Before I get into this week’s Training Tip, why not beat around a few of my favorite, always entertaining ab myths that still seem to haunt me after all these years. I’ve now come to terms and accepted that these will never go away. But I will try my hardest to exercise patience when they are dropped on me ?
Coach Sean’s Top 5 Ab Myths
1. The more you train them the better they’ll look. False. Just like any other muscle, more isn’t better and they follow the same stimulate, rest, recover cycle like anything else.
2. Training abs will give you a thick waist. Not really. There are far bigger culprits to thickening the waist than doing the occasional core workout. Eating big meals, taking certain supplements and overdoing heavy compound lifts too frequently and with incorrect breathing techniques are far more likely responsible.
3. Most of my fat is around my waist so I need to train abs more. No you don’t. What you need to do is diet a little harder and sprinkle in some HIIT cardio to blast your fat stores. You’re wasting your time in the gym training abs any more than twice per week.
4. I train lower abs one day and upper abs the next, then sides the other day. Smh….no. That’s not how things work. When your abs contract then tend to contract as an interconnected complex group of muscles, not individual, compartmentalized separate entities. Train your abs, then rest. No need to split everything up.
5. My abs suck, so there’s no point in ab training. Sure, and why not give up on anything else in life that doesn’t come easy while you’re at it. Be consistent ? While you can’t change the shape, insertion points and length of a muscle, you can always improve upon what you’ve got. Can’t see your abs popping? Then focus on hypertrophy workouts for the six-pack look. Got a thick waist? Go easy on the crunching and focus on core tightening instead.
That should shed some light on some of the more basic fundamentals of how not to do it and I wouldn’t be fair unless I also shared how I prefer to do it as well.
Coach Sean’s Ab-Training Fundamentals
While I’ll admit I’m not really big on ab training (Adam even less), I do generally have most clients do some type of ab/core work once per week to sharpen the details and make things pop a little more in some clients. As we all know, the amount of activation of the core muscles during many of the compound lifts like squats, bent over rows, deadlifts and overhead presses shouldn’t be overlooked. Perform these basic lifts properly with an awareness of the core and proper breathing technique and you can really think of this ab training a supplement or insurance policy to what might already be enough for most. So bottom line, I don’t always train abs, but when I do, here’s how I’d do it. Go nuts.
General Style – I’ve always preferred to hit the abs with a circuit style of training – giant sets or at least tri-sets and very rarely ever do standard straight sets. The abs are generally able to recover quickly and withstand higher amounts of volume with shorter rest intervals. The ideal ab workout for me would be 4-5 different ab exercises that stimulate the core through different angles, performed in a circuit with no rest between each exercise and 2-minute rest periods after the circuit. Try to avoid repetitive movement patterns with the exercises and to make things easier, you can move from lower, upper, transverse, overall, isometric hold. I’ve posted some examples of some of my favorite exercises below for you to assemble your own ab workout.
Sets & Reps – If doing a circuit like described above, go with 3-4 rounds and 15-20 reps per exercise. For static holds, do a minimum of 45 seconds and no more than 90 seconds to keep things moving.
Rep Cadence – for hypertrophy, I’ve always preferred ‘explosive with control’ and a strong mind-muscle activation engaged throughout. I think this is best for stimulating any type of hypertrophy of the rectus abdominis area. I’ll slow things down when doing the crunchless ab movements (see below) and use a much more controlled pace.
Workouts – For clients looking to make the six-pack muscles pop a little more (assuming they are lean enough to even see them), I’ll do one intense ab circuit every 5-7 days where you should be sore for 2 days afterwards if you’re doing it right! For clients just looking to tighten the waist and don’t benefit from having a glaringly obvious six-pack on stage (i.e. bikini), I prefer to stick to crunchless ab movements once or twice a week while incorporating breathing techniques and lots of iso-holds. For me personally – if I’ve got a shoot coming up, I’ll do one ab circuit and one crunchless ab workout per week in the final 4-6 weeks leading up to the shoot to sharpen the details. Any other time, one crunchless ab workout per week is plenty to maintain optimal core strength and function.
Crunchless Ab Exercises (core tightening)
Plank
Vacuums
Dragonflies
Ab wheel rollouts
Pallof press
L-sit holds
Broomstick twist
As we head into the cooler months the weather change impacts our skin. We may notice changes to texture, tone, perhaps some breakouts and over all ruddiness and damage from being outside enjoying the summer. Here are some of the most common post summer skin issues I see in my practice along with some solutions for them.
Sunspots and wrinkles.
Days at the beach or pool can lead to sunspots even if you apply sunscreen. We cannot reach every spot and sometimes we forget to reapply after swimming. Also, even when wearing polarized sunglasses, we may put them on our heads; temporarily squinting leading to crow’s feet.
If you’re noticing some new spots, freckles and wrinkles reach for a retinoid. Your dermatologist can offer prescription strength creams. Deeper wrinkles like the ones between the eyes usually require something like Botox but, you can minimize the appearance with creams that feature glycolic acid or alpha hydroxy acid. These are wonder vitamins for the skin stimulate skin shedding and cellular turn over. A serum used at night will help; but be patient and use it regularly to see a gradual change. Chemical peels and intense light treatments (IPL) can handle any discoloration.
2. Clogged pores and dullness.
During the summertime, we perspire plus we are exposed to daily pollution in the air. When you combine these factors plus daily use of make-up, pores get clogged. Beneath the skin are our sebaceous glands which secrete an oil called sebum. Sebum sticks to dead skin cells like glue and funnels these dead skin cells through the pores. This is a process that is supposed to help you maintain healthy skin. The problem is when the weather and elements speed up the process pores become clogged. The dead skin cells get trapped along with bacteria and this leads to dull, ruddy skin with breakouts. An exfoliating face wash with glycolic acid or salicylic acid helps tremendously. Your dermatologist can create a skin care regimen based on your specific skin type and issues so you don’t deregulate pH levels in the skin which will only make things worse leading to…
Acne flare ups.
Consistent heat and humidity combined with cell phone use and touching our faces after touching dirty surfaces, leads to a post-summer breakout. These breakouts can be cystic which means bigger, deeper, more painful pimples. It also can lead to a cycle of breakouts that include, treat, pick, peel, scar, and heal only to see another pimple and another. Over the counter acne treatments such as face washes with sulfur, black charcoal masks and soaps, spot treatments with benzoyl peroxide can certainly help. However, when the breakouts are consistent a dermatologist can assess your skin and present solutions that may even involve nutritional changes, vitamins and light therapy for mild or moderate acne.
Dry lips.
We all know about winter time lip chapping. In the summer lips can get incredibly dry. Using a lip balm with SPF is very helpful but unless we are applying it regularly while at the beach, pool, or working out outdoors, one swipe under lip gloss isn’t enough. Drinking water, and keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum helps keep us hydrated. When we are dehydrated, we see it on our lips. Pay close attention to any freckles or discoloration to the lips after prolonged sun exposure. If you see any odd changes, see your dermatologist.
Ashy, flaky, itchy, skin.
If you are often in chlorine or salt water you’ll find your skin to feel rough and dry almost as if it is shedding. Also, going from extreme heat to cool air conditioning leads to skin going from perspiration to goosebumps. This rapid drop in temperature affects skin. Taking luke-warm showers and using a gentle exfoliating skin wash followed by a hydrating moisturizer keeps skin supple. Add a few drops of vitamin E to your lotion for added nourishment.
When it comes to the face, peeling foreheads and noses points to sun damage. Oftentimes people wait until something is visible to them or when an is followed by a dry patch. Dermatologists can look at things with a more discerning eye plus magnifiers that enable them to flag something that could escalate into something more. If everyone put October on their calendars as the month to see a dermatologist for a skin check we would see many skin conditions be solved quicker. This includes melanomas.
About the expert:
Dr. Margarita Lolis, M.D. is a board-certified cosmetic, medical dermatologist and a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon with over 20 years of experience. In her practice, she addresses common skin concerns such as acne prevention and treatment in both teens and adults, sun-damage, skin discoloration, wrinkles, changes to skin texture and loss of volume. On the medical side, she is a trusted expert in melanoma and over-all skin health. Dr. Lolis prides herself in honoring facial symmetry to deliver a natural look to her clients. She always recommends a healthy skin care regimen plus lifestyle habits that are aligned with her holistic approach to beauty.
As an anti-aging, functional medicine physician, Dr. Lolis masterfully addresses age management, starting with internal issues, such as hormone and gut health, nutrition, and detoxification leading to a vibrant appearance from the inside out.
A graduate of Yale University and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Dr. Lolis has authored numerous book chapters and medical articles in leading dermatology journals, and completed a melanoma research fellowship prior to residency.
Dr. Lolis is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Surgery, and the American Society of Anti-aging. Her practice, Skin, Laser, and Surgery Specialists is in New York City and Bergen Country, New Jersey.
How to Combat Ethnical Health Disadvantages When It Comes to Genetics
Friendship Together Bonding Unity Youth Culture Concept
Medical professionals have long been aware of the fact that people from different ethnic backgrounds carry different risk levels for some medical conditions. As such, it's important that steps be taken to compensate for the medical disadvantages that come with a patient's genetic makeup. Here are just some of the ways that you can proactively compensate for the risks that may affect you because of your ethnic background.
Know What You're Prone To
The first step in combating whatever ethnic medical disadvantages you may have is to know just what they are. Research the conditions that are associated with your ethnic background so that you have a complete picture of your own risk profile. You should also ask your doctor what you might be susceptible to as a result of your genetic makeup.
Take Optimal Care of Your Heart
Many conditions that are affected by ethnic background involve the heart and cardiovascular system. African Americans, for example, are extremely prone to high blood pressure. This condition, if left unchecked, can contribute to heart attacks and strokes. If you eat properly, exercise and have your heart checked regularly by a medical professional, you can greatly reduce genetically inherited risks and improve your chances of a long and healthy life.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
As with heart disease, genetic traits play a key role in dental health throughout a person's lifetime. People from India, for example, have been shown to be more susceptible to periodontal disease than other populations. Visiting a dentist, like Jay A Hollander DDS, often can help to combat and prevent such serious dental health problems. Since tooth alignment and discoloration also have genetic components, a visit to a specialized cosmetic dentist can also help you to keep your teeth in optimal condition in spite of any genetic factors working against you.
Balance Your Overall Risk
Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do about the fact that your genetic makeup predisposes you toward some illnesses. What you can do, however, is eliminate lifestyle risks in order to offset that fact. For example, Asian Americans, who are extremely prone to osteoporosis, can change their diets to include more calcium. By adjusting your lifestyle to better fit your individual health needs, you can combat the increased risks posed by your ethnic background.
The key to combating medical disadvantages stemming from your genetics is to be proactive. The more you can do to mitigate your risks, the better off you will be. Always be sure to seek the advice of your doctor, as he or she will be able to give you personalized insights into the plan that is right for you.
August 15, 2017 (New York, NY): Developed by former United States Marine Nick Benas, accomplished yoga instructor Gwen Lawrence, and Stew Smith, CSCS, USN (SEAL), Tactical Mobility is designed to increase your mobility, flexibility, and endurance to perform and sustain on an elite level in the military, law enforcement, firefighting and emergency services, and tactical professions.
With Tactical Mobility you will increase your readiness and survivability in the field, keep your training balanced and effective, excel in the physical requirements of your job smoothly and without pain, get to it, get through it, and stay with it... whatever is in store!
Tactical Mobility presents a comprehensive regimen that complements your fitness routine to provide a focus on deep and long flexibility and joint movement. Combining yoga, physical fitness, and mental preparedness, Tactical Mobility provides what you need to excel on fitness tests and reach a new peak of performance in your profession.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Stewart "Stew" Smith is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a former Navy SEAL, and author of several fitness books such as The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness, The Special Ops Workout, and S.W.A.T. Fitness. Stew has trained thousands of students for Navy SEAL, Special Forces, and many other military, law enforcement, and firefighter professions. He is currently the Special Ops Team Coach at the U.S. Naval Academy that assists in preparing future candidates for SEAL, EOD, and MARSOC training and runs a non-profit called Heroes of Tomorrow which offers free training for people seeking tactical professions.
Nick Benas, QMHA is a Qualified Mental Health Associate and a former United States Marine Sergeant as well as Iraqi Combat Veteran. Nick is the former Director of Business Operations for Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare, a private non-profit mental health agency, located on the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon. He is also a Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor by the National Council for Behavioral Health, teaching adults, and youth modules. He has been featured by more than 50 major media outlets for his business success and entrepreneurship, including Entrepreneur Magazine, Men's Health, ABC, FOX, ESPN, and CNBC.
Gwen Lawrence has been a practicing fitness professional since 1990. Her current practice includes private yoga training, class instruction, her sport-specific Power Yoga for Sports training program, and her VYX™ (Vinyasa Yoga Extreme) system. Gwen is the yoga instructor for several New York Yankees baseball players, team yoga instructor for the New York Giants and New York Knicks, and many youth teams in a variety of sports. Her writing appears in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Fitness, Shape, and Yoga Journal.
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TACTICAL MOBILITY Written by Stewart Smith, Nick Benas, and Gwen Lawrence Foreword by Tom Coughlin 978-1-57826-668-5, $19.95 paperback 978-1-57826-669-2, $12.99 eBook
New from Hatherleigh Press. Distributed through Penguin Random House. Available wherever books are sold. www.hatherleighpress.com
Insulin Counting: A New Dietary System for Women’s Health
By Dr. Fiona McCulloch BSc ND
Are you living with distressing symptoms of irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain, infertility, acne, hair loss or increased facial hair growth? If you are – high insulin levels might be to blame. We all have heard about insulin and its role in diabetes - but what we don’t hear often is how it can affect female hormones. A new, easy-to-follow dietary method may help manage blood insulin levels, and improve hormonal health for the millions of women suffering from insulin-induced symptoms.
What Does Insulin Do?
Insulin is likely the most well-known hormone that rules our nutritional metabolism. Its main role is to direct the nutrients that we eat into our cells, where they can be stored as energy.
After we eat, our blood sugar levels rise and our pancreas responds by releasing insulin to shuttle the extra energy away. This keeps blood sugar under strict control. Insulin also blocks fat breakdown - after a meal our metabolisms are focused on storing energy, and not on burning fat.
Carbohydrates are well-known for spiking blood sugar levels, so it makes sense that they also cause significant insulin release. What many people don’t know is that some protein-rich foods can spike insulin levels just as much as carbohydrates, or even more.
What is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance is a state where our cells are less sensitive to the actions of insulin. The pancreas makes more insulin to compensate as its main goal is to stop blood sugar levels from becoming too high. The end result is a whole lot more insulin floating around in the bloodstream. Insulin resistance happens naturally with weight gain, or if we have the genes that predispose us to it.
Signs of Insulin Resistance in Women
How do you know if you have insulin resistance? The most typical signs include abdominal weight gain and significant difficulty in losing weight. Weight loss resistance can happen as high levels of insulin block fat breakdown.
Many women’s ovaries overproduce testosterone when they are exposed to excess insulin. These women may experience irregular menstrual cycles and infertility as they can stop ovulating altogether.
When testosterone becomes overly abundant due to insulin resistance, it can also affect a woman’s skin. Jawline cystic acne, hair loss, and excess facial or body hair growth are troubling testosterone-induced skin issues. Other skin-related signs of insulin resistance include skin tags, and dark pigmentation in the skin folds.
If these symptoms are familiar to you – you’re not alone. These symptoms are the hallmarks of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which affects 15% of all women worldwide. PCOS is the most common hormonal condition in women, and 50% of women who are affected don’t know they have it.
The Insulin Index
Fortunately, a new dietary scale – the insulin index – is here to help us in our battle against insulin resistance. You’ve all likely heard of the glycemic index, which is a measure of how much a food we eat raises blood sugar levels.
The insulin index does more - it tells us about how much a consumed food raises insulin levels. Most of the research on the insulin index has been conducted by the same team at the University of Sydney who developed much of what we know about the glycemic index. As a result, evidence for the insulin index sits atop many years of intensive research in nutrition.
Foods That Spike Insulin – Unlikely Culprits
Foods that are high on the glycemic index are also high on the insulin index – which comes as no surprise since insulin is released in response to increases in blood sugar.
The opposite isn’t true – in fact, some of the highest foods on the insulin index are in fact very low on the glycemic index, and don’t raise blood sugar levels much at all.
Dairy foods contain protein building blocks called branched-chain amino acids which enter the bloodstream rapidly and cause a surge of insulin release.
Most people are shocked to learn that low fat yogurt provokes more insulin release than two slices of white bread – FYI, I don’t recommend either of these foods! Some other foods may surprise you as well – beef spikes insulin levels more than chicken, and whey protein powder is one of the highest foods on the insulin index.
The insulin index tells us how much insulin will be released for 240 calories of a food. The food insulin demand (FID), a related index, gives us the amount of insulin that we release after eating a certainquantity of a given food – an exceptionally useful tool we can use to plan meals.
Insulin Counting
In my book, 8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS, I’ve created an insulin counting program, an easy-to-follow system based on the food insulin demand. Insulin counting includes a structured lower-carbohydrate plan with a low insulin count for breakfast, and an individually determined count for lunch and dinner to manage post-meal insulin responses. The best foods and portion sizes are discussed in detail, creating an approach to lowering insulin that focuses around the consumption of quality, whole foods.
I’ve been using this method with women at my clinic in Toronto and we’ve been seeing major improvements in stubborn hormonal and metabolic health conditions. It’s a very exciting time for nutrition and women’s health!
Insulin counts of the most commonly consumed foods, healthy and otherwise, in the Standard American Diet.
FOOD CHART INSERT: Insulin count is adjusted for quantity. For example, if you have 14 shrimp instead of 7, the count will double from 4 to 8.
Food
Quantity
Insulin Count
Chicken
130 grams
20
Grilled Lean Beef Steak
130 grams
30
White Fish
130 grams
17
Navy Beans
½ cup
14
Poached Eggs
2 large
14
Shrimp
7 shrimp
4
White Bread
2 slices
52
White Rice
1 cup
46
Butternut Squash
1 cup
26
Sweet Potato
1 small
37
Low Fat Blueberry Muffin
1 muffin
116
Pancake
100gram pancake
83
Low Fat Fruit Yogurt
175 gram container
57
Low Fat Cottage Cheese
1 cup
48
Skim Milk
1 cup
23
Avocado
¼
2
Olive or Coconut oil
1 tbsp
2
Walnuts
¼ cup
4
Almond Butter
1 tbsp
4
Banana
1 medium
23
Orange
1 medium
11
Apple
1 medium
14
Berries
1 cup
3
Broccoli
1 cup
4
Cauliflower
1 cup
10
Leafy Green Vegetables
1 cup
0
Fiona McCulloch, N.D., founder and owner of White Lotus Integrated Medicine, is a naturopath practitioner having worked with thousands of people seeking better health over the past fifteen years. She is a data-junkie who specializes in evidence-based therapies for PCOS, thyroid health, autoimmunity, weight management and infertility among other unique conditions that can all benefit from a system reboot.
Dr. McCulloch is also a medical advisor for IVF.ca: Canada’s premier fertility community and is on the medical advisory committee for the PCOS Awareness Association. As a woman with PCOS herself, she is dedicated to increasing both awareness and research of this important condition that has far reaching effects on the lives of so many women. When she was a young girl, Dr. McCulloch would spend hours “compounding” mixtures made from plants and trees in the woods near her house. Today, Dr. McCulloch is a graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (2001) and the University of Guelph (biological science). She is married and the mother of three boys. She can be reached on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Dr. McCulloch’s new book, 8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS, will be available on September 21, 2016 on Amazon and all fine booksellers.
An estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet each year, and Americans spend $33 billion each year on weight loss products. Yet, nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. With all of this money expended, why are so many people unable to lose weight? Dr. Christopher Calapai is, a New York City Osteopathic Physician board certified in family and anti-aging medicine. He says that, “People are dealing with dieting information overload. It is hard to know what is sound weight loss advice and what is a myth.” He sets the record straight on some of our most commonly held diet and weight loss myths.You can eat whatever you want if you workout.
Unfortunately, a half hour on the treadmill isn’t going to help you lose weight if you reward yourself by downing a few slices of cake and an order of French fries. The treadmill told you that you burned off 500 calories, but those estimated machine readouts are not always accurate. It’s near impossible to out-exercise a bad diet unless you plan to spend half your day in the gym. You must workout and eat smart to see results.
Organic food is diet food.The word organic is enticing, but it’s also misleading. Organic means a food is grown without pesticides or other chemicals and is not genetically modified. But it says absolutely nothing about the nutrient value of the food itself, or whether it’s a good dietary choice, or whether it has excessive fat, sugar, or starch. Organic sugar is still sugar. Organic white flour is still white flour. Organic butter is still butter and organic lard is still lard.
You Can Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks.You probably can lose 10 pounds in two weeks if you crash-diet, but that pace is rarely sustainable. Most of the weight will return once you start eating normally. To truly lose 1 pound, you need to “eliminate” 3,500 calories—the amount stored in a pound of fat—by eating less and moving more. If you cut 500 calories (or cut 300 and burn 200 through exercise) every single day of the week, you’ll lose about a pound a week. And that’s real weight loss.amount stored in a pound of fat—by eating less and moving more. If you cut 500 calories (or cut 300 and burn 200 through exercise) every single day of the week, you’ll lose about a pound a week. And that’s real weight loss.
Cleanses and detoxes are a good way to jump-start a diet.Nobody needs to detox.Unless you've been poisoned, you have a built-in, super-efficient system for filtering out most of the harmful substances you eat. It's made up of two toxin-bashing organs: the liver and the kidneys. Our kidneys filter our blood and remove any waste from our diet, and our livers process medications and detoxify any chemicals we ingest. Paired together, these organs make our bodies natural cleansing powerhouses.
You can’t eat after 8pmIt doesn't matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat. If you want a snack before bedtime, think first about how many calories you've eaten that day.
You must keep your blood sugar topped up, and eat little and often to achieve it This is one of the least accurate bits of advice. Every time you eat a carbohydrate, and your blood glucose levels rise, the body needs to release a substance called insulin (from the pancreas) to return your blood glucose levels to normal. Any “topping up” simply places a demand on the body to get the blood glucose levels back down again. This might be the reason for the explosion in type 2 diabetes – the body is asked to release insulin too much, too often and has no way of recognizing some of the foreign substances we consume in modern man-made food.
Wait Until You're Hungry to Eat.Myth!: By waiting to eat until you're very hungry, your hunger simply builds and builds until it's all consuming, causing your appetite to spiral out of control. In fact, new research reveals that by skipping breakfast, you'll end up eating more calories in total and making less healthy food choices throughout the day than you would have otherwise. Research also shows that forgoing breakfast activates your body's insulin response, triggering fat storage and weight gain.
Study Reveals Men & Women Are Equally Miserable About Their Body
A study in the Body Image Journal looked at 12,176 online surveys gathered by NBC News and Today, and found that the amount of women disliking their bodies is around the same as the amount of men who feel the same about theirs. So it's not just a women's issue.
6% of men and 9% of women reported that they were very to extremely dissatisfied with their looks. 15% of men and 20% of women said that they felt very to extremely dissatisfied with their weight. 28% of men and 26% of women said they were very to extremely satisfied with their looks.
One of the Afflicted 25 Million? How to Keep Your Obstructive Sleep Apnea from Ruining Your Life
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a devastating health condition that affects nearly 25 million adults in the United States. When left untreated, it will increase one’s risk of many secondary complications including obesity, depression, severe mood swings, high blood pressure, and heart disease. If you have recently been diagnosed with OSA or believe that you might have this condition, then you need to start making some lifestyle changes to improve your quality of sleep.
Schedule a Sleep Study
Just because an individual snores or has an unusual breathing pattern while they are sleeping doesn’t necessarily mean that they have sleep apnea. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, a sleep study must be carried out. During one of these studies, you will sleep in a quiet room while your vital signs are tracked. Doctors will then use that information to determine exactly what is taking place while you are sleeping and how it can be treated.
Stay at a Healthy Weight
Obesity is the single biggest risk factor for sleep apnea, and anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition should immediately make changes to their dietary habits. Filling your plate with lean protein sources and fresh produce will make it easier to safely and consistently lose weight. Those who are having a tough time losing weight should speak with a registered dietitian. These specialists can help you come up with a personalized diet plan that meets all of your nutritional needs.
Alter Your Sleep Mechanics
Obstructive sleep apnea takes place when the airways are blocked by the nearby soft tissue. For some people, that is caused by the position they are sleeping in. Many of those who have this condition will benefit from sleeping on adjustable beds, like those from Dreamland, that straighten their breathing passages. Some of these beds even have indentations that allow you to sleep on your side with your head slightly raised.
Avoid Stimulants and Depressants
Any foods or beverages that impact your heart rate or breathing pattern could exacerbate your sleep apnea is well. Most specialists agree that those who have sleep apnea must avoid alcohol and tobacco products entirely. You will also need to limit how much caffeine you consume later on in the day. If you have been prescribed any medications that could potentially affect your sleep patterns, then you should speak with your doctor about alternative prescriptions.
This particular type of sleep apnea can’t always be reversed with lifestyle changes. There may come a point when you need to consider professional treatments or services such as a CPAP machine or nasal surgery. Overcoming sleep apnea isn’t always easy, but getting better sleep will improve almost every other facet of your life.
Revolutionary New Breast Imaging Technology Comes to Canada
St. Joseph’s Health Care London is the first medical centre in Canada to install the new Senographe Pristina from GE Healthcare, which allows women to control their own comfort level during a mammogram.
London, ON - On Tuesday August 15, St. Joseph's Health Care London will unveil the first Canadian installation of the Senographe Pristina, a groundbreaking new breast imaging platform from GE Healthcare, designed by women for women.
“The new Pristina mammography unit offers a totally different mammography experience for women. It’s a complete departure from the mammogram exam as we know it,” said Dr. Anat Kornecki, Medical Director, Breast Imaging, at the Breast Care Program located at St. Joseph’s Hospital, part of St. Joseph’s Health Care London. “I believe the innovative design of the Pristina will be more inviting for women and help us improve the screening rates so vital to cancer prevention.”
Women can take breast health into their own hands with the Pristina’s first in-industry patient-assisted compression tool,a remote that allows patients to personally control and adjust the rate of compression during the exam. Designed with a woman’s comfort in mind, all parts in contact with the patient's breasts have gentle, rounded corners designed to help reduce discomfort and anxiety. With more comfortable patients, technologists can focus on precise positioning, making the exam more accurate and efficient.
The Pristina also allows patients to enjoy a soothing ambiance with various scenes and music available.
Media are invited view the Senographe Pristina, talk with the first Canadian patients to use the unit, and interview St. Joseph’s and GE Healthcare leaders.
What: The first Canadian installation of revolutionary breast cancer technology, the Senographe Pristina.
Where: St. Joseph's Hospital | 268 Grosvenor St | London, ON | Diagnostic Imaging Centre, Zone C, Level 0, Room C0-200 (closest entrance is Cheapside Entrance 4)
When: Tuesday, August 15 | Interviews start at 3:30 PM | Tour of machine at 4:30 PM
Who: Interviews are available with:
Dr. Anat Kornecki, Medical Director - Breast Imaging, St. Joseph’s Breast Care Program, and Regional Breast Imaging Lead, South West Regional Cancer Program
Heather Chalmers, General Manager, GE Healthcare Canada
First Canadian patients to use Pristina
Race Day Reason: 3 Necessary Race Day Preparations To Help You Succeed
The last few days leading up to a big race can be just as important to the outcome as what happens when the gun finally goes off. If you don't take the time to properly prepare yourself ahead of the race, you could end up consigning yourself to defeat long before the race actually starts. For this reason, we'll now look at some of the most important race-day preparations you should make to give yourself the best chance of success.
Visualize The Race
Mental preparation is equally as important as physical preparation in the days leading up to the race. However, mental preparation is even more important on the day of the race. When the race day finally rolls around, there is nothing else you'll be able to do to prepare yourself physically. However, you can still ensure that you're better mentally prepared, and one of the best ways to do so is by visualizing your race from start to finish. Many athletes use visualization as part of their preparation, and it can be a powerful tool for helping you to psychologically prepare for each part of the race and get yourself ready for the pain and fatigue you're sure to experience.
Watch What You Eat
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is obviously important throughout your training regime. However, you'll want to make sure that you begin to adjust your diet in the days leading up to the race. Carb-loading is one strategy that can be effective at ensuring that you have the energy needed for the race without feeling slow or sluggish. One of the best things you can do is to consult with a nutrition professional, like those at Plan 7 Coaching. A nutritionist will be able to fully examine your overall health and conditioning, and then use this information to develop a diet-plan that hopefully provides the best results during training and also leading up to the race.
Avoid Unnecessary Stresses
The importance of mental preparation can't be stressed enough. Unfortunately, even if you take the time to make sure you're psychologically prepared, any potential obstacles or issues that arise in the hours leading up to the race could still end up ruining your mental concentration and taking you out of the zone. Therefore, you'll want to do whatever you can to prevent any unnecessary stress or headaches from interfering with your race preparation. This means making sure to get all of your race gear ready the day before the race and to finalize all of your race day plans in advance to ensure nothing interferes with your routine.
A big race can be incredibly stressful. Even if you physically prepare your body as well as possible, there are still a number of potential issues that could harm your performance or ruin your race. For this reason, it is essential that you do whatever you can and make all of the necessary race-day preparations to give yourself a better chance of putting in a great performance.
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? While you can’t change the shape, insertion points and length of a muscle, you can always improve upon what you’ve got. Can’t see your abs popping? Then focus on hypertrophy workouts for the six-pack look. Got a thick waist? Go easy on the crunching and focus on core tightening instead.
