Valentine's Day is approaching. People will be giving hearts to their special someone. Chocolate hearts, candy hearts, heart shaped gifts -even pictures with hearts. But what about their hearts? Not giving them away, but taking proper care of them.
February is American Heart Month. According to the American Heart Association, "Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading global cause of death with more than 17.9 million deaths each year." Sadly, the heart disease death toll is expected to rise higher than 23.6 million by the year 2030. As if the global numbers were not alarming, America already has a huge problem in this area. Let's break this down and see what this means. Each day approximately 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular disease. That's an average of one death every 38 seconds. So if you don't already know someone who died from cardiovascular disease, it is highly likely that you will soon. Every 80 seconds one woman in America unnecessarily dies from cardiovascular disease. The most surprising part of this equation is that you have the opportunity to give yourself a fighting chance. You can bring your heart to a healthier state thereby reducing your risk by up to 80%. In other words, you can give yourself an 80% chance of not developing cardiovascular disease. Research has found that this can be done even by making small changes to your lifestyle and the food you eat. What is one step you are taking to improve your heart health?
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Symptoms include:
When urine becomes too concentrated kidney stones can develop. Minerals and other matter in the urine crystallize on the interior surface of the kidneys. Eventually, these crystals can combine to form tiny, solid, mass like stone. This mass, or stone, can split off and pass into the ureter (narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder). Kidney stones are often asymptomatic. Symptoms appear when the stone is big or when it triggers a blockage or infection. Each year in the United States over 1 million cases of kidney stones are reported. That number is escalating at a steady rate. Is it a coincidence that poor dietary habits seem to be simultaneously growing in popularity? The risk of developing kidney stones runs in families. Additional probable causes include:
The risk of developing kidney stones may be increased by use of some calcium-based antacids and thyroid medications. In one scientific study, people belonging to certain blood groups were found to have a higher likelihood of developing kidney stones. You can take certain precautions to reduce your chance of suffering this fate. Suggested steps include drinking water at regular intervals throughout the day, eating well-balanced meals, and including exercise in your life on a regular basis (at least 4 times per week). The good news is your exercise sessions do not have to be long and drawn out. And, you can make or find healthy meals that are filled with flavor. Call us at (914) 665-2084 for ways you regain control of your body -and your health. How are you? I hope your Thanksgiving was a happy one.
Mine was joyous as I had the pleasure of reuniting with family members from far away. Of course, all the delicious dishes served made it even better. And dessert was like the icing on the cake. Mmm hmmm!!! But, before I did all of that I made room for it all by taking a 5K walk. Honestly, it was just to earn my workout app award for completing the Thanksgiving Day Challenge. But it sure did feel good soaking up the sunshine. Along the way I even reunited with 5 people I haven't seen in a while. It allowed good amount of time to think about my list of what I have to be thankful for. I'm thankful for family, friends, good health... And, I am thankful for the actions that help me improve my health. One of those actions is making my exercise a priority in my life. Did you know that gratitude can affect your body's stress response? As you return to your daily routine, remember to take care of you. Sometimes we get so busy that we lose sight of the bounty of good in our lives. Grab a pen and paper to write down your answers to the question below. What are you thankful for? I'd like to hear your answers. Yours in health, Sonya Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a button to press when you want to start over again? Just think about all those times you wasted your calories on treats that didn’t even taste good, or the day you skipped your walk and then had to do make it up on a rainy day. Press reset and start all over again as if it never happened. Good news is you can press reset. Bad news is you can’t do it with everything.
Some of the things you can press reset on: your health, habits, surroundings, mindset, education, fitness, fashion, and friends.
The list can go on as long as you choose to make it. Whatever you want to put on your list is up to you. Remember that your life cannot improve without change. And change requires effort. But the improvements you desire will take effort on your part. The decision is yours to make. Think about your life as it is. Then take a few minutes to think about what your life could be like if you press the reset button. Tell me, which life do you prefer? Either way, it’s yours to live. What you do each day will determine how you live it. Your life can be full and healthy…or …it can be something less than pleasant. But the answer is up to you. There are so many things you can press the reset button on. What will you choose to reset? Sleep comes naturally to most of us when we enter this world. But as we grow up, many individuals find themselves chasing sleep. A growing reason for this in the United States is a condition known as sleep apnea.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines sleep apnea as a “disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. People who suffer from sleep apnea are often tired from lack of sleep –even after sleeping 8 or 9 hours. Their sleep is often interrupted. The pauses in breathing can be ongoing resulting in those individuals moving from deep sleep into light sleep. As a result, they awaken sometimes feeling even more tired in the morning and throughout the day. This causes decreased productivity at work (and home). According to the NHLBI, “Sleep apnea is a leading cause of excessive daytime sleepiness. In 2013 the engineer of a Metro North train nodded off at the controls; the train derailed killing 4 and injuring 70. Findings of an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that he suffered from a sleep disorder that was undiagnosed. During the period when I struggled with an additional 50 pounds of post-pregnancy weight, I had bouts of sleep apnea. I recall on several occasions being awakened from my sleep by the sound of my snore in attempt to breathe. At the time I was also battling additional health challenges (including high blood pressure) and under a great deal of stress. Currently there is no blood test to detect sleep apnea and it is not caught during routine doctor visits. This is why it goes undiagnosed and many people unknowingly suffer with this disorder. People with sleep apnea have excessive narrowing of throat muscles when they sleep. This causes airflow in and out of the lungs to cease – hence they stop breathing and sleep is disturbed. Being overweight can have a significant effect. The wall of the windpipe, thickened by extra soft fat tissue, narrows the inside of the windpipe making it more difficult to keep open. Lack of air causes low blood oxygen levels during sleep, which triggers the release of stress hormones. These stress hormones raise your heart rate. If left untreated, sleep apnea can increase your risk of:
It can also bring about changes in how your body uses energy. These changes can increase your risk of diabetes and obesity. People with sleep apnea have a higher chance of work-related or driving accidents. They are also more likely to develop irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias. Long-term management of this condition is required due to its ongoing nature. In most cases, it can be successfully treated by changing your lifestyle, or with mouthpieces, surgery, and breathing devices. A well-designed exercise program can help you reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea. Side effects of following a good program include restful sleep, reduced stress hormones, increased lung capacity, higher blood oxygen levels, and more energy. Get help for your condition before it progresses. Your exercise prescription should help you breathe better at night and during the day. If done right, it will also improve the way your body uses energy allowing it to utilize energy with less exercise than you’d expect. Call us at (914) 665-2084 for the moves that can help you sleep better. |
Sonya Louis
Using over 20 years of experience in healthcare, research and fitness, Sonya teaches her clients to use movements that aid them in improving their health. She is best known for helping them get results they can see and feel in less time. Archives
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