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rhode island

volume four issue one

m a g a z i n e

Nutrition Myths We Often Hear

HEALTHY HEART

Healthy You

COFFEE

AND ITS MANY HEALTH BENEFITS

AGING WELL S U PPORT

YOUR

LOCAL

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HELPING YOU GET BACK TO LIFE THE LATEST TECHNIQUES AND

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Volume 4 Issue 2

Guide To Mental Health Featuring

Yoga & Pilates Our next issue of Rhode Island Health and Fitness Magazine will highlight Mental Health, featuring Yoga and Pilates. We will also focus on ways to take care of yourself while eating healthy, getting proper treatments and exercising. This special edition will include...

• Setting Goals and Planning • Healthy Eating Tips • Preventative Measures • Professional Advice and more..

Visit us online at www.rihealthandfitnessmag.com for more information!

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Ralph Coppolino Founder Gil Lantini Co-Founder Mike Casale Senior Designer Digital Marketing Lauren Bansbach Angelica Cabral Julia Cianciolo Alison Dupuis Nick Lovett Meghan O’Neill Contributing Writers Lori Cipolla LaRue Cook Chef Lara Shannon Lewis Susan Mills Nick Passarelli Elizabeth Phinney Chris Raymond Paul Ryan Sarah Schlichter

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contents

volume four issue one

Inside This Issue 9 Clean Cooking With Chef Lara Aging Well

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10 Healthy Diets For Seniors 13 Helping Seniors Keep Thier Minds Sharp 14 Health and Wellness Tips For Seniors Complete Health 16 5 Unique Ways To Improve Your Heart Health 18 Coffee And Its Many Health Benefits Fitness 20 Thinking About Your Fitness 22 Frozen Clam Dip & Obstaplunge Weight Loss & Nutrition 24 Top 8 Nutrition Myths We Often Hear Injury & Prevention

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26 Healthy Heart, Healthy You 28 My Heart Rate Monitor

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rhode island

volume four issue one

m a g a z i n e

HEALTHY HEART

Nutrition Myths We Often Hear

Healthy You

COFFEE

AND ITS MANY HEALTH BENEFITS

AGING WELL S U P PO R T

YO U R

LO C A L

B U S I N E S S E S www.riďŹ tmag.com | volume one issue one

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Featured Healthy Heart Healthy You Support Your Local Businesses Aging Well

www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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To Advertise Call: Ralph Coppolino 401-837-0239. Rhode Island Health & Fitness Magazine

Rice Noodles with Roasted Eggplant and Sesame Soy Wasabi Now for something completely different to kick off 2017! After our holiday indulgences we are going light but still full of flavor. This recipe is a quick and flavorful weeknight meal.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • • •

8 teaspoon(s) wasabi 8 teaspoon(s) water 1/2 cup(s) mayonnaise 2 teaspoon(s) soy sauce 3/4 teaspoon(s) sugar [optional] 1 drop(s) sesame oil, dark 1 large eggplant sliced 1/4” 2 tablespoon(s) kosher salt 1/4 cup(s) sesame oil, dark 1 8 oz. rice noodles 4 tablespoon(s) soy sauce [gluten free if needed] 1/4 cup(s) sesame seeds

Instructions

Step 1: Salt the slices of the eggplant. Let sit for 20-30 minutes. Drain. Then brush off or rinse off the salt and pat dry or if you are going to stuff them then cut them in half and scoop out the seeds to make an indentation.

Step 2: Brush slices lightly with the sesame oil and place on a baking pan. Bake the

eggplant at 425 degrees until browned and tender, turning once and re-brushing the tops.

Step 3: Note: Wasabi paste is made by combining equal parts wasabi powder and water. The amount of paste produced is roughly equal to the amount of powder used.

(1 tsp wasabi + 1 tsp water = 1 tsp wasabi paste) You can make any amount you desire simply by using a 1 to 1 ratio of wasabi to water.

Step 4: Prepare the wasabi paste by mixing together the wasabi and water. (This will be split for divided use.)

Step 5: Wasabi Mayonnaise: Mix together in a small bowl mayonnaise, soy sauce, 1/2 of the wasabi paste, sugar, and sesame oil.

Step 6: Cook Rice noodles. Toss with wasabi mayonnaise.

Step 7: Mix the remaining 1/2 of the wasabi paste with the soy sauce. Drizzle over the eggplant. Serve noodles and eggplant garnished with sesame seeds.

For more great recipe ideas visit

www.mycheflara.com

About My Chef Lara

My Chef Lara is comprised of three chefs who believe that wellness starts with the food we eat. Cooking and eating for your health is within everyone’s reach and we are here to educate people that they can achieve their wellness goals and still enjoy what they eat. For more information go to www.mycheflara.com or contact by email at info@mycheflara.com. www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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A G I N G

W E L L

Healthy Diets

For Seniors

by Nick Passarelli RI

As we age, many things change, not just the way we look, but our senses also change. While vision and hearing are the most often discussed changes for seniors, we should also remember that our senses of smell and taste can also change! These are very important factors for staying healthy because eating well is such an integral part of good health. Changes in taste and smell, along with the struggles of buying groceries, and other factors, can lead to a decrease in appetite, which can be very dangerous if it means not getting the nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy!

A decrease in our sense of smell can make eating difficult in general, for seniors. If you’ve ever tried to eat with a head cold, you know it can be a struggle. Not being able to smell your food makes it incredibly less appealing, and can even make the food taste bland. This means eating less, or adding extra seasonings, such as sugar and salt, which can lead to many health issues for seniors. A loss in our sense of smell can also mean dangers while cooking for seniors, as they may not smell if food is becoming overcooked or burning as quickly.

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Our main taste sensations include, sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory, so when a seniors sense of taste starts to diminish, it can be hard to taste salty and sweet, most commonly, leaving many foods tasting bitter or even sour for seniors. Again this can lead to over seasoning, or even loss of appetite, which can hold many risks for seniors, including malnutrition. Trying to be more aware of the foods and seasonings you’re eating can help a lot.

For seniors, you may find it helpful to plan meals out in advance, making sure you’re hitting a wide variety of the required food groups throughout the week. It can also help you to be more aware of which foods are easier for you, personally, to see and smell. Try to work those foods into more meals on a regular basis.

Another issue seniors can face when it comes to keeping up good nutrition habits is problems with grocery shopping. Grocery shopping can be difficult, physically and mentally for seniors. Grocery stores and supermarkets can be daunting and confusing, keeping track of what you already have and what you need, pushing your cart, or carrying a basket, and stretching, or bending down to get certain items can all put a tax

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Not being able to smell your food makes it incredibly less appealing, and can even make the food taste bland.

on seniors bodies. Along with loading and unloading groceries from cars. There are many risks for falling, or hurting yourself, and can feel overwhelming. Additionally, keeping track of what foods you need to buy before going to the store can difficult, and confusing.

There are a few great ways to combat these problems.

Programs like Peapod can do the shopping for you, and even deliver the groceries right to your door, seniors just need to call, or submit their list online, and they will take care of the rest for you. One great way to keep track of what groceries you do need is to keep a pad of paper in an accessible place, generally in the kitchen, is best.

Writing down things you need, as you think of them, rather than trying to remember all at once when it’s time buy groceries, helps seniors keep track, and lessens the risk of forgetting about important items.

Working in close co-operation with your physician, as part of the health care team, Phenix & Coventry Home Care provides complete home care services.

Another great idea for seniors to keep up a healthy appetite is eating with others! Eating in a social setting can be a great way to improve an appetite. Having a conversation during a meal makes the whole experience more pleasant, whereas, eating alone often means our attention is solely focused on our food, and can make eating feel tedious, especially if a decrease in our sense of smell and taste is a factor. Eating with a friend or loved one helps brighten seniors’ moods, and gives them more to put their focus on.

Nick Passarelli is a Registered Nurse, a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, a Certified Integrated Chronic Care Coordinator with over 37 years experience as a Long Term Care Professional, and is the owner of Phenix Home Care, Coventry Home Care and Capitol Home Care Network.

227 Phenix Avenue Cranston, RI

Tel 401.943.6230

960 Tiogue Avenue Coventry RI

Tel 401.823.5300

www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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A G I N G

iors

W E L L

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the work that Gentry Moving did for us today. They were efficient, caring, careful, “We were very pleased withthe work that Gentry Moving did for us today. They efficient, caring, careful, and very pleasant. andwere very pleasant.

Moving Moving is a stressful time and they made it that much easier.

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A G I N G

W E L L

Helpful Ways For Seniors To Keep Their Minds Sharp It’s no secret that as we get older, we start forget things here and there, so what can seniors do to keep their minds sharp? There are many great ideas on improving memory, and overall brain function that can help seniors stay on top of things day to day.

Exercise your mind.

A great idea for improving memory skills is mind exercises.

Things such as jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, sudoku and many other brain games are a great way to fire up the neurons. Brain teasers, chess and bridge are more great game ideas that you can do if you’re not alone!

Switch things up.

When the day to day gets monotonous it’s easy to slip into a pattern and let our minds relax. Adding in simple changes can make a world of a difference for seniors. Try rearranging the items on your desk or dresser or before you go to bed.

The simple act of looking for them in the morning, rather than instinctively knowing where they are is a great way for seniors to jumpstart their minds.

Get creative.

Doing more artistic things is one way that seniors can really improve on memory skills. Creative activities, such as painting, photography, or playing instruments not only make you think in a different way but stimulate a different side of the brain than regular day to day activities do. Taking the time to let your creative juices flow is a great way for seniors let their mind work a differently.

Learn something new.

Taking the time to learn a new skill can help seniors to keep their memory stronger. Whether it’s a new language, or something more hands on, such as pottery, or woodworking, seniors can really benefit from taking on new tasks.

Whatever you choose, learning something new outside of your comfort zone is especially effective for seniors, as you start with the basics and work your way onto more complicated processes.

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Make a list.

As obvious as it seems, there are few things easier than writing something down to remember it. For seniors, the act of writing something may help you to commit to memory, and if not, having a physical list to look at means less time stressing about what you may have forgotten.

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www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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Health

A G I N G

W E L L

and Wellness Best Tips For Seniors Looking To

by Paul Ryan

Are you a senior who wants to focus on your personal fitness, but you aren’t sure where to start? Staying in shape can feel like a daunting task at any age, and often the biggest barrier is the simple question of where to begin. We took a survey of seniors who regularly attend Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island’s (BCBSRI) Your Blue Store fitness classes to learn their recommendations for kicking off a new fitness routine:

1. Consult your doctor: Especially for seniors who are not

accustomed to a regular exercise routine, it is important to consult your doctor to make sure that you are on a program that is safe given your current health. An exercise-related injury can not only set you back from achieving your fitness goals, it can also cause permanent damage that will affect other areas of your life. Safety must always be your top priority, and consulting a doctor will ensure that you’re starting out on the right foot.

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2. Focus on consistency: Getting into a fitness groove can be tricky when you have a busy lifestyle, but consistency is key. Even the best-intentioned workout plans can fall by the wayside unless you make a commitment to make fitness a priority. Inconsistent workout routines can also make your body more prone to injury. Stick to your schedule to make sure you achieve the best results. Keep a calendar, set realistic goals, and if possible, find a workout buddy to help keep you on track.

3. Stretch then strengthen: As we get older, our muscles become less and less adaptable to even mildly strenuous activities, making seniors more prone to injuries during a workout (and soreness after). Because of this, it is critical that you stretch and properly warm up before exercising so that your muscles are ready. Similarly, regardless of your overall fitness goals, it’s important to incorporate practical and functional exercises into your routine that will gradually build the strength of your muscles. In order to make the most

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A G I N G

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Kickstart Their Personal Fitness of your workouts, you need to first make sure your body is primed and ready!

4. Try something new: The days of basic treadmills and

weight lifting are gone, and a multitude of new and innovative workout options have come into the spotlight. Programs such as yoga and Zumba (both offered at Your Blue Stores) have become increasingly popular alternatives to the classics, and offer a fresh and exciting way to burn calories and keep your body in tip-top shape. These programs have the added benefit of training you on memory and coordination. If you’re feeling even more adventurous, many athletic facilities also offer swim classes and water aerobics exercise programs as well. Don’t let exercise become a mundane chore – spice things up with something you’ve never tried before!

5. Live healthily in other ways: While fitness is a key staple in getting in shape, it’s important to stay healthy in a number of other ways as well. Maintaining a healthy balanced

diet is crucial to fueling your body through your workouts and to aid in building muscle. Make sure to get an adequate amount of the most important food groups, especially protein and vegetables. It is also critical that you allow yourself time to rest and recover following a workout. Exercise can be strenuous, and it is important to recuperate in order to make the most out of your fitness routine.

Remember, no matter what your age, there is always time to get involved in a program and focus on your health. If you don’t know where to begin, call your local Your Blue Store and talk to an expert who can get you started on the right track. ential to prevent dehydration related complications.

Paul Ryan is the director of retail strategy and operations at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) and responsible for developing an innovative retail strategy that grows BCBSRI’s “bricks and mortar” portfolio, which currently includes retail stores in Warwick, Lincoln, and Bristol. A Rhode Island native, Ryan enjoys sports, fitness, traveling and trying out the best places to eat. www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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A G I N G

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We bring the caring home.

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Saint Antoine Community

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COMPLETE

H E A LT H

unique ways TO IMPROVE YOUR

HEART HEALTH

by Chris Raymond, RI

This article isn’t another generic article stating that your heart is important and you need to eat healthy and exercise.

We all know this by now, but heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US. And a study published by the American Heart association in 2015 suggests that poor diet is the largest contributing factor to cardiovascular disease (Mozaffarian D et al. Published online in Circulation Dec. 16, 2015). Telling you to eat healthy and exercise more isn’t enough so here are 5 unique tips to improve your heart health.

1. Adequate Vitamin C – A Danish study researched more

than 100,000 people, found that the people who ate more fruits and veggies and had the highest plasma Vitamin C levels lowered their risk of heart disease by 31% (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition May 6, 2015). Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant known to block some of the damage caused by DNA-damaging free radicals. Over time, free radical damage may accelerate aging and contribute to the development of heart disease and other health conditions. It’s through this antioxidant effect that it’s thought vitamin C may play a role in protecting heart health.

2. Vitamin K2 Deficiency - Vitamin K has been shown to be a factor in blood coagulation and how you form blood clots. A significant risk factor in the development of CVD is calcium buildup in your arterial system. In a study from the Journal of Nutrition, those with the highest amounts of vitamin K where shown to be 52% less likely to develop calcifications in their arteries and 57% less likely to die from heart disease (J. Nutr.

November 1, 2004, vol. 134 no. 11 3100-3105).

3. Cold therapy – Exposure to cold temperatures have been shown to stimulate your vagus nerve. Vagus nerve stimulation is related to you parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for calming the body’s state of activity.

A dysfunctional parasympathetic nervous system means that someone is in a constant state of stimulation and stress. By splashing cold water on your face or taking a cold shower will help stimulate the Vagus nerve which may play a critical role in preventing heart disease (Thomas S. CoWan, What’s the real cause of heart attacks, 2014).

4. Avoid loud noises – Loud noises are shown to produce a stress hormone called cortisol. This can lead to high blood pressure, weight gain, and an increased risk for heart disease. A 2007 an article published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science states that noise pollution is causing more deaths from heart disease than previously thought. The noise threshold for cardiovascular problems was determined to be a chronic nighttime exposure of at least 50 A-weighted decibels, the noise level of light traffic. Daytime noise exposures also correlated with health problems, but the risk tended to increase during the nighttime hours.

5. Eat more Walnuts – Besides having the heart healthy good fat ALAs, walnuts contain an amino acid called L-Arginine. The amino acid L-Arginine is a precursor for special hormones in the body that regulate blood pressure and help dilate the vascular system. Vasodilation is when the arteries become wider and more blood flow can pass through thus lowering blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure will reduce the amount of stress on the heart which may help prevent heart disease. *Always consult with your doctor before trying any of these tips Chris Raymond is the full time instructor for the Personal Fitness Trainer program at MTTI. This program prepares students to become ACSM certified personal trainers which is the gold standard in the industry. In addition, students are trained in program design, wellness coaching, health and fitness assessments, and essential business topics such as marketing, sales, and organizational skills. Chris is passionate about raising the industry standard for personal training and bringing likeminded individuals together to be successful in the industry. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Rohn www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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COMPLETE

H E A LT H

I T ’ S M O R E T H A N J U ST A G R E AT TAST I N G B E V E

by Susan Mills

For many people, coffee is a staple in our morning routines.

The smell, taste, and the way it wakes us up has all of us coming back for more each morning. But did you know that coffee can do more than wake you up? It can actually help to improve your overall health. There are many ways in which coffee beans, which are actually a fruit, can work in your body to make you healthier.

There have been more than 15 published studies tying drinking coffee to being less likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes.

In these studies of more than 193,000 people, those who drank more coffee were 35% less likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes than those who drank less than two cups a day,

regardless of gender, location, or even weight. Research suggests that this is due to the high amount of antioxidants in coffee, as well as certain minerals, such as magnesium, potassium and chromium, which help your body use insulin and regulate blood sugar, according to Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, nutrition and epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. Another study on 130,000 Kaiser Permanente health plan members also showed that people who drink 1-3 cups of coffee per day, were significantly less likely to be hospitalized for abnormal heart rhythms, which is a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

Besides helping to prevent these major health risks, there is even more that coffee can do for you on a daily basis.

Have you considered using coffee as a part of your workout

A cup of black coffee about an hour before a workout can increase adrenaline levels in your blood and improve your gym performance by 11-12% 18

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COMPLETE

H E A LT H

E R AG E TO G E T YO U M OV I N G I N T H E M O R N I N G routine? A cup of black coffee about an hour before a workout can increase adrenaline levels in your blood and improve your gym performance by 11-12%! And remember when we mentioned how coffee contains minerals such as magnesium and potassium earlier? Not only are both of these good for your body over-all, they help your body to control and regulate your blood sugar, which can help you control cravings for unhealthy snacks. What does all of this mean?

Coffee can also help you lose weight! As long as you’re careful not to add all of the extra sugar and cream.

The benefits of coffee don’t stop there. Don’t just throw away those coffee grounds after brewing. If you have some extra time after brewing your coffee in the morning, you can use them to make a face mask. A mask made of coffee grounds can have amazing benefits to your skin. It tightens pores, removes dead skin, and has anti-wrinkling properties. It’s high levels of antioxidants is also shown to help protect you from skin cancer! The easiest way to use coffee grounds for your face, is to brew your morning cup, and then let the grounds cool until they are slightly above room temperature. Remove any excess liquid, and simply spread the grounds on your skin, being sure to avoid the eye area. Continuing massaging them into the skin for about ten minutes, and then rinse with warm water.

Coffee is more than just a great tasting beverage that helps to get you moving in the morning, regular coffee consumption has so many benefits that you probably never knew about. It’s amazing a few cups each morning can do for you.

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Mills Coffee Roasting Co. 1058 Broad St, Providence, RI 02905 (401) 781-7860 Visit www.thequeenbean.com for more info. facebook.com/MillsCoffeeRoasting www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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 Learn exercise science, health & fitness

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F I T N E S S

When Thinking About Your Fitness Think About Baking a Cake

by LaRue Cook

Yes, I said “baking a cake!” So what exactly does baking a cake have to do with your fitness? Well, too often when I get to talk to new or prospective clients about improving their overall fitness by beginning an exercise routine, they make an all-too-common assumption. They assume that I am referring to adding only cardiovascular exercise such as walking, jogging or some other type of aerobic exercise to their daily routine. The truth is that by adding cardiovascular exercise to your daily routine you will certainly help improve your heart health and perhaps weight in the process. That’s great! But, it is equally true that the road to overall fitness is paved with a multi-faceted approach! While there’s no doubt that cardiovascular fitness is one important element of “being fit,” the truth is that it is only one of the important components of fitness!

So, here’s where I get into my baking a cake analogy. Like any good baker knows, the secret to a truly good cake is in making sure that ALL of the necessary ingredients are included in the recipe. And while I’m a fairly good cook, but not necessarily a baker, I do know and understand that if I only included flour and milk, I would not have a very good cake, or any cake at all. Just as a good recipe for cake

requires all of the necessary ingredients, a good recipe for Total Fitness requires ALL of the necessary ingredients (muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, body composition – aka – the ratio of lean mass to body fat in the body, and “yes,” cardiovascular conditioning. These are the ingredients to total fitness!

So, the next time you’re thinking about getting in shape – whether as part of a New Year’s eve resolution, part of a Summer bikini push, or better yet, as part of an overall strategy to improve your health and wellness, think about baking that cake and make sure that you’re including ALL of the necessary ingredients to a successful fitness program and workout. You’ll end up with a ‘cake’ that not only can improve your cardiovascular health, but also helps you to improve your fitness and health in all of the categories necessary to overall fitness.

LaRue is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Certified Strength and Injury Prevention Trainer, and a Post-Rehab Trainer who has worked with clients of all ages, both athletes and non-athletes.

He has written dozens of published articles on Sports Performance and Injury Prevention, and consults with many of the country’s leading Sports and Fitness organizations throughout the United States.

LaRue can be reached by email at: larue.cook@lecfitness.com www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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F I T N E S S

L A I D - B A C K

F I T N E S S

R I N G S

Frozen Clam Dip Local partnership offers Rhode Islanders adventurous start to 2017 with obstacle course races and plunge opportunities on New Year’s Day Warwick-based fitness organization Laid-back Fitness offered Rhode Islanders an adventurous start to the New Year at the sixth annual Frozen Clam Dip and Obstaplunge, the world’s only New Year’s Day plunge featuring an obstacle course.

With over $10,000 raised in proceeds, the event benefitted the Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the expansion of quality mentoring services for Rhode Island youth.

Hundreds of participants rang in the New Year at Goddard Memorial State Park Beach by way of four options. The “Frozen Clam” offered a traditional plunge directly into Narragansett Bay, while two shoreline obstacles courses – the half-mile “Obstaplunge” and the one-mile “Ultra” – tempted adventure before the dive into chilly waters. An added element to this year’s event, the “Nobstaplunge” offered racers an obstacle course option that ended on dry land.

Individuals of every age, from five to 82 years old, took on the courses, featuring obstacles from Laid-back Fitness and one from local event series, BoldRDash.

energized not only by the enthusiasm of our plungers, but also by the awareness we’re able to raise for the local youth,” said Ryan McGowan, founder and owner of Laid-back Fitness.

A mentor himself, McGowan serves as an example for children on how to overcome obstacles and defy challenges in physical pursuits and life alike. “It’s invigorating and challenging, but it underscores what we teach at Laid-back Fitness – that it’s as essential to be mentally strong as it is to be physically fit. If you can step outside your comfort zone and endure temporary discomfort, you may be really surprised by what you’re able to achieve.”

A beneficiary for the past six years, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership Jo-Ann Schofield noted the impact this event makes on pairing local children with adult mentors.

“This is the sixth year we’ve teamed up with the Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership, and every year we feel

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F I T N E S S

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p & Obstaplunge “We couldn’t think of a better way to kick off the New Year and National Mentoring Month,” she stated. “Nearly 900 kids are on the waiting list for mentors this year, and both the awareness and funds we’ve raised will bring us closer to our goal of providing the local youth with positive life influences.”

The event has raised over $35,000 for the Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership since its inception in 2012, and is part of Laid-back Fitness’ philanthropy program, “LbF Love,” which seeks to give back to the local community.

About Laid-back Fitness:

Laid-back Fitness a fitness studio in Warwick, Rhode Island that specializes in a variety of movement techniques to enrich lives through physical competency and adventure. Offering a range of classes – from natural movement and kettlebell training to ninja warrior techniques and obstacle

course racing – Laid-back Fitness serves the needs of young children, experienced athletes and seniors alike.

While training settings and class sizes range from one-onone sessions to small and large group classes, the relaxed and supportive environment at Laid-back Fitness not only makes movement fun, but also equips participants with a capable body both inside and outside of the gym. For more information, visit www.laidbackfitness.com.

About RI Mentoring Partnership:

Our mission is to ensure youth have access to the motivational and supportive relationships they need to grow into confident, successful adults. We envision a Rhode Island where all youth are connected to relationships with adults who inspire and support them. All youth will have role models who provide a road map for lifelong success and achievement.

RIMP serves as an umbrella organization for dozens of mentoring programs around Rhode Island offering help with recruitment, training and technical assistance.

RIMP is also directly responsible for the coordination of the school-based mentoring programs in Warwick, Woonsocket, Newport, Middletown and Cranston.

For more information visit www.MentorRI.org.

www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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WEIGHT LOSS & NUTRITION

top 8 nutrition m

by Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN, LDN

With the coming of a new year, people are more susceptible to fad and short term diets. I recommend seeing a Registered Dietitian if you have nutrition or health goals, as we are trained to follow the science of nutrition. Here are 8 popular myths I often hear in my practice:

1. GLUTEN-FREE MEANS HEALTHIER.

Gluten is a protein found in several grains and additives.

While marketers and companies have demonized it, there’s nothing about gluten that is inherently “unhealthy” or bad for you. There is no reason to avoid it unless you have celiac disease (about 1% of the population) or have been tested to be gluten intolerant, in which case it can be harmful for you and may impair digestion and nutrient absorption. Many of the products marked gluten-free actually have more fat, sugar or preservatives because manufacturers have to add something in to replace the gluten that they are taking out.

2. CARBOHYDRATES ARE BAD, SO I SHOULDN’T EAT THINGS LIKE POTATOES OR BANANAS.

We need carbohydrates for energy. Our body can’t run without glucose (the building blocks of carbohydrates), just like cars can’t operate without gas. Glucose is the preferred fuel for our brains, and helps give our body the energy for our hearts to

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pump and our digestion to work. Plus, carbs are the primary foods full of B vitamins, fiber and other essential nutrients.

When we don’t have enough carbohydrates in our diets, our body breaks down our muscles to use proteins for fuel.

3. IF I EAT BELOW 1500 CALORIES, I WILL LOSE WEIGHT.

While you may lose weight initially, you run a much larger risk of damaging your metabolism and suffering from nutritional deficiencies. When we starve our bodies of essential nutrients, we increase our stress hormones. Undereating, or not providing our working bodies with enough food, will cause more harm than good and can have major implications in the long run.

Undereating, or not providing our working bodies with enough food, will cause more harm than good and can have major implications in the long run.

To Advertise Call: Ralph Coppolino 401-837-0239. Rhode Island Health & Fitness Magazine

WEIGHT LOSS & NUTRITION

myths We Often Hear 4. IF I SKIP BREAKFAST, I WILL LOSE WEIGHT.

Eating breakfast may have a protective effect on preventing and/or treating obesity and type 2 diabetes, and promoting overall health in young people. Furthermore, breakfast helps us start the day with sustained energy, helps us better manage our glucose throughout the day, and helps us distribute energy more evenly throughout the day. Even if you only have time for something small or a liquid smoothie, something is better than nothing!

5. YOU HAVE TO EAT MEAT TO GET ENOUGH PROTEIN.

In this day, we have so many non-meat options that provide us with sufficient protein! Just to name a few: dairy, eggs, lentils, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, fish, tofu, tempeh, edamame, etc. Going meatless a few times a week can also have many health benefits. If you’re interested in incorporating more plant-based meals into your lifestyle, check out my blog below for some recipes.

6. ORGANIC FOOD IS ALWAYS THE HEALTHIEST.

There are certain foods (see the “dirty dozen” list) you may want to purchase organic because these foods usually have the highest pesticide residue (think grape tomatoes, spinach, strawberries, apples, cucumbers). However, there is something to be said about buying local when you can, because you’re supporting and investing in your local

economy and the food is fresher and more nutritious since there is less storage and transportation needed.

7. EATING FAT MAKES YOU FAT.

I’m sure this isn’t the first time you’ve heard this one. Thanks to the low-fat craze in the 80’s and 90’s, people became scared of fat, and started eating more and more carbohydrates, namely highly processed carbohydrates and sugars. And now, nearly 1/3 adults are obese. There is a link there. The Mediterranean diet is consistently named one of the healthiest diets, and it’s one that promotes bountiful unsaturated fats.

You need fats to digest certain nutrients (Vitamins A, D, E, K, to name a few), and unsaturated fatty acids have been shown to reduce cholesterol, especially when replacing saturated fat.

8. EATING TOO LATE AT NIGHT LEADS TO WEIGHT GAIN.

Timing is not the determining factor of weight gain. It depends on what you’re eating and as always, the portion size.

Consistently eating in excess of your calorie needs can lead to weight gain, no matter when you eat them. Calories are units of energy, no matter when they are consumed.

Sarah is the Registered Dietitian behind the blog, Bucket List Tummy (http://bucketlisttummy.com). On her blog, she discusses nutrition and shares healthy recipes. She is available for virtual nutrition consultations.

www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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INJURY & PREVENTION

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To Advertise Call: Ralph Coppolino 401-837-0239. Rhode Island Health & Fitness Magazine

INJURY & PREVENTION

althy Heart Healthy You!

by Elizabeth Phinney

You have heard the expression, “come from your heart and not your head.” The symbol of love is a heart.

“We ‘heart’ New York” is the state’s slogan. When we point to ourselves, we typically point directly to our heart.

What is it about the heart that makes it so sentimental? So much a symbol of our emotions? A symbol of who we are?

Perhaps, because when it stops functioning, we die within a very short period of time. We need the heart to pump blood throughout our body, which carries all the nutrients and oxygen to our various organs and tissues so that they, too, may survive and thrive. It is the one organ that is literally connected to all the others because of this flow of blood.

When the heart is mal-nourished or sickly, it cannot function at its peak potential. This is what happens to over 30% of Americans. And 80% of these diagnoses are preventable.

We literally are what we eat and what we are eating is simply not good for us. To reduce your odds of heart disease, you need to maintain a reasonable weight for your height. Eating more vegetables rather than simple carbohydrates found in flour and sugar will certainly help with this plan.

Reducing your meat consumption and eating more fish as protein will also help. The options

are available to you for healthier choices for your heart, but it is up to you to make the commitment to yourself to make those choices.

We often forget that the heart is a muscle. As with all muscles, it needs to be exercised to be strong and stay strong. We lose ½ lb. of muscle tissue every year beginning in our early 30’s and the heart, as a muscle, is in that loss.

Aerobic exercise is the best way to keep your heart muscle strong. Walking is a great way to start, just make sure that your pace is giving you enough of a workout and that your heart is pumping in your preferred range. Running is not recommended unless you are not overweight at all. If you research “kinds of aerobic exercises” on the Internet, you will be presented with a multitude of choices. The best way to monitor your heart during exercise is with a heart rate monitor.

But, you need to find something that you enjoy doing or you simply won’t do it.

Remember, aerobic exercise along with healthy food choices will help your heart and your body get and stay much healthier and stronger for years to come.

Elizabeth P Phinney, Creator of BodSpir, Consultant, Speaker, Author, Personal Trainer, Co-Author #1 International Best Seller: The Expert Success Solution

We literally are what we eat and what we are eating is simply not good for us. To reduce your odds of heart disease, you need to maintain a reasonable weight for your height. www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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INJURY & PREVENTION

MY Hea W

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Running with a heart rate monitor has not only allowed me to sleep better, it has had a great impact on my performance and over all health

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To Advertise Call: Ralph Coppolino 401-837-0239. Rhode Island Health & Fitness Magazine

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by Shannon Lewis, RI

I have been an athlete all my life, but parenthood got in the way and I stopped working out and became a couch potato. A few years ago, I decide it was time to find my “inner athlete”. I set a goal to complete two sprint triathlons. I not only complete the two triathlons, I ran several 5K and a 5 miler that year. I was in great shape (or so I thought.)

I was feeling pretty good that day at the YMCA, I ran on the treadmill and then jumped on a bike to complete my workout.

I decided to see what my heart rate was; I was shocked to see that it was really high. This can’t be right, I was in great shape and I wasn’t even riding hard. I told myself that the heart rate monitor on the bike had to be wrong.

Over the next few days I kept thinking about how high my heart rate was, so I bought a heart rate monitor, the type you strap around your chest. I went out for a typical “easy” run. WOW, for the 1 hour run, my heart rate was super high. It is not healthy for my heart rate to be that high day in and day out. I was fit, but not healthy. From that day on, I changed the way I trained; I never when out for a run without my heart rate monitor.

Running day in and day out with such a high heart rate adds an extreme amount of stress to your body. It floods your body with Cortisol (the stress hormone).

For me the biggest issue was the affect on my sleep. I was not sleeping well at all; I had trouble falling asleep and was constantly waking up during the night. I was tired all the time and often felt like I was in a “fog”. At the time, I attributed my sleep issues to stress from work. It was surprising to me, when I started running with my heart rate monitor and maintaining a lower heart rate, my sleep immediately improved. (I also lost a bunch of weight, hmmmm.. cortisol is known to increase abdominal fat., imagine that.)

Approximately 80% of aerobic workouts should be “easy” and 20% should be hard. One of the most common mistakes is going too hard on your easy days, and not hard enough on your hard days. I was a classic example of this. All my runs were hard, even when they felt “easy” to me.

I had no way of knowing I was working too hard, without a heart rate monitor.

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So how do you know how hard you are working?

One way is to rate your effort by using the Perceived Rate of Exertion (this is a subjective rating system from 0 – 10 of your effort). Perceived Rate of Exertion doesn’t work well for me, I wasn’t able to tell when to “throttle back”. The other way is to monitor your heart rate. Running with a heart rate monitor is like having a tachometer on your runs. Just like a tachometer assists a driver in selecting the appropriate gear, a heart rate monitor allows you to “select” the proper heart rate for a given workout. It allows you to know exactly how hard you are working at any given point in the run and tells you when to slow down or speed up.

There are many factors that affect your heart rate; the most obvious is how hard you are working.

Its important to know other factors such as heat, life/work stress, where you are in your menstrual cycle (for us women), your hydration level, how recovered you are and if you are over trained.

You might see you heart rate elevated even on an easy run on a hot humid day after a very stressful day at work. Likewise you might be able to run faster with the same heart rate on a cool day, when you are well rested and hydrated.

Monitoring you heart rate allows you to make immediate changes in your run to make sure you are not working too hard on your easy runs and working in the right heart rate zones for your hard runs.

Running with a heart rate monitor has not only allowed me to sleep better, it has had a great impact on my performance and over all health.

Within the first year, I took off over 7.5 minutes off my 10-mile time, but more impressive, even though I was faster it was less stressful to my body. My average heart rate was 11 beats per minute less and my max heart rate 7 beats less.

Faster and less stressful on my body… a win-win.

You don’t have to buy an expensive running watch in order to use a heart rate monitor. Polar has a strap heart rate monitor that will synch via Bluetooth to your phone and you can monitor your heart rate in real time thought their free Polar Beat app. It’s a good inexpensive way to find out if training with a heart rate monitor is for you.

Running with a heart rate monitor has not only allowed me to be fit and healthy, but its just plain fun. I am a data junkie, I love tracking my heart rate and seeing the improvements over time. I never go out for a run without it.

Shannon Lewis is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer. www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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Recover Faster. Get Back To Life.

Don’t let injury or pain stop you from doing what you love.

AT SPECHT PHYSICAL THERAPY… WE HAVE CREATED SOMETHING SPECIAL ALLEVIATE PAIN Our physical therapists have techniques that can decrease your pain and quickly get you on the road to recovery.

RESTORE FUNCTION

PREVENT INJURY

Our physical therapists will develop a customized treatment plan to help you return to your normal activities or sport.

Your program will include personalized exercises to help you avoid injuries and keep you as active as you want to be.

The ideal environment for patients to get back to life, free from pain and physical limitation, while becoming healthy and fit.

Your Road to Recovery doesn’t have to be long or incomplete.

In fact, Specht Physical Therapy was specifically created to get you out of the doctor’s office, off of your couch and back to your activity in the shortest time possible.

Visit www.SpechtPT.com for more information

Providence Location 30

271 S Main Street 401-453-5800

Swansea Location

207 Swansea Mall Drive 508-675-3200

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www.rihealthandfitness.com | volume four issue one

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Teamworks Youth Programs are sport-based classes for children as young as 18 months to 12 years and older. Our various class progressions make it easy to find a class perfect for the age & skill level of your child.

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