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The Fitness Lifestyle & the Path to Healthy Aging

/17 May 2019/ All MFN blog/

Technology really has changed our lives for the better – and for the worse. The implications of our emerging and overwhelmingly sedentary lifestyle are now only beginning to become apparent to us as we see the obesity crisis emerging as the first “real” medical and health emergency of our time. The long term consequences of this evolving – and expanding – process will be a challenge that we will ALL be affected by on some level in the years ahead. Diminished life expectancy and quality of life, the increasing numbers of people who will suffer from a wide variety of preventable chronic diseases, and finally, the premature loss of life WILL be significant if we can’t find a “way out” of this complex predicament.

Being physically active was always a part of our societal makeup in the first two hundred years of our history due to the nature of work and the lives we had to lead just trying to survive in a world without conveniences and support networks that eventually came into being in the second half of the 20th century. In the last twenty years of my lifetime, the world has turned into the “sitting of America”. What are the underlying problems we will be facing and how can we address them in order to effectively solve them? That is the question, isn’t it? The answers will emerge over time in the “dialogue” that WILL eventually occur among the parties that CAN help bring about permanent and positive change to people’s lives. Part of the answer lies with each of us in the fitness profession. We MUST define for ourselves how to “translate” what we love into “doable” solutions for those we train and teach. We have to become the change “we wish to see in the world” – one person at a time.

Discussion

The world is complicated by different and opposing points of view. The “post Bush years” have shown us conflict and anger on levels never before seen in our political discourse. We now call it “gridlock” and throw up our hands at the very mention of healthcare and reform. The truth is that approximately 80 million people born into the “baby boomer” generation will be reaching 60 years of age (including my daughter who was born in 1971) in the two decades ahead.

I see the need to have community based “conversations” about the delivery of healthcare to people and how to make it affordable and accessible – and most importantly – understandable. I became a personal trainer in 1990 with my first client and during the period of 1988 to 2011 I did NOT have health insurance because I couldn’t afford it due to the nature of my uncertain and fluctuating income – AND the cost for coverage for those over forty.

I never made a “comfortable” living as a trainer because I was always struggling to build my client base, which as we all know, tends to expand and shrink depending upon a wide range of variables including the state of the economy (and jobs), people’s motivation to hire a trainer, personal finances, and other related challenges. I was in my mid forties by the time I transitioned to the fitness profession and was already “old” and a part of the higher risk age groups that tend to pay significant percentages of their income to cover their health insurance costs. I am NOT informed – even today – as to what I will do in the future regarding this issue even though I now have Medicare and a companion program through Blue Shield to help cover me in the event something unexpected happens to me.  I am now covered by health insurance and relatively well informed on health and fitness issues and that still DOES NOT qualify me to be a primary resource for solving this problem. However, I WILL make it my business to be a “part of the solution” and this time I am counting on the fitness profession to NOT be an “afterthought” in the discussion! How does that sound to you? It will take, as Hilary Clinton said a while ago in one of her books, “a village” to tackle this massive challenge.

Conclusion

In my book, I describe (what I BELIEVE will work) a concept whereby we bring the “major players” to the table in order to “seize the moment” and save lives in the process. First, we ALL have to agree that it is NOT OK to just “let people die” because they lack health insurance. Second, we have to agree that prevention means MORE than “testing” for diseases and that learning to make better choices (and establishing new priorities) in our daily lives, becoming conscious of our challenges, and FINALLY taking responsibility for all of them is CRITICAL. Third, we have to understand the MAIN ISSUE to be handled WILL be about MONEY (and how to pay for medical services) and we will have to always remember that lives will be at stake with whatever we decide. Fourth, it will take a “cooperative effort” on all our parts – and compromise – among the major “players” (the insurance industry, medical profession, government at ALL levels, the pharmaceutical industry, business and corporate America, health related non-profit agencies, and finally, each of us in our own communities) to decide what it is we are going to do “to fix the system” so that it works for ALL of us – not just a few of us.

My health insurance program over the past 45 years has been my exercise, fitness, and running program – even when I was covered at work during my corporate years. In the intervening years from college to the present time, I have NEVER been in the “system” because I stayed healthy. I am the EXCEPTION – not the rule. What do we DO with all the aging people who aren’t like us – or me – when the time comes to treat them for “whatever ails them”? This is the BIG question we will be facing in the years ahead as we age and I AM betting on my approach with HEALTHY AGING as being one of the KEY components of the solution! Will YOU commit yourself to this journey with me today? NOW is the time and THIS is the place! We ARE the ones who truly CAN make a difference – and save lives in the process!

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.

Senior woman exercising with trainer

An Intro to Chronic Conditions for the Fitness Professional

/15 May 2019/ All MFN blog/

With the future of health being unknown, one thing is known — that Americans are living longer and with age often comes a chronic condition. Living with a chronic disease/condition is often an exhausting and frustrating ordeal.  Too often the person may feel burdened and burned out! When the stress of pain and fatigue, coupled with normal life stresses, the client may feel overwhelmed. When the client is overwhelmed, they often don’t take care of themselves and that only contributes to more fatigue and pain.  Just a few weeks of neglecting themselves can contribute to further disability.  What is the goal of the fitness professional – be positive and supportive and don’t contribute to making they condition worst.

The 3 E’s of Fitness Therapy

Your job as a fitness therapist is the 3 E’s: Educate, Empower and Encourage.

Educate yourself and client about their condition and effects their medications may have on exercise performance. Stay abreast of corrective exercise research. Knowledge is power!

Empower clients to be their own best advocate and to take control of their life not become a victim of their condition. Empower them to take the “dis” out of disability.

Encourage clients about ways to be the best they can be. Think of all methods to foster healthy lifestyles, provide hope and set realistic attainable goals

The purpose of this article is that knowledge is power, and the more you know about a condition, the more you will be an equal partner on your client’s health care team. Not every application is perfect for every client. Always stay alert that what is accepted as a “norm” today can change tomorrow with new research. That is why it is strongly encouraged that your client discuss their fitness plan with their medical professionals. You are not expected to know everything, but you are expected to know when to seek advice!

The Fitness Therapist is first and foremost an educator of the psychomotor domain.

Do NO Harm!

Sometimes clients with a chronic condition will be afraid to embark on an exercise program in fear that it will cause them injury or more pain. They may know intellectually that they should, but the apprehension about what might occur can be paralyzing.  They might tell you I know how I feel now and if I feel worst I might not be able to work or take care of my family.  Your first and foremost job as a fitness therapist is to DO NO harm and NOT make matters worse.  This is why having the client get prior approval and recommendations from their health professional can go a long way in motivating the client. In order to overcome a chronic condition, ask your clients to re-define their paradigm and focus on what they can do rather than what they cannot do! Ask them to think about the benefits of your successes.

Unfortunately, many people with a chronic condition are fearful that exercise may aggravate their condition, so they play it safe and do nothing. Too many people give up on an exercise program long before they experience the benefits of what regular exercise can provide. Be sensitive to your client’s concerns. Never minimize their condition, by saying, “You do not have it so bad I have a friend with ______ and she is doing fine.” What might be a small issue to one person could be a major issue to another. Always start the person where they are at and progress with care from there.

Very often improved fitness empowers the person with a chronic condition to live a richer and fuller life. Ask the client to decide what they want as an end goal of their exercise program and then design the program with small attainable steps to match their goals and abilities. Too often when a person with a chronic condition has lost control of their lives, everybody is telling them what medications to take, what to do and not do. Remind the client that they are the Captain of their wellness ship. You, their doctor and their family can be cheerleaders but they are the Captain.

As their personal trainer, do your best to make their body the best it can be. Never make promises that your program will cure them. Stay alert that many chronic conditions will ebb and flow with periods of exacerbations and remissions. While study after study supports that exercise, when done properly and prudently, produces good outcomes, exercise is never a replacement for medical care.

Regular exercise is therapy for the mind and body.

Some experts project that soon the integration of health care, fitness and wellness will intersect. The anticipated model of wellness and healthcare foresee the role of medicine will be to heal and fitness/wellness to restore health and vitality to those who participate in pro-active lifestyle.

Working definition of Wellness includes attention to the mind, body and spirit.

Today, doctors understand the importance of both passive therapies and rehabilitative exercise. While medical science continues to make great advances in surgical and pharmacologic treatments, exercise physiologists are also proving that simple interventions, such as proper body mechanics and corrective exercise, can play a significant role in decreasing the incidence and severity of orthopedic conditions and other chronic conditions. One of the goals of fitness therapy is to maximize the potential for full function and minimize the chance of re-injury.

Keep in mind that not every exercise is correct for every person or every condition. Depending upon diagnosis, certain movements will not be best for your client. Every program for a person with a chronic condition should be individualized and adapted as needed.

One size does NOT fit all in Fitness Therapy. The cookie cutter approach has no place in fitness therapy! Make the corrective exercise session a positive experience so the client will want to continue to make fitness an important aspect of their treatment plan.

It is important to stay mindful that “Recovery” of a condition may take weeks or even months depending upon the diagnosis or severity of the problem. Also, in the case of some chronic conditions, maintaining is all that can be hoped for. Slow and steady is the best approach. Progressing too quickly will only set the person up for re-injury. As the client embarks on the recovery process, you need to encourage clients to be their own health advocate and wellness trainer.

Exercise: The Miracle Cure All?

It can:

  • reduce cardiac mortality by 30%
  • improve self-image
  • reduce prostate cancer progression by 50%
  • assist in decreasing hypertension
  • reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes by greater than 50 %
  • reduce bowel cancer by 45%.

For more information see aomrc.org.uk/publications/reports.

Some General Guidelines for Working with Clients with Chronic Conditions

The world of health and fitness is a complex one. Lack of exercise contributes to diabetes, high blood pressure and other assorted sedentary health concerns, but too much exercise causes overstress and injury to joints and muscles. While exercise can make us feel good, too much can bring on pain and soreness. The answer is to train smart. If a client is hurting, let them know it is OK to back off.

  1. Consider asking the client to consult their health professional for suggestions regarding exercise and their condition. The information given by their health professional supersedes the information in any textbook, because the health professional is familiar with their unique situation.
  2. Perform their exercise program when they are having the least amount of pain/discomfort. Teach the client to listen to your body and heed what it says. Keep in mind the 2-hour rule; if the client hurts more 2 hours post-exercise, back off until they are pain-free, but don’t quit. Avoid any activity that aggravates your client’s condition. If they say, “I am fatigued”, don’t force one more repetition.  If they say, after a workout, “I hurt!” Back off!
  3. Never allow the client to mask pain with pills or lotions. Pain is the body’s way of informing them that something is going on inside. To prevent a re-injury or unnecessary pain, execute motions in a pain-free range of motion with proper form. If you suspect a re-injury, ask them to schedule an appointment with their doctor. If you suspect the person is abusing pain medications, seek advice. The client is more important than any exercise program!
  4. Encourage them to carry ID and medical information with them to sessions.
  5. Always teach and ideal proper posture and proper body mechanics in all movements when possible given their health status.

Exercise Do’s And Don’ts for Your Clients

  • DO carry identification when you exercise.
  • DO check heart rate before, during, and after exercise.
  • DO listen to your body, if it hurts, STOP!
  • Do prepare the body for movement and stretch and relax after a session.
  • DO drink plenty of water before, during, and after each exercise session.
  • DO consider solitary versus social aspects of your chosen program.
  • Do teach mindfulness when exercising.
  • DON’T bounce when stretching, and stop a stretch if it hurts.
  • DONT squeeze a week’s worth of exercise into one day.
  • DON’T overestimate your client’s capacity to exercise. However, DON’T underestimate it either. Remind the client that the body is designed for movement, but let it adapt slowly and gradually.
  • DON’T allow the person to hold their breath during exercise.
  • DON’T allow the person to go directly into a sauna, hot whirlpool (Jacuzzi), or steam bath after exercising.
  • DON’T use perspiration (sweating) as an indication of how good (or bad) your workout is: we all perspire at different rates and in different amounts.

Reprinted with permission from Karl Knopf.

Karl Knopf, Ed.D, was the Director of The Fitness Therapy Program at Foothill College for almost 40 years. He has worked in almost every aspect of the industry from personal trainer and therapist to consultant to major Universities such as Stanford, Univ. of North Carolina, and the Univ. of California well as the State of California and numerous professional organizations. Dr. Knopf was the President and Founder of Fitness Educators Of Older Adults for 15 years. Currently, he is the director of ISSA’s Fitness Therapy and Senior Fitness Programs and writer. Dr. Knopf has authored numerous articles, and written more than 17 books including topics on Water Exercise, Weights for 50 Plus to Fitness Therapy.

 

Reference:

Arthritis Today Sept/Oct 2015

jack-article1

Do Vacations Change You for Good?

/13 May 2019/ All MFN blog/

Did you ever think after your vacation you’d come back a transformed person?

lori-michiel-vacationWhen my husband and I returned home from our vacation last month, I noticed, other than the obvious feelings of content and relaxation, my clothes felt looser and I felt recharged. No challenge was too big. A bit grandiose, I know.  However, it was short-lived, except I kept the weight off, and refrained from consuming caffeine and sugar. Around the time I had finished three loads of wash, I felt practically back to normal. Time fades. I still felt reinvigorated, but the shift towards normalcy was advancing.

Vacations are supposed to be about creating balance in our lives. Who am I, what is my purpose and why do I do what I do? I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but at 61, I have more than I did at 16. I know that a timeout and real rest is healthy for the soul. It is not so important whether you take a trip or not, as long as there is some form of escape.

In the meantime, I plan to seek some form of meditation I can stay committed to (no luck so far). I have returned to work, continue to read my business journals, and create fun and educational videos for my friends and clients. I am doing the best job I can.  So for now, since none of my favorite TV shows are on, I may even pick up another novel to read.

Prepare yourself for the things that matter and have fun when you can.

Reprinted with permission from Lori Michiel. Read more from Lori at her website, lorimichielfitness.com

Lori Michiel NASM-CPT is the owner of Lori Michiel Fitness. She is a trainer, teacher and passionate advocate for fitness. I specialize in helping active adults and seniors fulfill their physical potential and experience the joy of being healthier and more active in their lives.

 

pain frustration

Chronic Pain – Healing with Release

/3 May 2019/ All MFN blog/

Healing with release is based on the fundamental idea, backed by research, that stress, tension and trauma are both psychological and physical. Twentieth-century science is moving forward to a better understanding of the body’s deterioration. Hans Selye recognized that physiological disease could arise from psychological causes, such as stress (Somatic viewpoint). The pathology of chronic pain is associated with numerous losses such as a decline in physical fitness, disturbance of sleep, strained relationships, loss of energy and fatigue. Social isolation, loneliness and anger are often evident in people suffering from chronic pain. These negative emotions exacerbate pain and increase suffering. An estimated 33 to 35 million U.S. adults are likely to experience depression at some point during their lives.  

In 2011, in the USA alone, a hundred million Americans suffer with chronic pain and the cost of lost wages translated to $ 600 billion due to employees with chronic pain calling in sick because of a pain–related condition such as:

  • Headache—$14 billion, only $1 billion of which consists of health care costs (Hu et al., 1999), partly because most people with migraine stop seeking medical care for the condition (Silberstein, 2010)
  • Arthritis—$189 billion, less than half ($81 billion) of which is for health care costs (Yelin et al., 2007)
  • Spine problems—$2,500 average in incremental medical costs (Martin et al., 2008); and low back problems—$30 billion (Soni, 2010) Opioid pain medication use presents serious risks, including overdose and opioid use disorder
  • Between 1999 and 2015, more than 183,000 people in USA died from overdoses related to opioids.

By having a flexible spine with strong hips and thighs, the human body is ideally designed for movement such as walking, running, squatting, and claiming- throwing objects and swimming.  Unfortunately, during the course of a person’s life, the sensory-motor nervous system continually responds to daily stresses and traumas with specific muscular reflexes. These reflexes, triggered repeatedly, create habitual muscular contractions which cannot be relaxed–at least not voluntarily.

If stressed, traumatized, overused and repetitively used muscles are required to continue to work, the muscle begins to tighten. Once this happens the contraction of the muscle constricts the blood vessels. This reduction of blood flow reduces the oxygen to the tissue. Once a tissue is oxygen deprived, it will shut down and tighten more. This creates a negative pattern of tension, oxygen deprivation, and more tension that ultimately results in rigid muscle tone. This results in one’s postural misalignment and muscular asymmetry with symptoms such as:

  • Chronically hard, tight muscles
  • Chronic tightness or chronic inflammation of a tendon(tendinosis)
  • Chronic joint tension or chronic inflammation
  • Limited range of motion in a joint
  • Impingement of a nerve resulting in numbness or a tingling sensation
  • Compression of a disc resulting in neck or back pain
  • Muscle weakness in one area especially if the muscle feels tight
  • Consistent muscle cramping
  • Joint instability while performing daily tasks
  • Recurring muscle strain or injury to the same muscles

Muscles needed to perform regular, daily tasks (such as sitting and standing) are what we call “functional muscles”.  It is more important in daily life to have functional muscles than it is to have big, hard muscles.  Functional muscles require more endurance than pure strength.  The focus of restoring to maintain a healthy body is to increase the endurance of those muscles which are needed to function throughout the day.

The exercises which safely activate a natural reflex mechanism calming down the nervous system which releases muscular tension are based on restoring blood flow and oxygen to tissue.

Muscular tension release can be done by manual pressure that is applied to the most superficial layer of tissue where dysfunction appears (pain, tension or rigidity). Once the tight tissue is stimulated, blood flow to the area increases and the tight tissue will become suppler. This allows the therapist to access the next layer of tissue without applying excessive pressure.  This pattern is repeated until all layers of dysfunctional tissue are restored and the tight, rigid tissue is replaced with supple and mobile tissue.  Supple and mobile tissue will be free of pain and have a greater range of motion.

The ability to release muscular tension independently one must learn how to align their body and mind while experiencing an alert but relax state of awareness. The SykorovaSynchro Method℠ is a phenomenal educational tool with positive impacts to patients mentally, physically and emotionally and has three stages/ progressive levels:

  1. To balance function of sensory-motor cortex via sensory stimulation mental imagery (sometimes called visualization, guided imagery), progressive muscular relaxation and control breathing. Result is relaxed but alert state of awareness.
  2. To enhance sensory integration/ awareness of somatic movement (movement regulated by feeling, mental imagery, sensation). Result is ability to perform somatic/ intuitive movement.
  3. Ability to perform conscious exercises – via mental imagery, sensation. Positive result is in neuro muscular conditioning/ function – postural improvement, balance, coordination, flexibility and agility.

Research has shown that when we imagine an experience, we often have similar mental and physical responses to those we have when the event actually happens. For example, if one recalls an upsetting or frightening experience, she/he may feel their heart beating faster, may begin to sweat, and hands may become cold and clammy.

In life it is very important to minimize the negative effects and maximize the healthy, healing aspects of the mind–body connection. Each person has a unique capacity for getting better, healthier, achieving peak performance and recovering from injury.

The mind-body connection means that one can learn to use his/her thoughts to positively influence the body’s physical responses, to create abilities to be aware of their own thoughts and actions in the present, without judging them self.

Physical activity has the potential to be not just an activity of the body, but a whole body-mind-spirit system. Exercise can create a unique, beneficial mental state; and the positive mental state can enhance the benefit of exercise as a part of muscular release tension plan, which reinforces the perception that exercise is just an out of body experience.  We have to remember, that our bodies are made to feel good and has abilities to heal.

A unique water exercise program based and structured on those principles will teach you to release tension, increase mobility and build endurance in muscles, tendons and joints. Those physical exercises are performed with an intense focus to utilize four principles such as breathing, proper form, control and concentration.

  • Exercise is performed with controlled breathing that utilizes full inhalations and full exhalations that follow a specific number of counts or rhythm. The goal is to learn how to breathe at a pace of 6 breaths a minute, about 3 or 4 seconds inhaling and 6 or 7 seconds exhaling. Once we have the slow, deep breathing accomplished, we don’t have to worry about counting and imagine breathing out any tension in the body or thoughts that get in the way of comfort and relaxation. The benefit of the water environment is tremendous. Hydraulic pressure increases human vital capacity in shoulder depth immersion 7x more than air, which promotes deep breathing and natural relaxation.
  • Exercise is performed with proper form or in precision. Quality of movement counts more than quantity in a mind-body exercise. Precision requires mental control. The mind has to be wholly focused on the purpose of the exercises as you perform them. The sensation of water on the skin is enhancing biofeedback’s, which helps with proper form greatly.
  • Neuromuscular exercise always involves the control and balance of your own body-weight. In water exercise we have interplay between gravity and buoyancy, weight and weightlessness. Control of the body can become challenging and at the same time very beneficial for overall success. By implementing movement patterns in a variety of directions, we stimulate and enhance balance, coordination, and flexibility, and inspire the neuromuscular system to become more expansive and creative. Moving in different speeds is an aspect of our physical capabilities that must be practiced in order to maintain a sense of health and well-being.
  • Releasing Movement is performed with intense concentration on yourself, in the present moment. The mind-body exerciser is focusing on his/her body rather than on the instructor, or on other participants. One should never be day dreaming about other things. The point-of-focus in a self- sensing exercise will differ from most other forms of physical exercise. One should be thinking about stabilizing, or anchoring, the area of the body that is NOT in motion. This is contrary to the usual Western method of trying to isolate the muscles that we perceive to be performing the movement.

Working as a health-fitness professional for the past 30 years, I am sensitive to the overall health of students/clients, and I continue to put research developments into practice. The focus in fitness these days for “Active Aging”, “Athletic Recovery”, “Chronic Pain Management”, “Healing with Release” are functional exercises – exercises that simultaneously use multiple muscles and joints to improve muscular endurance, overall strength, coordination, balance, posture and agility – to get a challenging, effective and fun full-body functional workout as well as prepare the body for every day, real world activities.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Maria Sykorova Pritz and the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA). The AEA is the leading educational agency in water fitness and is reaching health-fitness professionals in aquatic field. This article first appeared in the August/September 2018 issue of their AKWA magazine. 

Dr. Maria Sykorova Pritz Ed.D earned her doctorate in education (specialty in Physical Education and Sports) from University Comenius in Bratislava, Slovakia. Maria is an ATRI faculty member, member of AEA Research Council, author of health fitness articles and FLS CE class, presenter for national and international fitness conferences. In her 32 years of professional career Maria is combining academic knowledge with hands on experience in functional fitness, pain management via land based and aquatic fitness. Maria’s unique training method (SykorovaSynchro Method℠) involves integration of multidisplinery techniques to achieve overall health and optimized performance. Maria is an ATRI faculty member, member of the AEA Research Committee, FLS continuing education developer, author and presenter.

Resources:

  1. BURDENKO I, MILLER J. (2001) Defying Gravity. www.Burdenko.com.
  2. GREGOR T., SYKOROVA PRITZ M.: (2008) Pain management and psychophysical     conditioning through water exercise. Revue Mediciny v praxi, Bratislava, MAURO Slovakia s.r.o. Rocnik 6, cislo 1, 2008, s.29, 30, 38 ISSN 1336-202X
  3. Discovery writers. (2013): Mind – Body Exercise Connection. Discovery Fit &Health; http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/information/mind-body-exercise-connection.htm
  4. INSTITUTE of MEDICINE (2011): Relieving Pain in America. A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research
  5. JOHNSON, L.S.(2009):”Therapist’s Guide to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Intervention”, Academic Press is an imprint of Elsevier, San Diego, California, USA.Page146-148, ISBN:978-0-12-374851-5
  6. RAMSEY L. (2018): As America fights opioid addiction, the healthcare system is failing people who live with chronic pain: http://www.businessinsider.com/people-with-chronic-pain-during-opioid-crisis-2018-1
  7. SYKOROVA PRITZ, M. (2007):” The effect of water exercise on selected aspects of overall health on a fibromyalgia population”. Aquatic Fitness Research Journal, October 2007, Volume 4, Issue 2, Nokomis, Florida, USA: Aquatic Exercise Association. page. 6-13
  8. SYKOROVA PRITZ, M. (2018):” Healing with Release” AKWA: Volume 32, No 2;  Brunswick GA. USA; Aquatic Exercise Association, page 31-33,ISSN: 1536-5549
  9. STOLNICK, D.:  (2000-2008) Looking for joint pain relief. Vilage Inc.
  10. VAN HOUDENHOVE, B, – EGLE, U, – LUYTEN, P. (2005): “The role of life stress in fibromyalgia”, Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2005 Oct; 7(5):365-70.
  11. THEARMAN, B.H.: (2007) Simple solutions to Chronic Pain. New Habringer Publication, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1-57224-482-5.

 

towel, dumbbells, apples and water bottle isolated on white

Call To Action: May is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month

/2 May 2019/ All MFN blog/

What is Global Employee Health & Fitness Month?

Global Employee Health and Fitness Month (GEHFM) is an international and national observance of health and fitness in the workplace, created by 501c3 non-profit organization, the National Association for Health and Fitness. The goal of GEHFM is to promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to employers and their employees through worksite health promotion activities and environments.

Formerly titled National Employee Health and Fitness Day, GEHFM has been extended to a month-long initiative in an effort to generate sustainability for a healthy lifestyle and initiate healthy activities on an ongoing global basis with a reach into South America, Europe and Asia.

Employers everywhere are invited to participate. The website and toolkit are available to participants, healthandfitnessmonth.org

Employers will challenge their employees to create Healthy Moments, form Healthy Groups and develop a Culminating Project. Participants will be able to log these activities on the website through the month, allowing employer and employees to track, share and promote their individual and group activities. GEHFM is structured very simply for ease of use and primarily targeted on companies with 500 employees or less.

Healthy Moments are occasions of healthy eating, physical activity or personal/environmental health. (e.g., cooking a healthy meal or scheduling a dental/doctor visit.)

Healthy Groups are formed to create a sustainable activity continuing even beyond the month. (e.g., healthy lunch groups; company sports team; walking club.)

Culminating Project is an event that promotes health throughout the whole company or community. (e.g., planting a community garden; company/family fitness event.)

When is GEHFM and how it works?

GEHFM is held during the month of May every year (traditionally physical activity month). Health Moments occur daily, even multiple times a day and are created by individuals and groups. Healthy Groups implement activities to be performed several times throughout the month. Finally, the Culminating Project is developed during GEHFM and is executed at the end of May.

Why should employers/employees participate?  

GEHFM is a great way to kickoff wellness and fitness programs and bring excitement and can complement existing programs. Workforce wellness programs have been shown to benefit the employer through enhanced employee productivity; reduced health care costs; reduced employee absenteeism and decreased rates of illness and injury. These programs benefit employees by lowering stress levels, increasing well-being, self-image and self-esteem, improving physical fitness, increasing stamina, increasing job satisfaction and controlling BMI and blood pressure.

Benefits of GEHFM

  • Free, innovative and proven tool kit provided to help guide activities and events
  • Promotional items advertising GEHFM available for purchase by participants
  • Ability to log and track moments, groups and projects
  • Option to implement friendly competitions and challenges to build teamwork
  • Simple and adaptable to any wellness and fitness program
  • Creates sustainable healthy programs, environments and policies

About the National Association for Health and Fitness (NAHF)

NAHF was founded in 1979 by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and has as its vision that America shares in the social economic, health and environmental benefits that come from living an active lifestyle.  Our mission is to improve the quality of life for all individuals in the United States by promoting physical fitness, sports and healthy lifestyles. We also champion environmental and policy support for active living and encourage and share innovation in the States. NAHF values active living (integrating physical activity into daily lives) community involvement and leadership development for all societal sectors; promoting quality physical education in our schools; developing workforce health promotion programs and active-aging programs. With our focus on the States, NAHF “bridges the gap” between federal and local action and unites researcher and community practitioner.

Global Employee Health and Fitness Month website: healthandfitnessmonth.org

Diane Hart, Owner of Hart to Heart Fitness, is a Nationally Certified Fitness Professional, Personal Trainer, Health Educator and is current President of the National Association for Health and Fitness founded in 1979 by the U.S. President’s Council on Sports and Fitness. She is also Chair and one of the original architects of Global Employee Health and Fitness Month, which strives to make healthy the norm in the workplace.

calories

Weight Management: Carbs, Calories, or Keto?

/1 May 2019/ All MFN blog/

For most of the past 40 years, dieters have been told to limit dietary fat, believing it leads to obesity and heart disease. Today, dieters hear messages to indulge in a very high-fat (ketogenic) diet and limit the carbohydrate-based foods that fueled their low-fat diet. Confusing, eh? The bottom line is: calories count. You can lose weight by limiting carbs and/or fat. Let’s look at the weight management picture, as we understand it to date. (Nutrition is an evolving science!)

Are carbs fattening?

Foods such as white bread, pasta, rice and potato (“carbs”) have been demonized as being fattening because they have a high glycemic index. That is, they digest quickly and can spike blood glucose when eaten solo in 50-gram carbohydrate (200-calorie) doses. That happens when the average (unfit) American devours a basket of warm dinner rolls. Blood glucose rises quickly; the pancreas secretes insulin to carry glucose out of the blood and into the muscles. Insulin can stimulate hunger, the desire to eat, and the potential to gain weight.

 But how often would you eat rolls without butter? A plate of pasta without sauce and Parmesan cheese? A large potato all by itself — with no butter or protein? Most likely, rarely. Eating “carbs” as part of a meal elicits a lower glycemic response than eating them solo. Protein and fat slow their conversion into blood glucose, thus blunting the glycemic response.

The advice given to the general public to limit high-glycemic foods often results in eating fewer calories (and losing weight). The advice can appropriately help stabilize blood glucose in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and unfit people with obesity, pre-diabetes, and Type II diabetes. But the advice may not pertain to YOU, an athlete. The bodies of athletes eagerly take up blood glucose to fuel exercise and replenish depleted muscle glycogen stores. Too little carb (grain, fruit, vegetable) results in needless muscular fatigue if you train hard day after day.

That said, some very athletic people live in large bodies. They tend to be frustrated they don’t shed fat despite religiously abiding a low calorie diet plus rigorous exercise.  As one triathlete complained “I should be pencil thin by now, for the exercise I do…” What’s going on? The answer might relate to that athlete’s personal insulin response to carbohydrate. Research suggests genetics causes some people to be high insulin secretors. Just as not all couch potatoes secrete excess insulin, not all lean athletes escape Type II diabetes.

What does this mean for you, a weight-conscious athlete? If you struggle to lose weight, you might be a high insulin secretor. Take a look at your family genetics: Do your relatives gain weight easily? Do they have diabetes? If yes, you want to talk with your doctor. You might be better off choosing a low glycemic diet, trading processed carbs for whole grains and combining them with lean protein and healthy fats such as nuts, nut butter, and avocado. And plan to keep exercising, religiously.

Keto or veto?

You have undoubtedly heard people rave about the keto diet. This very rigid high fat, low carb food plan with more than 70% of the calories from fat and less than 5% of the calories from grains, fruits and veggies is touted to reduce weight and risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. Here’s some food for thought on the current keto rage. You can figure out if you want to jump in or think twice.

  • Nutritional ketosis (NK) (as opposed to diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition) curbs hunger due to the appetite suppressing effect of ketones. To induce NK, a person needs to restrict carbohydrate to about 20 to 50 grams a day. That means eating only a few berries, some leafy greens, mushrooms, no milk, yogurt or grains. You’d eat lots of avocado, olive oil, nuts, nut butter, and some cheese, bacon, and fatty meats.
  • When carbohydrate is not available for fuel, the body adapts (painfully over several weeks of feeling lousy, hence the term “keto flu”) to burning fat and makes a byproduct called ketones. Infants burn ketones; the adult body needs to relearn how to use them.
  • Due to lack of carbohydrate, keto dieters secrete very little insulin, which contributes to reduced appetite which, when combined with limited food options and consumption of fewer calories, leads to fat loss—and the health benefits associated with weight loss, including reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease, etc.

The questions arise:

  • Would following a ketogenic diet suit your lifestyle? No bananas, beer, or birthday cake. What would you eat on Meatless Monday? Plant proteins like beans come with too many carbs. No hummus, burritos, chili.
  • Would a high intake of saturated fat (bacon, sausage, spare ribs) create cardiovascular issues?
  • Does the low fiber intake have a negative impact on your gut (constipation)?
  • If you happen to love crunchy apples, fruit smoothies, and roasted veggies (to say nothing of a social life) how long could you sustain the keto lifestyle?
  • What would happen when you get out of “Keto Jail”? Would you end up binge-eating carbs? Would that leave you with rebound weight gain, feeling depressed and being worse-off than your pre-keto status?
  • Would changing the nutrient-poor food choices in your current lifestyle be the wiser weight management solution? Meeting with a registered dietitian (RD) could help you make those changes more easily than you may think.

You have to figure out your answer to the keto or veto question. For serious athletes who do intense exercise, take note: It is a lot of work with no proven performance benefits to date.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD CSSD (@nclarkrd) counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her office in Newton, MA (617-795-1875). Her best selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook offers additional fueling information, as does her blog at NancyClarkRD.com and online workshop NutritionSportsExerciseCEUs.com.