Friday, September 12, 2014

The Head, the Hips, and What Dreams May Come

In today's #BWD: attitude and recovery go hand in hand; how strong hips can protect your knees; and what your dreams might be telling you about your inner life. May it bless you.

Be Well!
Bob


MIND
The more I learn, the more convinced I become that all health begins in your head. As I recover from my own setbacks, as a runner, I am discovering just how important thinking is to moving forward. Runners World offers 7 Secrets for Making a Comeback, and it isn't surprising that many of them involve adjusting what's going on between your ears.


BODY
Who knew that a complaining knee would lead me to a seminar in hip strength? When my left knee started aching so badly that I could no longer run without pain, I went to a Physical Therapist who understood my need to get back on the road. His analysis of my scans, my leg strength, and my running gait led not to the knee, but to the hip. Weak support muscles were causing me to land with crooked joints, which aggravated the arthritis that is developing in my aging hinges. A series of exercises and stretches, (which are now part of my daily routine), have helped to improve the function and strength of these core joints, and I am running comfortably again. Get Fit and Motivated has published this comprehensive strengthening workout that uses a resistance band, also called TheraBands. As I learn and collect more resources, I'll be saving them on a Pinterest board that you can follow using the link below.
Follow Robert's board Shoulders and Hips on Pinterest.

SPIRIT
Here's a fun and intriguing article from LIVESTRONG.com to finish up the week. You know how important sleep is to your body as it recovers from your daily workout. But even as you sleep, your inner life is still in motion. Since biblical times, dreams have been believed to reveal truths that we may not see during our waking hours. See if you don't recognize some of your own dreams in 16 Common Dreams and Their Interpretations.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Special Edition: A Trunk Full of Fuzzy Balls and Racquets

In today's #BWD: a tribute to my friend C and the sport she loves. Technically, I guess it's a tribute to her car.

She loves tennis. Her husband loves tennis. Her kids love tennis. When they built a new house, they left the living room unfinished, but they completed a tennis court out back. She makes her living teaching kids how to play tennis.Yeah, my friend is kind of nuts for the game.

I tried to learn to play when I was younger. Got to where I could hit it around with a partner who wasn't very good. I owned an aluminum racquet that came with Billie Jean King's picture on the label. I still remember how to keep score, I think.But my friend is such a devotee of the game that I wanted to do a little post to honor her. If you love to play tennis as much as she does, here are some articles that just might be useful to you. If you don't play, you might find some advice that applies to your own sport... or even you life. May it bless you.

Be well!
Bob

MIND
Tennis requires mental toughness, strategy, and the ability to cope, no matter what goes wrong. In this article from The Tennis Space, Anne Keothavong talks about how to keep your head on straight when frustration threatens to take away your best game.

BODY

Even though it isn't a contact sport, tennis is not a game for softies. It takes strength and endurance to play for hours in the sun against an opponent who is trying to run you ragged, wind that turns pop ups into home runs, and humidity that makes your shirt feel even heavier than your legs.

It all starts with conditioning. It doesn't matter how blazing your serve is or how much ground you can cover in the first set if you're dragging your tail by the middle of the third. Active.com has a suggestion for The Ultimate Conditioning Exercise for Tennis Players, It's an old favorite, and you just might hate the idea... but believe me, once you've knocked out a couple of dozen Burpees for a few weeks, you will find your muscular endurance and flexibility rising to a whole 'nother level.

Once your head has stopped spinning, it's time to think about dedicated strength training. 13 Strength Training Tips for Tennis Players contains good advice for anyone looking to build functional muscle power, but it is also packed with sport-specific details. One of my favorites: Don't let your strength training alter your form on the court.

If you work hard and play hard, soon or later, you're going to experience an injury. Tennis even has one named after it. That aching tendonitis on the outside of your elbow is a result of gripping for hours at a time, and when it strikes, it's best to deal with it early. WebMD tell you all you want to know and more about Lateral Epicondylitis (that's Tennis Elbow for those of us who didn't go to medical school), and Khushboo Mehta at Stylecraze.com offers some simple prevention and healing strategies with 10 Exercises to Take Care of Tennis Elbows.

SPIRIT

We know that Yoga is good for your mental health. It develops strength and flexibility, and encourage a mindful sense of focus on the present moment that is invaluable for a tennis player at any level. Here's one more link from Active.com with some classic poses in Yoga for Tennis Players that will be of particular value to you on the court.

And finally, a bit of wisdom from one of the sport's great players... and one of the best reasons to contact the Bluegrass Tennis Association and get your kids started playing this beautiful game... If you're lucky, my friend C might even let you borrow a racquet from her trunk.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Eating, Thinking, and Living Outside the Box

In today's #BWD:  rethinking how you plan your meals; being prepared for heart attack before it happens; and scents that might help you unwind from stress. May it bless you.

Be Well.
Bob



MIND
Destructive eating habits can sneak up on us. Before we know it, we're thinking of how much simpler life is when you can just tear open a box, or throw a plastic pouch into the microwave. Eating well takes effort, and sometimes that means changing the way we think about what we eat and where we get it. How Giving Up Boxed Carbs Uncovered the Need for Me to Become a Meal Planner tells one person's story of how sometimes the mind has to change before the body can.


BODY
Sometimes ignorance can be fatal. Do You Know These Signs of Heart Disease? You'd better. Educate yourself now with this short quiz from Spark People. Be able to recognize the signs of a heart attack in yourself or in someone else.


SPIRIT
Can you smell your way to serenity and better mental health? Maybe. In this well researched article, Dr Marcola discusses how Essential Oils Support Physical Health and Emotional Well-being. I wonder if they could get my downstairs neighbor's cigarette smoke out of my closets?

Friday, September 5, 2014

Western Medicine Doesn't Have ALL the Answers

In todays BWD: Finding aYoga style that fits you; the healing power of touch; and letting your reason do the healing when your feelings tell you it's hopeless. May it bless you.

Be Well.
Bob


MIND
There's just no arguing with the fact that Yoga is good for your head. Yoga practice has been proven to reduce the effects of everything from headaches to Alzheimers. But there are zillions of Yoga classes out there, and every one of them seems to be different. Greatist has created this tool to help you discover What Style of Yoga is Right for You?



BODY
Reflexology is not new. It has been practiced in China for thousands of years, and is based on the Chi or energy flow that is always flowing through the body. To a culture used to swallowing drugs, cutting holes in living bodies, and exposing sick people to blasts of radiation, it may sound a little nuts. But to the healers who have been applying these techniques for millenia, injecting poisonous chemotherapy drugs into your blood probably seems a little counter-intuitive as well. Journey to Wellness explains the basics of this ancient healing art.



SPIRIT

"My life is a mess. A failure. A disaster. Something always goes wrong. It never ends. Why can't I just be happy?" Sound familiar? Everybody feels the weight of life on their shoulders sometimes. Crap happens. When it happens often enough, you might start to feel as if you are condemned, fated to always be miserable... that you'll never be really happy or content. It feels like life sucks sometimes. But you can't always trust your feelings. In these 29 Signs You're Doing Just Fine, (Even if it Doesn't Feel Like It.), Earth: We Are One offers signs of hope to look for when it seems that everything is bad and it's never going to get better.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Are Your Go-to Stress Foods Making It Worse?

In today's #BWD: How "comfort food" can increase your stress; deciding how fast to move the weights when you are lifting; and a reminder to include gratitude and grit in your workout routine. May it bless you.

Be Well.
Bob


MIND
The more time I spend trying to modify my own eating habits, and talking with others who struggle with food, the more convinced I become that most eating problems are really thinking problems. It's been said that food is our most abused anti-depressant. But researchers at The Ohio State University have found that fatty, sugary comfort foods are especially damaging when we are experiencing stress. How Stress Can Affect Your Weight (It's Worse Than We Thought.) sheds some light on the way eating to feel better may actually be making you feel worse.

BODY
Sean Nalewanyj is a trainer I've been following online for a long time. Don't be intimidated by all the photos of body builders; his advice is good for anybody who ventures into the weight room. How fast should you be moving the bar? The answer is: it depends. Check out Sean's thoughts on The Best Rep Speed for Muscle Growth and Hypertrophy.


SPRIIT
One of the principles of my personal wellness plan is that I don't exercise because I hate my body. I exercise because I love it, and I love being able to do things with it that I never thought would be possible. Next time you look in the mirror or step on the scale and are tempted to hate what you see, try to recall this little tidbit.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Healers and Healing... and a Lunch Break.

In todays #BWD: wrapping your brain around Yoga; taking care of yourself at lunchtime; and a painful, but ultimately uplifting meditation from a healer with a heart for the wounded. May it bless you.

Be Well.
Bob


MIND
Is Yoga a religion? Is it an exercise? Or is it just glorified stretching? Well, according to the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, it's science. In this white paper, Yoga and Medical Meditation..., Dr  Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D highlights the foundation's research into the brain's physiological response to Yoga. We've always know it felt good. Dr. Khalsa and his team are helping to discover why.



BODY

Yeah, I know. It's Labor Day. The unofficial end of summer is the last big weekend before the long climb toward the end of the year. It's a time to party, grill, and eat; not a time to think about managing your lunch break at work. But before you light the charcoal, take a peek at these 14 Tips for Packing a Healthier Brown Bag Lunch. If your plan is to rely on the vending machine or the nearest drive-through window, you can do better.


SPIRIT

marymartha is a smart, compassionate therapist whose life's work is helping wounded kids to heal. It isn't an easy job. In this moving blog post, she describes one example of the cost of caring, and the ways in which healers can be transformed by sharing others' trauma. This is a good one, y'all.