Cure Yourself of the Office Worker’s Hunch

Training

by Adam of shapeshifters.com

You begin the day with the best of intentions. And then you get a stressful phone call that sets you off… You know what comes next. You hunker down to write that report. And the next thing you know you’re hunched over the keyboard like Quasimodo pining after Esmeralda…

Very few people in our modern world are “hunch immune.” Commutes, conference tables, computer stations and La-Z-Boy chairs — they all conspire to reshape us in their own image!

And it’s a self-perpetuating cycle. The more you hunch, the more your pecs and biceps tighten up, and the more you get pulled into that hunch… Is there any escape? Calgon take me away….! (Adam: …psst…. that’s only for dishes… jeez, doesn’t he ever get into the kitchen???)

Thankfully, yes. You CAN have a straight back again, and you can re-learn how to walk with the sort of posture and poise that commands every room you step into. Even the lunchroom.

It’s simply a matter of releasing tight tissues periodically throughout your day while simultaneously awaking and activating their “antagonists” — the muscles of the rear shoulder and upper back.

Here’s our favourite Shapeshifter “hunch breaker.” It’s a movement that we use several times throughout the day:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pF_LONm2CNs]

Keeping your thoracic region open and well balanced is a key to improving your overall well being. You’ll breathe better by freeing up your lungs. You’ll look better — tall and proud — and people will interact with you differently. Your body language has a profound effect on your mood, so you’ll probably also notice an increase in positive feelings.

Best of all, you might find that chronic lower back and/or neck pain begins to fade away. Lack of mobility in the thoracic region can actually manifest as pain above or below those regions. That pain in the neck might not be caused by your boss after all!

Remember: Everything in your body is interconnected. Your entire muscular system is enveloped by a substance called myofascia. It’s a big web of connective tissue that transfers force and tension throughout your body. If it tightens up in one place, problems eventually start radiating out into other areas.

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Implied Goals vs Your Goals

Weekly Motivation

by John Barban

Health and fitness marketing is designed around a set of implied goals such as: muscle building, weight loss, enhanced performance, a heightened feeling of well being.

These are the generic goals that most marketers assume you’re interested in but nobody can choose your goals for you.

Your goals have to be a personal choice. Once you’ve stated your personal goals clearly it becomes much easier to take action on them and avoid distractions that don’t bring you closer to your goal.

If you don’t state a clear goal you can end up with dozens of unfinished projects, lots of money wasted on programs, supplements, food and books. And worst of all you can end up discouraged and thinking that your a failure.

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An Active Approach to Managing Menopause

Weekly Motivation

Get Moving to Relieve Discomfort

— By Rebecca Pratt, Staff Writer

You’ve heard the jokes and the horror stories. But often, faced with the onset of menopause, most of us don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Luckily, if you’re determined to stay fit—or get fit— there’s no time like perimenopause to begin a sensible physical regimen.

Physical activity, the most effective alternative therapy available for women who experience menopausal symptoms, allows women to manage both their bodies and emotions. When you exercise, your adrenal glands are stimulated to convert the male hormone androstenedione into estrogen. Just four 30-minute exercise sessions per week are enough to keep you “topped off” with estrogen.

Regular exercise can benefit you in a number of ways as you pass through menopause: strengthening your heart and bones, avoiding or minimizing weight gain, improving your mood and sense of overall well-being. It also reduces the duration and intensity of those infamous hot flashes. In a recent Swedish study, researchers found that postmenopausal women who exercised were able to handle menopause without Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT); in fact, some of them did not experience hot flashes at all. Other studies have found similar beneficial results, including mood elevation in pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women. Indeed, studies have shown that regular physical activity benefits not only women going through natural menopause but also those on HRT.

On the other hand, being sedentary as you approach menopause opens you up to a host of potential problems. Sedentary women are far more prone to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity; they’re also more likely to suffer stiffness and chronic back pain, irregularity, poor circulation, shortness of breath, weak muscles, depression, and sleep disturbances. Walking, jogging, dancing, swimming, biking and other aerobic activities help circumvent these problems. What’s more, studies have shown that women engaging in aerobic activity or strength training have reduced mortality from cancer.

Being active will also help you keep osteoporosis at bay—thus lowering the risk of bone fractures in your later years—since bones diminish in size and strength if you’re inactive. Because exercise stimulates the cells that help generate new bone tissue, bone mass lost through disuse can be re-built with weight-bearing activity. In fact, even postmenopausal women can help preserve bone mass in their spine with regular exercise.

Physical activity also raises the level of endorphins in the blood, enhancing your mood and allowing you to respond positively in the face of stress. Partly the result of estrogen in a woman’s body, these “feel-good” biochemicals also help regulate body temperature—which in turn can diminish the frequency and intensity of hot flashes. In one study of postmenopausal women who were physically active, severe hot flashes and night sweats were only half as common.

Last, but certainly not least, regular exercise may allow you to maintain better mental agility by increasing the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain. A study comparing older women who were sedentary with older women who exercised regularly for four months, found that the active group processed information faster when tested. In addition, exercise may slow down the loss of dopamine, a neurotransmitter which helps prevent shaking and stiffness that come with old age.

What type of exercise routine should you plan if you’re gearing up for (or going through) menopause? Generally there are three components to a healthy routine: appropriate stretching exercises to improve and maintain flexibility, resistance training to delay loss of bone and muscle tissue, and aerobic activity that will strengthen your overall health and help you maintain a sensible weight.

The bottom line is that whether you crave solitude and independence on an early morning walk or an exercise class that’s always a social occasion, you’ll be much better prepared to soar through menopause if you’re taking care of the body you’re in. You may still have those flashes— but they may be warm rather than hot, and a lot easier to endure!

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7 Whole-Grain Pastas You’ve Never Tried

Nutrition

Expand Your Palate with New-to-You Noodles

— By Sarah Haan, Registered Dietitian

Pasta is such a versatile food, it’s no wonder it’s so popular. A survey conducted by the National Pasta Association found that 77% of Americans eat pasta at least once per week. Used as a side dish or main entree, eaten hot or cold, topped with a variety of different items, pasta is a great source of energy (carbohydrates) that helps power your mind through a tough day at work or school and your body though a challenging workout at the gym. You might have already made the switch to 100% whole-wheat pasta, but that’s not the only variety of whole-grain pasta. Did you know that a wide variety of other whole-grain noodles are readily available in grocery stores these days?

Flours from other whole grains, such as brown rice, kamut, quinoa, buckwheat, corn and spelt, can all be used to make high-fiber, heart-healthy pastas, which each has its own flavor and nutritional profile. Being precise in cooking whole-grain pastas is important, as the texture can change greatly if you accidentally undercook or overcook them. This is especially true when cooking gluten-free pastas, as they tend to fall apart a bit more because they lack the sturdy protein, gluten, which helps bind pasta.

Here’s an introduction to some of the most common whole-grain pastas you can find at the supermarket.

Buckwheat pasta
Buckwheat is technically a grass, not a grain. It’s gluten-free, so is wonderful for people with celiac disease. Buckwheat seeds are ground into a dark flour, which is used to make this pasta, also called “soba noodles.” The noodles are a dark brown-gray color and have a nutty flavor. Some companies add wheat flour to ground buckwheat when making pasta, so be sure to check the label if you’re trying to avoid gluten. They’re often used in Asian cooking.

Whole-wheat couscous
Couscous is a tiny, circular pasta from North Africa and the Middle East. It’s becoming increasingly popular in America but is most often made with refined wheat flour. However, you can find whole-wheat couscous. Couscous is generally steamed or boiled in water and can be topped with stews, eaten plain, or flavored with various herbs and spices. It’s commonly stocked in the grains section of larger grocery stores.

Brown rice pasta
Made from ground whole brown rice, brown rice pasta is lighter in color than many whole-wheat varieties and mild in flavor. It is touted as having a smooth texture that is firm and is generally found in the gluten-free section of grocery stores or  health food stores. It has to be cooked slightly longer than wheat pastas but can be used just as you would any other pasta in hot dishes, salads, soups, casseroles or other dishes.

Kamut pasta
Kamut is a type of whole wheat. It contains gluten but is usually tolerated by those allergic to the common, crossbred versions of wheat. It has a richer, almost buttery flavor and can be found in many shapes, such as penne, spaghetti and fusilli.

Quinoa pasta
Quinoa is the seed of a grass-like plant found in the Andes Mountains of South America. It is not technically a grain, but it is often referred to as a whole grain because it is nutritionally similar. It resembles couscous in size and shape but is ground into flour to make gluten-free pasta (often made with a blend of quinoa and corn flours). It’s superior to traditional white flour pasta in amounts of protein, iron and phosphorous and is considered a complete protein, which is important to vegetarians.

Spelt pasta
Spelt is a close relative of wheat but yields noodles with a deeper flavor. It combines well with olives, feta cheese and tomatoes for a Mediterranean-inspired dish. This niacin-rich ancient grain can help with heart health by lowering total and LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Corn pasta
Pasta made from stone ground corn is yet another whole grain, gluten-free option when it comes to choosing noodles. It can range from white to yellow in color, depending on the type of corn used. This type of pasta can be a bit mushy, so it’s best to avoid using it in soups. Try combining it with spinach, peppers, or sun-dried tomatoes.

Use the table below to help you decide which types of whole-grain noodles will be best for you and your nutritional goals. Each brand and variety will have a different flavor, so you might want to experiment with a range of new-to-you whole grains.

Each of these values represents a single 1/4 cup (1 oz) serving of dry pasta. The fat content in all varieties is less than 1 gram per serving!

Pasta Calories Carbs Fiber Protein *Gluten-Free?
Whole wheat 99 21 g 2.5 g 4 g No
Quinoa 90 17 g 1.25 g 2 g Yes
Buckwheat 100 21 g 1.5 g 3 g Yes
Spelt 105 20 g 2.5 g 3.5 g No
Brown rice 97 20 g 2 g 2 g Yes
Kamut 105 19 g 3 g 5 g No
Corn 99 21 g 2.5 g 2 g Yes

*Please note that foods that are naturally gluten-free can be contaminated during the manufacturing process. Always read labels and look for certified gluten-free products if gluten intolerance is an issue for you.

Sources
www.ilovepasta.org
www.whfoods.com

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Overcome Life’s Little Annoyances

Weekly Motivation

By: Steve Calechman

Behold, if you will, the tragedy that is split pants.

There you are, cruising through another perfectly fabulous day—making deals, making money, making women swoon—when you innocently bend over to pick up a pen on the floor. Rrriiiip! Instantly, the conference room falls silent, every eye in the meeting turns your way, and your young, way-too-attractive assistant stifles a girlish giggle.

Day over, Mr. Big Shot? Not if you know how to overcome those split pants—or any other little problem that can turn a man’s day from amazing to appalling in the blink of an eye. And that is where we come in. We made a list of life’s daily annoyances and found simple but ingenious ways to solve every single one of them instantly.

You Split Your Pants at Work

Take them off. Turn them inside out. (Have you closed your office door, Mr. No Pants?) Now staple along the inner seam. There’s extra fabric where the stitching is, so your handiwork won’t be seen and, more important, won’t be felt, says Courtney Kilmartin, a makeup artist and wardrobe stylist in Boston.

You Get a Blister Under a Toenail

Hold a paper clip with tweezers or pliers; heat the end of it with a lighter until it’s red hot and touch the tip to the surface of the nail so it goes through. (Nails don’t have nerves, so there won’t be any pain, you baby.) The blood will come out, relieving the pressure or pain, says Richard Zane, M.D., an emergency room physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Ah, relief.

You Sit on Gum on the Bus

Ice it. Once the gum hardens, scrape it off with a credit card. If ice doesn’t work, put some peanut butter on the spot and let it sit for 5 minutes—the gum will come off in pieces, says Laura Dellutri, owner of America’s Cleaning Connection in Kansas City, Kansas. Finish up with a damp cloth to pull up the residue. You risk an oil spot, but then, that’s probably preferable to Bazooka.

You Lose a Contact Lens

Put the remaining contact in whichever eye is stronger. It will take over more of the work, says Elliott Myrowitz, O.D., M.P.H., an optometrist at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins. That should make you less likely to fall down a flight of steps.

You Burn the Roof of Your Mouth

Stop feeling the burn by gargling with a 50-50 mix of water and hydrogen peroxide. It helps dissolve dead tissue, and it’s fizzy—sorry for the technical medical-speak—so it feels good, Dr. Zane says.

You Eat Garlic Before a Meeting

Before you leave the restaurant, go to the bar and dip a lemon twist in a pinch of salt and chew on it, says Peter Kelly, a chef instructor at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. The lemon oil and salt will help break down the garlic. The tequila’s optional.

You Have Food on Your Tie

If the spot is crusty, scrape off as much as you can with a credit card, Dellutri says. Then dab the stain with your tongue—saliva breaks down the food, as it would if you had actually gotten it into your mouth. For oil or grease stains, sprinkle baby powder on the spot; cover it with several paper towels and put a book on it, says Clare Spiegel, an image consultant in Coral Springs, Florida. The paper towels will absorb the stain.

You Keep Laughing in a Meeting

Breathe deeply from your diaphragm and squeeze a pen with your fingers. The former will help you relax, and both will give you something else to focus on, says Leslie Shapiro, a behavior therapist at the OCD Institute at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. Need something else to think about? Your grandparents making out. You’re welcome.

You Get Ink on Your Shirt

Best tip: Go straight to the dry cleaner. Can’t leave work? Then put a paper towel underneath the fabric and shoot the spot with hair spray (someone in the office will have some). Then wet another paper towel and press it against the ink, Dellutri says. The ink will go into the paper towel that’s underneath.

Your Hair’s Sticking Up in a Spot

Hit the men’s room and dab a little liquid soap on the roots of the flyaway hair, says Leslie Baumann, M.D., director of cosmetic dermatology at the University of Miami school of medicine. It will coat the hair and prevent static electricity—the cause of your problem.

You Can’t Remember His Name

Just say, “I’m sorry, it’s been one of those days. Would you tell me your name again?” says Jacqueline Whitmore, of the Protocol School of Palm Beach. Don’t say you don’t remember—it looks as if you don’t care. You might not; just don’t look that way.

You Forgot Her Birthday

Hop online and make a weekend reservation at a hotel, inn, or B&B, since they’re open 24 hours. (Expedia.com and orbitz.com can help with hotels.) Then make a card that looks like a coupon for the trip, says Paul Joannides, author of Guide to Great Dates. She’ll actually think you’re romantic.

You Overcooked the Pasta

Saute it with some olive oil. It’ll remove excess moisture, Kelly says. You can also throw the pasta in a baking dish, cover it with sauce and some cheese, and nuke it for 5 to 7 minutes, or use the oven for 15 minutes at 350°F.

The Cork Breaks into the Bottle

Pour the wine into a decanter (a glass or ceramic pitcher will do) and the pieces will float and stick to the sides of the original bottle, says Cat Silirie, wine director at No. 9 Park restaurant in Boston. If the cork turns into dust, pour the wine through a coffee filter.

You Can’t Fall Asleep

Make two columns on a pad of paper. On one side write down what’s bothering you, and on the other write down what you’ll do about it, even if it’s “I’ll deal with it tomorrow,” says Edward O’Malley, Ph.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut. Now you’ve been productive and gotten the thoughts out of your head. Then go watch a rerun of a sitcom. You’ll be distracted without becoming too engaged.

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