Archive for the ‘Cardiovascular Health’ Category

Spring into action: Goal Setting

Friday, April 13th, 2012

By: Kylie K. Boos, RN

Spring is the time to set a new personal goal and stick to it. The weather is beautiful and I cannot think of a better way to enjoy the sprouting of new beginnings than setting a new goal. Flowers are emerging from their winter slumber and are ready to bloom- so are you! Whether it is weight related or not, setting a goal is a great way to get excited about change.

Put a little spring in your step! A great way to get motivated is to sign up for an athletic event such as a local 5k. By registering for such an event, you are keeping yourself accountable and on track for success. There are plenty of events to choose from: charity walk/run events, triathlons, half marathons, etc. If you are new to racing, then set a realistic goal such as finishing without walking. If you are a seasoned event participant, then set a goal such as a personal record. Personally, nothing beats finishing something you worked so hard to achieve.

Spring out of your comfort zone and into a new you. Try something, like a new activity or food, to encourage your goal of doing things that are new to you. Get in the habit of saying “yes” instead of “no”. Being positive will propel you forward towards accomplishing what you have set your mind and body to do.  Do something you have always wanted to do and do not be afraid to do it! It is time to spring out of your shell!

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Posted in Cardiovascular Health, Kylie Boos RN, Physical Fitness, Stress Management, Weight Loss | Comments Off

Initiating A Lifestyle Change

Monday, December 19th, 2011

By: Kylie K. Boos, RN

We all know the feeling; you get a great idea and you just go with it. You go full out, head first, with an enthusiastic, “I can do this” attitude and then the realization of reality kicks in and you get the wind knocked out of you. In all of your glory you forget that you actually have to do something in order for the great idea to happen.  This, my friends, is what goes through our minds when we think about initiating a lifestyle change. Whether it be challenging you to go to the gym or vowing to eat organic, we all have this great intention but don’t always follow through.  With the New Year just around the corner I figured this would be a great time to nudge you to stick with it with a little advice.

The most challenging hurdle that we must all overcome in order to succeed at anything is ourselves!  We are our worst enemy and the only way to get past our reservations is to push the mental challenge in a positive yet selfish direction.  You might think, positive yet selfish? You’ve
got to be kidding me. No I am not. This is the hard reality here.  You want to think positively as in “I can do this” but you also need to be thinking, “I can do this because this is what I want.” When setting a goal you have to keep in mind that this is your goal. Not anyone else’s.  No one is going to wake you up at 5am to get you motivated to hit the gym.  You have to rely on yourself and be strong.

Staying strong especially through the holidays is really tough to do.  Pre-holiday festivities, holiday work parties, after-the-holiday parties and plenty of other reasons to overeat and forgo the gym are upon us. This is the time where our will power is tested and where we can really show ourselves that we have what it takes in order to succeed.  The best thing to do is to stick to as normal of a routine as possible.  If you go to the gym after work on a regular basis, continue to do so.  If you have an obligation to attend then work out before you go to work.  Make small changes in your routine, do not alter altogether because this will disrupt your normal pattern and can ultimately lead to you accidentally “giving up” on your goals.

Forget the past and move on. Slipped up and ate too much or skipped a couple of workouts? Don’t panic.  You cannot waste time or energy thinking of ways you could have “been better”, what’s done is done.  The only thing you can do is get back on the horse.  After a binge at a holiday party or a couple of unexcused absences from the gym, the best thing to do is to acknowledge the mishap and get back into your normal routine.  Congratulate yourself for feeling guilty and know that this is a good sign, it means you care. It’s not too late to being again with extra enthusiasm and some insight as to what can happen if you get off track.

Now is the time for you to start a change!  The holidays and the New Year is a good excuse for initiating a lifestyle change but honestly, any day is a good day to start.  It does not have to be a New Year’s resolution or anything pertaining to anybody else.  This has everything to do with you and what it will take to get you motivated enough to think about making a change and then actually implementing it.  The idea of making a change is exciting and thrills even the best of us but it is those who actually stick to their idea who are really rare.  My only question is, are you strong enough to be one them?

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Posted in Cardiovascular Health, gastrointestinal health, Healthcare Reform, Kylie Boos RN, Nutrition, Physical Fitness, Preventative Health, Stress Management, Weight Loss | Comments Off

Optimal Nutritional Intake for Athletes

Monday, October 10th, 2011

By: Kylie K. Boos, RN

When it comes to athletic performance, what you eat to fuel up is key. When you eat, what you eat, and how you get your source of energy is of the upmost importance. Whether you are in training or gearing up for your event, the types of food you eat are vital to how well you will perform. When it comes down to that moment when the gun goes off you do not want your energy sources to fail you. So, the question is, what to eat to ensure a great performance?

Carbohydrates-the powerhouse of all energy sources. Carbohydrates break down into glucose which is readily used by muscles to create the energy needed to do work.  Glycogen is the stored form of glucose that can be used by the body for energy once the glucose has been used.  In general, according to the United States Anti-Doping Agency, 50-70% of an athlete’s diet should consist of carbohyrates. Carbohydrates should be eaten 3-4 hours before activity to ensure proper energy stores are well stocked as well as preventing hunger pains from occuring. Any activity lasting longer than 45 minutes requires carbohydrate intake during that activity to replenish glycogen stores. Immediately following activity, carbohydrates should be ingested. This allows the glycogen stores, which were used during activity, to be replaced and allows for quicker muscle recovery.

Proteins-the helpful sidekick to carbohydrates.  In the past, proteins have been mainly used by those wanting to gain muscle mass.  However, protein is an important aspect to nutrition for every type of athlete, not just those wanting bigger muscles. Proteins can be used to compliment carbohydrate consumption which allows the rate of carbohydrate absorption to slow down creating a more consistent release of energy. Most athletes get the necessary amount of protein needed, 15-20% of their diet,  in the foods they normally eat.  Ultimately, they should be consumed in combination with carbohydrates to create a smoother release of energy during activity rather than a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows.

Fats- the energizer bunny of the nutritional world.  Fats are used during long bouts of light to moderate activity.  This energy source burns slowly but for a long period of time which helps the athlete keep going and going.  Fat is an important aspect to diet and ideally, 20-30% of an athlete’s diet should consist of fat.   Even though fat is being used by the body during extended activity, there is no need to increase the amount of fat consumed in the diet.  The slow release of energy from fats allows for activity to be done over longer periods. There is no quick burst of energy but rather a slow and steady release.  Triathletes, like myself, rely on this steady flow of energy to keep us going.

Performance is based not only on how hard you train but how well your energy is supplied.  Proper nutrition is the key to having a successful training program as well as having success on race day.  Making sure your glycogen stores are full is important as well as incorporating  the right amount of protein and fat to keep the energy flowing.  Having a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats will ensure that on race day you are ready to give it your all

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Posted in Cardiovascular Health, Kylie Boos RN, Nutrition, Physical Fitness | Comments Off

Physical Activity Now To Promote Physical Performance Later

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

By: Kylie K. Boos, R.N.
The perfect time to exercise for your future is now! If you’re in your teens, 20′s or 30′s… listen up! If you think that now is not the time to start being physically active, you are mistaken! Now is the perfect time to exercise for your future.  According to a new study, published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the benefits of physical activity done earlier in life have been shown to effect physical performance later on.  So, not only is exercising great for your body in the present time but now it is being shown to increase fitness abilities when we are older too.

The study was conducted over the lifespan of 2400 individuals and looked at grip strength, chair rises, and standing balance times at ages 36, 43 and 53 years.  The participants were asked to complete a survey, at each age, questioning their fitness habits such as frequency and duration of physical activity in past months.  The results conclude that those who were physically active at the younger ages performed better at the activities at the older ages.

The more active you are now can mean you will be more fit later on in life.  This is great news: not only is  being physically active in the present day helpful to prevent developing various diseases,  it is now shown  to help us be in better shape as we age, “aging gracefully”, if you will.
The more active you are the more fit you will be later on in life which can mean reducing your overall risk for developing diseases that take so many lives.  Now is the opportune time to start being more physically active if you aren’t already and if you already are… keep up the good work!

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Posted in Cardiovascular Health, Kylie Boos RN, Physical Fitness, Preventative Health | 2 Comments, Click Here to Add Yours »

Is Red Wine Good for You?

Friday, January 28th, 2011

By Korey DiRoma, Naturopathic Doctor 

There is much debate regarding whether red wine is beneficial for your health or not. The debate began with the observation that the French population has lower rates of heart disease compared to the American population, even though the French diet is higher in saturated fat consumption. This has been termed the “French Paradox”. The cause of this paradox is believed to be due to the higher consumption of red wine by the French. In the past 20 years, there have been many studies, including many animal studies, to investigate whether red wine is the main factor in this paradox. However, there have been very few human trials that have shown that there is a positive health benefit. More clinical trials are needed to explore these benefits.

Resveratrol is the main active ingredient in red wine that is thought to have cardiovascular health benefits. Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes, and also in blue berries and bilberries. Most supplement forms of resveratrol are made from the roots of Polygonum cuspidatum due to its high amounts of the active resveratrol. A 5oz glass of red wine contains about 0.3-1mg of resveratrol. The kind of grape also makes a difference, as Pinot noir has the highest amount of resveratrol. Grapes grown in warmer, dryer climates have less.

Many studies using mice have found that resveratrol has cardiovascular benefits including lowering LDL cholesterol and raising HDL cholesterol, preventing atherosclerosis, and blood thinning effects similar to aspirin. Resveratrol has also been found to be anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and estrogenic.

Resveratrol has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity. Since insulin is a fat promoting hormone, and insulin-resistance increases fat deposition, then increasing insulin sensitivity works to lower fat deposition and improve metabolic efficiency. Resveratrol also directly stimulates lipolysis and decreases the amount of fat cells.

Resveratrol also has very weak estrogenic effects. It is unknown whether this is protective or not, similar to other phytoestrogens such as soy, and is therefore not recommended as a supplement for those with hormone sensitive cancers.

In general, it is my recommendation that small amounts of red wine, not more than 1 glass daily, along with a balanced diet low in processed foods, can have an overall positive effect on all aspects of your health.

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Posted in Cardiovascular Health, Food as Medicine, General, Korey DiRoma Naturopath, Preventative Health, Women's Health | Comments Off

Stretching Has Heart Health Benefits

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

By Sue Coughtry, LMT
Here is a big incentive to keep stretching, or add it to your health regimen.  I just learned from an article on MSNBC that a study has found that women who are more flexible have about 7% less arterial stiffness and lower blood pressure than women who are less flexible. When you improve your flexibility by stretching it helps expand the arteries and keeps them more pliable, which improves heart function.  This suggests that the more flexible you are, the better your heart health is.  Amazing! We tend to link cardiovascular exercise with increased heart health and stretching just helps the muscles.  Now we know stretching helps the heart as well.  I’ve known for a long time how important regular stretching is for preventing and eliminating pain, but I had no idea that it could do this – though it does make sense.  If your body is stiff on the outside it’s most likely stiff on the inside, and that has to constrict organ function.  This study shows its true with heart function. This is another incentive for me to work more diligently on improving my own flexibility!  How about you?

Posted in Cardiovascular Health, General, Physical Fitness, Sue Coughtry LMT, Women's Health | Comments Off

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