GranFondo Kelowna - July 16th 2011

For 3 weeks every July since 1903, between a half and a third of France’s entire population line the streets to watch the Tour De France. Wow! But this spectacle (now a widely televised event around the world) can’t really be experienced unless you’ve already booked a trip to the Pyrenees, Vosges or the Champs-Élysées. Instead this summer, you can find something equally exciting locally here in British Columbia called RBC GrandFondo Kelowna.

The term “GranFondo”, translated from Italian meaning “Big Ride”, will need BIG efforts from locals and people from all over BC to ride, cheer, and volunteer. On July 16th 2011, the inaugural race will commence in downtown Kelowna and eloquently spin 115km winding its way through the Okanagan Lake Country to Vernon and back to Kelowna again.

So, special events require special people to help make them happen. If you haven’t decided to enter the race, and you’re not sure who exactly to cheer for, the GranFondo Kelowna is recruiting volunteers to assist in a variety of roles. These roles could include greeting the riders at package pick up, to helping with the event set up and event tear down, bike corralling, course safety marshaling, handing out rider refreshments, assisting in the celebration plaza, and keeping the cheer alive in the Family Fun Zone.

Besides getting front row seats to behold the 1200 cyclists, and meeting 300 fresh volunteer faces, each helper will receive a logo’d GranFondo t-shirt, lunch, and refreshments. In addition to this, (as if it could get any better…) you will also receive some skookum kit from the GranFondo partners at Lululemon and RBC, attain some valuable work experience, and obtain an official volunteer letter as a ‘thanks’ for your contributions. There are volunteer positions available on July 14th, 15th and 16th and typically last from 4 – 6 hours. You can also be involved in multiple volunteer roles if you’re really spinning your wheels to get involved. We hope to see you at the start line!!

To register, visit http://www.rbcgranfondokelowna.com/volunteers/volunteer-registration where you can learn more about the positions that are waiting for you. Please direct all inquiries to volunteer@GranFondoCanada.com

Get fit and get active.

CH

The Stanley Cup

That’s Hockey EH!!! It’s hard not to feel a swell of patriotic pride when seeing the enthusiasm alive in Vancouver for Canada’s favorite pastime. Yes, I’m talking about the Stanley Cup. Tonight, in game 6 of the NHL finals, the Vancouver Canucks have taken the lead against the Boston Bruins in the series (3-2), which has created an opportunity to signal the end of a 96 year battle to bring the Stanley Cup to Vancouver. “Rah-rah-rah!!”

All the Canucks have to do tonight is WIN!!! Lose, and they’ll get a second chance on home ice in game 7 this Wednesday. But let’s not talk about that right now.

So about that cup… The Stanley cup is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America. It was Lord Stanley of Preston, the governor general of Canada from 1888 to 1893 who donated the famous cup in 1892. It cost him a hefty $48.67. Lord Stanley was known as a devoted British sportsman who helped create the world of organized sport that dominates our culture today. I’d also like to take a moment to recognize that he also donated the land which is now Stanley Park. What a guy!

A few other Hockey Firsts:

1843: First written reference to hockey on ice: A British army officer Arthur H. Freeling, stationed in Kinston, wrote in his diary: “began to skate this year, improved quickly and had great fun at hockey on the ice.”

March 3, 1875: First reported indoor game of Hockey: appeared in the Montreal Gazette.

1876: First reported use of the word puck: “What the puck was that?”

Feb 27, 1877: First printed playing rules for hockey appeared in the Montreal Gazette.

1881: The first know photograph of a team wearing a hockey uniform. McGill University Club.

1883: The first hockey championship trophy: the Montreal Winter Carnival Cup, won by McGill. It wasn’t for another 10years that the Stanley Cup was first presented.

Dec 8 1886: The first organized hockey league: the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association with 5 teams: McGill, Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, Montreal Victorians, Montreal Crystals, Ottawa Hockey Club.

June 15, 2011: First time the Vancouver Canucks win a Stanley Cup…??? ... and FAILED!!!

Origin of the Puck: Believed to derive from the Scottish and Gaelic word puck or Irish word poc, meaning to poke, punch or deliver a blow.

Hockey is believed to have several derivations. The most common seems to be the old French word hoquet, meaning curved stick or shepherds crook.

Alright hockey fans… just remember to keep your stick on the ice.

CH

Quality Of Life - Part 2

cont'd from May 6th ...

Social Relations
Sexual Functioning
Physical Functioning
Emotional Wellbeing
Standard of Living
Occupation
Health


Out of these examples listed… Do you think that increasing your physical fitness could link you to more life satisfaction in the each of categories listed???…. I believe so.

In reviewing the literature, I’ve found that the activity theorists say that happiness and pleasure arises from the behavior, and not just that of the endpoints. What this means is: actually riding the bike, skating the wall, running the trails, hitting the ball, punching the bag, surfing the wave, opening the door for someone, talking to others, liking your job, … or just the plain act of “doing” and “liking” will make a difference in your perception in your quality of life. So, get out there, pick something you like, and do it.

Furthermore …Feedback / Praise / Reinforcement are useful tools in goal progression, and using them will help you gauge the difference of how you perceive your quality of life. Feedback about your body; feedback about how it moves; feedback about your mental quickness; and feedback about how you are improving are what will enhance your self efficacy and belief that you can get what you want out of life.

So put simply, learning about your body, and having positive reinforcement about your body through the act of doing, self discovery, or experiential learning is essential in moving forward to attaining your goals.

I am the founder of the Witness Your Fitness wellness clinic and daily help people get the feedback and empower them gain the control of the essential components of their quality of life. I provide the feedback and reinforcement that makes progression simple and easy. Although you’ll still have to do the hard work; I can make it fun.

My goal for you is to not only add years to your life, but also add life to those years. If you really think about your best life in 10 / 20 / 30 or 50 years down the road from now, what do you see? If it includes walking up and down stairs, getting in and out of a car, getting your groceries, cooking, enjoying recreation, or getting yourself to the pub or any other social events, you’d better start investing in your wellness now through physical activity .

It’s what I do. I can help.

Cameron Hunt
Registered Kinesiologist
The Bentall Centre Athletic Club
cameron.a.hunt@gmail.com
604 837 6026

What is Quality of Life?

Quality of life is conscious judgment of satisfaction…. Or answers the question: What is the “best life for you?”

Dr. Happiness (as I like to call him), or Edward Diener has studied the influences of well-being in people for the last 25 years. He’s recognized many domains of people’s lives to evaluate life’s satisfaction. His research is useful today in many medical applications, but more importantly in identifying the causes of change that makes a difference to how people see their own quality of life. Here are a few examples of the types of domains with which people can judge their quality of life…

… In general, how would you rate yourself in these categories? Are you on track to living the best possible life for you? …


Physical Functioning
Emotional Wellbeing
Social Relations
Sexual Functioning
Occupation
Standard of Living
Health

… more to come soon.

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.