Healing, Strength, and Courage

In today's #BWD: yoga that heals; a safe and effective core workout; and the story of a woman who walked her way from death to life. May it bless you.

Be Well!
Bob

MIND
Yoga's unique blend of exercise and mindfulness has been proven to improve mental health. In 5 Yoga Moves that Help with Breast Cancer Recovery, the folks at everydayhealth offer a healing path that includes modifications for the beginner and infinite challenges for the more experienced practitioner. This simple practice will benefit everyone, not just cancer warriors.


BODY
There are a lot of causes for lower back pain, but one of the most common is weakness in the core: the structural powerhouse system that extends from the shoulders to the hips. Core weakness is responsible for the poor exercise form that makes so many movements painful. Here is a nice core workout that almost anyone can do to strengthen your body's powerhouse. (Sorry about the ad at the beginning, but hang in there; Jessica and Peanut are worth the wait.)


SPIRIT

When Jen Corn realized that at 5'-6" and 311 pounds, she could not travel the 30 feet to her mailbox without gasping for air, she knew that she had to make a change. She started walking. Three years and 150 pounds later, her story is inspiring and motivating. Jen's journey reminds us that living is always an option, and that none of us is beyond redemption, no matter how destructive our past choices might have been. See a slide show about her journey here, and read her story in her own words in Half the Person I Used to Be.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Thinking Your "Self" Well

In today's #BWD: thinking yourself toward better health. Our mind, body, and spirit are not separate parts; they are the intimately connected threads of a single web that we call the "self". These articles explore the nature of our unified selves, and the ways we can help or harm our most precious gift: the person called "me". May it bless you.

Be Well,
Bob


MIND

Are food cravings sinking your nutritional goals? The problem may not be in your belly, it may be in your head. WebMD explores where cravings come from, and what you can do when the strike in this slide-show on Food Cravings that Wreck Your Diet. You don't have to live at the mercy of urges and impulses. There are better choices.

BODY

The old saying, "You are what you eat", isn't just a slogan. It is literally true. Your body is like a manufacturing plant that is constantly replenishing tissues and energy resources, and where do you think the raw materials for that enormous manufacturing process come from? Yep, you are actually made out of the things you put in your mouth. In Joint Food, Liz Applegate, PhD explains how the things we eat can help keep our joints healthy. That's important for runners of course, but given the number of knee, hip, and shoulder replacements I encounter in the population I work with at the YMCA, I'd have to say that poor joint health is a wide-spread problem that is worth your attention.


SPIRIT

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a terrifying mental illness. Living with PTSD means not just remembering horrible, painful trauma and loss, but actually experiencing them again and again, but mentally and physiologically. It took Rebecca Thorne decades to learn her true diagnosis, and one of the ways the wife and mother keeps on going is by moving her feet. In Running Helps Me Cope With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Thorne tells the story of how she learned to manage her pain, and her life, by making Trail Running part of her wellness program.

Myths and Complications: Cleaning Your Wellness House

In today's #BWG: debunking some running myths; simplifying your workouts; and using Yoga to help restore emotional and spiritual balance.May it bless you.

Be Well!
Bob


MIND

A lot of the things you know can be wrong. That is particularly true when it comes to running. Supporters and opponents of the sport have developed lots of theories about what's good and bad about lacing up, and a lot of their "facts" are bunk. LIVESTRONG.com takes a look at some of the more popular ones in 11 Myths About Running Debunked. Sometimes, what you think you know can hurt you.

BODY

Gym memberships, Personal Trainers, special clothes, magazine subscriptions, gear and equipment: they can all be valuable, but sometimes it seems the closer you look at fitness, the more complicated it gets. It doesn't have to be. In today's edition of Run Bob Run, I share a gym bag full of exercise plans that will improve your strength, endurance, and flexibility, while saving you time and money so you can get on with the rest of your life. I mean, isn't living well the reason you're working out in the first place?

SPIRIT

One of the reasons for a Yoga practice is to restore the balance of mind, body, and spirit that modern life can take away. Depression and anxiety can be a result of this imbalance, and while medication and therapy are important parts of treatment, Yoga has been shown to be of great benefit in helping the spiritual/emotional self to heal. Here are 10 Yoga Poses to Fight Depression and Anxiety from Halogen that might be of help to you or the people you love who are wrestling with these often disabling disorders.

Taking Control of What You Can

In today's #BWG, I've pulled some items from the junk drawer that are close to my heart: a couple of them quite literally. Chronic disease and disorders can reduce the quality of our lives. Today's post is about ways to take back control. May it bless you.

Be Well,
Bob

Dr. Nancy Capello's annual mammograms were all normal. She made these important, high tech diagnostics part of her annual health routine, and found comfort in their findings. It took a skilled Gynocologist with experienced hands to find the dense ridge in her breast that the scans had missed and ultrasound revealed Stage 3 breast cancer. Are You Dense? is the story of how taking that extra step saved her life, and gave her a new sense of purpose. 

It might take a long time for you to make your first step toward fitness, but once you begin, the benefits are almost immediate. Here is a link to a 28 day program that will make your heart stronger, right from the starting line.

Living in a democracy means having a voice in the government's values and actions. The LIVESTRONG foundation is all about empowering and fighting for cancer survivors. Making Cancer a National Priority is a guide for letting your leaders know that you want them to be a part of the battle.

You might not think of loneliness as a chronic disorder, but when it leads to depression, it can be fatal. People who are divorced, widowed, or just haven't ever found the relationship they want with another person can slip into depression with deadly speed and fatal consequences. In How I Stay Single and Sane..., Shana Lebowitz talks about her journey from hating loneliness to embracing solitude: and learning to love who you are today.

Stress isn't always bad. It can keep you alert and ready to take action. Back in the days when predators were a constant threat to our lives, successful humans had a powerful fight or flight response to danger. In the absence of big cats and charging Grizzlies, we might experience that response while waiting to hear about a promotion or when some jerk cuts us off in traffic. When our body tells us to fight or run, and there's nobody to hit and nowhere to flee, the result is stress, and it can kill us. 10 Weird Side Effects of Stress is a slide show that teaches you how to recognize when stress is doing you more harm than good.

High Blood Pressure is often called "The Silent Killer." You don't feel it. You don't see it. Sometimes it has no symptoms at all. And it can lead to cardiac-pulmonary disease, kidney disease, heart attack, and stroke. This 8 question Blood Pressure Quiz from SPARKPEOPLE is not easy, I have high blood pressure myself, and I did pretty badly. I hope you take it. What you don't know about hypertension can kill you.

If you have a Facebook account, you hear about insomnia all the time. While a chronic inability to sleep can indicate serious health issues, everybody has trouble sleeping once in a while. Here are 8 Ways to Beat Insomnia when it's way past your bedtime, and you just can't seem to keep your eyes closed.

Respect for Fatty

In today's #BWD: getting on your bike can change the way you think about almost everything; the things you think you know about food can hurt you; and an encounter between two courageous, compassionate hearts. May it bless you.

Be Well,
Bob

MIND

Leaving the car keys at home and choosing the bicycle instead will certainly change your body, but it will also change the way you think: about your clothes, about your town, and about yourself. In this piece, Elly Blue reflects on Your Life, By Bike.

BODY

I did quite poorly on this quiz. Web MD offers this eye opening lesson on some food safety myths: Can I Eat That?


SPIRIT

I used to fear being the fat guy at the gym. Then I decided I rather be him than the fat guy in the coffin. I'm sure there are some people who judged me for my weight, but more often than not I found acceptance and encouragement. Here's a moving example of the welcoming spirit I discovered in the weight room, on the treadmill, and on the running trail. 

Gut Checks

In today's #BWD: using the power of your mind to keep your body moving; the importance of gut health; and the inspiring story of a daughter who refused to let cancer win, even after it took her father's life. May it bless you.

Be Well,
Bob


MIND

Do you ever use a mantra when you exercise? These little phrases are like a coach in your head, encouraging you and helping you to keep focus. I first learned to use a mantra as a runner, but now I find I include them in the weight room, in the pool, and even when I teach group fitness classes. Jeff Galloway, the legendary running coach talks about how a mantra can help keep your mind on your work, and offers some of his own favorites in Mantras to Stay Motivated.


BODY

How are your guts? No, I'm not talking about your courage, I mean your innards. Gut health is critical for processing food, of course. But did you realize that your gut also plays a critical role in reducing allergies, maintaining mental health, and fighting cancers all over your body? Here's an informative and scholarly reminder from Dr Marcola at Delicious Obsessions that Your Gut Health is More Important Than You Think.

SPIRIT

Like so many of us, Jimena Peña-Garza's heart was broken by cancer. When the doctors found the disease in her dad's lungs in 2007, she became a warrior on his behalf. Even though his battle was shockingly brief, Jimena has been taking the fight to cancer ever since. With the help of Team LIVESTRONG, she has become a marathoner, and she races to support the struggle against the killer that stole her father from her. Hers isn't a "feel good" story: it's a call to arms; an inspiration to take action in the fight for life.

The Kitchen Junk Drawer

It wasn't really junk. More like a collection of treasures too specific and odd to fit in one of the other categories that Gramma used to keep her meticulous little kitchen organized. You never knew what marvels might be in there. String from bakery boxes. A ball of rubber bands. Twist ties for garbage bags. The big, heavy red handled kitchen scissors. A bottle opener or two. An old letter. A tiny hammer with a handle that unscrewed to reveal an even tinier screwdriver hidden inside. A couple of those Fun Size Snickers bars that she used to sneak to the dog. And a little envelope full of coupons and recipes snipped from cereal boxes, can labels, and any other source that might come along. I don't think she ever really cleaned the junk drawer out. But I remember pulling everything out of it and spreading it across her kitchen table, just to see what all was in there. It was like being a treasure hunter. I have a little drawer like that on my computer. Here is a collection of treasures I found while sorting through my own junk drawer this morning. May it bless you.

Be Well,
Bob

SEEDS, ROOTS, NUTS, AND SPICES

Christopher McDougall's ultramarathon classic Born To Run
turned me on to Chis Seeds. Dig the possibilities.

Aw, nuts!

Joe Cross, producer of Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead
on the new root in town.

You can make THAT with protein powder?

RECIPES

Yummy summer salad.

Pesto from Beet greens? Why not?

Warm, fresh Naan:
One of my favorite things about Indian dining.

Unstuffed Bell Peppers? Gramma would have loved this one.

10 recipes for cornbread? Somebody pass the Sorghum.

I've never had much luck with home made pizza crust.
But this one looks promising.

NUTRITION

Fact or Fad?

Trying to steer clear of salt is like trying to avoid
Pennsyltucky potholes.

70 pictures of what a 200 calorie serving looks like.
It's a good news/bad news kind of thing...

Food IS medicine