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March 23, 2023, 2:40 am |
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Eve Lees
March 08, 2023
Eat more veggies and learn to like them
It's possible to improve your health simply by eating more vegetables. Besides being rich in so many vital nutrients, vegetable fibre contributes to your gut's "good bacteria." And a healthy balance of intestinal microbiota may be good for your health. Studies continue to find poor gut health is linked with almost every disease and disorder humans suffer.
But what if you hate veggies? Try stepping out of your comfort zone. Each week, introduce a vegetable you've never tried before. How about jicama? Perhaps celeriac? There are thousands of vegetables, many you've never tried or even heard of. For those you tried and disliked, experiment with them again. Eat them cooked if they didn't appeal to you raw – or vice versa. Season with herbs and spices or eat with healthy, home-make sauces and dips.
Here are a few other ideas to add more vegetables to your diet and enhance their taste:
Make your salad less boring; add shredded carrots, strawberries, water chestnuts, kiwi, orange slices, sliced grapes, sweet peas, avocado, nuts and seeds, and beet slices. Use your imagination: How about (pesticide-free) rose petals from your garden? There are no rules for a tasty salad!
Instead of lettuce in your salad, use kale, Swiss chard, endive, spinach, or a combination. Add shredded cabbage too. Try another type of lettuce you haven't had yet.
Add a mix of vegetables to rice or other cooked whole grains like quinoa. For example, try adding chopped spinach, carrots, onions, peas, beans, or tomatoes.
Grill "kabobs" in the oven or the outdoor grill: Skewer various veggies like mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, carrots, peppers, squash, potatoes, or sweet potatoes. Brush lightly with oil to keep them moist.
Use long shreds of zucchini or carrots, or cook spaghetti squash as the 'pasta' for your spaghetti sauce (vegetable spiral "shredders" are available at many stores).
Stir-fry your veggies, like broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, or green beans. It's a fast and easy way to add veggies to any meal or as a meal themselves.
Cut up various vegetables, toss them in a sealed bag with a little oil, and roast them in the oven for 20 minutes. Use zucchini, chayote squash and other squashes, carrots, fennel, celeriac, jicama, all varieties of potatoes and other root vegetables.
Liven up your omelet by whipping chopped fresh or sautéd veggies in with the eggs. Try mushrooms, sprouts, spinach, onions, shredded carrots or zucchini, avocado, leeks, green onions, or bell peppers.
Stock up on frozen vegetables for quick and easy cooking in the microwave or stovetop.
Cut up fresh vegetables and keep them handy in the refrigerator for snacks or meals.
When having canned soups, add more veggies! Fresh or frozen, pile in your favourites.
Homemade soups, of course, are a better choice than canned soups. Make a large batch and freeze it in small containers for future convenience.
Bon Appetit!
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
February 08, 2023
Pain-in-the-back exercises
If you have low back pain, stay active but cautious. Many common exercises greatly stress the lower back. Avoid, minimize, or modify them while your back heals. Consult a Certified Fitness Instructor and a physiotherapist to design your back-strengthening exercise program.
Hyperextending the spine (bending too far backward) puts unnecessary stress on the low back. Maintain a pelvic tuck when doing standing exercises and keep your knees slightly flexed to minimize low-back stress.
When doing most abdominal exercises, keep your legs bent at the knees and concentrate on pushing your lower back into the floor. The stress falls off the abdominal muscles and onto your lower back when you keep your legs straight or arch your back.
Waist-twisting exercises, incorrectly done, also aggravate the low back. Correctly done, twists involve very short ranges of motion: not a full turning at the waist. However, even short-range twists aren’t recommended for some. Side bends may also be unwise for some back problems, especially if holding onto hand weights. Check with your physiotherapist.
Seated exercises combined with lifting a weight over the head may compress the spinal discs (especially if the weight is heavy) and may aggravate a low back problem. Instead, stand up when pressing a weight overhead. This allows the legs to bear some of the pressure otherwise condensed in the spine. You can also stand with your lower back pressed against a wall to avoid over-arching the back.
When doing the bench press or a push-up (chest exercises), be aware of maintaining the natural curve of your spine. Rest your feet on the bench to help avoid over-arching the low back when doing the bench press. And doing push-ups off the knees instead of the toes may also help maintain a straight back.
Until your back is stronger, avoid or modify these common weight-training back exercises: the bent-over barbell row, the T-bar row, the good-morning exercise, the deadlift, and the back extension.
Poor technique in the seated row exercise also puts considerable stress on the low back. Avoid continually bending forward and backward from the waist when doing this exercise. Maintain an upright posture (knees relaxed) and moving only the arms, feel the arms and upper back muscles doing the pulling.
The squat is a lower-body exercise that may irritate a back problem, especially if improperly done. However, it can be modified to lessen the stress on the lower back.
Brisk walking, instead of jogging, minimizes stress on the lower back. Use flat terrain, on the treadmill, too: inclines and declines put more stress on the lower back. When step-training or using a stair machine, maintain erect posture – avoid stooping over.
Stretch after your workout or activity. This is the time to coax your muscles to relax, which may help you avoid tense, injury-prone muscles. Stretch your lower back and the backs of your thighs. Tight hamstrings can also contribute to low back problems.
Regular, gentle to moderate activity is the best way to avoid or recuperate from injury. Get moving!
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
January 11, 2023
Each of us is born with a unique microbiome in our gastrointestinal tract (our “gut”). These microbes, or “good bacteria,” play an essential role in ensuring our good health, and we continue to learn more about their vital role.
One way to help your body produce healthy gut bacteria is by eating probiotic- and prebiotic-rich foods like yogurt and kefir or fermented foods like sauerkraut. But it is equally (if not more) important to be sure your regular, daily diet is helping you produce healthy gut bacteria. The two best ways to do this are . . .
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Focus on eating foods rich in fibre (soluble and insoluble). These pre- and-probiotic-boosting foods include choices like whole grains, vegetables and root vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, and legumes like beans and peas. Unfortunately, many of today’s popular diets tell us to avoid whole grains, root vegetables, and legumes. This is sadly misinforming and can potentially destroy your good health.
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Also important is to limit ultra-processed foods like refined sugars and flours, hydrogenated or ‘trans’ fats and other highly changed foods. These foods can deplete the ‘good’ gut bacteria. Unfortunately, they comprise much of our ‘fast-and-convenient’ diet of today. Is it any wonder humans are getting sicker and sicker?
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics.
December 06, 2022
Health
Eve Lees
No age limit for exercise
Getting older is not a handicap for getting fit or staying that way. On the contrary, studies support the saying, "You don't stop moving because you age – you age because you stop moving!"
FOR BEGINNERS
It's never too late to start exercising. Physical fitness can be achieved at any age. Studies on our aging population show they can easily build aerobic (heart/lung) endurance and muscular strength.
In as little as six weeks of training (two to three times per week), mature adults have increased their aerobic capacity from 11 to 76 percent. Active sixty-year-olds have the same aerobic capacity as moderately active adults and a much greater aerobic capacity than inactive twenty-year-olds.
Age is not a problem in developing muscular strength and endurance, either.
Improvements in muscular strength in senior adults range from 6 to 50 percent after only six weeks of training, and (depending on body type) muscular definition is just as visible as it is in a younger person.
For an older adult who has never followed an exercise program, their exercise recommendations are the same as those given to an inactive person of any age. Many symptoms we blame on aging are also the symptoms of inactivity.
There is about a 3% decline in metabolism every ten years after age thirty. However, the decline is five times as much every ten years if you are inactive. A slower metabolic rate can affect your body weight, the efficiency of your body to absorb nutrients from your food, and the effectiveness of your immune system. Inactivity places you at greater risk for many disorders and diseases, thereby lessening the quality of life.
An unfit person, not used to an exercise program, needs a longer warm-up before their workout and a longer cool-down period afterward. This is especially important the older you are. Even after becoming more fit, always begin your workout slowly, and don't push yourself until at least ten to fifteen minutes into the workout.
Cooling down and stretching for five to ten minutes should always follow your activity, regardless of age or fitness level.
Regardless of age, regular activity prevents fatigue, improves sleep and memory, decreases cholesterol levels and increases self-esteem. In addition, it will reduce muscle loss, keep bones dense, and lower the risk of developing diseases and disorders as we age. Physical activity can also help maintain a youthful attitude and appearance.
FOR FAT LOSS TOO:
Several studies have examined the relationship between resistance training and post-exercise fat burning. For example, in a 2000 study, researchers measured the effects of resistance training on resting metabolic rate and fat burning and discovered a 62% increase in fat burning 16 hours post-exercise. An earlier study in the Journal of Applied Physiology also found similar results in older women. After 16 weeks of resistance training, fat burning at rest had increased by 63%.
CARDIOVASCULAR BENEFITS:
Various research studies show adaptations to aerobic training are similar to those in younger subjects. For example, one study found after 9-12 months of moderate to high-intensity training, VO2max (the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and use oxygen) increased from 20% to 38% in inactive older men and women (ages 57 – 70).
A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found endurance training in sedentary older men and women showed significant cardiovascular improvement with exercise. The effects of prolonged endurance training were studied in 11 older individuals with an average age of 63. The subjects were evaluated before training, after six months of low-intensity training, and again after six months of higher-intensity training. There was an overall improvement of 30%. These findings show that older individuals can adapt to prolonged endurance training with a significant increase in aerobic power.
MUSCULAR BENEFITS:
You're never too old to build muscle! And older adults must do so to maintain functional abilities such as climbing stairs and lifting things around the house (including yourself out of a chair). A 90-year-old has nearly the same capacity to create new muscle fibre as a 30-year-old.
Sadly, most people slow down and stop pushing themselves as they age. When muscles aren't asked to produce much force, whether moving furniture, picking up the grandkids or lifting a heavy weight, they adapt by dialing it down a notch. This muscle atrophy, known as sarcopenia, is common with aging. But the truth is that much of the weakness in older age is preventable if muscles are kept active.
Age-related muscle mass losses are approximately 6% per decade after age 50. Improving muscular strength is associated with increased functional ability in older adults. Resistance training programs for older adults can decrease the risk of falling and is also critical in preventing osteoporosis. Strength and mass gains can exceed as much as 30% after two months of resistance training in older men and women. Interestingly, two decades of strength and mass loss can be reversed after undergoing resistance training for at least two months. In one study, one year of progressive, high-intensity resistance training in post-menopausal women found strength increased by 74%, 35%, and 77% in knee extension, leg press, and lateral pull-down exercise following training. Half of the strength gains observed in these subjects occurred in the first three months of the training program. Another study found significant increases in muscular strength after a 1-day per week, high-intensity resistance training program compared to 2 and 3 days per week programs.
In a Tufts University Research Center study, nine women and men, ages 87 to 101, strengthened their arms and legs by exercising with resistance weights. In eight weeks, they increased the strength in the front thigh muscles by an average of almost 175 percent. One of the participants, Dr. Abraham Datch, a 101-year-old retired dentist, increased his strength by 200 percent over what it was at 95. Given adequate training stimulus, older men and women show similar or greater strength gains compared with young individuals as a result of resistance training, say the Tufts researchers.
Research finds typically, people lose about 30 percent of their strength between 50 and 70, and another 30 percent per decade after that. But increased physical activity can slow that significantly.
Strength training into our senior years will improve overall health, reduce heart disease risk, relieve arthritis and enhance the immune system, says SFU kinesiologist Eric Banister. His research finds seniors who weight-train reap the benefits of renewed strength and energy, just as younger people do. Banister says about a third of muscle mass (mostly due to inactivity) is lost by the age of 80, but lost muscle can be regained through strengthening exercise.
FOR OLDER ATHLETES:
Although they can't turn back the clock, elderly athletes are showing us it's never too late to start being physically active -- and continue for as long as we like.
Older experienced athletes say the recovery process takes longer as you age, so listening to your body and training is essential. As for the novice athlete, or those just starting to become active, it's wise to prevent the complications associated with inactivity and improve the quality of life!
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
October 04, 2022
No age limit for exercise
Getting older is not a handicap for getting fit or staying that way. On the contrary, studies support the saying, "You don't stop moving because you age – you age because you stop moving!"
FOR BEGINNERS
It's never too late to start exercising. Physical fitness can be achieved at any age. Studies on our aging population show they can easily build aerobic (heart/lung) endurance and muscular strength.
In as little as six weeks of training (two to three times per week), mature adults have increased their aerobic capacity from 11 to 76 percent. Active sixty-year-olds have the same aerobic capacity as moderately active adults and a much greater aerobic capacity than inactive twenty-year-olds.
Age is not a problem in developing muscular strength and endurance, either.
Improvements in muscular strength in senior adults range from 6 to 50 percent after only six weeks of training, and (depending on body type) muscular definition is just as visible as it is in a younger person.
For an older adult who has never followed an exercise program, their exercise recommendations are the same as those given to an inactive person of any age. Many symptoms we blame on aging are also the symptoms of inactivity.
There is about a 3% decline in metabolism every ten years after age thirty. However, the decline is five times as much every ten years if you are inactive. A slower metabolic rate can affect your body weight, the efficiency of your body to absorb nutrients from your food, and the effectiveness of your immune system. Inactivity places you at greater risk for many disorders and diseases, thereby lessening the quality of life.
An unfit person, not used to an exercise program, needs a longer warm-up before their workout and a longer cool-down period afterward. This is especially important the older you are. Even after becoming more fit, always begin your workout slowly, and don't push yourself until at least ten to fifteen minutes into the workout.
Cooling down and stretching for five to ten minutes should always follow your activity, regardless of age or fitness level.
Regardless of age, regular activity prevents fatigue, improves sleep and memory, decreases cholesterol levels and increases self-esteem. In addition, it will reduce muscle loss, keep bones dense, and lower the risk of developing diseases and disorders as we age. Physical activity can also help maintain a youthful attitude and appearance.
FOR FAT LOSS TOO:
Several studies have examined the relationship between resistance training and post-exercise fat burning. For example, in a 2000 study, researchers measured the effects of resistance training on resting metabolic rate and fat burning and discovered a 62% increase in fat burning 16 hours post-exercise. An earlier study in the Journal of Applied Physiology also found similar results in older women. After 16 weeks of resistance training, fat burning at rest had increased by 63%.
CARDIOVASCULAR BENEFITS:
Various research studies show adaptations to aerobic training are similar to those in younger subjects. For example, one study found after 9-12 months of moderate to high-intensity training, VO2max (the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and use oxygen) increased from 20% to 38% in inactive older men and women (ages 57 – 70).
A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found endurance training in sedentary older men and women showed significant cardiovascular improvement with exercise. The effects of prolonged endurance training were studied in 11 older individuals with an average age of 63. The subjects were evaluated before training, after six months of low-intensity training, and again after six months of higher-intensity training. There was an overall improvement of 30%. These findings show that older individuals can adapt to prolonged endurance training with a significant increase in aerobic power.
MUSCULAR BENEFITS:
You're never too old to build muscle! And older adults must do so to maintain functional abilities such as climbing stairs and lifting things around the house (including yourself out of a chair). A 90-year-old has nearly the same capacity to create new muscle fibre as a 30-year-old.
Sadly, most people slow down and stop pushing themselves as they age. When muscles aren't asked to produce much force, whether moving furniture, picking up the grandkids or lifting a heavy weight, they adapt by dialling it down a notch. This muscle atrophy, known as sarcopenia, is common with aging. But the truth is that much of the weakness in older age is preventable if muscles are kept active.
Age-related muscle mass losses are approximately 6% per decade after age 50. Improving muscular strength is associated with increased functional ability in older adults. Resistance training programs for older adults can decrease the risk of falling and is also critical in preventing osteoporosis. Strength and mass gains can exceed as much as 30% after two months of resistance training in older men and women. Interestingly, two decades of strength and mass loss can be reversed after undergoing resistance training for at least two months. In one study, one year of progressive, high-intensity resistance training in post-menopausal women found strength increased by 74%, 35%, and 77% in knee extension, leg press, and lateral pull-down exercise following training. Half of the strength gains observed in these subjects occurred in the first three months of the training program. Another study found significant increases in muscular strength
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
August 18, 2022
More Nutrients in Whole Foods
Common sense, backed by many studies and testimonials, shows us we are much healthier when consuming fewer highly refined foods and more whole or minimally processed foods.
Whole foods offer vitamins, minerals, fibre, essential fatty acids, and many other properties that ensure good health. However, the more a food is changed or processed from its original form, the more nutrients are lost. In addition, many things are added that we do not need more of in our diet: Preservatives, fillers, sugars, sodium, unhealthy fats and other elements we do not need more of.
If you make comparisons using any food composition chart, whole foods usually show less sodium, fat, and far more nutrition than foods that are more processed. Whole foods are also richer in either fibre or protein (or both), which help us feel full and satisfied. And they have fewer calories per serving than foods that are highly processed. Therefore, there is no dispute that a diet rich in minimally processed or whole foods can lower the risk of many diseases and disorders such as heart disease, hypertension, cancer, depression, and type 2 diabetes.
Eating fewer processed foods may also help you reach your weight loss goals. Recent studies have shown regardless of carb or fat intake, weight loss is more successful when participants eat less refined sugar, flour, and other highly refined foods while focusing more on whole foods like vegetables. There were also significant improvements in insulin, glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. In addition, many of us tend to consume more calories daily when our diet is richer in highly processed foods, compared to eating more of the whole and less-processed foods.
What are ‘whole foods’? Generally, they are foods that haven’t been changed much, if at all, by humans. They will still resemble the way they were created in nature. Think apples vs. applesauce or baked potato vs. mashed. Whole foods generally do not have an ingredient label. Unlike vegetable chips in a foil bag, fresh fruit and vegetables have no ingredient labels. However, whole foods can have ingredient labels but with only one or very few ingredients, such as frozen blueberries having only “blueberries” listed on the label.
Consider a meal of a slice of roasted beef or chicken, with a plain baked potato or sweet potato, and a large serving of raw or steamed vegetables. This would be more of a “whole food” meal than Shepherd’s Pie, despite the (somewhat) similar ingredients. Due to the higher level of processing of the food ingredients in the pie, there are likely fewer nutrients.
Always consider the degree of refinement or processing of your food choices. For example, for a snack, if you are faced with choosing an apple, applesauce, or apple turnover, you’d be better off choosing the apple. However, the applesauce (particularly if it is unsweetened) is also a better choice than the apple turnover. This is because the apple turnover, unlike the apple sauce, will have other ingredients like refined flour, refined sugars, unhealthy fats, and any other preservatives to extend its shelf life.
There is no need to worry about eating only those foods classified as “whole” and altogether avoiding the “not whole” foods. You can still have your Shepherd’s pie and eat it too, as long as you more often make the less processed choices.
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
May 10, 2022
Gardening Workout
Working in the yard or garden can help reduce stress and promote relaxation. And it can also give you a moderate workout.
Lawn and garden tasks like raking and weeding provide a workout equivalent to the cardiovascular benefits of low-intensity aerobic activity. You’ll also improve the strength and endurance of several muscles. And when you reach and stretch to prune bushes and trees, you’re improving and maintaining flexibility. General gardening tasks burn about 340 calories per hour for a 160 lb person.
The fitness benefits increase when you do more physically challenging tasks: Digging can be as intense as a workout on a stair-climber. Using a manual push mower works the chest, shoulders, and triceps as effectively as pumping iron in the gym. Based on a 160 lb person, in one-hour you can burn approximately 420 calories using a manual push mower, 340 calories pushing your electric mower, 340 calories raking leaves – and 300 calories jumping into your leaf pile!
While spending quality time in the yard and garden, you can also focus on helping the environment. For example, using a push mower reduces pollution and noise pollution (your neighbours will be grateful if you mow early Sunday mornings).
Plant trees and shrubs in your yard. A single mature tree absorbs 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year and releases enough oxygen into the atmosphere to support two humans.
Grow your own health-promoting vegetables too. A big yard isn’t necessary. Large planters can provide edible goods all summer long.
Save water usage by watering your lawn and gardens early morning or late evening only, so the water won’t quickly evaporate.
Leave the grass cuttings on your lawn as a natural, nutrient-rich fertilizer.
Do research on alternates to chemical pesticides. For example, a few drops of Neem oil in a spray bottle can deter most garden pests. In addition, baking soda, onions, garlic, citrus, lavender dish soap, salt and vinegar are everyday items that work well at killing weeds, larvae, aphids and other insects. And there are natural products available in many stores.
Your garden can be that quiet, calming place to get away from family or work pressures. And being outdoors in the fresh air is also health-promoting. Hoe, Hoe, Hoe!
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
April 12, 2022
Chlorophyll water mostly hype
Chlorophyll water is making its rounds again. It's back from the 1950s when chlorophyll products last circulated. But today, it's going viral thanks to Instagram and Tik-Tok. And it can cure anything! Just as claimed in the 1950s (and nothing came of that, apparently).
According to Jonathan Jarry, M.Sc. at McGill University, eating leafy greens is more effective and cheaper. Green veggies are also more 'natural,' says Jarry because chlorophyll water is not 100% natural. He explains the pigment easily breaks down when extracted from plants. Therefore, to make the chlorophyll more stable and easily dissolve in water, the magnesium it contains is replaced with another element, usually copper. The chlorophyll then becomes chlorophyllin, a semi-synthetic chemical that gives the chlorophyll water its green colour.
Shortly before chlorophyll water was marketed with renewed frenzy, the same happened with celery juice. Dubbed as another 'Superfood' (A very misleading and overrated term, by the way), celery smoothies are said to 'cleanse' your body (whatever that means) to help you regain your health. As if one food alone has that power.
You are wise to include celery in your diet. So munch on a few celery sticks, occasionally. Along with other veggies and fruit. Because it's ALL whole, unrefined foods, working together ensures your good health. And that's the key to lifelong health. Blender not required.
Don't buy into the hype. And incidentally, Jarry says studies have shown very little evidence chlorophyll water does what it claims to do.
So, eat your 'natural' veggies instead.
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
February 15, 2022
Gentle Exercise is healing for chronic illness
Exercise isn’t a pleasant thought if you suffer from chronic pain or fatigue. However, gentle activity will aid in rehabilitation. We were made to move. Movement facilitates the function of every operating system in the human body. Sit still, and you will be ill.
Thirty-five years ago, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), otherwise known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), ended my competitive bodybuilding career. I developed a severe case of laryngitis directly after having my wisdom teeth pulled. After a year of poor sleep and inconsistent eating due to intense workouts, pursuing two busy careers, and raising two young children, I should have expected this. My weakened immune system finally announced, “Enough, you idiot – we’re shutting down!”
For months I could only lie in bed. Just lifting my head off the pillow was a workout. Exercise? I didn’t want to think about it! But I’m glad I forced myself to do very simple, gentle activities. Of course, nutrition and relaxation techniques were also critical in my healing process. But exercise is necessary too and shouldn’t be avoided by those with CFS/ME, Fibromyalgia, Crohn’s Disease, and other immune system disorders. Here’s why;
As the body becomes stronger, energy levels improve, and fatigue may become less frequent and severe. This is because physical activity enlarges mitochondria, the energy-producing part of the cell.
A stronger and more flexible body can help reduce pain in muscles and joints – especially helpful for arthritis.
Studies show regular gentle to moderate exercise strengthens the immune system (intense activities temporarily shut it down).
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Exercise improves mood by sending more oxygen to the brain (which also aids in clearer thinking!), and it stimulates the “feel good,” “painkilling” hormones like endorphins.
Some types of exercise, like Pilates and yoga, are known for their core strengthening abilities. The core muscles include the abdominals, lower back and pelvic area. Strengthening these muscles deep in the torso can be helpful to those with Colitis or Crohn’s disease.
The accomplishment felt after completing a workout or reaching an exercise goal is empowering! This is important for emotional health, often compromised by chronic illness.
Regular exercise promotes deeper sleep.
Exercise offers stress relief. A stronger circulatory system slows the heart rate, so it won’t rise as high and as quickly in response to anxiety situations. As a result, you’re able to keep your cool much easier.
Unfortunately, the chronic pain of most disorders combined with lack of sleep leads to exhaustion, which leads to physical inactivity. This deconditions and weakens the muscles, making the condition worse.
Get gentle exercise, especially on your better days. Pace yourself. Experiment to see how much exercise is right for you. Consult your physician and a Certified Personal Trainer for advice.
Try small amounts of exercise or stretches throughout the day. Being overactive will drain you, but small amounts of light exercise will help improve energy levels by raising metabolic rate. If walking to the mailbox or even around the living room is too fatiguing, don’t push yourself to do more than that at first. Keep walking that short distance each time you exercise, and soon you’ll find you can take a few steps more. Anything is better than nothing.
Here’s an example of a graduated exercise routine: Try to exercise three to five times weekly, depending on your tolerance. On the first day, do about five minutes of an activity such as walking. The next time you exercise, add a minute or two. Keep adding one or two minutes each time you exercise until you are exercising 30-60 minutes. Whenever you find yourself struggling after increasing your time, go back to a length of time that felt comfortable for you. Continue for several workouts before increasing the time.
Other suggestions to keep in mind;
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Get adequate sleep when beginning your exercise program.
Drink enough water. Have one to two glasses before exercise and one or two after exercise to prevent dehydration. This is especially important with the dehydrating effects of Crohn’s Disease or Colitis. Sip small amounts during exercise, too if you like.
Avoid exercising in intense heat.
Relaxation/exercise combinations may help lessen the intensity of symptoms. Activities like yoga or Tai chi improve the body’s strength and endurance while relaxing the body simultaneously. Breathing exercises (meditating, relaxing and visualizing) are also beneficial in controlling chronic pain.
Aerobic activities are well tolerated by those with disorders such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, colitis, or Crohn’s disease. However, aerobic exercise seems to cause relapses for many with CFS. In the early stages of the disorder, it’s best to rest at first, and then attempt exercise when symptoms lessen over time. Researchers suspect CFS is linked to an error in energy metabolism. People with CFS seem better at tolerating stretching or non-aerobic types of exercise like weight training with very light weights. CFS sufferers should experiment cautiously with aerobic activities to see what intensity and time length they can tolerate.
Exercise tolerance can vary day to day. Don’t be disappointed if you can’t seem to tolerate the same routine as at your last exercise session. This is a common occurrence among healthy individuals too.
Pacing yourself is so important! Stop the activity before you feel tired. Even for healthy people, the most important factor in achieving and improving physical health is not how hard you push yourself. Rather it’s how often you exercise. Try to do it regularly.
But having said that, avoid exercise during symptom flare-ups or if you develop a fever. Listen to your body. If you really feel you couldn’t tolerate exercise today, then perhaps do light stretching instead. Expect muscle soreness when you initially begin an exercise program. Even healthy inactive people experience this. However, those with chronic illness may have longer-lasting soreness, particularly with fibromyalgia. To help reduce muscle soreness, stretch briefly before activity, and then spend more time stretching afterward. In addition, apply heat afterward, or soak in a warm bath or a hot tub. Post exercise soreness decreases over time, especially if you listen to your body and pace yourself. Some chronically ill people may always have some soreness, but it’s better to be fit with a little pain, than unfit with lots of pain!
There’s no need to join a gym. You can exercise in the privacy and convenience of your own home. This is comforting for those with colitis who need a bathroom close by. You can try bench stepping, riding an exercise bike, or using a treadmill. Consider also exercising to a DVD or video. Enjoy neighbourhood walks if you’re comfortable venturing outside. For weight training exercises, use your body weight or improvise common household items like soup cans.
Be patient. It may take months, even years to slowly increase the intensity, duration, or frequency of an exercise program, especially for those with compromised health.
Today, I enjoy good health and an active lifestyle. However, even though it’s been over 30 years since developing CFS, I still must monitor the intensity and length of my physical exertions. If I push myself too hard, I’m physically drained for a few days afterward.
There’s no need to stress your body past your individual limit, even if you have good health. Exercise should be enjoyable too. So, get moving and have fun!
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
January 11, 2022
Counting calories is old school
Last month, we took a humorous look at "calories." With this article, we'll take a closer but more serious look at counting calories, especially if you are tired of doing that. Actually, your intuition is far more accurate at determining your energy needs because your body has a built-in calorie counter:
Hunger.
Your hunger signals can be compared to a car's gas gauge. Your body knows when it needs fuel (food) and when it's full. You won't gain excess weight if you listen to your body and never ignore hunger signals.
Naturally slender people usually eat only when their stomach sends hunger pangs (or if they feel hunger in other ways, like light-headedness or sudden fatigue). They intuitively know when their body needs fuel and when it’s had enough. Thin people won't eat if they don't feel like it -- even if they see and smell food -- and they know to stop eating when they're full. And that's a significant factor behind why they never seem to gain excess weight. It's the consistent non-hunger eating that packs on the pounds!
Unfortunately, we can lose our born instinct and our discipline to acknowledge when we are hungry and when we are full. Instead, we develop habits, like eating when the clock tells us it's time to eat or being forced to clean our plate as children. And society's perception of appearance teaches us to ignore our hunger and stick to a diet.
However, ignoring hunger signals won't help you lose weight and keep it off. Instead, it can make you more efficient at storing body fat and less efficient at utilizing it.
When your body signals hunger, it's telling you it needs fuel (food) for energy. But if you don't give it any, it senses a state of "famine." If this happens too often, the body eventually learns to hang on to body fat because fat is the preferred long-term fuel source. This is a genetic defence mechanism we all have. It was once necessary for survival – when food was often scarce.
With today's food availability, this defence system is no longer necessary. But there's no way to shut it off. This survival trait is one cause of binges and the repetitive weight gain/loss cycle. And it's the major reason why diets don't work – because calorie restriction creates hunger.
Normal, attuned eaters eat when hungry and stop when satisfied most of the time. Even though they may occasionally eat when not hungry or overeat at times, they usually do not eat again until hungry. Their bodies automatically balance out their calories in this way, and they don't gain weight.
Be prepared for unexpected hunger signals by preparing healthy foods ahead of time and arranging take-along snacks. Choose to eat as healthfully as possible to ensure your body receives all the nutrients it needs to sustain life.
Listen to your body. Eat only when hungry and stop when you are full. This may help you develop the habits of naturally thin people. If you need assistance with Intuitive Eating, consult a Registered Dietitian (RD): https://members.dietitians.ca/DCMember/s/find-dietitian?language=en_US
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
December 07, 2021
Having fun with ‘calories’
Here’s some nonsense about calories to give you a chuckle while you’re changing your eating habits. And hopefully, you are changing those habits to more nutritious ones!
If no one sees you eating something, it has no calories.
Whatever you eat that is on another person’s plate has no calories because the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will stick to their plate.
If you eat food directly from the fridge (without putting it on a plate), it does not contain any calories. Remember, calories stick to plates.
Anything you eat while you are standing has no calories.
Food that serves a medicinal purpose does not have any calories, such as ice cream, Oreo cookies, or coffee with Baileys.
Cake and cookie crumbs have no calories. When a food crumbles, it has been damaged and there is extensive calorie leakage.
A carbonated beverage cancels out the calories in a chocolate bar when you consume them together (you basically burp out the calories).
There are no calories in anything you lick out of a bowl or off a spoon or knife while you are baking.
Your body will not absorb calories if you eat with someone larger and/or heavier than you are. Through the process of osmosis, the calories are drawn from areas of lower concentration (you) to areas of higher concentration (your heavier eating partner).
All kidding aside, most of us are too obsessed with food and dieting. The desires and the denials are the surest way to hang on to your excess weight. Lighten up with your eating habits. Don’t go on a DIET. Eat healthier food choices most of the time, choosing (more often) the foods that have not been changed too drastically (highly refined). Do this, and you can indulge occasionally.
Incidentally, counting calories is ‘old school.’ Listening to your intuition is a more accurate way to gauge how much fuel you need (measured as calories). Eat when you are hungry, not when the clock tells you it is time to eat. And never ignore hunger pangs: If you do not eat when your body wants food, your body senses a famine is coming and will conserve your energy by slowing your metabolic rate. With a slow metabolism (the speed of your internal activity), you’ll become less efficient at burning calories, and that includes burning up stored body fat!
Visit with a Registered Dietician if you need credible nutrition information, especially if you need help getting rid of those negative, limiting beliefs you may have about food.
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
November 03,2021
Don't hate potatoes
If potatoes are a vegetable and vegetables are supposed to be healthy, why are many sources saying potatoes aren't good for us?
Potatoes ARE good for us. They are a rich source of potassium as well as vitamin C and B vitamins. They are also a good source of fibre. And if you are physically active, they provide vital food energy.
However, because this vegetable offers a high amount of 'calories,' mainly as carbohydrate, we are wise to consider potatoes more a complex carb or a starchy carb choice, rather than a 'vegetable' choice. So, think of potatoes as an alternative to other starchy root vegetables or in place of rice and other whole grains. Keep your 'vegetable' choices as the lower-calorie and lower-carb veggies – choosing more often those that are brightly coloured (fruits and vegetables richer in colour usually offer more antioxidants like carotenoids).
Much of the potatoes' lousy reputation stems from the current belief that 'carbs' are bad for us. Non-refined or unchanged complex carbs offer lots of nutrients and provide a slowly released energy source, keeping our blood sugar levels stable. The highly changed or refined complex carbs that lack nutrients cause a blood sugar surge because they are so quickly absorbed. Therefore, whole, unchanged carbs aren't the problem. It's the refined carbs we need to minimize.
Some avoid potatoes because of their high glycemic index (a rating of how quickly a food is absorbed compared to table sugar). However, the glycemic index is much lower when potatoes are eaten with a full meal or with the skin left on. In any case, recent research finds the glycemic index rating of foods is inaccurate. In addition, we each absorb foods differently: potatoes – when eaten by themselves without other foods to buffer its glycemic effect – may raise blood sugar levels in some individuals but not in others.
Potatoes also have a bad rap simply because we tend to overeat them. Overeating any single food will risk limiting the wide variety of nutrients we need to be healthy – especially when you fill up on the higher calorie vegetables like potatoes. And face it, we are a "potato" eating population: Baked, fried, or boiled, potatoes are the most commonly served complex carbohydrate (or starchy root vegetable) on any restaurant menu.
Vary your choices if you think you eat too many potatoes. Enjoy other healthy complex carbohydrate choices: try sweet potato, jicama or turnip, cassava, taro, or the many varieties of winter squash. And there are also many varieties of potato: purple, yellow, russet, etc. Change them up often. Wash the skin well and eat that too for more fibre (and other nutrients we haven't identified yet). Bake, broil but avoid deep frying (oven roast your "fries" instead).
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. www.artnews-healthnews.com
October 06, 2021
Stair Stepping
Stepping on a single stair step is a convenient workout done anywhere, even at the office. It can be the “cardio” part of your regular workout for heart/lung benefits. Or do shorter sessions throughout the day (even at the office) to strengthen leg muscles and burn calories. For example, a 135 lb person can burn about 150 calories in 20 minutes of stair-stepping.
Begin with a seven-inch height or less. A higher platform quickly exhausts those who are unfit and may cause injury. Use a sturdy box or the bottom step of a staircase (the standard stair step height is about seven inches). Gradually increase the height as fitness improves, but never higher than a height that causes the knees to bend more than 90 degrees.
Use the proper technique to avoid injury: Place the entire foot on the step to distribute body weight evenly over the whole foot. When stepping off the platform, step down, not back (always land with toes close to the step’s base) — reaching too far back with the leading leg when stepping down results in sore calves. It also makes the body lean forward, putting more stress on the low back and ball of the foot.
Step up with your left foot and then up with the right. Next, step down with the left and follow with the right (change the leading foot periodically). Repeat this stepping pattern at a steady, controlled pace. A general recommendation is approximately 118 - 120 steps per minute. To make the workout harder (and still keep it safe), add more arm movement instead of increasing speed.
For quick calorie-burn breaks at home or at the office, step for several two-minute sessions throughout the day. But slip into supportive shoes first to absorb the repetitive shock on your feet, calves and knees: Cross-training or aerobic shoes offer adequate shock absorbency and stability due to the wider heel. And don’t forget to do a few leg stretches afterward.
If you have chronic pain under or around the kneecap, stepping may not be a suitable exercise for you.
Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publications and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics. https://www.artnews-healthnews.com/health-writing
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