HealthyLib: Don’t Believe Everything You Read – Evaluating Online Health Information

Posted by Debby Ridgell on January 29, 2012
Posted in: Health & Fitness Library. Tagged: , , . 1 Comment

   According to a recent Pew Research Center report, eight in ten internet users search for health and medical information online.  It’s all the more important, then, that the online information we find is reliable and accurate.  Anyone – egads, even Coach Stacy and I – can create content for the web, but there’s no telling whether or not the information you’re reading has been created by someone qualified to write it.  Just for the record, Coach Stacy is qualified.  Me?  Not as much.  But I’m top-notch at finding good information and passing it along. 

Speaking of good information, the National Library of Medicine has developed a brief and informative tutorial on how to evaluate online health information.  You’ll want to take that tutorial prior to doing any serious online health research.  The NLM website also features a concise article, “A User’s Guide to Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Web.”  The article features several of the criteria mentioned in the online tutorial in addition to  links to NLM’s various “Medspeak” brochures that are designed to assist laymen in deciphering the medical lingo used by health care professionals.  The article also provides links to top consumer health, cancer, diabetes and heart disease websites.

Here are a few of the health websites that Coach Stacy and I like:

  • www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus:  This is the Disneyland of health websites – you can browse for hours in wonder and amazement.  It features the latest in health and medical news, a user-friendly drug reference that includes herbs and supplements, a comprehensive medical dictionary as well as encyclopedia, tutorials on a variety of health topics, and the really juicy stuff – surgical videos.  Coach Stacy loves these.  She passes out at the very thought of having to get a shot but she salivates at the prospect of watching the video of an heart transplant procedure.  Go figure.
  • www.familydoctor.org:  This site is operated by the American Academy of Family Physicians and features basic health and wellness information for family members of all ages.  The feature we like best is the “Check Your Symptoms” tool.
  • www.cdc.gov:  Maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this website is packed with information on a variety of health/medical issues and diseases.  It’s an excellent source of health data and statistics and features a handy BMI calculator (which we’ve also added to Coach Stacy’s Healthy U).  The site is dynamic and updated daily with fresh content on healthy living.  My favorite feature?  Health-e-cards:  Over 100 different electronic greeting cards on a variety of health and prevention topics.  And get this – there’s even an iPhone app for the e-cards that you can download right from the site. 
  • www.pdrhealth.com:  Are you on drugs?  Do you need drugs?  This is the online version of the Physicians’ Desk Reference and provides accessible, easy to understand information about hundreds of medications, the usual dosages, possible side effects, contraindications, what to avoid while taking the medication, and more.  It’s a valuable resource in that it presents more information than you’d find on the side of the prescription bottle, but more concise and comprehensible than what’s included in the inserts, which most of us never bother to read anyway…..Beware, though, of annoying advertisements on the perimeters.
  • www.mayoclinic.com:  The Mayo Clinic site is a reliable, well-maintained tool.  Although it’s commercial, it nevertheless is a good resource for information when you’re not well.  Its Symptom Checker is handy for exploring the possible causes of illness. There’s also a helpful database of tests and procedures, many of which include videos that walk patients through the procedures in step-by-step detail so they know what to expect.  The site also features thousands of links for articles on healthy living as well as a myriad of healthy recipes.
  • www.webmd.com:  Web MD is a basically a busy and glitzy online health magazine.  Amid thousands of links to health and medical articles, online quizzes, and FAQs, you’ll stumble upon advertisements for Kaplan University’s nursing school and Target’s pharmacy.  The site is fun and informative, though, and even features a tab for pet health.  Naturally, Coach Stacy is all over that one.

And finally, your disclaimer.  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that web information should never replace advice from your medical practitioner, but rather, used to supplement your physician’s counsel.  Now start surfing already!

Coach’s Kitchen: Skinny Girl Margaritas

Posted by Coach Stacy on January 25, 2012
Posted in: Diet & Nutrition. Leave a comment

Awhile ago one of my clients suffered from severe migraines.  It was finally determined that her headaches were being caused by too high a sugar intake and she was placed on a diet restricting her sugars.  This helped enormously, but she found that every now and then she really craved certain high sugar foods and beverages like margaritas.  Her cravings were solved when she discovered this recipe for Skinny Girl Margaritas:

2 oz Patron Silver Tequila

1 oz Cointreau Liqueur

1 oz Lime Juice

1 Lime Wedge

Salt (optional)

Mix Patron, Cointreau, and Lime Juice in a shaker with ice.  Rim a glass and pour margarita over ice.  Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy

Calories:  199.7; Fat 0.0 g; Carbohydrates: 2.6 g; Protein 0.1 g

Check out Bethenny’s website for additional Skinny Girl drink and cocktail recipes.

Coach’s Daily Dose – Your Get Fit Game Plan

Posted by Coach Stacy on January 24, 2012
Posted in: Coach's Daily Dose. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

In my circle of friends and colleagues I’m considered a pretty tough cookie.  I gritted through twenty-one hours of labor to give birth to my daughter Presley.  As a party gag I squat press my husband Joe.  But the one thing that will reduce me once again to a quivering, tearful child is the prospet of being stuck with a hypodermic needle.  That fear has been present in my psyche since I was a child.  I don’t remember how it came about, but I do recall one fateful trip to the family doctor as an 8-year old.  When the nurse pulled out the booster-filled needle I high tailed it out to the parking lot and locked myself in the family car.  Not even the promise of Tootsie Pop could convince me to unlock the door.

 To this day, the very thought of my annual checkup gives me the willies. Of course, it’s not the physical itself that bothers me, but rather the blood panel afterwards.  But I know that if I want to be healthy, I need to have a game plan and that starts with knowing my numbers.  With today’s advances in the medical field we now have the ability to live 35% longer than ever before, with a greater quality of life – all the more reason to set and achieve some lifelong health goals.  So I have created a “Do List” to help you, too, get started with your own personal “Get Fit Game Plan.”

1. Get a Physical

  • Know your numbers
    • Blood pressure – under 140/90

American Heart Association Guidelines:

Blood Pressure
Category

Systolic
mm Hg (upper #)

 

Diastolic
mm Hg (lower #)

Normal
 

less than 120

and

less than 80

Prehypertension

120 – 139

or

80 – 89

High Blood Pressure
(Hypertension) Stage 1

140 – 159

or

90 – 99

High Blood Pressure
(Hypertension) Stage 2

160 or higher

or

100 or higher

Hypertensive Crisis
(Emergency care needed)

Higher than 180

or

Higher than 110
  • Heart rate.  The average resting heart rate is 60-80 beats per minute, but it’s usually lower for physically fit people.  It also rises with age.
  • Cholesterol – under 200; LDL under 130, HDL over 60 best protection against heart disease.
  • Blood glucose – under 100 mg/dL while fasting
  • BMI under 30; or waist measurement  <35 for women and <40 for men.  If you want to know your exact BMI, check out the “BMI Calculator” link on the Coach Stacy’s Healthy U home page.

From the Centers for Disease Control:

Height

Weight Range

BMI

 Weight Status

5′ 9″

124 lbs or less

Below 18.5

Underweight

125 lbs to 168 lbs

18.5 to 24.9

Normal

169 lbs to 202 lbs

25.0 to 29.9

Overweight

203 lbs or more

30 or higher

Obese
  • Body measurements and body fat testing are also useful for gauging your overall health. 

Women

Age Underfat Healthy Range Overweight Obese
20-40 yrs Under 21% 21-33% 33-39% Over 39%
41-60 yrs Under 23% 23-35% 35-40% Over 40%
61-79 yrs Under 24% 24-36% 36-42% Over 42%

Men

Age Underfat Healthy Range Overweight Obese
20-40 yrs Under 8% 8-19% 19-25% Over 25%
41-60 yrs Under 11% 11-22% 22-27% Over 27%
61-79 yrs Under 13% 13-25% 25-30% Over 30%

2. Mental & emotional attitude check up

  • What is going well for you?
  • What is not working for you?
  • What pumps you up?
  • What exhausts you?
  • What is stopping you from moving forward?

3. Set small goals for each week

  • My goal this week is to _______________________
  • Write your own life “Mission Statement” ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Draft a support team of family and friends to help cheer you on with your goals

5. Fitness  level checkup

  • Where do you fit in compared to others your age
    • Excellent
    • Very good
    • Good
    • Fair – 30x more likely to die in the next 2 years!
    • Bad –  see above

6. Stress and Anger management

  • What is the source of your stress?
    • Where is your stress on a scale of 1-10
    • Break your stress into small loads – one step at a time
  • What is the source of your anger?
    • Can you avoid that source?
    • Can you change your reaction to that source?
  • Choose a peaceful outlet to relax and sooth you
    • Get a pet
    • Journal your feelings
    • Meditate/pray – breathe
    • Yoga/Pilates/Tai Chi
    • Learn to live in the moment
    • Spa services
    • Walk
    • Read
    • Listen to music
    • Call someone who is soothing
    • Call a professional therapist if the need arises
    • Unplug

7. Healthy habits you need to develop

  • Good sleep habits – 7 to 8 hours
  • Take ten deep breaths daily
  • Get some Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, 20 minutes daily
  • Open windows for fresh air weekly
  • Drink green tea
  • Drink water
  • Cut the junk food and add healthy food items
  • Limit sugars and high fructose corn syrup
  • Limit processed foods and saturated fats
  • Eat Yogurt with live active cultures
  • Use sunscreen
  • Develop a positive attitude and gratitude
  • Floss teeth
  • Nasal irrigation
  • Take your Omega 3s (fish, walnuts, supplements)
  • Take vitamins
  • Remove clutter
  • Aspirin therapy – half a regular or 2 baby doses decrease the risk of heart attack by 35%  for women over 40 and men over 35 (ask your doctor)
  • Social outlets for fun – make time for you!

8. Go Shopping!

  • Purchase any equipment or gym memberships you may need
  • Buy clothing items you may need

9. Get active and chose some activities

  • Cardio – you need to build up to 10,000 steps a day or 30 minutes per day
  • Walk indoors or out
  • Participate in a fitness event
  • Try some outdoor activities
  • Bike indoors or out
  • Strength training
    • Join a gym
    • Hire a personal trainer to learn the basics then purchase equipment that you can use at home

10 Fun and Laughs get some it’s good for your health!

  • For fun I like to ______________
  • What makes you laugh?

 Debby and I both went for our check ups after the first of the year.  I’m happy to report that my numbers were quite good, despite the fact that I’d spent the entire holiday season eating my mother’s yummy, southern, home-cooked meals.  Debby, who ate very little of mother’s good eats, is a bit put out because some of her numbers came back elevated.  What gives?  Actually, Debby has a family history of heart, blood pressure and cholesterol problems, which is all the more reason for her to be on top of her readings.

Fitness and health are achievable for everyone – no matter what your age or genetic code – but it takes a little know how, a little planning and a little work.  Bottom line is that nothing happens until you get up off the couch and spring into action. 

When you’re moving, you’re improving!

 

The Good, the Bad, and the Artery Clogging: What to Eat and What to Avoid at the Rodeo

Posted by Debby Ridgell on January 21, 2012
Posted in: Uncategorized. 1 Comment

If you’re headed out to the rodeo this last weekend it’s in town, you’ll want to plan ahead so as to keep your New Year’s resolutions intact.  Dozens of food vendors sprinkle the Stock Show complex tempting you with high calorie fare.  Deep fried Twinkies, turkey legs, curly fries, ice cream…….yum.  You won’t find nutritional information on this stuff.  Eat your way through the complex and you’ll eat your way through 3,000 calories in just a few hours.  No problem – 15 hours on your treadmill will burn that right off.  Whoa, there, partner.  Think this through before you go, and save yourself a bucketful of calories and remorse.  Here’s a rundown of foods to eat and those to avoid at the Denver Coliseum or at any stadium or ballpark throughout the year:

Ditch This…..

Saddle Up With……
Cheese Nachos – 1,000 + calories per bowl Cracker Jack – 159 calories per package
Slice of Pepperoni Pizza – 485 calories Hotdog with ketchup or mustard – 290 calories
Corndog – 700 calories Corn on the Cob with butter – 180 calories
Ice Cream – 400 calories/cup Fat Free Frozen Yogurt – 200 calories/cup Snow Cone – 120 calories
Funnel Cake – 1,000 calories Popcorn oil popped without butter – 190 calories
Peanuts – 840 calories/8 oz bag Sunflower Seeds – 170 calories/bag
Hamburger on bun – 490 calories Grilled Chicken Sandwich on bun – 280 calories
Smoked turkey leg – 1,100 calories Cup of chili – 280 calories
Deep fried Twinkie – 425 calories Chocolate covered banana – 250 calories
Margarita – 550 calories Light Beer – 103 calories

More Tips on Healthy Eating at the stadium:

  1. Eat before you go – preferably meals with protein and fiber – so that you’re not hungry and not so tempted when you pass the concession stands.
  2. Satisfy your food cravings, but in moderation.  If you’ve had a hankering for a funnel cake for the last six months, go ahead take the plunge – just don’t eat the whole thing.
  3. Share the goods and share the calories.  Give half of your serving to your friend or date.
  4. Get your steps in.  Walk around the concourse a couple of times to burn off some of the calories you’ve eaten.
  5. Drink plenty of water – it helps you feel fuller – and it’s good for you.
  6. If you can, bring healthy snacks like raw fruits and veggies or air popped popcorn with you and nosh on them instead of the concession food.

Coach’s Kitchen: Healthy Eats after a Day at the Rodeo

Posted by Coach Stacy on January 21, 2012
Posted in: Diet & Nutrition. 4 Comments

Got a hankering for something spicy after a day at the rodeo?  My friend and client Toni sent this dish in from her stash of Weight Watchers recipes.  She says it’s quite simple to prepare and cook – and easy on hips too.

  Mexican Chicken and Bean Pizza

Prep time 12 minutes; Cook time 12 minutes

3 sprays cooking spray

4 small corn tortillas

8 oz uncooked ground chicken

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup canned pinto beans rinsed and drained

1/3 cup salsa

1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped, divided

1/4 cup low fat shredded cheese sharp variety

8 tsp reduced fat sour cream

1 medium tomato diced

1/2 medium avocado diced

1 tsp lime juice

 Preheat oven to 425. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

 Place tortillas on the baking sheet and bake for about 6-8 minutes till they brown a little bit.

 Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper.  Cook breaking up chunks of chicken with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.

 In a bowl mash beans and salsa with a fork until well blended; stir in 1/4 cup cilantro.

 Spread 1/4 bean mixture over each tortilla; top each with chicken mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese melts and topping is hot – about 3 minutes.

 In a medium bowl toss together tomato, avocado, remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and lime juice.

 Remove pizzas from oven and top with sour cream and avocado mixture.  Toni says you can play with the spices a bit and add what you like to the chicken. This is the original recipe except she added the pepper and more garlic.  Sometimes she adds red pepper flakes too and for reduced calories, she sometimes substitutes more salsa for the sour cream.

This next recipe comes from eDiets.com.  It too has just the right amount of kick after a day of riding and roping.

  Mexican Turkey Bean Chili

 3 oz lean ground turkey

½ cup reduced sodium vegetable broth

1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup canned corn, drained

¼ onion, chopped

1/3 cup celery, chopped

½ cup tomato, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp chili powder

¼ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground oregano

2 tsp vegetable oil

 Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the turkey, onion, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic.  Cook until the turkey is well browned, stirring frequently.  Add in the broth, tomato, beans, corn and celery into the saucepan.  Heat to a boil then reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, and serve.

Ask Coach Stacy

Posted by Debby Ridgell on January 19, 2012
Posted in: Ask Coach Stacy, Physical Activity. 1 Comment

Q: Coach, my friends say they get a better workout at their weekly Zumba classes than I get working in my barn and riding my horses.  I feel like I work up a pretty good sweat – but am I getting as good a workout as my Zumba friends?

–          Laura – Arvada, CO

A: Laura, pretty much everything you do involving your horses – grooming, riding, training and cleaning up after – produces a substantial calorie burn.  Here is the calorie burn in detail:

Activity on Horse

For 130 lb person

For 155 lb person

For 190 lb person
Shoveling

354

422

518
General Horse Riding

236

281

345
Riding horse at walk

148

176

216
Riding horse at trot

384

457

561
Riding horse at gallop

472

563

690
Horse grooming

354

422

518
Bailing hay/cleaning barn

472

563

474
Shoveling grain

325

387

474
Fencing

354

422

518
Polo

472

563

690

Activity off Horse

For 130 lb person

For 155 lb person

For 190 lb person
Hiking on foot

354

422

518
Walking briskly

236

281

345
Walking with 15 lb load

207

246

302
Zumba

402

464

588

 As you can see, many of the activities you do in the barn or in the saddle burn a comparable number of calories as your friends’ Zumba classes do.  My advice?  Saddle up – and invite your friends to ride and throw hay with you from time to time.  But tag along with them to Zumba too.  Bottom line is when you’re moving, you’re improving!

– Coach Stacy

HealthyLib: Resources for Ridin’ ’n Ropin’

Posted by Debby Ridgell on January 18, 2012
Posted in: Uncategorized. Leave a comment

Ready to “giddy up” your workouts?  Here are a few resources to get you going:

  •  A couple of good fitness books are geared specifically for horseback riders. 

 

The Rider’s Fitness Program by Dianna Robin Dennis, Johnny J. McCully and Paul M. Juris presents a 6-week training program geared to help strengthen the muscles used by riders.  Appropriate for riders of every level, The Rider’s Fitness Program includes 85 exercises for home or gym workouts.

 

Rider Fitness – Body and Brain: 180 Anytime, Anywhere Exercises to Enhance Range of Motion, Motor Control, Reaction Time, Flexibility, Balance and Muscle Memory in the Saddle by Eckhart Meyners presents a wide variety of flexibility, range of motion and strength exercises to help riders improve their performance in the saddle. 

  •  Would you like to incorporate yoga moves into your riding regimen?  These DVDs should help: 

 

Yoga & Riding: Volume 1 – Balance and Symmetry Techniques for Equestrians

Yoga & Riding: Volume 2 – Breathing and Relaxation Techniques for Equestrians

 Both discs will help you improve your overall fitness, strengthen your core, and help riders of every level develop better handling skills.

  •  Did you enjoy riding the penny pony at the supermarket when you were a kid?  Coach did — and she sure could have used this nifty piece of equipment when she was she was a youngster longing for that horse.  Move over recumbent bicycle – how about adding a horseback riding machine to your home gym?  The Sunpentown Giddyup Core Exerciser is affordable, great for strengthening core muscles and improving balance, and causes less physical stress to the joints than other cardio equipment. 
  • It’s refreshing when athletes at the top of their games share the tips that put them there.  In this short video from Men’s Health Magazine, champion bull rider Austin Meier shares some his simple workout regimen – and it’s no bull!

Coach’s Daily Dose – “Giddy Up” Your Workout

Posted by Coach Stacy on January 17, 2012
Posted in: Coach's Daily Dose, Physical Activity. 1 Comment

It’s time to “giddy up” over to the National Western Stock Show which is here in Denver through next Sunday.  When you’re there – or at any rodeo across the country – take a close look at the cowboys and cowgirls competing in the events.  What do you notice about each and every one of them?  They’re in shape – GREAT shape!  There’s a reason they look great in their wranglers!  What’s their secret?  Simple – ridin’ and ropin’!  Riding a horse will help you discover muscles you never knew you had.

 Growing up in Texas I wanted more than anything else to be a barrel racer.  Unfortunately, my busy school and athletics schedule didn’t allow me the time to devote to learning to ride.  That, and I didn’t have a horse.  Then when I asked my mom and dad for a horse, they got me a dog……

 Too bad, because horseback riding has many physical benefits, so saddle up!  It’s not as easy as it looks – mounting a six foot tall horse with chest-high stirrups is a challenge in and of itself.  Every leg muscle you own is needed to get your rear in the saddle.  Once you’re actually in the saddle the real workout begins:

  •  Calorie Burn – One hour on the back of a trotting horse will help you burn 380-600 calories.  Galloping will up the ante to 472-690 calories per hour.  Three days a week of this and you’ll be able to kiss your gym membership goodbye!
  • Strengthening the Core – The challenge of staying in the saddle is a great method of strengthening the core muscles of the abs and back.  Using a Swiss ball is a good way to mimic the movement patterns that come into play.  Complementing your riding routine with some strength training will make your rides safer and less injury prone.
  • Brain Fitness – Staying in the saddle requires an enormous amount of leg, hand, and eye coordination.  Horses can be very unpredictable.  They are intelligent animals, but they’re also moody and have their own thought processes.  Even the best trained steed will “do his own thang” from time to time – it takes major coordination to stay on.

 The benefits of riding horses are not just physical, though.   Riding also offers numerous social-emotional benefits such as teamwork and stress reduction.  Horses have a calming effect on many people and the process of building a rapport with a horse takes time, patience and understanding, which are the same qualities needed in daily life, working with families, jobs and colleagues.  We can surely learn a lot from horses.  But remember, folks, as with any workout, start slowly – trot before you gallop and limber up before and after your ride.

 Now, once you’ve got your “giddy up goin’,” try adding a little spice to your workout with some good old fashioned ropin’!  Roping has been around since the days of the Ancient Greeks, when soldiers would throw ropes around their enemies and, well, let’s just say “it weren’t a pretty sight.”  Fast forward to the days of the American cowboy, when cattle were turned out into miles and miles of fenceless grassland.  Cowboys used their ropes to round up the cattle.  The Spanish word for “roundup” is “rodeo,” and thus the rodeo was born.

 Now, take the physical benefits of horseback riding and add the perks of roping, which brings into play the muscles of the arms, shoulder, neck, back and legs, as well as develops eye-hand coordination.  And you don’t have to be a cowboy or cowgirl to enjoy roping – after all, the average person doesn’t have a horse to hop on or a calf to lasso.  The point is you can rope “pert near anythang” – a teddy bear, a chair back, a fence post.  Or you can just practice spinning your rope.  Roping is an inexpensive, travel-friendly, and entertaining workout.  WillRogerswas nearly as famous for his roping as he was for his humor.  Will used to say roping was great exercise, “So get a rope and start missing.  That’s about 80 percent of all there is to roping.”

 Now, cowboy up – this week Debby and I will weigh in with good rodeo eats – plus the fare to avoid – as well as advice and resources to help “giddy up your workouts.”

Coach’s Kitchen: Dukan Diet’s Oat Bran Pancake

Posted by Debby Ridgell on January 13, 2012
Posted in: Diet & Nutrition. 4 Comments

If one of your resolutions is to lose weight, one of the first habits you’ll want to begin is eating a healthy breakfast daily.  Eating breakfast will give you the energy and brain power to take on your day.  Furthermore, studies have shown that a healthy breakfast will provide satiety which will help you avoid over eating during the remainder of the day.

If you’re not accustomed to eating breakfast, here’s an easy recipe for you to try.  It’s the Dukan Diet Oat Bran Gallette:

1 egg white

2 tablespoons of oat bran

2 tablespoons of fat-free plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon of Splenda (for a sweet pancake)

Or

Pepper, herbs and/or chopped garlic (for a savory pancake)

In a small bowl, beat the egg white until it’s foamy.  In a separate bowl, combine the oat bran, yogurt, and sweetener or seasonings.  Add the egg white and mix until its consistency is smooth like pancake batter.  Pour the batter into a nonstick pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until golden.  Flip the gallette and cook on the other side.  Total preparation time about 10 minutes.

The Dukan pancake is a terrific source of protein and fiber and it’s quick and easy to make.  Pair it with an apple or berries for a filling and healthy breakfast.

Introducing Coach Stacy’s Healthy U!

Posted by Coach Stacy on January 11, 2012
Posted in: Motivation, Physical Activity. Leave a comment

  Click on Coach’s photo to view the video.