Kap-oo-chee-noh!!

If your eyes stay open when you sneeze; you've had too much coffee. How much Caffeine a day do you consume???

Love it, or leave it, here's the facts. ..

8 - Decaf brewed coffee

38 - Coke

40 - Espresso

41 - Dr. Pepper

47 - Diet Coke

54 - Mountain Dew

60 - Green Tea

75 - Dark Chocolate bar

85 - Instant Coffee

90 - Coffee Ice Cream

120 - Energy Drinks

130 - Pain Relivers

150 - Large Cappuccino

200 - Regular House Coffee

240 - Large coffee-house coffee

I'll have an Uh-mer-i-kan-oh!!!

CH

Bentall Kennedy Fitness Month 2011

I'm writing an additional blog for Bentall Kennedy fitness month which I will duplicate and post here. It's a corporate wellness program that utilizes the H.F.A. - Health and Fitness Appraisal system I developed with Robin Russell at the Bentall Centre Athletic Club; aaaand it incorporates over 30 days of engaging fitness, wellness, and outdoor adventures for 250 corporate employees in the Bentall Towers. Whooo Hoooo !!!!

I think it will give you a great sneak peak at the corporate event & recreation planning that is available in Vancouver through JHDesigns Event Co. and Witness Your Fitness wellness consulting and the Bentall Centre Athletic Club.

Here's my first corporate blog post with much more to follow through the month of April 2011.

I'll add the itinerary so you can see all the great events we have planned this group this season.

"Welcome to another great year of Bentall Fitness Month. This year we'll have to re-name it Bentall Kennedy Fitness Month, but either way it's going to KICK ASS!!!

FIT in as much as you can ( pun intended )

CH"

What the CELL is going on?

The health of your body is determined by the health of each one of your cells. Evidently there about 75 trillion of them in each of us; but what constitutes a healthy cell? What you eat, drink, breathe and bathe in nourishes our cells with oxygen, water, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids, glucose and amino acids. However, it’s the pH that impacts every biochemical process in the body. For those who are unfamiliar with pH, it’s a scale similar to a thermometer numbered 1-14, measuring the acid or alkaline content of fluids. Our bodies function best at the center of the scale at about a neutral pH of about 7, well… 7.3 - 7.45 to be precise. What has recently come to my attention (thanks Mum!) is that deviations above or below this narrow range of pH can signal potentially serious and dangerous symptoms or states of disease.

So, if our pH is unbalanced, what is the result? Pick your disease, choose your unbalance. Cancer, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, chronic fatigue, allergies, obesity, just name it. If you don't feel good, one of the basic things that stand between you and perfect health is your body's pH. It’s the body’s basic metabolic balance.

Unfortunately a lot of the things we love to eat are extremely acidic. Meats like beef, lamb, pork, turkey, seafood … wine, beer, spirits, cereal grains, soybeans, coffee, sugar, tea, cocoa, soft drinks, ketchup and tobacco to name just a few. In this acidic state we feel sluggish and have a tendency to pack on the pounds. Acidic bodies attract fat!!!! You can counteract them through awareness and making choices that act on your body’s pH. And being too alkaline is just as bad as being too acidic.

What recently sparked my interest about pH was in contemplation about ways to loose an extra few pounds around the midsection - which is the worst place to have it. Adipose tissue (or fat) is in scientific terms is called Free Fatty Acids… AH HA… A-C-I-D. Thus, to change our fat laden acidic bodies back to a neutral state we must Alkaline. Furthermore, from my basic knowledge of chemistry, is that acids mixed with alkaline equal water and salt. BINGO. If I want to help melt those excess fatty acids off your body take steps to make yourself more alkaline…!!!

Consequently, what can be done to balance your pH ? The answer is diet. To understand more about foods you can eat to change your pH levels click … http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm.

However, there is much more to it than just that.

To gain clarity on this topic I’ve spoken to Nicole Sedgwick Stewart who is a nutritional wellness consultant and Isagenix associate. She has further confirmed my suspicion about the importance of pH balance in addition to the proper nutrients as an essential way to get the bounce in your step and melt off the extra pounds. On her site you can find out about some details about amazing Isagenix products that are effective in balancing and alkalizing your body, which will start you down the road to internal rejuvenation.

www.foundationsforhealth.ca

So, how can you read your pH? Most of the literature I’ve examined pertains to blood pH. However, there isn’t currently a viable, cheap, or unobtrusive method for testing it. Alternatives to blood testing include using litmus paper strips to analyze your urine or saliva, but these methods might not correspond exactly to the information pertaining to the neutral goal of 7 for blood pH. Urine is more acidic because it is a vehicle to remove hydrogen (acids) in the from body in the form of urea and ammonia; and saliva has an enzyme called amylase that aids digestion and could alter a pH readings of 7… However these methods can still be very useful in determining your pH balance by investigating what levels are normal for you, and monitoring it over time to determine the changes depending on your lifestyle choices. COMPRENDO?

Lastly, Mum says try the age old remedy of drinking 2 tablespoons of Unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar or drinking Lemon Water every day to alkaline the body. I’m still deliberating on how exactly it works… But I’m sure she’s right.

The Fountain of Youth

What is it about the quest for the fountain for youth !?! Is there such a thing? Well, the answer is yes! However, is a youthful body the result of drinking water from a secret mountain spring, or from rubbing expensive lotion from a tiny bottle at the cosmetic counter ?

Nonsense!!!

Are ready for the secret?? … The fountain of youth is Exercise.

Here’s why…

What has convinced me of this of this are the observations I’ve made running the wellness clinic at the Bentall Centre Athletic Club over the past 4 years. When I’ve met with new members it’s necessary to ask their age as a routine part of the fitness appraisal. Interestingly, one of the trends I’ve noticed is that the people who look young have excellent aerobic fitness and work hard to maintain it.

A typical example is a man I tested who was 56 years of age. When he told me his age I was astonished to find he was in his late 50’s, and thought he could have easily been in his mid 40’s. After I had finished calculating his fitness scores I noticed an interesting connection between his level of aerobic fitness and his youthful appearance. Instead of his aerobic capacity being 41ml/kg/min, which is excellent for men in his 50s, it was actually much higher at 49ml/kg/min – which is excellent for men in their late 30’s. Eureka!

The same trend I have found quite reliably and consistently for both men and women I’ve tested between age 21 and 70. It leads me to believe that if someone’s aerobic scores are comparable with a demographic a decade younger… then a youthful body will follow suit.

Don’t believe it??… Here’s why…

1) Lets start with an easy one: skin. When you exercise regularly your pores are able to push out debris and excrete toxins from you body. Your vascular system through exercise is enhanced bringing more circulation and nutrients to your skin having a positive effect on your collagen, bringing more elasticity to your skin. It irons out the wrinkles and produces a youthful appearance.

2) Sexy shape. Lets be realistic, the focus for many men and women is to retain their sex appeal. Everyone likes to look sexy, and athletic bodies are attractive. Exercise will help your self-image and is proven to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

3) Range of Motion. By engaging in flexibility training as a regular part of your routine you will do more than reduce your day to day kinetic aches and pains, you will be working towards retaining your mobility and functional independence through out the rest of your life.

4) Youthful energy. After polling my online community the number one goal to exercise regularly is to feel energized. It’s true, the more exercise you get the more endorphins your body will create. These are the substances your body makes that lift your mood and makes the youngster inside you come alive.

5) A Strong Heart and Lungs. You can’t live much more than 3minutes without oxygen. If you want to move like a young person you’ll need to be physically active to have a strong heart. This will enable your body to transfer more oxygen to your working muscles and carry more carbon dioxide away from them. Exercise will increase your hearts aerobic capacity and ergo: you will feel like your sipping from fountain of youth.

OK? So exercise is the fountain of youth. Do you need to get help attaining that next fitness level or committing to an enjoyable program? Get help from the staff at the Bentall Centre Athletic Club. We have brand new state of the art work out equipment, a eucalyptus steam room, and the industries best sports professionals.

Science that Sculpts the Body

As we continue moving forward, each year brings new technology, new equipment, and new methods of accomplishing ‘things’ in life. For instance, we have the internet on our cell phones, GPS’s in our vehicles, computerized fish finders, and laser levels for home improvement. It seems we forever strive to do things easier, eliminating the hard work, and to simplify our daily routine.

Well… The Bentall Centre Athletic Club is no exception. We are pleased to announce that on December 23rd 2010 we will be installing 14 new pieces of Cybex VR3 resistance training equipment. Thanks to the efforts of our general manager Robin Russell, all of our old machines will be replaced with some of the finest quality strength training equipment available on the market today. Additionally we will be adding some new pieces like the Keiser Stretch Corners for those who occasionally have to fight for space on the mat, or do not want to get on the floor but need the flexibility training.

What makes the Cybex VR3 special is that it has converging/diverging movement patterns which mimic the way the human body moves and allows for a more complete range of motion. The consistent isokinetic torque around the joint reduces the stress and provides an exceptional training effect in a safe and controlled way. Not to mention it looks great, feels good, and has that new car smell.

So, what is to become of our old equipment? I’m proud to say that it has been contributed to the Kitsilano High School, where it will be utilized by the developing young athletes, and numerous members of the surrounding community. Talk about a win/win situation!

Unfortunately, one of the few things that isn’t going to get easier next year is the weight training itself. Even with the new technology available, the intensity of lifting and the consistency effort will always be required to stimulate muscles and to burn energy. No such luck in simplifying that one…

Oral Contraception: The Little Pills that can’t... Possibly be good for you.

A Guest blog by Kristin Davis - Florida, USA.

Despite the modern preoccupation with fitness, many individuals still ignore their inner health, which includes more than downing a protein shake or counting calories. Late night infomercials hock ridiculous exercise products that look more like party gags and researchers continually propose diets that involve food your dog wouldn’t look twice at. While today’s emphasis on appearance encourages weight management, this shallow aesthetic focus can also lead some to take misguided risk elsewhere.

One of those products that enable individuals to manage appearance while maintaining a specific lifestyle is oral contraception. While proponents of birth control pills quickly point out the independence and social empowerment women experienced after the drug’s introduction, opponents point out disturbing side effects that accompany them, like cardiovascular disease. One Yaz lawsuit involved a victim who developed blood clots in her lungs, a steep price. Nevertheless, over 100 million women use these pills worldwide.

With the profitability of these pills, manufacturers might be increasingly less willing to provide factual information. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration recently requested Bayer HealthCare remove misleading advertisements where they marketed their products as a treatment for several other health conditions like regulating hormone imbalances, acne, depression, and weight loss. It is the pharmaceutical equivalent of selling magic beans.

Unfortunately, misconceptions about the ability of oral contraceptives can lead to some dangerous physical consequences. Sexually transmitted infections are still fully communicable, and the clinical tests have shown that oral contraceptives are not effective in stopping unwanted pregnancy100% of the time… especially when they are not taken as regularly as every single day. As a result of these false perceptions, users of oral contraceptives might engage in unprotected sex, believing the use of condoms is still unnecessary.

The hormonal ingredients in these pills can also disrupt the psychological and physiological health of women. Users of these pills have seen side effects like migraines, mood swings and vomiting, as well as more serious consequences including heart attack and stroke. In addition, women seeking pregnancy-free sex might experience a decrease in libido from these pills, an ironic consequence.

Sure, they’re convenient and effective at preventing pregnancy, but many fail to recognize the compromise oral contraception involves. Instead, individuals truly serious about leading the healthiest life, both outwardly and within, choose natural forms of contraception. While natural family planning, including fertility awareness, are no doubt more time consuming and require sacrifice, the long-term benefits more than justify their use. Plus you can use the money that would have gone for birth control pills to get yourself the new Shake Weight that’s taking the fitness world by storm.

How to Stay Motivated!

Do you exercise from time to time but find it difficult to stay motivated? A common reason people avoid or discontinue exercise is they succumb to “internal barriers” These are thoughts, feelings and perceptions that impede lifestyle change. Here are some tips to help break through your own internal barriers to exercise.

1) Find Something You Love To Do and Do It. It's as simple as: Walk the Dog, Ride a Bike, Chase Children, Climb Stairs, Golf, Garden, Swim, Hit a Ball, Hike, Play a Game, Slap a Puck, Run, Row, Skip, Stretch, Skate or Ski… Get it?

2) Understand What You’re Up Against. Don’t underestimate the barriers that keep you stuck on the couch or in front of your computer screen! It could include intimidation, embarrassment, anxiety about your physical appearance, low self-esteem, and lack of confidence about your physical ability… If any of these seem like your major struggles then perhaps your obstacle could be outcome fixation, boredom, or perceived lack of time. Knowledge is power when exploring your motivation, and understanding your internal drives and will help you overcome any barriers to success. Try to fixate in intrinsic forces such as personal bests, feelings of accomplishment and fun, while avoiding external motivators such as societal pressure, or prestige. Focus on the enjoying the action not just the rewards.

3) Get Individual Attention. A lifestyle consultant, personal fitness trainer, or mentor can help you identify your barriers to physical activity and help develop strategies to penetrate them. By participating in some fitness testing it can help you create a bench mark and quantify your personal improvements. This biofeedback can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses as well as establish exactly how much progress you have made along the way. Lastly, by hiring a health professional it will help you commit to regular attendance and your workouts will become more interesting and engaging.

4) Consider the Lifestyle Approach. The lifestyle approach requires that you accumulate a total of 45mins of physical activity each day. Rather than doing your whole workout in one structured session, you may find it easier for you to maintain a few short (15 minute) sessions a day. When it comes to health and feeling energized… it all amounts to the same thing.

5) Set Realistic Short-Term Goals. Create a goal for each session where you can build towards some short term accomplishments like feeling more energized or concentrating on intensity during the session. If your only goal is to lose 50lbs, or maintain a life long exercise program, it will be quite some time before you can feel successful about achieving your goal.

6) Progress Your Training to Avoid Stagnation. Once you’re on your way, you might find yourself on a plateau, where your fitness doesn’t seem to improve at all. When this occurs, discouragement can set in easily. One solution is to keep progressing your exercise by challenging yourself to reach new levels. Another might be to incorporate cross-training techniques to push that heart rate higher through activities your not as accustomed to.

7) Try Toys and Variety to Combat Boredom. Adults are just kids at heart! Let yourself play. Get a new bike or golf clubs. Research a new activity such as rock climbing or hiking trail networks. Try the elliptical instead of the stair stepper. Alternate fitness classes or check out new information on the internet to spark interest when your sessions start to feel stale.

8) Create a personal Exercise Mission Statement. This should describe how you want to incorporate exercise into your life. Read it again to stay focused and overcome barriers. Visualize exactly what you are trying to accomplish and see yourself in your mind reaching those goals. But don’t just focus on the finish line, also think about each step you will take to get yourself there. The more vivid the better.

9) Notice How Much Time You Spend Being Inactive. Most people underestimate the time they spend being sedentary such as working on the computer or watching TV. Start a log and then plan specific ways to start substituting movement for these times.

10) Integrate Movement into Your Life. It’s hard to make time for physical activity if you keep it isolated from the rest of you life. Instead, find ways to combine exercise with the family, social times with your friends, or to create dialogue with colleagues.

Hope these ten steps will help keep you motivated. Happy Trails.