DECEMBER 2018 Healthy & Fit Magazine

Healthy & Fit DECEMBER 2018 HEALTHYANDFITMAGAZINE.COM

FREE!

MAGAZINE

THE 2018

GIFT

Stephanie Hudson She teaches yoga and healthy eating to her kids and those at the daycare she owns

GUIDE

Ideas for your fitness family and friends

Goal setting Resolutions?

Nope. Set a goal and get to work!

STRESS

MESS

Learn ways to deal with stress

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IN THIS ISSUE

DECEMBER 18

Contents DECEMBER 2018 | VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 9

Fit Features P10-12 Karen Oswald Scott Wrigglesworth Stephanie Hudson Daniel Conklin (Success!)

Fit Features | P10

On the cover: Stephanie Hudson Photo credit: Erica Spencer Photography

Editorial P13

What if I can’t balance? It’s OK. Yoga is about breaking current limitations

P14

Vascular disease Our #1 killer

P15

Prepare for the new year Instead of resolutions, try honest reflection to set new goals

P16

The 2018 Gift Guide If you have a fitness-minded friend or famly member, check out this guide!

P18

Aphasia awareness Treatment and speech language therapy usually helps over time

P19

Fitness and mental health Working out can have a profound impact

P20

Stress is a mess Use a new perspective when choosing your attitude

P21

Being thankful True gratitude can be beneficial to your health

P22

Goal setting Take these steps to build excitement for the upcoming year

Success! | P12

Contact us

Have an idea for a story? Would you like to have your business receive magazines for you, your coworkers, clients and customers? Please contact us at 517.599.5169. We look forward to speaking with you!

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Aphasia | P18

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ABOUT US

DECEMBER 18

Our contributors December 2018

Justin Grinnell, B.S., CSCS

Justin is the owner of State of Fitness in East Lansing. He is also a certified nutrition coach. Reach him at 517.708.8828.

Ryan Haughey B.S. CPT - ACE, SASTM Ryan is the fitness manager and personal trainer at the University Club of Michigan State University. Reach him at 517.353.5113.

Tom Matt

Tom is heard locally on 1240AM WJIM Saturdays at 9am and on MSU’s WKAR 94.5FM and AM870 at 5 pm Sundays.

Alison Bradow

Alison is the chronic disease prevention coordinator at the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing. Contact her at (517) 827-9656.

Kimberly Whitfield

Kimberly is the owner of Kimberly Inspiring Beauty in Strength. Visit her on the web at kwinspires.com for a list of her classes.

Susan Maples, DDS, MSBA

Dr. Maples is a dentist in Holt. She is also a speaker, health educator and author of Blabbermouth.

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Have a product you’d like us to review? Send an email to Healthy & Fit Magazine Publisher Tim Kissman at tim@healthyandfitmagazine.com and pitch your product. All products featured here must be submitted for review.

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FEB 2019 HEALTHY & FIT MAGAZINE

ATTENTION ALL RACE DIRECTORS 2019

E D I U G RACE G IS COMIN ANY RACE! ANY SIZE! ANYWHERE IN MI WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

517.599.5169

kathy@healthyandfitmagazine.com

PUBLISHER

BY TIM KISSMAN

Kids and sports: Time passes too quickly

F

acebook’s timeline tugs at my heart. I don’t share a lot of personal info on the social media platform, but I do like to share my children’s sports accomplishments for family and friends who can’t be at the games.

I can’t help but notice how quickly the time that both my daughters have spent playing the sports they love has flown by. It doesn’t seem possible.

I feel that only yesterday my oldest was pitching a softball game in a 10U game. She’s 19 now and a Division 1 basketball player. Yet, there was the news feed on Facebook. That couldn’t be 10 years ago. No way.

And my youngest? There’s a feed that popped up with her in her basketball uniform after a game when she was in third grade.

She’s now a sophomore in high school and loves to play volleyball.

Where has the time gone?

I miss those days. The games were fun. It counted that they dressed up and played for their teams, but in the whole scheme of life, it didn’t matter that they won or lost. It mattered that they competed.

I loved the time watching them play in what was essentially my backyard. I tell people constantly that I will never complain about a long high school road trip. The longest ride either of my kids had during their time at Mason High School was to Owosso at 45 minutes, depending on the snow. Now my wife and I debate a five-hour road trip that would consume a weekend. The drive to my oldest daughter’s home games is about an hour and twenty minutes, each way. On a Thursday night.

You know what I miss even more than watching them play?

The one-on-one workouts. I miss them even though probably more than half of them involved the girls crying in frustration.

I miss the shoot arounds in the driveway. I miss teaching my kids how to catch in the back yard. I even miss the drives to and from the practices. Some of the best conversations about life took place during those times. Sure, the one-on-one time still happens when there’s an off season, but my role has become more to rebound or chase volleyballs.

Watching them grow up has been a privilege. I am so proud of both of my daughters. Win or lose, play or don’t play — it doesn’t matter. What matters is that they continue to compete and battle.

It matters that they have personal goals and are willing to put in the extra work when no one is watching. They work out without being told. They have the discipline to maintain good grades. They eat healthy and take care of their bodies.

This is the best of sports. It brings out the best in those that are willing to work. I think as kids get older, we lose sight of that.

Sports are just games. I want my kids to be healthy, have fun and compete. Life will happen soon enough, when you won’t have access to a gym, or have time to play, because work, family and other obligations take place.

Until then, let’s have fun and make some lasting memories.

Enjoy the issue.

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Healthy & Fit

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This magazine is published by Kissco Publishing, LLC, Mason, Michigan. Reproduction, of whole or in part, is prohibited without the written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed by the authors and advertisers of Healthy & Fit Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Healthy & Fit Magazine, and those in its employ, are in no way responsible for situations arising from the application or participation in anything written, or advertised, in this publication. PLEASE CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OR NUTRITIONAL ADVICE.

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FIT FEATURES Karen Oswald

Karen Oswald, 63, of Mason, has found her fitness passion: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT is a form of exercise strategy alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods, until too exhausted to continue. Wanting to become healthier, she tried out her local Snap Fitness and met her trainer, Michael Frazier, who helped her get into shape. In the last year she’s lost 18 pounds and can’t wait for her next workout. “Walking had always been my exercise of choice, but now that I am in my 60s, it just wasn’t happening anymore. I noticed my body changing - muscle loss, more fat, less flexibility and energy,” she said. “But that cycle has dramatically changed since friends invited me to join them at a HIIT class. I have gained muscle, strength and flexibility. I have more energy and a better mood and outlook on aging. My clothes fit better. I flex my muscles and tease my husband that I am going to beat him up!” Oswald, who is the library clerk at the Mason Public Library, also read books on nutrition and exercise to help her diet. Along with past experiences with Weight Watchers, she dialed her plan to eat healthier. “I am a firm believer that knowledge is power, and I read lots of books about nutrition and diet, health and fitness, and cookbooks, too,” she said. “My current diet is a culmination of all I have learned over the years. I concentrate on basic whole foods throughout the week, some dairy, a fiber supplement, coffee and lots of water throughout the day. Now that winter is here, homemade soup will be in my refrigerator. Believe me, it’s not always a perfect diet.” She said she makes sure to keep junk food out of her house, and healthy snacks handy, when the urge to eat poorly arises. She then imagines what would happen if she eats poorly. “In my mind I imagine eating the sugary, fatty highly processed junk food and then how I will probably feel physically and emotionally bad. Then I think about something else to eat or do instead of giving in to the urge.” Her advice to others? Invest in yourself.

“Be aware of what it is you want as far as health and fitness,” she said. “Narrow down what needs to change and imagine a healthier body and mind and what that looks like. Be determined, make a plan and implement that plan one step at a time.”

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Scott Wrigglesworth Using the same discipline he applies to his job as Ingham County’s Sheriff, Scott Wrigglesworth, 48, of Holt, makes sure he stays fit. “I feel the need to work out to stay healthy, keep the uniform fitting, and to be able to perform the essential functions of a police officer,” he said.

“It is important to set a good example for my children and the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office.” Wrigglesworth lifts and does cardio three times a week. He said he’s completed three half marathons and two Tough Mudders. “I really want to run a full marathon someday, but I’m not sure I have the time to train properly,” he said.

“As I approach the age of 50, I would like to keep feeling like I am 40 and be able to compete with people that are much younger than I am. I work out with each police academy held at Lansing Community College. Being able to hang with the young kids in this profession says something about my dedication to fitness. First impressions are important in my line of work, and how you look and carry yourself matter, big time.” He said his diet is very strict, even though he does splurge occasionally on Mexican food. “A steady mix of good workouts and healthy eating habits is the key to staying fit,” he said. “I have a smoothie almost every day for breakfast, and try to pack my lunch as much as I can at work.” He said it’s never too late to start getting into shape. “The first two weeks is always the toughest. Get through those two weeks and it should be smooth sailing. Find someone to push you. Not wanting to let him, my buddy, down is what pushed me into better fitness.”

FIT FEATURES ON THE COVER: Stephanie Hudson Stephanie Hudson, 35, of Charlotte, owns and operates an in-home childcare business. The mother of two boys, she knows the importance of a healthy home and as such, she makes it a priority to live a healthy lifestyle for herself and her young clients. “I love teaching the kids the importance of healthy eating and moving their little bodies,” she said. “We regularly practice yoga and physical movement throughout each day, along with healthy cooking and meal prep. They love cooking with me and trying new foods.” She said she works out at least 30 minutes a day by running or using a strength and cardiovascular combination workout. “Spending time doing something for myself has many benefits and not just the physical perks that exercise brings, but the mental benefits as well,” she said. Hudson incorporates many foods into her diet, relying on moderation to stay healthy. “Portion control is important for me,” she said. “I’ve had the best success by eating veggies, lean proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats, and fruits. Also eating every two to three hours has helped me to not always feel hungry. I try to drink half my body weight or more in water daily.” She said her diet has also helped curb any cravings she might have. “I’ve realized that, if I fill my body with all the good foods, my cravings are less,” she said. “If I do crave sugar or sweets I brush my teeth. They don’t sound as good with the taste of toothpaste in your mouth.” She said fitness has changed her life for the better. “I just want to feel my best, feel strong and healthy,” she said. “Heart disease and cancer run in my family and if I can do anything to prevent them, I will. Also, helping and working with other busy moms who want to get fit and healthy has become a passion. I want all those mammas to know taking time for themselves and nurturing their bodies is not selfish. It’s essential when running a thriving family and giving them our best. We have to fill our cup before we can pour into others.”

Kyle Schoenmaker March 2018 cover

WE NEED YOU!

COLUMNS FIT FEATURES SUCCESS! Healthy & Fit Magazine is looking for individuals who would like to be featured in our magazine. If you are interested, we’d like to hear from you. Contact us at tim@healthyandfitmagazine.com or use our Contact Us page at healthyandfitmagazine.com.

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SUCCESS! Daniel Conklin Daniel Conklin, 39, of Charlotte, managed to change his lifestyle through diet, without going to the gym. Conklin, who works at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, cut out sugar and figured out a way to stay active at home, trying to keep up with his three young daughters. He now weighs 235 pounds, down from 410 pounds, and is feeling better than he ever has. Here’s his story.

What made you want to change your lifestyle? Having twin two-year-old daughters, and a four-year-old daughter.

Although I haven’t been able to go to the gym, the kids keep me moving every second I am home! Weight loss was due to a change in the type of food that I eat. I did the 21-day sugar detox for over a year – and am still doing it.

AFTER

How did you lose your weight?

Running around with the kids outdoors and indoors, golfing, walks and bike rides with the family and cleaning the house nonstop! I would love to be the poster child for hard working parents that think they cannot change their bodies because they don’t have the time or money to go work out regularly. If you stay in motion, stay off the couch, amazing things can happen to your body

Daniel Conklin Before: 410 lbs After: 235 lbs.

Height: 5’11”

What is your diet? My diet is basically, at this point, a sugar-free diet. I have three red lines that I never ever, ever, cross: no high fructose corn syrup, no added sugars or artificial sweeteners and no soda pop.

I will have bread (that doesn’t contain any corn syrup) from time to time, but that is about it. I stick to natural fats, protein, fruits and veggies and just drink water.

Any urge to cheat on your diet? How do you overcome it? You tend to run into a lot of what I call “bummer” situations: family trips to the ice cream shop, or desserts at home, or birthday parties.

The weight I have lost (about 170 lbs. in one year) is so gratifying that any urges to cheat on my diet go away pretty fast.

And looking back from time to time to my “before and after” pictures also crushes any cheating urges I may have.

How do you feel now compared to how you felt before your healthy lifestyle?

I cannot even begin to tell you how much better I feel. I often think, how would I have ever been able to keep up with the kids when I was pushing close to 400 pounds? At this point, the thought of it seems like an impossible task. Physically, I feel better than I have since my early 20’s. Mentally, I have more self-esteem than I can ever remember. Sleeping is way easier than ever before. I no longer use my C-PAP mask to sleep. My energy level is through the roof. The social anxiety that crippled me the past 10 years has all but

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BEFORE gone away. The joy of going to a “normal” clothing store and being able to choose clothes that fit is a happiness I never knew existed.

Any goals for the future? I want to join a gym by the time the snow falls, and drop my final 20 lbs. or so, and start re-building muscle mass that I am sure I have lost during this rapid weight loss. I want to be at or around 215 lbs. by next summer. I am at 235-ish lbs. right now.

Any advice for others? NEVER give

up! And remember, weight loss, in my opinion, starts in the kitchen. I totally changed not only what I ate, but how I looked at food. Had to change my thinking on what is “bad” and what is “good” food. I don’t worry about calories, only ingredients. I look at natural fat (like bacon) as a good food, when for the past 30 years I thought it would clog my arteries and was bad food. I tell people losing weight is like trying to unlock a padlock. If you don’t have the right key, you will never lose weight and keep it off.

Do you know someone who is a Success! story?

Send an e-mail to Tim at tim@healthyandfitmagazine.com. Include your name, phone number and why you think your candidate is a Success! story.

BY ANN CHRAPKIEWICZ

YOGA

What if I can’t balance?

It’s OK. Yoga is about breaking current limitations

I

invite everyone to start a therapeutic yoga practice. Naturally, I hear a lot of interesting reasons why people choose not to take me up on it (yet).

One of the common responses I hear is, “I am not good at balancing, so I don’t think I’ll be able to do it.”

There are two very important aspects of this statement.

The first is about balance. What I have observed in the past 15 years of watching bodies age - or effectively reverse their age, once they start a consistent therapeutic yoga program is that improving your balance after age 50 is as important in life as a toddler learning how to walk.

Functionality can be lost very quickly when an injury, illness, or surgery takes place. So it is crucial that a whole-body, balance-inclusive practice be established beforehand, and that

the practice itself is designed to be accessible - even at a very basic level as part of the recovery process.

In times of maintenance and relatively good health, a yoga system that builds and improves your balance will include several accessible-yet-challenging one-legged postures. The same basic postures should be practiced daily and should always be held in stillness, so that coordination and mastery improve. The support of the wall or a chair can be included at the early stages but eventually will not be needed.

The second is about the idea of “being good at” something.

Yoga is about breaking the current limitations in your system, and choosing consciously where you are going to go next. External or internal evaluations of skill or talent are quite irrelevant.

Do you want to improve your balance? Do you want to reduce your stress? Do you want to reduce the impacts of time and age on your life?

Do you want to have improved overall energy and aliveness? Do you want to live with more joy?

I urge you to think deeply about what you want, and to choose the directions you are going to head in the next five years. Taking responsibility for where you will go next is the most important step in your yoga practice.

Ann Chrapkiewicz, M.A., is the founder, owner and director of Bikram Yoga Capital Area , an independent yoga school in East Lansing. Contact her at ann@byca.yoga.

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TEETH

BY DR. SUSAN MAPLES

Vascular disease Beware of our #1 killer

M

y dad suffered six strokes in seven years before he died.

Each one took a little more of the man I loved so dearly. The doctors were baffled because he had never been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or hypertension.

Hiding in his artery walls, just waiting to explode, lived a team of oral bacteria, in a pod of inflammation. My dad had full-blown, uncontrolled periodontal disease (PD).

Like my dad, a stroke or heart attack might just be your first indication of full blown CVD. And if you wait till then, modern medicine can only offer you heroic treatment methods—with hit-or-miss outcomes. I hope my story instead makes you want to predict and prevent disease.

Arterial disease is about inflammation. Decrease your inflammation you’ll cool down your vessels—you’ll reduce the risk of plaque accumulation in the walls of your arteries—the time bombs waiting to erupt to obstruct the vessels.

Ridding your body of inflammation is certainly not a one-size-fits-all plan however. The strategy must be based on what we know about YOU: your lifestyle, your genetics, your current blood markers and your personal genetic biomarkers.

Want to identify some red flags?

Does your medical history include: autoimmune disorders, periodontal disease, hypertension, migraine history, thyroid dysfunction, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer, insulin resistance, diabetes, or erectile dysfunction? Do your lifestyle struggles include: lack of sleep, kidney/ gall stones, dining out frequently, PPI drugs for reflux, or high stress? Do you have any of the physical signs: baldness, ear creases (Franks sign), A-fib, red or bleeding gums?

Gum disease is a serious threat to your CV health. To assess your personal risk factors, visit SelfScreen. net and click on our practice to take the periodontal disease risk assessment test. Keep track of your risk factors so you can ask your hygienist and dentist to help you with additional feedback such as probing depths and bleeding response.

If you have a PD diagnosis, treatment can mitigate your systemic vascular health. Unfortunately, it’s not just about scraping your teeth with a sharp instrument. We first need to understand which of the seven most CVD-threatening bugs are

present. Through a swish-and-spit test you can identify above-threshold levels and we can go after them with a vengeance.

Do not rely on a stress testwhich just measures adequate blood flow in your vessels. It doesn’t identify what’s going on in your vessel walls ... the time bomb just waiting to ignite. Rupture of plaque in the vessel causes an immediate blood clot which means heart attack or stroke.

Is it there? FIND IT. And if present, monitor it.

In 2000 the AHA recommended Carotid (neck) vessel ultrasound imaging as a good indicator to what’s going on in your heart and brain vessels. CIMT is safe, non invasive, relatively inexpensive and available in our community and if you haven’t done it, do!

Dr. Susan Maples is a dentist in Holt. She is also a speaker, health educator and author of Blabbermouth. Learn more at drsusanmaples.com. or call (517) 694.0353.

Take a periodontal disease risk assessment test at SelfScreen.net or use the QR code

www.DRSUSANMAPLES.COM (517) 694-0353 14

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BY ALISON BRADOW

HEALTH

Prepare for the new year Instead of resolutions, try honest reflections to set new goals

R

eflect on the current year.

What went right? What did you achieve? Where did you have success? What were challenges? What barriers to success did you encounter? How can you solve these challenges? What can you learn from them? How can you overcome these barriers to succeed in the future?

Use those “honest” reflections to set goals, not make resolutions. Develop a process and make plans to achieve those goals. After all, a goal without a plan is just a hope or a wish. The plan is your road map to achieving your goals.

Focusing on the process of what it will take to achieve a goal can be more important than the goal itself. Sticking to the process will most times result in better outcomes as an accumulation of the effort. Focusing on the process will help you develop the necessary daily habits for long-term change.

Another reason to set goals and make plans for the New Year instead of making resolutions is to make it easier to achieve those goals when things get hard. With a simple resolution, inevitably after a month or so of healthier eating and more exercise you will hit a wall and want to back off or quit. This is why most resolutions don’t work. If you are committed to the process of healthier eating and exercising regularly, you are more likely to stick with it when the going gets tough.

Remember that wellness includes physical, mental, and emotional well-being (among other factors) and they are all connected. Make goals that focus on improving your mental and emotional well-being as well as your physical well-being.

A goal of losing 15 lbs. is a fine goal, but also think about what losing weight (and the process of healthier eating and exercising more) will do

for your mental or emotional health.

And vice-versa, how will improving your mental and emotional well-being improve your physical well-being (less stress and emotional eating!). Make a plan to journal, meditate, stretch, or practice gratitude every day to improve your mental and emotional wellbeing and by proxy your physical and overall wellness.

And lastly, you don’t have to wait until January 1st to make a goal and plan for a healthier life – you can do this any time of the year!

Alison Bradow is the chronic disease prevention coordinator at the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing. Contact her at (517) 827-9656 or at ymcaoflansing.org.

Be merry.

Be bright.

Be fit.

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JOIN THE YMCA TODAY! www.healthyandfitmagazine.com

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e d i u G t f i G The 2018

Mini bands Mini-bands exercises have been used to help balance out the body when used in conjunction with other exercises. They help activate the core, as well as prime movers, synergists and stabilizers in the hip and shoulder area. Mini-bands can be used anywhere­—on the field, at home, in the clinic or gym, or even while traveling.

Cost: $2-$3 • performbetter.com

Kettlebells The kettlebell can do it all. Once you have a proper coach instruct you on the fundamental movements, the kettlebell provides an array of exercises with just one piece of equipment. They come in various sizes to meet each person’s individual needs. They are durable and for home use, so it is well worth the small investment to buy a bell or two for your home gym.

Cost: from $15 info: performbetter.com

Cod Liver Oil Fish oil does not sound like an appetizing gift, however On Target Living takes their fish oil seriously. It is of the highest quality and is high in Omega 3 fatty acids. It also actually tastes good with no fishy aftertaste or burping involved. One reason I recommend cod liver oil is the liver of the cod is naturally high in vitamin D, which is needed to absorb calcium.

Cost: $41 • info: ontargetliving.com

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Myzone belt Myzone is a wearable heart rate-based system that uses wireless and cloud technology to accurately and conveniently monitor heart rate, calories and time exercising.

It’s focused on rewarding effort rather than fitness. The MZ-3 displays real-time heart rate, calories, and intensity using five simple color-coded personalized zones. These are fun, wearable devices that you can use at your favorite gym, or at home, using the free app.

Cost: $149 • info: myzonemoves.com www.healthyandfitmagazine.com

de

ibuting writers

ell and contr

By Justin Grinn

myCharge HubPlus Skin Slipper Skin Slipper is a silicone applicator that slides over your fingertips. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to protect their fingers, eliminate waste when applying skin care products, and safeguard children and pets. Most products are applied by using the fingers, causing them to become dry, rough, and irritated. Using facial brushes can be irritating and over-stimulating to the skin. Cotton pads and sponges waste expensive product. Gloves can be uncomfortable to put on and take off.

The myCharge HubPlus 6700mAh portable charger is the quintessential powerbank. With an integrated Apple® Lightning™ cable and an integrated micro-USB cable and the newly added USB port, staying charged on the go has never been easier. Carrying cables is a thing of the past, not only are the cables built in for effortless charging but wall prongs are built-in for effortless recharging. Boasting a 30% reduction in size, the HubPlus is more compact and portable than ever before.

Cost: $79.99 • info: mycharge.com

Cost: $13 • info: skinslipper.com

Hydrofit Ryka Devotion

Bubi Bottle Bubi Bottle is the water bottle combined with both durability and fashion. This BPA Free water bottle rolls up to fit into your purse or backpack. It collapses into your pocket and is made with puncture-resistant silicone (alligator approved)!

Bubi is easy to clean: flip it inside out to get all the junk out or throw it in the dishwasher (on the bottom rack too!) It is ready for your average day or biggest adventure yet.

Cost: $12 and up • info: bubibottle.com

The innovative Devotion XT training shoe from Ryka offers a truly customized fit and feel for the way you move. It features a breathable mesh upper in a training shoe style with a round toe, an antimicrobial Ortholite footbed, and flex grooves under the ball of the foot.

Cost: $79 info: ryka.com

The Hydrofit bottle sleeve has a clear, zipper-sealed pocket that keeps your smartphone secure and protected while letting you see and use your device.

Built into the back of the sleeve is a neoprene handle making it easy to hold. Made entirely from water and weather resistant materials the Hydrofit is ready to go wherever you are!

Cost: $14 info: nodproducts.com

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17

HEALTH

BY RACHEL SMITH

Aphasia awareness Speech-language therapy may

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ore than 2 million people in the United States have aphasia, but 84.5 percent of Americans state that they’ve never heard the term aphasia.

So, what is aphasia (uh-FAY-zhuh)?

Aphasia is a language disorder that robs people of the ability to communicate. It can affect your ability to speak, write, and understand language – both written and verbal.

It is caused by an injury to the brain – most often from a stroke, but also from other neurological injuries such as a traumatic brain injury. More people have aphasia than many other better known conditions including cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or muscular dystrophy.

“Many individuals know what they want to say, but are unable to properly express their desired words,” says Rachel Smith, a Speech-Language Pathologist at Hope Network Neuro Rehabilitation. “Aphasia affects everyone differently, but with access to treatment and speech-language therapy most individuals improve over time,” continued Smith.

The primary goal of speech-language therapy is to help people with aphasia improve their communication skills – expression and/ or comprehension – and in turn improve their quality of life.

How do I learn more?

The Lansing Area Aphasia Support Group provides a supportive environment where individuals and families can meet others affected by aphasia and offer tips, encouragement and support to one another. The group is also open to the community to help others increase their knowledge and understanding of aphasia.

It’s a no-cost program. Meetings are held monthly at Hope Network Neuro Rehabilitation in East Lansing. For more information, call 517.332.1616 or email lansing.aphasia.group@gmail.com.

Other resources: • National Aphasia Association (NAA) aphasia.org • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): asha.org

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Rachel Smith, MA, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist at Hope Network Neuro Rehabilitation. Reach her at 517.332.1616, ext. 16240.

BY RYAN HAUGHEY

FITNESS

Fitness and mental health Working out can have a profound impact

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ental health. That can be a “scary” phrase to hear but, truly, a majority of us have to deal with some mental health and wellbeing issues such as stress, depression, anxiety and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Working out can have a profound impact on mental health.

Physical exercise results in a release of endorphins, “feel good hormones,” to help improve your mood; normalizes neurotransmitter levels and triggers positive feelings in the body.

This release of endorphins will actually provoke feelings in the body similar to that of morphine, reducing the perception of pain and giving euphoric feelings (referred to as a “runners high”).

It can also trigger positive and energizing outlooks on life. People who exercise regularly feel more energetic, sleep better, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed. Exercise can also serve as a healthy distraction, allowing a quiet

“Exercise can also serve as a healthy distraction, allowing a quiet time to break out of a cycle of negative thoughts”

time to break out of a cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression. It impacts the brain, providing a better blood supply that improves neuronal health by improving the delivery of oxygen and nutrients.

And research indicates that even modest amounts of exercise can make a difference.

When it comes to getting started, begin at a pace that is appropriate for you.

A great way to help guide you to what that

might be is by meeting with a personal trainer. This fitness professional will be able to help determine a starting point, will serve as a support system helping to keep you motivated, and will be a person of positive reinforcement.

If you want to start on your own, plan on working out 30 minutes, two to three days a week. Being able to adopt this additional form of treatment by working out will help you strengthen your body physically and also will strengthen your body mentally, helping combat symptoms of stress, depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Ryan Haughey B.S. CPT ACE, SASTM is the fitness manager and personal trainer at the University Club of Michigan State University.

Call him at (517) 353.5113.

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Call our spa coordinator today 517-353-5113 www.universityclubofmsu.org 3435 Forest Rd. • Lansing, MI

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19

BOOMERS

BY TOM MATT

Stress is a mess Use a new perspective when choosing your attitude

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ur bodies are wonderfully complex and yet very simple: it is the paradox of being ‘homo-sapiens’.

Humans have evolved and developed internal mechanisms to stay in a state of homeostasis, balance and equilibrium. When we fall out of balance, we become “stressed.”

Our bodies have intricate biological and chemical response tools that spring into action. These ‘tools’ respond if we see a bear in the woods or a not-sofriendly ex at the grocery store. Our level of response occurs through memories or anticipation; everything is played out in our minds, which is normal. Humans are designed to turn on the emergency response system activating our fight or flight mechanisms. It might be a deep-seated childhood memory that our brain responds to, or possibly the anxiety of anticipating a future event.

We experience stressful situations multiple times every day. Constant stress can lead to many health and emotionally related issues. From a

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”

- William James

rapid heartbeat, higher blood pressure, to the everyday pressures of life, as we become stressed we burn energy. This can invariably lead to immune system pressure and illnesses. Autoimmune conditions and disease have been linked to high levels of constant stress.

What to do?

Viewing stress through a different lens, one in which we perceive stress as a positive challenge is a good step in the direction of self-improvement. Understanding that we can control how we

react to stressors, not allowing them to get us down.

When we strategize, we increase our odds of winning. Keeping a proper and positive perspective, for example “that flat tire is not going to ruin my day” works. Ask yourself this: “is the pessimistic inner voice running the show or the optimist”?

We have a choice.

Try these• Maintain a healthy social life • It is ALWAYS about choice!

• Realize good things CAN come

Tom Matt is the host of the ‘Boomers Rock’ radio talk show syndicated in Michigan on the Michigan Talk Network. He can be heard locally Saturday mornings on the ‘Big Talker’ WJIM 1240 AM. For more info please visit www.boomersrock.us

WE NEED YOU!

COLUMNS FIT FEATURES SUCCESS! Michelle Walls December 2015 cover

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Healthy & Fit Magazine is looking for individuals who would like to be featured in our magazine. If you are interested, we’d like to hear from you. Contact us at tim@healthyandfitmagazine.com or use our Contact Us page at healthyandfitmagazine.com.

BY KATHLEEN GREGG

HEALTH

Being thankful True gratitude can be beneficial to your health

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hanging your attitude about gratitude and thankfulness might be the healthiest choice you make all year.

The dictionary defines gratitude as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” At this time of year, it’s easy to let the stress of the holidays overwhelm us. So let’s call it the practice of feeling and sharing appreciation for the people, events, circumstances, material and nonmaterial blessings in our lives.

It does so by moving our focus to what we do have rather than what we don’t have. We feel more positive, joyful, and aware of the many things in our lives-things we might otherwise take for granted were we not practicing gratitude!

Today science is beginning to recognize and document the benefits of gratitude. Some clinical studies have found being grateful increases healing and recovery in our bodies. Being

tional well-being.

Practicing gratitude and thankfulness is more than just saying “thank you.” Thankfulness and gratitude are an attitude, a feeling of appreciation. That can change our whole approach to life.

Many believe that gratitude can relieve our mental and emotional suffering.

Gratitude and thankfulness can move us to a state of bliss because we see how much value already exists in our lives. May your gratitude and thankfulness be transformative to have this holiday season and the new year of 2019 be the best ever for all of us and the planet.

thankful increases the production of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, all proven to create positive mental states and overall physical, mental and emo-

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(517) 641-8000 Dr. Kathleen Ireland Gregg Naturopath/Psychotherapist drgregg@healthmattersmi.com

8183 East Herbison Road Bath, MI 48808 www.healthmattersmi.com

Dr. Kathleen Ireland Gregg is a Naturopath/Physcotherapist at Health Matters: A Center for Wellness. Reach her at (517) 641-8000 or email: drgregg@healthmattersmi.com

We’re looking for the next cover of Healthy & Fit Magazine.

Is it you?

If you’re 24 or above, live in the Greater Lansing area and live a healthy and fit way of life, you may qualify to be a future cover. Contact Erica via her web site or call her to find out more.

Erica Spencer Photography espencer.net • 517.980.4951

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21

HEALTH

BY KIMBERLY WHITFIELD

Dedicated to Improving Lives

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Take these steps to build excitement for the upcoming year

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3460 Dunckel Rd. Lansing MI 48911

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We’re looking for the next cover of Healthy & Fit Magazine. Is it you?

If you’re 24 or above, live in the Greater Lansing area and live a healthy and fit way of life, you may qualify to be a future cover. Contact Erica via her web site or call her to find out more.

Erica Spencer Photography espencer.net • 517.980.4951

22

Goal setting

www.healthyandfitmagazine.com

emember those fun times during your childhood when you sat down to figure out a puzzle? To me that resembles goal setting. Prior to starting a puzzle or outlining your goals, you must create a plan of attack. Generally, puzzles are a lot easier to conquer when you start by building the border, which creates the foundation. Like goal setting, you will get stuck, and must stop throughout the process to figure things out. I believe planning for the future allows one to focus on moving forward, which can be a huge motivator!

Here are steps to help you prepare for 2019 and beyond: Get excited Find a fun comfortable place to sit and outline your thoughts, dreams and goals. Perhaps your home, local coffee shop or library. The key is to surround yourself with things that make you feel comfortable and happy. Consider purchasing a journal with a colorful cover or design one to your liking. You’ll be surprised how these two basic steps provide a spark of inspiration to help get you motivated. Now that you’re excited, let’s get started!

Be realistic The best part of goal setting is when you actually hit a milestone. Therefore, make certain your goals are attainable and realistic. You definitely don’t want to set yourself up for failure. When defining your goals, organize them as “small steps that lead to success.” More specifically, create smaller goals you can accomplish successfully! This will make you feel in control and allow you to feel less overwhelmed.

Create a wish list In addition to your goals, list places you want to go, things you want to do, and anything your heart desires. To me, creating a wish list mirrors “speaking it into existence,” and truly allows you to dream.

Remember, through courage, discipline, and faith your dreams can come true!

Never give up Determination and commitment go hand in hand, but sometimes there will be set-backs.Therefore, you must remain determined and patient. Remember to keep a positive mindset and face obstacles with resiliency and courage. This involves learning to problem solve and take the necessary steps to work past barriKimberly Whitfield is the ers. This in turn owner of Kimberly Inspiring will allow you to Beauty in Strength, a fitness build confidence instructor at Go Workout Fitness Center and Trinity and feel more A.M.E. Church; a bodybuilder, comfortable and a public speaker. Visit when faced her on the web at kwinspires.com for a list of with adversity. her classes.

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