GR8TR Today Magazine

Living a GR8TR Life Every Day

Health & Fitness

How To Keep Germs Away This Flu Season

During a school flu outbreak, it is very likely your child will come home sick and will get the other members of your home sick as well. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/everyday_preventive.pdf offers some guidelines to help you deal with a flu outbreak at school or at work, and here are 7 concise easy steps to follow if you are home with a sick child or spouse.

  1. Wash your hands and your children’s hands with soap and water every time you enter your home. Keeping germs away from the outside world is a good tip for anyone dealing with small and school age children.
  2. Change linens and bathroom towels daily when you are sick. Contaminating each other by using the same towels or sharing a pillow will ensure that everyone gets sick, and stay sick for a longer period of time.
  3. Disinfecting kitchen and bathroom counters thorough out the day will ensure that you’ll encounter less germs going forward.
  4. Believe it or not, feeding your children chicken noodle soup will get them through their illness a bit faster
  5. Covering their mouths on their sleeves instead of their hands should decrease the number of germs they spread around the home.
  6. Cleaning door knobs around the home will greatly decrease the germs that get passed around.
  7. A diet full of fruits and vegetables can do a lot of good to your child. The old saying of “An apple a day will keep the doctor away” hasn’t survived this long for no reason.

Whether you are in a warm climate or cold, this is great advice.

For more about flu outbreaks and what to do about them, check the CDC for more information.

Tis the Season to Be Stressed

There are a lot of articles written and advice given during the holidays about how to handle stress.  Google “holiday stress” and there’re thousands of pages of information. While the holidays can be a difficult time stressful situations occur throughout the year and it’s important to develop a long term plan for dealing with them.

The best strategies to use while the stressful situation is occurring are ones which can be done anywhere at any time.  They’re simple, immediately applicable and unobtrusive.

The best way to handle stressful times is to find out what works for you, practice it and do it consistently.  People are unique and different things work for different people. There’s no one size fits all strategy.  In some combination use the following ideas to craft an individualized plan.

* Breathe – Inhale for a count of 5.  Hold for a count of 5.  Exhale for a count of 5. Hold for a count of 5. Repeat 5 times.

* Physical activity – Do something physical, it’s a great way to relieve tension.  Bathrooms are great places to do toe touches, jumping jacks or run in place.

*Affirmations – Create a few short, positive sentences you can keep repeating to yourself.

* Quiet Time – Take a 10 – 15 minute time out.  You can find quiet places once you start looking for them.

* Gratitude List – Make a mental list of the things you’re grateful for right at that moment.  Don’t complicate it, look for small things.  Gratitude lists don’t have to be full of big life affirming issues, being grateful for a comfortable pair of shoes is good too.

Remember, the idea is to find the right combination of techniques which work for you.  You’re trying to establish a strategy for a lifetime, so be patient and give them a fair trial over a reasonable period of time. If none of them work there’s always the Internet.

– – Article contributed by Nicole Abbott – writer, educator and psycho-therapist.

Winter Depression – How To Pep Yourself Up

During the spring and summer months, do you feel happier than usual?  Do you feel like there are more possibilities? Do you feel like life doesn’t suck as much? The abundance of natural sunlight during the spring and summer months is wonderful for our body and spirit.

But, as the fall and winter months approach,  do you feel sad  or more gloomier than usual with no apparent reason to the mood change? Then, according to the Mayo Clinic, you may be suffering from Seasonal affective disorder (SAD.)

Fall  and Winter SAD it’s a condition that comes as the chilly weather approaches and natural sunlight becomes more scarce. Some of the symptoms associated with this condition are:

  1. Irritability
  2. Tiredness
  3. weight gain
  4. appetite changes and
  5. Oversleeping

Although these are some of the symptoms also associated with major depression, SAD

symptoms can come and go as the seasons change, so it’s easier for people to note the changes and seek medical advise if necessary.  Spring and Summer SAD is also a condition and should be treated accordingly.

All of us have good and bad days. Those are some of the free perks we get by living life. Major depression though, is a serious illness than should be treated seriously and promptly. It is a serious illness that can be fatal if leave unattended. 

Now,  if you have notice mood changes or your doctor has diagnosed you with SAD, what can  you do to combat it?

 There are very simple, economical ways to keep yourself upbeat.

  1. Exercise regularly and get outside.  
  2. Go for a long walk by yourself or with your dog 
  3. Read a book outside. 10 minutes of sunlight can uplift your mood for the day
  4. Spend some time in your garden. Planting a mum or two for your garden can help you with your moods and your home’s curb appeal.
  5. Take a hobby 
  6. Eat healthy foods

Keeping active during the winter months is hard for people living in the North, but it does not necessarily mean it’s impossible. There are groups of joggers that run all year long.  They jog when raining, snowing or in windy conditions.  The only time they don’t jog is when there’s lighting or thunder.  In the United States, there are many trails, parks and neighborhoods where a walk is just a few steps away. Take advantage of them, and live a healthier life!

Winter Health Foods and Drinks You Must Have

The cold weather has taken its time lately, but it seems that is finally here to stay. Flu epidemics affect the United States every year, and every year local health agencies encourage people to not only wash their hands regularly but to eat a healthy balanced diet to help us deal with these epidemics.  There are many healthy foods and drinks that can help us stay healthy and fight the dreaded flu, and some of these foods and drinks are even enjoyable for many of us.

These are the top 5 healthy foods to incorporate into your diet:

Teas

With the cold weather comes the craving of warm beverages that can make your day a bit more pleasant and enjoyable.  But before you go out and get yourself a warm drink at your local coffee shop, think of the calorie intake and inches you will acquire after you have finished the drink.  A Mocha Frappuccino at your local Starbucks contains 500 calories, 140 mg of caffeine and 79 g of sugar in one 20 0z drink. Not something you should do regularly, and especially not a drink you want to jump-start your day.

But, there have been many studies that look into the health benefits of tea, and while some of those studies are speculative, there is strong evidence to suggest that tea does have the ability to reduced the risk of coronary heart disease in people.

Black, green, white and Oolong teas are at the top of the list for the super healthy drinks for us. These teas contain disease-fighting antioxidants that can help you reduce the risk of heart diseases. A black tea-Earl Grey – contains only 30-60 mg of caffeine, green teas — 25-50 mg, and herbal teas-0 mg. If you drink teas without sugar, the calorie intake is minimal.

Dark Chocolate

Another enjoyable food or treat for us is dark chocolate. We are not talking about the white and milky chocolate variety, but the dark chocolate. That is the one that is found to have some of the same antioxidants found in tea, red wine, fruits, and vegetables. The health benefits are better blood flow in older adults and could help you reduce high blood pressure levels as well.

Avocados

Avocados are another healthy food that is great to eat and brings you many health benefits.  Yes, they are fatty and have about 3.1 g of saturated fat and 230 calories, but the health benefits associated with this fruit are too many to ignore, and the fats they contain are healthy fats that help you lower your “bad” cholesterol.

Cold Water Fish

Fish is one of those foods that you know from an early age is good for you.  You may not like fish, but the health benefits associated with cold water fish can range from reducing the risk of blood clots and heart attacks to lowering your cholesterol. The best cold water fish you can have are salmon, trout, herring, tuna, sardines, and mackerel. They contained an abundance of omega-3 acids that can help you fight many diseases. So, even if you don’t particularly like fish, you should try to incorporate them slowly into your diet.

Beans

There are many varieties and dishes you can have with beans. Here is an excellent black bean recipe.  And like fish, there are many people that do not like beans or don’t know how to cook them.  Beans are an excellent source of fiber, can help you with your digestion, lower your cholesterol levels, plus helps you reduce the risk of heart attacks. Incorporating these foods slowly into your diet can help you live a long and full life.

Clear Braces

Not every person qualifies for clear alignments treatment. If you are wondering whether this treatment method is the right one for your child or teenager, you need to keep in mind there are steps you MUST follow first in order to see if this is the right treatment for you or your child. Keep in mind, clear alignments are a treatment for teens or adults with issues that are not serious and can be fixed without seeing an orthodontist. It is not for everyone.

Who can get Clear Alignments Treatment?

  1. Teens and
  2. Adults

What kind of problems do you have with your smile (Teeth)?

There are different issues people have when dealing with their teeth and consequently their smiles. The main problems there are, and that are fixable with Clear Alignments Treatment are these:

  1. Crooked Teeth
  2. Gaps in their teeth
  3. Overbite and Underbite teeth
  4. Overcrowded teeth
  5. Overlapping teeth
  6. Open bite teeth
  7. Mostly straight teeth

An example of overlapping teeth is when the two front teeth called central incisors are one on top of the other. Also, the bottom teeth can be overcrowded making them look as if they are overlapping when in fact they just need space to fit. Regardless of your problems, if you follow the directions from the company you are ordering, and take the steps needed to see if you qualify for this kind of treatment, you can fix your problem over the mail.

What are the benefits of ordering Clear Alignments Treatment over the mail?

The biggest benefit when ordering “braces” over the mail is the price. The price difference between metal braces and aligners is substantial. Invisalign, the best-known company providing this option charges differently depending on the problems you have. SmilesDirect, another company offering this service states that they are cheaper than Invisalign by $4,000 dollars. The thing to keep in mind is that not everyone is a possible candidate for these treatments. Your problems need to be relatively minor for you to get aligners. Therefore, the price should be much less than going to the orthodontist and getting metal braces for you or your teen.

How do I Get Started?

  1. First, you need to go to the company you want to purchase the aligners from and answer a few questions.
  2. The company’s online form asks you what kind of smile you have. That means what are the problems with your teeth. Are they overcrowded? Do you have an overbite or underbite? Do you have a gap? etc.
  3. The fill-out form asks for your personal information. Name, address, phone number, etc.
  4. The company you choose will send you a kit for you to return to them. It is a kit to have a mold of your teeth, and then they will inform you whether you are a candidate or not.
  5. Fifth, they will send you clear aligners and instructions on how to properly use them to make a difference in your smile. If they don’t fit, or they are uncomfortable wearing them, call the company to resolve the problem.

What Are The Benefits of Clear Aligners?

They do work, and the price is much less than metal braces. I personally found the process of getting clear aligners easy to follow. The price was right, and although at the beginning I was a bit hesitant about the true benefits of having clear aligners versus metal braces, I am happy I chose clear aligners.

What Are The Disadvantages of Having Clear Aligners?

Personally, the only disadvantage of having clear aligners is the fact you have a clear, plastic retainer at the end of your treatment. You do not have metal retainers, and you have to replace the plastic retainer every six months according to the company. That means you will always have to pay for a retainer for the rest of your life.

If you or your teen have minor issues with your teeth but want to have a straight, beautiful smile, then clear aligners can be the solution for you. Check out the companies before you sign up for the treatment. 

Extreme Fitness Safety

Exercise is a great way to get into shape or to stay in shape. One trend for a while now has been extreme fitness, where people push themselves to the limit.  However, this is only for people who have consulted doctors and are already in good shape and knowledgeable about fitness and their body.  You have to be good at listening to your body and keeping careful track of your workouts and how they effect you to go down this road.

When preparing for an extreme fitness routine there are many safety precaution a person needs to take in order to stay healthy and to keep from becoming sick.  Before starting the exercise routine a person should wait at least one hour after they have finished their last meal. This will allow oxygen and nutrients to circulate throughout the body and for digestion to be completed. If a person ate a large amount of food they should wait an even longer period of time before exercising. During the summer months the hottest part of the day is between 10am and 4pm. When possible a person should avoid a workout outdoors during this time when the sun is the strongest. If a person does want to work out then they should stay indoors and in the air conditioning.

When working out it is important to drink plenty of water. Four to six ounces is recommended for every 20 minutes of the workout. This will keep the body from dehydrating and will help cool the body down. Loose fitting clothing should also be worn. This will allow the sweat to evaporate off of the body. For every hour that a person plans on working out they should take a fifteen minute break. This will give the body a chance to cool down and rest before continuing on with the workout. When doing an intense workout program a person should monitor their heart rate. When a person exercises their heart rate will increase but they need to make sure they are still within a healthy range. The heart should not go above fifty percent of its normal resting rate even when involved in an intense workout.

Examples of more extreme exercise are Crossfit, Spinning, Boxing, Weight Lifting, Spartan Training, Marathon Training and anything HIIT oriented.  HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training is a system of planned cardio respiratory training which requires repeated bouts of short duration, high-intensity exercise intervals combined with periods of lower intensity intervals of recovery. You want to look into any of these types of fitness regimes because there can be dangers.  Just take a look at what has been found out about spinning – which you would think is super low impact and safe.

Do a search and you will find many types of more intense fitness programs.  Many gyms have programs for more advanced people looking for a challenge and to push themselves.

When looking for an intense workout a person should combine walking, jogging, and cardiovascular training. This will help the body get into shape and be able to handle the intensity of the workout. Like all exercise programs be sure to consult with a doctor before starting.

Breast Cancer Awareness – This Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. People sport the pink ribbons all month long in order to spread awareness and show support for those diagnosed with breast cancer, and their loved ones. Breast cancer is especially important because it is the second-leading cancer found in women(lung cancer is first). Here are some facts about breast cancer that give us cause for concern and hope.

  1. 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
  2. Most breast cancer cases affect women/men with no family history of the illness.
  3. Men too can get breast cancer, although women are 100 times more likely to get it.
  4. Physical activity is one of the best ways to treat breast cancer.
  5. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, it is 4 times as likely that you will get cancer in the same, or different breast.
  6. Over 2.8 breast cancer survivors live in the U.S. currently.

There are many different ways to celebrate Breast Cancer awareness. Communities, neighborhoods, and entire cities organize events to celebrate and spread awareness. Among the most popular activities include walks and runs where you can either participate by running/walking or by helping organize and volunteer at the events. If you want to participate in one of these events, you can use Making Strides for Breast Cancer to find something in your area. If you want to take the tastier route, you can try some of these awesome breast cancer inspired recipes.

Pink Breast Cancer Cupcakes

Pink Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate and Pink Swiss Roll Cake

Sustainable Health and Fitness – Creating a Lifestyle

There are countless articles relating to fitness. There are those that  will convince you that it is possible to lose 7 inches in one month, and others that layout radical diets. A majority of these articles are based around getting quick results,  or seeing the numbers on the scale dial back with minimal effort. We often times buy into these gimmicks with false hope, knowing that maybe it is too good to be true, but reading on despite that fact. We fall in love with this fallacy, and it can cause problems when trying to get healthy, stay healthy, or change the paradigm of our eating habits.

It is the small changes you make now that will transform into significant differences later in your life. This is a small outline of changes you can make now, that will help create a healthier, and sustainable lifestyle.

  1. Shop Smart: Avoid temptations that lurk in the candy and chip aisles. It is much easier to avoid the danger zones in the grocery store than to avoid the snacks burrowed in your own cabinets. A trick to avoiding the unhealthier items in the store is to shop around the perimeter of your store. The outside areas of the store are usually where the fresh veggies and fruit live. You can also find the freezers and refrigerators with eggs, milk, yogurts, and meats on the perimeter.
  2. Drink More: Not just water either, tea and coffee have health benefits, and can help increase energy as well. Although water does not have any caffeine, it is the most effective way to hydrate, and dehydration is a common cause of sleepiness. Dehydration can also cause muscle cramping, headaches, and even dizziness in some cases.
  3. Find Your Physical Activity: Gyms are great, and so are CrossFit boxes, but if they’re not something you enjoy, then they’re probably not going to be something you will continue doing. Physical activity is important, but sometimes people neglect the fact that there are countless ways to exercise. Playing a sport, going on a hike, or even taking your dog for a more lengthy walk are all examples of exercise that are not as cookie-cutter as going to a gym or doing a structured hour and a half workout, but they will improve you physical fitness and health. The important aspect of this, is to find joy in the activity. To make a healthy lifestyle sustainable, you must get pleasure out of leading one, and enjoy the activities that keep you active.
  4. Accountability: If leading a healthy lifestyle is a newer goal of yours, accountability to others can be a huge motivator to stay in track. It is a much easier feat when the people closest to you are aware, supportive, and encouraging of your choices. Having a partner that is trying to lead a similar lifestyle is very helpful and can lead to a stronger relationship by bonding over staying active, or discover new fun ways to eat cleanly. This is a successful way to stay on track, as well as make it more fun for both parties.
  5. Cook at Home: As fun and tasty as the food in restaurants can be, often times, they are packing a very high caloric punch. Although we all can understand that a double decker cheeseburger is not healthy, we tend to gloss over the fact that we are eating our entire daily allotment of calories and fat in a single sitting. Restaurants focus more on making food taste good, than on making it moderately healthy. Learning to cook home-cooked meals can greatly increase your health, as well as keep some extra cash in your wallet. Cooking can also be a fun adventure, learning to mimic healthy recipes online can be exciting and rewarding, as well as help sharpen up a useful skill.

All these small changes are easy to start implementing slowly into your lifestyle. Although none of these are incredibly drastic, they can all be a great additions to your lifestyle change, and making it more sustainable as well.

One last important aspect is understanding balance, as well as flexibility in your lifestyle. No one is perfect, and there is nothing wrong with occasionally digging into some pizza, or spending a day binge watching your newest Netflix obsession instead of going for a run. Everything is best in moderation, but leading a healthy lifestyle can make some significantly positive changes for you.

 

Transitioning From Outdoor Fit to Indoor Fit

With the cooler weather coming soon, it is time for Ohio residents to start planning their transition from outdoor fitness activities to indoor. Northeast Ohio has a wealth of bike trails, hiking, beaches, swimming, outdoor sports and other ways to stay outside (for free) in the Summer.  But once it dips below 50 degrees, those outdoor activities seem a bit less appealing and eventually only are options for hard core outdoorsy people.

So what are some of your options this Winter to stay in shape?

Join  a Gym.  This is obvious, but one nice thing that has changed in the last few years is you can join gyms month to month and only use them in the Winter months.

Buy limited fitness equipment to stay fit at home.  A tread mill and some kettle bells might be all you need to stay beach body ready in your home.  Look for used kettle bells to save some money.

Join Indoor Sports.  We recently covered options of Indoor Tennis and Indoor Soccer.  Basketball would be another obvious one.  Maybe you can even find adult dodge ball.  There are plenty of indoor sporting opportunities for kids and adults.

Do Winter sports.  Cross country and downhill skiing are great workouts.  Snow shoe hiking?  Sure.  You can also simply hike snow trails with some extra preparation.

Watch what you eat.  There is the issue of paying close attention to your Winter diet.  Do not start eating more at night because you are spending more time in front of the television.  Do not cut back on fresh fruits and vegetables just because they cost a little bit more.  Do not stop grilling healthy lean meats just because you have to push some snow off the grill cover first.

With some advanced planning and careful attention being paid to how your habits change, you can stay fit and firm no matter how long the ground is covered in permafrost.

 

Fall Fitness – Things To Do Before Winter Hits

Summer is almost over and for many that means exercising outdoors is coming to an end. However, there are many fine days in fall when you can engage in various fitness activities such as hiking or biking and enjoying fall beauty or picking apples or traveling to a pumpkin patch and choosing several great looking pumpkins for your patio or porch. Running during crisp fall days is another way to get your exercise.

When running in the Fall, be sure to wear breathable, moisture-wicking clothing, as the temperatures will be much cooler. Or when walking during dark morning or evening hours, it is important to wear reflective workout clothes and carry a flashlight. For those who like to ride their bike, invest in blinking tail lights and headlights and be cautious of roads that are heavy with traffic. Other activities that you can do during the fall are learning how to tap dance, box and maybe even fence. Discounts are often available in the fall and that makes learning how to dance, box or fence that more enjoyable.

Or, if you would rather work out at home, buy several fitness DVDs or try Hulu for free workout tutorials on Exercise TV. In addition, how about buying a bike? Sometimes you will find sales on bikes during the fall season. Prices are often slashed on old models because most dealers don’t want old models taking up too much room in the showroom. Another way to exercise at home is by purchasing a rower or treadmill. Exercising during the fall has many benefits such as controlling your weight, combating health conditions and diseases, enjoying an improvement in your mood, boosting energy and engaging in activities that stimulate your brain.

To conclude, exercise is a wonderful and beneficial activity. It not only keeps you in great shape, it also helps with weight loss, improves your mood and combats health conditions and diseases. So, don’t let the cool, fall weather stop you from exercising. Try one or more of the above ways to exercise such as taking a hike and enjoying the foliage, picking some apples, riding a bike and enjoying the fall weather. Enjoy the summer while it is here but remember when fall arrives, you can still enjoy several outdoor activities. Remember, exercising keeps you fit physically and mentally; it is activity that will maintain your good physical and mental health.