Fitness & Wellness

What a year!

Too bad we can’t just snap our fingers and enjoy a “normal” holiday season, right?

Well, 2020’s unique circumstances can bring a key reminder about living healthy after 50: Exercise, nutrition, stress management are more important than ever – and consistency is vital to getting fit AND to staying fit.

The commitments we make and remake every day brings us long-term benefits, and make us feel better right away.

So, let’s not let the holidays throw us off-track — regardless of the choices you make this year to spend time with family, to travel, or to stay at home. How do you stay on track while also enjoying yourself?

Here are our Top 10 Tips.

1. Be active every day. Maintain your normal workout routine as much as possible. If you’re traveling, that might mean bringing some equipment, including an exercise mat, resistance bands, and small weights.
2. Work out and eat right in the days leading up to your travel or other break in your regular schedule. That will balance out the inevitable calorie spikes you’re going to enjoy.
3. Remain flexible. When you can’t hit the gym, go for a walk or a jog. Try some bodyweight exercises. Play with the kids. Lead the family in an outing at a local park or sledding hill.
4. Don’t let a single holiday become a week of gluttony and sloth. If you’re driving somewhere, pack a sensible lunch rather than rely on roadside fast food restaurants and diners. And plan to take 15-minute walking breaks every hour or two. … After the holiday, resist the temptation to keep eating leftovers. Get back to your fitness routine as soon as possible, even if you don’t quite feel like it yet.
5. Drink plenty of water every day. It will help keep you from feeling hungry.
6. Eat sensibly – vegetables first. Eat slowly. Stop when you feel 80 percent full, because it takes a while for our tummies to tell our brains we’ve had enough.
7. Limit your alcohol. Too much easily becomes just empty calories that lower inhibitions and lead to sloppy overeating.
8. Get plenty of sleep. Not getting enough can lead to crankiness and other body disruptions that can lead to, yep, overeating and sloth.
9. Use smaller plates and glasses, and limit the empty carbohydrates to the treats you truly enjoy.
10. Calm down and enjoy yourself. Yes, it’s important to not go crazy with food and too much sitting around the house. But it’s also important to remember that healthy living is a lifelong commitment, and your good habits can sustain, oh, say a second piece of pumpkin pie.

Breaks like holidays are meant to be enjoyed, and they don’t have to throw us off track too hard – as long as we know when to get back on.

Finally, keep up whatever spiritual habits you practice, maintain gratitude, and be charitable in word and deed.

We’re here to talk about any questions you have about exercise, nutrition and more!

Pancreatic Cancer: Age, Exercise and Other Factors

Pancreatic cancer has made too many headlines in 2020, most recently by claiming beloved TV host Alex Trebek of “Jeopardy!” fame. Earlier, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Rep. John Lewis also died of the disease.

They’re among the roughly 50,000 Americans who die each year from the disease, which is often called one of the toughest cancers.

Most cases are diagnosed after age 60.

November happens to be Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. So this seems like a good time to learn more about it and your risk.

The cause of pancreatic cancer remains unknown. And it can strike anyone.

But experts have identified certain risk factors – and they say that exercise is thought to reduce the risk and to benefit treatment.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network says, “Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and may help pancreatic cancer patients gain physical strength to help them better tolerate treatment.

“Research indicates that physical activity may have beneficial effects on several aspects of cancer survivorship, including weight gain, quality of life, cancer recurrence or progression, and prognosis.”

Also recommended:

• Eat a heathy diet
• Maintain proper weight
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Don’t smoke cigarettes

But much is beyond our control:

• Family history with the disease
• Race – African-Americans have a higher incidence
• Gender – Men are slightly more prone to get it

While there are some treatments available, the disease is basically incurable.

Please talk to your doctor about screening and risk factors.

Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower Slaw With Oranges

This sunny, slaw-like salad of thinly sliced Brussels sprouts and riced cauliflower is brightened with juicy orange segments and tossed in a lightly creamy buttermilk-poppy-seed dressing. It’s a bright winter salad that stands up boldly and brings a fresh counterpoint to the season’s savory stews, soups and roasted dishes. From The Washington Post.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 navel oranges
• 1/4 cup well-shaken low-fat buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 8 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved and very thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup (about 10 ounces) finely chopped or riced cauliflower florets

Directions

1. Cut the tops and bottoms off of the oranges. Stand each orange on its end and, cutting downward following the curve of the fruit with the knife, cut away all the rind and white pith. Working over a bowl, using a paring knife, remove each segment from the fruit, letting the fruit drop into the bowl. Squeeze any juice from the remaining membrane into another bowl and discard the membrane. Reserve the juice for another use, or drink it.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Stir in the poppy seeds.
3. In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with the cauliflower and the dressing. Gently toss in the oranges. Divide among 4 plates and serve.

Nutrition information

• Calories per serving: 170
• Total Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Cholesterol: 10mg
• Sodium: 180mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 20g
• Dietary Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 11g
• Protein: 5g

We hope you found this information beneficial whether you are in your 30’s, 50’s, 70’s or beyond!

Remember to put it into ACTION!

Knowledge + Action = Power!

Committed to your health & happiness,

~Summer

PS – Ready to get more healthy & fit, but not sure where to start?

Click Here to fill out a quick form so that we can have a phone conversation to see what program would be the best for you to start! (Virtual or In-Person)

#summersfitnessfamily #strongertogether

You can learn more about Summer’s North Canton Personal Training & Bootcamp location, Summer’s Fitness at www.summersfitness.com, or Call/Text 330-497-2474.

Click to Learn More about a 1 on 1 Private Training INTRO Offer.

COVID concerns are once again leading to shut downs.

As a health educator, I want to share with you some different perspectives and studies so that you can make a more informed decision on how to live your life.

What you believe is true, is true to you.

For years I have been saying, “I believe most of us have been brainwashed to be sick, stuck, and hurt. I also believe you can achieve health and happiness in any stage of life.”

This couldn’t be more true…today.

My personal perspective is at the end of this email.

Meet Bill – Perspective of an RN on the COVID Frontlines in Florida

My friend, Bill, (Yes, this is a photo of Bill and I *personally* know him) posted this 5 days ago.

#

“This is what 10 hours straight with no breaks looks like. 4 deaths on my shift today.

If you could see the work nurses do you would be floored. Not only do we have to think and use our knowledge of pharmacology , but we have to lift.

One guy on our unit is 700 pounds.

3 nurses are out with injuries. One with 7 herniated discs.

I wear back support but still it is grueling when you have patients all over 300 pounds.

I’m starting to think this virus is going to evolve into a new seasonal flu.

I’m sure many will disagree.

This is Darwin’s theory in motion.

Darwinism is a theory of biological evolution developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) and others, stating that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual’s ability to compete, survive, and reproduce.

Everyone I have put in a body bag from the virus had several comorbities. Which would of taken their life at one point. Especially if the person was not eating healthy , exercising and taking care of themselves.

I don’t think we will see a vaccination for this.

If this is not a message to take care of your body.

I don’t know what is.”

#

Written by Bill Bennett

EXERCISE IS ESSENTIAL

Physical activity is a key measure for the prevention, management, and treatment of chronic health conditions. It also promotes long-term health and longevity.

Approximately 20% of Americans exercise.

“COVID-19 has just so vividly exposed our unhealthy lifestyles…You go through the list of risks for COVID-19, especially dying of COVID-19 or being severely ill from COVID-19; those are the diseases of inactivity.”

Robert Sallis, M.D., Co-director of Sports Medicine Fellowship Program

Kaiser Permanente – Fontana, CA

=> CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE <=

STUDY FIND OVER 80% of COVID PATIENTS HAVE VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY

“One approach is to identify and treat vitamin D deficiency, especially in high-risk individuals such as the elderly, patients with comorbidities, and nursing home residents, who are the main target population for the COVID-19,” said study co-author José L. Hernández, Ph.D., of the University of Cantabria in Santander, Spain.

=> CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE <=

STUDY SHOWS GYMS ARE 500 TIMES SAFER THAN THE AVERAGE PUBLIC SPACE

The researchers conducting the study also found no evidence that gyms had been the place of contraction for the 0.0023 percent of check ins that later resulted in a positive case of COVID-19. This means that the risk of infection rate in gyms could be even lower than what the study says.

=> CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE <=

Lack of vitamin D might increase risk for COVID-19, University of Chicago researchers find

Patients with untreated vitamin D deficiencies were 77% more likely to test positive for COVID-19 as patients with sufficient levels of the vitamin, according to the research, which was published Thursday in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Network Open. The findings were reported earlier this year before the study was officially published.

“It raises the possibility that if you take vitamin D, you might be less likely to catch COVID,” said Dr. David Meltzer, chief of hospital medicine at University of Chicago Medicine and lead author of the study. “It’s very inexpensive. It could be used very broadly.”

=> CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE <=

Lack of vitamin D might increase risk for COVID-19, University of Chicago researchers find

My Personal Perspective

Isn’t it interesting that “gyms & fitness centers” are always the first on the threat list to shut down?

Yet, studies back up that is NOT where COVID-19 is being spread?

That the CDC has said over 40% body fat & other Comorbidities & vitamin D deficiency are the #1 risk factors.

Is it interesting that the average weight gain has been 19 pounds as result of lockdown from COVID-19?

Ironic isn’t it.

We’ve learned a lot over the past 8 months. We are still learning, but 1 thing that is BACKED by STATS is exercise & eating well (hence the Obesity & Vitamin D deficiency) is the best defense.

We live in a country where we deny we have an obesity problem.

Heart disease & smoking account for over 1 million deaths a year.

How much $$$ does the government make from taxes on cigarettes?

Nobody wants anyone to die.

=> But these shut down measures are only punishing the people who are “following the rules” .

Please, do not fall for the scare tactics —- Learn to LIVE with COVID because it is not going away.

Has a cold or flu vaccine been effective?

Is is realistic to think that one will never catch COVID if they catch the cold and flu?

If we reported flu cases every year we’d also be in a pandemic.

Learn to LIVE – not hunker down in fear!

Stand up for yourself => exercise, eat right, follow the guidelines, but LIVE your Life!

Sitting at home and hunkering down is only going to further diminish physical and mental health which will equal = MORE SICKNESS.

~ Summer

Just some food for thought so that you can see a variety of perspectives from the ones that are be showcased in “the news”.

I am both sad and angry………that an industry is being targeted with no just cause….. that people are subliminally being led to believe that “exercise is dangerous”.

This whole thing is about “health” yet most of the measures are not going to improve health or create a better defense against disease.

Again, my perspective, my opinion, and shared by a very large population of people in the health industry who have degrees, education, and studies on the subject.

Please do follow the COVID safety guidelines; while living your life!

xoxo

You can learn more about Summer’s North Canton Personal Training & Bootcamp location, Summer’s Fitness at www.summersfitness.com, or Call/Text 330-497-2474.

Click Here to Learn More about a 1 on 1 Private Training INTRO Offer.