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"Gratitude is the single response most nourishing to health."
Dr. Hans Selye |
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Winter Energy Lull?
While winter signifies a time of energetic rest and recooperation - our daily life & work schedules don't necessarily slow down to accomodate Mother Nature. Thus, our body is slower to respond to stress and healing. Acupuncture can help
BOOST ENERGY and nurture the body.
Winter is associated with the water element & the Kidneys. Tailoring an acupuncture treatment to nourish the Kidneys is essential to boosting energy, and the immune system. During these months you should focus on eating nuts, dark green leafy vegetables, drinking room temperature water, whole grains, and seeds.
This helps your body replenish, restore, and "stock up" for times of stress and healing. |
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Prescriptive Health welcomes winter with layers of clothes, a strong back, and balanced attitude. Spirit, mind, and body come together for us as we plan for new ventures. We wish you the same as you continue through this snow-filled season. |
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 Don't go to the Gym!
While mountain biking isn't for every body; rocky terrain, stream crossings, 3 feet drop-offs, etc - road cycling IS for every body! No matter where you live, you can always hop on your bike and pedal away! So how do you get in shape for the spring cycling season? Strength training!
It's no secret that strength training makes you stronger. The secret is HOW to train specifically for cycling. Obviously you need a certain level of lower body strength and endurance to push the pedals down and forward - repeatedly. And you need core strength to shift your body weight and maintain balance over the bike. So, how do you do all that?
You start training by NOT using strength training equipment in the gym. Yes, I said "Don't use the equipment". Use elastic bands, Bosu balls, and your body weight. You want to train your muscles in a manner similar to riding your bike; to mimic the reality of how your muscles will work on your bike. Try this functional strength-training circuit for 6 weeks and see how you feel. You will increase your strength, endurance, balance, and core stability. If not, call me!
** Perform each day's exercises in the order they are listed then repeat EVERYTHING 3-4 times. If you are just starting out, repeat each group only 2 times.
Monday
- Walking Bodyweight Lunges 20 reps
- Push ups 10 reps
- Crunches on stability ball 20 reps
- Lateral hops 20 reps (each side)
Tuesday
- Squats on Bosu ball w/ 5-lb dumbballs 15 reps
- Jump squats 5 reps
- Bicep curls w/ band 15 reps
- Lateral jumps (2 feet) 20 reps (each side)
- Torso twist w/ medicine ball 20 reps
Thursday
- Ball leg curls 15 reps
- Standing row w/ band 15 reps
- Overhead Tricep extensions w/ band 15 reps
- Plank pose; each side then front for 30 sec each
Friday
- Butt kicks (fast!) 20 reps
- Bent leg dead lifts w/ body weight or light bar 15 reps
- Medicine ball ab twists
- Overhead medicine ball crunches
Give it a try! It's a great challenge to wake up those winter muscles. Spring cycling is coming soon! Let's go!! |
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What's the Big Deal about High Fructose Corn Syrup?
Who cares about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)? It's in everything we eat anyhow so it must not be "that bad' for us? What's the big deal?
It IS a big deal! It's not just the syrup from corn as the name would have you believe. It's a HIGHLY refined liquid from corn starch that through enzymantic processing converts glucose into fructose. Fructose is sweeter than glucose so it is more desired for taste. Still, what's the big deal? HFCS is derived from corn. Corn is the MOST genetically modified vegetable we grow in the US. This means you're not really eating CORN, you're eating something that looks like corn. Corn is cheap to grow because it is subsidized by the government. Thus, we are encouraged to consume more corn-based items because it economically makes "sense". Economics aside, HFCS isn't so sensical! Research actually documents that it increases your risk for diabetes, obesity & heart disease, raises cholesterol levels & blood pressure, deposits fat in your liver (ewh!), speeds up the aging process (yikes!), and weakens your immune system! To make matters worse, a study in 2009 found that 1/3 of the HFCS sampled in the US contained mercury! So now you're at risk of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and other neurological disorders.
Alarming to say the least! But more so, HFCS is in breads, cereals, ice cream, baked goods, jelly, soft drinks, dairy products, crackers, salad dressings, and many other items. Don't take our word for it - read the labels on items in your house. HFCS is lurking on the most unsuspecting label!
What can you do? Read food labels. Choose items that do NOT contain high fructose corn syrup. There are plenty of items available without HFCS - you just have to look for them. |
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If the Bugs Won't Eat the Crops, Why Should WE?
There's alot of talk in the news lately about genetically engineered (GE) foods. What exactly does this mean? In a simple sense, it means that genes are either added or deleted from a plant for various reasons. FlavrSavr tomatoes were modified to ripen without softening; cotton, soybeans, canola, and corn are modified to resist herbicides and insects. Thus, for the food industry - these modifications lead to increased profits. For our health - we don't know. While common sense would suggest that injecting an insecticide into our plants then eating them - just can't be good for us! However, the government says that GE foods are "substantially equivalent" to non-GE foods. GE crops are unregulated and over 80% of processed foods contain some kind of GE food! Evidenceof increased cell toxicity and allergic responses, proliferation of pesticides in our gut, digestive disturbances, impaired immune systems, stunded growth, etc. have been reported. In the US we don't label the GE crops so you never know if your corn, soybean, wheat, canola, or alfalfa is full of pesticides or all natural. In Europe, all GE crops are labeled. You can be certain organic crops are NOT GE crops! They are 100% natural! So, you decide. Eat whole earth, natural crops or the ones that are CREATED to withstand pesticides for increasead profit margins. We're choosing the crops that the bugs DO want to eat! For more information, here are a few references: |
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