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Increasing levels of hypertension are become prevalent across our society today. Many people suffering with the condition are on two or more prescription drugs to attempt to control it. Doctors are saying that the more sensible prescription for hypertension would be a better diet and exercise. When it comes to diet Sodium seems to be an item to avoid. Studies show that if you limit your salt intake to about a teaspoon a day you can prevent a five-point rise in your systolic pressure. When combining the right diet with exercise one can lower their Blood Pressure just as well as with a hypertension pill. Unfortunately many people today would rather rely on taking medications to solve a problem that they could solve themselves with a little work. “We don’t have to worry about side effects from lifestyle changes,” said Dr. David C. Goff, “but everyone finds it easier to prescribe drugs”.

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-hypertension-ess.html

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Paul Stapley whom runs a lab at McGill University studies the concept of balance among athletes, the elderly, and people with sensory problems. He “advocates balance as essential for everyday movement” as well as “it is important in the athletic milieu where athletes put balance to the ultimate test”. How much of your workouts do you focus on balance tasks? If you work on your balance not only will it enhance your perform tasks, it may decline the loss of balance as you age. According to Stapley “Balance training improves proprioception by repairing damaged pathways to the brain, strengthens weakened stabilizing muscles and teaches the body new strategies for keeping the body upright.” So how do you work to begin to improve the task at home? Start by brushing your teeth on one leg, or simply standing on one foot in your living room with your eyes closed. At the gym turn a bosu flat side up and keep the instrument stable – attempt a squat. If the bosu is too easy try a dyna disk. If you want more techniques to work on improving your balance be sure to ask your personal trainer.

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Two new studies have recent been published in journals that shed more light on the pro’s and con’s of what caffeine can do to our bodies – particularly women.
The Pro: It seems that women who ingest caffeine may be at a lower risk for ovarian cancer than those whom do not. The statement made by Shelley Tworoger of Harvard Medical School was that “with regard to caffeine and caffeine-containing beverages, we generally observed a lower risk of ovarian cancer with increasing intake”. The article continues to say that further research will need to be conducted to pin point the reasons behind the “protective benefits”
The Con: Caffeine doubles the chance of a miscarriage. A team of US researches claims that a pregnant woman who drinks two or more cups of coffee elicits twice the risk of miscarrying her child. The risk seems to be directly related to caffeine as increased risk was also observed in women who consumed sodas, tea, and hot chocolate. Dr.De-Kun Li of Kaiser Permanente Division of Research advises that “women who are pregnant or are actively seeking to become pregnant should stop drinking coffee for three months or hopefully throughout pregnancy….. To me, the safe dose is zero”.

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Are you working out your body to gain Size? Power? Strength? or Tone? Did you know that to train each of these areas there are different intensities, resistance levels, and rest periods for each? To illustrate: if your goal is to gain size you should be working at a moderate intensity with moderate reps with short rest periods between sets. However if your goal is to simply tone you should be working at higher intensities, with lower resistance, with LONG rest periods. Do you know WHY this sequence is required? (Rest periods do not mean you stop working it simply means that you give that body part a break and work something else.) In Toning the goal is not to get large; therefore, your body needs time to clear that lactic acid that builds up during the anaerobic weight lifting activity. If you fail to clear the lactic acid your body will release Growth Hormone (GH) which in turn leads to protein synthesis (among many other effects) leading to increased size. By having the long rest periods and the clearing of the lactate from your blood the body does not have a reason to release GH. If you want more understanding on what type of weight training regime is best for your goals you may want to contact a personal trainer who can help you plan your workouts with explanations as to why it is the way it is.

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Sticking to an exercise program can always be a little bit challenging when life gets hectic. Motivating yourself and staying motivated is the key to ensuring your success in your program.

1. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals for yourself
Specific– Specific goals have a much greater chance of being accomplished than a
general goal. In order to make a goal specific you must answer the 6 W’s
WHO: who is involved
WHAT: what do I want to accomplish
WHERE: identify a location
WHEN: establish a time frame
WHICH: identify requirements and constraints
WHY: specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing goal

EX: a general goal may sound like: “ I want to lose 10lbs”
a specific goal may sound like “ I want to lose 10lbs in two months in time
for my birthday”

Measureable- Establish a way of measuring progress towards your goal. In our
Goal example you may take measurements before you start working out, half way
through, and again when your two months are complete.

Attainable- By being specific in your goal setting you develop an understanding
of why that goal is important to you. The goal must be attainable – if it is
you can begin to formulate a plan to ensure you reach it! You can also get
excited about the entire process.

Realistic - To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both able and willing to work towards. This is not to say you can set a high/challenging goal; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. This being said you do not want to set a goal that is easily within your grasp. Your goal is realistic if you feel and believe you can accomplish it. It is commonly seen that with the higher the goal you set for yourself the more motivation you generate to reach it.

Timely- A goal should be set to be accomplished within a certain time frame. If you fail to specify a time contraint there is no sense of urgency and your motivation is not as powerful.

2. Visualize your success
• On days when it’s pouring down rain and you feel a lack of energy visualize how
great you’ll feel after you workout and how that will contribute to your end goal
• You may also want to consider placing a pictures on your fridge (somewhere you
will see) of your desire goal weight

3. Monitor your Progress
Keep a journal of the activity you do

4. Work out with a partner or trainer
There is nothing better then having a friend push you simply by being present.
Working out with someone, whether it be a trainer or a friend, fills you with a
sense of accountability that you would not otherwise have.

5. Play your favorite music

6. Dress comfortable

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Here are a few basic tips to keep in mind if you’ve decided to give running a try:
• Do not allow your foot to get ahead of your knee. Keep your legs under your body
• Be sure to choose shoes that are appropriate for running – skate shoes will not due
• When running in cooler weather be sure to wear a hat to prevent heat from escaping via your head
• When you reach the 400-500mile mark on your shoes it’s time to invest in a new pair
• Use proper breathing techniques – in through the nose and out through the mouth

New studies have found that people who are more flexible are less likely to suffer from DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) than those of less flexibility. Those with higher flexibility experienced less muscle tenderness and pain throughout their body. It is thought that because of this these people are able to exercise at a higher intensity for longer periods of time. How does this apply to you? In your cool down after your workout take the extra five minutes to do a little more stretching – be sure to hold the stretch for a minimum of 15 seconds. Perhaps consider working a yoga class into your weekly exercise routine. By increasing your own flexibility you’ll be able to push yourself harder in your workouts without feeling as stiff and sore the following couple of days.

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As I’m sure most of you have noticed we are entering our winter – which here in Vancouver means rain!! A study released earlier this week highlights a connection between our “sunshine vitamin” (as sunshine is our main source of Vitamin D) and prevention in colon cancer. The study states that people deficit in this vitamin may be at higher risk for a variety of health problems, including the aforementioned cancer.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is found in fish oil as well as fortified in foods such as milk. Although sunshine is the most direct source of this vitamin we have limited access to its source in our fall and winter months. This being said we must find another way to introduce it to our system. The low recommended daily dosage in US and Canada is 200-400 international units; however, the Canadian Cancer Society is recommending a daily dose up to 1000 IU of vitamin D a day. “We’re recommending 1,000 IUs daily because the current evidence suggests this amount will help reduce cancer risk with the least potential for harm,” said Heather Logan, director of Cancer Control Policy. Supplementation is the easiest way to ensure you’re receiving the appropriate amounts of the vitamin that you need. However – a quick note for you – when trying to decide what supplement to purchase look for ones that contain vitamin D3 as it is more effective then vitamin D2.

For more on this story please visit the following link: http://features.us.reuters.com/wellbeing/news/28B9D782-88A8-11DC-84A6-38A0704D.html

A large amount of the population today tends to suffer from chronic lower back pain. Did you realize that a common cause of this complaint is due to improper posture and weak core muscles? Aerobic exercises and strength training of your abdominals will help to alleviate your back pain and strengthen your muscles so it becomes a thing of the past. If you do suffer from chronic back pain talk to you personal trainer about some core exercises you can do at home to begin the road to recuperation