Warren Co Schools Turns Head Against Obesity Issue

This Picture was on the front page Daily News and when I saw it my blood boiled!!  I’m all about family enrichment ideas but how in the world can you promote a doughnut eating program targeting kids?

Kentucky school children are fighting the worst Obesity epidemic this country has ever faced and then the Warren Co School Board and Rockfield Elementary promote doughnut eating.

The thing that upsets me the most is that Warren Co School Board already voted down a proposed Physical Activity Bill because Mike Wilson said   “I think we do a pretty good job of tracking food and nutrition anyway. It causes problems for us when Frankfortcomes out with something like this.”

Kids in this country today are expected to die sooner than ever before.  High blood pressure, type II diabetes, ADHD, irritable bowl, joint inflammation, and all sorts of adult health problems are being seen in the population of the young.  I believe the heart attack of today at 45yrs old will be the heart attack at 25 for kids born after 1995.  If you are a doctor, nurse or pharmaceutical sales then that’s good for job security but for me it’s very frustrating  because our kids are the future.

Kentucky is one of the worst in production, income, education but leading the nation in Obesity and health problems.

Something has to change and I’m here to help, just ask!!

Just my opinion, What’s yours?

Related articles

• Is the Solution to the Obesity Epidemic Paying Employees to Lose Weight? (themarlincompany.com)
• Is the ‘obesity lobby’ winning? (grist.org)

GT Get Fit Tip: Release Cortisol – Increase Body Fat

While cortisol is an important and helpful part of the body’s response to stress, it’s important that the body’s relaxation response to be activated so the body’s functions can return to normal following a stressful event. Unfortunately, in our current high-stress culture, the body’s stress response is activated so often that the body doesn’t always have a chance to return to normal, resulting in a state of chronic stress.

Higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream (like those associated with chronic stress) have been shown to have negative effects, such as:

 

• Impaired cognitive performance
• Suppressed thyroid function
• Blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia
• Decreased bone density
• Decrease in muscle tissue
• Higher blood pressure
• Lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing, and other health consequences
• Increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. Some of the health problems associated with increased stomach fat are heart attacks, strokes, the development of metabolic syndrome, higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL), which can lead to other health problems!

To keep cortisol levels healthy and under control, the body’s relaxation response should be activated after the fight or flight response occurs. You can learn to relax your body with various stress management techniques, and you can make lifestyle changes in order to keep your body from reacting to stress in the first place.    http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm

 

 

Arthritis Flare-up Support, Comfort, Relief this Summer

Millions of us deal with arthritis & joint inflammation, the older we get the more prevalent and chronic the pain gets.

Pain is felt when  two bones of a joint rub together and cause irritation

If you are more than 10lbs over weight or have high blood pressure & stress levels then your flare-ups could happen more frequently.  One of the best treatments for arthritis is to give the bones and joints support.  Skeletal muscle in the body is designed to support those bones and joints.

Sugar, processed foods, acidic drinks, alcohol could all contribute to irritate and activate the arthritis in our bodies.

Make sure when you eat that you are nourishing your body with nutrients and getting some type of  structured physical activity to stimulate blood flow to lubricate and sooth arthritic joints.

This summer I will be using my personal training studio to devote more time to help people with Arthritis and joint pain, If you experience flare-ups & suffer please  leave a comment or contact me about getting some SUPPORT, COMFORT & RELIEF this summer.

My goal is to help you have more good days than bad days

Related articles

• Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms (answers.com)
• Arthritis Diet Plans (answers.com)

Why do we have BRAINS?

We have brains to move!

We move to get food, find a place to sleep and reproduce, that about sums it up.  I was lucky enough to study Kinesiology and biomechanics in college and I apply those principles in personal training everyday.

This video is 20 mins and gets crazy in the middle with stats and graphs, but you will get the point in the first 5 mins

Related articles

• Poor sleep leads to brain aging (time4sleep.co.uk)

GT Get Fit Tip: Visceral Fat Picture worth 250lbs

This picture is 250lb woman on the left and 120lbs woman on the right

The white stuff is fat – you can see the visceral (organ) and subcutaneous (skin) fat distribution throughout both females.

Look closely at the organs and heart.  See the fat that surrounds the vitals?  That’s visceral fat and what contributes to heart attacks and strokes.

Look close again and you can see how the lower legs on the left have “bowed” to compensate for the extra weight.

The extra white is bad news for being in shape and healthy – we can’t always see it and its a silent killer.

Related articles

• GT Get Fit Tip: Be Your Best Body Type (dnfitness.wordpress.com)
• Two Kinds of Belly Fat and How To Beat Them (donteatdirt.com)
• GT Get Fit Tip: BMR (metabolism) (dnfitness.wordpress.com)

Ovarian Cancer Awareness: Knowing is Preventing

Image via Wikipedia

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month which happens to be the biggest killer among cancers for women.

Although I don’t have cancer (yet) both my parents smoked and both grandfathers died of cancer, I recently was lucky enough to participate in an Ovarian Cancer Seminar this past week at the  Christ Episcopal Church where I got to listen to some excellent presentations by surgeons who are fighting the battle on the front lines.  They brought some great insight and information on the war they fight each day to help people survive.

They talked big on genetic marker tests, which will help identify “who” is at increased risk for developing ovarian cancer which they can use to keep regular check-ups to catch the disease early as possible.  While I really appreciate this kind of data and presence available to the patient, another part of me sees it different.

My feeling is that knowing you are at an increased risk, buying and paying for insurance premiums (healthcare is a business) you still can not and will not at this point, prevent cancer from developing in your body.  What you can do though is be prepared, mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally for the opportunity to fight your own battle, God forbid it ever comes.

Only the strong survive, and keeping your body prepared to fight infection and disease is the only thing you can do to decrease your risk of developing cancer and hopefully increase your chance of living through such dreaded and painful times.

The best thing you can do, is increase your knowledge and awareness with a plan that can help you live!!

Release yourself from the negatives, the stress, worry, and mental strain you can put on.  We can not stop cancer from forming in our bodies, but we can enjoy each other and the days we have left together.

That’s just my opinion (thank you Miliska)

Here is a link to the story from the seminar last weekend.

“Genetic markers seen as key in ovarian cancer”

Related articles

• No Longer Silent: 7 Signs of Ovarian Cancer (fitsugar.com)
• Experts Urge Women To Recognize Warning Signs For Ovarian Cancer; Receive Appropriate Screenings (medicalnewstoday.com)

Is Your Liver Worth It?

Image via Wikipedia

Get Fit: Is Your Liver Worth It?

Sitting on the right side of the belly under the lungs, the liver weighs about 3lbs and is necessary for human survival.  Liver plays a major role in over 200 bodily functions and utilizes millions of cells for metabolism including protein synthesis, glucose storage, detoxification and hormone production.  The only human organ capable of regenerating itself, the liver can utilize its own blood cells to  regain normal liver function.

There have been documentaries done about eating fast food, alcoholism and the environmental dangers of pesticides and chemical pollution that cause liver cirrhosis.   Everything we eat and drink, medicines we get from the doctor and alcohol we consume all have to be filtered by your liver and kidneys.  The liver essentially filters out the unnecessary waste products in the blood and keeps the body clean on the inside.

Today people that live in Kentucky have ample opportunity to obtain faster, lower quality food substance that bombard the liver with more chemicals and acids than ever before.  My personal opinion is that consuming lower quality foods will contribute to organ disease and increase the risk for all types cancers.   Coupled with a decrease in physical activity our body has no chance to burn off extra calories.  The obesity epidemic of the nation, especially in Kentucky, has grown to over sized proportions.

My point is to help make people aware of the liver so they won’t take it for granted.  Many are unaware of the damage they are doing until they develop symptoms and the damage has already been done.  My biggest pet peeve is obesity because having excess body fat around the midsection impedes organ functions to the point that even the liver can’t do its job to fight infections and promote a healthy body.

If you are more than 10lbs overweight and consume processed and fast foods reguarly then you could be at an increased risk for developing liver complications down the road.  My #1 suggestion is to DETOX your liver by eating more fruits and vegetables and fortifying your liver with the vitamins and minerals that it needs.

One of my favorite vegetables are the Cruciferus Vegetables (Cruciferae, New Latin for “cross-bearing” from the shape of their flowers, whose four petals resemble a cross)

1. broccoli
2. cabbage
3. brussel sprouts
4. bok choy
5. rutabaga
6. mustard seed
7. radish
8. wasabi
9. collard greens

By eliminating all the extra carbs, starches and sugars from your diet and eating more fruits and vegetables, specifically the “crossed” kind, you will promote healthy liver function and help your body’s metabolism to burn more stored body fat.

That’s eating with purpose, that’s eating to live!!

Related articles

• Get the facts on liver disease (rakhealthmatters.wordpress.com)
• Natural Ways to Support Your Liver (brighthub.com)
• Three Ways to Love Your Liver (fitsugar.com)

GT Get Fit Tip: Ectomorph Body Type

Ectomorph body’s are long boned w/ lean muscle

-being a hardgainer u need to consume 1.8-2.2g of Pro/day

- plus weight training to hold mass

Don’t forget about sleep and recovery, You can’t be up all night banging beers and expect your body to keep up

REST

Related articles

• GT Get Fit Tip: Ectomorph Body Type aka “Lurch” (dnfitness.wordpress.com)
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GT Get Fit Tip: Ectomorph Body Type aka “Lurch”

Slim, Skinny, Bean Pole, Lurch, Stick, Bird Legs, Stilts, Hightower, Two Tall Jones these are all names associated with the ectomorph body type.

Ecto’s are usually always long and skinny, they have a faster metabolism that’s built up of slow twitch muscle fibers attached to long bones with long tendons.

You can build up fat stores although it will usually be around the belly and chest area which is the worst place bc of increase heart attack and stroke risk.

You can also build muscle but sometimes are referred to as a “hardgainer” since you have to go above and beyond what other body types endure to build the same pound of muscle.

If you’re an ecto and want to get fit, you have to eat MORE and train MORE, lift MORE, run MORE and sweat MORE to make a difference.

Enjoy the workout

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GT Get Fit Tip: 7 Deadly Habits to Unhappiness

7 deadly habits that could be wrecking your midsection and the propensity of unhappiness you have about yourself.

1. smoking
2. no sleep
3. alcohol
4. stress
5. not enough H2O
6. excess cardio
7. TV

 

The first step to looking good and being healthy is body awareness, without knowing your body and being mindful of what you’re doing you don’t stand a chance in this life.

Get up, get fit, GET TONED!!