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Archive for Uncategorized – Page 2

Exercise – the Medicine you NEED to manage Blood Pressure!

Posted on May 1, 2018
by Keara
No Comments

 

The heart is the most important muscle in your body. And just like any other muscle, your biceps for example, you need to work it to keep it strong!

Herein lays the reason to get up, move your body, and exercise for Heart Health benefits!

When your heart beats, it pumps blood around your body, transporting oxygen & energy where it is needed. Pressure from the heart beat is needed to make blood circulate – this pressure of blood flow causes resistance against the walls of your blood vessels and is considered your blood pressure!

A healthy heart pumps blood around easily, at a low pressure against vessel walls. Blood pressure readings at or below 120/80mmHg is considered good low blood pressure. High blood pressure means that your heart must pump harder and there is an increased resistance on the blood vessels. Having a blood pressure reading at or over 140/90mmHg puts you in a high risk category, and should be treated to lower those numbers.

Think of your blood vessels as a garden hose. If you block an end of the garden hose with your finger, the pressure of water inside the hose increases. This is similar to how blood pressure is affected by a blockage or narrowing of the blood vessel. If there is increased stiffness or narrowing of the blood vessel itself, there is a smaller “tube” for the heart to pump the same amount of blood through and an increase in pressure!

We need to be proactive in ways to maintain good heart & blood vessel health. Lifestyle plays a major role in managing your blood pressure. If you can successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you might avoid, delay, or reduce the need for medication!

In this grand spectrum of “Healthy Living”, is exercise. Exercise, more specifically cardiovascular exercise, is known to improve the strength of the heart and decrease the stiffness of the vessels. A stronger heart can pump blood more efficiently! Cardiovascular exercise is considered any form of aerobic activity – walking, running, cycling, fitness classes, etc.

Canadian guidelines suggest at least 150 minutes (equates to 30 minutes 5 times per week) of aerobic exercise accumulated per week!

That being said, resistance training is also known to decrease blood pressure! Stronger postural muscles help in keeping blood flowing throughout the body.

So, what are you waiting for?! Keep it simple – even a 15 minute walk around the block twice in your work day will help decrease your blood pressure & heart disease risk!

Uncategorized

21 Mindful Days – Day 5 – Tune into your breath

Posted on April 26, 2018
by Tara Lowry
No Comments

 

Our breath is one of our most powerful tools for mindfulness, as well as for fitness. When you’re at peak exertion during a workout and think you can’t do it anymore, deepen and bring awareness to your breath. It will lessen your perception of work and help get you through. In terms of mindfulness, your breath is something that is always available to you and will always bring you into the present moment. During your workout, keep checking back in with your breath. Use it as a reminder to come back into your body if your mind wanders off.

Uncategorized

21 Mindful Days-Day 4 – Let go and just BE

Posted on April 24, 2018
by Tara Lowry
No Comments

People often refer to being “in the zone” when they work out. This is a sense of being completely present while slowing down the working of the mind. It’s about synchronizing body and mind and holding an open awareness—an awareness that is natural to us, but often gets clouded over by busy thoughts

Uncategorized

21 Mindful Days – Day 3 – Leave Your Phone Alone

Posted on April 19, 2018
by Tara Lowry
No Comments

Use your workout as a break from the distraction of your phone. Give yourself the time and space to be fully there, dedicated to that workout. You deserve it! Avoid multitasking. Your workout will suffer if you’re answering emails or texts, on social media, or even just giving in to the urge to frequently check your phone.

Uncategorized

21 Mindful Days – Day 1 Posture

Posted on April 17, 2018
by Tara Lowry
No Comments

Practice Posture

 

Correct posture allows your body to function at its best during any given exercise. During your workout, utilize tools – such as mirrors, a workout partner or a Curtis Health professional – to ensure your body is properly aligned. Every move you makes creates a domino effect through your muscles and joints, this is a concept known as The Kinetic Chain. Performing an exercise with proper posture ensures you are functioning optimally and significantly lowering your chance of injury. This not only furthers your progress, but can also lessen muscle and joint pain during your regular daily activities. It seems like a lot to think about but with practice, this will soon become second nature!

Uncategorized

Understanding Stress

Posted on March 28, 2018
by Caroline Collins
No Comments

Everyone at some point or another has experienced symptoms of stress. Stress is a word we use to describe both how we feel and what is happening around us. There are many levels of stress, both positive and negative. Some of the positive stresses include the anticipation of an exciting event, the pursuit of a goal, or even a challenging workout. Some of the negative sources of stress include the heavy pressures we can feel from the outside world and those we place on ourselves.

Why do we stress?

While we relate to the symptoms and triggers of stress, understanding what is happening on a physiological level is an important piece in better managing stress.  Let’s take a closer look at the purpose of stress. Stress is a survival response. It is a programmed instinct to survive in the presence of danger. This is a valuable and necessary trait, but issues arise when this response is over productive, causing our health to suffer.

Our world has changed immensely over the course of human history.  Our physical survival is not threatened the way it was thousands of years ago.  However, our physiological response to stress remains the same.

Unfortunately, today’s high pace creates an onslaught of potential stress triggers. While we may consider stress a part of life, the fact remains that our physiology doesn’t understand the difference between some of these triggers and a life threatening situation.

The good news is we can use this knowledge as power and begin to take stress management more seriously. We can make stress reduction a priority and employ tools to act vs. react to situations. Stay tuned for much more on Mindfulness from Curtis Health!

by Caroline Cretien

Curtis Health

Mind/Body Wellness, Mindset, Uncategorized

The Coconut Oil Controversy

Posted on February 27, 2018
by Bettina Mackenbach
No Comments

Do we have a final verdict on the health benefits of coconut oil?

Recently, some companies have used coconut oil as the new superfood ingredient in their products as a selling point. But, how good is coconut oil for us?

Potential health hazards of coconut oil are that 92% of its chemical structure is classified as a saturated fat, even higher than butter, and could thus lead to elevated cholesterol levels.

Most of the health benefits attributed to coconut oil are associated with its high content of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). The primary MCFA in coconut oil is lauric acid which mimics healthy unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and fish oil, by boosting good HDL cholesterol.

Reducing dietary fat has been a goal when it comes to reducing the risk of heart disease. However, this is changing and fat can no longer be viewed as the major culprit leading to cardiovascular disease.

Results of a meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010 showed that there is no significant evidence that dietary saturated fat increases risk of coronary heart disease. The analysis covered 21 studies involving 347,747 people.

A scientific report released in February 2015 by the American government’s influential Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee stated that “available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol and  that “dietary advice should put the emphasis on optimizing types of dietary fat and not reducing total fat.”

Interestingly, the Committee also reported that low-fat diets, where fats are often substituted by refined carbohydrates, were associated with high elevated cholesterol levels.

The fact is that coconut oil is very energy dense but, unlike other oils, it does not provide any additional vitamins or polyphenol antioxidant compounds like the ones found in olive oil.

The final verdict for now is that there is not enough scientific evidence to promote the use of coconut oil over other oils.  Consuming fats in moderation and limiting consumption of saturated fat to 10 percent of total calories is our safest bet while keeping an eye on upcoming research.

Bettina M.

Registered Dietitian, Certified Health & Wellness Coach

Corporate Wellness, Mind/Body Wellness, Nutrition and Exercise, Uncategorized

Mindfulness vs. Relaxation

Posted on February 22, 2018
by Tara Lowry
No Comments

Is Being Mindful and Relaxed the Same Thing?

The short answer is “no”.

Simply put, being mindful is being aware, and being relaxed is to be free of tension.

Being mindful is to become aware of how you are feeling physically, emotionally, mentally, and increasing awareness of your environment. Being mindful is tuning in to how you are experiencing the present moment and reserving judgment. That might mean becoming aware that you are pretty chilled out, or the exact opposite, maybe you’re all revved up!

Relaxation is a whole different thing. Relaxation is the state of being free from tension. This could be physically or mentally.

Why do we the two get confused?

Many people use mindfulness practices to identify areas of tension to help them relax.  For example, if I sit back, and pay attention to my shoulders and neck, I may notice that I’m tensing up my muscles, and that this is giving me a headache. So with this awareness, I decide to roll my shoulders back a few times, take a couple of deep breaths, and purposely allow these muscles to relax. Often too, the product of a mindful practice is to become relaxed. As we focus on the here and now, and accept and acknowledge our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, we can help to capture a mind that might easily wander into anxiety. This may help us relax.

So with this in mind, why not take 2 minutes to become more aware of the present moment. Scan your body for tension, identify the noises around you, or allow your eyes to rest on your favorite color in the room. Maybe you’ll relax, or maybe you’ll become re-energized for the rest of your day!

Nicole Wutschnik

Certified Personal Trainer

Certified Group Fitness Instructor

 

Uncategorized

Is your gadget causing a mindfulness glitch?

Posted on January 17, 2018
by Tara Lowry
No Comments

Wearable tech. Apps. Trackers. They are immensely popular in the health and fitness industry. They can help us stay on track with our goals, measure progress and monitor intensity. There are even apps to help us maintain a meditation practice. We have grown keen to earn our steps for the day, burn our daily output of calories, and earn the various points we are seeking. This has changed the world of health and fitness. It has been a catalyst of positive change for many.

In the meantime, as the use of wearable tech and apps has been expanding, a mindfulness movement has also been building. The focus of mindfulness is evident in scientific research studies, growing awareness and sensitivity to mental health issues, as well as in practical use by individuals, groups and corporations.

Naturally, many people are combining their love of tech and mind-body practices. Why not check off multiple boxes by measuring calorie burn in Yoga…while exhaling the stress away? Or track your movement in Pilates…while finding your center? Seems productive, right?!

Sometimes less is more. If your tech is pulling you out of the present moment, causing an obsession, or keeping you from being mindful, you could be sabotaging some of the benefits you deserve. Consider your tech beeping at you in class to work harder, or move faster. Or contemplate the nagging habit of frequently checking your device during class. This could be distracting- not only to you, but to others in the class.

Mindfulness asks us to focus on one task at a time, so we may become more aware moment by moment. With practice, this brings more clarity and richness to our experiences.

It may be time for us to evaluate whether we have an attachment to our gadgets, and ask ourselves if that may be causing a glitch in our mindfulness practice.

Perhaps reserving our tech for certain times, and having other times where we are tech and screen free, can serve us more in our pursuit of balance as healthy, fit and mindful individuals.

Caroline Chretien
Yoga Teacher, Mindfulness Mentor
BCRPA SFL- Yoga/Group Fitness, Personal Trainer

Mind/Body Wellness, Mindset, Uncategorized

2018 – Ready Set Go! Tips for Fitness & Health Success

Posted on January 15, 2018
by Tara Lowry
No Comments

For more than 30 years I have witnessed bulging Fitness classes full of “New Year’s people”, drizzle by Valentine’s Day to the ” regulars”,  plus two or three keeners who stuck with their resolutions.

This year I was inspired by an article I read on Fitness Trackers to share some tips on successful goal attainment based on my long term experience as a Fitness Leader and Personal Trainer.  Why is it that so many people start January pumped full of enthusiasm to get in shape only to end up watching TV and eating chocolates by Valentine’s Day?

Who doesn’t want to be healthier, but just saying it does not make it so.  You can’t just wake up one day, go to the airport and get on a plane to Hawaii to compete in the Ironman.  This goal takes time and step by step planning to train, qualify, and complete.  There is a step by step process involved.  Stop thinking of getting in shape as a resolution and more of a lifestyle.  Just like a trip, retirement or a wedding; planning can aid in a successful outcome.

Here are 7 tips to help you with your New Year’s Wellness Goals

  • Visualizing and thinking BIG is awesome – but be realistic when you write down what you want to accomplish and your time lines in getting there. Think about how long it took you to get this out of shape.
  • Make a list of steps to reach your goal, use an APP, a piece of paper or your calendar. One of the repeated steps is evaluation. Once a week, pause, and reflect on how you are doing so you can stay on track.  Reinforce positive behaviours and celebrate milestones.
  • How will you know how you are doing if you do not have a starting point?  A lot of people weigh themselves but what about checking your glucose levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, body fat, target and training heart rates.  Pick numbers that are pertinent to your goals and your situation.  Re-measure in appropriate time lines.
  • Join a group real or virtual.  Hang out with positive, active, healthy people.
  • Get help from a professional. As a Personal Trainer I watch my client’s heart rate monitor so I can give them an excellent exercise session, perfect for their needs.  If you have a heart rate monitor, Fitbit or other device that measures your pulse, book a session with a Personal Trainer to learn how you can use this info to get a great workout.  Make a list of all your questions and get professional advice specific for your health.
  • A Registered Dietician or Registered Holistic Nutritionist can help you with your nutrition challenges. Have you tried weekly food preparation?  I have seen much success in improved nutrition and weight loss with simple grocery shopping lists, planned meals and food packaging once or twice a week. Simplify your food to grab & go and pre-prepared options.
  • Got a lot to balance? A Life Coach or Psychologist can help you from feeling overwhelmed. The number one excuse I hear preventing people from healthy eating and regular exercise is, “I don’t have time”.  When will you have time?  Make yourself a priority and you will soon be celebrating your success.

 

Laurie B,

CanFitPro Personal Trainer and BCRPA TFL

Uncategorized
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