Healthy & Fit JUNE 2021 HEALTHYFITMAG.COM
MAGAZINE
Hone your zone
Optimal heart rate = Better workout
Functional Fitness Why we love it!
Austin Smith Find your motivation and start exercising!
INSIDE:
Wonder Wheels Get fit by cycling
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IN THIS ISSUE
JUNE 2021
Contents June 2021 | VOLUME 17 | ISSUE 3
Editorial P10
Who needs a barbell anyway? Three ways to tackle strength training without using a barbell
P12
Dialed in Fitness leads to focus for Mason’s Austin Smith
P14
Get off the peri-go-round Periodontal disease is a common affliction
P16
Get the wheels turning Cycling is a great way to get (and stay) in shape
P18
Know your zone Efficient training starts with knowing your heart rate
P20
Shrimp tacos A perfect summertime meal for the family
P21
Five smart ways to start your day... And feel so much better!
P22
Boredom and eating Quit grazing and pay attention to what you’re eating
P24
Sparking creativity Creativity, dopamine and the brain’s neurotransmitter
P26
Movement matters Want to stay healthy? Move more
P28
With friends like these ... Friendship can return many times what you give
P30
A mental pivot Find your spark with attitude, gratitude and fortitude
P32
Functional fitness With age comes a shift in the goal for your workouts
Cycling | P16
Move | P26
Contact us
Have an idea for a story? Please contact us at 517.599.5169. We look forward to speaking with you! Pivot | P30
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ABOUT US
JUNE 2021
Our contributors
Justin Grinnell, BS, CSCS
Justin is the owner of State of Fitness in East Lansing. He is also a certified nutrition coach. Reach him at 517.708.8828.
Susan Maples, DDS, MSBA
Dr. Maples is a dentist in Holt. She is also a speaker, health educator and author of Blabbermouth.
Arika Hundt-Cole June 2017 cover
Tom Matt
Tom Matt is the host of the “Tom Matt Show,” a radio talk show syndicated in Michigan on the Michigan Talk Network.
Molly Nevins. BS Kinesiology, ACSM HSF Molly is a long-time contributor to Healthy & Fit Magazine. Check out her Facebook page at: facebook.com/molly.fit
Kimberly Whitfield
Kimberly is the owner of Kimberly Inspiring Beauty in Strength. Visit her on the web at kwinspires.com for a list of her classes.
Laurie DeBruin
Laurie is the owner of Chrysalis Reflexology Hypnosis & Enrichment Center. Reach her at (517) 648.1980.
WE NEED YOU!
COLUMNS FIT FEATURES SUCCESS! Healthy & Fit Magazine is looking for individuals who would like to be featured in our magazine. If you are interested, we’d like to hear from you. Contact us at healthyfitmag.com.
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Getting back to birthday parties starts with getting informed.
Get the latest information about COVID-19 vaccines at GetVaccineAnswers.org
PUBLISHER
BY TIM KISSMAN
Functional fitness works, try it!
F
MAGAZINE
A TITLE OF
unctional fitness. It’s something I live and breathe. Simply put, functional fitness means that you work muscles and complete movements that make it easier to perform dayto-day activities. Sure, you can modify this model, but trust me, keep it simple and feel your body change for the better. It’s the reason I try to stay as active as possible and go to the gym on a regular basis. I’ve even gone as far as buying a pretty nice set of used weights. It’s that important. Two days a week at the gym just isn’t enough anymore. This month I turn 49. I’m knocking on the door to the big 5-0. I can feel the creaks and groans from my joints more than ever. However, working out and lifting weights has made those groans less restrictive. It’s also allowed me to be strong and do the things I like to do without losing much of a step.
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• I like to golf. Functional fitness has a lot of core work. I can still hit the ball well and far. I like that. • Grocery bags are a cinch. Load me up. I can still carry about 10 bags (depending on what’s in them) in each hand and carry them inside. Heck, even water softener bags are easier to move now that I do suitcase carries with kettlebells. • Trips are easier. Driving and flying long distances used to cramp me up, plus added weight made the seats uncomfortable. Now I’m leaner, stronger and I fit the seats. I dig that. My wife and I have a lot of traveling to do now that places are opening up. • Sleep is better. No back problems. My trainer, Michael Uren, and I work on back and shoulder muscles a lot. That’s made life more comfortable wherever I lay my head. • Arthritis isn’t as noticeable. Knees and toes used to ache a lot, for me. Working on weights and eating right has helped me lose weight and become more flexible. Exactly the cure (for now) for arthritis.
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I used to hate lifting. I needed a challenge, or something competitive, to push myself. Now I just like the idea of being healthy and strong. I want to feel good and be able to keep up with my now-adult kids as they move on to their next phases in life. If you’re looking to find motivation for feeling better, start working out, be active, eat clean and feel your energy increase as your functional fitness improves. Our columnist Kimberly Whitfield, has a great article and ideas on how to get started with your functional fitness journey. Good luck! And, of course, enjoy the issue.
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PUBLISHER AND EDITOR Tim Kissman
ADVERTISING Kathy Kissman
EDITORIAL REQUESTS kiss1850@gmail.com
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Healthy & Fit Magazine is a free, trademarked, monthly publication distributed throughout Michigan. It is financially supported by advertisers and is distributed to local neighborhoods and businesses, education centers, libraries, bookstores, fitness centers, health practitioners’ offices, hospitals and other locations. This magazine is published by Kissco Publishing, LLC, Mason, Michigan. Reproduction, of whole or in part, is prohibited without the written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed by the authors and advertisers of Healthy & Fit Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Healthy & Fit Magazine, and those in its employ, are in no way responsible for situations arising from the application or participation in anything written, or advertised, in this publication. PLEASE CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OR NUTRITIONAL ADVICE.
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FITNESS
BY JUSTIN GRINNELL
Who needs a barbell anyway? Three ways to tackle strength training without using a barbell
W
hen it comes to strength training in general, the barbell is a signature tool. It’s for good reason, too. Various barbell strength training movements can produce phenomenal results, when done correctly. However, traditional barbell training can come at a cost. Understanding how to perform various barbell movements such as
the deadlift and back squat, takes a fair amount of skill. From the setup to the finish, many beginner and intermediate lifters will have trouble learning how to perform them correctly. Our daily lives require a lot of sitting which can cause us to become tight and lack the proper range of motion in the hip and shoulder areas. In order to perform many of the classic barbell lifts, an adequate amount of mobility is required.
Most of the barbell lifts load the spine, in particular the lumbar area. If you have any previous or current issues, loading the spine, on top of lack of mobility and skill, can backfire on you and lead to possible pain and injury. There are many alternatives that spare the joints while producing great results. They are easy to learn, and are for beginners and avid lifters alike.
Instead of barbell squats: Goblet squats 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Use a dumbbell or kettlebell and tuck it into the upper chest. Keep your elbows in tight. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart with 0-30 degrees of foot flare. Pull yourself down into the squat slowly. Push your knees out to the sides and have your elbows track inside the knees. Push all the weight of your body through the heals. Keep your chest up and stand up.
Instead of barbell deadlifts: Kettlebell deadlifts Here’s how: 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7.
Stand with the feet shoulder-width apart and keep the kettlebell in line with the heels. Perform a hip hinge pattern by flexing at the hips while maintaining a neutral spine. Once the hands are near the weight, grasp the handle tightly to promote spinal stability. Engage the hamstrings by slightly raising the hips so that the knees are vertical. Once the hamstrings feel taut, begin to extend the hips forward until proper posture is achieved. Pull your shoulder blades down and back as if you are trying to put them in your back pocket. This will help activate the lats and other back muscles. Throughout the movement, make sure the head and neck are neutral and there is no rounding of the back.
Instead of barbell bench press: Classic push-ups 1. 2. 3. 4.
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Start by lying down on the floor to prep the body. Bring your legs together and tuck your toes. Straighten your legs out and keep them tight. Squeeze your butt and abs.
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COVER
Fitness leads to focus Austin Smith, of Mason, has found his drive and path to a better life
B
e your best. That’s the mantra Austin Smith, 29, of Mason, uses as motivation to work out. “I have a good friend who is a strength and conditioning coach,” he said. “He teaches that exercise is an evidence-based way of improving physical, emotional, and mental health. My spiritual health is better when I’m in an exercise routine.” He said his active lifestyle, which includes heavy weight lifting workouts, competitive hockey and volleyball games is possible because of exercise. Plus, he’s discovered other benefits. “Exercise, strength training specifically, is an injury reducer,” he said. “It can help increase quality and quantity of life. Working out is a commitment without an immediate payoff. I believe in doing things that are good for me, especially in relation to things that are not immediately gratifying. I believe that has enormous carry-over to the rest of life. I work out because I want people to take me seriously as a strength coach. I think I also work out because, at some phase of life, I have became addicted to it.” Smith, who works in finance and real estate, makes sure to eat at least one serving of vegetables a day, with fruit and lean meats like chicken, eggs and fish. He said he makes sure to keep unhealthy food out of his fridge to avoid temptation. “I really like greasy pizza, ice cream, donuts and other sweets,” he said. “As long as they’re not in my fridge or pantry, it’s a lot harder to eat them. A smart diet starts at the grocery store. It’s a lot easier to walk past junk food in the first place. Don’t tempt your self-control muscle by bringing “cheat” foods into your house. You’ll never win that game.” Smith’s advice is to accomplish simple steps daily. “Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day,” he said. “Wake up before the kids and the work day starts and do something active. Try it one time and see how it feels. You will likely find that it feels amazing to accomplish something before the emails start coming in and people/ work start demanding your time.”
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TEETH
BY DR. SUSAN MAPLES
Get off the peri-go-round Periodontal disease is a common affliction
I
f you’re over 30, you’re more likely to have periodontal disease (PD) than not. It’s that prevalent! It’s often painless, which means you might miss the signs to get help. PD can devastate the mouth, causing bleeding gums, permanent bone loss, foul breath, loose teeth, and significant infection. It can ravage your body too, because dangerous PD pathogens cruise through the bloodstream, acting as a root cause of heart attack and stroke, along with significant links to 57 other ailments including dementia, chronic systemic inflammation, and erectile dysfunction. If you’ve ever been treated for PD, you’ve likely had a traditional form of therapy that includes getting your teeth scraped to remove calcified plaque (scaling and root planing) and making an effort to improve your brushing and flossing. It usually doesn’t eradicate the infection. You are likely to have recurring episodes over time. Bleeding gums are a tell-tale sign that you are back on the “peri-go-round.” To treat PD more predictably, we must first identify the specific bug population at work along with the dose (the size of the population). We can send your saliva sample to a microbiology laboratory to identify which of the 11 most dangerous pathogens are present, and their concentrations. That helps specify which antibiotics are most effective against your particular bug pool.
DRSUSANMAPLES.COM
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food sensitivities, depression, and more. These are challenging to address but are necessary to achieve long-term PD stability. Finally, effective home care accounts for about a third of the solution. Ask your hygienist to stain (disclose) your plaque to help you navigate every surface, in every pocket, with the right instruments for your bone loss. This might include a power brush, water jet, pointed brushes, triangular tooth pics, etc, and honing the skills necessary for success. Digging for root cause and addressing these before the full mouth disinfection (scaling and root planing in the presence of the right antibiotics and chemo-therapeutic rinse) takes TIME. If your dental hygienist and dentist are willing to explore all these factors before scraping your teeth, please be patient. It just might be time to get off the peri-go-round and treat this dreadful disease once and for all! Also critical is your “host immune response” to these bugs. Adopting a whole-body approach means we must evaluate such evidence-based factors as dry mouth, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, obstructive sleep apnea, tobacco/cannabis, obesity, acid reflux, nutrient deficiencies, underlying fungal infections, chemical/
Dr. Susan Maples is a dentist in Holt. She is also a speaker, health educator and author of Blabbermouth. Learn more at drsusanmaples.com. or call (517) 694.0353.
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HEALTH
BY SHERRI MCCONNELL
Get the wheels turning Cycling is a great way to get (and stay) in shape
D
emand for bicycles has exploded in the last year, as people looked for ways to exercise safely during the pandemic. Bloomberg City Lab reported a 138 percent increase in bike trips from May 2019 to May 2020 in Houston, while trips in Los Angeles during the same period went up 93 percent. Bicycling has a lot to offer besides safety. According to Harvard Health, these are the top five benefits: It’s easy on the joints. It’s an aerobic workout. It builds muscle. It builds bone. It makes other activities easier. We are fortunate to live in the #1 trail state in the country, according to the Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance. Michigan has over 2,500 miles of rail-trails and other multi-use pathways, including the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park that goes through Stockbridge and the popular Lansing River Trail. Organized rides such as the Bike & Brew tour in Detroit and the Habitat for Humanity Bike to Build ride in Dewitt add variety and fun to cycling. With the summer biking season upon us, it’s a good idea to start building muscle and heart health by walking and doing mat-based exercises like yoga. Capital Area District Libraries offer yoga and other movement resources through streaming videos, DVDs, and books such as The Athlete’s Pocket Guide to Yoga by Sage Rountree. These are available free to members at CADL’s website (cadl.org). For me, cycling is about more than health benefits. I enjoy exploring city streets and country roads, noticing scents and sounds that I would not experience from a car. I meet people that I would not encounter any other way. This summer I’m going to explore more of Michigan’s many trails and begin preparing for a ride on South Dakota’s George Mickelson Trail that I’ve been dreaming about since last summer!
Sherri McConnell is the Head Librarian at the Stockbridge branch of Capital Area District Libraries.
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HEALTH
BY MOLLY NEVINS
Know your zone Efficient training starts with knowing your heart rate
H
ow hard should you work when exercising? The trouble is that everything is so relative. What is hard for one person may be a piece of cake for another. The best way to gauge your effort is with your heart rate. Your heart rate will tell you how hard you are working, what sort of benefits you will get from that particular exercise, and how well your body recovers. To use your heart rate to calculate these things:
Find your maximum heart rate The simplest way to calculate this is the equation 220 minus your age. So if you are 40 years old, your max heart rate is around 180. This is not perfect because it doesn’t take into account your fitness level, lifestyle, medical conditions, etc. However, for the sake of giving you a general idea, it works just fine. It is always a good idea to check with your physician before you begin regular exercise to make sure you don’t have any underlying health conditions. We will use the example of this 40-year-old individual with a maximum heart rate of 180 as an example for the rest of the calculations.
Know your zones There are five heart rate zones. Zone 1 is pretty low intensity. This would be a great zone to be in on your active rest day, on a walk, casual bike ride, or doing yoga. It will help you recover while still moving. In this zone, you are at 50-60 percent of your max heart rate, so 90-108 bpm for our example. Zone 2 is still considered light but picks up the intensity. You should be able to go for quite a while at this intensity which, again, is relative. Some individuals may be able to casually run and remain in Zone 2 while others would be walking in this zone. Pilates and barre may have some individuals in this zone. This is a good zone to be in for building up general endurance and this is a good zone for fat burning. In this zone, you are at 60-70 percent of your max heart rate, so 108-126 bpm for our example. Zone 3 is considered moderate. You may be here during strength training, parts of a cycling class or in a more intense run. This zone helps improve cardiovascular endurance and helps build up stamina in both the muscles and lungs. In this zone,
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you are at 70-80 percent of your max heart rate, so 126-144 bpm for example. Zone 4 is where things get real. This zone is where you are short of breath and fatigued. Interval training, speed drills, higher intensity weight lifting, etc can bring you here. This is where you want to train to improve speed and efficiency and be able to fight through higher levels of lactic acid. In this zone you are at 80-90 percent of your max heart rate, so 144-162 for our example. The last zone, Zone 5, is your absolute maximal effort possible. You won’t hang out here long, after just a few minutes the lactic acid build-up will keep you from performing. Average individuals don’t need to spend much time here, performance is the main benefit of this zone. You may touch this zone during HIIT classes, tabatas, or hill running! In this zone you are at 90-100 percent of your max heart rate so 162-180 bpm.
Testing your heart rate To test your heart rate, a fancy
gadget isn’t necessary, although you may want one. You can take your heart rate at the radial artery, located on the inside of your wrist, just below the thumb. You can also check at the side of your neck. Use your pointer finger and middle finger. Count how many beats occur in 10 seconds and multiply that by six for your heart rate. Use that to check in with yourself to make sure you are exercising in the right zone to reach your health and fitness goals. It is also good to check your heart rate immediately after exercise and a minute later to see how quickly you recover. That is another indicator of your fitness level, the faster you recover, the better!
Molly Nevins, ACSM HSF, is a longtime contributor to Healthy & Fit Magazine. Check out her Facebook page at: facebook.com/molly.fit
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RECIPE
BY MARK RASMUSSEN
Shrimp tacos A perfect summertime meal for the family
A light and flavorful, yet quick and easy recipe for a summer’s night dinner! The shrimp marinade and slaw/taco sauce can be made a day or two in advance. I start by getting my grill set up, as I prefer to cook over charcoal vs gas. Either will work fine, and you could even use a skillet on your stove top! Then I put everything together while the grill is getting up to temperature. Shrimp marinade: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup lime juice 4 garlic cloves, minced 3 tbls honey 2 tbls low-sodium soy sauce 1 tbls Sriracha 1 tsp The Judge Rub from TheBBQSuperStore.com 1 to 2 pounds of large or jumbo raw shrimp Garlic cilantro lime sauce for slaw and tacos 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup green onion, chopped 1/2 cup cilantro leaves 2 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp salt 2 limes juiced 1/2 cup sour cream or low fat yogurt 2 cups shredded green cabbage or pre-bagged slaw
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Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Use 3/4 of the sauce, toss with slaw. Refrigerate slaw and remaining sauce and then make your shrimp marinade.
“A light and flavorful, yet quick and easy recipe for a summer’s night dinner!”
In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lime juice, garlic, honey, soy sauce and Sriracha. Set aside 1/4 of the marinade to brush the shrimp while grilling.
In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining marinade and coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while your grill is coming to temperature. Place shrimp on skewers for ease of cooking on the grill. Once your grill reaches a medium/high heat (375 to 425 degrees) spray grill grates with non-stick cooking spray. Brush shrimp with the remaining marinade and Mark Rasmussen is a Champion Pitmaster on the BBQ place on the grill, then competition circuit. He is also brush the top side of the the co-owner of a BBQ supply shrimp before you flip. store, TheBBQSuperStore.com. Grill shrimp until pink/ opaque which is about 3 minutes per side.
BY LISA MARIE CONKLIN
FIT BITS
Five smart ways to start your day... And feel so much better! Start your morning sunny side up According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, breakfasts that include eggs showed as much as 65 percent more weight loss over eight weeks. And eggs also stabilize blood sugar and squash hunger pains, so you’re not reaching for snacks mid-morning. Scramble with veggies for more fiber or top whole grain toast with eggs and sliced avocado for hearthealthy monounsaturated fats and fiber.
Lace up your sneakers early Realistically, the best time to exercise is whenever you can squeeze it in, but if you’re looking for an added bonus, like more brain power, lace up your sneakers and get at it early. Dr. Wendy Suzuki, author of Healthy Brain, Happy Life and professor at the Center for Neural Science at New York University says exercising first thing in the morning increases neurotransmitters at a time before you really need them for learning and remembering things— like at work or school.
Tap into your circadian rhythms Exercising first thing in the morning benefits the last thing you do at night— sleep. When you exercise early in the morning, your energy levels naturally decrease throughout the day. But don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you’ll be falling asleep at three o’clock. This is a natural progression from a higher body core temperature after your workout to a natural drop in core body temperature during the day. This cooling process nudges our circadian rhythms to prepare us for a restful night’s sleep.
Don’t use up your brain on morning stuff Research tells us most adults do their best thinking late morning so what good is that information if we’re focusing on early morning stuff you ask? Because a lot of us may be using up our cognitive thinking on looking for lost car keys, rushing to pack lunches and making sure the dog gets out to pee, before rushing out the door. Instead of using up all the brain power you activated when you
exercised earlier, create a morning routine. A morning regimen gives you the opportunity to do routine tasks without using up cognitive energy thinking about all the stuff you need to do. We do these everyday tasks without occupying the mind with the details they require. It’s what psychologists call automaticity.
Flood your brain with positive emotions You know those mornings when you wake up and you just want to stay in bed
and throw the covers over your head? Instead of sucking it up and muddling through your day, write down five things you are grateful for. Stay with me, this works! A 2009 study using MRI images showed that gratitude switches on the hypothalamus—the body control center noted for body temperature, sleep, hunger, metabolism and body growth. The payoff for gratitude (besides thwarting complaining and criticizing) is that it helps all those above mentioned bodily functions work more smoothly. www.healthyfitmag.com
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BOREDOM AND
EATING Quit grazing and pay attention to what you eat!
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M
G
BY KAREN GILES-SMITH
I
t’s been a rough day at work and it’s only 10 a.m. To blow off some steam, you sprint to the office kitchen to treat yourself (twice) to baked goods from the morning meeting. Later that afternoon, just to get away for awhile, you wander down the hall to the cafeteria vending machines. After dinner, still feeling stressed, you seek out your favorite comfort food. Before you realize what’s happening, you’ve eaten the entire container. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. It’s perfectly normal to eat for reasons other than hunger. Truly, sometimes the best thing for hurt feelings is a chocolate chip cookie. And there’s nothing wrong with eating two slices of grandma’s apple pie just because it tastes so darn good, or lifting your spirits with ice cream when down in the dumps—once in a while. But when food becomes the go-to solution for soothing emotions on a regular basis, there’s cause for concern—for a few reasons.
Avoiding the issue Eating when not hungry is usually a
tactic to avoid dealing with an emotion. It could be anger, anxiety, sadness, boredom—you name it. Eating to distract or comfort yourself may offer a temporary fix, but it won’t make the emotion—or the underlying issue—go away. That’s because the emotion is a signal that there’s an issue that needs your attention, so the emotion will resurface again and again, until you stop ignoring the issue and face it.
Creating more issues Eating to avoid emotions/issues on
a regular basis can create more problems. If you’re eating for reasons other than hunger, you’re probably eating more than your body needs. Over time, overeating can lead to unwanted weight gain which may cause even more distress.
Facing the real issue The first step is awareness. For sev-
eral days, pay attention to your motivations for eating. When you feel like eating, notice your thoughts and feelings (consider writing them down). Are you feeling physical hunger cues (maybe it’s a growling or gnawing stomach, headache, irritation, shakiness or fatigue) or are you feeling an emotion? If it’s an emotion, what is it? Once you’re aware of what you’re really feeling, you can decide what to do about it. What is it that you really need? The trick is to not judge yourself. Whatever you’re feeling is OK. What you decide to do about it is OK. So, if you’re hungry, eat. If you’re not hungry, you can decide to eat anyway and that’s OK—it’s your choice. Or, you can ask yourself what you really need and how you can best meet that need. Maybe you’re overwhelmed or angry and realize that taking a walk would help. Maybe you’re sad and realize that having a heart-to-heart with a friend would help. Maybe you’re bored and realize that it’s time to pursue that hobby you’ve been interested in for a while. To wrap it up, the three steps to breaking free from automatic emotional eating are: awareness, not judging, and providing rather than depriving. It’s a process—in which there’s no such thing as the right way or the wrong way to do it—and it takes practice. Keep at it. Becoming aware of your emotions, realizing Karen Giles-Smith, MS, RDN, is that you’re the expert a local registered dietitian who in knowing what you specializes in nutrition therapy for clients with disordered need and that you’re eating and eating disorders. capable of fulfilling those needs will transform your life.
HEALTH
What is normal eating? by Ellyn Satter, MS, RD, MSW
Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it—not just stop eating because you think you should. Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food. Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good. Normal eating is mostly three meals a day, or four or five, or it can be choosing to munch along the way. It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful. Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life. In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and your feelings. Source: EllynSatter.com
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MIND
BY CYNTHIA LOGAN
Sparking creativity Creativity, dopamine and the brain’s neurotransmitter
D
opamine drives us to want things. Any time we anticipate any kind of payoff, whether it be money, an event, or even a marriage proposal, we get a significant rush of dopamine surging through our brain. Psychologist Colin DeYoung of the University of Minnesota explains, “the release of dopamine…increases motivation to explore and facilitates cognitive and behavioral processes useful in exploration.” Psychological plasticity gives us the tendency to engage with uncertainty, which has to do with things like investments, taking that first date, or stepping out of a box and daring to be different. This occurs because we are hoping to obtain a positive reward. This plasticity brings about cognitive and behavioral interest, which in turn, encourages engagement and exploration and, oftentimes a commitment to personal growth. “Research shows that psychological plasticity is associated with high levels of idea generation, engagement with
everyday creative activities, and publicly recognized creative achievement. Plasticity has a blend of both extraversion and openness to new experience, and dopamine is a source of this exploratory motivation,” according to authors S. Kaufman and C. Gregorie. There are differences between extraversion and openness to experience, the authors explain, because extraverts seek environmental rewards. They also have qualities such as talkativeness, sociability, they are emotionally positive, assertive, and get excited when they talk. They also get thrilled by the possibility that they might get to learn new information. They get thrilled with the knowledge chase and this is what most excites them. Dopamine facilitates creativity, which includes night dreaming and daydreaming. People who are open to new experiences report that they dream more often and dream more vividly than those less open. This may be due to higher levels of dopamine production which
surges into the right hemisphere of the brain where openness to experience and dreaming occurs. The brain does not shut down at night and this could inspire creative insights in extraverts. It might be worth mentioning that these types of people rely on their intuitions more and that often their intuitions were, in fact, correct! The downside to this quality in extroverts is that they are more prone to distraction than others. Small things, such as a ticking clock, cannot be tuned out by some extraverts. This means that when creative geniuses of life get distracted a lot, they are quick to be diagnosed as having some kind of ADHD or other psychological diagnoses.
Cynthia Logan, PhD is a psychologist and a nationally certified counselor. E-mail her at pyschlogan@yahoo.com for more information.
We’re looking for the next cover of Healthy & Fit Magazine. Is it you? If you’re 24 or above, live in the Greater Lansing area and live a healthy and fit way of life, you may qualify to be a future cover. Contact Erica via her web site or call her to find out more.
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HEALTH
Movement matters Want to stay healthy? Move more
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OVID has certainly made the importance of health very clear and we have all seen how quickly things can change with an illness. While COVID is currently front and center in most people’s thoughts, it isn’t the only thing out there that can change your life. Heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and cancer can be devastating too. Movement matters.
Movement offers a defense If you’re looking to be more resilient and defend against these things, physical activity can do it. The dangers of being sedentary are well known and documented in research. Excessive sitting and sedentary time have even been called the new smoking. For many of us, sitting and being inactive is part of our jobs. However, research has shown that getting in enough movement can counteract the negative effects of being sedentary. A large study done in the U.K. found no association between the
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amount of time people were sedentary and their chances of illness. But the authors didn’t conclude that being sedentary is OK. Instead, they felt their findings were likely “attributable to a protective effect of the high volumes of daily walking.” The study was conducted in London, where people tend to spend much more time walking or standing than average. The people in the study had daily walking times that were over double the average amount reported in the U.K.
Physical therapists are experts in human movement While walking was the activity in this particular study, other research has shown that all kinds of movement can help protect your health. If you’re looking to get those protective benefits for yourself you could choose to walk, bike, lift weights, dance, or garden. If you’re not moving as much or as well as you’d like, see your physical
therapist. PTs are the most qualified professionals on the planet to help you move better and allow you to stay healthy and enjoy life. From designing a program to get you started or moving more to help you recover from an injury, your PT is the right person to look to for help. Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists Physical Therapy’s physical therapy clinics are currently accepting new patients. Visit orsmi.com or call them at 877-202-2175 to learn more or schedule an initial evaluation for physical therapy.
Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists, Physical Therapy,, is currently accepting new patients. Visit orsmi.com or call them at 877-202-2175 to learn more or schedule an initial evaluation for physical therapy.
Voted Best Physical Therapy in Lansing Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists has been named the Best Physical Therapy Provider in Lansing, & is excited to now serve West Lansing & Grand Ledge!
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With friends like these ... Friendship can return many times what you give
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have some amazing friends in my life where we hold each other accountable for our goals. We check in with each other and see how we are holding up with the daily grind, our emotional and physical health, relationships, and personal as well as professional goals. We celebrate each other’s accomplishments no matter the size because they all are significant. We care. We love. We share. We are willing to be vulnerable with each other. We have this relationship because we equally give as much as we receive. No relationship can be complete unless it is a complete circle. The wedding ring. The infinity symbol. True friendship. What is fascinating is that I don’t know deep details about these particular friends’ lives. I have not known them for decades, some but only Chrysalis ad.pdf 1 10/25/19 a few years.
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The details of events, what our hair looked like back in 1988, or even how 11:52 AM old we are do not seem to matter. We
find that is not the meat of the relationship. Our intimacy comes in the circle of receiving as much as we give.
• REFLEXOLOGY • USUI HOLY FIRE REIKI • HEALING RETREATS •
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BY LAURIE DEBRUIN
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Laurie DeBruin 2380 Science Parkway • Suite 108 • Okemos, MI 48864 517.648.1980 • chrysalisreflexology@gmail.com
BO DY STRE TCH AND M INDF ULNE SS
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MIND
• HYPNOSIS FOR HEALING • GROUP HYPNOSIS • MEDITATION •
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In that simple formula is trust. Let’s face it, we have family members and childhood best friends that know every detail of our life and are unable to give and receive. We have relationships that feel one-sided. When we look deep into our patterns in a relationship, do we permit ourselves to give as much as we receive? Often more difficult than that is permitting ourselves to receive as much as we give. “Manifest Much?” my friend jokingly said to me. I could hear his loving tease that also reflected admiration and the pull for him to keep going. We keep each other going whether we talk once a month or a few times a week. We are equally aligned even a town apart. I don’t even necessarily tell him everything I do, nor does he to me, but we know. We have equal goals. We know that if I ever needed him, or he needed me, we’d drop everything to help boost, love, nurture or slap you know what out of each other. I think I have known him for three years. The details do not matter. He does not expect me to regularly check in on him. Yet he often beats me to the punch. He may hear what I am
up to via his partner from an Instagram post. Does not matter. We know we care. I do not expect him to show me certain actions to know that he loves me. When you give without expecting anything back, we tend to receive tenfold in return. The continuous flow of love in a friendship is trusting, infinite and beautiful. As this article started taking shape, I messaged him excitedly and told him that I was writing about him with no real details. Of course, in return, he says that he is excited to read it. He never questioned or became worried about what was going to be published. He was just happy to be sharing with me. He proceeds to say, “By the way, I graduated with my masters on Mother’s day!” Yes, the day that HE messages me wishing ME a happy Mother’s Day. He has never even met my children. I could have chosen to go to that guilty place. Stating that I was a terrible friend or make excuses that I didn’t know the graduation date. The pointless garbage that disrupts the ring of friendship. We do not have to play that game.
We simply share in each other’s success as equally as our epic fails. We encourage each other’s manifestations because we understand the work behind it. Our epic fails have become less and less and we laugh at the little things since we came together just a few short years ago. He tells me that a master’s degree is easy compared to motherhood. I tell him that this goes to show what an amazing human being that he is. “I’m just a very simple guy who loves you!” We ask for nothing from each other, yet we give each other everything in unconditional kindness. Both of our lives are better for it. Give without expectations and you shall receive. Receive just as lovingly, for we are all worth that type of love. Equally. Manifest much.
Laurie DeBruin CCH,CRR is the owner of Chrysalis Reflexology Hypnosis & Enrichment Center. Reach her at (517) 648.1980.
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GENERATION ‘US’
BY TOM MATT
A mental pivot
Find your spark with attitude, gratitude and fortitude
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hat song do you hear in your head when you wake up in the morning? Is it something inspirational that gets you ready for a new day? Or do you just dread the thought of the upcoming day? If you feel that way let us do the mental pivot! We need to be engaged in our work; time to find a spark. That spark can change the whole mental perspective and change dread to delight. If you are reading this article you are halfway there. Reading is, in itself, a spark. Good for you! Personal momentum is derived from attitude, gratitude, and fortitude. If someone in your day asks you to do something, leverage today’s pivoting attitude of acceptance and blend in the grateful heart. Rather than immediately pivoting backward, getting defensive, and thinking of excuses why this request sucks, just pause. Five seconds can make a massive difference, allow your subconscious and conscious to agree because many times they do not. Now saying “yes” is not so hard. Random acts of kindness (RAK) that enable meeting new people cost nothing and can change your perspective. Intestinal fortitude is defined as courage and endurance to go on. A great example of this is a marathon runner, their intestinal fortitude is admirable. It does not have to be as challenging as a marathon. I love RAKs as they are fuel to my fortitude. Making new friends is that easy, social circles need to grow, every one. Lastly, think about broadening your horizons through continuing education. I am so grateful and carry so much gratitude in my heart because of finishing college at MSU during my 40’s. Nine years of grinding while raising children, working, and studying led to four published books, ten years (so far) as a NASM certified personal trainer, and ten seasons of talk radio. This does not happen without school. Find something you like: group fitness, academic, or online. Look into how to make it real. Decide to get going. Always keep these words in your head: • Significant • Enduring • Wonderful • Amazing
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Visit our new website:
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HEALTH
BY KIMBERLY WHITFIELD
Functional fitness With age comes a shift in the goal for your workouts
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s we grow older our bodies change, therefore, it’s important to find ways to adjust our workouts. For me, I’ve noticed the benefits of incorporating functional fitness into my workout routine. Functional fitness is about preparing you for life rather than something specific like a big race or lifting competition. Think anything from squatting down to pick something off the floor, to turning and reaching for a box of cereal on a high shelf. This type of exercise mimics your everyday actions while en-
“Functional fitness is about preparing you for life.” gaging multiple muscle groups. Here are a few helpful ways to switch things up a bit and place less stress on your joints,
Catch some waves Swimming is a great way to lose weight, improve muscle strength, and boost mental health. It’s gentle on the joints and is an activity for all ages! With the weather getting warmer, this is a perfect time to incorporate a few laps a week into your weekly workout regimen.
Get your steps in and clear your mind after a busy day. Take advantage of the outdoors and the warm weather. You can be creative by walking in your neighborhood, finding trails or parks to make your walks more adventurous. So what are you waiting for? Put on your walking shoes and get moving!
flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight, and when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. Additional benefits of stretching include: heal and prevent back pain, improve posture, decrease tension headaches, and more! To get started, I would recommend looking for studios in your community that offer yoga, Pilates, or basic 20-30 minute stretch classes. You may want to consider online classes or checking out DVDs from your local library.
Start stretching
Love every ride
Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy. We need that
Cycling is a low-impact exercise, that limits impact stress on weight-bearing
Get walking
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joints, like your hips, knees, and feet. As a bonus, the movement helps lubricate the joints, which reduces pain and stiffness. If you are looking to switch things up a bit, consider biking with friends outdoors or cycling on a stationary bike at home or a local fitness center. Always remember to “keep calm and bicycle on!”
Kimberly Whitfield is the owner of Kimberly Inspiring Beauty in Strength, a fitness instructor at Go Workout Fitness Center and Trinity A.M.E. Church; a bodybuilder, and a public speaker. Visit her on the web at kwinspires.com for a list of her classes.
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