Don't miss any of HealthyWoman from Bottom Line.
Add our address, HealthyWomanfromBottomLine@ebhw.bottomlinesecrets.com,
to your Address Book or Safe List. Learn how here. | January 27, 2011 | |  |  | Core-Strengthening Moves You've Never Tried | | | The Absurdly Simple Secret to Boundless Energy | | | Is the Pill Still Right for You? | | | New INSTANT Cure for Extra High Cholesterol -- Cholesterol Drops 100 Points or More | | | New Key to Surviving Breast Cancer | | | |  |  | |  | |
 | | Core-Strengthening Moves You've Never Tried Aren’t you tired of doing the same old crunches in an attempt to get a flatter stomach and stronger core? I sure am -- especially since research shows that standard crunches don’t really do the job that well because they target only a limited number of core muscles. When I griped about this to Brad Schoenfeld, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and author of Women’s Home Workout Bible, he recommended five unique, effective and fun-to-do exercises... and there’s not a traditional crunch in the bunch. Schoenfeld’s core makeover works the abdomen and sides, as well as the mid-back, low-back and hip areas -- muscles essential for maintaining good balance and posture and preventing back pain (not to mention looking good in form-fitting clothes). His exercises require no equipment and can be done at home on a mat. (As with any new exercise activity, get your doctor’s OK before beginning.) You can work your core muscles every day as an add-on to your regular exercise session or as a stand-alone mini-workout. Unless otherwise indicated, try to do 10 repetitions of each move... as you improve, increase to 15 or 20 reps. For video demonstrations, see Schoenfeld’s Web pages at www.LookGreatNaked.com/resources/descriptions/abs.htm. Toe touches target the abdominal muscles, especially the upper abs. Start: Lie face-up, arms and legs extended straight up toward ceiling. Raise head several inches off floor... raise upper back slightly to maintain tension on target muscles. Move: Contracting abs, curl torso up and forward as much as possible, reaching for toes, while keeping lower back on floor... hold for a count of one... slowly return to starting position. Side jackknives work the sides of the abdomen. Start: Lie on left side, legs straight and together. Bend left arm and prop yourself up on left forearm, so left side of torso is several inches off floor. Bend right elbow and place right fist gently against right ear, so right elbow points toward ceiling. Move: Raise right leg about 18 inches... at the same time, bend at right side of torso (without twisting) to raise torso as high as you comfortably can, bringing right elbow closer to right leg... hold for a count of one... slowly return to starting position. After one complete set, repeat on opposite side. Superwoman strengthens the lower back and buttocks area. Start: Lie face-down with arms stretched out overhead and resting on floor... legs straight and together... and head and neck aligned with spine. Move: Keeping front of torso on floor, tighten buttocks muscles and simultaneously lift arms and legs off floor as high as possible (as though flying like Superwoman)... hold for a count of one... slowly return to starting position. Reverse curls focus on the lower abs. Start: Lie face-up on floor, arms at your sides. Bend knees and bring them toward chest until buttocks are lifted slightly off floor. Move: Contracting abs, tilt pelvis toward chest and raise buttocks as high as possible while keeping mid-back and upper back pressed against floor... hold for a count of one... slowly return to starting position. Bird dog builds strength in the entire core. Start: Get down on hands and knees, keeping back straight and head aligned with spine. Move: Straightening left leg, simultaneously extend left leg and right arm until they are parallel to floor. Hold for as long as possible... slowly return to starting position. Repeat on opposite side. Source: Brad Schoenfeld, MSc, is certified as a strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and as a personal trainer by both the American Council on Exercise and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. He is the owner of the Personal Training Center for Women in Scarsdale, New York, and author of seven fitness books, including Women’s Home Workout Bible and Sculpting Her Body Perfect (both from Human Kinetics). www.LookGreatNaked.com
| | |
 | | Is the Pill Still Right for You? I recently overheard a group of women, obviously friends in their 20s and 30s, talking about birth control pills -- which types they had tried, which ones they liked, which brands had unpleasant or dangerous side effects. When was the last time you had such a conversation with your girlfriends... or with your doctor? If you are heading toward menopause, you are due to have that discussion with your gynecologist, I was told by Richard P. Dickey, MD, PhD, chief of reproductive endocrinology and infertility in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Louisiana State University Medical School. Reason: Recent research provides surprising revelations about the benefits and risks of oral contraceptives. So if you are not taking "the Pill" now and thought that you were too old, you might want to reconsider. If you are on it, you need to make sure that it is still safe, given your lifestyle and medical history... and also make sure that the type you are taking has minimal side effects for you. Have you heard? To minimize the risk for an unintended pregnancy, you should continue to use birth control until one full year has passed without a menstrual period. And despite what many women think, oral contraceptives do not delay the onset of menopause. Here’s what you need to know now about oral contraceptives... The Pill recently celebrated its 50th birthday (like many of its users), and it is taking middle age quite well despite earlier fears that it might be detrimental to users’ long-term health. Evidence: A recent study in BMJ (British Medical Journal), which involved more than 46,000 women who were observed for up to 39 years, found a significantly lower rate of death from any cause among women who had ever used the Pill, compared with women who had never used it. Also, a study published in Contraception found that oral contraceptives strongly protected against death from uterine cancer and ovarian cancer. Surprisingly, many of these protective effects persisted for years after users stopped taking the Pill -- which means that oral contraception often is a particularly good choice for women with a family history of uterine or ovarian cancer, Dr. Dickey said. Good news for the perimenopausal: Combination estrogen/progestin oral contraceptives (the most common type) alleviate many annoying menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness... and also may help midlife women maintain muscle tone in the pelvic floor, which is important for preventing incontinence. Bonus: Oral contraceptives (particularly the low-dose type) often lighten perimenopausal menstrual periods or make them stop altogether. All birth control pills are not created equal -- different brands have different ratios of estrogen to progestin -- so if one brand causes side effects for you, talk to your doctor about other options. For instance, Dr. Dickey said, developing migraines might mean that your pill has too much estrogen... developing depression, fatigue or increased appetite might suggest too much progestin. Some studies indicate that being overweight interferes with the contraceptive effects of the Pill. To reduce pregnancy risk, overweight women may be advised against using a low-dose formulation and also should be careful to take their pills exactly as prescribed, Dr. Dickey suggested. Important: Many drugs and supplements (including acetaminophen, antibiotics and St. John’s wort) can interact with progestin, reducing the Pill’s effectiveness. Be sure to tell your doctor about any medications or supplements you take. Who should not use the Pill: If you are over age 35 and a smoker, oral contraception is not an option for you -- there is a clear link between Pill users who smoke and an increased risk for breast cancer, cardiovascular disease and potentially life-threatening blood clots. Also: Oral contraceptives containing estrogen are not appropriate for women with a history of heart disease, uncontrolled hypertension, blood clots or estrogen-dependent cancer. It is not that the Pill is believed to cause those conditions, Dr. Dickey said, but rather that it can exacerbate existing conditions. Some women with such conditions can take a progestin-only oral contraceptive, however, so discuss this possibility with your doctor. Source: Richard P. Dickey, MD, PhD, is a clinical professor and chief of reproductive endocrinology and infertility in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Louisiana State University Medical School in New Orleans. He also is the founder of the Fertility Institute, which has three clinics in Louisiana, and author of Managing Contraceptive Pill/Drug Patients (EMIS). www.FertilityInstitute.com
| | |
| | | New Key to Surviving Breast Cancer In a recent study, mid-stage breast cancer patients attended a "psychological intervention program" consisting of 26 counseling sessions in one year. They learned ways to reduce stress, increase social support, improve diet and exercise, and comply with cancer treatment. Encouraging results: Compared with a control group that did not attend the program, study participants were 45% less likely to have a cancer recurrence and 56% less likely to die from breast cancer during the seven- to 13-year follow-up. If you have cancer: Your doctor or a mental health professional can refer you to a psychological intervention program in your area. Source: Barbara Andersen, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at The Ohio State University in Columbus and leader of a study of 227 patients.
| | |
 |  |  Tamara Eberlein, the editor of HealthyWoman from Bottom Line, has been a health journalist for nearly three decades. An award-winning author of four books, she is committed to helping other women in midlife and beyond live healthy, fulfilling lives. She is also the "chief health adviser" to her husband of 25 years, college-age twins and teenaged son. |  | | Bottom Line Publications | 281 Tresser Boulevard, 8th Floor | Stamford, CT 06901
You received this free E-letter because you have requested it. You are on the mailing list as healthwellness82@gmail.com. Or... a friend forwarded it to you. Click here to easily unsubscribe. To change your e-mail address click here. To update your e-mail preferences click here.
© 2011 by Boardroom Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
No comments:
Post a Comment