Exercise Archives - Page 2 of 3

Reflections On The Current Pandemic

September 21, 2021/in Diet, Exercise, Food sensitivities, Immune System, Sleep/by Kelly Lutman

Are you a student of history? I have not studied medical history extensively, yet I have followed others who have done so. I have appreciated their reflections on the current pandemic in light of prior ones.

Emerging diseases take off fast, usually because the pathogens have encountered fresh territory. If the disease is bacterial in nature, it can be countered with antibiotics, but we don’t always know right away. Treatments are explored in a rush to find a cure, but rarely are foundational changes addressed. Read more

Keep Your Body Hydrated During This Hot Summer

July 27, 2021/in Beverages, Exercise, Healthy habits, Self Care/by Kelly Lutman

With the summer heat comes a lot more sweating, and we lose more water than we usually do in the colder months. This makes it even more important to vigilantly keep your body hydrated. Since this can be a challenge for some, here are some helpful tips to make sure you stay hydrated this summer. Read more

Summer Sun Means You Need Protection

May 18, 2021/in Exercise, Healthy habits, Outdoors, Self Care/by Kelly Lutman

We are nearing the Memorial Day holiday, which many consider the official start of summer. Do your summer plans include a pool or beach and sunshine? Summer sun means you need protection. So how do you choose a sunscreen?

Time spent in the sunshine can be enjoyable and rejuvenating. Given that our skin uses sunlight to make vitamin D, that time is important for optimal health. After all, vitamin D isn’t made in skin covered with sunscreen. Did you know that vitamin D is a nutrient that acts as a hormone? It keeps inflammation in check, supports our immune system and bone health. Read more

Know somone who has diabetes? Are they effectively supporting their body to reduce the damage, or just going along for the ride?

Know Someone Who Has Diabetes?

February 23, 2021/in Diet, Exercise, Healthy habits, Sleep/by Kelly Lutman

These days we all know someone who has diabetes, if you don’t have that diagnosis yourself. The question is – are you effectively supporting your body to reduce the damage caused by high blood sugar, or going along for the ride wherever it takes you?

A study done at Massachusetts General Hospital evaluated data on diabetes care from 2005 to 2016. They found that one in four adults with type 2 diabetes had not actually received a diagnosis, and nearly one in three was not receiving appropriate care.

Sadly, researchers found that despite advances in diabetes medication and a movement to develop innovative care delivery models, diabetes care targets had not improved in the U.S. since 2005. Read more

Get the Most Out of Your Winter Workouts

February 9, 2021/in Exercise, Healthy habits, Motivation, Self Care/by Kelly Lutman

While the winter months are often cold, dark and rainy, don’t let that deter you from keeping an active lifestyle. If you prepare properly, you can get the most out of your winter workouts and enjoy it. Read more

How Stress Affects Your Health

October 20, 2020/in Exercise, Healthy habits, Immune System, Stress/by Kelly Lutman

Unless you are hidden away in a mountain retreat, I’m quite certain that you are feeling the effects of stress. We are aware of those moments when stress hits, and the physical and mental feelings it brings. Yet there’s a good chance that you are not aware of how stress affects your health.

You may think that decreased productivity at work, trouble sleeping, anger, headaches, and your frequent trips to the bathroom are separate issues. In reality they are all common signs and symptoms of stress. Read more

Experience the Benefit of Forest Bathing

July 21, 2020/in Exercise, Healthy habits, Motivation, Stress/by Kelly Lutman

When you are feeling the effects of growing stress levels pressing down on you, what do you do for relief? If taking a walk in nature has been a practice, you already experience the benefit of forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku.

This ancient practice of visiting a forest and breathing in its air is used as a natural remedy for mounting stress and mental fatigue. The point is to take a trip into the forest to soak in and fully experience your surroundings. Read more

Protect Yourself From The Damaging Effects of Chlorine

July 7, 2020/in Exercise, Healthy habits, Nutrients/by Kelly Lutman

Does summer time normally involve time spent in the pool to cool off, exercise or keep the kids busy? Most of us are careful about sunscreen to protect from burns. But what are you doing to protect yourself from the damaging effects of chlorine?

When I was young, our normal practice was to rinse off when we came out of the pool in order to remove chlorine and other pool chemicals from our skin. What I have learned since then is that what our skin is exposed to for more than 20 seconds is absorbed. That means a rinse after an hour or so playing in the water didn’t really protect us. We need to work from the inside. Read more

Bust The Holiday Stress Cycle

December 17, 2019/in Diet, Exercise, Healthy habits, Holidays, Self Care/by Kelly Lutman

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanza, the holidays can be a great time of joy for many. But for others, they are filled with anxiety and stress. You can set yourself on a more positive path – and bust the holiday stress cycle – when you understand the how to best support your body for joy.

When stress hits at this time of year, it’s easy to turn to that tray of cookies for moral support. After all, cookies won’t criticize you about your choices the way your family will. What we don’t realize is that we are self-medicating with sweets – the quick spike of sugar in our system can bring an increase in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of well-being and happiness. Sadly, the benefit is fleeting, and we find ourselves reaching for another fix. Read more

How to Incorporate Wellness into Your Day

January 29, 2019/in Exercise, Healthy habits, Motivation, Self Care/by Kelly Lutman

I think you would agree that daily workouts can be quite difficult to fit into a busy schedule. Have you thrown up your hands and abandoned this goal altogether? The all-or-nothing mindset so common when considering exercise and other practices that benefit your body is harming your health. Let’s talk about how we can put that mindset to rest and how to incorporate wellness into your day.

Let’s start with the definition. A workout doesn’t have to mean an hour and a half of sweating at the gym. Whew! There are ways to sprinkle wellness into your everyday life, and even into your workday.