As we age, we naturally tend to lose muscle mass and bone mass, which is often accompanied with body fat gain. Changes in our nervous system and sensory functioning can further impact coordination and efficient muscle use. Heart rate also slows down as we get older and blood pressure increases resulting in decrease in cardio respiratory fitness. Our metabolism slows down because we don’t use oxygen as efficiently. Many of these changes can be counteracted by various forms of exercise, with Pilates being among the safest one of them.

What are the benefits of practicing Pilates as we get older? Pilates improves body awareness, flexibility, muscle strength and balance. These attributes work together to counteract the passing of time in the body. For the less young, practicing Pilates can help:

- Combat the “rounded shoulders” syndrome through improved posture
- Decrease the risk of thoracic kyphosis, osteoporosis, and osteopenia by improving bone health
- Decrease the risk of vertebral fractures by developing strong muscles and balance
- Decrease or eliminate, back pain by developing strong core muscles
- Increase circulation and overall feeling of health and wellness

The key to permanent weight loss is a combination of calorie loss and muscle gain. While we all know that ultimately, weight loss is caused by a deficit in calories, calories lost alone will not help us keep the weight off for long. In fact, if we want to keep the weight lost from coming back to haunt us, we have to increase our resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is the pace our body burns calories at rest. How do we increase our resting metabolic rate? We do that by increasing muscle mass in our body.

Muscles burn more calories than fat. Adding muscle raises our RMR and greatly increases the chance that the weight loss (more accurately fat loss) will be maintained. Keep in mind that on average, every pound of muscle in our body burns about 35 calories per day.

Let’s use an example to understand how this works. If someone says he has lost 12 pounds in two weeks on a low-calorie diet, about 25 percent of the weight loss may be muscle (Ballor & Polehlman 1994). This means that the 12 pounds lost are 3 pounds of muscle and 9 pounds of fat. If on average one pound of muscle burns 35 calories per day, by losing 3 pounds of muscle you would be burning 105 less calories per day or 3150 per month. Since there are 3500 calories in a pound of fat, you would gain almost one pound of fat per month just from the muscle mass that you lost! This means that by just focusing the diet on calorie intake, you would be re-gaining back the 12 pounds lost in just about 12 months! Losing muscle is a bad thing.

So, what’s important to successfully losing weight and keeping it off long term is a healthy, controlled diet combined with consistent aerobic exercise and strength training. Strength training while dieting is as important, maybe even more important to successful fat loss than aerobic exercise. Strength training builds muscle which in turn increases the RMR permanently. The RMR accounts for 60 to 75 percent of your daily calorie expenditure, so even a modest increase will help burn off more fat.

Pilates is a fantastic form of strength training. Pilates builds lean, strong muscle as opposed to weight lifting that builds bulky muscle. Keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat. So, if your goal is losing weight, building lean muscle will help you reach and maintain your goal.

Please Read This It has a great message

LET IT REALLY SINK IN…… THEN CHOOSE ..

John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, ”If I were any better, I would be twins!”

He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, ”I don”t get it!”

”You can”t be a positive person all of the time.
How do you do it?”

He replied, ”Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or…you can choose to be in a bad mood

I choose to be in a good mood.”

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or…I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or…I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

”Yeah, right, it’’s not that easy,” I protested.

”Yes, it is,” he said. ”Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.

You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It’’s your choice how you live your life.”

I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

I saw him about six months after the accident.

When I asked him how he was, he replied, ”If I were any better, I”d be twins…Wanna see my scars?”

I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

”The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,” he replied. ”Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or…I could choose to die. I chose to live.”

”Weren”t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked.

He continued, ”…the paramedics were great.

They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read ”he’’s a dead man”. I knew I needed to take action.”

”What did you do?” I asked.

”Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,” said John. ”She asked if I was allergic to anything ”Yes, I replied.” The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, ”Gravity””

Over their laughter, I told them, ”I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.”

He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude….I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34.

After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

You have two choices now:

01. Ignore this
02. Forward it to the people you care about.
(May I suggest your children be apart of that group?)

You know the choice I made.

Besides reducing our exposure to allergens the best thing we can do to limit our suffering is to improve our body”’’s ability to handle allergic exposures.  Here are some simple ways to help balance your immune response.

Digestion

The digestive system contains 78% of our immune cells. Incomplete digestion of food, increased intestinal permeability and food sensitivities can place a burden on our immune system.

o       Improve your digestion by eating slowly in a relaxed environment and chew your food really well.

o       Be conscious of any foods or chemicals that may be irritating to your system and avoid them as much as possible.

o       Probiotics and digestive enzymes could also help the gut digest better and therefore  reduce the strain on the immune system

Hydration

Adequate hydration plays a role in proper immune function.  Getting an average of 2 quarts a day is recommended and it doesn””t have to come just from water.  Any decaffeinated fluid, including soups and smoothies, will count toward your hydration needs for the day.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Focus on foods that decrease inflammation in the body, thereby tempering the immune response.  Because this is such an interesting area of nutrition science I will devote a future article to cover this topic in more detail.  For now, these suggestions will get you started on an anti-inflammatory diet.

o       Fruits, vegetables, and omega 3 fats (found in fish, flax, walnuts, canola oil and dark green veggies) will be your best defense against inflammation.

o       A variety of culinary spices and herbs are also anti-inflammatory.

o       Foods rich in omega 9 oils (olive oil, avocados, almonds) will also help squelch inflammation.

Herbal Support – Drink Nettles Tea

Stinging nettles are not only rich in minerals, like iron and calcium, but it is a fabulous herb for seasonal allergies.

Nettles Infusion

1 quart room temperature water

4 tablespoons dried nettles

Let the nettles and water sit over night in a quart glass mason jar. In the morning strain the herb out and drink the quart of nettles infusion over the next two days.

Nutrition Consultations are available at Synergy+ with Dionne Detraz, RD.

Contact Dionne directly to schedule an appointment at 415-250-0567 or dionnedetraz@comcast.net.

Tip 1: Healthy Eating – is essential this time of year to feed our bodies with the nutrients necessary to maintain a strong immunity.  Fruits, vegetables and whole grains will be your best sources of antioxidants while eggs, cheese, mushrooms, fish liver oil and fortified foods will be your best source of vitamin D when the sun is not high enough to help us produce adequate amounts.   If you do not already take one, you may want to consider a multivitamin/mineral supplement.

In addition to the vitamin D rich foods try to include the following foods daily:

• Vitamin C rich – citrus fruits, pomegranates, cranberries, broccoli
• Vitamin A rich – yellow/orange winter squash, carrots, yams, leafy greens

Tip 2: Hydration – is also important this time of year; particularly if you are sick.  Getting an average of 2 quarts a day is recommended and it does not have to come just from water.  When it is cold outside it is actually better to drink warm fluids like broth and herbal teas.

Tip 3: Stress – can put an extra burden on our bodies and decrease our immunity.  Managing stress, particularly around the holidays when our schedules get hectic and we have more late nights, is essential in keeping our selves healthy.  Adding tools like deep breathing, meditation, yoga or even a warm bath with essential oils can help.

Tip 4: Sleep – is critical to keep our immunity strong.  We actually repair and rebuild our cells at night while we are sleeping.  At the first sign of a cold or flu sometimes going back to bed can be all that is needed to stave off a more serious illness.

Tip 5: Wash Hands – as often as possible to help reduce the transmission of viruses and bacteria.  Soap with essential oils and hot water will do the trick.

Tip 6: Immune Boosters - the following can be added for extra assistance

• Antimicrobial Foods – garlic, onion, mushrooms, lemon, honey
• Herbal Immune Stimulants (can add to food when cooking) – astragalus root, burdock root, ginger root, cayenne pepper, turmeric
• Probiotics – the good bugs in your gut also work to increase your immunity
• Cold & Flu Prevention Drink: 1 cup lemon juice, 5 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1/8 tsp cayenne, honey and water to taste

Nutrition Consultations are available at Synergy+ with Dionne Detraz, RD.

Contact Dionne directly to schedule an appointment at 415-250-0567 or dionnedetraz@comcast.net.

1.      Choose whole foods whenever possible.  Foods found as close as possible to their natural state are not only healthier for us but less expensive.  As food becomes more processed, more refined the price increases.

2.      Have plants be the focus of your meal.  Plant foods such as whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables provide a lot of important nutrition and generally cost much less than animal foods.

3.      Find your way back to the kitchen.  Not only will you have more control over what you””re eating but you””ll save a lot of money by cooking at home.  This also includes spending a little more time in the kitchen preparing food.  Pre-washed, pre-cut, pre-prepared foods always cost more.  What you save in convenience you will make up for in cost.  Additionally this includes cooking when you have the time and keeping ready-to-go foods in your freezer instead of take-out on nights that you don””t have time to cook.

4.      Appropriate portion sizes.  By eating only as much as you need you will save money and save inches around your waist.

5.      Less “Empty-Calorie” foods, like chips, soda, cookies and candy will improve your health and prevent unnecessary spending.  You can buy a lot of apples, carrots, potatoes, bananas, etc for the price of a large bag of chips or a box of cookies.

6.      More water.  Don””t waste money on beverages.  Water is the best source of hydration and the cheapest.  Buy a reusable water bottle and a filter if you””re concerned about the water quality from your tap.  You can also make your own ice tea, lemonade or even smoothies if that”’’s where you spend your money.

7.      Plan your meals.  It is important to plan ahead, buy what you need and ultimately decrease the number of times you have to swing by the grocery store in a week.  The more you plan ahead the more money you””ll save and the better you will be able to stick to you healthy eating plan.  Don””t forget about breakfasts, lunches and snacks too.

8.      Stick to a list.  Once you””ve planned your meals check your pantry, freezer, and refrigerator take note of things you have so you won””t buy extras of things you don””t need.  At the grocery store don””t be tempted by all the fancy signs, displays and product sampling.  Stick to your list and resist temptations.

9.      Check unit pricing.  The unit price of an item is found on the grocery store shelf and generally below the item.  This tells you how much you spend per unit.  An item that is “on sale” may still have a higher per unit price that the product that is not on sale.

10.  Buy produce in season.  Seasonal produce is not only tastier and arguably more nutritious but it is also more affordable.  Consider canned or frozen fruits and vegetables when they are no longer in season.  In the winter time, don””t waste money on mediocre tomatoes from Central America buy them canned.

11.  Use coupons and sales wisely.  Plan ahead to incorporate sale items into your week”’’s meal plan.  Don””t be tempted by sale items just because they are a good deal if you won””t actually eat them before they go bad.

12.  Wasted Food = Wasted Money! At the end of the day you want to use what you bought.  Don””t let food get lost and spoil in your refrigerator or cupboards.  Only buy what you need and make it a point to incorporate leftovers into your meal plan.  Be creative and find other uses for food.  For example, overripe fruit can be used for smoothies or muffins and stale bread makes great breadcrumbs.

Nutrition Consultations are available at Synergy+ with Dionne Detraz, RD.

Contact Dionne directly to schedule an appointment at 415-250-0567 or dionnedetraz@comcast.net.

Check the Ingredients – The ingredients will be listed below the label and in the order of the amount used in the product. If the primary ingredient in the product is wheat, then that will be listed first. Look for ingredients that you recognize, particularly “whole grain”. If the list is full of chemical names that you can’t pronounce then this is a red flag that the item is full of preservatives, additives, coloring, flavoring, etc; in other words foods not found in nature. You also want to be on the look-out for the many disguises of sugar. It might be listed as high fructose corn syrup, corn sweetener, dehydrated cane juice, dextrin, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, honey, lactose, rice syrup, maltodextrin, maltose (basically anything ending in –ose). Scan the list for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. These are trans fats that are best to be avoided in your diet as much as possible.

Apply the 5 / 20 Rule – All those grams per serving can be confusing to interpret. An easier way is to use % Daily Value. The rule is that anything listed as 5% or less is considered “Low” and anything listed as 20% or higher is considered “High”. This trick can help you quickly decide whether the item is low in fat, low in sodium or high in fiber; hallmarks of a healthier food choice.

Evaluate the Serving Size – The final piece of information that needs analyzing is the serving size. It’s important to keep in mind that the serving size is often smaller than the whole bag, package or can and it varies among different food products. In the example to the left the serving size is only ½ cup and there are 4 in the entire container. If you were to eat the entire item you would need to multiply all the calorie and nutrient information by 4; consuming a total of 360 calories, 12 g of fat, and 1200 mg of sodium from that food choice.

Nutrition Consultations are available at Synergy+ with Dionne Detraz, RD.

Contact Dionne directly to schedule an appointment at 415-250-0567 or dionnedetraz@comcast.net.

by Mark Stibich.

Sleep, we all love it, especially when you wake up from a great night of sleep. In the past, sleep was often ignored by doctors and surrounded by myths, but now we are beginning to understand the importance of sleep to overall health and well-being. In fact, when people get less than 6 or 7 hours of sleep each night, their risk for developing diseases begins to increase.

1. Sleep Keeps Your Heart Healthy

Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

2. Sleep May Prevent Cancer

People working the late shift have a higher risk for breast and colon cancer. Researchers believe this link is caused by differing levels of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night. Light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that both makes us sleepy and is thought to protect against cancer. Melatonin appears to suppress the growth of tumors. Be sure that your bedroom is dark to help your body produce the melatonin it needs.

3. Sleep Reduces Stress

When your body is sleep deficient, it goes into a state of stress. The functions of the body are put on high alert which causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones. Higher blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, unfortunately, make it harder for you to sleep.

4. Sleep Reduces Inflammation

The increase in stress hormones raises the level of inflammation in your body, also creating more risk for heart-related conditions, as well as cancer and diabetes. Inflammation is thought to one of the causes of the deterioration of your body as you age.

5. Sleep Makes You More Alert

Of course, a good night of sleep makes you feel energized and alert the next day. Being engaged and active not only feels great, it increases your chances for another good night of sleep. When you wake up feeling refreshed, use that energy to get out into the daylight, do active things, and be engaged in your world. You will sleep better the next night and increase your daily energy level.

6. Sleep Bolsters Your Memory

Researchers do not fully understand why we sleep and dream, but a process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep. While your body may be resting, your brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. Your dreams and deep sleep are an important time for your brain to make memories and links. Getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better.

7. Sleep May Help You Lose Weight

Researchers have also found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. It is thought that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. So if you are interested in controlling or losing weight, do not forget to pay attention to getting a good night of sleep.

8. Naps Make You Smarter

Napping during the day is not only an effective and refreshing alternative to caffeine, it can also protect your health and make you more productive. A study of 24,000 Greek adults showed that people who napped several times a week had a lower risk for dying from heart disease. People who nap at work have much lower levels of stress. Napping also improves memory, cognitive function and mood.

9. Sleep May Reduce Your Risk for Depression

Sleep impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression. You can help to prevent depression by making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep, between 7 and 9 hours each night.

10. Sleep Helps the Body Make Repairs

Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage.

Winter
Fruits – Apples, Cranberry, Dates, Dried Fruits, Grapes, Jicama, Kiwi, Kumquat, Mandarins, Oranges, Pear, Persimmon, Pomegranate, Tangerines
Vegetables – Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chard, Garlic, Ginger, Kale, Leeks, Onions, Parsnip, Potatoes, Sea Vegetables, Spinach, Sprouts, Squash, Sweet Potato, Turnip, Yams

Spring
Fruits – Avocado, Dates, Grapefruit, Jicama, Lemon, Lime, Olive, Orange, Plum, Strawberry, Tangerines
Vegetables – Artichoke, Asparagus, Beets, Beet Greens, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Celery, Chard, Chives, Cilantro, Collard Greens, Dandelion Greens, Green Onion, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Parsley, Peas, Radish, Spinach, Sprouts, Sugar Peas, Watercress

Summer
Fruits – Apricot, Avocado, Berries, Fig, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Melons, Nectarine, Orange, Peach, Pear, Plum, Prickly Pear, Tangerine, Tropical Fruits (Banana, Guava, Mango, Papaya, Passion fruit, Pineapple)
Vegetables – Artichoke, Beet, Bell Pepper, Cabbage, Celery, Chili Pepper, Chives, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Green Beans, Green Peas, Lettuce, Okra, Parsley, Radish, Rhubarb, Spinach, Soft Squash, Sugar Peas, Tomato, Watercress

Autumn
Fruits – Apples, Blackberry, Cranberry, Dates, Figs, Grapes, Jicama, Mandarins, Melons, Persimmon, Plum, Pomegranate
Vegetables – Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Gingerroot, Leeks, Lettuce, Okra, Onions, Parsnips, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Rutabaga, Shallot, Spinach, All Squash, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Turnip, Yam

Nutrition Consultations are available at Synergy+ with Dionne Detraz, RD.  Contact Dionne directly to schedule an appointment at 415-250-0567 or at dionnedetraz@comcast.net.

“I must be right. Never an aspirin. Never injured a day in my life. The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They would be happier.”

Joseph Hubertus Pilates.

Named after its creator Joseph Pilates, Pilates is a series of exercises that focus on stretching and toning muscles. While most people believe Pilates is an exercise regimen primarily concerned with enhancing core muscle strength, it is so much more!

The main principles of Pilates, including flow of movement, centering, stability, and control of breathing, have the combined objective to restore the body to a place of balance by gaining healthy postural alignment, relieving overworked muscles, and gaining spinal mobility. Finding and utilizing one’s core strength allow for greater ease and freedom in movement. Workouts are performed on specialized, spring-based resistance equipment as well as on the mat. By toning and aligning the body through the use of Pilates, the goal of Pilates is to enhance movement, fitness and health in all areas of your life. Pilates is also an excellent method of injury rehabilitation spanning from back pain to brain damage. It addresses chronic symptoms and its exercises help treat joint problems and muscular tension.

Who can benefit from Pilates? Anyone. Whether one is young or old, super fit or convalescing from an injury, the main benefits of Pilates are:

• Improve Athletic Performance
• Increase Power
• Develop Body Awareness
• Develop Posture
• Balance the Body and Develop Muscular Symmetry
• Develop Core and Abdominal Strength
• Develop Greater Range of Motion
• Decrease and/or Eliminate Back and Neck Pain, Joint Pain
• Decrease Physical Stress
• Minimize Risk of Injury
• Connect Body and Mind Through Low Impact Exercise

Pilates dramatically transform the way your body looks, feels, and performs, and Women can particularly benefit from practicing Pilates. Not only because it increases muscle strength and endurance (pelvic floor, buttocks, back, and abdominals), but also because Pilates, if combined with Physical Therapy could improve a woman’s health in a way that no other exercise method can. A Pilates based physical therapy (PBPT) can help and improve women in the following areas or with the following issues:

• Pre-and Post-Natal Conditioning
• Incontinence
• Pelvic Floor and SI joint Pain
• Osteoporosis
• Breast Cancer
• Menopause

PBPT is grounded in the therapeutic movements and techniques of classical Pilates as well as traditional physical therapy. Women who have had babies often need more directed attention than they would normally get in a general Pilates class. Pilates classes designed specifically for post-natal strengthening can greatly improve pelvic floor function, minimize incontinence issues, decrease pelvic floor and SI joint pain. Women who are dealing with osteoporosis or osteopenia can also benefit from PBPT with modified Pilates exercises that focus on body alignment, spine lengthening, increased balance and coordination, and core muscle strengthening and that do not put the client at risk of vertebral fracture. The benefits of PBPT for women who are battling breast cancer or have recently completed treatment are numerous. They include: decreased chance of lymphedemia, increased range of motion, increased strength in the scapular and upper back muscles, decreased compensation patterns, increased overall fitness and wellness.

Often, these conditions to be treated successfully require knowledge of physical therapy administered by a specialist. To receive the maximum benefit in a safe way, Pilates classes taught by a Physical Therapist/Pilates instructor would be ideal.

For more information on Pilates for women, please contact: