Tag: gordon and shelli thompson

Now Thats A Stretch!

Posted on by Shelli Thompson
 
 

Downward Dog is a Great Stretch

 That your doctor will tell you before you get stiff and can’t touch your toes that you need to keep your flexibility as you age in order to lead a healthy life is a real stretch.  If your doctor told you before it was almost too late it would be really helpful.

 I taught fitness classes for 25 years of varying nature.  I taught from age 2 1/2 all the way to 90 years old and one thing I always did was talk about the importance of flexibility.

 Many people would ask my advist after their doctor told them that they need to work on flexibility with different stretches.  Many of those students could only reach about mid shin when they reached for the floor.

 I saw tremendous improvement in many students after attending Yoga and classes specifically designed for stretching and addressing stiffness that comes with age.

 Why is this so important?

You see, we only have 4 types of tissues in our bodies.  These tissues are made up of cells with the intelligence to know what they are needed for.

 Within each type of tissue there are different uses for instance Epithelium is our skin and it has different functions such as protecting us from the outside world, it absorbs in the stomach and intestinal lining, it filters in the kidneys and it secretes from glands.

 So let’s look at Muscle tissue and the different functions it performs.

 Muscles are responsible for body movement, muscles move blood, food, and waste through the body’s organs and it is also responsible for mechanical digestion.

 If you notice Muscles are responsible for moving blood and blood runs through veins.  The walls of your veins have the same type of tissue that your muscles are made up of.

 What we all need to understand is that when you have a tissue type in the body that is affected in a negative way all of the tissue that is similar in nature will have a similar problem.  If muscles get stiff all of the tissue that has the same make up will be affected.

 So if we have the same tissue responsible for our muscles and our veins, what do you suppose will happen to your veins when your muscles get stiff and inflexible?

 I think you got that right, your veins become stiff and hard, allowing for the sticky, gunky build up known as plaque and also allows cholesterol to block the veins due to their lack of flexibility.  The real danger though is the build up of plaque.  This Plaque can break free from the walls of your veins and arteries and actually cause blockage.  Depending on where the blockage is it can lead to a heart attack or a stroke.

 Do we want to wait until we are all stiff and “stoved” up before we start to work on our flexibility?  Certainly not and the reason for that is it can be a long road back to having some semblance of flexibility if you have lost it at an older age. 

Chances are you won’t get it back completely but there is definitely a chance of that happening with perseverance and determination and the really important ingredient would be dedication.

 Don’t let you muscles get stiff, make sure and stretch morning and evening and you will never be sorry you took the 10 minutes to get it done, it is an investment in your future.

 Make sure and join Health Pulse Magazine and they explore stretching and lengthening all of the muscles in the body in their special series, “That’s a Stretch” coming soon.

 Make sure and subscribe to Health Pulse Magazine to get all sorts of health information.  We have made it easy, just put your name and email in the box to the right and you will gain instant access to our latest issue

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On Taking A Handful of Vitamins and Jumping Off A Cliff

Posted on by Shelli Thompson

 

No Choice but To give an Interview...=D

We all are comfortable in our routines, at our homes or at work. We do certain things to keep us comfortable, healthy and happy.

But what happens when you are away from home and out of your natural routine? It can be easy to ignore all of the little things that we are used to, like for instance 8 hours of sleep. Sometimes we completely loose our routine and we find our self out of whack.

You see when you allow this to happen, not only are you heading down hill to the “outta whack” place but it also takes time to come back from that place and all of that time reduces your productivity.

It is imperative that you bring some comforts of home with you when you are away, maybe some food that you are familiar with or it could be as simple as your pillow.

I had the pleasure of interviewing a friend of mine, Wayne Allyn Root. He talks about the ways he keeps him self in top notch condition and about his “healthy addictions” and how they work positively in his life.

The key here is that he refers to what he does as a habit. He has made a habit of having healthy, affirmative, positive things in his life and because it has become a habit, he doesn’t leave his habits behind when he leaves home. He continues to exercise, watch his nutrition, take his supplements, meditate and all of the other healthy habits he talks about in the video.  Make sure and check it out.

We had a wonderful day on the zip lines in Jamaica and we were all able to do that because we were all fit enough to go and we were all below the 250 pound weight limit. Not only that but we were all willing to try something new and adventurous, with terrific friends and I have to tell you there is nothing better for your health.

I really appreciate the time that Wayne took to talk about his healthy habits because as you can tell, He is a very busy person, he is generous with his time and such fun to hang out with.

Wayne is the economic advisor to Wealth Masters International and lends his name to that organization because he believes in what we are doing collectively, in addition to what he tells you on the video which is impressive all in itself.  He has written several books, his latest is Conscious of a libertarian and I suggest you pick it up and read it, it’s an eye opener.

Wayne is someone worth following so I suggest you find him on Face book and connect, he has some great things to say and he makes it his business to find out what is going on and keep all of us informed.

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How You Can Change Your Biochemistry

Posted on by Shelli Thompson
Get Your Body Moving

It seems that there is new information every day about the newest, the latest, the greatest diet, exercise, new past time or sport but what really doesn’t change at all is what our bodies really need.

First and foremost is good positive thoughts, wholesome nutrition, body movement and exercise, and stimulation for the brain of some sort.

We read all of the time how this benefits that and that help this and so on and so forth but if you really want to get down to the nitty gritty it seems to be a nutrition issue.  What to eat, when to eat it, what combinations are good and how much.

Lowering intake of sugars will certainly help you to loose belly fat.  The reason for that is belly fat is closely related with blood sugars and insulin.

However there are ways that you can do more.

When measuring biochemical changes in our bodies, scientists look for alterations in the metabolites. Some of these metabolites help us to stabilize our blood sugar and burn fat, to stay brief.  While studying exercisers they found changes in more than 20 different metabolites.

What that means is that being in optimum weight and exercising 4 to 5 times a week helps us maintain healthy glucose and insulin levels because of the sensitivity of our insulin receptors.

In order to enjoy good health it is essential to maintain healthy insulin levels.  In doing this we prevent all sorts of disease such as diabetes, heart, cancer you name it.

So even if you appear to be in good shape and don’t exercise you are putting yourself at risk.

The good news is that if you are out of shape or over weight, you can regain your health it just takes longer depending on how far you have to go and how determined you are to get there.  It isn’t an easy road so the best thing to do is watch it and don’t let it get out of control.

If you are really out of shape it’s nice to know that even 10 minutes of brisk walking will lead to beneficial biochemical changes and they last up to an hour.  So what if you were able to take several 10 minute brisk walks throughout the day?  You could accomplish a lot.

If you are already in good shape, chances are you go for a good “steady state” work out several times a week, but what would you say if I told you there was a better way to get results?

What if I told you that you could CUT BACK on the time you work out each week and get better results than what you are getting?

You would be interested wouldn’t you?

Stay tuned and we will talk about this more next time, we will make some changes and see how it works for you.

For now check out the importance of weight training here

to find out more about us make sure and visit us here

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Battle Brittle Bones

Posted on by Shelli Thompson
Click image for more information

Our bones are alive, in fact, your bones are continually remolding. The way you eat and exercise has a lot to do with the way your bones remold.

Collagen is a glue like substance made up of vitamin c and water and this makes up the structure of our body such as skin, bones, teeth, blood vessels, cartilage, tendons and ligaments so that includes all connective tissue in our body.

Calcium is a mineral that is stored in the bones so that it can be used whenever it is needed for many of our body’s vital functions. Our bones are made up of a combination of these two substances, Collagen and Calcium.

Our bones give off calcium and as they do that new bones are molded. The body always needs calcium so it will take it from your bones if the supply is low. This determines how the bones are remolded. Bones remolded with less calcium will tend to be brittle so eating a diet high in calcium is you first order of business.

As we get older bone production slows down. Our bones start loosing the ability to reshape new bones, over time the bones become less dense, brittle and more at danger of getting a fracture.

We have all hear of osteoporosis, that is the disease that accelerates the loss of bone tissue but natural aging is a culprit as well. Osteoporosis is most noticed by a humping over in the back, it can be slight or it can be quite severe.

The good news is that the rate of bone loss can be minimized by regular strength training. Lifting weights and Yes, that includes Pilates. During a mat work out you utilized your body weight for resistance and the equipment utilizes springs to allow for resistance.

Find out about resistance training, click here

The discipline of Pilates gives you the same benefits of a weight training. In addition to exercise make sure you get good amounts of calcium.

Study after study shows that you can slow the rate of bone loss just by walking and adding a resistance training to your exercise program along with good nutrition. Nobody wants to walk around with a stooped back or be susceptible to fractures.

The best thing to do is to build the bone density in your 20’s, 30’s and 40’s with exercise and good nutrition.

Did Joseph Pilates create the fountain of youth? You can be the judge of that but he did live a healthy life well into his 80’s. You too could grow old with Pilates, as us boomers get older it is more fashionable to grow old gracefully.

Find out more about Pilates by clicking here

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Sick and Eating

Posted on by Shelli Thompson
Too Good to leave it?

You have heard of Sick and Tired I’m sure but how about sick and Eating?

Americans are eating their way to obesity and all of the illness that comes with it.

We have heard so much recently about Health Care Reform and how all of the unecessary proceedures and tests, the greed factor and the lack of major competition are such an issue that will make reform very difficult.

Even the most thoughtful and efficient plan that Obama can come up with is going to be up against the rising tide of diet related disease.

So if the Government thinks that it’s going to be tough to get insurance to come around, how do they think they are going to go up against the agricultural quadrants?

The USA spends twice as much per person as most European countries on health care and that can be directly related to diet induced diseases such as diabetes, hypertention, high cholesterol, and the various cancers that have been linked to the western diet. We know it is because we are fatter.

one tenth of all health care spending is spent on obesity or the results of it.

The American way of eating is really the issue here. The president would like to see more healthy foods served in schools and his wife planted a garden on the white house grounds this summer.

Reform in the food system will need to be figured into the new health care plan but everyone is treating the problem like it doesn’t exist.

As long as our bad habbits are charged to the future there will be little notice. There will be lots of money made in the fast food industry coming up here and if the government takes over our health care then they will be paying for treating the diseases that the fast food caused. So in essence the government will be subsidizing both the treatment of type 2 diabetes and the consumption of high frictose corn syrup.


Insurance companies think it is more profitable to pay to treat a disease than to prevent it. When the playing field gets leveled and insurance is affordable, and “pre exisiting conditions” are not acceptable grounds for being turned down for insurance the relationsship between the medical and insurance business with the food industry will need to undergo a tremendous change.

When these new rules start, Health Insurance conpanies will soon discover they have a huge interest in reducing the rate of obesity and diseases linked to diet.

It won’t take long for the insurance company to figure out that they will spend more than $400,000 in a life time of a person who has diabetes. It would be $6,600.00 per year if they have a healthy client, so it will be in their best interest to educate and regulate (so to say)

This should be very interesting to watch as our Health Care debate heats up.

Are you one of the ones that are educated?

click here to find out why we over eat.

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Impressive crowds at the Race for the Cure

Posted on by Shelli Thompson
Racing for the cure

We were so impressed by the crowds at this years Race for the Cure.

It was dark when I got up but I could see the sun coming up on the horizon and I knew it was going to be a beautiful day. Rain or shine we were on our way downtown Portland with 40,000 other people.

We put the harness and a race for the cure T shirt on our 100 pound Labrdoodle and headed to meet our team at the MAX tracks for our 7 AM train.

Lilee our Dog had never been on a Max train but she didn’t mind it at all, she likes people and seemed to have a pretty good time.

We got on the train at the end of the line, the farthest it goes from Portland. As we went along and made stops, more and more people continued to get on the train until the pup was just a little squished.

Finally the train stopped in downtown and we got off. The crowds were just as impressive off the train as on.

The Race for the Cure is always so much fun. Everyone there is celebrating life in general or in specific ways so the energy level is pretty intense.

I saw people meeting and hugging and crying, teams that were pretty “snazzed” up with silly costumes. beautiful balloons and other pets joining their masters on the walk. I saw a Cat and even a turtle in costume. (imagine that).

The crowds were overwhelming to say the least. When the race starts they actually seperate us up two main roads for about 6 or 7 blocks before both streets join, it is a complete sea of people where ever you look.

I watched the survivors come across the finish line and was totally amazed and inspired by what I saw. I saw women with only one breast or none. I saw survivors walking and in wheel chairs. I saw a survivor that was a Man. Then there were a few that didn’t look to be more than 20 years old. Everyone was happy and smiling. The support that was on the streets of Portland on Sunday September 20th 2009 was something that makes my heart swell with pride.

THEN I FOUND OUT WHY

PORTLAND HOLDS THE THIRD LARGEST RACE FOR THE CURE IN THE WORLD

reported by oregonian newspaper

We were honored to be a part of that celebration

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End of life care

Posted on by Shelli Thompson

End of Life Care, So what’s the big deal?

I live in a state where it is widely regarded that none of us are getting out of here alive. There are two things in this life you can be sure of. One, you were born. And two, you pass away.

We have experienced quite a bit of this in the past year. Not just some distant relatives. First it was our Step Dad. Then a month later my husbands only sister.

Just about a month ago it was our Mom (my Mother in law). There are all different ways of dieing. As in the case of our step Dad. He was fine one day. The next day went to the hospital at 9 AM and had passed away by 2:30 PM. He was 83 years old. The other two weren’t as fortunate. Cancer played it’s part.

It is very hard to see a loved one die of a terrible disease. When we talk about “end of life care” it really just refers to the special needs of the senior community. That “end of life” could last years.

We had an “end of life care” discussion with Mom several times. In her doctors office, a specialists office, when Hospice got involved we had the discussion several times.

It had to be addressed. If you are any type of reasonable person you realize that the end of life is inevitable.

The important part here is the word CARE. How does a person want to be cared for at the end of his or her life?

In Oregon 78% of the population has advanced directives. Meaning they have stated what they want and in the case they are not able to express those wishes then someone is named that understands and makes the decisions for them. We are forward thinking about the subject.

Honestly, thinking that we are going to face some type of “tribunal” or something when we get into our later years is laughable. However facing life and making decisions about how you want to die is a very important topic.

It could mean the difference between being on life support for years with no quality of life maybe depending on Medicaid, Or passing away peacefully at home in an environment that is not “clinical”.

Our Mom had choices to make about the level of care she would receive. From the “whole enchelada” to just comfort and pain relief. She only had one diseased lung. She understood that this was the end of her life but none of us knew how long we were referring to. Her Doctor was very caring and concerned when we spoke of her care. It was private and she made her choice be known and we honored it to the crossing of the T’s and dotting of the I’s.

The end of our life is PART of our life. It need not be unmentionable, life needs to be celebrated no matter what the stage.

Find out about Extending Longevity by clicking here

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