it’s a free country and we get to live our lives the way we choose”. I am empowered and energized by this thought. I am free – as are you – to live a purpose driven life or stay on the path you are on. We are ALWAYS “at choice” so CHOOSE YOURSELF TODAY!

7. Get close to “real” people

This key is important in today’s world. “Friends” are NOT on the internet – they are in our REAL lives. Be aware that we need each other. Make it a point to be kind to others – smile, acknowledge them when you can, call people by their names and look them in the eyes when you speak to them. People are what make life worth living – not the cyber world of “fake” experiences and relationships.

8. Get close to your family

My daughter is going through a difficult time in her life right now. She is facing challenges that are most uncommon and have her living “on edge” every day. She has a 7 year old son who needs her and a career in business to re-establish and beyond. I spoke with her last night and told her “I am here for you – whatever you need”. As a father I sometimes feel helpless because she is a grown woman but she is still my daughter and I love her. It is my job now to just be her father and love her – tough as that may be for me. Take this step in your own life in the coming year and see what happens – you might surprise yourself at how your family responds to you.

9. Get serious about your own health and fitness

Time has a way of marching on and to the degree that you acknowledge the passage of time you begin to appreciate what you have been given – and have in life. I am grateful everyday for my passion for training and running because I know it can be taken from me at any time. I live in the present when I am running or lifting weights and it is a practice I hope to continue until the end. I am serious about my fitness program because it gives me the energy and strength to do my work – teaching, speaking and writing on matters of healthy aging, fitness and exercise. Are your energy levels low? Get moving!

10. Get to know yourself

This is perhaps the best thing we could do to prepare for the year ahead. Get to know yourself and start appreciating the magnificence that is you. Getting to know your self is a lifelong pursuit. The journey never ends. I have learned during the course of my 66 years that I DID NOT appreciate myself at all – I had to learn the hard way through difficult and painful experiences that until I could love myself – and appreciate what it is I am here to do – that no one would ever appreciate – or love – me either. I spend time (each day) thinking about my life – and my contribution to life itself – and ask myself “is there more that I can learn or do today?” You should do this too – it will help immeasurably improve the quality of your life now and in the years ahead.

Final Thoughts

Why not take the time between now and the end of the year to see what you might want to work on in the year ahead and see how you can live more fully and completely. Can you make a more expansive contribution to your own life and the lives of others as well? Of course you can! Isn’t this what the fitness lifestyle enables us to do in the first place? So get moving, be willing, be open, and appreciate who you ARE right now because you have only scratched the surface of your potential!

Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.

Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach and fitness professional with over 25 years of experience. His passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii, where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.

Are You At Risk? The Link Between Autoimmune Disease & Heart Health

Christine Conti/17 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

Severe RA Doubles the Risk of Heart Disease¹

In the last few decades, researchers discovered that the burden autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) puts on the joints during the first year of diagnosis is a strong predictor of heart disease.² In fact, it is recommended that doctors who diagnose patients with RA should also be addressing potential heart risks.

There have been several new studies from the Mayo Clinic that show a strong connection between inflammation and heart health. Therefore, it is important to address both conditions at the same time.

Dr. Eric Matteson, chair of rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic, says that people with rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions are at a much higher risk of heart disease. In fact, people with severe RA are twice as likely to develop heart disease. Matteson believes that the inflammatory process of arthritis plays a key role in maintaining a healthy heart.

Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, it is imperative that you meet with a cardiologist. Autoimmune diseases are known to not only affect the joints in your body by causing painful stiffness and inflammation, but also negatively affect major organs such as the heart.

One symptom that can develop from an autoimmune disease diagnosis such as RA is vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels that move blood throughout the body. “As the blood vessels become inflamed, their walls thicken, limiting how much blood can pass through them. As a result, if blood flow is restricted, this could cause significant damage to tissues and organs.” ³

Because rheumatoid vasculitis (RV) is a non-joint-related inflammatory complication of RA, it can affect anyone.⁴ If you or a loved one have been suffering with RA for many years and developed severe joint damage and deformity, it is important to make an appointment to get your heart checked.

What causes vasculitis?

Researchers are not sure exactly what causes rheumatoid vasculitis. Like RA itself, most cases of RV can be considered autoimmune diseases. An autoimmune disorder occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues.

Several factors are thought to play a role in whether a person with RA will go on to develop RV, including whether you have:

Severe, long-standing RA for 10 or more years
Seropositive RA (a high concentration of rheumatoid factor antibodies and certain proteins in the blood)
A history of smoking cigarettes, which can damage the blood vessels’ lining
Felty syndrome, a complication of rheumatoid arthritis that results in low white blood cell levels and an enlarged spleen
Rheumatoid nodules, firm lumps under the skin that form around the joints

The Facts

According to the CDC:

One out of every four people in the United States dies from heart disease.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic.
One person dies every 36 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease.
People with autoimmune diseases are at a much greater risk for heart disease.
Making lifestyle changes to your diet, exercise, sleep and stress greatly reduces risk.
In some cases, medicine reduces risk.⁵

Therefore, if you or a loved one suffer from an autoimmune disease, be sure to schedule an appointment with a trusted cardiologist for a check-up. The most important step you can take to reduce your risk for developing heart disease is taking action.

Christine M. Conti, M.Ed, BA is and international fitness educator and presenter. She currently sits on the MedFit Education Advisory Board and has been nominated to be the 2020 MedFit Network Professional of the Year. She is the author of the MedFit Classroom Arthritis Fitness Specialist Course and is the CEO and founder of ContiFit.com and Let’s FACE It Together™ Facial Fitness & Rehabilitation. Christine is also the co-host of Two Fit Crazies & A Microphone Podcast and the co-owner of TFC Podcast Production Co.

References

Krans, B. (2013, October 27). Mayo Clinic: Ra can drastically impact heart health. Healthline. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/arthritis-ra-raises-your-risk-of-heart-disease-102713
Krans, B. (2013, October 27). Mayo Clinic: Ra can drastically impact heart health. Healthline. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/arthritis-ra-raises-your-risk-of-heart-disease-102713
Menard, V., & Teitel, A. D. (2021, May 6). Vasculitis: The risks of ra inflammation. myRAteam. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.myrateam.com/resources/vasculitis-the-risks-of-ra-inflammation
Menard, V., & Teitel, A. D. (2021, May 6). Vasculitis: The risks of ra inflammation. myRAteam. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.myrateam.com/resources/vasculitis-the-risks-of-ra-inflammation
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, February 7). Heart disease facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

Leg Length Discrepancy: Is it Causing Your Pain and Dysfunction?

Justin Price/15 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

In order to design effective corrective exercise programs that both alleviate pain and improve function, fitness professionals must understand their clients’ strengths, limitations, and weaknesses.[1] This includes having an awareness of common structural imbalances such as leg length discrepancies (i.e., when one leg is shorter than the other). While it is not within a fitness professional’s scope of practice to diagnose a leg length discrepancy (LLD), it is extremely important that personal trainers and fitness instructors understand the ramifications of this imbalance and how it can affect a client’s musculoskeletal system.

Types and Prevalence of LLD

There are two types of leg length discrepancies: functional and anatomical. A functional leg length discrepancy refers to a musculoskeletal imbalance where any number of structures (or muscles) in the body are not working as they should. This results in parts of the skeleton being pulled out of alignment making it appear as though one leg is shorter than the other. Alternatively, an anatomical leg length discrepancy occurs when the bone(s) in one leg are actually shorter/longer than those in the other.[2] As the possible cause(s) of a functional leg length discrepancy are wide and varied, this article will focus on anatomical leg length discrepancies and how they affect your client’s body.

Anatomical, also known as true, leg length discrepancies have been found in as much as 95% of the population.[3] However, significant leg length discrepancies of more than one centimeter are found in about 1 out of 4 people.2 True leg length discrepancies affect the entire musculoskeletal system and play a substantial role in the health, function and experiences of pain for your clients.[4]

How LLDs Affect the Body

The body is designed to be dynamic and can adjust incredibly well to varying movements and positions. However, a true leg length discrepancy (that is left untreated) causes bones and joints to shift out of alignment, soft tissue structures like muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia to compensate/overwork and can lead to pain and injury over time.[5] Some major areas of the body that are affected by a LLD discrepancy are the lower back, hips, feet and ankles.

LLD and the Lower Back

The pelvis forms the base of support for the spine. Therefore, a level and well-balanced pelvis is critical for spine health and optimal lower back function. In order to comprehend how an LLD can affect the spine and lower back, it is imperative to understand the structural anatomy of this area. Either side of the pelvis is made up of three bones (i.e., the ilium, ischium and pubis) that are fused together.[6] However, independent movement of each side of the pelvis is possible due to two important joints located in the pelvis. One of these joints is called the sacroiliac joint (SI joint). The SI joints are located on either side of the back of the pelvis where the top of the pelvis (i.e., the ilium) meets the base of the spine (i.e., the sacrum). The other joint is located on the front of the pelvis where the pubic bones (i.e., pubis) meet (i.e., the pubic symphysis) (see picture below).[6] Since the base of the spine articulates with each side of the pelvis via the sacroiliac joint, movement of the pelvis affects movement and function of the spine.

In addition to interacting with the spine, each side of the pelvis also articulates with the corresponding leg via the hip socket. From a skeletal point of view, the height of each side of the pelvis is governed, in part, by the length of the leg on that side of the body. If one leg is longer than the other then the pelvis will likely also be higher than that same side (see picture below).[2]

If the left side of the pelvis is higher due to a leg length discrepancy, then the base of the spine (i.e., the sacrum and coccyx) will shift toward that side also causing a compensatory shift in the rest of the spine all of the way up to the neck and head.[2] Therefore, a leg length discrepancy can cause pain and irritation to the joints of the pelvis, the intervertebral discs of the spine and the muscles and other soft tissues that help stabilize and mobilize these areas.

LLD and the Hips

The relative length of each leg also affects the position and function of the hip socket. As one side of the pelvis elevates in compensation for a longer leg, the hip socket shifts laterally toward the longer side.[2] Consequently, the hip of the longer leg will shift to a position outside of the foot/leg (see picture below).

These compensation patterns in the hip/leg can cause various aliments for clients such as greater trochanteric bursitis, iliotibial band syndrome, tracking problems of the knee, and sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

LLD and the Feet/Ankles

Leg length discrepancies can also affect the function of the feet and ankles. Pronation, or a flattening out of the arch of the foot, is a common compensation for clients with an LLD to effectively shorten a longer leg by reducing the height of the arch. Conversely, supination effectively lengthens a shorter leg by increasing the height of the arch. As such, a common compensation pattern for someone who presents with a LLD is to overpronate on the side with the longer leg and over supinate on the shorter side. These imbalances in the feet typically display with compensatory shifts in the ankles as well. Overpronation is usually accompanied by an ankle that rotates in too much, while a supinated foot is accompanied by an ankle that rotates out too much.[5] These misalignment issues in the feet and ankles can lead to ankle sprains, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, ankle impingement and a whole host of other painful problems.

How to Help a Client with a Suspected LLD

Being aware of the signs and symptoms of a suspected LLD will help you know when to make appropriate referrals to a licensed medical professional who can diagnose a client’s condition with the help of advanced imaging techniques (i.e., x-rays and CT scans). Developing a professional referral network that you can turn to for help with issues that fall out of your scope of practice allows you to provide a more comprehensive service for your clients. It also enables you to create long-lasting relationships with like-minded professionals who will act as a referral stream for your business.[7]

Once the appropriate referral and LLD diagnosis has been made, your allied medical professional will develop a treatment plan that may include a shoe lift. Your role, as an expert in muscles and movement, is to design corrective exercise strategies that help your client adapt to the shoe lift and the resultant new position of their head, neck, pelvis, spine, hips, feet and ankles. The golden rule of any exercise program – gradual progression – should govern every aspect of your client’s LLD treatment. Encourage clients to introduce their lift gradually when acclimatizing to their new leg length and follow the underlying doctrines of corrective exercise program design: utilize self-myofascial release strategies in the initial stages of adapting to the lift; progress to stretching and only conservatively add strengthening exercises after the client has had at least six months to a year to get used to their new leg length.

Justin Price is one of the world’s foremost experts in musculoskeletal assessment and corrective exercise and creator of The BioMechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist certification (TBMM-CES). The BioMechanics Method is the fitness industry’s highest-rated CES credential with trained professionals in over 70 countries. Justin is also the author of several books including The BioMechanics Method for Corrective Exercise academic textbook, a former IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and a subject matter expert for The American Council on Exercise, Human Kinetics, PTA Global, PTontheNET, TRX, BOSU, Arthritis Today, BBC, Discovery Health, Los Angeles Times, Men’s Health, MSNBC, New York Times, Newsweek, Time, Wall Street Journal, WebMD and Tennis Magazine.

References

Bryant, C. X., & Green, D. J. (2010). ACE Personal trainer manual: The ultimate resource for fitness professionals (4th ed.). San Diego, CA: American Council on Exercise.
Knutson, G. A. (2005, July 20). Anatomic and functional leg-length inequality: A review and recommendation for clinical decision-making. Part I, anatomic leg-length inequality: Prevalence, magnitude, effects and clinical significance. Chiropractic & Osteopathy, 13(11). doi:10.1186/1746-1340-13-11
Pappas, A. M., & Nehme, A. E. (1979). Leg Length Discrepancy Associated with Hypertrophy. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, &NA;(144). doi:10.1097/00003086-197910000-00034
McCarthy, J. J., MD, & MacEwen, G. D., MD. (2001). Management of Leg Length Inequality. Journal of the Southern Orthopaedic Association, 10(2). Retrieved July 01, 2016, from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/423194
Price, J. (2020). The BioMechanics Method Advanced Corrective Exercise Mentorship. The Biomechanics.
Gray, H., Williams, P. L., & Bannister, L. H. (1995). Gray’s anatomy: The anatomical basis of medicine and surgery. New York: Churchill Livingstone.
Price, J. (2018). The BioMechanics Method for Corrective Exercise. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Why Physical Therapy is Good for Women’s Health

Tahmineh Kamza, DTP/13 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

Women’s health concerns are much more complex than men’s and with the help of physical therapy (also called physiotherapy in many parts of the world), many of these issues can easily be remedied or addressed. There are main factors that greatly differentiate men from women. Of these, it is important to highlight three: menstruation, pregnancy and lactation. These bodily changes in a woman are mostly influenced by hormonal fluctuations and can also be a reason for mood swings and differences in behavior.

Why is Breakfast Really That Important?

June Chewning/10 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

There are so many misconceptions and misinformation about nutrition. Everyone wants to believe they are eating to properly fuel their body and prevent disease. There is one clear path to learn how to separate fact from fiction when it comes to nutrition information. For some reason, many people prefer to follow the nutrition fads, instead of trying to understand how the body works.

5 Steps to Boosting Your Referrals

Ryan Carver/6 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

Marketing is tough, there’s no question about that. Even all the amazing tools of keywords, Google and Facebook algorithms marketing is still like trying to hit a moving target. What worked once, may not work again. Many don’t do marketing because of the costs of acquiring a new client are viewed as too steep.

Is there a way to market effectively, without spending loads of money, and have the leads be highly qualified and likely to buy from you? Yes.

You need to not only build, but to boost your referral network. A referral network is simply people, companies, practices that you can refer your clients to and visa versa. Building an active referral network is a relatively cheap form of marketing that pays huge dividends because even though these leads are from businesses, and other professionals they are essentially still word of mouth referrals. The only difference is that the lead/new client can be traced back to a specific person/company. After all, I think we all know that word of mouth is king when it comes to marketing and advertising. I’m also sure we all wish we didn’t have to work so hard to get more clients/patients.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could have a steady stream of referrals coming through your door?

Referrals are some of the best leads you can get because they come in already knowing about you, and you have a built-in credibility because of the referring person’s relationship with that lead. If the lead knows, and trusts the person who did the referring, all you need to do is not mess it up and chances are very high that lead will turn into a client. The trust can’t get much higher than if your referrals come from a medical professional.

There are probably more tips and tricks to boost your referrals from your network. Here are the principles I’ve personally used to over double the amount of referrals coming into our facility. Because these are principles or steps, they can be replicated, regardless of whether or not you have the same business model or niche as I do.

Identify

First, you need to identify who you need to talk to. When it comes to professional referrals I would start with your existing clients and who do they see, or visit. Find out the names of the companies, doctors, practices, etc. where they go.

Another way to boost your network is to identify which clients or situations you will most likely come across in your business/practice that you’ll need to refer out to someone else. If you’ve got someone, that’s great. A good goal to shoot for is at least 3 vetted sources for each referring need. For example, if you need to refer to a rheumatologist, you should strive to get 3 different rheumatologists that you’ve talked to, met, and feel like they would take good care of your patients/clients.

Connect

The second step is to connect with these people/companies. It’s easiest to connect with other professionals with whom you share a client/patient. A great phrase to use if it is a medical provider is that you want to ‘collaborate on care’. Keep in mind you shouldn’t disclose the name of your client/patient without a HIPPA release/disclosure. But you can say that you share a patient with xyz and would like to collaborate on care. Once you start having a dialogue you can get your HIPPA release – that’s not the focus here though. The primary objective is to make a connection and talk.

You can email, call, or drop by their office/facility. You may have to do all of them, and more than once. Remember the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

If after repeated efforts to connect you still haven’t made a connect. Drop it and move to someone else. Not every doctor, therapist, facility will be willing to talk or connect. That’s ok. You want to find ones that care as much about your clients/patients as you do.

Tracking

This is a really important step. I hope it goes without saying that you need to track your results you get with your patients/clients. Objective and subjective measures are important. This is a primary reason we do assessments, right? Get usable data. As you retest, what do you do with that information. You need a place where you can find, see, and have visible the progress your people are making.

We use a software that we can customize all our specific tests/measures. Each time we enter a value it lets us know the percentage improvement from baseline to current, or from the previous measurement to the current. Having hard numbers and percentages look awesome. We also make it a point of writing down all the ‘weekly wins’ our clients have. We write it up on a whiteboard. This lets our prospects that come in see our latest amazing results. It also reinforces a sense of community and connection among our members as they see their achievement and others’ up on the board. It also makes it SUPER easy to know who and what to highlight when it comes to the next step.

The other thing you must be able to track is where your leads, prospects, and clients come from or visit. Most CRM softwares have the ability to track a lead source. If you don’t have one, you can use a simple excel spreadsheet.

Communicate Frequently

Step four is to now communicate frequently with your network. What should you say? Show them the results you are getting with you clients, and specifically the people they’ve referred over to you.

Highlight their progress, and why that’s important to them and to the client. You can let them know what’s going on with your business (new products, recent media coverage, awards, new hours, etc.).

We started sending out a monthly newsletter just to our referral network. I’ve found it keeps us top of mind and tip of tongue. The newsletter is great because there may be people in your network who don’t refer many people to you, but seeing your successes will help them feel like they can, and seeing a specific client story may jog their memory about a specific person they see who they can refer to you.

I also directly email the referral source with an update monthly on all the people they’ve sent or whom we see conjunctively.

Both of these options are designed to build your credibility that they can trust you, and you know what you are talking about. It also opens the door for more communication. I would recommend trying to always make the newsletter and email feel conversational by asking a question. It could be as simple as asking, “is there anything we can do to help you?”. Or if you are communicating directly with one person/facility, ask them about a situation (no personal details) that you’ve just seen or have a question about. Give them your thoughts and ask for theirs.

Think of communication with your referral network like a bridge. The first contact is like a piece of rope spanning a river. With each contact you strengthen that bridge. Soon it becomes a log that can be used to walk across the river. That’s good, it’s a solid way to cross, but only one person can cross at a time. We want to help you get multiple referrals at the same time, or at least more frequently. That comes with more communication and contacts. You want to convert this metaphorical bridge from a log into the Brooklyn bridge. It all happens with the trust and results you communicate frequently to your network.

Repeat

This will be the biggest step that gets glossed over and forgotten. Consistency is key. It’s key in fitness and it’s key with your network. You can’t reach out just once, or send just 2 newsletters. You’ve got to do it consistently. Once your network knows that this is a consistent habit for you, it’s just one more reason to trust you because you are consistent and you follow-up.

The more you repeat the first four steps, the more referrals you will get. It might take a month or three, but you will see an increase in your referrals and an increase in your network as those other companies don’t just talk about you to their patients/clients, but they start talking about you to their network. And before you know it, you are changing the world. Get after it!

Ryan Carver is the owner of Leverage Fitness Solutions where they specialize in helping older adults defy the status quo around aging. Ryan has been training the older adult since 2006. Ryan has published numerous articles on senior fitness and serves on multiple professional boards. He and his wife have 4 kids.

Alcohol & Athletes: The good, the bad and the ugly

Nancy Clark, RD/3 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

When asked, Is beer good for runners? Running legend Jim Fixx’s answer was, “Sure, if it’s the other guy drinking it!” By abstaining from alcohol, you can indeed gain an advantage over your competitor’s poor judgment. Just how bad is alcohol for athletes? Does it have any health benefits, too? Let’s look at some of the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding alcohol and athletes.

The Good

Socializing with a glass of wine, a beer, or a cocktail can add a nice touch to the end of the day for those who like to relax with an alcoholic beverage. Raising a glass to celebrate a victory is a fond tradition. But we know surprisingly little about possible health benefits of drinking in moderation because almost all studies are based on self-reported information that gets tangled up with lifestyle. Do adults who do moderate social drinking enjoy a healthier lifestyle than non- or heavy-drinkers? Does alcohol make them healthier—or do social connections make the difference? While moderate alcohol intake has been linked to reduced risk of heart disease, so has eating a healthy diet and being physically active.

The Bad

Alcohol has a negative reputation regarding athletics, be it heavy beer consumption after a hard work-out, or teams enmeshed in a culture of binge drinking. Student-athletes binge-drink more than non-athletes. Male athletes binge-drink more than female athletes. And all athletes drink more than non-athletes. The higher alcohol intake of athletes can be attributed to stress and anxiety associated with being a competitive athlete, increased muscle pain and soreness, socializing or bonding with teammates, and the belief the athlete “earned” the drink—a reward for having completed the hard effort.

The Ugly

Alcohol is the 3rd leading preventable cause of death in the US. (Tobacco is Number One. A poor diet with inactive lifestyle is Number Two.) Any level of alcohol intake can contribute to several types of cancer

How do you know if you have a drinking problem?

Moderate drinkers typically sip (not gulp) their drinks, stop drinking before they get drunk, and do not drive after drinking. Problem drinkers commonly drink to get drunk and to solve their problems. They drink at inappropriate times (such as before going to work) and may become loud/angry or silent/reclusive. People addicted to alcohol start drinking with no plan, deny drinking, hide bottles, and miss work or school because of hangovers.

Alcohol management

Despite the bad and the ugly, alcohol is an undeniable part of our sports culture. The following tips offer suggestions for helping athletes manage alcohol.

• Don’t drink excessive alcohol before an event—especially in the summer heat! Drinking too much the night before an event will hurt your performance the next day. You’ll notice a slower reaction time and reduced eye-hand coordination and balance. Research with Australian rugby players who consumed on average 9 beers post-game (with a range of <1 to 22 beers) indicates—no surprise— their high alcohol intake impaired their performance. Other studies report athletes are less able to do repeated sprints (think soccer, hockey) and jumps (volleyball, basketball). Among heat-stricken summer runners, a common denominator was booze the night before the race.

• If you are going to drink the night before or after an event, plan to also consume a proper sports meal with extra water. While excessive drinking is obviously problematic, a modest amount of alcohol consumed along with a balanced meal will unlikely have a negative impact. Yes, alcohol impairs glycogen resynthesis a bit. But in the real world of sports drinking, athletes who are heavy drinkers tend to make high fat food choices (nachos, burgers, etc.). The lack of healthful grains, fruits and veggies (carbohydrates) more significantly hinders glycogen replacement!

• First quench your post-exercise thirst with water, then enjoy alcohol, if desired. Alcohol is a diuretic; it stimulates the formation of excess urine. Whiskey and other spirits with a high alcohol content will dehydrate (not rehydrate) you. If you “must” drink spirits, ask for extra ice with the cocktail. Beer would be the better choice, given the alcohol content of beer is lower and the water content is higher. Yes, dehydrated adult athletes can rehydrate with a beer or two. Low-alcohol beer is the wiser choice, and no-alcohol beer the wisest beer choice.

• Heavy alcohol intake is not on the list of Best Recovery Practices for athletes to follow! Remember: bad things happen during exercise and good things happen during recovery. Wisely chosen recovery fluids and foods help you rehydrate, refuel, and repair your muscles. Adding alcohol to the mix slows down muscle repair, protein synthesis and adaptation processes. Yet a glass or two of wine or beer, along with plenty of water and food, is permissible.

• Alcohol is a source of calories that can quickly add up. Add in the calories in the pizza, nachos or munchies that you can easily overeat when alcohol lowers your inhibitions, and you can easily succeed in gaining body fat. Just five Heineken Light Beers add 500 calories. A goblet of wine can easily add 200 calories. Be wary of drinks that come with umbrellas! (400-800 calories/10-ounces)!

• Beware of drinks in a can, such as White Claw Surge with 8% Alcohol By Volume. (ABV). You can end up drinking more alcohol than you intended. You might want to stick with the original White Claw—hard seltzer with 5% ABV—similar to most canned beers, though some craft beers have a higher alcohol content.

• Don’t drink alcohol if you want a good night’s sleep. Alcohol might help you fall asleep faster, but it disrupts your sleep cycle. You’ll get less restorative sleep. Alcohol alters body temperature, which can affect how well you sleep. It also aggravates snoring (due to relaxed muscles and a lower breathing rate), so your bed partner becomes sleep deprived and grumpy. Plus, you’ll need to go to the bathroom more often in the middle of the night. None of this enhances athletic performance.

• If you don’t want to drink, be prepared to quickly say “No thanks” in a polite but convincing voice. If the person keeps insisting, respond again: “Î don’t want to drink today. I’d appreciate if you’d help me out.” Instead, be pleased that you will enjoy the natural high of exercise.

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource, as is her online workshop. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for more info.

Breathing Fun Facts

Mike Rickett/1 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

It’s hard to believe that something we do from the second we come out of the womb to our deaths is so frequently overlooked. Very few know the nuances of breathing. For example, breathing slow actually gets more air into the body than breathing fast! Why? More time to allow for oxygen transport and carbon dioxide to be eliminated. Athletes have just recently been taking advantage of this.

Here is something to ponder, breathing through your nose is much more efficient, healthy and is related to curing many disease states including obesity.

With that in mind, here are a few other interesting facts about breathing.

The average person breathes 17 times a minute. That equates to almost 25,000 breathes a day! On the contrary, athletes breathe on average 5 to 6 times a minute. That means they breathe only around 8500 times a day. Considerably more efficient! The diaphragm is one of the most used muscles in the body, next to the eyes and heart. Treat it with care
Depending on the situation, you breathe more through one nostril! The right nostril is tied more to the Sympathetic Nervous System and dominate in situations where the fight or flight response is necessary. Also, in the morning when waking up! The left nostril is related to the Parasympathetic Nervous System, which controls the rest and recovery response and therefore is more dominate when you are winding down or going to sleep.
Want to think big? Alveoli, where O2 – CO2 transition occurs, covering a surface measuring more than 1,076.4 square feet or about 100 square meters. Equivalent to half a tennis court! The next time you breathe in think about all the places that breath must go!
Think about this… a blue whales’ lungs in total have a combined capacity of over 1,300 gallons of air! That’s a big breath!
Laughing matters! Normal inhalation fills just 25% (tidal volume) of the total lung capacity. The remaining 75% (residual volume held in the lower 2/3’s of our lungs) remains filled with old stale air. Respiration becomes even shallower when compounded by stress.
Laughter helps to provide longer exhalations, thus ridding the lungs of residual air and enriching the blood with ample supplies of oxygen! It is the only time everyone uses the diaphragm efficiently. Have you ever laughed so hard that your stomach hurt? Case in point.

Once we pay attention to breathing, our lives can be enhanced beyond what you can imagine! From health to athletic performance, you will be giving your body every chance to be all it can be!

Stay healthy!

Reprinted with permission from author.

Mike Rickett MS, CSCS*D, CSPS*D, RCPT*E is a nationally recognized health and fitness trainer of the trainers, fitness motivator, author, certifier, educator, and the 2017 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year. He has been a fitness trainer for more than 35 years. With Cheri Lamperes, he co-directs BetterHealthBreathing.com, a conscious breathing educational program focusing on the diaphragmatic technique to enhance overall wellness. In addition, he also directs the personal training site ApplicationInMotion.com.