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Volume 18 Issue 5 May 2017 Editor Jim Rabic

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9 STEPS FOR FIT FEET

If you don’t exercise your feet regularly, they'll be less resistant to injury and won’t be as strong and flexible as they should be for exercise, or just everyday activity. Whenever it’s safe, try going barefoot. It’s a natural workout for feet, especially if you walk on the sand. The fine grains also help remove rough skin and calluses. In addition to barefoot strolls, try the following foot fitness routine. The first six are good for women who suffer from foot or toe cramps and hammer toes (contracted joints that bulge and affect balance and

comfort). All but the Achilles-Tendon Stretch can be done while sitting down. 1. TOE STRETCHES Raise your heels, keeping just balls of feet and toes on the floor, and hold five seconds, then curl your toes under, holding for five seconds. Repeat 10 times. 2. TOE SQUEEZES Place small corks between your toes. Squeeze and hold for five seconds. Release. Do this 10 times. 3. TOE PULLS Put a thick rubber band around all five toes and spread them; hold five seconds. Relax. Repeat 10 times. The resistance provided by the rubber band will help strengthen the toes. 4. BIG TOE PULLS Starting with feet slightly apart, place a thick rubber band around both big toes and pull the toes in opposite directions, toward the smaller toes on the same foot. Hold for five seconds, Relax. Repeat 10

times. 5. TOWEL CURLS Place a small towel on the floor and use your toes to curl it toward you. To increase the re-sistance, put a weight on the end of the towel. Relax. Repeat exercise 5 times with each foot. 6. MARBLE PICKUP Place 20 marbles on the floor. Using your toes, pick up one marble at a time and put it in a small bowl. Pick up all 20 marbles. Then repeat with the other foot. In addition to helping the toes, this will also help relieve pain in the ball of the foot caused by high arches or wearing too-tight shoes. 7. GOLF BALL ROLLS to massage your feet and relieve arch strain or foot cramps, roll a golf ball under the ball of your foot for two minutes. Repeat with the other foot. 8. ALPHABET FOOT ROLLS To stretch, strengthen and increase flexibility in your ankles and feet, sit with legs crossed at the knees and, using the foot of the crossed leg, "draw" each letter of the alphabet in the air. Re-peat with the other foot. 9. ACHILES-TENDON STRETCHES Stand with the balls of the feet on one stair, heels hanging over the back of the stair. (This can also be done off the back of an aerobics step.) While holding on to the railing, gently press your heels toward the floor without bouncing. Hold five seconds. Release and raise heels to starting posi-tion. Repeat 10 times. Do this exercise two or three times a day. This exercise will help to prevent turned ankles and sprains by strengthening and stretching the heel cords

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Allergies and Exercise

You wake up feeling like the sandman left a few sand-bags in your nose. And your eyes are so watery, any-body looking at you would think your best friend just died. Well, maybe you are in mourning - for your good health. Because it's allergy season again. But instead of rolling out of bed and heading for the medicine cabinet, try another form of instant and effec-

tive relief - a short session of vigorous exercise." Vigorous exercise allows you an efficient means of controlling nasal conges-tion. Exercise is complicated by difficulty in breathing. To prepare your nose for exer-cise, you can use a commercial saline solution before beginning the exercise. This should free up the nasal passage for the workout, allowing nature to take is course in improving your overall allergy condition. One important comment here is to avoid jogging in the smog. You are there, working hard to improve the very thing that the smog will defeat. Also, be aware of the pollen count and prevailing winds. If there is a strong wind during pollen season, the pollens are sure to be adrift. Under circumstances such as these, jog-ging on an indoor track or treadmill might be a better choice. Note that pollen tends to "peak at dawn and again at dusk. If you want to ex-ercise outdoors, wait until 2:00 to 5:00 pm, when pollen is at its lowest. People with allergies should avoid excessive heat or cold. And be sure to breathe through your nose! If you are allergic to exercise... There is even a name for this (other than Couch Potato). It is Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis, and refers to how exercise can trig-ger in some people high levels of histamine. Histamine is a body chemical that

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The Most Common Lies Told By Gimmicky Weight Loss Supplements 

 

 You’d think that by now we’d all stop falling for supplements which promise to “blast belly fat” or “drop pounds while still eating cupcakes,” but you’d be wrong. Powerful marketing continues to dupe vulnerable people into wasting their money. Here are the common selling points (ahem, lies) that you’ll find on the label. Being healthy is simple, right? "Eat less, move more." That's easy to say, but… Weight loss supple-ments are a general category designed to accelerate weight loss, typically by one of several ways: sup-pressing your appetite, blocking absorption of nutrients, or increasing the number of calories you burn.

These “benefits” come from any number of key active ingredients. You might have heard of some: ephedrine, capsaicin, caffeine, and yohimbine; and brand names such as Hydroxycut and Alli.

Lose weight without dieting: As much as we all want a pill to grant our heart’s desires, no one can expect to lose weight by eating the same high-calorie crap and not changing their eating habits. When it comes to weight loss, gaining control over your diet is what gets you the

best results. Exercise not required: Similar to the promise above, this claim capitalizes on someone unwilling to change their habits. Continual, healthy weight loss without exercise is a pipedream. At the same time, exercise is not the only solution to your weight loss woes. Accelerate your metabolism: Some ingredients, like caffeine, do slightly increase metabolism, but the exact effects range from person to person and are influenced by your individual tolerance. Even then, the effects won’t undo that donut. Feel fuller: You feel full by actually eating real food that takes up space in your stomach, not through a supplement. Some supplements can help suppress appetite, but if you want to keep from getting con-stantly hungry, focus on eating high-protein foods (like steak or eggs) and fibrous and filling foods (like a baked potato or oatmeal).

Change your body composition. This is a fancy way to say that the weight you lose would be directly from fat, but the supplements that claim to help you drop fat—like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)—are more likely to be harmful to your health in the long term. The age-old, unsexy advice isn’t going to change: If you want to change how your body looks, you have to combine diet with appropriate muscle-building exercises.

Some supplements can work if you use them alongside—surprise—good ol’ diet and exercise, but be warned: there are plenty of sometimes dangerous side effects. The beneficial effects, if any, are typical-ly so small that you’re better off just saving your money and just exercising and eating right.

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Trail Runners' Curse: Poison Oak, Ivy & Sumac

A leisurely day hike, a challenging trail run or a weekend camping trip can provide great relaxation, help maintain fitness and reduce stress. But pursuing the wonders of nature can also have drawbacks. In addition to the potential dangers of the sun's rays and the discomfort of in-sect bites, outdoor enthusi-

asts should be aware of the evils of a trio of nasty and nagging plants - poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac. According to the American Academy of Dermatology in Schaumburg, Ill., the toxic oily resin from the plants are among the country's most common allergic reactions. As many as 50 million North Americans are affected per year. And for those active in the great outdoors, there's little escape. With the exception of Hawaii, Alaska and some desert areas of Nevada, the weed is prevalent throughout the United States in its three regional varieties: * Poison oak - A low-lying shrub or small tree or vine with three or five leaflets and clusters of yellow berries, is found in the West and Southwest. The plant's leaves turn a deep red in the fall. * Poison ivy - A low-growing shrub or vine with green-yellow flowers and white berries, is dominant east of the Rockies, but also grows in other regions. * Poison sumac - A tall rangy shrub with 7-13 leaves and cream-colored berries primarily located in the Great Lakes regions and in swamps and bogs east of the Mississippi River. Although all three plants flourish in the spring and summer, allergic reactions can occur in the fall and winter when the plants' sticks and vines are mistakeningly used as firewood or in holiday wreaths. "We get a lot of calls in the winter from people who have think they may have inhaled the toxic oil after they've burned their fields," said Michael Walsh, a pharmacist at the Regional Poison Control Center in Sacramento, Calif. "It can be very dangerous if you get poison oak, ivy or sumac in your lungs. Firefighters are very susceptible." The "poison" in each of the three plants is the result of an aller-gic reaction to urishiol, the colorless or slightly yellow oil that oozes from any cut or crushed part of the plant. Those sensitive to poison oak, ivy and sumac don't need to come in contact with the plant to develop the rash. Since urushiol spreads so quickly and can be invisible, it may be carried on animal fur, garden tools, sports equipment, clothes or any other object that comes in contact with the resin. Once urushiol touches the skin it begins to penetrate. If you're among the estimated 85 percent of the population sensitive to the

sappy substance, a reaction will usually appear within 12-48 hours as a line or a streak of rashes resembling insect bites. Redness and swelling will begin in a couple of days, with blis-ters and severe itching lasting from a few days to several weeks. For those with darker-colored skin, small dark spots can remain even after the rash heals. Potential sensitivity to the three plants is hard to define or cate-gorize. Children are often infected for the first time between ages 8-16 - and often with severe cases that can include swollen eyes and severe fever. Although any part of the body is susceptible, thicker-skinned areas like the soles of the feet and palms of the hand are often unaffected. Although sensitivity to the rash can decline with age, adults should not assume they're immune - even if they never suffered from the rash as children. Fair-skinned people are the most sus-ceptible. "Prevention is the best cure," said Walsh. "If you know what your dealing with and take preventative measures, that's the best way to avoid the stuff." For instance, if you're hiking, running, bicycling, hunting or enjoying any outdoor activity, be aware of your surroundings. To avoid contact with the plants, wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, gloves and boots, if possible. Keep your pets from running through poisoned areas. And never burn any of the plants. However, if you think you may have had contact with poison oak, ivy or sumac, wash all potentially exposed areas with cold running water from a stream, lake or garden hose as soon as possible. If washing is done within 15 minutes after contact, the water can neutralize the sap and prevent it from spreading. When you return home, wash all clothing outside to prevent resin from transferring to rugs or furniture. Since urushiol can remain active for months, make certain to wash all camping gear or equipment that also may be carry the resin. In some extreme cases, the allergic reaction to urushiol has caused kidney damage and neurological problems. If you develop a rash, avoid scratching the blisters. Although the fluid in blisters will not spread the rash, fingernails may carry the resin or germs that could cause an infection. Successful treatment for the rash varies. While some firefighters have become immune by taking long-term prescription medica-tion that contains the plants' extract, this procedure is not recom-mended for the general public. The tedious process can cause severe cases of the rash and also prompt other side reactions. In some instances, Hydrocortisone cream as well as Calamine and Caladryl lotions are recommended to help dry oozing le-sions. Other over-the-counter products such as rubbing alcohol and Tecnu lotion works well to neutralize the toxins if used with-in a few hours after contact

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Crab-Stuffed Squash

Ingredients: 2 large zucchini or crookneck squash 2 cans crabmeat (6-1/2 ounce), drained 2 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 green onions, chopped 1/2 medium tomato,seeded and chopped 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 dash Liquid Smoke (optional) 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided Directions: Trim the ends of the squash and discard. Half the squash lengthwise. Microwave the squash halves on high for three to five minutes. With a spoon, scoop the center of the squash halves out, leaving the ends intact. Chop the re-moved squash pulp up. Combine the chopped squash, crabmeat, cream cheese, green onions, tomato, lemon juice, may-onnaise, Liquid Smoke (if desired), and 1-cup of the shredded mozzarella in a bowl. Stir to thor-oughly combine the ingredients. Place the halved squash cut side up in a large baking dish. Fill the centers of the squash halves with the crabmeat mixture. Bake at 350-degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crabmeat mixture is hot and bubbly and is beginning to brown on top. Sprinkle 1/4-cup of the remaining shredded mozzarella on top of each squash half and return them to the oven until the cheese is melted and just beginning to brown, about five minutes.

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Sneaky Sugars

Even if you don't have a sweet tooth, chances are you take in more than your fair share of sugar each day. Added sugars can be found in everything from soda to salad dressing and even in otherwise healthy foods like yogurt. The World Health Association recommends cutting back on refined sugar to re-duce your risk of obesity. The added sugar in our diets seems to be adding up to extra pounds on American waistlines. The amount of added sugars in products is on the rise. According to the American Dietetic Association, the average American consumed about 123 pounds of added sugar per year in 1980. By 1999, that num-ber had risen to 158 pounds. Why? We eat out more often, and we're eating more

and more packaged foods and drinking more and more beverage. The Sugar Bowl You don't need to have a sugar-free diet, but reducing the amount of sugar you consume is a wise decision. Look for the following items on the ingredients label — they're all forms of sugar: Corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup Molasses Honey Fruit juice concentrate or fructose Sugar—white, brown, raw or cane Look for the amount of sugar listed on the "Nutrition Facts" Panel of the foods you buy. It will be listed in grams. Because that doesn't mean much to most of us, use this simple equation to determine how much sugar is in the foods you eat: 7 grams of sugar = 1 tablespoon of sugar For example, if the label on your strawberry yogurt says it has 21 grams of sugar, that's the equivalent of 3 ta-blespoons. And the 20-ounce frozen coffee drink you had as an afternoon snack not only had 400 calories, but also 18 teaspoons of sugar. Now that's a little hard to swallow. Remember: No matter what the source is, be it the natural fructose in strawberries or the added sweetness of corn syrup, it all winds up in the same place on the nutrition facts label. If a product only lists fresh or dried fruit in the ingredients list, you know that the sugar is derived from these sources. However, if cane sugar and corn syrup are listed in addition to the strawberries, you know that sugars have been added. Cutting down on sugar: Avoid heavily sweetened breakfast cereals. Go for ones that have 10 grams of sugar or less per serving. Energy bars and drinks are a common source of hidden sugar. Look for ones that have less than 12-15 grams of sugar per serving. Watch out for reduced fat and fat-free products. Sugars are often added to mask the loss of flavor when fat is removed. You may be cutting out fat, but not necessarily calories. Limit sweetened beverages like milkshakes and coffee drinks, which are deceptively full of sugar and calories. Buy juices that are 100 percent fruit juice. Be careful about products that say "100 percent natural." That doesn't mean they're not loaded with added sugars. Avoid products that call themselves "juice cocktails" and "juice beverages." Mix fresh or dried fruit into plain yogurt. Many fruity yogurts are loaded with added sugar.

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Sway Is a Beautiful Meditation App That

Doesn't Tell You What to Think

What if a meditation app didn’t ask you to focus on your breath-ing? What if you didn’t have to listen to someone’s voice telling you what to think about? A new meditation app, Sway, takes a different approach.

http://vitals.lifehacker.com/sway-is-a-beautiful-meditation-app-that-doesnt-tell-you-1794507216

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Many people do some form of aerobic exercise. Some get results, and some don't. One article can't possibly begin to explore all the depth of this huge topic, but here are some key factors to keep in mind when you do cardio. 1. It must be sustained for at least 20 minutes. This doesn't mean that 20 minutes of easy pedaling on a stationary bike qualifies as adequate cardio exercise. It simply means that with enough vigor, 20 minutes can create a cardiovascular training effect. Actually, even 10 minutes, if done rigorously enough, will create a training effect. 2. Never use lack of time as an excuse to avoid some cardio training. If all you have is 10 minutes, then do 10 minutes. If you don't think such a small timeframe is worth it, then try jumping rope for 10 minutes nonstop. Or jog in place with high knees for 10 minutes. This will get your heart rate up.

3. But people actually do have a lot more than 10 minutes. If you make cardio a priority, you'll find 30 or more minutes to slip it into your schedule every day. 4. Wear appropriate footwear with good arch supports. 5. If the idea of aerobics or cardio seems boring, then participate in a group fitness class or join a hiking group. The following count as cardio exercise: Brisk walking on level courses; slow walking up hills; any kind of jogging; cardio classes such as step, low impact, high impact, dance and kickboxing; tennis, basketball, cross-country skiing, inline skating, cycling, and use of any kind of cardio equipment found at your local gym. My advice is not to obsess about heart rate, even if you're on equipment that has a heart rate monitor. A reading from a machine may not be accurate. Unless you are under doctor's orders to monitor heart rate, you should instead pay attention to how you feel throughout the session. Take the talk test. If you can easily carry on a conversation, you're not working hard enough. Going through the motions is not enough to incite improvement in your body's immune system, generate growth of denser capillaries, or cut your cancer and type 2 diabetes risk. It's okay to be out of breath. The human body was designed to exert itself. So if you use a stationary bike, really pump away! It's okay to break a sweat. It's okay to get "pooped out" after only 10 minutes. At that point, pedal easily for a few minutes to recover, then go at it again. This training principle can be applied to all cardio venues. You can also find the pace at which, if sustained for longer than 10 minutes, gets you winded and feeling worked. If conversation is difficult, then you are training hard enough to spark improvement in health and fitness, which includes fat loss. Give yourself a numerical rating as well, on a scale of 1 to 10, when it comes to effort. A rating of 1 means the level of exertion required to lie in a recliner, eat ice cream and watch TV. A level 10 means how you'd feel if you just tried to outrun a train. So when you do any kind of cardio, be it tread-mill, stair stepper, aerobics class or neighborhood walk, be sure that your perceived level of exertion rating for sustained work is about 5-7. If you're new to cardio exercise, you may want to go at a lighter exertion, but again, pay attention to how your body feels. If you feel sick or ill in some way, cease the activity and drink water. The ill feeling is almost always caused by insufficient nutrition preceding the workout, plus inadequate water intake. If you feel like a muscle pull or strain is imminent, stop the activity and rest for a few days. Do not feel guilty if you spend one hour a day doing cardio. The human machine was not designed to sit in an office all day, nor sit for hours and hours every week in front of a TV or computer. Think of how much time you spend in your life in a seated, inert position: talking on the phone, balancing the checkbook, opening mail and reading the newspaper, eating, socializing, reading, etc., not to mention all the time you may be sitting on the job. So don't feel like a fanatic if you commit to one hour a day of cardiovascular exercise. This will help offset all the time you spend sitting. Now, if you're on your feet all day at the workplace, never count this as your cardio exercise! If your feet are killing you at the end of the day, this reflects poor footwear, rather than any kind of workout. Five thousands footsteps at work do not necessarily translate into training that im-proves cardio respiratory function. You must get your heart rate up. Aerobic exercise should force you to breathe harder. You must impose a demand on your body that forces its cardiorespiratory system to adapt. When the body is forced to adapt, it requires more energy than usual. It will get some of this energy from stored body fat. A body that's forced to adapt will become more fit and resilient. If you're already doing cardio but with minimal results, then step up the pace and/or change the mode. If you've been walking all this time, maybe it's time to add some jogging segments or join a step aerobics class. If you've been running all this time, then add some hills or replace a few running workouts with revolving staircase sessions. Variety is key.

Basic Cardio Advice and Guidelines

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Omega-3 Fatty Acids Vary From Fish to Fish

Here's the catch: If you are dutifully eating your two servings a week, but it's from tilapia, shrimp, scallops or catfish, you won't actually be getting much of the health benefits from the omega-3 fat-ty acids. That's because seafood varies in its omega-3 fatty acids (PDF) content, and many commonly con-

sumed seafoods are not actually that high in omega-3s. Too much fish during pregnancy increases a child's obesity risk, study saysRelated Article: Too much fish during pregnancy increases a child's obesity risk, study says The top five seafood products consumed in the U.S. are shrimp, salmon, canned tuna, tilapia and Alaskan pollock (think fishsticks). Together, these seafood prod-ucts total about three-fourths of U.S. seafood consumption. Let's take a look at the omega-3s content of these top seafood choices. Salmon is a good choice here, even though the total of omega-3s varies considerably by type of salmon (the species and whether it is farmed or wild-caught). Regardless of the type, salmon is still one of the best omega-3 sources. Canned tuna is an okay source, but it's a bit of mixed bag (white tuna has more omega-3s than light tuna). Meanwhile, the other top seafood products -- shrimp, tilapia and Alaskan pollock -- are all fairly low in omega-3s.

In short, we're not eating a lot of fish to begin with, and much of the fish we do eat is not actually that high in omega-3 fatty acids.

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Exercise and Arthritis

Health care professionals Along with your doctor, Personal Trainers can help you plan a total fitness program. They can work with you to design a program that meets your specific needs.

Personal Trainers

Personal Trainers can show you special exercises to help keep your bones and muscles strong. Personal Trainers can show you how to do certain activities in ways that will not place extra stress on your joints. They can also provide you with splints or special aids if you need them. Always check with your trainer before starting a new exercise program or before changing your current one. They can help you determine the best exercises that meet your needs. If you have had joint replacement surgery, also talk with your surgeon.

Bicycling can be great recreational exercise

Therapeutic and recreational exercise People with arthritis often follow a therapeutic exercise program and also take part in active leisure or recreational exercise. Therapeutic exercise is exercise recommended by your doctor, personal trainer, or occupational therapist. It includes specific exercises designed to meet your individual needs and achieve specific goals. Recreational exercise is done for fun and gen-eral fitness. It includes activities you can enjoy by yourself or with family and friends, such as walking, bicycling, and swim-ming.. Your doctor does not design it specifically for you, but it is a good idea to discuss your recreational exercise plans with your doctor or trainer.

Don't work too hard

The most common risk to exercise is working your joints or muscles too much. This can happen if you exercise too long or too hard--especially when you're first beginning your exercise program. Remember: exercise is only one part of your treat-ment program. Other parts of your program should include:

proper diagnosis by a doctor using your joints wisely education about arthritis conserving your energy medication proper diet rest splints (for some people) using heat and cold treatments

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The Portion Guesstimator