What Motivates You to be Active?

Motivation gets us started on the path to health & wellness but can be quickly lost. It is important to re-visit these motivating factors from time-to-time so that we don’t give-up. Our health depends on it. These motivational factors may help you to keep going strong.

Music is one of my biggest motivating factors. When I put music on, I am instantly motivated to do something. The beat of the music moves me, keeps me going & makes the activity more fun.

Other people motivate me to get active. Good company & conversation makes me forget about the time & effort involved. We have fun!  When I lack motivation, a friend can give the gentle push/motivation that is needed. Sometimes a competitive nature helps in this regard. If someone else can do it, so can I.

When I became a fitness instructor, many years ago, I had an 80 year old woman that came to every class. I’ll never forget her. The desire to be like her has always motivated me. I want to live a long comfortable life. Physical activity prevents many diseases, aches & pains & increases longevity. Strong muscles & bones helps seniors to live independently. 

My dog motivates me to stay active. He always wants to go for walks, regardless of the weather. Most times, after walking my dog, I admit that it did me more good than him. I always feel better for it. I love getting outdoors, feeling the sun on my face & breathing fresh air. Getting active outdoors isn’t just good for my body; it helps to clear my mind & is good for my soul.

The feeling that I get from exercising motivate me. I feel energized & re-vitalized. The endorphines improve my mood & attitude. It is a hard concept to grasp when tired & motivation is lacking. Once I convince myself to get going, all is good. 

Variety motivates me. Doing the same thing over & over gets boring fast. I exercise with free weights & tubing at home. I only do 2 sets of each exercise, instead of 3 sets. I am always changing things up & working my muscles in a different ways (which keeps muscles challenged & helps to get results). 

I am motivated to stay active so that I don’t grow out of my clothes. When we get older, our metabolism slows down & it is easier to gain weight. We all come in different shapes & sizes & need to be comfortable & confident in our own skin. I don’t have to have the perfect body, I just want to stay healthy. 

In life we have highs & lows. It is normal to go through periods of low motivation. Life gets busy. Sometimes a rest is just as good as a workout. I just make sure that I don’t give-up all together. I get back to being active when I can. It has become part of my lifestyle.

So, what motivates you to be active? Make a list so that you can re-motivate yourself when needed. Turn off your TV & computor for a change. You only need to be active for ½ an hour (most days of the week). Moving & doing something is better than sitting & doing nothing.

Start slowly & find an activity that you enjoy. You don’t need an expensive gym membership. Put the music on & dance. Go for a walk. Try yoga in your living room (following an exercise video). Mix things up so you don’t get bored. Stay motivated & stay well! You can do it!

Sleep (Uncovered): How Much is Enough, Stages & More

Sleep is important to our overall health & quality of life. Without it we have difficulty functioning. Sleep deprivation leads to injuries & fatalities. Are you getting enough sleep? How much is enough?  Are cat naps effective? This is what I have uncovered about sleep.

After a good night sleep, people are mentally, physically & socially at their best. Sleep helps us handle stress (which keeps blood pressure down). When well rested, people are more productive, alert & have fewer injuries. Sleep also helps with weight loss. It is just as important as good nutrition & exercise.

Sleep deprivation is dangerous. Did you know that a tired driver is just as impaired as an impaired driver? I was lucky to have avoided 2 head-on collisions. Both times, vehicles narrowly missed my car & ended up in the ditch. The drivers admitted that they had fell asleep at the wheel. I am/we are lucky to be alive. 

There are 4 stages of sleep.

Stage 1, is the transition phase (between being awake & sleeping).  This when you are drifting off to sleep. Eyes don’t want to stay open & heads nod. Lasts 5 – 10 minutes.

Stage 2, the person is in a light sleep. Muscles may twitch as the body relaxes. Lasts 10 - 20 minutes.

 A cat nap can refresh & rejuvenate. Short 10 – 20 minutes improve short-term alertness. Limit your cat nap to stages 1 &/or 2. People tend to wake up groggy when they nap 30 minutes or more.

If planning a road trip, have a good night's sleep the day before. If driving & getting tired, have a quick cat nap. Find an approach/safe place to stop & rest (don’t just pull-over onto the shoulder of a road). Be safe. Arrive alive: http://www.go-getters.ca/blog/2010/8/13/asleep-at-the-wheel.html.

Stage 3, transition from a light sleep to a very deep sleep. Heart rate slows & muscles are very relaxed. Can last for up to an hour.

Stage 4 or the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Stage is last. Eyes twitch, heart rate increases, arm & leg muscles experience temporary paralysis. We dream in this stage. Approx 20-25% of our sleep is spent in the REM stage.

Stages 3 & 4 are most important.  During these stages, the body repairs & prepares itself both physically & mentally for another day. This is when you boost your energy & your immune system.

A person will cycle through these 4 stages many times during one night. The length of time that we are in each stage can vary every time.

With our busy lifestyles, sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. As a result, people are sleeping less. With sleep deprivation people lack motivation/energy, gain weight, are emotional/moody, lack mental sharpness & get sick more often. Sleep shouldn’t be viewed as a luxury, it is a necessity.

So, how much sleep is really enough? The younger we are, the more sleep that we need. Experts recommend that adults need at least 7 – 8 hours of good quality sleep each night. 

Here are some tips for a good night's sleep: http://www.sleepnet.com/tips.html. If you are looking for more information about sleep, this site has everything you wanted to know but were too tired to ask.

Sleep is one activity that we can do with little effort. We need a good night’s sleep to fully restore & rejuvenate. Try to go to bed a little earlier tonight. Be the best that you can be! Sleep well & stay safe!

Frostbite: Stages, Prevention & Treatment

In the cold, things can go bad quickly. Frostbite, for example, can happen in less than 10 minutes. When you live in a cold climate, or work in cold weather, it is important to learn about the different stages of frostbite, prevention & treatment.

The stages of frostbite are similar to burns. They have a tendency to get worse over time if not treated quickly & properly.

The 1^st stage has been called first degree or frost nip. The skin starts out white, numb & nerves tingle. As the skin warms, color returns (normal to slightly red). Skin/nerves may feel prickly. Skin damage is superficial/not deep & not permanent.

2^nd degree is the next stage of frostbite. Tissue damage is much deeper.  The skin gets worse with time, becomes red, tender & painful (a burning sensation). Blood filled blisters usually appear 1 or 2 days later. Nerve damage may result with a loss of feeling in the affected body part.

3^rd degree frostbite is dangerous. All layers of the skin have been damaged. Skin is numb & feels cold & hard to the touch. The affected body part swells & skin appears waxy, black &/or dark blue as it dies. Skin damage is permanent. In the most severe cases, people have lost the tips of their ears, fingers, toes etc.

The amount of tissue damage from frostbite, depends on how long the skin has been frozen. Don’t take chances with frostbite, try these prevention tips:

-          Go indoors the minute you feel cold (micro breaks at work are recommended)

-          Stay dry & dress in layers appropriate for the temperature (avoid cotton)

-          Remember to factor in the wind chill

-          Cover vulnerable areas like your nose, cheeks, ears, fingers & toes

-          Avoid tight clothing, that may cut off circulation

Treatment for 1^st degree frostbite or frost nip:

-          warm the skin in warm water (not hot) or use body heat. Do not use direct heat such as a fire or heating pad. The skin may be numb and can burn easily.

-          Warm the area only if you are sure it won’t freeze again.

-          Don’t rub the frozen area/skin (skin is damaged & friction makes it worse).

Treatment for 2^nd & 3^rd degree frostbite:

-          The degree of damage will get worse over time, so seek medical attention as soon as possible. Proper diagnosis & treatment are vital.

-          Avoid walking on feet if they have been affected by frostbite.

-          Keep damaged skin elevated to prevent swelling.

-          Put loose dry sterile bandages on blisters & open wounds (don’t break blisters).

Severe frostbite can be very painful with irreversable damage. Stay updated on weather forecasts. If it is extremely cold, even brief exposure to cold can cause frostbite. Take measures to protect your skin. Stay safe & stay warm!

Holiday Season Fire Prevention Tips

Recently there seems to be quite a few house, garage or condo fires in the news. Few of the victims had house or tenant insurance. In the most tragic cases, lives had been lost. Here are a few fire prevention tips, specific to the holiday season:

-          Candles are popular this time of year. Cut candle wicks short before lighting (to prevent a high flame).

-          Never leave burning candles unattended. Don't leave anything cooking on your stove unattended. Out of sight, out of mind. It is easy to get distracted or forget. Using a timer can also help to prevent food from burning (& a potential fire).

-          Use sturdy candle stands. Put them in a location where they won’t be knocked over.

-          Keep candles away from children, pets & curtains. If the candle is integrated into a centre piece, don’t let it burn down & ignite the rest of the decorations.

-          Don’t overload electrical outlets.

-          When replacing light bulbs, don’t exceed recommended wattage. Use light bulbs that are safety certified & that stay cool (LED for example). Once a tree has dried out it becomes flammable, it is time to take the lights off to store for next year.

-          Use appropriate extension cords (for example, grounded outdoor cords for outdoor use etc). Don’t use cords that are damaged with exposed wires or bad connections. Don’t run electrical cords under carpets.

-          Turn off all holiday/decorative lights off before going to bed &/or before you leave home.

-          Ensure fireplace chimneys are clean of debris before using.  Burn woods that don’t spark & use a fire screen. Make sure the fire is out before going to bed or going out.

-          Keep matches & lighters out of reach of children.

-          For guests that smoke, create a designated smoking area with a safe place to dispose of their cigarette butts (for example, a tin can full of sand makes a good outdoor ashtray).  

-          Ensure fire alarms & carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order.

-          Educate visiting family & friends about fire escape routes (keep everyone safe, just in case).

-          Buy a small fire extinguisher for your home. A small chemical extinguisher is best for your kitchen (to put out grease fires).

It takes just a few minutes for a fire to be out of control. Minimize your risks to prevent a fire from happening in the first place. Stay safe…everywhere…always…but in particular this holiday season. 

The above tips were specific to the holiday season. For other  fire prevention tips check these links: 

Fire Safety Checklist       http://www.go-getters.ca/blog/2010/11/1/fire-safety-checklist.html

Fire Prevention – Proper Storage & Disposal of Oily/Flammable Rags

http://www.go-getters.ca/blog/2011/9/9/fire-prevention-tips-proper-storage-disposal-of-oilyflammabl.html

Are Peanut & Other Food Allergies Getting Worse?

Allergic reactions are caused when the body's immune system over-reacts to a particular allergen. When an allergic reaction is severe, or anaphylaxis in nature, air passages swell making breathing difficult or impossible (respiratory arrest may result). Everyone wants to know why there seems to be an increase in food allergies, especially where peanuts are concerned.

Research confirms that allergies are indeed on the rise. The fact of the matter is that no one is really sure why. Are we trying to be too sterile & hypo-allergenic? Are there too many things we are now exposed to in our industrial world? Does an expecting mother’s diet &/or expose to allergens affect her unborn child? Does it help to be exposed to animals at an early age? Are kids from big families less likely to have allergies? This is the type of research that is going on. More research is obviously still needed.

According to Health Canada, there are 10 foods that are most likely to cause severe food allergies. These include:

-          Peanuts

-          Eggs

-          Milk

-          Tree Nuts

-          Wheat

-          Soy

-          Sesame seeds

-          Seafood (fish, crustaceans & shellfish)

-          Sulphites (substances that naturally occur in food and the human body. They are also regulated food additives that are used as preservatives.)

-          Mustard

Finding mustard on the list was a surprise to me. It is a relatively new addition to Health Canada’s top 10 food allergen list. To find out more about these food allergies & the decision to declare mustard a priority allergen, check this Health Canada link: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/allerg/fa-aa/index-eng.php.

If you have allergic reactions to food, take the following precautions to minimize your risk.

-          Avoid foods that have caused an allergic reaction in the past. When shopping read food labels (check list of ingredients carefully). Check for allergy warnings on packages. For example chocolate chips that I use in baking are made in a factory where other peanut products are made. As a result, someone eatting my home baked chocolate chip cookies could have an allergic reaction to peanuts (even though there are no peanuts in my cookies). When eatting out, ask questions about what is in the food you are being served.

-          If you have a child that you think may be allergic to certain foods, introduce one new food at a time so that you can recognize an allergic reaction. If you know your child has severe allergies, be especially vigilant & tell anyone looking after the child about the allergies, possible reactions & what to do if a reaction happens.

-          Anaphylaxis allergies can cause death if it isn’t treated immediately. Wear a medic alert identifier & carry an epinephrine pen/auto-injector with you (prescribed by your doctor). This pen will help you to breathe in an emergency & can save your life

-          Tell others, for example your co-workers, about your severe allergies. If you carry an epinephrine pen, tell them where you keep it (so they can help you in an emergency).

Anybody can develop a food allergy, even athletes. Allergies can develop at any age & sometimes, we out-grow them. If you suffer from food allergies, visit our doctor & get tested. Follow their advice & try the tips above to minimize your risk.