Spice Up Your Knees with Ginger

Believe it or not, ginger extract was tested and found to significantly help people with stiff, sore, osteoarthritic knees. It contains a complex mix of compounds that apparently helps thwart inflammation. It has anticancer powers, too. Ginger is also great for nausea. Use fresh ginger to marinate meats or chicken, make ginger fried rice, or even salad dressing. For more info, check out ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine by John LaPuma, MD. 

New Fibromyalgia Medicine Approved

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Savella (mlnacipran) for the management of fibromyalgia. It has demonstrated significant improvements in multiple aspects of fibromyalgia, including pain, patient global assessment, and physical function. (National Fibromyalgia Association, January 30, 2009)

Good Morning Bloggers

Good Morning Everyone. Have you started your New Year's resolutions yet? Are you off to a healthy start? This is a reminder to get going to make this a healthy year. Remember, you need to exercise at least 3 times per week with cardio and 2 times per week with strength training. How many are you doing? Post a blog and let me know. Need extra help? We can all help each other achieve our goals. Have a great day (especially in LA where it'll be 81 degrees!).

Water Aerobics Reduces Pain in Childbirth

Importance of Vitamin D

In the October, 2008 issue of the American Medical Association journal Archives of Neurology, researchers from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta report that men and women with Parkinson’s disease have a greater incidence of vitamin D insufficiency compared with Alzheimer’s disease patients and healthy people. The discovery adds another disease to the growing list of the conditions that have been recently associated with reduced levels of the vitamin.

AVOIDING MIDDLE-AGE WEIGHT GAIN

As we age and our metabolisms slow, weight gain is inevitable if we don't do something to control it. Even if you're working out, you may need a new or more intense routine to keep the weight off (especially around the waist). So what can you do??

1. Increase strength training to 2-3 days per week for at least 30 - 45 minutes each session. Use weights, resistance bands, or noodles (in water) to strengthen muscles and bones and reduce fat around the waist.

2. Increase the pace and work harder each session. By increasing the intensity, the heart and cardiovascular fitness is improved.

3. Keep one day at a relaxed pace to avoid burnout. Choose a relaxing exercise for a comfortable pace to let yourself relax and even 'zone out'.

Don't forget that nutrition plays a key role in controlling weight gain. So, don't skip breakfast and maintain a healthy diet to see results. It may not be easy, but it's worth it!

9 Good Reasons Why You Should Get in the Pool

Many believe that swimming and pools are strictly child's play or summer fun and that swimming is not an effective form of weight loss.  This is not true! Even the US Masters Swimming says that swimming is a 'rigorous, effective fitness workout--and fun in the process."

Everyone can benefit from the water. Here are 9 good reasons to start splashing:

1.  Heart Helper--Get cardiovascular conditioning

2. Balance Your Build--Swimming builds longer, leaner muscles and boosts metabolism

3. Cross-training--Avoid injury with a balanced workout routine

4.  Increased Flexibility--Heated pools relax muscles, increase flexibility, and enable important stretching in addition to flushing out toxins preventing muscle tightness and soreness the following day

5.  Strengthen Your Core--Develop core body strength

6.  Endurance--Train for longer periods of time and burn more calories

7.  Adventure--Explore the relaxing joys of clean, indoor and outdoor pools

8.  Social Outlet-- Meet people with mutual interests, find peer motivation and professional coaching to increase your performance results

Finally....

9.  Weight Loss--It's easy to push yourself and get in the water.  Putting on your swimsuit may actually motivate you to shed a few pounds too. 

Swimming and water exercise can add to your quality of life.  Start splashing!!

(Adapted from Active.com article)