PRODUCT: Kinesio Therapeutic Tape

Jamaica's Brigitte Foster-Hylton wearing pink Kinesio tape on shin

Source:  http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/a-quirky-athletic-tape-gets-its-olympic-moment/

 

ARTICLE: The Red Wine Weight Loss Wonder Drug That Lets You Eat Junk Food

Like drug companies couldn’t go any further into damaging your health and perceptions, they come up with this drug…. forget about finding a cure for breast cancer or multiple sclerosis, let’s find a drug that let’s us not go to the gym, drink as much as we want and eat junk food….

Can we really lose weight by taking one pill?

Source:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1083047/The-red-wine-weight-loss-wonder-drug-lets-eat-junk-food.htmlp://

NEWS: Women’s Hands Home to More Types of Germs

There is a common mneumonic used to guide writers in developing article headlines known as AIDA = Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.  When headlines, write ups and articles are written, it must contain these elements in order for the reader to want to continue reading.  So in a way, because of the title, this news headliner grabbed my attention and interest and being a female, I wanted (desired) to learn more and find out what action I can take to minimize the germs that I am prone to have.  Yet as I read on, many of the “germs” mentioned were due to everyday things that women were likely more exposed to than males… 

“Women had more germ diversity than men, possibly due to different acidities on the hands, different hand-washing regimens, differential production of sweat, variable hormones and how often moisturizers or cosmetics are applied.”

In other words… nothing new, but just the obvious proven with current research.

Source:  http://news.health.com/2008/11/05/womens-hands-home-more-types-germs/

INTERVIEW: Former Olympic Medalist Marion Jones

If you were known as the world’s fastest woman who broke record time in the Olympics, what would you do if you were interrogated and questioned on your use of performance enhancing drugs by the federal authority? 

As fitness enthusiasts, it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to look our best.  We want quick fixes.  We want immediate results.  But oftentimes, what we sometimes take and believe to be natural can very well be … well… not.  This is Marion Jones story and first interview post prison.  Her decision was to inform federal authority that she did NOT take anything, for fear of what she would lose (family’s trust, medals, pride).  Five years later, she admitted to taking “the clear” even though she didn’t know fully how it impacted her performance.  She was sentenced to 6 months in prison and released this September.  In this exclusive interview on Oprah, she reveals her experiences, journeys, wishes and hopes.  She also shares a  tearful letter to her son. 

Source: http://www.oprah.com/dated/oprahshow/oprahshow_20081029_marion

 

ARTICLE: Bottled Water Not Worth the Price or Your Health

It’s no surprise.  Bottled water is now a hot topic among discussion health blogs, forums and magazines.  Are they safe for us or the environment?  According to research findings, no.  What was once a convenience fad has now turned out to be personally and environmentally bad.   

Plastic No Longer Best Option

Myths busted:

• “It’s convenient.” 
• “It’s safer than tap water.”
• “There’s no price limit to my family’s health.”

In a testing conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), 10 US brands of bottled water contained an average of 7 chemical pollutants including:  caffeine, pharmaceuticals, carcinogens, and industrial solvents.  Co-author of the study, Jane Houlihan stated, ” In some cases, it appears bottled water is no less polluted than tap water and at 1,900 times the cost, consumers should expect better.”

In Canada, the responsibility lies on all levels of government.  Surprising thing is that Canada’s Water Quality Guidelines are not enforced by law like it is in the United States.  So naturally, there is much concern about  whether tap water is truly safer than bottled.  Stories such as the Walkerton, ON E. Coli scare and the parasite cryptosporidiosis outbreak in North Battlefield, SK can make anyone fearful of opening up the tap to fill our glass.  A guide to test your own water quality at home can be found here.

Three things you can do now:

1.  Stop buying plastic water bottles.  Congratulations in taking the step realizing that water is vital to our health and body function.  Instead of using plastic water bottles, get a stainless steel like Klean Kanteen and fill it up with Brita filtered tap water. 

2.  Learn about your local water supply system.  By contacting your local Environmental Health Inspector, you will likely learn that your tap water is safe for drinking.   Canada holds roughly 20% of the world’s known fresh water supplies yet I’m sure you know friends who buy spring water from Fiji, France and Sweden!  Why?

3.  Maximize your use of water.  I’m guilty.  I enjoy my long showers, dishwasher and do laundry 3x/wk.  Canada’s per capita usage of water is higher than every other country except the US.  It’s time to turn down the tap and take action with others to reduce our use.  Any other suggestions or tips?

Source:  http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/423/bottled-water-not-worth-the-price-or-your-health/

MAGAZINE: Nov/Dec 2008 Fitness

I bought the November/December 2008 issue of Fitness today    This is a monthly magazine aimed at women in their 20s and 30s who are interested in fitness and living a healthy life.  Focused on publishing timely, well-written non-fiction articles, I love buying this magazine sporadically and mainly for doses of writing inspiration.  Being so entrenched in fitness, health, and well-being, what is common sense for one person can be completely foreign to somebody else.  There is such a wide spread range of health literacy it’s almost fascinating ( you can be sure I’ll be writing on this topic).

So when I pick up magazines like Fitness, I get a feel for what issues, concerns and events the average woman my age are thinking about and participating in.  It’s dubbed “reading with intention”. Writers influence one another and this capacity to nourish and be nourished by other writers is truly the great gift of the reader’s writing life.  And with Fitness Magazine, I feel confident that I can find many interesting articles to read and just as many article ideas to query on…

Source:  http://www.fitnessmagazine.com

Fitness Magazine Nov/Dec 2008 Cover

Topics I am interested in writing about right now include:

• Sleep disorders (Why Can’t I Sleep?). I’ll be checking out the feature on “The New Way to Never Feel Tired” on p. 80
• Energize & motivate me.  I’m hoping that the stress free 20 minute meals on p. 89 will give me the kick in the ass I need to go to the gym
• Balancing a Busy Life (How to Juggle Different Hats). I’m looking forward to reading how 4 writers learned to manage negative self talk and love the skin their in on p. 121
• Antibiotic resistant organisms (AROs). With winter around the corner, I am interested in the growing number of AROs such as E.Coli, C.Diff and MRSA.  (I’m still trying to figure out the difference!)  There’s no mention in this mag… hmmmm…

ARTICLE: The Secret to Fitness is in the Bedroom

In a January 2007 press release by the Better Sleep Council on Canada,  it was reported that only 10% of Canadians think good sleep is critical to fitness, yet nearly 30% admit that a “lack of energy” is the greatest barrier to improving their fitness.  Not surprising considering that in today’s world,  sleep is undervalued and having 8 hours of sleep is considered a luxury of time.

Sleep loss, however, is associated with significant health problems, such as depression, headaches and impaired heart function.  It has been linked to poor concentration, lower productivity and poor work quality -  skills required to work efficiently.  Sleep loss can interfere with memory, reasoning and concentration – skills required when taking advanced learning courses.  Lack of sleep make us irritable and can obviously strain our relationships with co-workers, friends and family.

Sleep Well to Keep Fit

Dr. Stacy Irvine, Chiropractor and Fitness Expert on behalf of the Better Sleep Council Canada stated that “regular exercise releases endorphins that relieve stress, and the physical exertion helps our bodies crave rest for a more deep and restful sleep.  The benefits of sleep and fitness are reciprocal”.

Tips to have a good night’s sleep:

• Unwind. Put any type “work” away, dim the lights and focus on taking deep breaths.  By separating your day’s activities from your sleep, you begin to train your body to relax.  (This is the hardest tip to follow but critical to a good night’s sleep).
• Be consistent. Try to get up at the same time every morning and go to bed at the same time in the evening, seven days a week.
• Mattress check. If you sleep better in someone else’s bed, it might be time to get a new mattress.
• Exercise. Incorporate fitness into your daily schedule; at least 45 minutes a day.  Include cardio, weight training, yoga, sports  and stretching into your weekly activities so that your body and mind remain active during the day and ready to retire at night.

Click here for Health Magazine’s Celebrity Secrets and What You Can Learn From Them

Source: http://www.bettersleep.ca/

NEWS: Bodybuilding Icon Dies Suddenly

Ben Weider, co-founder of the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB), died on Friday October 17th at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal.  He was 85.

Ben Weider Passes @ 85

For 50 years, he spent his time promoting bodybuilding and led the fitness revolution in the 70s when it was once considered a  “reviled, fringe activity”.  I also discovered that he was not only passionate about fitness but that he had a strong interest in the Napoleonic History.  He wrote a bestseller non-fiction book, “The Murder of Napoleon“, outlining his journey in discovering the real truth of Napoleon’s death.  From this work, he received a Legion of Honor in 2000, France’s highest national honor.  It was published in 1982 and is now available in 45 languages.  He also co-authored an autobiography with his brother Joe, “Brothers of Iron:  Building the Weider Empire” published in 2006.

He is survived by his wife, 3 sons,  2 grandchildren, brother and sister.  Memorial service will take place in Montreal on Monday October 20th.  My condolences to the family and to the fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts who were touched by his work. 

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Weider

BLOG: The Brinkzone Blog

 “My blog will be a little different to the deluge of fitness based blogs which seem to be 99% advertising and 1% content…you’ll find (Brinkzone) full of science based information rather than generic information you can find elsewhere”

Brinkzone Blog is a mix of well researched information and honest to goodness truth.

Dubbed the No. 1 Science Based Health & Fitness Blog, I stumbled upon Will Brink’s site a few months ago doing a search for the best ab workouts for those who hate doing it.  I browsed around his two sites:  http://www.brinkzone.com & http://www.brinkzone.com/blog/ and felt that his information was straight forward, no beating around the bush talk.  With articles like “The Terrible Triad:  Why Your Workouts Suck“,  ”Do Vegetarians Disgust You?” and “Exotic Cars Increase Testorone Levels” there’s a mix of well researched information,  feature writers and honest to goodness truth.  And the odd time, some great sarcastic humour (for those who know he’s even being sarcastic!!) 

My only wish is that in the future, he would include female feature writers and perspective.  His straight forward talk is what some of us need as much as it may have an “ouch!!” rating of 10/10.   His one blog on Women and Weight Training:  Debunking the Myths caught my eye because I have plenty of family and friends who refuse to lift weights on the sheer fear of bulking up. 

Myth 1: Strength training causes women to become larger and heavier.

Myth 2: Women should use different training methods than men.

Myth 3: Women should avoid high-intensity or high-load training.

C’mon females, we know all this right?  Right?  We don’t have as much testosterone as males do so some of us already know we can work out heavy and not bulk up, but, like one blog reader stated “people like to stay within specific, gender-identity comfort zones”.  When will we ever change ladies?  Subscribe to the Brinkzone blog.  Not only do you get weekly updates in your e-mail on what’s new, if you sign up now, you’ll receive 3 free e-books including one on developing the perfect abs. 

Source:  http://www.brinkzone.com/blog/

TV SHOW: Workout

Survivor, Big Brother, Amazing Race … I’ve watched them all but none have been exciting enough for me to schedule my life around them!  (Hey!  Pick up your jaw!).  Not until I tuned into the 2nd season of Workout.  Click on picture for the Slice TV Synopsis of the docu-series.

Workout Season 2

3 reasons why I’m addicted to this show:

1.  Ongoing Inspiration & Motivation

A self made millionaire by the age of 22, Jackie founded Sky Sport and Spa in 2002, a multi-discipline concept facility providing personal training, chiropractic care, exercise therapy and nutritional counselling all within a glass-enclosed penthouse space featuring a 360 degree view of Los Angeles. 

 Season 2 featured Jackie Warner’s relationship adventures, business challenges and her personal life paths.  Jackie has multiple relationships with various females and each show chronicles her thoughts on these experiences.  We also watched her launch a clothing line with lots of roadblocks along the way and she handled it with patience and focus.   (Although I truly felt her rage when she received a terrible looking batch of clothes from her manufacturer!!)  I also discovered that Jackie is gay, that her father committed suicide as a result of mental illness and that to ensure that she stays sane,  she falls back on her best friend for advice and on her knowledgable counsellor for guidance.

Her openness and honesty as a business owner, trainer and coach, friend and gay woman truly make her an inspiring and motivating individual to watch.   In season 3, we will apparently see Jackie launch her protein bar and shake line. 

2.  Fitness Realities

A successful, savvy and confident 40 year old Jackie Warner is an exceptional health and fitness role model.  An elite personal trainer (she charges $400/hour!) and founder of Sky Sport and Spa, Jackie demonstrates in each show the importance of life balance, gaining an awareness of the factors that impact our health and the significance of focusing on the choices we make when working out and choosing our next meal. 

In a March 2008 interview with FOXNews.com, Jackie gives a great interview on some common but often overlooked fitness realities.  For example,  the biggest fitness myth is that you can lose weight by skipping meals.  I agree.  By doing so, you put your body in starvation mode so that at your next meal, your body will store it all as fat in preparation for the next starvation.  Do not skip meals!  Eat small nutritionally dense foods to keep you satisfied and alert.  Her piece of advise for when we cheat?

“If you cheat, realize it’s just one day and go with it.  When it happens to me, I just allow myself to eat like a pig because I know there’s something in me that wants that food.  So I just overeat to the point of where I’m so disgusted that I want to be good the next day.  So I would say don’t have a little.  Don’t just have waffles.  Have waffles, ice cream and the cookies!!”

3.  Diva Drama

Each episode demonstrates the every day life of various trainer/client relationships, trainer/trainer interaction and how Miss Jackie keeps it all together.  This all equals …. drama.  And not just soap opera drama but diva drama!  (C’mon, what do you expect, the show takes place in Beverly Hills, California!)  And if it’s one thing that adds the “watch me next week” factor… it’s drama…

• gossip about the boss dating her…  no her!!
• jealousy between trainers not for client attention but for Jackie’s attention!
• new heterosexual male trainers causing a testorone boost in the studio (Jackie does not like to be tested!);
• and Jackie takes her girlfriend home to meet mom

Juicy!  Haven’t watched it before?  Click here and/or here for an excellent write up to update you.  Jackie and her trainers return for the third season which airs every Wednesday at 6pm PT on Slice TV.

Source:  http://www.jackiewarner.com