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Tidbits

This article was published on: 12/21/06 9:29 PM

Posted on .
Reading Time: 5 minutes

Good
morning fitness friends and welcome to December’s joyinmovement
e-letter,

 

What
I’ve decided to do in this last letter of 2006 is to write briefly
about all sorts of different topics.  I get many questions about health
and wellness from my students and friends and I have noticed some
general themes.  I hope you will gain some insight from the subjects
I’ll be discussing, so away we go!
 
—–LAUGHTER—try it, you’ll like it! I am a
big fan and long time user of LAUGHTER.  It brings me great joy to
laugh, and for those of you who have laughed with me you can attest to
my ability to go deep in laughter. Dr. William Fry from Stanford has
done all kinds of research on laughter.  Here are some of his findings:
      1. Children laugh more than 400 times a
day.  Adults–fewer than a dozen times a day.
      2. Get a great laugh workout—laughing
for at least 10 minutes is equal to rowing for 100 strokes.
      3. Laughing reduces stress hormones. It
also increases beta-endorphins which relax you as well as help contain
stress responses.
      4. Laughing boosts your immune system by
activating the production of key white blood cells.
I conclude: humor is a valuable tool so LAUGH
on, my friends.
 
—–Sad statistics on obesity. The most
recent statistics indicate that 65% of the North American population is
overweight or obese. 90% of those who are overweight and obese end up
with type- 2 diabetes. Also, at some point in life 90% of Americans will
have hypertension.  Exercise and of course nutrition are two of the
best ways to manage this.  As a fitness professional I focus on these
two areas when designing programs for my students, so if these are areas
of concern for you contact me and let’s get this handled.  It’s never
too late!!
 
——Yoga on Ice.  Yes, Yoga is practiced off
the mat as well.  Yoga is practiced all day long, but that’s a topic
for another newsletter.  However, one of the most beautiful and moving
expressions of Yoga (the alignment of body, mind and spirit)  I have
ever seen goes back to 1984—Winter Olympics ice dancing.  Torvill and
Dean ice dance their way to the Gold medal to Ravel’s Bolero. Here is
the link—-If you have never seen this you must, and if you saw it
years ago please view it again.  It always brings chills to my spine
because of its artistry and elegance and gets my vote for one of my
favorite Yoga moments.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqBnaSjlBRE
Let me know what you think………
 
—–Want to stay mentally sharp? Exercise.
According to a Swedish study of women ages 44-66, for each 20%
improvement in lung function through cardio exercise, the risk of
Alzheimer’s fell 25%, very possibly because fit lungs deliver more
oxygen to the brain.
 
—-What’s so great about Omega 3’s?  They
provide many health benefits.  They fight inflammation and lower “bad”
cholesterol levels and blood pressure, which then reduces the risk of
strokes. They help reduce stiffness and soreness in your joints. They
help decrease depression by keeping the brain running smoothly. Studies
have shown they help control type 2 diabetes by improving insulin
sensitivity.
      FOOD remains your best source of Omega
3’s.  From the sea choose salmon, herring, mackerel, fresh tuna,
sardines, oysters, trout, bass, mussels, clams and shrimp. From land
good choices are walnuts, flaxseed, tofu, soy beans, cloves, squash,
brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage. spinach, kale, green beans.
 
—–What’s so bad about High Fructose Corn
Syrup—HFCS?  It is the leading sweetener in the United
States today.  It first appeared in 1996 and the average
American takes in 62.6 pounds per year. Fructose is processed
differently in the body than the more common sugar, glucose.  That’s the
problem!  Glucose causes fat cells to release leptin, which makes you
feel full so you eat less, and glucose also prevents the stomach from
releasing ghrelin, which makes you hungry.  FRUCTOSE does exactly the
OPPOSITE.  Think about this for a moment. Fructose increases hunger to
make you eat more. Also, your liver converts fructose far more readily
to body fat than it does glucose. Large amounts of fructose cause havoc
with your insulin and blood pressure.  Many of the studies have been
done on animals and researchers are starting to replicate these findings
on humans as well. HFCS is found in soft drinks and fruit beverages and
a wide variety of processed foods so as I always recommend, please
check the list of ingredients in the food you buy.
 
—–Nature is Nurturing. Two University of Michigan professors,
Stephen and Rachel Kaplan, are doing some very fascinating research
into the psychological benefits of nature.  Now, we “joyinmovement ”
folks already get the link between nature and psychological nurturance,
however, I find their work worth sharing. Trees, grass, gardens, and the
like have a profound and positive impact on both mental and physical
health. Some of their findings:
     > the psychological health of cancer
patients improved dramatically after they spent 20 minutes a day, 3 days
a week, doing restorative activities such as gardening or walking in
the woods.
    >a study of AIDS caregivers found that
the single most powerful factor in avoiding stress-related burnout was
“locomotion in nature”—walking, running, biking or canoeing. (the
quickest way to burnout was watching television.)
   >the natural setting doesn’t have to be
big or pristine to have a positive effect.  Most of all it has to be
nearby.
     Nature’s power comes down to brain
function.  The source of much mental distress is the overuse of
“directed attention”—concentration on work, for example. To sustain
this attention is difficult and fatiguing and not just for the mind but
for your body as well.  To escape the discomforts of mental fatigue
people often turn to what the Kaplan’s call “hard fascination”
events—–the internet and TV, for example.  These activities are loud,
bright and commanding. They are engaging and fun but they DON’T allow
for mental rest.  “Soft fascination” however, like a stroll on a beach
or a walk in the woods, provides pleasure that compliments the gentle
stimulation.  The brain soaks up these pleasing images and it also can
wander and reflect and recuperate.
     Yes, we intuitively know this…….so
remember to let nature nurture us if we feel frazzled or upset.
 
 
I’d like to close this month’s newsletter with
a prayer from the Bible. These words express my gratefulness for having
lived another year and set the tone for the upcoming year: “Alas for
those who cannot sing but die with all their music in them. Let us
treasure the time we have, and resolve to use it well, counting each
moment precious—a chance to apprehend some truth, to experience some
beauty, to conquer some evil, to relieve some suffering, to love and be
loved and to achieve something of lasting worth.”
 
Thank you all for an incredible year of
support.  You have continued to nudge me (and in some cases PUSH me) to
greater levels of learning and serving and I appreciate it ALL. We are
an amazing group of Movers and Shakers and I am proud to be called your
friend.
 
Happy Solstice,
Shelli
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