H1N1 - SWINE FLU TIPS......

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions.While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced
1. Frequent hand-washing
2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face
3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation.
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6.* Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
Know the Difference between Cold and Swine Flu SymptomsSymptom Cold Swine FluFever Fever is rare with a cold. Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100° F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.Coughing A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold. A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to asdry cough).Aches Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold. Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.Stuffy Nose Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week. Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.Chills Chills are uncommon with a cold. 60% of people who have the flu experience chills.Tiredness Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold. Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.Sneezing Sneezing is commonly present with a cold. Sneezing is not common with the flu.Sudden Symptoms Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days. The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.Headache A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold. A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.Sore Throat Sore throat is commonly present with a cold. Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.Chest Discomfort Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold. Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

Skin Deep

Personal care product companies are not required to test their products for safety prior to selling them and can put in virtually anything they want. Not surprisingly, there are many ingredients that have been found to be harmful. To reduce your exposure to carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and reproductive toxicants, purchase products that do not contain:

*Parabens
*Formaldehyde
*Triethanolamine and cocamide DEA
*PEGs
*Isopropanol
*2-phenoxyethanol
*Benzethonium chloride
*Talc
*Phthalates
*Fragrance

The Skin Deep Safety Guide to cosmetics and personal care products (brought to you by researchers at the Environmental Working Group) is a great resource for what type of chemicals are in over 25,000 products - you can search by product type, by brand etc. To find out more, check out www.cosmeticsdatabase.com.

Household Cleaners

The EPA states that toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution and the Consumer Product Safety Commission has identified 150 chemicals common in homes linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities. Some of the most common culprits include household bleach, all-purpose cleaners, laundry detergent and dish detergent.

Make it a point to use non-toxic cleaners (i.e. Seventh Generation, Method, Ecover brands).

Did you know?

Bottled water is less regulated than tap water and can contain chemicals leached from the plastic. Bottle your own water and use a stainless steel or aluminum reusable water bottle.

What is the Issue with Exposure to Toxins in the Home?

Never before in human history have we seen such a dramatic rise in chronic childhood disease and illness as we do today in the US. Currently over 125 million children and adults suffer from disease and health conditions such as:

*cancer
*autism
*asthma
*birth defects
*ADD / ADHD
*learning and developmental disabilities

Scientific evidence increasingly points to environmental hazards and chemicals as causing and contributing to many of these childhood diseases. In the past 60 years, more than 85,000 new synthetic chemical compounds have been developed and released into the environment. Many products you'll find in your home, including cleaners, pesticides, carpets, paints, plastics, furniture, personal care, and others, contain these new ingredients. They have never been tested for potentially toxicity to adults, no less to children.

The health and well-being of children are uniquely vulnerable to potentially harmful environmental exposures. Children's bodies are still growing and developing. Pound for pound children breathe more air, drink more water, and eat more food than adults. Pollutants can disrupt development and cause far more harm to them than adults. Children's behavior also makes them more vulnerable to exposure. They put their hands in their mouths, spend 90% of time indoors, and play close to the ground, all of which increase their risk for being negatively affected by harmful exposures. Visit http://www.healthychild.org/ to learn more about how to reduce your family's exposure to these toxins.

What is HCHW?

Healthy Child Healthy World (HCHW) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public, specifically parents and caregivers, about environmental toxins that affect children's health. Their ultimate goal is to eliminate children's exposure to man-made toxic substances by ensuring everyone's right-to-know what is in their air, food, water and commercial products. They are working to achieve this goal through increased scientific research, government policies which are more protective of children, and educating and mobilizing individuals - like you - around the country. Visit the HCHW website for more information http://www.healthychild.org/

Luna is a proud partner with Healthy Child Healthy World in the "Change Agents" program - designed to build a strong community of women through social networking with the end goal of inspiring action and effecting positive change surrounding women's health.

Our playgroup, Mommies Lil Kisses will be hosing a Healthy Home Party on September 30th starting at 11:00 after our Stroller Strides class where we will learn how to reduce our household environmental toxins.

Check back here for daily updates and information.

Open a Window.....

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air quality is one of the top five environmental health concerns. Given that people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, its important to do what you can to reduce indoor air pollution.

One of the simplest things you can do is open a window. Even if its chilly outside, you should open a window for five minutes a day to significantly decrease the concentrations of air pollutants in your home. Most home heating and air cooling systems, including forced air heating systems, do not mechanically bring fresh air into the house. Open a window and start breathing cleaner air.

More reasons to buy organic

Laboratory tests of 8 industry-leader baby foods reveal the presence of 16 pesticides, including three carcinogens.

Action: Buy certified organic baby food (Plum Organics and Happy Baby are great flash frozen organic brands).

Reduction of Household Environmental Toxins

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Academy of Sciences, standard chemicals are up to 10 times more toxic to children than to adults, depending on body weight. This is due to the fact that children take in more toxic chemicals relative to body weight than adults and have developing organ systems that are more vulnerable and less able to detoxify toxic chemicals.

What can you do? Detoxify your home by using environmentally-friendly products and eating organic foods whenever possible.

Luna Moms Club

At Stroller Strides of Hershey we have a weekly playgroup called 'Mommies Lil Kisses' which is sponsored by Luna Bars and Luna Moms Club. The two companies partnered up because they have a lot in common. They both focus on and are passionate about moms' health and well-being and strive to do more than provide fun exercise classes and healthy great-tasting food. Moms understand life is about finding balance and nurturing the mind, body and spirit.

Luna Moms Club consists of 3 essential components:

1. Playgroups (once per week) Fun for mom. Fun for baby. The goal is to provide meaningful experiences for both mom and baby.

2. Mom's Night Out (once per month) This is Mom's time. Its easy to put yourself on the back burner during the first few years of motherhood. Its hard to do, but its important to focus on yourself once in a while. Delight in your personal passions - whether its a fun night of dancing, dinner at your favorite restaurant or discussing a book from the best seller list. Doing so helps maintain a strong sense of self and ultimately helps you be a better mom. This month we will be hosting a Healthy Child Healthy World (HCHW) home party which is dedicated to educating the public, specifically parents and caregivers, about environmental toxins that affect children's health. More on that to follow....

3. 'Moms with a Mission' (once per quarter). One of the platforms of Luna Bar is to better the community where we live and play through organizing and participating in activities focused on giving back to children, families and the environment. Not only can we make a huge impact in our community, but our actions will teach and inspire the next generation to do so as well.

We hope you will join us at one of our weekly playgroups for fun, social networking and inspire action to effect positive change surrounding women's health.

Top 5 Reasons to Buy Local, Organic Produce

1. Taste: Conventionally grown produce is typically picked before its ripe and trucked thousands of miles; gas is used to trigger ripening. It lacks the flavor of local, organic produce thats picked days instead of weeks before you eat it.

2. Pesticides in Food: Conventional farming relies heavily on pesticides, which are poisons designed to kill living organisms. As far back as 1987, a National Academy of Sciences report estimated that pesticides are responsible for up to 1.4 million cases of cancer.

3. Pesticides in Water: When pesticides are sprayed on food, they don't just contaminate the food we eat, but seep into the soil and get into our groundwater. According to EPA estimates, pesticides contaminate the groundwater in 38 states, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half the country's population.

4. Safer food supply: Monocultures are notoriously susceptible to disease. Locally produced, organic produce involves a wider variation in seed stock and better control over the conditions in which animals live and breed, creating a better long-term food supply.

5. For our children: Modern agricultural strips the soil of nutrients, increasing the need for fertilizers, which further erods soil quality. Its an irresponsible way to treat the earth that our children will depend on for the lifetime of meals they'll need to eat. Transporting food long distances requires a great amount of fossil fuel energy, which pollutes our water and air, while adding to the harmful impacts of global climate change.

(source: SustainLane)

Eating Healthy - It's A Family Affair

We've all heard we should limit sugar and unhealthy fats and eat a diet consisting of grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and other protein-rich foods. Kids need the same nutrients as Mom and Dad, only in different amounts. So what do you do when your kids won't even look at a vegetable?

Do this.........

* Be a good role model - if your children see you drinking milk and eating vegetables, chances are, they will too.

*Talk to your veggies - before offering your child a new food, talk about its color, texture, smell, size and what it might taste like. Let your kids help prepare it. Getting them involved with the food makes them more likely to eat it.

*Make a snack - With their small stomachs, kids fill up fast at mealtime. Building healthy snacks into their menu ensures they're getting enough to eat, and provides another opportunity to eat fruits and veggies throughout the day.

not this............

* The clean plate club - Trust your child's appetite and watch for cues, like playing with food, that tell you they are full. Forcing kids to eat more can lead to overeating.

* Critical statements - Try not to label your child a "picky eater." It may actually encourage them to live up to the name! Instead of criticizing, focus on your child's positive eating behaviors during mealtime.

* Edible rewards - Don't reward your child with food, which can lead to emotional eating down the road. Instead, praise their behavior with words, a hug or a gold star on the calendar.

Feel Like you Have No Time to Eat Right or Take Care of Yourself?

Eating can become a physical and emotional struggle for a new mom or for any mom juggling, kids, family and work. From a practical perspective, you are so focused on taking care of baby and the rest of your family that your own mealtimes can be rushed or forgotten altogether. If you skip meals, you may be so famished that you head straight for the easiest thing to eat - fast food or a bag of cookies! At the same time, your awareness of your excess flab can trigger pangs of guilt: 'Should I be eating this?' When it comes to fitting in workouts or time to relax, the same mental battles arise where you pit your welfare against that of your baby or family: 'I need to exercise, but I can't leave my baby.' Usually, you accept the sacrifice and tough it out. But putting self-care on hold completely can seriously impair a new mom's quality of life.

What can you do about it? As a Mom, it's a fact that you now have less time than before. That's not going to change. But what you can change are your choices. You can choose foods that are nourishing and fast and easy to prepare. When you pack up baby wipes, you can throw in almonds and walnuts for yourself. When you mash up banana for your child, you can slice an extra piece for yourself and mix it with yogurt and oatmeal flakes. You can also drink your veggies - V8 to help you get at least 3 to 5 servings of vegetables daily. A 2009 study showed that a vegetable-rich diet lowers risk of heart disease.

Maybe you don't have time to work out? But you do have time to do what it takes to be a good mom. When baby is crying his eyes out, you can entertain him or her by strapping him into his front-pack carrier and then doing a series of lower body toners like squats and lunges while you talk or sing him into a more joyful mood. Guess what? you've also squeezed in a workout. Of course, you can join us at Stroller Strides and give baby a dose of sunshine by joining other moms for a stroller walk, some strength building exercises, a playgroup for the kids, and a much needed timeout for mom. This way, mothering turns into me-time and aren't you worth it?!

Stay Hydrated!

Did you know more fluids are necessary for a multitude of functions including providing for the expanding blood volume that helps to carry nutrients to mom & baby? When you're nursing, you will need the extra fluid to maintain a healthy flow of breast milk for your baby. Drink about 8 to 10 8 oz. glasses of non-caffeinated, non-caloric fluids per day. Caffeine in excess can be dehydrating and high caloric drinks such as soda and juice can add up extra calories.

Even if you are not nursing or pregnant, anyone can benefit from the added bonus that drinking a lot of water is the best way for your skin to get that healthy glow! Cheers to that!

Gone Fishing.....

While fish has a lot of health benefits - high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, low in fat, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding you need to watch how much and what kind of fish you eat because of toxic levels of mercury found in many fish today. As your doctor may have already warned you while you were pregnant, Mercury is very dangerous to the healthy growth of fetuses, babies and children.

As a reminder, avoid fish, like shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, which are high in mercury. It's okay to eat a small amount of fish that have minimal levels of mercury. You can eat up to 12 ounces of these fish a week. The 12 ounces can include:

- Shrimp, salmon, pollock, catfish and canned light tuna
- Albacore (white tuna): Don't eat more than 6 ounces of this tuna in one week.

Always check with your doctor if you have additional questions about the types of fish you can or cannot eat.

Healthy Eating Tips

No one said that eating healthier would be easier. But here are some tips that will save you time in your quest for more nutritious meals. When making dinner, make twice as much - keeping the extra for lunches the next day. If you are cooking two chicken breasts, you might as well cook four. If you are making salad, pull out a to-go container and throw an extra serving in it for the next day for lunch at work or while watching the kids practice sports.

Fruits and veggies are fabulous portable snacks that will help you to meet your daily vitamin and mineral needs. As you're heading out for the day, be sure to pack two to three pieces of fresh fruit and some cut-up veggies for healthy snacking. "Ants on a Log" isn't just for kids; it's a good snack for you too. Spread some peanut butter on that celery stick and top it with a few raisins!

Dried fruits and nuts are also handy snacks to have around. Along with fruits, vegetables and whole grains, adding dried fruit and nut mix can help you reach the 20-35 grams of fiber recommended for each day and is a healthy source of non-animal protein.

And remember, LUNA Bars are a great snack for moms. Created especially for women, LUNA bars include calcium, iron, fiber, protein, folic acid and other vitamins and nutrients that moms need and always available at our Stroller Strides class.

Prenatal and New Mom Nutrition

When women become pregnant, they are more likely to make improvements in their nutrition than at almost any other time in their lives. Whether you're pregnant or a new mom, the following nutrients are especially important to include in your diet.

Calcium is necessary for formation of baby's bones, and also to strengthen your bones and teeth. Where do I find it? Calcium is found in dairy, tofu, dark green leafy vegetables and beans. Recommended allowance: 1000-12000 mg.

Folic Acid helps to prevent birth defects and promote normal cell growth. Sources include, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, beans, fortified orange juice or grains. Recommended allowance: 500-600 mcg.

Fiber fights constipation and helps to control blood sugar level, which reduces the risk of gestational diabetes. You can increase your fiber intake by eating more legumes, carrots, apples, whole wheat and brown rice. Just be sure to drink lots of water as the opposite effect can happen when eating too much fiber and not drinking enough water. Recommended allowance: 25 grams.

Iron helps to prevent anemia in the mother and helps the baby gain weight. Sources of iron are legumes, dark green leafy vegetables, red meat, dried fruits and whole grains. Recommended allowance: 30 milligrams.

Protein provides materials for the growing tissues, including the placenta, the mother's blood and the baby. You can get more protein into your diet with eggs, fish, poultry and beef, tofu and cottage cheese. It's suggested to take 74 grams of protein daily with pregnancy.

Remember to shop at your local farmer's market - good for you and the environment!

The Biomechanics of Motherhood

The proper body movement can help Moms take better care of their bodies. Why is this important? Body biomechanics is important for preventing injury. Knowing the right and wrong ways of lifting and carrying is beneficial to daily lifestyles in reducing future pains. Whether it is picking up after the kids or lifting the stroller out of the car, there is a certain way to do it. There is even a correct way to get up and down out of bed. Specific research studies performed on the lower back determined that getting up and down from the bed, just once in the morning and once at night, when done incorrectly can cause fraying in the disc in the back. Over time this may create a predisposition to having back problems. The improper method is to sit down on the bed and lay straight back down on the back. If you were at class on Monday, I demonstrated the correct method which is to lay on the side, on the shoulder, lift the feet up at the same time and roll over onto the back or stomach. With the correct method the weight of your body is taken in your arms. To get up after lying down, instead of sitting directly up, putting all of the pressure on the back, the method is reversed. First roll over onto the side, bend the knees up, push down on the bed with your hands and drop the feet over the edge to sit up. This way it is possible to get up and down with the arms without putting any pressure on the back, which is especially important right after childbirth because the spine is still in a more crucial position.

I will have more tips about the proper way to lift the stroller, carrying an infant and of course, the proper walking form when pushing the stroller!

I Prefer Doing Cardio, Why Should I Strength Train?

This is a question I am often asked by many women while personal training or teaching a Stroller Strides class. There are numerous benefits to strength training for females and males alike. As the muscles become stronger, the bones become stronger and denser. As a result, the risk of osteoporosis is greatly reduced. In our Stroller Strides class we do several exercises with the resistance band to strengthen our upper back and chest while always engaging our core to improve our posture. Why focus on improving your posture so much? Because having a degree of muscle strength specifically in the back muscles can lead to better posture and proper alignment which can reduce the chance of common injuries and lower back problems. As our Moms gain muscle tissue, their resting metabolic rate will increase. Muscle tissue also burns fuel more efficiently than fat tissue, therefore decreasing body fat. If you have been doing cardio for months or years and have lost weight but are still 'flabby', don't be afraid to strength train, you will feel and look stronger and shape a tone, fit body. Oh the answer is no, you will never get 'big' or look like a bodybuilder unless you dedicate yourself 100% through intense weight training, a strict diet and even supplements to get 'big'. As a women it is genetically impossible to add large muscle mass similar to a man but I do guarantee you that you will love your muscles and want to show them off!

Boost Your Energy With Breakfast

In your morning race to start your day, breakfast may slip your mind. Skipping out on breakfast can rob you of so much energy you feel it into the next day. Don't miss out on this stamina building morning eating occasion! Think of your needs while meeting those of your baby. For example, as you fill your baby's sippy cup, pour a glass of milk for yourself. Or, if you don't like milk, try a drinkable yogurt or flavored milk to get the calcium you need. Smoothies are a great way to sneak in that extra calcium for a quick on the go breakfast. Just mix frozen or fresh fruit, skim or 1% milk, some protein powder if you have it handy and whirl - you get protein, calcium and fiber in a refreshing yummy drink.

Now because you can't get by on yogurt or milk alone, instead of grabbing that pastry at the coffee shop or while running errands, reach for whole-grain foods such as sugar-free instant oatmeal, LUNA bars, or a slice of peanut-buttered whole-grain toast to compliment your morning dairy selection. You will be powering your body with the energy you need to get through a typical busy day!

Eating for Two?

Do you double your portions because you're now "eating for two"? Not so fast. The recommended weight gain for the average pregnant woman is 25-35 pounds. Did you know it only takes approximately 300 extra calories a day to meet this recommended weight goal. Great, extra calories, you say? A snack equivalent to 300 calories is a 6-ounce container of yogurt and 1/4 cup of raisins. So you can see while you are eating for two, you are not eating for two adults. You are eating for one adult and a fetus that starts off the size of a grain of rice! Here are some nutrients you will need even more now that you are directly responsible for the nutritional needs of your baby, whether you're pregnant or a new mom: calcium, protein, folic acid, fiber, iron and fluids. In the next few weeks, we'll review the importance of each of these and how you can incorporate more of it into your diet.

Beach Vacation is Over!

The beach and the weather were great! We were lucky Hurricane Bill stayed away while we were at the Beach. Made a lot of good memories with family and friends but was so busy having fun I didn't have time to blog or post messages on Facebook. I missed everyone and have a lot to catch up so let the blogging about fitness, nutrition and wellness begin again!

'Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states' - Carol Welch

I want my Abs back!

Every mom is anxious to get their abs back into shape. This requires a combination of cardio to burn enough calories to reduce fat, and strengthening exercises to tone up the weakened muscles. The moms at class have heard me say doing hundreds of sit-ups, crunches, or extreme leg-lifting Pilates moves is not the solution. It’s ineffective to pummel away at your abs with exercises that will increase the spinal load on your lower back. Instead, you need to do less bending and more stabilizing. Learn to engage all the ab and back muscles that encircle your entire torso, known as the core, not only when you are exercising but through everyday mommy movements such as, picking up baby, driving the car or using the bathroom. The first step is learning how to consciously contract those muscles. An easy visualization trick is to imagine you are wearing a very tight pair of jeans, the kind where you have to suck it all in to get them on. (We’ve all been there right?) Now imagine that the button is broken. You need to suck in your belly button or your pants will open up. Keep those jeans zipped up and buttoned up, but without holding your breath! Remember you can do this anytime throughout the day, folding laundry, playing with the kids, even while watching tv and you will be breathing your way to a strong core!

Moms On The Move

Most new Moms find that exercise drops to the bottom of their priority list. But its essential to fit it in and adapt your workouts to the changes and challenges of motherhood. More changes happen to your body in 9 months of pregnancy than will happen to a man's body in his entire life. And to top it off, afterward when you are weak and de-conditioned, you are expected to carry around a 10-20 pound baby all day long. The exercises you do at our Stroller Strides class address all of your post-pregnancy needs. Each workout includes the necessary exercises to strengthen what's weak, stretch what's tight, tone up what's flabby, and lean down what's mushy all while your baby is with you and learning positive health behaviors from Mom! Remember all it takes is motivation, dedication and consistency to get the results you want. Follow this blog to keep informed on nutrition, exercise, challenges and motivational tips for pre and post pregnancy moms to help you overcome obstacles, feel and look better and strengthen yourself for motherhood!

Strolling to be fit

Stroller Strides classes have started in Hershey at Gelder Park, Bullfrog Valley Park and the trail circling the Derry Twp Recreation Center. Come and join us for fun and fitness outdoors!