By definition, osteoporosis is a disease that, over time, causes bones to become thinner, more porous and less able to support the body. Bones can become so thin that they break during normal, everyday activity.

I’ve written a number of articles about the importance of weight bearing exercise and a calcium and vitamin D rich diet in preventing osteoporosis. So today I’m focusing on FALL PREVENTION. So many osteoporotic fractures are caused by falls so anything that can prevent those falls should be on your radar.

An interesting fall prevention method that’s been getting a lot of attention lately is using a Whole Body Vibration platform. Research by the Russian and American space programs has long suggested that a piezo-electric effect caused by vibrating the body strengthens muscles, and may prevent bone loss. A German study ‘Erlangen Longitudinal Vibration Study (ELVIS) shows it can also greatly reduce falls.

You simply stand on the vibrating plate and shake for several minutes. How long and how vigorously you shake can be dialed to suit your personal body needs and fitness level.

Commercial versions of the vibration platform are available at gyms and rehab centers. Home versions are sold online and at sporting goods and health equipment stores. Prices for the home versions start at about $199.

And for traditionalist in all of us, it’s true, simple balance exercises can go a long way towards reducing your chances of taking a serious fall.

Try this simple exercise:

Stand erect near a chair or wall (in case you lose your balance) hands at your sides.

Slowly raise one foot a couple of inches off the ground while shifting your weight to your grounded foot. When you’ve got your balance slowly raise your arms in front of you and hold for 10 seconds.

As you get more comfortable, try raising your held-up foot farther up until it’s near the knee of your grounded leg. More advanced, try closing your eyes as you balance.

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Stress. It’s everywhere. If you live and work on this planet it’s almost impossible to avoid. In these times of social distancing and sheltering inside it can cause us to feel even more stressed and anxious too.

Feeling stressed? Me too!

Today I’m writing about how to get rid of stress and suggest some easy ways to get that burden off your back.

To get us in the mood, let’s start with a short, guided meditation and stretch video to help reduce stress. Try it with me and see for yourself.

Stress:

Now that you’re a believer, lets have a look at stress and how to get rid of it. (By the way, as you get better at becoming relaxed, you can keep your eyes open while watching the waves on the video.)

Stress has been around since the beginning of time. It started as the fight-or-flight response when early humans confronted a life-threatening situation. In that situation, stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, are produced. Your blood vessels constrict, blood pressure goes up, pupils dilate, heart rate quickens, and breathing becomes more rapid. The body is preparing itself to do battle or run. This response is essential in times of acute danger. But problems at work, crying kids, traffic, you name it can trigger the same response.

Given the pressures of daily life, chronic stress itself has become a life-threatening situation. It can cause a host of health problems including headaches, gastrointestinal issues, insomnia, trouble concentrating, anxiety, depression, increased body weight, high blood pressure and heart disease.

We can’t eliminate the stress. But we can relieve the fight-or-flight response that sends our bodies into danger mode. And we can cultivate a relaxation response over time that will reduce our physiological stress reaction.

So what do we do about chronic stress? How do we get rid of it?

How? Relax. That’s what my first yoga teacher used to say when I was all bent up in the pretzel pose with a grimace on my face. And, like that meditation you just did, it actually worked. Once I was able to relax, I was stress-free even in the pretzel pose.

Seriously, daily conscious relaxation exercises can make real difference in the way your body responds to stress. Dr Herbert Benson coined the phrase “relaxation response” in his book by the same name in 1975.

Since then he and others have conducted numerous studies, including a recent one at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine, that have detailed the body’s intricate positive response to conscious relaxation exercises. In a nutshell, the relaxation response has the opposite effect of fight-or-flight. It engages the parasympathetic nervous system to counteract the effects of stress. You experience a feeling of deep relaxation and well being. And if you practice relaxation regularly you’ll feel better and help yourself avoid those stress related health issues. That’s how we get rid of chronic stress.

Meditation is just one of an almost infinite number of ways to consciously relax. Virtually anything that takes your attention away from your daily grind and makes you concentrate on just one thing can work. Doing the dishes, aerobic exercise, yoga, stretching, golf, playing a musical instrument, casting a fishing rod, playing with a cat, almost anything can work if you pay attention to only that and clear your mind. I’m partial to exercise because I get the benefits of a workout as well as the relaxation. It’s my mantra. It’s what I do to get rid of chronic stress.

Dr. Benson suggests you practice some form of conscious relaxation for 10 to 20 minutes every day to get rid of chronic stress in the long-term.

But what if you’re pressed for time? (Pressed rhymes with stressed.)

Reduce Chronic Stress with this little exercise.

Sometimes you only need a few seconds and you feel a lot better.

Sit down and close your eyes. (If you’re on the street, duck into a doorway, stand and keep your eyes open and one hand on your purse.)

Let your muscles relax. Concentrate on your breathing.

Breathe in and hold your breath for one second, count one one hundred thousand, and breathe out.

Breathe in again a little deeper and hold for two seconds — one one hundred thousand, two one hundred thousand — breathe out.

Breathe in deeper and hold for three, then four, then five seconds.
When you get to around three seconds of breath holding, your stress level should start to drop and your mind should start to clear itself of thoughts.

After five, you should feel pretty good. This works well for me particularly in moments of acute stress.

That one worked too didn’t it. I hope concentrating on reading this helped you reduce your stress and I hope you’ll make conscious relaxation a part of your life.

It’s a lifestyle change that’s easy to make because it feels so good when you do it.

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Bone healthy Diet? EEK! One more thing to worry about? What ever happened to “these are our golden years”?. Sounds like more bad news but it’s not. True, our bodies can lose up to 40% of their bone mass in the 10 years following menopause. And true, if we don’t do something we could easily end up with osteoporosis. But also true, the fix for this is both easy and delicious.

It’s important to get enough calcium, Vitamin D in your bone healthy diet.  As we age  bodies become less efficient at absorbing these nutrients.

Here are some recommendations.

If you’re 50 or over you should make sure you’re getting a total calcium intake of at least

1200 milligrams daily and a Vitamin D intake of at least 800 to 1000 units daily.

Here are some sources of dietary calcium:

•  Dairy Products including milk, yogurt and cheese
• Nuts such as almonds and various green vegetables such as broccoli
•  Fish with bones such as sardines, and mackerel and calcium fortified juices and cereals.

So, yogurt with fruit, almonds and maybe even a little cereal sounds like lunch. So does a salad with sardines, and a little raw broccoli. How about a nice piece of fish with a smaller salad. You might try some cheese and fruit with a glass of fruit juice. OK, wine. You get the idea. Get your calcium from food and you don’t have to take supplements. But if you do, most people have a better time digesting calcium citrate than calcium carbonate, but they both work fine.

Sources of Vitamin D include:

• Fatty fishes such as salmon and mackerel and Vitamin D enriched milk, juices and cereals.
• Although your skin can make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, sun block prevents vitamin D production.

By now you’re making up your own healthy bones recipes so I don’t have to suggest a Salmon, mackerel, milk, fruit juice and cereal smoothie do I?

But if you’re like most people and wear sun block and don’t get enough D in your diet you’ll need to take a supplement to get your 800-1000 units of Vitamin D.

MORE BONE HEALTH DIET DO’s

Research suggests nutrients such as magesium, potassium, Vitamins A, K & C found in certain vegies and fruits may help foster better bones. It is recommended to eat about 12 ounces of fruit and 16 ounces of vegies daily.

Here is a list for your concoctions:

• Magesium include: Raisins, potatoes, sweet potatoes, plaintains, squash, artichokes, beet and collard greens.
• Potassium include: Oranges, orange juice, bananas, prunes, papaya, avocados and tomatoes.
• Vitamin A: Mangoes, cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach
• Vitamin K: Spinach, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, collard, turnip and mustard greens.
• Vitamin C: Oranges, pineapples, payayas, grapefruits, lemons, strawberries, red and green peppers, broccoli and brussel sprouts and cauliflower.

BONE HEALTHY DIET NO’s

One bit of bad news is too much alcohol or caffeine can add to bone loss; and soft drinks particularly colas that have both caffeine and phosphorous (bad for your bones) may be a double whammy.

So that’s my quickie eating for your bones report. Don’t try that smoothie; it’s nasty.

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Cancer Exercise Programs

Studies show that about one third of cancer deaths each year are related to an unhealthy diet and not enough exercise. On the other hand, not smoking, eating well, and getting plenty of exercise are the most important things we can do to prevent cancer.

Cancer Exercise programs can help to control your weight and stabilize hormones. The same 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day that reduces your risk of heart attack by 50% can also reduce risk breast and colon cancer.

Controlling your weight helps to reduce the risk of breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, and kidney cancers. Healthy low fat diet of fiber, fruits and vegetables is also a major factor in reducing cancer risk.

Cancer Exercise Programs

Easy aerobic exercise has been shown to increase hemoglobin levels, reduce inflammation, lessen fatigue, and keep muscles in shape for better every day activities. Also you can increase self confidence, reduce depression and aid in recovery of surgery. Here are some aerobic exercise suggestions.

Other research has shown cancer exercise programs that involve strength and flexibility exercises have helped patients return to a normal activity level sooner.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed kind of cancer and lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among all Americans. Using sunscreen and not smoking make these two cancers largely preventable.

For women, the second most deadly cancer is breast cancer, third is colorectal cancer. Among women’s reproductive cancers, cancer of the endometrium – the tissue lining the uterus – is the most commonly diagnosed, followed by ovarian, vaginal, and vulvar cancers.

Breast cancer. Age and hormones play a big role in prevention of reproductive cancers in women. The hormone estrogen (and subtypes, such as estradiol) has a lot to do with breast cancer, although scientists are still exploring why. New research studies are finding that young girls who get plenty of exercise and eat calcium and soy foods may have lower risk for breast cancer later in their lives. Pre-menopausal women have lower risk if they have had children and breast-fed children; for this age group, being overweight seems not to be as great a breast cancer risk as it is for post-menopausal women who gain weight. Weight gain also adds risk of recurrence for overweight breast cancer survivors.

Exercise and social support seem to increase the life expectancy of breast cancer survivors, preventing recurrence. Monthly self-exams and annual mammograms are vital in detecting breast cancer early enough to treat it, so that a patient’s survival is as great as possible. More exacting screening methods, including sentinel node biopsies (removal of small bits of tissue likely to reveal cancer) and mammograms better able to penetrate dense breast tissue that can hide cancer, are improving detection and making earlier treatment and longer survival possible. Breast cancer symptoms include:

• Lump or thickening of the breast
• Breast pain
• Dimpling or puckering of the skin
• Change in skin color or texture
• Change in breast shape
• Swelling redness or heat
• Discharge from or retraction of the nipple
• Scaly skin on or around the nipple

Cervical/Uterine Cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the few types of cancer (liver cancer is another) that develops as the result of a virus. PAP smear tests to detect cervical cancer have been greatly improved in the past few years. Regularly getting a PAP smear is the best method of detecting cervical cancer. Abnormal bleeding, especially in post-menopausal women, may be a sign of these cancers, but may also be a sign of other disorders that are not cancer. Premenopausal women may have heavier than normal bleeding. Pelvic pain (except cramping) and urination difficulties also are possible symptoms.

Ovarian Cancer. Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect before it has spread to a stage where it is usually fatal. Symptoms may include constant abdominal bloating and gas in the digestive system. Other symptoms may be the same as for cervical/uterine cancer, described in the previous paragraph.

Cancer treatments are improving. Although the side-effects of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can still be devastating and very unpleasant, all of these therapies are being more finely tuned and made less dangerous as better technology is developed. More studies are showing effective combination treatments. Many cancers are becoming more manageable over a long-term with healthy habits and watchfulness, instead of the automatic death sentence they used to be. However, some hard-to-detect cancers, including ovarian and pancreatic cancer, have often spread too far before they can be treated.

So now may be the time to try some health coaching!

If you need some help, I have your back! Here’s a short video about my Health Coaching Technique how I have helped my clients achieve a balanced and Healthy Life.

For more health and fitness information and at home exercise programs please visit www.mirabaiholland.com

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It is important to keep up with new developments in cancer treatment and other care options. Here are some reliable resources on cancer, exercise, nutrition & support for women:

National Cancer Institute

Ovarian Cancer National Alliance

National Ovarian Cancer Coalition

American Breast Cancer Association

American Cancer Society

American Institute for Cancer Research

Cancer Care

National Women’s Health Foundation                                              

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We all have a lot to lose if we take a serious fall. Assuming we survive, the effects can be life altering. And if you have osteoporosis, what would have been a minor slip and fall for others, could have devastating consequences for you.

Fall Prevention Video

Here’s a fall prevention video that should be of interest to anyone interested in staying upright.

Osteoporosis Fall Prevention Video

There’s a story that prompted me to post this video and write this article. Here it is.

I have a friend who had been eyeballing this cute little red purse for a couple of months.  She didn’t need it but she wanted it and sort of became obsessed with it.

She’d visit it online and wave to it in the store. But, there’s no way she was going to buy that purse because wanting it that bad made her feel a little stupid.

Well, the darn thing went on sale the other day at 40-percent off and another 10-percent off with her store card. Now, of course, she had to have that red bag.

Apparently, so did every other woman in the United States. Because, she had it in her online shopping cart and by the time she got her credit card out, it was no longer available. It had been snatched right out of her cart.

She was furious. She felt violated. “How dare they sell MY red purse?”

She called the company.  They apologized and looked for one in their inventory anywhere. They gave her stores and a warehouse to call and reserve it before the last one could be sold. She called around for over an hour and finally got to someone who found one in California and ordered it for her.

As she was patting herself on the back for her investigative skills and persistence my friend had an aha! moment. She had recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Her doctor had given her a list of endocrinologists he’d be comfortable recommending but she hadn’t even looked at it, let alone researched it.

“I had been meaning to but I had been putting it off for no good reason. I thought why on earth don’t I apply that same purse passion to taking charge of my own health care?”

Health Care Not Sexy?

She thought about it for a minute and the answer she came up with unnerved her a little. “Health care is not sexy,”  Purses are sexy! Purses are sexier than being healthier and maybe living longer? Eek!

But health is sexy! Quality of life is sexy!

As she started to Google the doctors on the list, she began to sing a parody to that old rock song.
“I’m too sexy for my purse, too sexy for my mouse pad, but not too sexy for my doctor’s office. Maybe a little bit too sexy, but I’m goin’ anyway.”

LOOKING GOOD VS FEELING GOOD?

I think perhaps my friend has touched a nerve in many of us. Would we really rather look good than to feel good?

Sure seems like it. I think it’s that very premise that prompted an ad agency to come up with a TV commercial for a dietary supplement featuring a sexy dancing X-ray skeleton of a baby boomer model that’s protecting her looks by protecting her bones.

It got my attention. If you can’t get them to do it for health, get them to do it for beauty. Twistedly brilliant!

So I guess, if beauty is your motivation, go for it; especially when the health comes with it.
But what do you do if you already have osteoporosis like my friend, or have low bone mass, or you just have the good sense to want to take of your bones?

Osteoporosis And Calcium

• Under age 50 need a total of 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium* every day.
• Women: Age 50 and older (or any women who is not menstruating) need a total of 1,200 mg of calcium* every day.
• Men: Under age 71 need a total of 1,000 mg of calcium* every day.
• Age 71 and older need a total of 1,200 mg of calcium* every day.  Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF)

 Weight Bearing Exercise

Weight bearing exercise actually builds bone in youth and will help maintain bone.”As we get older the type of exercise changes a little bit. We still have to do some impact work but it has to be safe to avoid injury and falls so you want to add balance training, flexibility training, and safe movement to make sure the individual is able to stay active and healthy.”

So what’s the takeaway here? My takeaway is if you like standing on your own two feet, taking care of your bones is about as sexy as it gets.

by Mirabai Holland MFA Certified Health Coach, Certified Exercise Physiologist.

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Osteoporosis Prevention Diet? EEK! One more thing to worry about? Sounds like more bad news but it’s not. True, our bodies can lose up to 40% of their bone mass in the 10 years following menopause. And true, if we don’t do something we could easily end up with osteoporosis. But also true, the fix for this is both easy and delicious.

It’s important to get enough calcium, Vitamin D in your bone healthy diet.  As we age  bodies become less efficient at absorbing these nutrients.

Here are some recommendations.

If you’re 50 or over you should make sure you’re getting a total calcium intake of at least

1200 milligrams daily and a Vitamin D intake of at least 800 to 1000 units daily.

Osteoporosis Prevention Diet

Here are some sources of dietary calcium:

•  Dairy Products including milk, yogurt and cheese
• Nuts such as almonds and various green vegetables such as broccoli
•  Fish with bones such as sardines, and mackerel and calcium fortified juices and cereals.

So, yogurt with fruit, almonds and maybe even a little cereal sounds like lunch. So does a salad with sardines, and a little raw broccoli. How about a nice piece of fish with a smaller salad. You might try some cheese and fruit with a glass of fruit juice. OK, wine. You get the idea. Get your calcium from food and you don’t have to take supplements. But if you do, most people have a better time digesting calcium citrate than calcium carbonate, but they both work fine.

Sources of Vitamin D include:

• Fatty fishes such as salmon and mackerel and Vitamin D enriched milk, juices and cereals.
• Although your skin can make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, sun block prevents vitamin D production.

By now you’re making up your own healthy bones recipes so I don’t have to suggest a Salmon, mackerel, milk, fruit juice and cereal smoothie do I?

But if you’re like most people and wear sun block and don’t get enough D in your diet you’ll need to take a supplement to get your 800-1000 units of Vitamin D.

MORE Osteoporosis Prevention Diet  DO’s

Research suggests nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, Vitamins A, K & C found in certain veggies and fruits may help foster better bones. It is recommended to eat about 12 ounces of fruit and 16 ounces of veggies daily.

Here is a list for your concoctions:

• Magnesium include: Raisins, potatoes, sweet potatoes, plaintains, squash, artichokes, beet and collard greens.
• Potassium include: Oranges, orange juice, bananas, prunes, papaya, avocados and tomatoes.
• Vitamin A: Mangoes, cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach
• Vitamin K: Spinach, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, collard, turnip and mustard greens.
• Vitamin C: Oranges, pineapples, payayas, grapefruits, lemons, strawberries, red raspberries

• Osteoporosis Prevention Diet NO’S
  

One bit of bad news is too much alcohol or caffeine can add to bone loss; and soft drinks particularly colas that have both caffeine and phosphorous (bad for your bones) may be a double whammy.

So that’s my quickie eating for your bones report. Don’t try that smoothie; it’s nasty.

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Stretching Routines: What Do Your Gogi Tendon Organs Have to do with it?

Stretching: What Do Your Gogi Tendon Organs Have To Do With It?  Here’s a little video with the answer.Have you tried to pick a coin up off the ground lately? How about tying your shoes? Have you switched to slip-ons? What about reaching over the coffee table to scoop some dip on the other side? Remember when you didn’t think twice about those maneuvers?
Sounds like decrepitude is setting in. Or maybe you’ve just lost some Flexibility.Flexibility is range of motion around your joints.
There are two types. Static flexibility – how far you can stretch and hold a body part, and dynamic flexibility – how much range of motion you have when you move.
Both are important. In fact I consider Flexibility one of the 3 main components of fitness, along with Aerobic Capacity and Muscle Strength.
I recommend a flexibility program that incorporates slow dynamic movements like Tai Chi, as well as static stretches like Yoga.But in my experience, Flexibility is the most ignored component of fitness. We do our Cardio and our Strength training but, unless we’re regular Yoga or Tai Chi, practitioners, Flexibility is not on the menu.
Why not? I think there are a couple of reasons. First, I think we don’t get it.It doesn’t make our muscles stronger or our figures shapelier. We don’t realize how valuable flexibility is until we try to do something we used to take for granted, like reach around to the back seat to get our sunglasses. Even then we toss it off with, “Well, I guess I’m getting older”. We somehow don’t connect with the thought, ” If I’d been doing a little stretching all these years, it wouldn’t have felt like I was going to rip something just then”.Secondly, there’s been lots of press about conflicting studies on the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of stretching.
Some studies say stretching improves athletic performance. Others say they’ve proved the exact opposite. Some studies say stretching helps prevent injury. Others say it has no effect on injury prevention. There’s enough conflicting buzz to make you not want to bother.That’s too bad because all that buzz masks the fact we do know stretching does help you gain and maintaining flexibility.
Does stretching help prevent injury or aid athletic performance? I DON’T CARE.
I want to stay flexible as I age. I want to be able to pick up coins, tie my shoes and grab my sunglasses. Give me my dose of flexibility training!Even if we were flexible as kids, as we get older, connective tissues, our tendons and ligaments, tend to lose water, shorten, and become stiffer. So we get less flexible. But it’s not too late.Even if you’re not interested in the fine practice of Yoga or Tai Chi, barring some medical issue, there’s a simple way to help hang on to the flexibility you have, and work on getting some of that youthful flexibility back. A few easy stretching exercises may be the difference between living tight and living flexible.I stretch every day. Easy for me to say, I teach a stretch class. But just a few minutes, three times a week, can make a real difference. I’ve seen students of mine go from really stiff to pretty darn flexible in a few months, without trying hard.Stretching, when done right, feels delicious while you’re doing it, and even better when you’re done. The kind of stretching I do is relaxing and meditative. I find it melts my stress and energizes me while keeping me flexible. I’ve developed a stretch exercise technique I call Moving Free. It’s evolved some over the 30 years I’ve been teaching it. I use a fusion of modified static stretches from Dance, Yoga and classic fitness as well as dynamic movements adapted from Dance and Tai Chi and Kinesiology.Here’s a video with some lower body stretches you can try at home.  As if that weren’t enough, There’s more to stretching than just flexibility. I think stretching is a form of meditation that creates a sense of well-being and promotes peace of mind. When I finish my stretching routine I have a more positive outlook as well as the feeling that my body is more alive, more accessible to me. Try it and see.

Chances are that pretty soon you’ll be able to find your shoes simply by looking down.

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BERRIES

Heart Healthy Valentine: Eat Berries, Drink and Be Fit! Here is a heart healthy formula that just might help save your heart and the one that you love!

February is Heart Month. Since heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women and men in the U.S., I thought I’d focus on prevention. After all, if you prevent heart disease, you’re very unlikely to die from it.

Heart Healthy Research

A Harvard study says women who eat three or more servings of strawberries or blueberries a week can lower their risk of heart attack by 32 percent. The study also said grapes, eggplant and blackberries may work too. It’s those flavonoids again. The antioxidants you find in red wine, dark chocolate, green tea, apple skin, etc. Rule of thumb: The darker the color, the more flavonoid content. They slow down your aging clock and prevent disease by keeping free radicals from damaging cells in your body.

Free radicals are incomplete molecules looking for an electron so they can complete and stabilize themselves. Sounds like something you’d hear in therapy. They steal an electron from a neighboring molecule, turning it into a free radical and setting off a chain reaction. They contribute to the aging process and a wide range of diseases.

We form them naturally when we breathe and metabolize. Free radicals don’t wreak havoc with your body until you have too many of them. They can be formed by oxidative stress, like intense exercise, smoking and exposure to environmental toxins.

Enter the flavonoids. They give the free radicals one of their electrons and stop them in their tracks. They help prevent heart disease by stopping LDLs (bad cholesterol) from breaking down and forming plaque in your arteries.

Nowadays, you can get berries year round, and they are a perfect low-calorie food, alone, in yogurt, or sprinkled on your cereal. So let’s have a few servings of berries, some eggplant, a glass of cabernet and maybe a square of dark chocolate for dessert. Not such a major lifestyle change and it came help you stay heart healthy too!

Since we are talking about prevention, how about stress?

A series of studies by Columbia University Medical Center says whether or not we perceive ourselves as stressed can be a measure of whether or not we’ll have a heart attack in the future. So from now on, I’m not going to perceive myself as stressed. Yeah. Good luck with that.

Seriously: My clients who exercise regularly, particularly aerobic exercise, tend to think of themselves as being more relaxed. And they are more relaxed. Aerobic exercise releases endorphins, the body’s natural tranquilizer, and they know they’re getting the heart benefits of all that cardio. To get the maximum benefit from cardio exercise, most people should build up to 45 or more minutes at 60 to 80 percent of your max heart rate. If you’re just starting out, you can ease in with a few minutes a day at a comfortable pace and add more as it gets too easy. But here’s the rub: Aerobic exercise, because it requires so much oxygen, is an oxidative stressor. It produces free radicals.

People who exercise once in a while or really hard only on the weekend are more at risk for producing harmful levels of free radicals. But studies have found that people who exercise regularly tend to adapt and produce enzymes that create antioxidants minimizing free radicals’ negative effect so that it helps them stay heart healthy.

So here’s the formula to be heart healthy: Eat berries, drink wine and get regular cardio so you don’t perceive yourself as stressed. It’s an eclectic concoction, but I think it’s tastier than one of those midnight vegetable smoothies. Don’t you?

In these times of social distancing and sheltering in place is a perfect time to focus on your health and well-being. It can make a big difference to keep your immune system strong. If you need some help, I have your back! Here’s a short video about my Health Coaching Technique how I have helped my clients achieve a balanced and Healthy Life. If you are ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results or have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues, YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!

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Holiday Exercise!

With the holidays around the corner again those old familiar fears are rearing their ugly heads. For me it’s: how am I going to get through this with my sanity and how am I going to keep from gaining a ton?

Exercise has always been my catchall solution, like Windex for the father of the bride in that movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

As those of you who read my column know, during the holidays I pretty much throw up my arms and prudently sample every goodie that comes my way. But I emphasize the word SAMPLE. If I come to the table hungry those samples could get quite large, so I use my Windex (I mean holiday exercise; I don’t use real Windex) to help me through.

Holiday Exercise Tips:

Here is a short video to kick start your Holiday Exercise:

Endorphins make you feel like all is right with the world. Maintaining sanity becomes much easier after a good workout.  They also tend to suppress your appetite. 30 minutes or so of aerobic exercise is enough to get your body to release those endorphins and it burns about 200- 300 calories. Strength training about a half hour every other day burns about 200 calories. It also raises your metabolism and keeps it up for hours after you’ve finished exercising. You see where I’m going here?

If you get started now you can stay sane, get in shape, reap all the health benefits daily holiday exercise has to offer, maintain or even lose weight, and get a jump on the 2 most popular New Year’s resolutions: Get in shape and lose some weight. Not bad.

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Orthopedic Injuries. Here’s one of mine. This picture is real. It was taken by my husband a few years ago.  That’s me unable to lower my arm without passing out. I’m on the phone with my orthopedist. Orthopedic Injuries are a real drag. This one took me 3 months to rehab.

Nobody wants to grow old, least of all boomers. But we’re turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 a day, and will be for the next 17 years.

We’re running a little scared. We want longevity, but we’re scared of losing our mobility and independence. So we’re trying to stay active, or get active, in order to avoid decrepitude. With that many older bodies on the move, orthopedic injuries are on the rise. Once you’re injured, there’s excellent treatment and rehab available

But there is a lot you can do to prevent orthopedic injuries. If you want to stay active and mobile in the second half of your life, consider prehab today to avoid rehab tomorrow. Here’s a quick video to tell you more:

Who gets up in the morning thinking: I feel like getting a nice orthopedic injury today. What can I do to help that along? But we have them anyway, even if we’re disease free. We over use our bodies or use them wrong. We break hips and legs. We get strains and sprains. We get hurt at work, at home or playing sports.

Vintage Bodies Prone For Orthopedic Injuries 

No matter how active we’ve been, our bodies are not the same as they were when we were younger. They’ve got miles on them. And like vintage cars, it’s not wise to drive them flat out. Those of us, who’ve used our bodies for a living, know we’ve had to make adjustments for our aging muscles and joints. Many of us are favoring old injuries that have left those body parts weakened and vulnerable.

We may be nursing over use injuries from repetitive actions. These can be anything from back problems from years of standing all day, to shoulder issues from years of manual labor, to carpal tunnel syndrome from constant mouse pushing. But it doesn’t have to take years. Raking leaves, shoveling snow or playing tennis all weekend when you’re out of shape can be an express ticket to Overuse Ville. And being overweight puts extra stress on your musculoskeletal system. But, there’s a simple fix that can reduce your risk for orthopedic injuries, give you more energy, stamina and even help you live longer

Prehab to Avoid Orthopedic Injuries

Two Types of Prehab

There are two main types: general and sport-specific.

General Prehab for Daily Life

Every day, we run for the bus or the phone, load groceries in the car, pick up children or pets and a million other things we take for granted. These all carry a risk for injury and I’ll bet we can all remember being injured doing them. Luckily for most of us the, injuries were limited to a little pull or sprain. But people do fall and break bones, dislocate limbs, have heart attacks and worse because they’re not fit enough for that activity at that moment. Being inactive and overweight adds to the mix. A simple fitness and weight management program may be all you need to help prevent orthopedic injuries during everyday activities.

General rehab for daily living as part of a personal wellness program: looks at the body as a whole, and develops it as a whole to maximize quality of life. This often includes strength training, cardio conditioning and core training, as well as some proprioceptive exercises.

Avoid Orthopedic Injuries with Fall Prevention

Falls are the number one cause of injury death in people over 65. One in three people 65 plus will experience a fall each year. And poor proprioception, not knowing where your body is in space is a leading cause of falls. Proprioception degrades with age but proprioceptive exercise can slow that down and help prevent falls. Add exercises like Tai Chi, and balancing exercises to your fitness routine. They feel great to do and can help keep you vertical into old age.

Sport-Specific Prehab is designed to get you ready for the rigors of a particular sport or physical endeavor. Good activity specific exercises pay special attention to the body parts most involved in that activity or sport with regard to use and form without ignoring the concept of training the body as a whole. Sport specific training is available at many gyms and community centers.

So I hope you’ve become a believer in the little proverb I’ve coined to remind my clients “An ounce of prehab is worth a pound of rehab.”

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When Not To Exercise, I ask myself.

Well, for a couple of days now I have been nursing the flu. I’ve been mostly in bed and its very frustrating. I can feel the fitness juice draining out of me. Several times I’ve thought of getting out of bed, putting on my sneakers and each time, my body, my lungs and my head have said “whoa maybe this is a bad idea”.
So, resting on an elevated pillow, feet up, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that there are times when not to exercise because being physically active can do more harm than good.
Now that I have nothing else to do I’m making a list.

When Not To Exercise

When You Are Sick
If you’ve got a cold and it’s not severe you CAN exercise without making yourself sicker. Your body will probably tell you to back off the intensity and you should listen. So just do a maintenance workout.
The Flu however is not to be messed with. Influenza kills several thousand people a year. Your body is under siege from a virus and you need to win that battle. Rest. Don’t exercise.
With A Fever The Flu is often accompanied by a fever because your immune system is fighting off infection. Any time you have a fever you need to be resting to give your body a fighting chance. No exercise.

When You’re Tired

How tired? It you’ve got the fatigue and brain-block that comes from a long day at the office, some moderate exercise after work may help you relax and recharge. But if your body is telling you go home and go to bed, that’s what you need to do.
When A Chronic Condition Flairs Up
Most people with chronic conditions or injuries can exercise with doctor’s permission between flair-ups. But many make the mistake of trying to exercise when their condition is acute. When your condition flairs up, wait it out. Don’t exercise. It only takes a moment to cause permanent damage. If your flair-up persists, go see your doctor.

When You’re Pregnant

Most pregnant women can exercise but ability to exercise varies greatly from person to person. Make sure you talk to your doctor about any exercise you’re planning to do.

When You Have Pain

Patient: “Doctor it hurts when I do this.”
Doctor: “Don’t do that!”
It really IS that simple. Pushing through the pain is nonsense even for most professional athletes. If you’ve got pain don’t exercise. See your doctor.

This list is a work in progress and since I’m lying here, I’m sure I can think up some more stuff. How about you? If you’ve got some good reasons not to exercise, please send me your comments.

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Clicking Joints: Should I worry? What are those clicking, popping and crackling sounds in my joints? Is it Arthritis? Have I overdosed on breakfast cereal? No, it’s probably Crepitus. Sounds like a precursor to decrepitude, but it’s not. Crepitus is just the word used to describe the clicking sounds.

In fact, in most cases, if there’s no pain associated with those sounds, it’s nothing to worry about. Many people live their whole lives with some clicking joints and popping without any ill effects.

 Clicking Joints?

Clicking Joints have closed bags of synovial fluid, called bursa, between them. They cushion joint movement so we can walk and work painlessly. That fluid has a little bit of air or gas dissolved in it. Through our daily movement, that gas can form a bubble or cavity in the bag. The fancy term is Cavitation.

When you move your knee, elbow or shoulder, the bubble bursts and makes a click or popping sound. Cracking your knuckles is a good example of breaking those bubbles on purpose. So, the rule of thumb is: no pain, no problem.

Snapping however is another story. That rubber band-like sound is often accompanied by pain. It’s a sign you have an injury, or that some muscle, nerve or connective tissue is out of place.

In this case you should see your doctor. A good way to promote healthy joints in general is to strengthen the muscles around them. Regular strength training can make a difference at any age. If you haven’t been exercising in a while, start slowly and build up. Last thing you want to do is hurt the joints you’re trying to strengthen.

So, what’s the takeaway here? Well, next time your friends have clicks and pops in their joints, you can tell them they probably have Crepitus!

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by Mirabai Holland MFA Certified Health Coach, Certified Exercise Physiologist.

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Can Sleeping Less Equal Weight Gain

Eating fewer calories, exercising more and still having a hard time getting those extra pounds off? Here’s a question for you: How’s your sleep?

I for one, every time I travel, seem to gain a couple of pounds just when I want to look my best.

I noticed that I tend to sleep less and intermittently when I am on the road. Once I settle again in a place, my sleep gets more regulated and I am able to drop those pounds.

I’ve adjusted my sleep pattern, as I have gotten older to help myself sleep better. The earlier I get up in the morning the better chance I have of getting to sleep that night and staying asleep for a longer period of time. I’m more energized, and when I eat, I eat less and feel more filled.

Can Sleeping Less Equal Weight Gain

It turns out that there are many studies that indicate that sleeping less then 7 hours can increase body weight. One recent study with several pairs of twins, found that the twin who slept more than 9 hours was about half as likely to gain weight as the one that slept only 7.

Sleep deprivation affects your hunger urge. If you sleep less, you feel like eating more and you probably do. That’s because not sleeping increases your body’s level of gherlin, the hunger hormone and decreases leptin the “I’m full” hormone.

A sleep study in Finland with middle-aged adults who had sleep problems found that women had greater sleep related weight gains than men. Though men were also affected. The study indicated that it seems the fewer hours you sleep the more calories you tend to eat the next day.

If you want a good night sleep here’s are some things to consider:

• Exercise: Don’t exercise too late in the day. So many of us go to the gym after work but it can keep you up at night. Late exercise can prevent the body from making sleep-inducing melatonin for several hours.
• Caffeine: It can take 6 or more hours to wear off. Having that cup of coffee after dinner, even with a low fat dessert, may not be such a good idea.
• Alcohol: A couple of drinks with dinner can wake you up in the middle of the night and make it hard to get back to sleep. I have a friend who swears by a glass or two of wine at lunch but never alcohol after 2pm. She says she sleeps like a baby at night. I think if I had a glass or two at lunch, I’d sleep like a baby at 2pm and be up for the night at 5.
• Stress: And then there is our old buddy stress. We all have some level of stress and how we deal with it can keep us up at night. Getting yourself relaxed in quiet, dark, temperature controlled environment can relieve stress and induce a desire and ability to sleep.

So what’s it going to be, wide awake at 3am or getting that beauty sleep and waking up lighter and brighter on your toes? Learning to get a good night’s sleep is a process.

Don’t stress over it, it may keep you up at night.

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Aerobics May Improve Memory.
I became interested in exercise and memory several years ago when my older students began to tell me that their memories seemed to improve after they took my class.
I was teaching mostly dance-exercise in those days. I started with simple steps and built up to a pretty complex routine.
There has to be a connection I thought, between the physical movement, making your brain learn this routine, and improved memory.
I’m no scientist but I was curious. So I started to break it down.
What I was having people do is learn short phrases of movement and then link them together. The cardio dance routine required them to move forward and back, side to side, remember specific steps; and stay in rhythm.
This was a real challenge for many of my students who had never done anything like this before. As they got more proficient, the class became a social gathering; because of this shared experience.
My students felt energized afterwards, not exhausted. They told me that besides getting a good body workout they were getting a memory workout as well. They said they could actually remember things better.
I wondered if there was science to support our anecdotal experience.
I contacted a couple of local Alzheimer’s specialists (there was no internet back then) and they told me – you’re probably right but there weren’t any specific studies on this more than 20 years ago.
Even now the research is not conclusive. But, technology in the last 15 years has allowed science to discover a lot more about the brain.

Aerobics May Improve Memory.

Vascular memory loss has been linked to heart disease and cardio fitness is a major factor in preventing and managing that issue. Aerobic exercise increases the amount of oxygen supplied to the brain improving mental function. Cardio fitness has been shown to reduce loss of brain cells in older adults.
A study of 1,449 older adults shows those who in middle age exercised vigorously enough to perspire and breathe hard for 20 to 30 minutes at least twice a week reduced their risk of later developing Alzheimer’s disease by about 60 percent.*
But cardio is just part of the equation.
Aerobics May Improve memory because research published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that certain types of dance, particularly with routines to learn and remember, may help prevent age-onset memory loss and diseases like Alzheimer’s. “…. cognitive activity may stave off dementia by increasing a person’s “cognitive reserve.” **
And a study conducted at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, says activities that combined mental and social as well as physical stimulation offered the greatest protection against dementia***
Activity is the active word. Be physically active, mentally active and socially active, preferably all at once. Taking a Cardio Dance class or getting together with friends to do a Cardio Dance DVD is a good place to start. And to this day, when I start my cardio dance class I say,
“It’s time to workout our hearts and minds!”

*Rovio, Suvi; Kareholt, Ingemar; Helkala, Eeva-Liisa; Viitanen, Matti; Winblad, Bengt; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Soininen, Hilkka; Nissinen, Aulikki; and Kivipelto, Miia. “Leisure-time physical activity at midlife and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.” The Lancet Neurology; published online Oct. 4, 2005.
** Dr Joe Verghese, lead author of study conducted at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, N Engl J Med, 2003; 348:2508-2516.
***Karp, Anita; Paillard-Borg, Stephanie; Wang, Hui-Xin; Silverstein, Merrill; Winblad, Bengt; and Fratiglioni, Laura. “Mental, Physical and Social Components in Common Leisure Activities in Old Age in Relation to Dementia: Findings from the Kungsholmen Project.” Presented at the Alzheimer’s Association 9th International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, Philadelphia, Penn., July 17 – 22, 2004. Abstract published in Neurobiology of Aging, July 2004, Vol. 25, S2: p. S313.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3761497/

Compared with the control group, the exercise group significantly improved in verbal fluency (p = 0.048), word list delayed recall (p = 0.038), word list recognition (p = 0.007), and total CERAD-K score (p = 0.037)

• Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment.
• Aerobic exercise improves cognitive function in elderly people and contributes to the prevention of degenerative neurological disease and brain damage. Dance sport is a form of aerobic exercise that has the additional benefits of stimulating the emotions, promoting social interaction, and exposing subjects to acoustic stimulation and music.
• In the present study, dance exercise for a 6-month period improved cognitive function in older adults with MS. In particular, positive effects were observed in verbal fluency, word list delayed recall, word list recognition, and the total CERAD-K score.
• Our data suggest that the implementation of dance exercise programs may be an effective means of prevention and treatment of cognitive disorders.
• http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2013.00075/abstract

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Fall Prevention. Is your vision putting you at risk for a deadly fall? The answer may surprise you. Falls are a leading cause of death in older adults.

Do you really want to go out with that kind of a bang? Not being able to distinguish, or maybe just being less likely to notice a hazard that causes a fall, is a problem that sneaks up on you.

 The quality of our vision diminishes with age slowly, and often goes unnoticed; or we may just rationalize symptoms away.

Fall Prevention

Starting at around 40 the lenses in our eyes become less elastic making it hard to focus up close. We eventually admit it and fix the problem with reading glasses. But that’s just the beginning. By around 50 we may think there’s not enough light in a room, or daylight conditions are immediately too bright when we go outside. In fact our pupils have gotten smaller, and our ability to adjust to changing light has slowed with age. So we require more light indoors, and transitions from dim to bright conditions become more difficult. We don’t usually think of aging eyesight as the cause. It’s easy to shrug off.

As we get older and contrast perception diminishes, making it harder to perceive stairs, curbs and other dangers, we blame shadows or glare. And worsening vision throws off our balance and proprioception (knowing where our bodies are in space). Combine imperfect vision with age related orthopedic issues and we’re set up for a life altering or life-ending event.Most of the time, the vision problem is easily corrected with a visit to an ophthalmologist and prescription for glasses. And if you do have a more serious issue, it can be detected and treated before vision loss occurs or gets worse. But remember, it sneaks up on you. So get a checkup even if you don’t think you need one.

In these times of social distancing and sheltering in place is a perfect time to focus on YOU and YOUR Health & Well-Being.

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Whenever the weather gets warmer, the idea of putting on summer clothes generates a ton of weight loss panic! I get a lot of panicky emails asking about quick weight loss. Here are a couple of familiar ones.

Weight Loss Panic Solutions

Q: I need to lose 20 pounds. I am doing aerobics three times a week and watching my calories but I am losing so slowly, I was wondering if there is any other type of exercise that could help me lose weight faster? I am really getting frustrated and I am almost ready to just give up.

Frustrated

A. Try adding 2-3 days of weight training to the mix.

Studies show the winning formula is a combination of aerobic and weight training exercise. Moderate aerobic exercise burns calories while you are doing it and for a short time afterwards. Weight training burns calories too but it also increases your lean muscle mass. So as you add more muscle, you’ll burn more calories all day long. Research from Tufts University found that after 12 weeks of weight training, total calorie burning increased by about 15 percent which for an average adult, could amount to an extra 240 to 400 calories a day.

A: As we get older, particularly after menopause, women tend to carry extra weight around the middle. This change in body shape puts you at higher risk for heart disease and cancer. So, it’s even more crucial to do something about it.

Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you think.

If you lose a pound a week, you’ll still have 2 weeks to spare, just in case you get a little hungry.

So, here’s a formula for losing the weight and toning up at the same time.

One pound = 3500 calories. So to lose one pound a week eliminate 500 calories each day (500 X 7 days = 3500 calories)

Eat 300 calories less, and do one half hour to one hour of aerobic exercise, like brisk walking, to burn the other 200. You might want to write down everything you eat for the next 3 days or so to help you figure out what you can do without. Or, simply cut your portions in half.

As for aerobic exercise, you don’t have to do the whole workout at once. Three 10-minute walks are just as effective as one half hour walk.

You should also do some abdominal exercises about 20 a day to help tone up that belly as you lose weight. And, exercise actually picks up your metabolic rate so you burn more calories even after you’ve finished exercising.

Now, just try not to trip on your way up the aisle!

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Wellness: Life is a balancing act.
So I started thinking about wellness. What is wellness anyway?
It’s the absence of disease. If you are not sick you are well.
But it’s more than that isn’t it? It’s quality of life and for some it’s a balancing act; the balance of all things. I like this balance concept so I dug out one of my favorite balancing act tools:

Wellness Balancing Act Tool

The Mandala: the wheel of life. I wrote down all the types of wellness I could think of and ended up with 6 categories that I stuck on my Mandala to enable us to live well.

Here they are:
Physical Wellness
· Taking care of your body, eat right, exercise
· Visit your doctor regularly

Mental Wellness
· Keeping an open mind and trying to see other’s point of view
· Allowing your curiosity to take you to new places and learn new things.

Emotional Wellness
· Trying to keep a positive state of mind
· Cultivating self esteem
· Reaching out to others for support

Spiritual Wellness
· Recognizing your beliefs.
· Allowing your core values to direct your actions.

Social Wellness
· Developing positive inter-personal relationships at home and work
· Allowing yourself to give and receive love: to and from everyone that means that much to you including animals
· Participate in social situations; try not to stay on the sidelines.

Environmental Wellness
· Making your home environment peaceful, pleasant, safe and comfortable.
· Choosing an occupation and a workplace that doesn’t drive you nuts.
· Try to have a positive impact on our natural environment.
Recycle more, pollute less.

When the wheel is in balance it spins evenly. When even one of these categories is out of whack, the whole wheel starts to wobble.
So as a certified health coach I respectfully suggest you get rolling, get your balancing act together so you can live well.

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Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways. Bronchial passages become inflamed and narrowed in response to triggers like cold air, exercise, smoke, pet dander, dust mites and stress. Breathing becomes labored and difficult and in extreme cases, asthma attacks can be fatal. Asthma affects about 25 million people in the US according to the National Institutes of health, and 300 million worldwide.

Check out this video on Exercising With Asthma!

In these times of social distancing and sheltering in place is a perfect time to focus on your health and well-being. It can make a big difference to keep your immune system strong. If you need some help, I have your back! Here’s a short video about my Health Coaching Technique how I have helped my clients achieve a balanced and Healthy Life.  https://www.mirabaiholland.com/health-coaching-one-session/

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FABULOUS FOREVER WORKOUTS!

I’d like to remind you if you are still in that winter slump, to get moving again if you want to “live long and prosper”.

So to make it easy on you to spring into shape, do these 5 Most Important Workouts at least 4-5 days a week even if you begin with a little as 5 minutes a day working up to about 30 minutes.

Tip: Plan your workout:

Try to exercise as much as you can at the same time every day.

FABULOUS FOREVER WORKOUTS:

Have your workout clothes and accessories ready ahead of time so you can grab and take them with you or put on and go!

1. Aerobic Training

Feeling sluggish? Believe it or not a daily dose of aerobic exercise can help provide you with more energy and stamina. Aerobics is any activity that uses your large muscle groups like brisk walking, swimming, jogging, biking, climbing stairs, or low impact cardio dance. Starting out with as little as 5 minutes a day and building up to 30 minutes will help lower your blood pressure, increase your good cholesterol, HDL, improve your lung function, strengthen your heart, burn calories and elevate your mood.

2. Muscle Strength

Flab is one of those things we all really hate. What’s worse than wearing something that will reveal that little wiggle.

Studies show that if we do nothing we will steadily increase body fat as we get older.

So an inactive 25 year old woman may be at 23% (normal range of %body fat) but if she stays inactive by the time she is in her 60’s she can be as high as 43%.

The good news is this is completely reversible by adding some strength training exercises. And it doesn’t take much: just twice a week for 30 minutes or so.

Make sure you leave 24-48 hours in between for muscles to recover and grow.

Use your own body weight with push-ups (beginners can do them against a wall and modified squats or lunges. Start with a few and build up to 15 reps.

Or use resistance bands or hand and ankle weights. For this, you may need some professional help like purchasing an exercise video with a certified instructor, joining a gym or working with a certified personal trainer. Once you learn a simple routine you can do you can slowly increase the weight as you get stronger.

Tip: Start with 8 reps for each exercise. If you can’t finish the set the weight is too heavy. And if you can do a few more, you need more resistance. The key is to listen to your body.

3. Flexibility Training

When was the last time you could touch your toes? Or in the morning when you wake up do you feel stiff? If this sounds like you then doing a few stretches every day could help you move more freely and even reduce muscle aches and pains.

Here are 4 easy exercises that targets some those tight muscles:

Neck Stretch (try doing it in the shower when your muscles are warming up)

Back Stretch

Hamstring stretch

Calf stretch

Try holding the stretch for at least 10-20 seconds!

Try doing an easy stretch or yoga video or class even once a week can help increase your flexibility.

4. Balance training

Because we see in older adults a loss of balance, which results in more falls,” noted Holland.

— You can do this standing in line at the grocery store

— Stand on one leg and see if you can let go of the shopping cart

— Hold for about 10 seconds

— Also try standing on your tippy-toes and holding for a few seconds

— Balance should be done everyday — all you need is two to three minutes

5. Core training

“We see so many people as they get older avoiding their abs, which results in a bad back,” said Holland. “They’re not really supporting upper torso.”

— Try a few minutes of abdominal exercises

— Reverse curl while you’re lying in back and pull your knees into you

— Hold for five seconds and release

— Start with 10 reps a day and work your way higher

— Crunches are key — not full sit-ups — because some people can do more damage than good

— Keep back on the floor and don’t go all the way up

— Really concentrate so you can feel you’re abdominal wall contracting

— This will help support your back

In these times of social distancing and sheltering in place is a perfect time to focus on your health and well-being. It can make a big difference to keep your immune system strong. If you need some help, I have your back! Here’s a short video about my Health Coaching Technique how I have helped my clients achieve a balanced and Healthy Life. If you are ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results or have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues, YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!

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Lose Weight Now: Talking Off The Pounds!

Was it Einstein who said “I talk to myself in order to have an intelligent conversation”?
Maybe it was Buddha.

Anyhow, I’m in a conversation with myself right now. I’m trying to lose weight and knock off a few pounds. (If you think being a fitness pro makes you immune think again) and I find talking to myself is not so crazy. We all need a support system. Mine happens to be me.

Lose Weight Now: Talking Off The Pounds!

Here a Talking Yourself Thin Video

Lose Weight Now: Talking Off The Pounds!

Every night before I go to bed, I have a little chat with myself. I plan my meals for the next day and approximate calories, and the type of exercise I am going to do. I like to switch it up so I’m not doing the same thing every day, which sometimes requires a little more planning.
I get my workout clothes and other stuff ready the night before so I have no excuse and I tell myself what a good idea that was.
Although I teach exercise classes and coach clients, my body has gotten use to that, so when I want to lose weight, I need to do more.
For motivation, I talk to myself about a piece of clothing I’m determined to get into.
I put myself on a realistic, achievable timeline. So, if I’m trying to lose five pounds I give myself about 5-6 weeks.
Now this sounds like I’m really in charge doesn’t it? But I’ve learned to expect the unexpected which might deter me and get me off my weight loss plan.

For instance, this morning my husband brought home a bag of bagels for breakfast.
As soon as I saw them, calorie numbers started to flash in my brain. So instead of denying myself all together, I told myself I could have a serving that would equal the calories, if not the nutrition, of the oatmeal I was about to prepare. And I must say I savored every bite.

As I ate my half a bagel watching my husband eat a bagel and half, I told myself that I made the right choice. I had my taste, and I was thankful for it, and I wanted to lose weight and get those pounds off more than I wanted the rest of that bagel.

So put your own Weight Loss Plan in place and lose weight now.

If you are looking for some support, why not try talking to your best friend, you!

Check out my New Year, New You Specials at www.mirabaiholland.com 

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TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH! GET STRONG, LIVE LONG! For more info on health and wellness programs please visit www.mirabaiholland.com

GREAT FOR WOMEN WHO WANT TO GET HEALTHY & STAY FIT WITH MIRABAI’S SIGNATURE MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE  AND HEALTH COACHING SESSIONS THAT TAKES THE PAIN OUT OF THE GAIN! IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH AGE ONSET ISSUES LIKE  WEIGHT GAIN, MENOPAUSE, OSTEOPOROSIS, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, ARTHRITIS AND MORE YOU..

For more information about Health & Wellness coaching contact askmirabai@movingfree.com

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH! GET STRONG, LIVE LONG! For more info on health and wellness programs please visit www.mirabaiholland.com

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New Year, New You; right? Well it is January again, and are you wondering if you can really stick with your New Year’s fitness resolutions? If getting in shape, and staying in shape is one of yours, it’s probably not the first time you’ve tried it. I’ve spent a lot of my career studying why fitness programs succeed or fail and developing methods to help people succeed. So, Happy New Year, here are my Top 10 Tips to help you ward off decrepitude.

New Year New You Top Ten Tips

•  Start slowly and go at your own pace. Staying in your comfort zone separates the pain from the gain. You’ll get the most benefit with the lowest risk of injury, especially if you’ve been inactive for some time.

•   Find the right kind of exercise for you. Choose activities you like or at least don’t hate. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as taking a brisk walk.

•   Pick a time of the day that is most convenient for you to exercise.  Try to stick with that schedule. Studies show that people who exercise at the same time every day are more likely to stick with it.

•  Before getting out of bed each day, take a moment to visualize yourself fit. Thinking of yourself as a fit person will help make it happen. Professional athletes do this daily.

•  Keep an exercise log. You’ll get a feeling of accomplishment when you stick to your program and will be able to chart your progress.

• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes with good support. Cotton is a breathable classic. But check out the super lightweight fabrics like cool-max that wick the sweat from your skin. When buying shoes, don’t feel weird about actually exercising in them in the store before plunking down the big bucks. I can’t tell you how many pairs of sneakers I have thrown against the wall before I learned this.

•   Exercise with a friend or family member. Supporting each other’s efforts helps keep you on track. One of my students loves to go mall walking with her friend in the early morning at speed and then coming back later for some retail therapy.

•   Music is a powerful motivator. Pick music you love that makes you want to move. There are fitness music companies that sell CDs and downloads with popular tunes played at specific beats per minute. They’ll tell you what speed works for particular types of exercise.

•   Consider professional guidance, especially if you’ve been inactive.  If you don’t want to join a gym or can’t afford a trainer, consider a beginner-level exercise video by a certified teacher so you’ll see the exercises demonstrated properly.

•   Set short-term, easily attainable goals, such as doing some form of exercise two or three days a week to start.  Change your goal when it becomes too easy.

It’s rare when anyone succeeds at anything right out of the gate. That’s why “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” is a classic proverb. So if you fall off the wagon one day, just climb back on board the next. And remember you’re not a failure, you’re a success story in progress.

Check out my New Year, New You Specials at www.mirabaiholland.com 

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TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH! GET STRONG, LIVE LONG! For more info on health and wellness programs please visit www.mirabaiholland.com

GREAT FOR WOMEN WHO WANT TO GET HEALTHY & STAY FIT WITH MIRABAI’S SIGNATURE MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE  AND HEALTH COACHING SESSIONS THAT TAKES THE PAIN OUT OF THE GAIN! IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH AGE ONSET ISSUES LIKE  WEIGHT GAIN, MENOPAUSE, OSTEOPOROSIS, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, ARTHRITIS AND MORE YOU. Available on Skype or Phone.

For more information about Health & Wellness coaching contact askmirabai@movingfree.com

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH! GET STRONG, LIVE LONG! For more info on health and wellness programs please visit www.mirabaiholland.com

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New Year Fitness Resolutions often fail!

Many of today’s fitness programs are all about the quick sell and even quicker results. Many are based on dangerous fitness myths.

To success in fulfilling those New Year  Fitness Resolutions here are 5 fitness myths to steer away from:

New Year Fitness Resolutions: Myth #1: Pain Equals Gain

It is a popular misconception that only when you feel the pain are you gaining anything from your workout.

“The “no pain, no gain” mentality contributes to more injuries and more burnout than any other fitness factor, especially among my age group (baby boomers). It is wiser to exercise sustainably over a longer term, than to push yourself to the breaking point.

New Year Fitness Resolutions: Myth #2: A Taskmaster Equals the Best Teacher

Reality Exercise Shows that have recently become popular portray drill-sergeant-style trainers as being the most effective fitness mentors.

While leveraging fear and using intimidation techniques may mean instant short-term fitness results, they’re sending the wrong message about how to get and stay fit for a lifetime. Attainable short-term goals and positive reinforcement are more likely to create good fitness habits that are sustainable for life

New Year Fitness Resolutions: Myth #3: Pumping up the Volume Equals Pumping up Your Physique

It seems some fitness instructors think screaming louder and blasting the bass is motivational. It’s time to think again.

While high-decibel workouts might be temporarily motivational, over time these techniques become draining and stressful leading to faster fitness burnout. Look instead for uplifting music and gentle coaching in your workouts.

New Year Fitness Resolutions: Myth #4: Fitness Equals a Fight Against Your Body

Sales pitches that encourage “shaving off the pounds” and busting your abs or your butt have solidified the image of fitness as a battle against your body.

Fighting is not a sustainable activity or philosophy. Instead, think of partnering with your body. Meet it where it is at right now and provide the environment and tools to reveal your body’s best potential. When you take this approach you are setting yourself up for success every step of the way.

New Year Fitness Resolutions: Myth #5: Force Equals Fit

Today’s popular exercise routines promote pounding your body into shape. But ancient fitness modalities, such as Yoga and Tai Chi had it right.

Fitness is not about pumping the most iron or performing the most reps, it is about teaching your body how to move efficiently, using all of your muscles groups, and sustaining these movements over time. Exercise including strength training should be approached as a gradual lifetime process. This way, exercise becomes a pleasure not a chore and you have a much better chance in having your New Year Fitness Resolutions succeed.

Check out my New Year, New You Specials at www.mirabaiholland.com 

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH & FITNESS: ON MIRABAI’s ALL ACCESS ONLINE EXERCISE CLUB. GET 35 WORKOUT VIDEOS FOR ONLY $99 a year! INFO  CLICK ON THIS VIDEO

NEW! Moving Free Ballet Barre Workout With Chair

AVAILABLE ON MIRABAI’s ALL ACCESS ONLINE EXERCISE CLUB. GET 35 WORKOUT VIDEOS FOR ONLY $99 a year! INFO

No need to be a dancer to enjoy Mirabai Holland Moving Free® Ballet Barre Workout with a Chair instead of a barre for support. Get a serious ballet style workout like the pros do daily. Her easy to follow instruction and gentle coaching takes a Yin-Yang approach. Dance is Work-Dance is Play. She ends with a short routine  based on the moves you just learned so you can free your inner dancer.

For more info on women health coaching and fitness at home exercise programs come and visit me at www.mirabaiholland.com and be Fabulous Forever!

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH! GET STRONG, LIVE LONG! For more info on health and wellness programs please visit www.mirabaiholland.com

GREAT FOR WOMEN WHO WANT TO GET HEALTHY & STAY FIT WITH MIRABAI’S SIGNATURE MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE  AND HEALTH COACHING SESSIONS THAT TAKES THE PAIN OUT OF THE GAIN! IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH AGE ONSET ISSUES LIKE  WEIGHT GAIN, MENOPAUSE, OSTEOPOROSIS, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, ARTHRITIS AND MORE YOU. Available on Skype or Phone.

For more information about Health & Wellness coaching contact askmirabai@movingfree.com

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Ready to test your Fabulous Forever Health IQ?

As we are into a new year, it’s time to remind ourselves to be vigilant about our health and fitness so you can be Fabulous Forever. Test your Fabulous Forever health IQ with this at home quiz. Answers are at the end.

Fabulous Forever Health  I.Q. Test Yourself Now!

Fabulous Forever Health IQ Self-Quiz
(answers at end)

1. What is the number one killer disease of women?
a. Osteoporosis
b. Breast Cancer
c. Heart Disease
d. Diabetes

2. What does osteopenia mean?
a. Low muscle mass
b. Low bone mass
c. Another word for osteoporosis
d. Strong bones

3. What is the normal % of body fat?
a. 15-20%
b. 22-30%
c. 25-35%
d. 30-35%

4. Which one of the following blood pressure readings is considered a risk factor for heart disease?
a. 110/70
b. 115/80
c. 118/75
d. 140/90

5.What helps to pick up metabolism?
a. Lean muscle mass
b. 1000 calorie a day diet
c. Sleeping 8 hours a night
d. Meditation

6. How much body fat does the average 65 year old woman have?
a. 30%
b. 37%
c. 43%
d. 50%

7. What is sarcopenia?
a. high muscle mass
b. low bone mass
c. high bone mass
d. low muscle mass

8. What is interval training best for:
a. Picking up the metabolic rate
b. Adding variety to your routine
c. Making it easy to get a drink of water
d. Both a & b

9. An optimal program for older people would include activities to improve:
a. strength, flexibility and coordination
b. eyesight
c. digestion
d. jogging

10. What body shape is the one that puts you at less risk for both heart disease and breast cancer?
a. apple
b. pear
c. banana
d. pineapple

11. To be at less risk for heart disease your total cholesterol should be:
a. Above 200
b. Below 200
c. Between 200-220
d. Between 220-225

12. Which is the “good” cholesterol
a. HDL
b. LDL
c. NDL
d. Margarine

13. How much exercise should you do?
a. At least 3-4 times a week, 30 minutes at 60-90% max heart rate.
b. At least twice a week, 60 minutes at 70-90% max heart rate
c. At least once a week, 60 minutes at 80-85% max heart rate
d. At least twice a week, 30 minutes at 70-90% max heart rate

14. What is the equation of finding your target heart rate?
a. 220-age x %
b. 200-age x %
c. 220 x age – %
d. 200 x age – %

15. What does aerobic exercise do?
a. Helps to stimulate metabolism and reduce LDL
b. Helps to develop stronger abdominals and back muscles
c. Helps to build a stronger heart muscle
d. a & c

16. What are the risk factors for heart disease that you can control:
a. Family history, age, menopause
b. Inactivity, excessive alcohol, and high blood pressure
c. Smoking, high cholesterol and triglycerides
d. b & c

17. How often should you weight train?
a. Every day
b. 3 days in a row, 2 days rest
c. 2-3 times a week, alternating days
d. None of the above.

18. How often should you perform a Breast Self-Examination?
a. every other week
b. Once a month (if still menstruating best time a week after the start of your period)
c. Once every week
d. None of the above.

19. When should you start getting annual mammograms?
a. After age 40
b. After age 45
c. After age 50
d. After age 55

20. What are the best types of exercise if you have had breast cancer?
a. Light strengthening and stretching exercises.
b. Walking and swimming.
c. High intensity strength training
d. a & b

21. 54 million Americans at risk for Osteoporosis; what % are women?
a. 60%
b. 70%
c. 80%
d. 90%

22. By the time women are 70 they can lose up to
a.15% bone mass
b. 20% bone mass
c. 30 % bone mass
d. 45% bone mass

23. As a woman goes through menopause what is the main factor that causes bone loss?
a. loss of estrogen
b. fatigue
c. hot flashes
d. light headed

24.What are the 3 areas at most risk for osteoporotic fracture?
a. Spine, neck, foot
b. Hip, shoulder, foot
c. Spine, hip, wrist
d. None of the above.

25. What type of exercise is not particularly effective for loading your bones
a. Weight training
b. Walking
c. Swimming
d. Jogging
ANSWERS: 1. c, 2. b, 3. b, 4. d, 5. a, 6. c, 7. d, 8. d, 9. a, 10.b,11. b, 12. a, 13. a, 14. a, 15. d, 16. d, 17. c, 18. b, 19. a, 20. d, 21. c, 22. c, 23. a, 24. c, 25. c

Feel free to share  your Fabulous Forever Health IQ.

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH & FITNESS: 7 DAY FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE ON MIRABAI’s ALL ACCESS ONLINE EXERCISE CLUB. GET 35 WORKOUT VIDEOS FOR ONLY $99 a year! INFO  CLICK ON THIS VIDEO

NEW! Moving Free Ballet Barre Workout With Chair

AVAILABLE ON MIRABAI’s ALL ACCESS ONLINE EXERCISE CLUB. GET 35 WORKOUT VIDEOS FOR ONLY $99 a year! INFO

No need to be a dancer to enjoy Mirabai Holland Moving Free® Ballet Barre Workout with a Chair instead of a barre for support. Get a serious ballet style workout like the pros do daily. Her easy to follow instruction and gentle coaching takes a Yin-Yang approach. Dance is Work-Dance is Play. She ends with a short routine  based on the moves you just learned so you can free your inner dancer.

For more info on women health coaching and fitness at home exercise programs come and visit me at www.mirabaiholland.com and be Fabulous Forever!

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Can you really enjoy holiday eating with no weight gain?

Well, when we think of the holidays the first thing that comes to mind is holiday eating and the fear of weight gain. That’s because we always have a few treats up our sleeves. And we do gain weight.

But, preventing this phenomenon of holiday eating is not as hard as you think. You don’t have to starve, deny yourself favorite holiday dishes or do heavy-duty compensation workouts.

 Holiday Eating With No Weight Gain: Some Pointers

If you are the one cooking, you are more in control of what is going to be placed on the table.

So you can choose equally delicious lighter recipes. But, if you are visiting friends and family all bets are off and your radar needs to be on. It’s all about portion control.

Don’t wait till the second piece of pie gets offered. Pre-planning is key. In some cases you’ll know from past experience what the menu will be. Even if you don’t, assume there will be a barrage of excess temptations. Excess is the operative word. Enjoy but not to excess.

Whether you count calories, points, or eyeball your portions, eat half of what you think you should eat. If you are not sure of a particular food or treat, pass on it, or just take a bite to see if it is worth the calories. If you find yourself hungry after all of this, you can eat a little more or maybe you’ve actually saved room for that dessert.

You can visit, enjoy the company, make merry and have a smug sense of self-assurance that this whole season will pass without you gaining even a pound. Who knows, you might lose weight.

That brings me to your insurance policy. If you don’t exercise regularly this is definitely the time to start and get a jump on your New Year, New You. If you do, make time for it. You don’t have to do extra but don’t make the excuse you’re too busy at this time of year.

Cardio exercise is great calorie burner, and we all know that a half hour of moderate aerobic exercise a day can reduce one’s chance of heart attack by a whopping 50%.

See how I snuck in my pitch for exercise? I am not suggesting anything that I don’t do myself. It works for me and I bet it will work for you.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. And let me know if you were able to enjoy holiday eating without weight gain.

Happy Holidays! For at home exercise programs check out my site www.mirabaiholland.com Follow Mirabai Holland, Certified Health Coach & Certified Exercise Physiologist:

 

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When I think of the holiday season as joyous as it is, I can’t help thinking about stress.

Feeling the stress of the season? Me too!

Stress has been around since the beginning of time.

It started as the flight-or-fight reflex when early humans confronted a life-threatening situation, and now, stress itself has become a life-threatening situation.

Well, if we can’t eliminate all causes of stress, which is the way to go if you can do it, but good luck with that, what CAN we do about it?

Relieve holiday stress starting with my personal favorite.

Snuggle

with a dog or cuddle with a cat

or cats!

Relax. No really, conscious relaxation is a form of Yoga or Meditation. Sometimes you only need a few seconds and you feel a lot better.

Try this at home or at work:

Sit down and close your eyes (if you’re on the street, duck into a doorway and keep your eyes open and one hand on your purse)

Let your muscles relax

Concentrate on your breathing

Breathe in and hold your breath for 1 second – 1 one hundred thousand, Breathe out

Breathe in again a little deeper and hold for 2 seconds – 1 one hundred thousand, 2 one hundred thousand – Breathe out

Breathe in deeper and hold for three, then four, then 5 seconds

When you get to around 3 seconds of breath holding your stress level should start to drop and your mind should to clear itself for thoughts.

After 5, you should feel pretty good. This actually works and can relieve holiday stress.

Eat better. Substituting good food like fruit for sugary snacks and drinking less caffeine and less alcohol can make a big difference

At home, put on some music and dance around for a song or two.

If you have the time, keep going, After a few minutes, as your heart rate goes up your mood will improve. This is because you’re now doing aerobic exercise, a great mood elevator, after about 20 minutes you’ll feel even better because the endorphins, your body’s natural anti-depressant drugs will kick in and all will be right with the world for a while.

By the way a half hour brisk walk or putting on an aerobics video also works great to relieve holiday stress.

Another great way to relieve holiday stress is to get a massage. Professional massage therapists are great, but for just plain stress, getting your significant other or a close friend to give you a massage works just as well, maybe better. Be sure to return the favor.

Hope you’ll try these and relieve holiday stress. Happier Holidays!

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For more health and fitness info and in home exercise videos please visit www.mirabaiholland.com  

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!

EASE IN, BECOME MOBILE, GET STRONG, LIVE LONG!

For more info on health and wellness programs please visit www.mirabaiholland.com Follow Mirabai Holland, Certified Health Coach & Certified Exercise Physiologist:

 

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Although specialists once thought that resting was the best prescription for a bad back, it is now shown that exercise relieves back pain. And carefully designed exercises may be even more effective in reducing back pain. A sedentary lifestyle and unnatural alignment of the spine have a lot to do with back pain, a condition that affects 31 million Americans at any given time, according to the American Chiropractic Association. One study found that half of all working Americans report back pain symptoms whether they are seated or standing on the job.

Exercise Relieves Back Pain

If you spend most of your time sitting at a desk, it’s easy to hunch your shoulders and neck forward to look at a computer screen without even noticing. And if you hold that position for hours at a time, especially with your legs crossed at the knees, your spine can really suffer. For women, wearing high-heeled shoes can add to spine stress.
By the time we reach our fifties, many Baby Boomers have created bad habits and bad backs.

What Makes Your Back Especially Sensitive to Pain?

The back is a complicated structure of nerves, bones, joints, ligaments and muscles. The sensitive triangular area of the lower back, between the hips and above the tailbone, is called the sacrum. From the sacrum up through your neck, your spine is linked to a large portion of your nervous system, which controls and coordinates every function of your body. Spinal nerves are routed from the vertebrae in your spine and connect with various parts of your body, including your internal organs. Exercise helps to keep your back healthy and avoid injuries or accidents that may occur even from simple movements like bending over to pick up something that dropped on the floor. It also prevents the back pain that can result from conditions like arthritis, obesity and psychological stress.

*Vallfors B. Acute, Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical Symptoms, Absenteeism and Working Environment. Scan J Rehab Med Suppl 1985; 11: 1-98.

Luckily, it’s possible to change your posture for the better, standing or sitting, and relieve that chronic pain – as well as the restricted breathing, digestion and circulation that holding an unhealthy posture may cause.

The most effective way to improve your posture is by stretching your spine and strengthening your back and abdominal muscles so that your whole core area gets stronger. Exercise also works to remedy sudden injury to back tissue and muscles.

One of the most effective ways to relieve back pain is back extension. Back extension helps to reset your vertebrae into proper alignment and to relieve nerve pressure. You can do it standing, sitting or lying face down (yoga cobra pose).

Exercise Relieves Back Pain

Here’s the standing version:

Stand feet comfortable apart. Place your two hands behind you at the lumbar area. Gently arch your back and look upward without stretching the neck too far back. Hold for 10-20 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Try this anytime your back feels fatigued. You’ll be surprised at how much relief it gives you. But don’t do it if you are in severe back pain. In that case it’s time to call your doctor.

It can make a big difference to keep your immune system strong. If you need some help, I have your back! Here’s a short video about my Health Coaching Technique how I have helped my clients achieve a balanced and Healthy Life. If you are ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results or have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues, YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!

For more info on Women over 50 Health and Fitness and at home exercise programs for  visit www.mirabaiholland.com

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Starting a walking workout in September is a special experience. September is the perfect time to walk, and a walking workout is about as perfect a human exercise as we’ve got. It’s a great combination. Beginning your walking workout in September is good because it’s not too hot, not too cold, and there’s lots to look at. And, doctors always want us to walk when they tell us to get some exercise. I wonder if they walk themselves. So your doctor should be very pleased when you call and say “I’m starting a walking workout program, what do you think”? Do check with your doctor to make sure you don’t have any issues that will keep you from brisk walking, and then if all’s good, get to it.

Besides getting a great cardiovascular workout you’ll strengthen and sculpt your legs and butt. If you swing your arms you’ll get some shoulder action too; all this while nature watching, or people watching if you’re in the city. Start slowly and build up. American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of walking per week

Vary Your Walking Workout

Try interval walking. Walk for 3 minutes at a moderate pace. Then walk faster for 1 minute.

Walking Workout Develops Core Strength

There’s been plenty of buzz lately about core exercise and how a strong core, the abs, back, butt and upper thigh muscles, can keep you mobile into old age. There’s a lot of truth to that. The core muscles hold you torso erect and promote good posture and general body strength. If you do it right, walking can strengthen your core and improve the way you walk at the same time.

A weak core makes you slouch and walking slouched messes up your gait and can even give you back injuries. Start by standing tall with your head over your shoulders, shoulders over your hips, hips over the feet, abs pulled in. If you’re not used to it, it’ll feel like work at first. But, try keeping that posture while you walk, even for 5 minutes at a time. It will become more and more comfortable. You’ll start to realize it’s the natural way for humans to stand and walk. Your gait will improve, your core will get stronger, you’ll be less fatigued and you’ll enjoy your walking workout in September more. And won’t you look cool and snappy out there with that perfect gait.

In these times of social distancing and sheltering in place is a perfect time to focus on your health and well-being. It can make a big difference to keep your immune system strong. If you need some help, I have your back! Here’s a short video about my Health Coaching Technique how I have helped my clients achieve a balanced and Healthy Life. If you are ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results or have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues, YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!

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Healthy Life Tips!

What do we want for the second half of our lives? Health and mobility are at the top of my list. It boils down to a healthy life!
Keeping all my marbles into my old age is right up there too. Financial security is nice but without those other three, it’s a distant fourth. So how do we do it, maximize our chances of health into our old age?

We all know how. Eat healthy, exercise, get regular checkups, reduce stress. It’s a simple formula. So why is it so hard to do?

You know, I don’t think it’s hard to do, but I do think not doing it is a lot easier. The path of least resistance is paved with delicious processed foods, wines and spirits that hit the spot at the end of a day, lounge chairs that give you a massage and play your favorite tunes, remotes and DVRs that offer sedentary adventure with the push of a button, games that appeal to your inner super hero. It’s a long list and it’s become our way of life. Who wants to eat healthy, exercise, yada yada yada when you’ve got all that?

Well, if you want a healthy life, or maybe a second half at all, I suspect you do.

So, I’d like to offer a method that may take some of the sting out of making the necessary lifestyle changes.

Healthy Life Tips

· Start by adding one good thing. Don’t take away anything just yet. Just add one good healthy thing and try to make it something important enough to keep it going for a lifetime.
Make your own list of good things. But may I suggest starting with exercise as the first good thing. It worked for me and I’ve found getting moving, and eventually fit, helps my clients feel motivated to make all the other changes on their list.

Healthy Life Steps

· Ease in to adding that new good thing.
Too much of a good thing tends to be short lived. Pamper yourself a bit. Stay in your comfort zone while moving gently but steadily forward

· Add a second.
Once the first healthy thing is solidly a part of your life, add another. It can be anything good like eating more fruit or stopping for a slow count to 10 and a few deep breaths when you feel stressed.

· Cut one bad.
Once you’ve got two going try cutting out an unhealthy or less healthy thing. See where I’m going here. Gradually add two good, cut out one bad. Substitute old favorite foods for new healthier favorite foods. Add taking a walk; get rid of sitting around watching as much TV.

· Easy does it.
There’s no need to go to extremes. Keeping it up is the key. Little by little you’ll be substituting a healthy lifestyle for a less healthy lifestyle. It’s a constant journey. You’ll never arrive because your destination keeps changing. The more you do the more you’ll want to do. You set a goal and achieving it puts you in sight of a new goal.

· Expect speed bumps
Lifestyle changes are not an exact science and one size does not fit all. You’ll need to experiment and find the methods that work best for you. Attitude is key. If you can stay relaxed enjoy ever little victory and shrug off every little setback, the road should feel smoother.
It may be hard to see your progress except in retrospect. Looking back at where you started after a year, you may marvel at the changes you’ve made. Feel free to congratulate yourself.

In these times of social distancing and sheltering in place is a perfect time to focus on your health and well-being. It can make a big difference to keep your immune system strong. If you need some help, I have your back! Here’s a short video about my Health Coaching Technique how I have helped my clients achieve a balanced and Healthy Life. If you are ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results or have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues,YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!

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Water Ballet Exercise!

We are filming for several hours a day starting at the crack of dawn. The weather is cooler but not for long. My only relief has been to strip off my workout clothes, which are almost pasted to my body, jump into a swimsuit and plunge into the pool. After about 45 minutes of laps back and forth I get an idea. What if I try some exercises in the water, holding on to the side of the pool? Doing some Water Ballet Exercise in the water, while cooling off is not such a bad idea I’m thinking. So I try one of my on land favorites for my legs and butt. I like it! I can really feel it working. It may be even more effective with the water for added resistance. This Aqua Ballet Workout not only tones your lower body but it also helps to elongate your muscles while you are doing it. And because you are in the water, you are adding resistance to strengthen your legs and butt while at the same time using your core muscles to help keep your body upright and balanced.

Try this Water Ballet Exercise to Tone Up Your Legs and Butt

Stand facing front, heels together, feet turned out. Hold on to the edge of the pool with your right hand. Slowly bend left knee, bringing foot up to right knee forming a triangle. Slowly stretch leg in front of body. Then bring foot back to the knee of the standing leg and return to the starting position. Repeat 4 times to the Front, Side, and Back.

Turn around and repeat exercise on the other leg holding on with your left hand. Enjoy this Water Ballet Exercise.

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Aqua Exercise: A Splash of Fabulous!

Water babies, that’s us. We’re at home in liquid from pre-birth and we seem to naturally gravitate to it. We love the ocean, the lake the pool, the hot tub, and the bathtub.

What is it about water that means so much to us? It surrounds us, it cradles us, and it supports us. We’re nearly weightless in water. The largest of us can glide with ease and grace, feeling minimal resistance. And, I think it’s those endearing properties of water that make aqua exercise pleasant and effective.

Fitness
Swimming is the most common form of Aqua Exercise. It’s good for all ages. It uses all your major muscle groups, strengthens, tones, and helps build aerobic capacity. There’s almost no impact, so it’s kind to your joints while it gets you in shape.

I swim laps for 30 to 40 minutes four or five times per week. I find it relaxing and stimulating at the same time. Some days it melts my stress and puts me in a meditative state. Other days I do some of my best thinking during my swim workout. In any case, I always get out of the water with that energized good-tired feeling. Mornings are my favorite time to swim. But I’ll take a swim any time I can fit it in. I mostly swim outside so, as pretty as dusk is; I’m usually done before that, because mosquitoes love me.

If you’re a beginner, start slowly with a few minutes a day. Stay in your comfort zone and build up. I can swim for an hour or so now, when my body’s in the mood. But it took me over a year to get that conditioned, and I had a head start as a fitness professional. Take your time and keep it fun.

Aqua Exercise

Can’t swim? No worries. There are classes at the local rec. centers everywhere. There’s aqua cardio, aqua strength, aqua stretch, just about aqua everything. It’s done in about four feet of water so there’s no need to swim. You can get a great workout. It’s no-to-low impact, so it’s easy on your joints. And, if you have access to a pool or calm water, now you can stream a workout on to your tablet, prop it on a chair and exercise your brains out.

There’s some cool equipment to use in the water, too; aqua dumbbells, paddle gloves, jogging vests. Obviously if you’re going deep water running you’ll need one of those deep water jogging vests. But otherwise, you don’t need that stuff to get started. Many aqua cardio classes don’t use any equipment.

Here is an Aqua exercise you might try for cardio:

And, you can do Aqua Strength exercises using aqua dumbbells or a couple of empty plastic water bottles filled with air for resistance. Here’s a video with a few Aqua Strength exercises:

PT and Rehab
Immersion in water was used for healing by ancient civilizations more than 3,000 years ago.

They were on to something, though they probably didn’t know quite what. Immersion in water provides a supportive, low impact, low resistance environment for modern, medically based, physical therapy and injury rehab. A doctor usually prescribes this type of exercise.

Aging Fit
Someone really smart, and probably pretty old, once said: “Aging is not for the faint of heart.” Can I say I can relate to that without giving away my age? Guess not.

Luckily water is also a great medium for vintage bodies that simply can’t take the impact of other types of exercise, at least not every day.

Even if you’re pretty active getting older can make it hard to do land-based exercise on a regular basis. And water is fun. You don’t know you’re exercising until you get out and your body tells you “Oh, that was a workout.”

As our health-conscious population lives longer and longer, I think aqua, with it’s ability to surround and support our aging bodies while we keep them operational, is the wave of the future. Get those creaky bodies in the water. Try it, you’ll like it.

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Getting Fit: Find Fabulousity!

I was back in my home town recently, where I taught for over 20 years. I missed my ladies so I decided to take some of my former students out for tea and dessert.

I thought for a minute the dessert part was a bad idea when a couple of them wouldn’t eat a piece of cake in front of me. But when I dug in, moderately of course, the party got started in earnest.  Ever the moderator, I asked them each to share things that were important in their lives over the past year.

As we went around the circle, they spoke of getting pregnant, daughter’s weddings, losing your job, becoming a gym rat, outliving heart disease, surviving menopause, the joy of grandchildren, and a trip to China.

Maybe because I was their host, the conversation drifted toward how getting fit had changed their lives.

They shared stories about feeling invisible, not sexy, not pretty, having no energy and feeling like a lump. One remembered showing up in my office, tearing her hair out saying my doctor told me I need to do something, I’ve got serious health issues, but I hate to exercise. What do I do?

She said, I told her “I’m going to give you exercise you can look forward to instead of dread.”

Getting Fit: Find Fabulousity!

Most of my work is done with women who haven’t been active in a while. My coaching style is to start people wherever they may be physically and emotionally and get them moving, gently, and pleasantly. If the first experience is pleasant, you’ll want a second and the third and so on. Sustainability is the key to getting fit and staying fit successfully. And that’s what happened with these ladies. But something else remarkable happened too.

They told me getting fit had given them the self confidence to pursue things they would never have dared to try; that the change in their bodies had kindled a change in the way they saw themselves. Instead of feeling invisible they felt fabulous and that Fabulosity had spilled over into the rest of their lives. As much as I would love to take all the credit for this transformation, I think that it boils down to healthy body, healthy mind;

Getting fit was the key that unlocked the door to their potential.
Pretty cool huh?

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Nearly 30 years ago when I was in school, I wrote an exercise physiology paper on exercise and osteoporosis.

At that time there wasn’t much research available. But even then, the studies I found on tennis players, astronauts, and bed rest pointed in the direction that weight-bearing exercise could help maintain the bone density you have and even promote bone growth. I was intrigued. I’ve followed the research over the years and even created an osteoporosis exercise program.

In working with my clients, I often hear the question “what’s the difference between osteoporosis and low bone mass? (osteopenia) And what can I do about it?

Well to answer these questions, I have to start at the beginning.

Osteoporosis is a disease, which, over time, causes bones to become thinner, more porous and less able to support the body. Bones can become so thin that they break during normal, every day activity. Osteoporosis is a major health threat. 54 Million are at risk, nearly 80% are women.

Postmenopausal women are particularly at risk because they stop producing estrogen, a major protector of bone mass.

As we age some bone loss is inevitable. Women age 65 or men age 70 should get a bone mineral density test. If you have a family history of osteoporosis or other risk factors you may need a BMD much earlier.

The test is completely painless, non-invasive and takes only a few minutes.
It compares your bone mineral density to that of an average healthy young person. Your results are called your T score. The difference between your score and the average young person’s T-score is called a standard deviation. (SD)

Here is how to interpret your T score:

• Between +1 and –1: normal bone density.
• Between -1 and -2.5: low bone density (osteopenia).
• T-score of -2.5 or lower: osteoporosis.

Until recently it was thought that if you had low bone mass (osteopenia) you were well on your way to getting osteoporosis. But it’s now known even at this stage bone loss can be slowed down, stopped and even reversed. You and your doctor will have a number of options depending upon your particular condition.

Many MDs like to start with a calcium and vitamin D rich diet coupled with weight bearing exercise. For many of us, that’s all we need. Others will require medication and there are many bone-building medications available.

Remember it’s never too early to start taking care of your bones. The more bone density you have as a young person the less likely to end up with osteoporosis later in life.

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May is Osteoporosis Prevention Month! It’s Never Too Late To Take Care Of Your Bones!

by Mirabai Holland MFA Certified Health Coach, Certified Exercise Physiologist.

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Belly Fat: How to Lose It!
Once upon a time, not so long ago, belly fat was a sign of prosperity.  Much to our chagrin, that little, or not so little belly, it’s actually a sign that you may be at risk for some serious health issues like Heart Disease, Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure, among others.

Also many women after menopause see a thickening of their waistline due to hormonal changes.

Whatever the cause, the evidence is clear. Apple shaped people are more at risk!
So, how much is too much belly fat?

It’s all about your waist size.  For women it’s a waist measurement of 35 or more.

So, okay you say, I’ve got too much belly fat. What can I do about it? I’ve heard there’s no such thing as spot reducing.

While that’s scientifically true, there’s a lot you can do to target any specific area of you body for work.

Aerobic exercise can burn calories and help you lose weight in general. Targeted ab exercises can help you develop lean muscle mass in that area and help flatten your tummy.

Full body strength training can raise your metabolism and help you return your body to its youthful shape.

Belly Fat: How To Lose It Exercises

Here are a couple of exercises you can do to strengthen and firm up that area to help you whittle away belly fat and replace it with muscle.

• Try using the old army exercise of sucking in your tummy during every day activities, pulling your navel back to your spine.

And you can try this exercise to help you firm up faster. It tones the center as well as the sides of your abdominals.

• Lie down on your back and bend one knee up towards your chest.
• At the same time, turn you torso and point your opposite elbow toward the knee.
• Start with a few: work up to 20 repetitions over several weeks.
• Then do 20 reps, take a short break and do another 20.

Putting weight on around your middle is easy. Taking belly fat off is hard. Unfortunately there’s no secret formula. Take a no nonsense look at your diet. Reduce your potion size and cut out empty calories. Start exercising slowly, and progress in your comfort zone. Chances are that pretty soon you’ll be able to find your shoes simply by looking down.

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Easy Cardio Workout Combats Depression. I find myself as you may too, for no apparent reason, feeling a little blue. So I dust off my sneakers and get ready to move because I know cardio exercise improves mood.

Research shows that cardio exercise improves mood because it increases levels of serotonin and endorphins in the brain. These are important neurochemical transmitters, which help to elevate and stabilize your mood.

In fact one of the known causes of depression is a lowered level of serotonin. Aerobic exercise can be as effective as medication for relieving mild to moderate depression in many cases.

Easy Cardio Workout: More Reasons Why Cardio Exercise Improves Mood

There is more to cardio  exercise than serotonin and endorphins. It helps lower adrenaline, a chemical associated with stress to help promote relaxation. And as you become more fit you feel better about how you look and feel. This can give you a positive outlook in general. Try some easy aerobics. You may just cardio dance your troubles away. I make sure I’m exercising aerobically most days of the week, at least for 30-60 minutes. I not only feel my spirits lift while I’m exercising but for many hours afterwards. However if you are just starting to exercise or haven’t been exercising for awhile here is a easy cardio Workout video to help you get going:

Are You Depressed?
The standard symptoms for depression are:

• Persistent feelings of sadness or “emptiness”
• Sense of hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt
• Inability to enjoy ordinary pleasurable activities, including sex
• Noticeable change of appetite, possibly accompanied by significant weight loss or weight gain
• Shifts in sleeping patterns, such as insomnia or sleeping too much
• Difficulty concentrating, persistent irritability, excessive crying
• Preoccupation with thoughts of death or suicide
• Decreased energy, fatigue
• Persistent aches and pains

Many things can cause depression. They range from some medications to low levels of light during the winter months. Alcohol and a poor diet, as well as inherited predisposition, can lead to the condition as well. Before you decide on asking your doctor for an anti-depressant prescription, adopt the healthy lifestyle habits of a nutritious diet, regular exercise and enough sleep. If things don’t improve, of course, seek medical help.

So try my take on the old Arlen & Koehler song lyric that Judy Garland sang, “forget your troubles, come on get happy” you can exercise your blues away with this easy cardio workout!

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Cardio Dance: Healthy Heart, Healthy Mind!
I became interested in cardio dance and memory several years ago when my older students began to tell me that their memories seemed to improve after they took my class.
I was teaching mostly cardio dance in those days. I started with simple steps and built up to a pretty complex routine.
There has to be a connection I thought, between the physical movement, making your brain learn this routine, and improved memory.
I’m no scientist but I was curious. So I started to break it down.
What I was having people do is learn short phrases of movement and then link them together. The cardio dance routine required them to move forward and back, side to side, remember specific steps; and stay in rhythm.
This was a real challenge for many of my students who had never done anything like this before. As they got more proficient, the class became a social gathering; because of this shared experience.
My students felt energized afterwards, not exhausted. They told me that besides getting a good body workout they were getting a memory workout as well. They said they could actually remember things better.
I wondered if there was science to support our anecdotal experience.
I contacted a couple of local Alzheimer’s specialists (there was no internet back then) and they told me – you’re probably right but there weren’t any specific studies on this more than 20 years ago.
Even now the research is not conclusive. But, technology in the last 15 years has allowed science to discover a lot more about the brain.
Vascular memory loss has been linked to heart disease and cardio fitness is a major factor in preventing and managing that issue. Aerobic exercise increases the amount of oxygen supplied to the brain improving mental function. Cardio fitness has been shown to reduce loss of brain cells in older adults.
A study of 1,449 older adults shows those who in middle age exercised vigorously enough to perspire and breathe hard for 20 to 30 minutes at least twice a week reduced their risk of later developing Alzheimer’s disease by about 60 percent.*
But cardio is just part of the equation.
Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that certain types of dance, particularly with routines to learn and remember, may help prevent age-onset memory loss and diseases like Alzheimer’s. “…. cognitive activity may stave off dementia by increasing a person’s “cognitive reserve.” **
And a study conducted at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, says activities that combined mental and social as well as physical stimulation offered the greatest protection against dementia***
Activity is the active word. Be physically active, mentally active and socially active, preferably all at once. Taking a Cardio Dance class or getting together with friends to do a Cardio Dance DVD is a good place to start. And to this day, when I start my cardio dance class I say,
“It’s time to workout our hearts and minds!”

*Rovio, Suvi; Kareholt, Ingemar; Helkala, Eeva-Liisa; Viitanen, Matti; Winblad, Bengt; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Soininen, Hilkka; Nissinen, Aulikki; and Kivipelto, Miia. “Leisure-time physical activity at midlife and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.” The Lancet Neurology; published online Oct. 4, 2005.
** Dr Joe Verghese, lead author of study conducted at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, N Engl J Med, 2003; 348:2508-2516.
***Karp, Anita; Paillard-Borg, Stephanie; Wang, Hui-Xin; Silverstein, Merrill; Winblad, Bengt; and Fratiglioni, Laura. “Mental, Physical and Social Components in Common Leisure Activities in Old Age in Relation to Dementia: Findings from the Kungsholmen Project.” Presented at the Alzheimer’s Association 9th International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, Philadelphia, Penn., July 17 – 22, 2004. Abstract published in Neurobiology of Aging, July 2004, Vol. 25, S2: p. S313.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3761497/

Compared with the control group, the exercise group significantly improved in verbal fluency (p = 0.048), word list delayed recall (p = 0.038), word list recognition (p = 0.007), and total CERAD-K score (p = 0.037)

• Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment.
• Aerobic exercise improves cognitive function in elderly people and contributes to the prevention of degenerative neurological disease and brain damage. Dance sport is a form of aerobic exercise that has the additional benefits of stimulating the emotions, promoting social interaction, and exposing subjects to acoustic stimulation and music.
• In the present study, dance exercise for a 6-month period improved cognitive function in older adults with MS. In particular, positive effects were observed in verbal fluency, word list delayed recall, word list recognition, and the total CERAD-K score.
• Our data suggest that the implementation of dance exercise programs may be an effective means of prevention and treatment of cognitive disorders.
• http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2013.00075/abstract

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Heart Health News: Eat Berries, Drink and Be Fit! It just may help to save your  heart and the one that you love!

Since heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women and men in the U.S., I thought I’d focus on prevention. After all, if you prevent heart disease, you’re very unlikely to die from it.

Heart Health News Research

A Harvard study says women who eat three or more servings of strawberries or blueberries a week can lower their risk of heart attack by 32 percent. The study also said grapes, eggplant and blackberries may work too. It’s those flavonoids again. The antioxidants you find in red wine, dark chocolate, green tea, apple skin, etc. Rule of thumb: The darker the color, the more flavonoid content. They slow down your aging clock and prevent disease by keeping free radicals from damaging cells in your body.

Free radicals are incomplete molecules looking for an electron so they can complete and stabilize themselves. Sounds like something you’d hear in therapy. They steal an electron from a neighboring molecule, turning it into a free radical and setting off a chain reaction. They contribute to the aging process and a wide range of diseases.

We form them naturally when we breathe and metabolize. Free radicals don’t wreak havoc with your body until you have too many of them. They can be formed by oxidative stress, like intense exercise, smoking and exposure to environmental toxins.

Enter the flavonoids. They give the free radicals one of their electrons and stop them in their tracks. They help prevent heart disease by stopping LDLs (bad cholesterol) from breaking down and forming plaque in your arteries.

Nowadays, you can get berries year round, and they are a perfect low-calorie food, alone, in yogurt, or sprinkled on your cereal. So let’s have a few servings of berries, some eggplant, and maybe a square of dark chocolate for dessert. Not such a major lifestyle change.

Heart Health News: Since we are talking about prevention, how about stress?

A series of studies by Columbia University Medical Center says whether or not we perceive ourselves as stressed can be a measure of whether or not we’ll have a heart attack in the future. So from now on, I’m not going to perceive myself as stressed. Yeah. Good luck with that.

Seriously: My clients who exercise regularly, particularly aerobic exercise, tend to think of themselves as being more relaxed. And they are more relaxed. Aerobic exercise releases endorphins, the body’s natural tranquilizer, and they know they’re getting the heart benefits of all that cardio. To get the maximum benefit from cardio exercise, most people should build up to 45 or more minutes at 60 to 80 percent of your max heart rate. If you’re just starting out, you can ease in with a few minutes a day at a comfortable pace and add more as it gets too easy. But here’s the rub: Aerobic exercise, because it requires so much oxygen, is an oxidative stressor. It produces free radicals.

People who exercise once in a while or really hard only on the weekend are more at risk for producing harmful levels of free radicals. But studies have found that people who exercise regularly tend to adapt and produce enzymes that create antioxidants minimizing free radicals’ negative effect.

So here’s the formula: Eat berries, dark chocolate and get regular cardio so you don’t perceive yourself as stressed. It’s an eclectic concoction, but I think it’s tastier than one of those midnight vegetable smoothies. Don’t you?

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I was hiking in the mountains and the Fall color was astonishing.
I went along for about two hours at a brisk pace enjoying the fresh air.
Much of my exercise is teaching fitness classes and creating new routines for online exercise videos and for my Health coaching clients. So, it was refreshing to just free my mind, move my body and drink in all those trees dressed in gold and green. Sometimes its good to mix up your exercise routine. I felt renewed.
When I finished my hike we went into a little country food market.

Reading Food Labels

So cute with all those red and white checkered tabletops filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, homemade jams, honey, maple syrup and cider. I spotted a bottle that said “Fresh Apple Cider” thinking how fresh it would taste, this being apple season and all. I continued my walk and I’d gotten a considerable distance from the store when I decided it was time for swig of cider. As I was about to sip, I remembered about reading food labels. I glanced at the ingredients  expecting to see APPLES. But instead it read
APPLES, and Potassium sorbate, a preservative.
I wanted to throw that cider against a wall! That’s wht reading food labels is key.
I was thirsty so I drank a little and whether it was in my mind or not, it seemed to taste not as fresh as I imagined it would. So the lesson here, is just because you are in an adorable country market, don’t take for granted that all the foods will be fresh and adorable too.

So caveat emptor: let the buyer beware

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We are filming for several hours a day starting at the crack of dawn. The weather is cooler but not for long. My only relief has been to strip off my workout clothes, which are almost pasted to my body, jump into a swimsuit and plunge into the pool. After about 45 minutes of laps back and forth (I’m so motivated from watching all these Olympic swimming trials on TV) I get an idea. What if I try some ballet barre exercises in the water, holding on to the side of the pool? Aqua Ballet Barre, not such a bad idea I’m thinking. So I try one of my on land favorites for my legs and butt. I like it! I can really feel it working. It may be even more effective with the water for added resistance.

Try it yourself.

AQUA BALLET WORKOUT:

Stand facing front, heels together, feet turned out. Hold on to the edge of the pool with your right hand. Slowly bend left knee, bringing foot up to right knee forming a triangle. Slowly stretch leg in front of body. Then bring foot back to the knee of the standing leg and return to the starting position. Repeat 4 times to the Front, Side, and Back.

Turn around and repeat exercise on the other leg holding on with your left hand.

Below are Aqua Ballet Workout Photos

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Chronic stress. It’s everywhere. If you live and work on this planet it’s almost impossible to avoid.

Feeling stressed? Me too!

Today I’m writing about how to get rid of chronic stress and suggest some easy ways to get that burden off your back.

To get us in the mood, let’s start with a short, guided meditation and stretch video to help reduce chronic stress. Try it with me and see for yourself. You can do this at home or at your desk at work. (I use my ear buds at work.)

Stress has been around since the beginning of time. It started as the fight-or-flight response when early humans confronted a life-threatening situation. In that situation, stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, are produced. Your blood vessels constrict, blood pressure goes up, pupils dilate, heart rate quickens, and breathing becomes more rapid. The body is preparing itself to do battle or run. This response is essential in times of acute danger. But problems at work, crying kids, traffic, you name it can trigger the same response.

Given the pressures of daily life, chronic stress itself has become a life-threatening situation. It can cause a host of health problems including headaches, gastrointestinal issues, insomnia, trouble concentrating, anxiety, depression, increased body weight, high blood pressure and heart disease.

We can’t eliminate the stress. But we can relieve the fight-or-flight response that sends our bodies into danger mode. And we can cultivate a relaxation response over time that will reduce our physiological stress reaction.

So what do we do about chronic stress? How do we get rid of it?

How? Relax. That’s what my first yoga teacher used to say when I was all bent up in the pretzel pose with a grimace on my face. And, like that meditation you just did, it actually worked. Once I was able to relax, I was stress-free even in the pretzel pose.

Seriously, daily conscious relaxation exercises can make real difference in the way your body responds to stress. Dr Herbert Benson coined the phrase “relaxation response” in his book by the same name in 1975.

Since then he and others have conducted numerous studies, including a recent one at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine, that have detailed the body’s intricate positive response to conscious relaxation exercises. In a nutshell, the relaxation response has the opposite effect of fight-or-flight. It engages the parasympathetic nervous system to counteract the effects of stress. You experience a feeling of deep relaxation and well being. And if you practice relaxation regularly you’ll feel better and help yourself avoid those stress related health issues. That’s how we get rid of chronic stress.

Meditation is just one of an almost infinite number of ways to consciously relax. Virtually anything that takes your attention away from your daily grind and makes you concentrate on just one thing can work. Doing the dishes, aerobic exercise, yoga, stretching, golf, playing a musical instrument, casting a fishing rod, playing with a cat, almost anything can work if you pay attention to only that and clear your mind. I’m partial to exercise because I get the benefits of a workout as well as the relaxation. It’s my mantra. It’s what I do to get rid of chronic stress.

Dr. Benson suggests you practice some form of conscious relaxation for 10 to 20 minutes every day to get rid of chronic stress in the long-term.

But what if you’re pressed for time? (Pressed rhymes with stressed.)

Reduce Chronic Stress with this little exercise.

Sometimes you only need a few seconds and you feel a lot better.

Sit down and close your eyes. (If you’re on the street, duck into a doorway, stand and keep your eyes open and one hand on your purse.)

Let your muscles relax. Concentrate on your breathing.

Breathe in and hold your breath for one second, count one one hundred thousand, and breathe out.

Breathe in again a little deeper and hold for two seconds — one one hundred thousand, two one hundred thousand — breathe out.

Breathe in deeper and hold for three, then four, then five seconds.
When you get to around three seconds of breath holding, your stress level should start to drop and your mind should start to clear itself of thoughts.

After five, you should feel pretty good. This works well for me particularly in moments of acute stress.

That one worked too didn’t it. I hope concentrating on reading this helped you reduce your stress and I hope you’ll make conscious relaxation a part of your life.

It’s a lifestyle change that’s easy to make because it feels so good when you do it.

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New Beginnings!

As I grow older I realize I need to remember those moments that continue to have meaning and help all of us recreate ourselves!

Here’s a poem I wrote many years ago about myself as a very young girl experiencing Spring. I am sure you have your own experiences that are transformational too. Happy Easter & Passover!

New Beginnings

Her small hands reach into the garden
for pansies.
She strokes them against each cheek
black and purple velvet.

She lies on the ground
face up
mouth open
ready to swallow
the maple tree.

Butterflies kiss her sleeves
as she nose-dives
into the roots
and inhales
the smell of birth.

The yard is safe.
Her legs kick
swinging dirt
digging deeper
for a secret
from the darkness.

She finds none.

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Fight Upper Arm Flab!

My inbox is trying to tell me something. I’ve gotten several versions of this question in the past week alone.
Q: I’m starting to feel that flabby arm anxiety again. Spring is coming and I don’t want to face my sleeveless blouses with these 54 old arms a year flabbier than they were last year. Is there anything short of surgery for me to do to fight upper arm flab?
A: Sedentary women in general and women at a certain age in particularly are faced with this problem every year when the weather gets warmer.  And it does get worst, as you get older.
In fact we can lose up to 40% of our muscle cells by the time we hit 70. This is called sarcopenia. Weight resistance exercise can reverse this process and can help you regain some muscle you have lost.
Here are two easy site-specific exercises that target those problem areas in your upper arm and fight upper arm flab.

Fight Upper Arm Flab: Two Exercises

VIDEO:

Bicep Curl for the Front Arm:
Grab a set up hand weights and stand erect with your feet about shoulder width apart. Weights down at your sides, palms forward. Remaining erect, bending only at your elbows bring the weights up towards you until they reach your shoulders.
Slowly return to starting position. Repeat 8-15 reps.
Pick a weight that will just barely allow you to complete the final rep in good form.

Triceps Extension for the Back of the Arm:

You will probably need a lighter weight for this exercise because those muscles are often weaker.
Stand erect, weights at your sides, palms in towards your thighs. Remaining erect step forward with one foot and slightly bend the knee. Keeping arms straight, bring both arms behind you just at or above waist height. You should feel the contraction on the back of your arms. Gently lower down to starting position.
Repeat 8-15 reps.

Do these exercises every other day. You should expect some soreness. It’s common when you are building muscle. Doing the exercises every other day gives your muscles a chance to recover and grow. You should see results in about 3-4
weeks. You will be on your way to fight upper arm flab.

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Can you really enjoy holiday treats without weight gain?

Well, when we think of the holidays the first thing that comes to mind is fear of weight gain. That’s because we always have a few treats up our sleeves. And we do gain weight.

But, preventing this phenomenon is not as hard as you think. You don’t have to starve, deny yourself favorite holiday dishes or do heavy-duty compensation workouts.

Enjoy Holiday Treats Without Weight Gain: Some Pointers

If you are the one cooking, you are more in control of what is going to be placed on the table.

So you can choose equally delicious lighter recipes. But, if you are visiting friends and family all bets are off and your radar needs to be on. It’s all about portion control.

Don’t wait till the second piece of pie gets offered. Pre-planning is key. In some cases you’ll know from past experience what the menu will be. Even if you don’t, assume there will be a barrage of excess temptations. Excess is the operative word. Enjoy but not to excess.

Whether you count calories, points, or eyeball your portions, eat half of what you think you should eat. If you are not sure of a particular food or treat, pass on it, or just take a bite to see if it is worth the calories. If you find yourself hungry after all of this, you can eat a little more or maybe you’ve actually saved room for that dessert.

You can visit, enjoy the company, make merry and have a smug sense of self-assurance that this whole season will pass without you gaining even a pound. Who knows, you might lose weight.

That brings me to your insurance policy. If you don’t exercise regularly this is definitely the time to start and get a jump on your New Year, New You. If you do, make time for it. You don’t have to do extra but don’t make the excuse you’re too busy at this time of year.

Cardio exercise is great calorie burner, and we all know that a half hour of moderate aerobic exercise a day can reduce one’s chance of heart attack by a whopping 50%.

See how I snuck in my pitch for exercise? I am not suggesting anything that I don’t do myself. It works for me and I bet it will work for you.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. And let me know if you were able to enjoy holiday treats without gaining weight.

Happy Holidays!

Of course staying on your exercise routine can always help thru the holidays. If you need a little help please feel free to use this coupon code HOLIDAY and save on any of my exercise videos at www.mirabaiholland.com

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Sharing Fitness Workouts

This is the time of year we all get distracted. Seasons are changing, holidays are around the corner and we don’t need much of an excuse to stop exercising.

If you don’t want to fall into this trap you might want to consider getting by with a little help from your friends.

For example, I’ve been teaching my Moving Free ® strength conditioning class called Pumping the Prime™ for about 15 years. It’s a big class and most of the women have been with me from the beginning.

And I have to say, though I would love to take all the credit, what seems to have happened is that these women come to share an experience with other women as much as they do for the fitness.

Sharing Fitness Workouts

When I come into the studio to get ready to start the class, there are always several clusters of women chatting with one another. They’re gotten there early and staked out “their real estate” with their mats, weights and towels. They mostly ignore my presence until I take my designated place and speak my first word.

The chatting comes to a halt and you can hear a pin drop. As we go through our routine the banter starts to pick up and we laugh and comment our way through an otherwise pretty serious workout. At the end, the class disperses, fitness fulfilled, into small groups with lunch plans.

™

So if you are having trouble sticking with an exercise program try a class or get together with a friend or two, take a walk or do an exercise video.

Sharing Fitness Workouts is the way to go!

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Try these strength exercises outdoors to jump start your strength exercise program this Fall.. You can enjoy the weather while getting leaner and stronger with these easy strength exercises.  No equipment necessary!

Take a look at these easy strength exercises on video!

And here are all the exercises written out!

Strength Exercises Outdoors

Here are five easy exercises to tone you up; no equipment necessary. Try doing them every other day. For the first three start with eight reps and build up to 16. For the last two (isometric exercises) hold for 10 seconds and build up to 30 seconds. With all these exercises, remember to exhale on the exertion.
In a matter of a few weeks you should feel your body getting stronger and see it get shapelier.

Warm-up by taking a 10-minute walk. By the tenth minute, it should be brisk enough for you to just barely carry on a conversation.
Stop at a wall, a tree or a fence, and do these five exercises: two for your upper body and three for your lower.

Mirabai Holland Standing Pushup

Standing Push-ups: Stand facing a surface, with legs hip width apart and place hands shoulder width apart. Keeping your body straight, lower yourself down to the surface and then push back

SQUATS: Face surface, legs hip with apart. Hold on for balance. Shift weight back into heels. Keeping back straight, abs pulled in; gently bend at the knees and squat to about a 90-degree angle. Hold for a moment, then, using just your leg muscles, return to an upright position.
Muscles worked: Front of thigh (Quads), Back of thigh, (Hamstrings) Buttocks, Abs

Wall Sit: Stand against surface for back support. Holding on as needed for balance, slide down to a sitting position against wall, knees at about a 90-degree angle. Pull your abs in and hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
Muscles worked: Thighs and Abs

Calf Raises: Face surface and hold on for balance. With feet together pointing straight ahead, slowly lift your body up on to your toes, while tightening calf, abs and buttocks muscles. Then slowly lower yourself back down again. Muscles worked: calves, abs, and buttocks.

Upper Back Squeeze: Stand with your back to the surface, feet shoulder width apart.  Place hands behind you on surface. Straighten your arms behind you and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
Muscles worked: Back, Shoulders, Back of arms (Triceps)

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Interval Training Workouts Can Spice Up Your Exercise Routine!

You can apply the same interval training workouts in the water as well as on land. Here’s a simple interval-walking, jogging or swimming program that will help you get and stay in shape. You will need a watch. (waterproof if used in the water.)

Start walking, or swimming at a slow pace for the first 5 minutes to warm-up, help elevate your core body temperature and increase blood flow to your working muscles.

Then pick up the pace for the next 3 minutes so you start to feel more effort but you can still carry on a conversation comfortably. Then pick up more speed for a 1-minute interval; either faster walking, a light jog or faster swim. Then go back to your comfortable conversation pace for 3 minutes. Alternate between 3 and 1 minute of faster walking or swimming intervals until you are able to sustain about 30-40 minutes 4-5 days a week.

I like to mix up my own interval training workouts alternating the days to get the most variety and training. For instance, do the walking /jogging interval workout on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then do the swimming interval workout on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Either way, you’ll find yourself enjoying your interval workouts more, increasing your fitness level, and looking forward to your next interval training workout. Have fun and remember you can be Fabulous Forever!

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Here’s a question about Arthritis Exercises.

Recently, I got a question from a woman who said, “The arthritis in my hips has progressed to the point where I’m really feeling it after my half hour walks. I want to stay mobile as I age. Are there any Arthritis exercises that will help me do this?”

It so happens, my husband also has osteoarthritis in his hips and I have been helping him with a couple of gentle stretches after his treadmill workouts.

Arthritis Exercises: Land

Here are two exercises that flex and extend the hip as well as stretch the front and back of your thigh muscles.

1. Lie on your back with one knee bent with your foot firmly on the floor to help support your back. Wrap a towel around the arch of your other foot. Hold the ends and pull back as you extend the leg towards the ceiling flexing your foot. Hold for 10-30 seconds. Feel the stretch in the back of the thigh (hamstring) and in your hip. Repeat on the other leg.

2. Lie on your side with both knees bent Take your top hand and grab your top foot at the ankle. Tilt your pelvis forward and pull in your abs as your bring the ankle towards your buttocks. Hold 10-30 seconds. Feel the stretch in the front of your thigh (quadriceps) and in your hip. Turn over and repeat on the other leg.

Arthritis Exercises: Aqua

Also, if you have access to a pool, light aquatic aerobics or swimming is great. Your buoyancy in the water will help take the pressure off your joints and allow you to work on increasing your range of motion. The warmer the water the better. If the water seems cold to you, invest in a neoprene shorty weight suit. You can find them in a sporting goods store or dive shop. Here’s is a short aqua video that you can use to get started:
Of course always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

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Arm flab exercises.

My inbox is trying to tell me something. I’ve gotten several versions of this question in the past week alone.

Q: I’m starting to feel that flabby arm anxiety again as it gets hotter. I don’t want to face my sleeveless blouses with these 54 old arms a year flabbier than they were last year. Is there anything short of surgery for me to do? Are there any arm flab exercises I can do to firm me up?

A: Sedentary women in general and women at a certain age in particularly are faced with this problem every Summer. And it does get worst, as you get older.

In fact we can lose up to 40% of our muscle cells by the time we hit 70. This is called sarcopenia. When we lose muscle mass what’s left over is flab. Weight resistance exercise can reverse this process and can help you regain some muscle you have lost.

CHECK OUT THIS EXERCISE VIDEO FOR two easy arm flab exercises that target those problem areas in your upper arm so YOU CAN BE FABULOUS FOREVER!

Arm Flab Exercises

Bicep Curl for the Front Arm:

• Grab a set up hand weights and stand erect with your feet about shoulder width apart. Weights down at your sides, palms forward. Remaining erect, bending only at your elbows bring the weights up towards you until they reach your shoulders.
• Slowly return to starting position. Repeat 8-15 reps.
• Pick a weight that will just barely allow you to complete the final rep in good form.

Triceps Extension for the Back of the Arm:

• You will probably need a lighter weight for this exercise because those muscles are often weaker.
• Stand erect, weights at your sides, palms in towards your thighs. Remaining erect step forward with one foot and slightly bend the knee. Keeping arms straight, bring both arms behind you just at or above waist height. You should feel the contraction on the back of your arms. Gently lower down to starting position.
• Repeat 8-15 reps.

Do these arm flab exercises every other day. You should expect some soreness. It’s common when you are building muscle. Doing the exercises every other day gives your muscles a chance to recover and grow. You should see results in about 3-4
weeks.

For more arm fab exercises visit www.mirabaiholland.com

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Fall Prevention Exercises!

May is Osteoporosis month and I can’t say enough about this debilitating yet largely preventable bone disease.

By definition, osteoporosis is a disease that, over time, causes bones to become thinner, more porous and less able to support the body. Bones can become so thin that they break during normal, everyday activity.
I’ve written a number of articles about the importance of weight bearing exercise and a calcium and vitamin D rich diet in preventing osteoporosis. So today I’m focusing on FALL PREVENTION. So many osteoporotic fractures are caused by falls so anything that can prevent those falls should be on your radar.

An interesting fall prevention method that’s been getting a lot of attention lately is using a Whole Body Vibration platform. Research by the Russian and American space programs has long suggested that a piezo-electric effect caused by vibrating the body strengthens muscles, and may prevent bone loss. A recent German study ‘Erlangen Longitudinal Vibration Study (ELVIS) shows it can also greatly reduce falls.

You simply stand on the vibrating plate and shake for several minutes. How long and how vigorously you shake can be dialed to suit your personal body needs and fitness level.

Commercial versions of the vibration platform are available at gyms and rehab centers. Home versions are sold online and at sporting goods and health equipment stores. Prices for the home versions start at about $199.

And for traditionalist in all of us, it’s true, simple balance exercises can go a long way towards reducing your chances of taking a serious fall.

Fall Prevention Exercises Try this simple exercise:

• Stand erect near a wall (in case you lose your balance) hands at your sides.
• Slowly raise one foot a couple of inches off the ground while shifting your weight to your grounded foot.
• When you’ve got your balance slowly raise your arms over your head and reach for the sky.

As you get more comfortable, try raising your held-up foot farther up until it’s near the knee of your grounded leg.

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It’s the beginning of January and I’ll bet most of us have either not started or already abandoned our New Year

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Dance exercise!

America is experiencing a dance renaissance. Thanks to the success of TV shows like “Dancing With The Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance”, people are starting to dance again.

In this era of personal trainers and hi-tech exercise equipment, dance exercise classes and videos are re-surging to new heights of popularity.

From ancient times people enjoyed coming together to move and communicate non-verbally. Looking back at the history of dance virtually every community gained togetherness by dancing to insure a good harvest, asking for rain, or celebrating a season. There are folk dances representing movement styles from every part of the world.

Expressive movement comes from a natural place within us. We’re all born knowing how to move. It’s innate, part of our humanity. As kids, we stamp our feet when angry, flail our bodies when frustrated and jump for joy. Humans have been expressing themselves through movement since the beginning of time. That movement has a purpose. It was never suppose to go away. But somehow, our so-called modern culture saw that release of tension, that form of human expression as primitive. So we have been repressing it for hundreds of years.

Dance Exercise

Our technology has brought us some great things. But it negates that part of who we are. We hardly have to move anymore and so we don’t-until we see ourselves falling apart at middle age. Turns out, movement was never primitive at all!

It’s primal! Primal is natural. Primal is good. It’s part of who we are, what we’re meant to be.

Studies show that expressive movement can help heal physical ailments and relieve psychological trauma. It can also get you fit, and Fitness=Longevity.

Get back in touch with that part of yourself that knows how to move, and feel better because of it. Tap into that mind-body connection that’s been there waiting for you. Release yourself from the conventional hard-body exercise experience.

Get back to your roots at this important time in your life. It’s as simple as turning on some music and dancing to the beat. Go ahead. Try a dance exercise class and dance yourself fit!

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Today’s Fashion Flash host is Barbara from bestofeverythingafter50.com

Barbara Hannah Grufferman, lives and breathes the positive living lifestyle.

She is the author of “The Best of Everything After 50: The Experts’ Guide to Style, Sex, Health, Money and More” And her blog is full of relevant info as well as beauty products to make us look and feel our best.

We Fashion Flash Bloggers as always give you our best tips and deals in beauty, fashion, health, fitness and retail therapy. Click in, check us out.

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!  If you are  ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results. Do you have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues. Are you peri or post menopausal and struggling: YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE! GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST HEALTH COACHING SESSION  FOR WOMEN: CONTACT MIRABAI AT askmirabai@movingfree.com
For at home exercise programs check out my sit

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Daily Sugar Intake. How Much Is Too Much?

Coconut-Cream-Pie_WEB7758-300×275

With the holidays approaching sugar is on my mind. Here’s a little daily sugar intake video that may make you pause before that second piece of pie.

For at home exercise programs check out my site www.mirabaiholland.com

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TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!  If you are  ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results. Do you have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues. Are you peri or post menopausal and struggling: YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE! GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST HEALTH COACHING SESSION  FOR WOMEN: CONTACT MIRABAI AT askmirabai@movingfree.com

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Cancer and Exercise: Best exercises for Cancer Patients?

In my health coaching practice, I consult with women who want to exercise but have health issues that make them uncertain as to how much they should do. Recently I had a client who said, “I am recovering from breast cancer. I finished my chemotherapy a few weeks ago and though I still feel weak, I was wondering if I should start exercising again?” And this is what I told her.

If your doctor says you’re up to it, you can get started. Best Exercises For Cancer Patients: according to ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine)

Cancer and Exercise

The best exercises for cancer patients is a combination of the three major components of fitness: Cardio, Strength and Flexibility. These types of exercise can have a positive impact on cancer patients and survivors. Easy aerobic exercise for cancer patients, has been shown to increase hemoglobin levels, reduce inflammation, lessen fatigue, keep muscles in shape for better every day activities, increase self confidence, reduce depression and aid in recovery of surgery.

Other research has shown strength and flexibility exercises to be good exercises for cancer patients helping them return to a normal activity level sooner.

Exercise and social support seem to increase the life expectancy of breast cancer survivors, preventing recurrence.

At the beginning, gently move a few minutes at a time, and build up at your own pace. Try walking, light aerobics or swimming. As you get stronger, add a couple of days a week of light resistance training. On days you feel more tired, try doing a few stretches.

Personal Note: It has been my privilege and joy to use my skill as a Certified Health Coach & Exercise Physiologist Specialist to help women manage their cancer with the healing properties of movement and exercise. It is from my own experience, that exercising on a regular basis, eating healthy food and reducing your stress can help prevent and/or manage cancer and many other life threatening diseases.

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for in home exercise programs for women over 50.

Bernadine’s Crusade

My mother died in 2005 from Ovarian Cancer. Here is a poem I wrote about her.

Time it was when she found out how sick she was.

Like a Gladiator she got in her wheel chair and with her cane she fought against her illness.

Month after month she strived and relished every peach, every plum.

Moment by moment from lunch to lunch, she road the streets and shopped for food, clothes and jewelry as if she would live forever.

Her doctors were amazed at the way she road into their offices waving her cane
in stylish hats.

For her it was just the way she lived.

Opinionated, visually acute; her sense of aesthetics keen.

Expressive, she once cooed for me like a bird then clicking her teeth like a sparrow eating a tiny meal.

So it went.

Until the last, she raged with her cane beside her in the bed.

Little sips of ice mocha and chocolate malts

Slowing down.

Barely breathing,

her eyes flew open, to take one last peek

getting ready for the next to come.

mwh©

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Fashion Flash

Today’s Fashion Flash host is Jackie Silver.

Fabulous Jackie researches the best solutions for anti-aging and brings them to you without the hype.

The rest of us Fashion Flash Bloggers apply our varied 40 plus expertise on beauty, fashion, health, fitness and retail therapy. Click in, check us out.

:

Feeling stressed? Here’s an easy short meditation that should bring you right back down to sea level. Close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Watch the ebb and flow of your own breathing pattern. As thoughts come in, let them come in, but don’t hold on to them, let them flow out.

Now take a breath and hold, 1, 2, 3, then exhale. Continue to focus on your breathing, in (1, 2, 3 to yourself ) and out, (1, 2, 3 to yourself ) in (1, 2, 3 to yourself ) and out. (1, 2, 3 to yourself) (Pause for 10 seconds) Keep breathing normally. Try to keep your mind a blank. Slowly open your eyes.

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As far as the latest in my world of health and wellness, please check out this health coaching video. If you are ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results. Do you have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues,

YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE! GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST HEALTH COACHING SESSION  CONTACT: askmirabai@movingfree.com

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Fashion Flash

Mirabai Holland, Health & Wellness Blogger  from  MovingFreeWithMirabai.com  welcomes you to Fashion Flash FAB FALL Edition!

Fall is a time to start new endeavors and get organized for the upcoming busy holiday season.

Our team of expert Fashion Flash Bloggers inspire and give you the best in Fashion, Beauty, Health, and Lifestyle.

Glamour Granny Travels looks already beyond fall to an exciting new destination for skiing: Japan.  Why not ski in Japan’s Powder Snow? We baby boomers love sports and exotic locations. Combine both and go skiing in Japan.

Fall is a good time to shine up your jewelry! Allison from Never Say Die Beauty has been cleaning her extensive jewelry collection with new gentle and easy to use jewelry cleaning products from Connoisseurs.

Society Wellness shares what is really important to know when it comes to vegan nutrition.

Particularly rough east coast hurricane season this year, which is not officially over.  (June 1 to November 30 with a peak in August and September.)  It brings up memories for Maryl, experiencing superstorm Sandy from an unusual perspective…aboard a cruise ship on the high seas.

Sheila from Painted Ladies is hosting a giveaway featuring excellent nail and lip products from cruelty-free beauty line Makeup America. $1 from each product sold goes toward paying down the US national debt!

Beauty Info Zone is obsessed with taking care of our eyes since they show the signs of aging so easily. Lisa has been using two eye products from Eminence Organic Skin Care that she recommends to keep those signs away.

.

These Farmhouse Fresh Whole & Goats Milk Soaps are rich and creamy and leave your skin feeling incredibly moisturized! Perfect for over 40 gals! Plus, they are packaged as cheese wedges so Individually or in a set, they great gifts.

Deb of No-Nonsense Beauty Blog  explores the health and beauty benefits of pears— falls perfect fruit.

Jackie Silver Style has tips and secrets to looking and feeling your best, even if you’ve been diagnosed with this very common condition.

Erika from Notes from My Dressing Table took a selection of products from the much hyped Colleen Rothschild Beauty Skin Care line out for a test drive. What did her mature, very dry skin think about them?

It’s October, and the leaves are sweetly turning. It’s also a time people start to move indoors and munch out. So before things get out of hand, I thought I’d take this opportunity to offer you this sweet little video on ADDED SUGAR. Please subscribe to my channel for more healthy bytes of info.

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I’ve been shooting some walking sequences in the Colorado Rockies these past couple of weeks and it’s been spectacular. We planned it just right. The aspens are turning gold, and that clean crisp flavor of Fall is in the air.

It’s a perfect time to walk, and walking is about as perfect a human exercise as we’ve got. It’s a great combination, Fall and walking: not too hot, not too cold, lots to look at. And, doctors always want us to walk when the tell us to get some exercise. I wonder if they walk themselves. So your doctor should be very pleased when you call and say “I’m starting a walking program, what do you think”? Do check with your doctor to make sure you don’t have any issues that will keep you from brisk walking, and then if all’s good, get to it.

Besides getting a great cardiovascular workout you’ll strengthen and sculpt your legs and butt. If you swing your arms you’ll get some shoulder action too; all this while leaf peeping, or people watching if you’re in the city, and enjoying the fall air.

Walking Video Tips

Walking From The Core

There’s been plenty of buzz lately about core exercise and how a strong core, the abs, back, butt and upper thigh muscles, can keep you mobile into old age. There’s a lot of truth to that. The core muscles hold you torso erect and promote good posture and general body strength.

If you do it right, walking can strengthen your core and improve the way you walk at the same time.

A weak core makes you slouch and walking slouched messes up your gait and can even give you back injuries. Start by standing tall with your head over your shoulders, shoulders over your hips, hips over the feet, abs pulled in. If you’re not used to it, it’ll feel like work at first. But, try keeping that posture while you walk, even for 5 minutes at a time. It will become more and more comfortable. You’ll start to realize it’s the natural way for humans to stand and walk. Your gait will improve, your core will get stronger, you’ll be less fatigued and you’ll enjoy your walks more. And won’t you look cool and snappy out there with that perfect gait.

I’ve got another week of walking in the Rockies for a living and I’m enjoying every minute of it; being out in the open air, checking out the fall color and looking cool and snappy.

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EXERCISE SMART WITH MIRABAI HOLLAND MFA

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As far as the latest in my world of health and wellness, please check out this health coaching video. If you are ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results. Do you have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues,

YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE! GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST HEALTH COACHING SESSION FOR WOMEN  CONTACT: askmirabai@movingfree.com
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Strength Workout Outdoors; get strong with this easy strength exercise program. It’s time to jump start your exercise program. You can enjoy the September weather while you get into shape.

Here are five easy exercises to tone you up; no equipment necessary. Try doing them every other day. For the first three start with eight reps and build up to 16. For the last two (isometric exercises) hold for 10 seconds and build up to 30 seconds. With all these exercises, remember to exhale on the exertion.

In a matter of a few weeks you should feel your body getting stronger and see it get shapelier.

Warm-up by taking a 10-minute walk. By the tenth minute, it should be brisk enough for you to just barely carry on a conversation.

Strength Workout Outdoors Video

Stop at a wall, a tree or a fence, and do these five exercises: two for your upper body and three for your lower.
Standing Push-ups:

Stand facing a surface, with legs hip width apart and place hands shoulder width apart. Keeping your body straight, lower yourself down to the surface and then push back upright again.  Muscles Worked: Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders

Calf Raises:

Squats:
Face surface, legs hip with apart. Hold on for balance. Shift weight back into heels. Keeping back straight, abs pulled in; gently bend at the knees and squat to about a 90-degree angle. Hold for a moment, then, using just your leg muscles, return to an upright position.  Muscles worked: Front of thigh (Quads), Back of thigh, (Hamstrings) Buttocks, Abs

Wall Sit:
Stand against surface for back support. Holding on as needed for balance, slide down to a sitting position against wall, knees at about a 90-degree angle. Pull your abs in and hold for 10 to 30 seconds.  Muscles worked: Thighs and Abs

Upper Back Squeeze:
Stand with your back to the surface, feet shoulder width apart. Place hands behind you on surface. Straighten your arms behind you and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.  Muscles worked: Back, Shoulders, Back of arms (Triceps)

Have fun and get strong with this strength workout outdoors!

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As far as the latest in my world of health and wellness, please check out this health coaching video. If you are ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results. Do you have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues,

YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE! GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST HEALTH COACHING SESSION FOR WOMEN  CONTACT: askmirabai@movingfree.com
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Fashion Flash is hosted this week by Sheila, creator of  Painted Ladies empower its readers with makeup information and techniques they can utilize to look and feel their very best.

She and the rest of us Fashion Flash Bloggers are just a click away. Come get your insider’s look at the latest info and greatest deals in 40+ Fashion, Beauty, Skincare, Fitness, Travel & Lifestyle.

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!

25% OFF ALL DVD PRODUCTS UNTIL 8-30-17 Put in coupon code AUGFAB at Checkout! PLUS Free USA Shipping at  www.mirabaiholland.com

As far as the latest in my world of health and wellness, please check out this health coaching video. If you are ready to break the cycle of failed diets, exercise programs with no results. Do you have low energy, high stress or persistent health issues,

YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE! GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST HEALTH COACHING SESSION FOR WOMEN  CONTACT: askmirabai@movingfree.com
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Workout? Spring has sprung and I’ve been getting those emails for a month or so asking for advice on how to get on and stay on an exercise program. I get questions about commitment, pushing one’s limits, pain, and quick results. I go a little crazy at this time of year because I’m at odds with a very vocal segment of my industry about how to get started on an exercise program. They’re sincere, well-educated trainers, but I don’t think they remember what it felt like to be de-conditioned. They expect beginners to do to much too soon. I’m beginning to think that over-vigorous exercise dulls one’s sense of empathy.

Workout?

I’ve seen it time and time again: determined beginners pushing so hard and either getting hurt and quitting or just quitting because they couldn’t take it any more. If this sounds like you, don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault. We’ve heard no pain no gain all our lives. We’ve watched contestants push themselves to the brink of disaster on television. We’re inundated with infomercial promises of big results in no time. It’s enough to make anyone think ” I’ve got to beat myself senseless immediately so I can hurry up, get fit, have the body of my dreams and live happily ever-after.”

By the way, I’m not against vigorous exercise. On the contrary, I love vigorous exercise. But I wouldn’t have loved it nor would I have been safe doing it as a beginner. In my experience, that approach only works for a few stoic types and sets the rest of us up to fail.

I believe in moderation, easing in, starting with a little and building up to a lot, staying in your comfort zone. You may get to super-vigorous exercise eventually, or maybe you’ll like moderate exercise better. And moderate may be just as good as vigorous, maybe better. Really.
Just so you know this isn’t some favorite rant of mine, there are people, scientists even, who actually agree with me. Here’s study conducted at the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health

I think, the best way to get fit and make exercise a part of your life forever is to keep it pleasant. If you haven’t been exercising in a long time, don’t start lifting weights right away. Don’t try to jog or even walk for a half an hour right away. Do something easy. Do something pleasant. If you enjoy it today you’ll want to get up and do it again tomorrow. It’s the pleasure principal. I believe in it. This study published in the Journal of Health Psychology believes it, too

So, how do you get started? I suggest starting by standing up and doing about five minutes of gentle limbering movements. Do the same for a few days in a row. You may be surprised at how good this feels and what a wonderful state of mind these simple, natural movements put you in. You may find yourself exercising longer than five minutes after a few days because you like it. Don’t question it. Simply do it. You may find the more you do it the more you’ll want to do it, and the more you’ll do.

You may want to go for a little walk, then a brisk walk, then a half hour brisk walk. Don’t rush it. It doesn’t matter if it takes a couple of weeks, or a couple of months. Listen to you body. You’re on nobody’s schedule but your own.

Once you’re enjoying a half hour brisk walk most days of the week, try adding light weight training for your major muscle groups a couple of times a week. Increase the weight, number of reps and number of exercise days only when it feels too easy. Build up slowly to weight training about three days a week with a day off in between sessions.

Remember to keep it pleasant. If it’s too intense, it ceases to be fun and there’s a good chance you’ll quit. This approach takes longer. But I’ve found it to be much more sustainable than those quick fix pump you up methods. Most of those intense immersion exercise programs remind me of the guy who beats his head against a brick wall. When asked why on earth he does that, he says: “because it feels so good when I stop”

Ease-in. Invest in your body. It will pay you back in quality of life.

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Fashion Flash

Here is the latest issue of our Fashion Flash News For Women 40 plus. Our fab host is Shelia from paintedladies Her Painted Ladies beauty blog empowers readers the latest makeup information and techniques so they can feel and look their very best.

So join us Fashion Flash bloggers and read all about the latest info and deals for make-up, skincare, fitness, fashion and lifestyle trends.

We will help you be and stay Fabulous!

As our health-conscious population lives longer and longer, I think aqua, with it’s ability to surround and support our aging bodies while we keep them operational, is the wave of the future. Get those creaky bodies in the water. Try it, you’ll like it.

NEW WORKOUT DVD BY MIRABAI HOLLAND:

SLOSH WEIGHTS MIND BODY LAND & AQUA WORKOUT!

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GET STRONG, LIVE LONG!

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Its Fashion Flash Monday, the best online weekly for women 40 plus.

Barbara Grufferman is our fabulous host and the creator of her outstanding website Best of Everything After 50.

Fashion Flash

We are a fantastic team of expert bloggers giving you the most up-to-date fashion, beauty, fitness, and lifestyle info, tips and products. Click here to get the latest.

For more info on women health and fitness and at home exercise programs for women over 50 visit www.mirabaiholland.com

Also if you need help getting started check out my Health Coaching Service specially designed for women over 50
Get ready for summer with this Aqua and Land Workout!

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Are you experiencing personal training abuse? A friend was describing her personal training sessions to me and said,“ there’s a fine line between coaching and abuse”.

The whole idea is to find someone who you like, and who likes you to be your teacher and motivator.

Your trainer should teach you to exercise safely and effectively. She/he can motivate you to love exercise by making it fun.

And if you love exercise, you can get and stay fit for a lifetime.

Personal Training Certs

Certification by a national certifying organization and experience are also key. Make sure your trainer is certified and has several years of experience. Meet the person, and make sure you click. If you’re not sure, keep looking.

Don’t be shy about asking to see her/his personal training certification. Ask for client references too, (and call them).

Here are some of the top certifying bodies in the USA:

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA)

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

American Council on Exercise (ACE)

Aerobics & Fitness Association of America (AFAA)

If you are living in another country check out the top Personal Training certs in your area

and make sure your trainer is certified by one of them.

Finding the right trainer can be a daunting task but when it’s right, its music.

By the way, this training partnership is a two way street. No trainer wants to be treated like a servant or even an employee. Treat your trainer as you’d like to be treated and you may make a lifelong friend,

GET STRONG, LIVE LONG! SHOP NOW GET 25% OFF ALL MIRABAI’S PRODUCTS PUT CODE: FABWKOUTS CLICK HERE

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Ready to test your Fabulous Forever Health IQ?

As we are into a new year, it’s time to remind ourselves to be vigilant about our health and fitness. Test your Fabulous Forever health IQ with this at home quiz. Answers are at the end.

For more info on women health and fitness and at home exercise programs come and visit me at www.mirabaiholland.com

Any questions contact me at askmirabai@movingfree.com

Fabulous Forever Health  I.Q. Test Yourself Now!

Fabulous Forever Health IQ Self-Quiz
(answers at end)

1. What is the number one killer disease of women?
a. Osteoporosis
b. Breast Cancer
c. Heart Disease
d. Diabetes

2. What does osteopenia mean?
a. Low muscle mass
b. Low bone mass
c. Another word for osteoporosis
d. Strong bones

3. What is the normal % of body fat?
a. 15-20%
b. 22-30%
c. 25-35%
d. 30-35%

4. Which one of the following blood pressure readings is considered a risk factor for heart disease?
a. 110/70
b. 115/80
c. 120/80
d. 140/90

5.What helps to pick up metabolism?
a. Lean muscle mass
b. 1000 calorie a day diet
c. Sleeping 8 hours a night
d. Meditation

6. How much body fat does the average 65 year old woman have?
a. 30%
b. 37%
c. 43%
d. 50%

7. What is sarcopenia?
a. high muscle mass
b. low bone mass
c. high bone mass
d. low muscle mass

8. What is interval training best for:
a. Picking up the metabolic rate
b. Adding variety to your routine
c. Making it easy to get a drink of water
d. Both a & b

9. An optimal program for older people would include activities to improve:
a. strength, flexibility and coordination
b. eyesight
c. digestion
d. jogging

10. What body shape is the one that puts you at less risk for both heart disease and breast cancer?
a. apple
b. pear
c. banana
d. pineapple

11. To be at less risk for heart disease your total cholesterol should be:
a. Above 200
b. Below 200
c. Between 200-220
d. Between 220-225
12. Which is the “good” cholesterol
a. HDL
b. LDL
c. NDL
d. Margarine

13. How much exercise should you do?
a. At least 3-4 times a week, 30 minutes at 60-90% max heart rate.
b. At least twice a week, 60 minutes at 70-90% max heart rate
c. At least once a week, 60 minutes at 80-85% max heart rate
d. At least twice a week, 30 minutes at 70-90% max heart rate

14. What is the equation of finding your target heart rate?
a. 220-age x %
b. 200-age x %
c. 220 x age – %
d. 200 x age – %

15. What does aerobic exercise do?
a. Helps to stimulate metabolism and reduce LDL
b. Helps to develop stronger abdominals and back muscles
c. Helps to build a stronger heart muscle
d. a & c

16. What are the risk factors for heart disease that you can control:
a. Family history, age, menopause
b. Inactivity, excessive alcohol, and high blood pressure
c. Smoking, high cholesterol and triglycerides
d. b & c

17. How often should you weight train?
a. Every day
b. 3 days in a row, 2 days rest
c. 2-3 times a week, alternating days
d. None of the above.

18. How often should you perform a Breast Self-Examination?
a. every other week
b. Once a month (if still menstruating best time a week after the start of your period)
c. Once every week
d. None of the above.

19. When should you start getting annual mammograms?
a. After age 40
b. After age 45
c. After age 50
d. After age 55

20. What are the best types of exercise if you have had breast cancer?
a. Light strengthening and stretching exercises.
b. Walking and swimming.
c. High intensity strength training
d. a & b

21. 54 million Americans at risk for Osteoporosis; what % are women?
a. 60%
b. 70%
c. 80%
d. 90%

22. By the time women are 70 they can lose up to
a.15% bone mass
b. 20% bone mass
c. 30 % bone mass
d. 45% bone mass

23. As a woman goes through menopause what is the main factor that causes bone loss?
a. loss of estrogen
b. fatigue
c. hot flashes
d. light headed

24.What are the 3 areas at most risk for osteoporotic fracture?
a. Spine, neck, foot
b. Hip, shoulder, foot
c. Spine, hip, wrist
d. None of the above.

25. What type of exercise is not particularly effective for loading your bones
a. Weight training
b. Walking
c. Swimming
d. Jogging
ANSWERS: 1. c, 2. b, 3. b, 4. d, 5. a, 6. c, 7. d, 8. d, 9. a, 10. a,11. b, 12. a, 13. a, 14. a, 15. d, 16. d, 17. c, 18. b, 19. a, 20. d, 21. c, 22. c, 23. a, 24. c, 25. c

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Skeletal Fitness is important throughout our lives.

With 12,000 boomers a day turning 65, that’s one every 8 seconds for the next 18 years; and with 50% of women over the age of 50 projected to have an osteoporosis related fracture in their lifetime, I thought I’d be a little practical this year and give you a mini workout to help you protect your bones.

Skeletal Fitness

Our bones are living tissue and grow stronger with weight bearing and resistance exercise. This is called Bone Loading and can help us maintain our skeletal fitness.

And since the three areas most at risk for Osteoporotic fracture are the Spine, the Hip and the Wrist, here are 3 easy Bone Loading exercises, one for each of those areas, you can do using a pair of hand weights or a couple of soup cans. Use a weight that makes the exercise feel somewhat hard after 8 reps. Remember to always exhale on the exertion. Do 8-15 reps of each of these exercises. Start where you’re comfortable and build up.

And of course always consult your doctor before beginning this Skeletal Fitness exerciseprogram.

Double arm row: Loads Spine

• Start with arms in front of you, weights together.

• Slowly row arms back, bending elbows bringing weights to chest height.

• Squeeze shoulder blades together, without shrugging your shoulders.

Lunge – Loads Hip and Femur (thigh bone)

• Stand tall, feet about shoulder width apart, hands and weights at your sides.

• Keep body erect and lunge forward with left foot, bending both knees to help facilitate the move. (Right heel comes off the floor). Your front knee should be aligned over the second toe of that foot and your weight should be centered between your front and back foot.

• Hold for 8 seconds, (remember to breathe) return to starting position and repeat lunging with right foot.

Wrist Curls

• Hold arms in front of you palms up.

• Using only your wrists, curl weights toward your body until knuckles are facing the ceiling.

• Slowly lower and repeat.

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Welcome to another NEW Holiday Week Edition of Fashion Flash! I’m your host, Health & Wellness Blogger, Mirabai Holland from MovingFreeWithMirabai.com. Join us Fashion Flash! Bloggers for some Holiday Fabulousness. We’ve got Fashion, Beauty, Health, Lifestyle and a Partridge in a Pear Tree. Enjoy.

Erika, blogger in chief at Notes from My Dressing Table is sharing Beautiful Holiday Gift Ideas from Evine She also has a special discount code for first time customers and a fabulous giveaway open through 12/16.

Deb of No-Nonsense beauty Blog has a holiday gift of health for the whole family.  Find out more.

Can the state of your personal space affect your health? Jackie Silver Style shares interesting findings.

After 40, eyelashes and brows can get sparse and brittle. Allison from Never Say Die Beauty introduces you to the Art Natural Advanced Eyelash and Brow Enhancer that’s helping her achieve longer, fuller, softer lashes and brows fast!

Melanie from Society Wellness teaches us that the health and tone of the muscles in our face are the keys to a youthful glow, and a balanced body.

Inka of glamourgrannytravels  goes green in exotic Bogor/Indonesia.

Okay, she’s no Diana Nyad but Claude Noelle Toly is a swimmer and she recently swam around the Statue of Liberty, a long time dream.  Not too shabby for an antique dealer by day.  Do you have a similar dream?

Barbara Hannah Grufferman, author of THE BEST OF EVERYTHING AFTER 50 and AARP Contributor, shares her best tips to stay strong . . . for life.

Marcia from Beauty Info Zone is crazy about concealers. She obsessively collects them but some get used more than others. What 3 concealer brands are high on her radar these days.

The holidays are in full swing. Thanksgiving just passed us and now Christmas is in a couple of weeks. Tania from 50 Is Not Old styles a holiday outfit today that will be sure to put you in the Christmas spirit.

Looking for a high quality gift for a special woman? Prime Beauty is giving away this Tahaitan South Sea Pearl Necklace from The Pearl Source.

And if you need a little nudge to help avoid gaining those extra pounds try my Holiday Workout Kit: A Great Buy!

For a gift that keeps on giving for a lifetime, check out my holiday 50% discount  on all my products. Put MOVENOW AT CHECKOUT GOOD UNTIL 1/30/17

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Just about now, you may have gotten too busy to think about exercise or what I call “Holiday Workouts” . But with New Year’s resolutions just around the corner it might just make some sense to hedge your bets.

Well, I’d like to remind you to get moving again if you want to “live long and prosper”.

So to make it easy, do these 5 Most Important Holiday Workouts at least a few days a week even if you begin with as little as 5 minutes a day working up to about 30 minutes.

Tip: Plan your workout:

Try to exercise as much as you can at the same time every day.

Have your workout clothes and accessories ready ahead of time so you can grab and take them with you or put on and go!

Holiday Workouts: Aerobic Training No. 1

Feeling sluggish? Believe it or not a daily dose of aerobic exercise can help provide you with more energy and stamina. Aerobics is any activity that uses your large muscle groups like brisk walking, swimming, jogging, biking, climbing  stairs, or low impact cardio dance. Starting out with as little as 5 minutes a day and building up to 30 minutes will help lower your blood pressure, increase your good cholesterol, HDL, improve your lung function, strengthen your heart, burn calories and elevate your mood.

Holiday Workouts: No. 2: Muscle Strength

Flab is one of those things we all really hate. What’s worse than wearing something that will reveal that little wiggle. Studies show that if we do nothing we will steadily increase body fat as we get older. So an inactive 25 year old woman may be at 23% (normal range of %body fat) but if she stays inactive by the time she is in her 60’s she can be as high as 43%.

The good news is this is completely reversible by adding some strength training exercises. And it doesn’t take much: just twice a week for 30 minutes or so.

Make sure you leave 24-48 hours in between for muscles to recover and grow.

Use your own body weight with push-ups (beginners can do them against a wall and modified squats or lunges. Start with a few and build up to 15 reps.

Or use resistance bands or hand and ankle weights. For this, you may need some professional help like purchasing an exercise video with a certified instructor, joining a gym or working with a certified personal trainer. Once you learn a simple routine you can do you can slowly increase the weight as you get stronger.

Tip: Start with 8 reps for each exercise. If you can’t finish the set the weight is too heavy. And if you can do a few more, you need more resistance. The key is to listen to your body!

Holiday Workouts: No. 3: Flexibility training

When was the last time you could touch your toes? Or in the morning when you wake up do you feel stiff?  If this sounds like you then doing a few stretches every day could help you move more freely and even reduce muscle aches and pains.

Try doing  an easy stretch or yoga video or class even once a week can help increase your flexibility.

Holiday Workouts:  No. 4:  Balance training

Because we see in older adults a loss of balance, which results in more falls,” noted Holland.

— You can do this standing in line at the grocery store

— Stand on one leg and see if you can let go of the shopping cart

— Hold for about 10 seconds

 — Also try standing on your tippy-toes and holding for a few seconds

— Balance should be done everyday — all you need is two to three minutes

Holiday Workouts:  No. 5: Core training

We see so many people as they get older avoiding their abs, which results in a bad back,” said Holland. “They’re not really supporting upper torso.”

 — Try a few minutes of abdominal exercises

 — Reverse curl while you’re lying in back and pull your knees into you

 — Hold for five seconds and release

 — Start with 10 reps a day and work your way higher

 — Crunches are key — not full sit-ups — because some people can do more damage than good

 — Keep back on the floor and don’t go all the way up

 — Really concentrate so you can feel you’re abdominal wall contracting

And if you need a little nudge my Holiday Workouts Kit is a Great Buy!

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Golf Exercises

There are over 20 million golfers in the United States alone. And those who play frequently, including the pros, are often plagued by over-use injuries.

It’s the repetitive motion of the golf swing that’s the culprit. And if your form is less than perfect you can hurt yourself on a single swing.

It uses the same muscles every time: mainly shoulder (rotator cuff) core (side of the waist, abdominals), and arms (elbow, forearm and wrist)

Also, like any other physical activity, it’s good to warm-up your body at least 5-10 minutes before starting to play. A brisk walk, a few arm circles and practice swings with a towel will help to elevate your body temperature, lubricate joints and increase blood flow to your working muscles.

As for the current aches and pains, you probably have to rest those muscles until they heal.

The good news is, there are Prehab golf exercises to help you play injury-free in the future and they will also help improve your game.

Here are some essential exercises.

Essential Golf Exercises:

Towel warm-up

Roll up a towel lengthwise and take a few practice swings to warm-up the muscles you’ll use when you add the weight of the club.

Golf Exercises: Side Bend
If you have hand weights, great. Otherwise, grab some cans from your pantry.

Stand feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, arms at your sides. Without bending forward or back, bend directly to one side, while sliding the weight in your opposite hand up the side of your body to your armpit. Do the same on the other side. 8-12 reps on each side, alternating side to side. Areas Worked: Side of the Waist

Golf Exercises: Core Strength & Stretch

Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.

Gently stretch your right arm out in front of you till it’s level with your torso. At the same time raise your left leg and straighten it behind you. Hold for 10-20 counts and slowly return to starting position. Switch sides and repeat. Areas Worked: Abdominals, shoulder, hip and back of leg

Golf Exercises: Oblique Twist

Lie down, knees bent, feet hip width apart. Place your hands behind your head.

Lift and turn your torso to point your right elbow towards your left knee (keep your elbow back in line with your shoulder) and return to start. Do 8 reps. Switch sides and repeat. Areas Worked: Abdominals, particularly the side abs.

Golf Exercises: Rotator Cuff

Holding cans or hand weights bend arms at the elbows to 90 degrees in front of you. Keep your elbows bent and bring your arms out to your sides.

Repeat 8-12 reps.

Areas Worked: Shoulders

Golf Exercises: Wrist Curls
Hold hand weights at your sides, elbows at 90-degree angles, palms down. Keep arms stationary, and using only your wrists, slowly curl the weights towards you until your knuckles are facing the ceiling. Repeat 8-15 reps

Flip weights palms up. Do 8-15 reps in this position.

Areas Worked: Forearms and wrists.

Golf Exercises: Diamond Stretch

Raise arms over-head, linking hands together. Slightly bend elbows and gently move them back.

Hold for 10-20 counts.

Areas worked: Shoulders, chest and upper back.

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Looking to get better sleep? We all love a good night’s   sleep. But did you know that not getting one not only makes you dull and stressed, it can also make you pack on the pounds.

Health experts recommend eight hours of sleep a night for most adults. Yet so many of us get fewer than six-and-a-half hours during the work week.

Too little physical activity is clearly part of why we’re overweight. But a lack of sleep may make weight loss and weight control more difficult by altering your metabolism. It may also be changing your eating and exercise patterns.

In a Japanese study, children sleeping less than eight hours a night were almost three times as likely to be overweight.

Lack of sleep may change hormone levels and thus influence weight gain. Higher levels of the hormone insulin have been linked to a shortage of sleep.

Because insulin promotes fat storage and controls blood sugar, extra insulin could make weight loss more difficult.

Studies also show that a lack of sleep leads to lower levels of the hormone leptin, which can cause an increased appetite. Sound familiar?

A third hormone affected by too little sleep is cortisol, linked by research to stress. When people feel threatened or stressed, their cortisol levels rise in a “fight or flight” reaction. In one study, people whose cortisol levels rose highest in response to stress had more waistline fat – and fat at the waist is related to the greatest number of risks for heart disease and other ailments. So what can you do to get better sleep?

Better Sleep With Aerobic Exercise

Results from a Stanford University study show exercise, particularly aerobic exercise in the late afternoon or right after work can turn this all around.

The physical stress of aerobic exercise produces fatigue and a rise in body temperature. A few hours later, your body temperature drops. That coupled with the fatigue from your exercise triggers your brain to induce a deeper, longer better sleep.

What time of day you do is as important as doing it. If you exercise too close to bedtime you may be up for hours climbing the walls. Getting a half hour brisk walk is all it takes.

If you belong to a Gym, get there and mix it up on the cardio machines.

Or get yourself a good cardio dance video by a certified instructor.

In any case quality zzzzzs equals quality of life and may even increase longevity.

For more health and fitness information and at home exercise programs please visit www.mirabaiholland.com

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Now that the weather is getting colder and the days are getting shorter, I find myself as you may too, for no apparent reason, feeling a little blue. So I dust off my sneakers and get ready to move because I know cardio exercise improves mood.

Research shows that cardio exercise improves mood because it increases levels of serotonin and endorphins in the brain. These are important neurochemical transmitters, which help to elevate and stabilize your mood.

In fact one of the known causes of depression is a lowered level of serotonin. Aerobic exercise can be as effective as medication for relieving mild to moderate depression in many cases.

More Reasons Why Cardio Exercise Improves Mood

There is more to cardio  exercise than serotonin and endorphins. It helps lower adrenaline, a chemical associated with stress to help promote relaxation. And as you become more fit you feel better about how you look and feel. This can give you a positive outlook in general. Try some easy aerobics. You may just cardio dance your troubles away. I make sure I’m exercising aerobically most days of the week, at least for 30-60 minutes. I not only feel my spirits lift while I’m exercising but for many hours afterwards.

 Are You Depressed?
The standard symptoms for depression are:

• Persistent feelings of sadness or “emptiness”
• Sense of hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt
• Inability to enjoy ordinary pleasurable activities, including sex
• Noticeable change of appetite, possibly accompanied by significant weight loss or weight gain
• Shifts in sleeping patterns, such as insomnia or sleeping too much
• Difficulty concentrating, persistent irritability, excessive crying
• Preoccupation with thoughts of death or suicide
• Decreased energy, fatigue
• Persistent aches and pains

Many things can cause depression. They range from some medications to low levels of light during the winter months. Alcohol and a poor diet, as well as inherited predisposition, can lead to the condition as well. Before you decide on asking your doctor for an anti-depressant prescription, adopt the healthy lifestyle habits of a nutritious diet, regular exercise and enough sleep. If things don’t improve, of course, seek medical help.

So try my take on the old Arlen & Koehler song lyric that Judy Garland sang, “forget your troubles, come on get happy” you can exercise your blues away.

For more info on women health and fitness and at home exercise programs for women visit www.mirabaiholland.com

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Heart Healthy: Flavonoids Plus Cardio

Since heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women in the U.S., I thought I’d focus on prevention.

After all, if you prevent heart disease, you’re very unlikely to die from it.

A Harvard study says women who eat three or more servings of strawberries or blueberries a week can lower their risk of heart attack by 32 percent. The study also said grapes, eggplant and blackberries may work too. It’s those flavonoids again. The antioxidants you find in red wine, dark chocolate, green tea, apple skin, etc. Rule of thumb: The darker the color, the more flavonoid content. They slow down your aging clock and prevent disease by keeping free radicals from damaging cells in your body.

Free radicals are incomplete molecules looking for an electron so they can complete and stabilize themselves. Sounds like something you’d hear in therapy. They steal an electron from a neighboring molecule, turning it into a free radical and setting off a chain reaction. They contribute to the aging process and a wide range of diseases.

We form them naturally when we breathe and metabolize. Free radicals don’t wreak havoc with your body until you have too many of them. They can be formed by oxidative stress, like intense exercise, smoking and exposure to environmental toxins.

Eat Berries, Drink Wine, Stay Fit

Enter the flavonoids. They give the free radicals one of their electrons and stop them in their tracks. They help prevent heart disease by stopping LDLs (bad cholesterol) from breaking down and forming plaque in your arteries.

Nowadays, you can get berries year round, and they are a perfect low-calorie food, alone, in yogurt, or sprinkled on your cereal. So let’s have a few servings of berries, some eggplant, a glass of cabernet and maybe a square of dark chocolate for dessert. Not such a major lifestyle change.

Since we are talking about prevention, how about stress?

A series of studies by Columbia University Medical Center says whether or not we perceive ourselves as stressed can be a measure of whether or not we’ll have a heart attack in the future. So from now on, I’m not going to perceive myself as stressed. Yeah. Good luck with that.

Seriously: My clients who exercise regularly, particularly aerobic exercise, tend to think of themselves as being more relaxed. And they are more relaxed. Aerobic exercise releases endorphins, the body’s natural tranquilizer, and they know they’re getting the heart benefits of all that cardio. To get the maximum benefit from cardio exercise, most people should build up to 45 or more minutes at 60 to 80 percent of your max heart rate. If you’re just starting out, you can ease in with a few minutes a day at a comfortable pace and add more as it gets too easy. But here’s the rub: Aerobic exercise, because it requires so much oxygen, is an oxidative stressor. It produces free radicals.

People who exercise once in a while or really hard only on the weekend are more at risk for producing harmful levels of free radicals. But studies have found that people who exercise regularly tend to adapt and produce enzymes that create antioxidants minimizing free radicals’ negative effect.

So here’s the formula: Eat berries, drink wine and get regular cardio so you don’t perceive yourself as stressed. It’s an eclectic concoction, but I think it’s tastier than one of those midnight vegetable smoothies. Don’t you?

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Hi, this is Mirabai Holland from Moving Free with Mirabai
It’s Fashion Flash Monday, and I’m happy to be your host this week.

It is my pleasure to welcome two new expert bloggers to our Fashion Flash Consortium: Marcia Friedman from BeautyInfozone and Beth Djalali, from StyleataCertainAge

They have wonderful insights into the world of beauty and style.

As for the rest of us Fashion Flash bloggers we too have been busy finding the most up-to-date trends, info and the finest in Fashion, Beauty, Health & Fitness and Products

to help you look and feel your best during this Holiday Season.

Holiday party inspiration from Style at a Certain Age.

Subscription boxes come in all sizes and functions. Beauty Info Zone wants to share the newest PopSugar Must Have box with you to see if this is a “must have” for your life.

Are you prepared? Jackie Silver from AgingBackwards.com has tips for staying healthy during flu season.

Now that “turkey eating season” is in full swing, Society Wellness shares two recipes that you can use all winter long: Turkey Meatballs and Turkey Loaf

. If you are looking to refresh your wardrobe or buy gifts for family and friends there are still bargains to be had in the holiday sales.

Now that cold weather is here, Deb of No-Nonsense Beauty Blog explores the most important ingredient to look for in a moisturizer that hydrates without clogging the pores.

Prime Beauty has put together a list of great gift ideas for the beauty obsessed that won’t make your wallet cry! Check out Beauty Gifts under $30!

Inka gets a surprise when she meets the Flintstones, of all places in Thrace/Turkey

When Dr. Francine Kaufman became a caregiver for her ailing mother, it opened up a whole new vista of the medical profession for her. And that was the start of her second life.

Barbara Hannah Grufferman, author of THE BEST OF EVERYTHING AFTER 50 and AARP YouTube Host, knows the secret to sexy, strong arms and wants to share!

Black Cat Plus lists its favorite Cyber Monday Deals for Plus Size Fashions.

As we approach the Holidays I would like to share a video from my NEW YOUTUBE SERIES: TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH NOW! ” HOW MUCH SUGAR IS TOO MUCH?

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