February 2005 Newsletter

This Month’s Contents:

• Be Sweet to Your Heart
• February Workshop: Breathing for Life
• What’s With the New Nutrition and Exercise Guidelines?
• Winter Skin Care Tips
• Fitness Q&A: Ask Cheryl
• Cuisine Quick Picks
• New Schedule Soon, SnowDay Cancellations

Be Sweet to Your Heart

February is when the American Heart Association reminds us to take care of our heart health ¾ especially women, who might think that cardiovascular disease is mainly a concern for men. That’s definitely a myth. 

Regardless of gender, it is vital to protect ourselves against the major controllable risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, tobacco smoke, physical inactivity, obesity or overweight, and diabetes. Practical wellness tips and many more resources are only a click away at the AHA’s website: Top 10 Go Red Tips.

Of course, as a reader of this newsletter, chances are excellent that you are already adopting heart-healthy fitness and nutrition practices. Keep it up!

This is also the month when our thoughts turn to Valentine’s Day and chocolate. Read this issue’s Cuisine Quick Picks to learn how dark chocolate ¾ savored in moderation ¾ can be part of your healthful and enjoyable lifestyle.

Be Well, Cheryl

February Workshop

Breathing For Life
Saturday February 5, 2005

11 a.m.–1 p.m.
You don’t have to be an elite athlete or a yoga practitioner to benefit from something they have known for years: Better breathing enables the body to heal better, reduces stress, and strengthens body and mind. Attend this interactive workshop to learn easy yet highly effective breathing techniques to increase the amount of oxygen taken into the body. This session will also help you get more out of any exercise program in which you are currently participating. Learn how to give your body more of what it needs to function at its optimal level.

Cost: $25 per person. To pre-register (required), call the studio at 978-692-1032.

What’s With the New Nutrition and Exercise Guidelines?

In January, the federal government updated its dietary and exercise guidelines. While the adjusted recommendations are more stringent, there is actually no dramatic news. But because the average American’s nutrition habits and physical activity levels are not where they need to be to maintain wellness, the updated recommendations are prompting many of us to take stock of our own behaviors ¾ which is a good thing.

We notice that full version of the guidelines is a lot to read through. (Read a summary here: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/recommendations.htm.) So below we offer super-quick, super-simple nutrition principles based on what we think is most helpful about the recommendations.

• Eat your veggies and fruits. Eating more and varied produce is one of the most important pieces of nutrition advice. The official guidelines have been raised from five servings to nine servings of 1/2 cup every day. Think colorful to boost nutrient intake: green, orange, yellow. Remember that legumes, including black beans and chickpeas (garbanzos), count too.

Our belief is that most of what’s on your plate, at most meals, should come from the fruit and veggie categories. Maximizing your produce intake also helps with weight control: The volume and fiber replace less-desirable calories and keep you from feeling hungry.

• Go whole grain. The updated recommendations increase emphasis on whole grains, saying that whole grains should make up at least half of the grain-based foods you eat.

We’d take this further still; we think it’s best to choose whole grains most of the time. Do try grains beyond whole wheat. Oats, brown basmati rice, and whole-grain bulgur (actually, bulgur is made with wheat) are other choices that many people enjoy.

• Lighten up on fat and salt. This, especially, doesn’t come as news although it remains key. Three of the most helpful steps that anyone can follow to manage intake of fats and sodium are: Cook more meals at home, limit consumption of processed foods, and read the labels on the processed foods that you do consume.

We invoke the “cook once, eat twice” rule as much as possible; make double batches of meals on the weekends to have quick, healthful dinners standing by for weeknights.

Now what should you do concerning the new exercise guidelines? See this month’s “Ask Cheryl” for practical advice.

Winter Skin Care Tips

The winter weather outside and the climate indoors are both frightfully dry for your skin.  A client ¾ thanks, Denise! ¾ shares hints that have worked at her household. She found that gentler, vegetable-based soaps and moisturizers containing as few additives as possible made a big difference in retaining the natural oils on the skin’s surface.

The main idea is to avoid harsh ingredients that strip away moisture. You may also decide to avoid fragrance and added color that irritate some people’s skin.

Visit the health food aisle of your supermarket or your natural foods emporium to find these more natural alternatives. Denise reports having tried all these with positive results:

• Plant-based body and hand soaps without lots of chemical additives. Coconut oil, olive oil, and/or castile soap (made without harsh detergents or animal fats; often based on olive oil) are the ingredients to look for. Kiss My Face olive oil bar soaps, Dr. Bronner’s liquid and bar soaps, and Kirk’s Castile bars are widely available choices.

• Kinder, gentler shampoo that will baby your scalp and hair. For a brand that is appearing in more drugstores and supermarkets, try Tom’s of Maine baby shampoo. 

• Gentle, plant-based dishwashing liquids that won’t remove natural oils from your hands. You will find yourself applying more soap to your dishcloth as you go, because these don’t cut grease as effectively as brands with strong detergents. But these products do make a noticeable difference to your skin if you don’t always don gloves for household chores. Favorite brands: Sun and Earth, Seventh Generation, Trader Joe’s.

Fitness Q&A: Ask Cheryl

Q. The government’s new guidelines for physical activity seem unrealistic for my busy schedule. How can I fit a “balanced” exercise program into my life? How much time and what type of activity would be involved?

A. First, let’s review what the new recommendations encourage for adults.

To alleviate the risk of chronic disease: “At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.”

To help prevent weight gain: “Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.”

To keep weight off that you’ve lost: “Participate in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.”

Remember these are guidelines and anything is better than nothing.  You can break the exercise into smaller time spans of 10-20minutes each (10 in am, 10-20 lunch 10 evening).  Then if you are really feeling good add a minute or 2 to each.  Planning is essential to fitting exercise into your day.  If you don’t put it into your calendar there is a good chance it won’t happen.  Studies have found that people, who exercise in the am, tend to stick to their routine better.  Many things can happen during the day that could interrupt a later exercise routine.  I know we all like to get more sleep, but if you got up 30 minutes earlier it would make you feel much better, you will find you wake up quicker and feel more energized through out the day.  Give it a try for one week, what have you got to loose J

What’s your fitness question? Send it to: cheryl@thewholebodystudio.com.

Cuisine Quick Picks

This issue offers a quick way to prepare something you might want to eat more of ¾ as well as a way to sensibly indulge in a favorite treat.

“Instant” black bean enchilada. Put together canned black beans, a whole wheat tortilla, and a smidgen of crumbled semisoft goat cheese for a fast lunch or dinner. Rinsing and draining the beans first freshens the taste, as will the addition of chopped cilantro and/or scallions. Roll the ingredients inside the tortilla. Bake just until beans are heated through and cheese melts, around 15 minutes at 350° F.

The trick to this disk is the goat cheese, which provides big flavor and dairy richness in one ounce of cheese or less. Just don’t overdo the cheese because it contains saturated fat. Serve with your favorite lower-sodium salsa and a green salad for a tasty meal.

Dark chocolate: the real thing. If you like dark chocolate, you’re in luck. Recent research suggests that flavenoids present in dark chocolate are good for cardiovascular health. Pick a chocolate that is 70 percent cocoa content for the most benefit. While we are talking about the fancy chocolate here, this is a delight to be savored. A small piece of a high-quality treat now and then can keep you from binging on the bad stuff and brings joy to your life.

New Schedule Soon, Snow Day Cancellations

New session begins February 27: Watch for the new class schedule soon.

Class cancellations in case of bad weather: Find out if the studio is closed in the event of bad weather; call approximately one hour before your scheduled class or session to hear our recorded message. Although we don’t declare snow days often, we want you to be safe!

Website changes:

We have added an online retail store. Often our clients ask us to recommend and test various pilates, yoga and other information sources. We have placed our highly recommended DVDs, videos and books right on our Web site so you can easily find the best products to help you with your health and fitness needs.

Coming in March

• Make Time and Space for What Matters
• Fitness Q&A: Ask Cheryl
• Book Review: Younger Next Year