Blog | Corporate Health and Fitness - Health Coach New York

Is Your Thyroid is to Blame For Stubborn Weight, Hairloss and Feeling Tired

by Randi on May 6, 2013

A small but mighty endocrine gland located in your neck, the thyroid is responsible for regulating your metabolism and thyroid hormone synthesis in the body. When it’s revving too high, you experience hyperthyroidism; too low, the result is hypothyroidism, which we will focus on in this article.

Studies show close to 15 million Americans suffer from an unrecognized thyroid problem, with the vast majority of those suffering from hypothyroidism issues. In fact, the latest data suggest that as many as 20 million Americans have hypothyroidism. Diet and lifestyle can impact the function of your thyroid.

Getting Diagnosed

Hypothyroidism is classified into either overt or subclinical disease; the latter meaning that the thyroid is mildly under active. That diagnosis is determined on the basis of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) blood tests. The “normal” range of TSH falls between 0.5 – 5.0; however, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) recognize a much narrower range of .03 – 3.0. Therefore, if your test results are higher than 3.0 and you suffer from any of the following symptoms, you may want to speak with an endocrinologist to help you better understand how to keep your thyroid working at optimal levels.

Here is the problem with only looking at your TSH number, you may be missing something. In order to have a full and accurate understanding of your thyroid, your doctor should also be testing the levels of your T4, Free T3 and reverse T3. I always advise clients to get second opinions before they jump into taking Synthroid. That only takes in to account half the potential problem.

I also advise taking an iodine challenge test. Did you know that many people are deficient in iodine? Iodine deficiency may mimic thyroid problems, causing you to be on unnecessary, expensive drugs. Not only will iodine possibly eliminate your hypothyroidism symptoms, it is UBER protective to your breast tissue against cancer cells.

The list of hypothyroidism symptoms are long and include:

Depression	Anxiety	Weight gain
Fatigue	Weakness	Sensitivity to cold
Cold hands and feet	Thinning hair	Coarse and dry hair
Numbness in fingers	Dizziness	Brain fog
Brittle nails	Poor memory	Muscle cramps
Heavy periods	Decreased libido	Constipation

Support Your Thyroid Naturally

To best support your thyroid, stick to the following guidelines for diet and exercise:

Eat sea vegetables. These provide a great source of iodine, a needed element for the production of thyroid hormones.
Eat Brazil nuts. These are rich in selenium, another important nutrient for thyroid function.
Supplement with L-tyrosene.
Eat foods high in essential fats, B vitamins, zinc, vitamin C, and magnesium. Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, avocado, whole grains, and fish.
Drink lots of water. Drink lots to keep your endocrine system working well.
Try to get regular exercise including weight-bearing exercise, walking and stretching
Identify and reduce your stress.
Get enough solid 7-8 hours good sleep every night
Consider getting acupuncture, which is effective in treating hormonal imbalances.
Avoid eating too many raw cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts). Cooked is OK.
Avoid soy and millet.
Avoid fluoride and chlorine. These are chemically similar to iodine and can displace iodine in the thyroid. Filter your water and use fluoride-free toothpaste. You also want to install a water filter on your shower head and on every sink where the water goes in your mouth.

Note that if your tests show that you have overt hypothyroidism as opposed to mild hypothyroidism you will want to work closely with your doctor who will recommend treatment. But if you have mild hypothyroidism, careful monitoring and adopting these healthy lifestyle suggestions may help you improve thyroid function, and increase your energy.

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Why You NEED to DETOX in SPRING to Lose Weight and Eliminate Annoying Symptoms

by Randi on April 16, 2013

Did you know the body has several channels or means of eliminating toxins and waste? The lungs, liver, lymphatic system, blood, bowels and kidneys all work in tandem to keep your body functioning at its best.

In today’s world, exposure to toxins is all but unavoidable occurs from processed food, pollution, pesticides, and almost any dangerous chemical. Fortunately, you can catalyze detoxification through dietary changes and small lifestyle adjustments. You can also give your body a helping hand by focusing on the following:

• Lungs: To keep the lungs clean and functioning at their best, avoid smoking—and smokers! Practice deep breathing exercises in fresh air for about 15 minutes per day. Also try to get plenty of exercise, to increase your air capacity. Meditation also helps.

• Liver: An integral part of your body’s detoxification system, the liver metabolizes everything from food to alcohol. When the liver functions properly, it removes waste from the blood and stores nutrients. To naturally detoxify the liver, eat plenty of antioxidant-rich foods such as dark leafy greens and minimize alcohol consumption. There are some foods and substances that need to be limited so you don’t wear out your liver. You need to monitor your:

Sugar intake
Alcohol amounts
Caffeine
Medications
Drugs
Additives
A surprise is that Artificial Sweeteners are even more dangerous to your Liver than real Sugar. This is one of the worst things you can stress your LIVER with.

• Lymphatic system: The lymphatic system protects your body from illness and disease. When it doesn’t function properly, you feel fatigued and sick. To protect your lymphatic system, avoid processed foods and eat whole foods instead. You can also get a lymphatic massage, exercise, and sit in a sauna, as sweating purges toxins from this system. You should incorporate exercising such as jumping rope, rebounding and walking to move the lymph through your system.

• Blood: The blood transports nutrients and other substances to organs within the body. By detoxifying the blood, it will be better equipped to carry nutrients throughout the body. Drinking plenty of filtered water to hydrate your body and eating plenty of fiber helps here. Sweating via a tough workout cleanses the blood as well.

• Bowels: A healthy colon breaks down the various nutrients you consume within a day. The colon also eliminates waste from the body through feces. To maximize colon health, eat plenty of high-fiber foods (shoot for at least 25 grams of fiber per day) and drink at least 8 glasses of pure, filtered water daily.

• Kidneys: The kidneys eliminate waste by producing urine. Dehydration is one of the main causes of ineffective kidneys. By drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day, you can optimize kidney function.

Don’t be fooled by expensive supplements marketed to detoxify your body. By eating nutritious foods, exercising, and drinking pure filtered water, you can support immune function and overall health by purifying your main detox channels.

For more information on The Proven, Safe Spring Slim Down 12-Day Detox (A mini no diet-diet based with food and fullness without starvation and aggravation) Click here to see what people have to say about the 12-Day Detox and more about the results YOU WILL ACHIEVE

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Bust through Stress, Boredom & Time Crunch Excuses That Are Holding You Back From…

by Randi on April 16, 2013

Weight Loss, Goals and Good Intentions often fall to self-sabotage behaviors. One of the biggest complaints I hear from clients is they’re stressed by work/family balance and the lack of time they have for exercise. The biggest challenge with that rationale is it keeps you in the stressed, poor eating, and lack of movement merry-go-round. It becomes hard to get results because you’re convinced your schedule won’t allow you to cook, eat better and exercise.

Something’s got to give or your body will eventually give out, leaving you with potential irreversible disease. This statistic has to change: 50% of all adults beginning an exercise program will drop out within three to six months. (That was me ten years ago!) I finally found the right balance and motivation for myself and now it’s your turn.

Learn to be prepared to conquer your perceived barriers with great motivators and solutions to your challenges…

Sabotaging Thought and Excuse- “I don’t have enough time to workout and eat healthy meals”

Solution: Focus on HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) a good workout can be completed in 20 minutes by working out 4 exercises in cycles with 2-3 minute breaks in between rounds. Another way is to perform seven or eight 30-to 60-second intervals, followed by an equal amount of rest. An example would be 60 seconds each of: air squats, push-ups, mountain climbers, assisted pull-ups, jump rope, static lunges and planks. You would perform these in order for the appointed amount of time, then take a 3-4 minute rest. Repeat 3-5 rounds of this. The healthy eating/shopping solution would to be shop using a service such as Fresh Direct or Peapod so your groceries can be delivered to your door. You may also want to sign up for a co-op to get fresh vegetables/fruits each week. Take an hour or two on Saturday or Sunday to set your self up for success by prepping your food.

Sabotaging Thought and Excuse – I’ll get to the Gym…but it doesn’t happen

Solution: Accountability. Find a partner, trainer or friend that will meet you there or at the very least, hold you accountable. When I made the change from “evergreen gym member” that joined but didn’t get to the gym to avid exerciser and then certified personal trainer- it was because I admitted to myself, I needed to have an appointment with someone in order for me to show up. I knew that if I had an appointment with a trainer or a group class that was non-refundable, I would show up. As soon as I began to see and feel results, the rest was a no brainer. My motivation and desire for success and health skyrocketed.

Sabotaging Thought and Excuse – Boredom

Solution: Mix it up and try something new. One study showed that when people were offered a choice of 10 resistance-training tools, they had more fun and pushed out 40% more reps then when they were limited to two modalities. Some things you can try are TRX Trainer, RIP Trainer, BOSU exercises, Barre exercises, free weights, HIIT training and combinations of all of them.

Big Roadblock – STRESS

Solution: Address it immediately. The sad truth is that most people, who really need to include movement and exercise in their life, feel to stressed to get it done. The problem with that is that Exercise is a huge Stress buster. What I recommend to my clients is stress-reducing behaviors to get them past that feeling. The double-edged sword is stress releases hormones into your body that may make you fat, depressed and unmotivated. By using other stress reducing techniques first can play a big role toward better sleep, a reduction of stress hormones and fewer sugar cravings. Try adding deep breathing exercises into your day. Deep breathing (Proper breathing) should have your stomach rise on inhalation, so it promotes the delivery of oxygen to the entire body. Move away form chest breathing, in other words its ok to let your stomach hang out.

Roadblock: Low Energy

Solution: A Music Boost for Motivation and Seeing Results. Your favorite music can flip a switch and make you want to work out. Science actually supports that people increase both power and output when they listen to upbeat music. Create a playlist, use Pandora or Spotify and pump up the tunes and your results. Energy will also increase as you begin to workout and move. Workouts don’t need to be in a gym, you can put in your earphones and take a dance break, ride a bike, jump rope, swim or take a run. You may also want to grab your “other half” and try a Buddy-exercise inspired workout. It’s good for your body and relationship and will quickly boost your energy.

One more piece of advice is to adopt some of these Anytime Motivators for yourself:

Fresh Air- exercising and/or getting outside benefits your mind and body
Set reasonable goals, in other words, chunk things down so you can accomplish them. Choose to exercise 1x this week instead of 3. Commit to order food online and prep chicken cutlets and salad ingredients rather than saying I’ll eat better this week. Make goals specific and manageable you hit them and feel successful rather than like a failure.
Keep your eye on the prize and do whatever it takes to get there. Bet money on yourself, join weight wars or diet-bet, or commit to donate to a charity you HATE if you don’t stick to your goals.
Always end every session with something you like and that feels good. You want your last thoughts of the experience to be positive- it will keep you coming back.

If you find this article helpful, please share it with someone you care about. Keep the conversation flowing and share your barriers and self sabotaging behaviors with how you overcome. What is your BEST Tip to Conquer Excuses?

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4X More Addictive than Cocaine – Is It In Your Kids Diet and What About Yours?

by Randi on March 8, 2013

By now you likely know how detrimental highly processed, granulated white sugar is to your health. If you need a refresher, here are some of the many ways white sugar wreaks havoc on your biochemistry, courtesy of UCSF’s Dr. Robert Lustig, a crusader against sugar and author of Fat Chance:

Sugar contributes to obesity
Sugar contributes to insulin resistance and diabetes
Sugar is addictive and toxic
Sugar makes you want to eat more—and move less!
Sugar compromises your immune system for 4 hours per teaspoon
Sugar feeds fungus and candida
Sugar feeds CANCER cells, its the fuel that allows it to grow

If those stats aren’t bad enough, the American Government has actually classified Sugar as a Class A Addictive drug, that’s the same rating as Morphine!!! Why else do you think it’s so hard to give up the legal “white powder”? Sugar has actually proven to be 4 times more addictive than cocaine! Scary Sh-T, isn’t it?

Sugar hides where you don’t expect to find it: (here are a few examples)

ketchup
salad dressings
“healthy” cereals
yogurt with fruit already in them
alcohol
medication
many non-organic, store brand tomato sauce’s
processed foods (anything ending in “ose” this allows them to make it look like less sugar in product”
fruit juices
milk chocolate (stick to DARK, such as Vita Organic Chocolate)

Since sugar is so harmful, it makes sense to minimize or eliminate it altogether. I know this is so much easier said than done. I also know some of you are thinking I’m crazy right about now, because you’ll take your chances and you’re not giving Sugar up so easily. Look, I know that nobody is perfect, but ask yourself this…”How much do you love yourself and how long do you want to live a HEALTHY LIFE without aches, pains, infertility, disease, sexual dysfunction, headaches, weight problems, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer, arthritis, foggy brain, sleep issues and much more.

There are ways to get the yummy sweetness of sugar into your food and your body, that are a lot less harmful to you. So, for those occasions when you need sweets, try some of these alternative sweeteners in your diet.

1. Honey

Raw honey has myriad health-promoting qualities. It contains natural antioxidants, although the quantity does vary across varieties (buckwheat honey reportedly delivers the most). Honey is also chock-full of enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Note that baking with raw honey will destroy many of the nutrients in honey. If you want to use it to flavor your tea or coffee, wait until your beverage has cooled enough to drink.

Sugar substitute: In dressings, and slaws; warm beverages

2. Blackstrap Molasses

Blackstrap molasses is a sweetener that is actually good for you—it’s high in antioxidants and several health-promoting trace minerals that are difficult to find in other foods, such as: iron, calcium, copper, manganese, potassium, and magnesium. Opt for unsulphured black strap molasses as it doesn’t contain the processing chemical to which some people are sensitive. Unsulphured means it’ll have a cleaner and more clarified taste.

Sugar substitute: Use in place of brown sugar or when you want to impart a slightly smoky flavor. Great in baked beans and gingerbread.

3. Coconut Sugar

Proponents argue coconut sugar tends to be less refined than granulated sugar; they say it also contains minerals like magnesium, potassium zinc and iron. In addition, coconut sugar has been touted to have a lower glycemic index than the uber-refined white stuff, which means that it can cause a less dramatic spike in blood sugar. Since studies on this sugar are largely unavailable, you need to take these claims with a grain of salt. As always, moderation is key!

Sugar substitute: Can be used as a 1:1 substitute for sugar in baking and cooking. You can also find it in syrup form; in that case, adjust your measurement in baking to ¾ cup for 1 cup sugar, reduce liquid by 2 tbsp for each cup and reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF.

4. Date Sugar

This may be the rock star of the group. Made from ground dates, this sweetener delivers all the nutrients in dates, including potassium and calcium—and is similar in healthful polyphenols as green tea! But that’s just part of the story: Date sugar is also low in calories, helpful for constipation, and makes you feel full longer. Look for varieties that have one ingredient only.

Sugar substitute: Yummy in bars and cookies, substitute this way: for every one cup of sugar, use 2/3 cup of date sugar.

5. Stevia

Derived from a plant with sweet leaves, it doesn’t get much more natural than this. The glucoside in the leaves of the Stevia Rebaudiana plant account for its incredible sweetness.

Stevia is calorie-free, and the powdered concentrate is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is widely used all over the world and is becoming more commonly found in the U.S. Stevia can help keep blood sugar levels in check and despite being very sweet, it doesn’t contribute to cavities.

Sugar substitute: A little stevia goes a LONG way. A fraction of the amount and you’ll have ample sweetness. You can even grow your own!

Other choices are:

Rapsadura
Palm Sugar
Agave
Yacon syrup
Brown Rice syrup
Dates (put in a blender) can make truffles, smoothies and baked goods taste good

Above all, for optimal health, try to keep your sugar consumption down to 15-25 grams per day. Your ultimate goal should be to ditch the sugar, unless it’s a completely natural source. At the end of the day, sugar causes your body to release insulin (to clean up the sugar mess) which often causes inflammation, excess weight and many of the other problems I spoke about before.

In the next few weeks, I’ll introduce you to some people who are getting off the sugar, naturally and with food. You will be amazed at the results and ease of the program and you’ll want in too!!!

Keep checking back to learn how you can get off The Sugar Train, Get the Skinny on Sugar and then get your Better Body and Health revved up!!

Please leave a comment below this blog, sharing the hardest “sugar” food for you to stop craving. If you like what you’ve read, sign up for my newsletter on the upper right hand side) for more info to keep you living longer and full of life without the presence of “symptoms”

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Are You One Of the Thousands Who are Throwing $2,275 in the Trash Each Year?…Here’s How to Stop

by Randi on February 16, 2013

$2,275 is the average amount of money a family of four, living in the United States wastes each year in food that goes bad in their refrigerator and then ends up in the garbage. When I saw that…. I said WHAT?? Think what you could do with that extra cash each year. The money could let you buy your holiday presents, take you on a vacation, go into a retirement fund or buy you something special.

Now, in case you’re not a math whiz, that’s over $22,000 wasted every 10 years. That’s sick!!!! So, what can you do to Stop the madness this year, beginning with 2013?

There are many ways to save money this year, just by using what you bought and planning a little bit better.

Intend to use leftover dinner for lunch. This is known as cook once, eat twice
Take inventory of what usually gets tossed in your house. Are your veggies growing mold or turning mushy? Try chopping them up, if you see they may be headed south, and use them in smoothies, for a quick crudité or throw in a salad or soup. Tomatoes can be made into a delicious soup, or buy a box of Pacific Tomato soup and throw in the cut up veggies. Your vegetables could also be used in a morning omelet.
Buy produce that’s still slightly green, so it has more ripening time at your house. For instance bananas and avocados can be stored longer when you don’t buy them ready to eat. Your body will thank you too, because the riper a banana is; the more sugar gets dumped into your body. If you still see, they are about to end up as trash, slice the bananas and freeze them so you can throw them in a smoothie to make it creamy or turn them into frozen, chocolate dipped bananas. Mash your avocados and throw in the chopped up onion, garlic and jalapeños Then squeeze in lime and sprinkle cilantro to have a satisfying healthy dose of guacamole, or make a chocolate pudding using avocados and cacao click here for recipe, you’ll never even know they are in it
Instill one night per week or a lunch each week as leftover day
Give it to your dogs, they’ll thank you
Make a list before you head to the store and stick to it. Try planning a weekly menu, from there developing a shopping list and don’t deviate. This is helpful because you know what you’re making ahead of time, so you can use my super Sunday set up method, buy exactly what you need and know it should all get eaten.
You could also invite your friends over to finish the food with you.
By using one or many of these ideas, you are sure to keep more of your money in your pocket this year. Another benefit of planning and shopping for what you need is that, you won’t buy so many unnecessary products that sit on the shelves for years. Take the extra time each week plan it out.

If you find this helpful, please share with friends and leave comments or more ideas below.

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Do You Want More Sex? Boost Your Libido, Pleasure and Health! Fifty Shades of Grey is ON to Something

by Randi on January 29, 2013

The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has changed sex as we know it. The book is about innocence, adventure, the dark side in us, experimentation, insecurity and love

I’m often reading articles and research about how Americans don’t have enough Sex. This is partly due to our diets, weight, self-esteem and wacky hormones. A lot of what you eat, how you stress and how you exercise influences your hormones which can help control your sex hormones and libido.

How many excuses do you have such as the time is not right or how often to you throw everything aside and hit the sheets? If you find that you have many excuses or really are just to physically tired to have the sex life you long for, here are some ways to turn over a new leaf.

Beat exhaustion by changing your sleep routine. Sleep in a blacked out room. Try turning off all electronics at least 2 hours before you go to bed. The lights from your TV, computer, tablets and phones confuses your brain to think its daytime. This can make falling asleep and staying asleep difficult. An indication that you’re not sleeping well, is if you hit snooze many times and you still feel tired in the morning.

Schedule time to hit the sheets. It’s even ok to escape to a hotel for some variety and spice. There is something relaxing about being in a plush hotel, knowing there are no distractions and nothing for you to have to do in your house

Use aromatherapy to help set the mood. Scent is a huge stimulant, it can recreate memories and relax you

Get at least 3 days of a solid exercise routine going on. When you perform exercises the right way, right weights, rest, and intervals, you should actually be craving SEX. Maybe even try strengthening your core so you feel Sexy

Eat right and keep in mind you are what you eat and what your food ate. If your food is loaded with hormones, antibiotics and crap, this will affect your mood, thoughts and libido. As you change your diet and include more fresh foods and healthy fats, you may feel a spike in your sex drive.

If you can get the stamina, strength and drive where you want it, you will be happy to know that Sex has other benefits besides pleasure and connection, it’s good for your HEALTH too.

Sex is good for your heart, and it actually can provide some cardiac exercise. Dr Oz says it can increase your Hearts HRV, which measures how well your heart responds to subtle changes throughout the day.

Your body release the hormone DHEA during Sex and it’s believed that DHEA can help you look many years younger and give your skin a certain glow.

As you probably already know, Sex can reduce Sex and help you sleep better. Sex and sleep have a two-way dynamic meaning they help each other.

Your body releases endorphins after an orgasm and endorphins can actually help shield your body from pain. It’s similar to a natural pain reliever.

New research even links 2-3 times of sex per week to a having a stronger immune system.

There are foods and herbs that can help boost your libido before Valentine’s Day this year. Add these into your diet and hopefully begin to enjoy a stronger libido soon…

“Sex” Foods (Shapes sometimes resemble the organs they support)

Asparagus - is high in the B vitamin folate that helps increase your production of histamine. Histamine is important for increasing your sex drive. Plus, it has a suggestive shape, and you know what that means…

Avocado - Loaded with potassium, avocados boost libido for both sexes. And they’re rich in folic acid that provides energy and stamina – both of which are important once your libido is restored.

Chilies - If you like hot and spicy, you’re in luck! Chilies contain capsaicin, a chemical which also increases blood flow and triggers the release of mood-enhancing endorphins that naturally pump up your libido.

Watermelon - If you like hot and spicy, you’re in luck! Chilies contain capsaicin, a chemical which also increases blood flow and triggers the release of mood-enhancing endorphins that naturally pump up your libido.

Herbs for “Sex”

Ginger - increases blood flow, especially to the sexual organs. Ginger has warming properties and is known to warm your body, Many cultures have used ginger as an aphrodisiac for hundreds of years.

Nutmeg – has been shown to be an aphrodisiac in animal studies and results said it did increase sexual behaviors. It is great sprinkled on top of sweet potatoes or in your coffee.

Maca Root – known as Peruvian ginseng,and it’s a favorite herb in South America to increase sexual desire in both men and women. Maca has high levels of amino acids in Maca, specifically L-Arginine and L-Histadine, may help boost female sex drive or libido and correct sexual dysfunction in women.

Cayenne - Hot peppers will cause a little sizzle in the bedroom. Cayenne and other hot peppers heat up the body, and may speed-up your metabolism AND increase blood flow to sensitive areas. Eating cayenne also gives you a sexy, flushed appearance, which might help heat things up for your partner

The bottom line is that Sex has many more benefits than just the obvious. Books like Fifty Shades of Grey have re-started the conversation. Use this information to heat up your Sex life and please share this blog and info with friends. I would love to hear your comments. Please leave feedback sex foods you like, or other ideas below this article that you want to share

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The Magic of Touch…Massage Is Good For Your Health and Your Sex Life

by Randi on January 15, 2013

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, so I’m thinking about touch, chocolate, sex, love, gifts, hearts and red. I’m going to write a series revolving around these themes. Have you started thinking of a gift for your other half? Consider making them a spa appointment with a great masseuse. Did you know that research shows the power of touch can help reduce pain, anxiety, depression, promote immune function, lower heart rate and blood pressure, and even improve asthmatic conditions. Bottom line: Massage could be the unsung hero of the health world.

When your muscles are knotted or you desperately need to relax there’s nothing more heavenly than a whole-body rub down from your favorite therapist or crush. A fun twist would be to consider a couples massage for Valentine’s Day.

In a study on 53 healthy adults published in the October 2010 Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researchers in Cedars-Sinai’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences looked at two types of massage treatments. The research suggests massage could also help to treat inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. It also proves that we are hard-wired to respond positively to touch. Tests showed that participants who had a Swedish massage (moderate pressure) had decreases in stress hormones and increases in white blood cells, also known as an immune system boost. Those who received “light touch” treatment reported higher levels of the love hormone oxytocin. FYI… Oxytocin is also associated with sex and orgasms.

Here are some of the specific physiological benefits of getting a massage:

Muscular System — Massage relieves soreness, tension, and stiffness while it can improve the flow of nutrients to muscles and joints, accelerating recovery from fatigue and injury.

Skeletal System —Massage decreases inflammation and restores the range of motion in your body (increasing joint movement). It also improves the circulation and nutrients of your joints.

Skin —Massage improves skin tone by removing dead cells and improving circulation. It also improves elasticity of skin and helps normalize glandular functions.

Circulatory System—Massage increases the number of red blood cells, especially in cases of anemia. It also helps lower blood pressure and reduce the heart rate (which strengthens the heart in the long run).

Lymphatic System—Massage cleanses the body of wastes and toxic debris and stimulates the immune system. Without “pumping” the lymph by jumping or massage, the bacteria, viruses and toxins that get trapped in lymph would stay in your body and rot. Massage literally helps to move out the toxins, dangers and junk.

Respiratory System—Massage helps regulate respiration and promotes deeper and easier breathing.

Nervous System—Massage has the unique ability to both stimulate the nervous system (thereby boosting energy), or calm the nervous system depending on the type and length of the treatment. Massage can also relieve restlessness and insomnia and stimulate your body’s natural painkillers (endorphins).

Endocrine System—Massage can help support hormonal balance (through immune system regulation) and develop restful sleep patterns.

Digestive System—Abdominal massage helps relieve constipation and stimulate activity of the liver and kidneys.

Think about it, we all like to be touched and massage feels good. It’s amazing that something that feels so good is actually really “HEALTHY” for you. Too many things that we associate with feeling good or tasting good are usually “bad” for us but MASSAGE is amazing. The benefits list is endless and top priority things you want in your life.

And… the other benefit is massage can lead to other activities, closeness and possibility. Try to get a professional massage every few weeks, it’s worth the splurge. On alternate weeks, find someone to give you mini-massages and you can return the favor.

If you’re at work, you can even try forming a 5 minute massage line

Now there’s no need to feel guilty scheduling regular massage! You just need to think of this as essential self-care—and do it for the health of it.

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Are You Eating This Dangerous Food that Could Be Destroying Your Liver?

by Randi on January 7, 2013

Sugar intake
Alcohol amounts
Caffeine
Medications
Drugs
Additives
A surprise is that Artificial Sweeteners are even more dangerous to your Liver than real Sugar. This is one of the worst things you can stress your LIVER with.

For more information on a 2 week program to help you detoxify and start the New Year Slimmer and More Energetic than last year…click here: http://coreandmorehealthandfitness.com/new-years-slim-down/

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Are You Insane?

by Randi on December 20, 2012

Einstein once said: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. This applies to just about everything. Lets relate it to what you eat and the stress you may feel at any given moment.

Think about what you eat and how you exercise. Are you thinking about it? Chances are you’re seeing yourself sticking to basically the same foods and same exercise patterns. If this is working for you..Bravo! The same actions resulting in the same outcome. But I think most people will lean toward the side of still wanting to change something about their body, health and/or energy levels.

Fast forward to New Year’s Day, when you get to the gym and all of the treadmills are full. Six weeks into the year, some of the new people are not there anymore but you still see most of the same people from last year, still running on the treadmill and still looking a bit overweight.

When you keep putting in the same programming you get out the same result. You get very little change in who you are: on the outside as well as on the inside. These same foods, exercises or lack of, daily choices and THOUGHTS are part of what lead to stress.

This year, instead of making a New Years Resolution, I think you should make a New Year’s Intention. Setting a New Year’s Intention is setting yourself up for success. When you make an intention for yourself, you must write it down and right down the steps you will take to meet your intention. In a way it is more serious and concrete. It’s like when you begin a new business, you want to create a mission statement, which is similar to an intention. When we create Intentions, we change our thoughts and actions so we can accomplish our Intention.

Since you have changed your thoughts, you are going to change some behaviors and ultimately will get a NEW OUTCOME. As you begin to live the life you really see for yourself, you will experience less stress.

Tip: This year, Create a Vision-Picture Board or your version of a Painted House ( a vision for the next 3 years, get specific) of some things you want for yourself in the upcoming years. Find pictures of what you want. Create Statements and Intentions and place them all on your INTENTION POSTER. As you are really able to visualize what you want for yourself, you will find the means to create a new reality. You will change what you have been putting in to get some new output. This transformation can be Physical as well as Mental. Good Luck!

One of my Intentions is to introduce new concepts in eating, exercise and thinking to as many people as possible, hoping to create new possibilities and realities. This is why I specialize in Corporate programs, because they allow me to reach many people at once. I want to inspire people to think about Why they have the beliefs they do about food and exercise. I hope as a nation more people begin to challenge and contemplate everything they have been led to believe about food to be true. Choosing foods can be like choosing medicines at a pharmacy. Change what you have been doing and thinking and try something new at least, every other day. This thought may be what 12/21/12 reflects. It’s not the end of the world, it’s the end of the “old consciousness” we have lived with for ions. Now, we will get back to basics of intentions, loving each other, friendships, organic foods, taking care of the environment and much more.

I used to be the girl who tried nothing new and always ate the same thing at specific restaurants. Now, I’m the girl who chooss something new every time. It’s fun and the choices almost always taste great, especially when a restaurant chef makes it.

Try this: Set an intention to accomplish 3 things in the first 3 months of the year. Start by asking yourself these questions

What would you like to change about yourself in the first 3 months of 2013?
What do you want that you don’t have?
What could you be doing for your health that your not doing now?
BONUS: Try a new food every time you go out (and make it a whole food with no additives)

Don’t wait till January 1st to set your resolution, instead take some time, put in some thought and set your intentions for what you want your life and body to look like in 2013. This year can be all you wish for…

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A Girls Guide to Enjoy A Fun Night Out With Friends – To Wake Up Hangover Free…Here’s How

by Randi on December 11, 2012

As we get into the longer days of Spring and Summer, many people go overboard with everything from food, lack of sleep, over scheduling, extra partying and more alcohol.

Alcohol is a controversial topic since supporters find health and social benefits and proponents want you to absstain. The advocates say there are some positive physiological effects when consumed responsibly, so I’ve layed out some of the benefits for you.

Here’s the pros:

1. Can make people feel “happy”

2. Can appear to relieve stress

3. Acts as a vasodilator, improving blood flow

4. May create a slight increase in HDL cholesterol, “the good one”

5. Small to moderate amounts may slow the progression of atherosclerosis and heart disease

6. Social benefits, such as the feeling of sharing a bottle of wine with friends

The possible cons:

1. Higher amounts of alcohol may increase blood pressure and increase heart disease risk

2. Can lead to addiction and emotional problems

3. In higher amounts it causes stress

4. For overweight people the con is that is increases appetite

5. Can damage your liver in higher amounts and high frequency

6. Has been linked to breast cancer

7. Many alcoholic drinks have allergens such as wheat, corn, yeast, sulfites, barley and rye.

8. Less likely but possible is that alcohol can cross the blood-brain barrier, destroying your noggin cells and can cause nervous system disorders and mental issues.

9. Alcohol should be used with caution for anyone with hypoglycemia or diabetes

In case you don’t know the hangover symptoms (which is doubtful) here they are:

dehydration and dry mouth
headache
throbbing temples
nausea / vomiting
stomach ache
fatigue
light sensitivity
dizziness

and here’s why your body responds with the party symptoms that keep giving…

Alcohol may dehydrate your cells, remove fluid from the blood, swell the cranial arteries and irritate your gastrointestinal tract. Hangovers main drivers are:

dehydrating effect and the chemical compounds like sulphur created during fermentation
Allergies to some of the ingredients such as wheat, barley, rye and corn

The Good News: You can have fun and drink without the dreaded hangover and gaining excess weight. Imagine, skinny, tipsy and happy without the headache, nausea and pain reminding you of what you shouldn’t have done last night.

There are 7 things you can do before you go out to the party and some to clean up the mess, after the fact.

Before your festivities and drinking begins:

1. Do whatever it takes to stay hydrated before you drink (download Drinking Time to remind you to have water all day), and have food in your stomach. The food actually slows alcohol absorption and creates a protective layer to your liver from the attack of ethanol. Make sure you have eaten a combination of protein, fats and carbs a few hours before drinking. Choosing something spicy is a good trick to get you to drink more water too.

2. You probably planned what you would wear and who you would go with to the party, so now include planning how much you will drink. Sounds crazy right? It’s not, studies have shown that when you plan how much you are going to drink and you pace yourself, you can avoid the one extra drink that put you over the edge into pounding head zone or worse, spins.

3. Drink a glass of water or club soda in between each drink to slow you down and keep you hydrated

4. Stick to the alcohols less likely to create a hangover. The lower proof alcohols and Tequila are among the cleaner liquors.

5. Choose foods with complex carbohydrates like whole grain crackers, brown rice, and veggie sticks, cause these carbs will delay absorption

6. Snacks with fat and protein like a raw cheese will also help slow absorption and reduce the likelihood of a hangover

7. Another trick is to drink some olive oil or swallow an evening primrose tablet before drinking, because it will coat your stomach and offer protection

Here are some after the fact remedies you can try:

1. Cream

2. Coffee

3. Chili peppers

4. Oysters

5. Aspirin (if you’re not allergic)

6. A glass of Rockin’ Wellness is chock full of minerals, Omega 3 and antioxidants and it tastes good and is good for you

7. Smoked salmon on Canyon Bakehouse whole grain bread

8. Before bed, drink 3 glasses of water and take a vitamin C and a good vitamin B complex to help flush alcohol from blood. Repeat in the morning

9. Take Emergen-C

10.Evening primrose or flaxseed oil before bed

Create your own plan of action from the above. Here’s my foolproof secrets:

1. Drink at least 1/2 your body weight on oz. of water that day with a pinch of celtic sea salt in the bottle

2. Have some raw gouda cheese on whole grain crackers as a snack before you leave and include crudites dipped in guacamole and hummus

3. Take Evening Primrose Oil tablets before going out

4. Drink club soda between drinks

5. Before bed, drink 3 glasses of water and take a vitamin C and a good vitamin B complex to help flush alcohol from blood. Repeat in the morning

6. Have a Rockin’ Wellness shake in the morning to start your day

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