Catch the Beat

CATCH THE BEAT! Measure your exercise intensity with heart rate monitoring.

by Ken Clarke

Ken Clarke Fitness Director 403-287-4169 kclarke@glencoe.org

Getting the most out of your exercise sessions means optimizing the time you put into it. If you lift weights, you can tell when you’re getting the results you want. You keep track of how much weight you lift and how many times you lift it. And you see it on yourself. Then you either maintain the weight and reps or increase them for gains.

With cardiovascular exercise, it’s more difficult to know how “optimized” your workout is, because you can’t see your heart pumping toward better health and you probably aren’t counting the beats. If you want to determine whether you’re working at an appropriate level while exercising, measuring your heart rate is a great way to start. When you are active, your heart rate will increase directly in proportion to the intensity of the activity you are performing AND relative to your individual fitness level. Your appropriate intensity will depend on your fitness level, your activity type and your desired outcome. Two people – same age, weight and gender; one fit, one not – will have very different heart rates doing the same exercise.

The fit person’s heart does not have to work as hard to perform the same amount of work. Heart rate charts based solely on age, weight and gender are inaccurate at best. The fit person might use them to never work hard again, seeing no improvements, while the unfit person might work far beyond his or her current fitness level and collapse, seriously injure themselves or worse. That’s not optimization of time. Whatever your goals – improve your health, manage your weight or win an athletic competition – you can eliminate guesswork by exercising within a specific, personalized target heart rate zone. There are a number of formulas and methods that estimate that for you. At The Glencoe Club, we use an excellent, new system to determine personal maximum heart rates. We test your personal VO 2 with our Cardio Coach metabolic testing system.

What is VO 2 testing? A VO 2 test measures the amount of oxygen your body uses at different exertion levels, while you exercise on a bike or treadmill. This is done as you breathe through a mask during a short workout. The data collected is then used to calculate your personal Target Intensity Zones. These zones will give you the specific target heart rates required for your desired level of intensity, optimizing your workouts and getting results from your training.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that cardiovascular exercise be performed at 55% to 90% of one’s maximum heart rate relative to one’s goals and fitness level. Most people who exercise routinely at The Glencoe Club can sustain 65-85% maximal heart rate during a session. Using your Target Intensity Zones from our VO 2 tests, you’ll know what your heart rate should be as you do different exercises.

So how do you know your heart rate? How can you tell you’re in your target zone?

Most of the cardiovascular machines in modern fitness facilities like ours have hand contacts to indicate heart rate while you are using the equipment. Some new fitness trackers, like Fit Bit or even the new Apple Watch, claim to measure heart rate from your wrist (although they are truly measuring pulse and there is a difference from actual heart rate). A lot of fitness people have already purchased and use a chest strap type monitors from brands like Polar and Garmin. They’re very accurate compared to the wrist trackers and hand sensors on equipment, which will give you a good idea.

MYZONE heart rate monitoring is available Since expanding the Fitness facility in March, we’ve implemented an area-wide heart rate tracking system. We call it MYZONE and it’s a smart, efficient way of tracking the intensity of your workouts. While all of the cardiovascular equipment has built-in heart rate monitors, this new, area-wide system lets users track their heart rates whatever exercise they’re doing…wherever they’re doing it (within the Fitness facility).

This fall, we’ll have the same system installed in the renovated studios. That means you’ll be able to track your heart rates while in classes too. In fact, any member who registered for drop-in classes (three-month commitment: September, October and November), BURN programs, 90-Day Focus programs, or select registered exercise programs, will receive a complimentary MYZONE belt with their registration. A

VO 2 Testing at the Fitness Centre.

Any member who registered for drop-in classes (three-month commitment: September, October and November), BURN programs, 90-Day Focus programs, or select registered exercise programs, will receive a complimentary MYZONE belt with their registration.

The Glencoe Fitness Centre is pleased to present STAGES

a program exclusively for expectant and new mothers. With an integrative approach towards optimal health and vitality, the program includes:

• Personal Training • Nutrition Counseling • Pre-Natal or Therapeutic Massage • Bi-weekly Wellness Consultations • A Resting Metabolic Screen • Access to Drop-in Fitness Classes

Get the support and tools you need to feel your best. Call 403-287-4144 ext. 586 or email Sara Farley: ar.interactive.403@gmail.com for more information or to register.

Better nutrition

WHOLISTIC NUTRITION

Justine Stenger (MAPS & CME Trained) Functional Nutrition AFMCP Trained Autism and Autoimmune Diet Specialist, Certified Gluten Practitioner, Certified Holistic Chef/Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs CME Trained, Student of the Institute of Functional Medicine. Justine offers a number of different services that include; • Dietary consultations and bio-individualized meal plans. • In-home meal preparation based on individual dietary needs and doctor recommendations.

Justine specializes in: Gluten-Free Casin-Free, Autoimmune Protocol, (The Paleo Approach) Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Gut and Psychology and Gut and Physiology, Low Oxalate , Body Ecology, Ketogenic Diet and Nourishing Traditions.

NUTRITION COACHING

With Precision Nutrition Coaches Eat, move and live better. Geared towards those balancing their lifestyle and performance training with eating modifications and coaching. Identification of what to eat before and after workouts, how to create optimized eating plans and discover how to make better food choices to reach your goal. These sessions are with our personal trainers who have completed the Precision Nutrition Certification. $100/hour

NUTRITION COUNSELLING

Geared towards those with chronic disease management in mind, a registered dietitian is clinically capable of prescribing food and eating plans to address member needs.

Samara Felesky-Hunt (B.Sc., RD) is a Registered Dietitian with a successful consulting practice. She specializes in weight management, vitamins, digestive disorders, food intolerances/allergies, tissue repair, immune system enhancement, pediatric/adolescent nutrition and sports nutrition. Rory Hornstein, RD, BEd. is a Registered Dietitian specializing in nutrition for sports, exercise, weight management (adults and pediatric/adolescent), eating disorders and body image, food intolerances/allergies, immune system enhancement and digestive disorders (Celiac, IBS and IBD). Initial consultation includes: • Comprehensive nutrition health assessment, • Analysis of carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamin and mineral intake, • Nutrition recommendations including a “nutrition program” designed to meet your health/fitness goals, • Menu and recipe ideas along with strategies to help you be compliant with your program.

$150/ initial session • $75/ follow-up session For further info or to book an appointment, contact Ken Clarke at 403-287-4169 or kclarke@glencoe.org

Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life

by Brian Wansink, PHD

One sentence summarizes 25 years of my research: It’s easier to change your eating environment than to change your mind.

It’s hard to resist the candy in the dish sitting on your desk. It’s easier to move it across the room or out of it! For 90% of us, the solution to mindless eating is not mindful eating (carefully, systematically thinking our diets through and implementing a program of gradual or sudden change). Our lives are too crazy and our willpower is too wimpy for that! Instead, the solution is to tweak our homes, workplaces, schools, restaurant orders and grocery shopping lists so we mindlessly eat less instead of more.

Tips from Brian: Colour me slim The colour of your plate can make you fat. If it’s the same colour as the food, you’ll serve yourself 18% more. So whenever possible, choose plates that contrast with the colour of your food. Since white starches are the diet busters (potatoes, pasta, rice), using darker plates is smart.

The Syracuse Study What’s on your counter matters. According to the Syracuse Study, the average woman who kept potato chips on the counter weighed eight pounds more than her neighbour who didn’t. But potatoes aren’t anywhere near the most dangerous counter food. Women who had even one box of breakfast cereal visible anywhere in their kitchen weighed 21 pounds more than their neighbours who didn’t. Also, the more time you spend at home, the more important it is to hide the food. We eat what we see, not what we don’t.

First seen, first eaten Studies show you’re three times more likely to eat the first food you see in the cupboard than any others. Rearrange your cupboard, pantry and refrigerator so the first foods you see are the best for you. It’s okay to have an occasional treat but make sure those treats are not front and center.

Wine glass class Love wine but hate the headaches or extra calories? According to studies done on 85 wine drinkers, we tend to focus on the height of what we pour and not the width, so pour 12% less high in taller white wine glasses than in wider red glasses. When we look down at a glass, it looks more full than when we look at it from “liquid level.” As a result, we’ll pour 12% less when the glass is sitting on the table compared to when we hold it. Red wine is easier to see than white wine, so we pour about 9% more of it automatically into a glass. It’s also not just about wine. The same is true when we’re talking tall versus short highball pourings.

Scoring big at home Mindless Eating contained about 150 proven, workable weight loss tips we’d discovered from our studies. Since then we’ve discovered more than 100 effective home related tips and combined the hundred easiest ones into a Slim-by-Design Home Scorecard that we update each year with the best new tips we’ve discovered.

How slim is your home? If you want to make your kitchen slim by design, complete this starter scorecard and see whether your kitchen is helping or hurting you. While there is a 100-point version in my book “Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life” (William Morrow 2014), the following 10 point checklist will give you an initial peek at whether your home is helping you to gain weight or to lose it. Each check counts as one point. If you score more than seven, congratulations! If you get less than seven, try to bump it up to seven by the end of the month. A

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Salad and vegetables are served first before the entrée and starches are brought to the table.

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The main dish is pre-plated and is served from the stove or counter.

Your dinner plates are nine to ten inches wide.

You eat sitting at a table with the TV turned off.

There are two or fewer cans of soft drinks in your refrigerator at any one time.

Your kitchen counters are organized (not messy).

Precut fruits and veggies are now on your middle refrigerator shelf.

At least six single servings of protein are in your fridge: eggs, yogurt, string cheese, tofu, etc.

Your snacks are kept in one inconveniently placed cupboard.

The only food on your kitchen counter is a fruit bowl.

Brian Wansink, PhD is a professor at and Director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, where he is a leading expert in eating behaviour. He is the author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, as well as three other books and hundreds of peer-reviewed journal articles. He was the 2011-12 president of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, and in 2007 he was White House appointed as the USDA executive director in charge of the Dietary Guidelines for 2010 and the Food Guide Pyramid. Source: This article is excerpted from Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life by Brian Wansink, PhD. (William Morrow 2014). Learn more about the book at www.slimbydesign.org

Be Well & Live Strong

Prevention and rehabilitation program for chronic cardiac conditions. by Jessica Power Cyr, M.Sc.

The thought of exercise can be intimidating and scary, especially if you have a chronic health condition. It’s normal to be concerned that exercise, or movement for that matter, may exasperate the issue. Our highly educated and certified Exercise Physiologists are here to support you and provide you with the knowledge you need to transition back into exercise. In only a few sessions, you’ll begin to trust your body again, have more energy and verve for life. We know this, because we're seeing those benefits happening every day to our current program participants. Recently, the Glencoe did a soft launch of the Be Well & Live Strong program and the response has been fantastic. Each of the participants came to us with an array of chronic cardiac conditions and already they’re reaping the benefits associated with exercise and movement. The participants have stated they have more energy, they’re sleeping better and the stairs are not as daunting as they use to be. Not only are they improving physically, but they have a reason to get out of the house, make new friends and see old friends. Many have mentioned they feel like they’re part of a family. This is the best compliment ever and it means so much to us because we want YOU to feel like you belong!

Our program has been specifically designed for individuals who have experienced a heart attack, heart failure, bypass surgery, angioplasty and/or have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, peripheral artery disease, valvular disease, diabetes /metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or even a family history of cardiovascular disease. The program goal is to provide you with the tools to Be Well & Live Strong with our supervised exercise program. Jessica Power Cyr, M.Sc Wellness & Lifestyle Director 403-681-2596 jpowercyr@glencoe.org

46 glencoe.org Jessica Power Cyr brings a wealth of information, charisma and personality to the Glencoe and is now our new Wellness and Lifestyle Director. She has been in the industry for over 15 years, holds a Masters in Exercise Physiology with a focus on Cardiac Rehabilitation, Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, is a CSEP and ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, and Instructor/Examiner for the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP). Jess lectures at Mount Royal University in the Personal Fitness Trainer Diploma and is fortunate to be working closely with industry leaders to provide you with safe and effective exercise prescriptions. Get “Powered Up!” with Jess!

We meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30 am to 11:30 am (excluding holidays). Each exercise prescription is customized and individualized for you and includes a 25 to 30-minute cardiovascular prescription, 10 to 15-minute total body resistance training prescription including balance and core strengthening exercises plus five to 10 minutes of flexibility training. We also monitor resting, exercising and post exercise heart rate and blood pressure during each session (*pre/post blood sugars for diabetics). Our program is well rounded and balanced to ensure you’re living stronger with quality of life and independence.

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) and the American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM) suggest aiming for 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Important health benefits can be obtained by performing a moderate amount of physical activity on most, if not all, days per week. Additional health benefits result from greater amounts of physical activity. Research showed a doseresponse relationship between physical activity and coronary artery disease (CAD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It’s clear that greater amounts of physical activity or physical fitness levels provide additional health benefits (ACSM, 2014). Individuals who maintain a regular program of physical activity longer in duration and/or of more vigorous intensity are likely to derive greater benefits than those who engage in lesser amounts (ACSM, 2014). Given this knowledge, we offer our program three times a week for 55 minutes, totaling 165 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity.

The benefits of exercise, specifically for the heart, are impressive. An increase in physical activity and physical fitness provides strong, consistent support across studies and all populations. Research supports a 20 to 30% reduction in all-cause mortality rates in patients who participate in cardiac rehabilitation training especially as a component of multifactorial risk factor reduction. The benefits specific for chronic cardiac conditions include improvements in cardiovascular and

You cannot change the past but you can change your future. Our current participants have decided to take control of their health and it’s changing their lives. Let us help you change your life. We want to be part of YOUR journey. Let us empower you to Be Well and Live Strong with quality of life and independence.

respiratory function, reduction in cardiovascular disease risk factors, decreased morbidity and mortality, secondary prevention (i.e. intervention after a cardiac event to prevent another event), enhanced physical function and independent living on older individuals and a reduced risk of falls and injuries from falls in older individuals (ACSM, 2014). Do not delay on this amazing opportunity as the program is growing in popularity and there are only a few spots remaining. A

Source: Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (2013). Physical Activity Training for Health (CSEP-PATH) (1st ed.). Ottawa ON: Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. American College of Sports Medicine. (2014). ACSM’s guidelines for exercise testing and prescription (9th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Have you experienced any of the following? BE WELL & LIVE STRONG

• Heart Attack

• Bypass Surgery

• Angioplasty

• Peripheral Artery Disease

• Diabetes • High Blood Pressure

• High Cholesterol

• Metabolic Disorder

• Family History of

Cardiovascular Disease

If you said YES to any of the conditions listed, THEN we have the prevention and maintenance program for you! Our program runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10:30 - 11:30 am Cost: $90/week

Dementia & Brain Health Info

Dementia is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain. It most often occurs in people over 65, but can affect adults as young as 30. Dementia is not a normal part of aging and is an increasing health concern worldwide. Stay tuned for updates on an upcoming Brain Health speaker series and a Memory Support pilot program for member families with dementia.

For more information, please email Jessica Power Cyr at jpowercyr@glencoe.org. ?

PRE-SEASON CONCUSSION SCREENING

by Leanne Loranger, PT I n recent years, we have seen increased awareness about concussions, due to some high-profile cases that garnered media attention, such as Sydney Crosby’s prolonged recovery following a concussion in 2011. This awareness has lead to tougher no-contact rules in youth sport, more critical thinking about when it’s appropriate to sit a player out and when they’re ready to return to play and a decline of the "cavalier got your bell rung" attitude previously seen (in professional sport in particular).

What is neuropsychological testing? Neuropsychological testing is used to measure things like reaction time, memory, processing speed and other cognitive abilities. Computer-based testing has gained popularity in recent years due to the limited availability of neuropsychologists to perform one-on-one, paper-based testing. Computer-based testing takes about 25 minutes and gets the user to complete various tasks (much like a video game or a “brain game”).

Fans of these systems suggest that computer-based testing enables informed decision-making about whether a player has recovered from a concussion. The concept is that a pre-season test is completed to obtain a baseline assessment of abilities and then compared with post injury test results. In recent years, there has been an increasing trend towards completing preseason screening for youth engaged in sport and professional athletes alike.

But as with any other test or procedure, health consumers need to ask if testing has value and under what circumstances?

CONCUSSION BASICS

• A concussion is a brain injury. • You do not need to lose consciousness to experience a concussion. • Helmets do not prevent concussions. Helmets prevent other types of head injuries (such as skull fractures) and should be used appropriately when engaged in sport. • Signs and symptoms include cognitive (mental) changes, balance changes, headache, irritability and insomnia. • Youth and young-adult sports and motor vehicle accidents are the primary causes of concussion. • The SCAT3, Child SCAT3 and the Sport Concussion Recognition Tool are three tools commonly used to assess sport related concussion. They are intended for use immediately after injury (at the sideline) to determine if a player has sustained a concussion or a more serious injury. • CTs and MRIs can’t diagnose concussions. These tools are used to rule out more serious injuries such as skull fractures or bleeding in the brain. • Most concussion symptoms are short lived and resolve without any treatment. • Second impact syndrome is a rare but serious (potentially fatal) injury that occurs when players sustain a second concussion shortly after their initial injury.

Despite the increase in concussion awareness, questions remain about how to best manage concussions. One of the trickiest is how to determine when a player is safe to return to sport. This has given rise to the use of computer-based neuropsychological testing in concussion management.

Reasons to consider pre-season testing The majority (76.2%) of sport-related concussions occur due to contact with another player. For this reason, players engaged in high risk sports, such as hockey, that involve head-to-head or head-to-body contact may wish to consider pre-season testing. Keep in mind that in Alberta (and many other provinces) hitting between peewee and younger hockey players has been banned, meaning that pre-season testing may have limited value for players under age 13.

Interestingly, players who undergo computer-based neuropsychological testing are less likely to return to play in less than one week. There are many possible reasons for this finding, including that those who use these tests may be more conservative in their approach to concussion management. However, having a test that suggests a change in mental ability may give added weight to the argument against a return to sport and may be protective for the player. This is especially true as players mature. In competitive leagues, when they are injured there can be pressure from coaches and parents to minimize symptoms and get back in the game. Testing may ensure that players who feel pressure to return to play or parents/coaches who have difficulty sitting a player out will delay return to sport until deemed appropriate to return.

The same can be said for using test results to argue for modifications in homework assignments or academic requirements, particularly when players are enrolled in intense academic programs or are preparing for important exams and facing pressure to keep up.

Reasons to think twice about pre-season testing Computer-based neuropsychological testing for concussion is in its infancy. There has been a lot of recent research, but much of that research is coming from a small group of people, many of whom have business relationships with the companies that sell the testing. This raises concerns about the strength of the research findings and the conclusions drawn. Before we can say with certainty that testing is advantageous, independent researchers need to reproduce the initial research findings.

Parents and coaches should also be aware that other factors influence the results of testing. Some athletes have admitted to intentionally performing poorly on baseline testing to compare favorably post-injury. Fatigue, stress, depression and distraction can also impact test results, both pre- and post-injury. It’s also questionable whether testing is an appropriate thing to do to a player who is having symptoms, especially considering that most experts recommend rest and avoiding activities that make symptoms worse.

Source: Physiotherapy Alberta College + Association Public News www.physiotherapyalberta.ca Finally, there’s a question of how to interpret the test results. While the makers of the tests say that testing can identify players with concussion, other researchers have pointed to flaws in the research with some studies incorrectly identifying 30% of uninjured athletes as concussed, meaning that the tests are not as sensitive and specific as suggested. According to an international consensus on concussion in sport “at present, there is insufficient evidence to recommend the widespread routine use of baseline neuropsychological testing.”

One author concluded “the most consistent result across studies was that when athletes were no longer symptomatic by self-report, performance… was typically not impaired relative to baseline.”

The bottom line While computer-based neuropsychological testing continues to evolve and researchers investigate the possible merits of testing, players, parents and coaches should: • Continue to use tools such as the SCAT3 to assess for sport related concussion at the sideline. • Remember that concussion is an evolving injury. If there is any doubt as to whether or not a player has sustained a concussion, sit the player out. • Monitor the player closely. Do not leave them alone. • In the event of deteriorating mental status, or worsening or new signs or symptoms seek emergency medical management. • No player who has sustained a concussion should return to play on the same day. • Players should not return to play until they are symptom free. • The decision that a player is safe to return to play should be made by a trained medical professional. • Return to play should occur over a period of time, be closely monitored and only progress if the athlete remains symptom free. • Players, parents and coaches should carefully consider whether or not baseline and follow up computer-based neuropsychological testing has value. • The outcomes of testing should be used as part of an overall evaluation of the player’s ability to return to play and considered in the context of the player’s history, symptoms and other factors. Keep in mind that no testing will prevent a concussion, only changes to actions/attitude and safe play can do that. This is where the real time and money should be invested.

Not only do some physiotherapists perform pre-season testing, many treat those with brain injuries, including concussions. A