Vitamin D Research

A long-awaited report from the Institute of Medicine to be released Tuesday triples the recommended amount of vitamin D most Americans should take every day to 600 international units from 200 IUs set in 1997. Personally, I take 1,000IU in addition to my multi-vitamin every day. Check out the full article here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704584804575645023841631864.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop

Aging Gracefully

I came across a good article last week in The Boston Globe that discussed aging gracefully. I wanted to highlight a few of the tips the article provided, as they are ones they I am constantly preaching to clients, family, and friends:

• Exercise is Essential- 'nuff said
• Eat Food, Not Pills- this is something I adopted from Michael Pollan
• Get Mental Health in Order- eliminating/reducing all potential stressors in your life works WONDERS
• Sleep Early and Often- my favorite in the whole list as it's the challenge I tackle regularly, and will continue to battle.

Todd Durkin e-mail

I was reading an email I got today from one of my mentors, Todd Durkin. In it, he talked about taking action, yet accepting imperfection. It was such a great email I wanted to share a piece of it with you, as it certainly motivated me! Check it out here: "And while I prefer to do my daily 'To Do' List the night before, you get the idea of the importance of taking ACTION on the most important things on your list FIRST. Accept that you will be busy, but stay focused on what's most important. First, give priority to your workouts and eating right. This will help fight the stress and anxiety associated with the many other items you must complete. That's great advice as we continue to march toward the holiday season and year-end. For now, permit yourself to be imperfect, slow down, and enjoy this wonderful time of the year. And if you continue to find yourself busy: Be busy doing the right things!"

Littleton, MA Back Care

I had the opportunity to head out to Littleton, MA today to speak to a group of 40 town workers about back health. Bear in mind these are ALL men, many of who admittedly don't care for their bodies the way they should. I gave a 30 min. lecture/slide show presentation on back care (preventing and combatting back pain). After the lecture, I put them all through a series of stretches and strengthening exercises to improve posture, increase back strength, induce him mobility, and teach proper ergonomics both during exercise and at work every day.

One of the exercises we covered that engages the glutes, and helps to reduce back pain is the supine hip bridge. See the video below for instruction. This is a fantastic exercise to add in your repertoire regularly as all of my clients do:

A "Sustainable" Thanksgiving

So I've been reading a bit lately about pasture-raised turkeys and am considering one this year for Thanksgiving. I've recently befriended a local farmer and am in the midst of trying some of her products. I've also been following the literary work of a few nutritionists in Baltimore, and found a piece I wanted to share on the definition of "Sustainable" and how to follow this path for Thanksgiving. Check it out here:

Nutritionist Mindy Athas (pictured) weighs in on the benefits of eating green.

"Sustainable is about eating in season with foods grown naturally and raised humanely, ideally within a 100-mile radius of your home. Health benefits come with choosing locally-grown, in-season foods. Without the need for long transportation, fruits and veggies can be eaten just-picked, at the peak of ripeness, ensuring freshness and maximum nutritional value. Organic, pesticide-free produce may also be higher in antioxidants. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals and protect the body's cells from oxidative stress, assisting in disease prevention. Buying from a local farm also fosters a relationship between consumers and their food. See www.sustainabletable.org."