Your Health 01-13-2022

your HEALTH body / mind / fitness

January 13, 2022

With a focus on

Resolutions

&

Healthy Winter Living

January 13, 2022 — YOUR HEALTH - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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Family time = family fitness Get the kids on a healthy track

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The start of the new year is a clean slate and is a great time to make changes and resolutions to make better, healthier habits. The resolve is there, the goals seem fresh, and everything is new. It’s a time for everyone to take stock — that means the entire family.

Childhood obesity is a serious medical issue affecting children around the world, but notably in North America. While the issue has been around for decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says American children and teenagers have witnessed a significant increase in weight gain since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

Younger school-aged children have been among the hardest hit during the pandemic. A study published in September 2021 found the percentage of obese children and teens increased to 22 percent compared with 19 percent before the pandemic. The CDC looked at the BMI of study subjects between March 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020. One of the study’s authors, Dr. Alyson Goodman of the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, described the results as “substantial and alarming.”

Being less physically active, overweight and eating the wrong foods can start children on a path toward problems that once were only considered conditions of adulthood, namely hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol, offers the Mayo Clinic. To reverse course, focus on helping your children become more physically fit.

Instead of going at it alone, why not make the new year a fitness and health adventure for the whole family? While you are focused on selfimprovement at the beginning of the year, take the opportunity to instill good habits in the little ones, as well as teach them how they can incorporate new goals into their lives. Plus, their enthusiasm can be motivating. Often, young children can be excited to try new activities, and can keep you on track to be successful.

Encourage participation in sports or other physical activities. Sports practices, games, competitions, and other activities may keep children moving for an hour or more several days per week. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics states that only 25 percent of children get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Emphasize a fun activity with a focus on movement that produces shortness of breath, body warmth and sweat.

These are indicators that the heart rate is really pumping.

Use exercise as a reward and not a punishment. Make exercise something kids can look forward to. Reward a job well done on a test with extra time biking with friends or a hiking trip to a

scenic national park,. Kids will be begin to associate exercise with fun.

Try new ways to exercise every week.

Thanks to the internet, it is super easy to discover new exercises, workout routines, or ways to get out the wiggles. Finding a YouTube video with exercises the whole family can participate in allows everyone to get engaged and move their bodies in new ways, which is important because repetitive workouts get less effective over time.

Set up a dojo your first week and have everyone try karate. The following week, try learning a new dance from your toddler’s favorite show. See what’s new, and keep family time dynamic.

Visit a park at least once a month. Going to parks, walking trails, or hikes depending on where you live, can help you see the world in a new way, discover new animals and plants, and get moving.

It also expands your community. Going on walks outdoors is a source of Vitamin D from the sun, and is good for mental health. While getting out isn’t necessarily possible every weekend, make an effort to research parks or trails your family has never been to, and go visit it for a few hours. Make sure it is stroller friendly for tykes!

Limit screen time. We’ve been glued to our screens more than ever since the start of the pandemic. Children may be inclined to entertain themselves by heading for the television, mobile phone or tablet first, especially after a year-plus of being stuck indoors. But parents can make a concerted effort to limit kids’ screen time in favor of more physically challenging pursuits.

Teach healthy eating habits. A Harris Poll survey conducted on behalf of the American Psychological Association found that 61 percent of respondents age 18 and older reported a median weight gain of 15 pounds during the pandemic. Teach children that weight loss is accomplished when more calories are burned than consumed. Pay attention to portion sizes and explain how beverages like fruit juices can be sneaky sources of extra calories.

Offer a variety of foods and eat more greens. This one winds up on most health and fitness lists, there’s a good reason for that too.

Leafy greens have tons of nutrients that are good for growing bodies, and adults too. While little ones can be picky, there are ways to slowly introduce these veggies to them early Kids who eat a variety of foods are more likely to get the nutrients the body needs. These healthy foods should include at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, with an emphasis on vegetables.

Above photo: With the new year comes new chances to get more fit, and have a healthier lifestyle for the whole family. Teaching healthy habits now can help kids achieve a healthy future.

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Strategies for successful lifestyle changes

Reset yourself in 2022 Take charge of your life a step at a time

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ast year began with great optimism, as Covid-19 vaccines became available and an end to the pandemic seemed within reach.

And with vaccines, treatments, and continued behaviors like masking, hand-washing, and social-distancing, we made strides in putting the worst of the pandemic behind us. But the rise of new viral variants, vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and the politicization of public health resulted in swings of the pendulum and continuing uncertainty. For better and for worse, we’ve all learned to live with new realities in the Covid era.

We’ve struggled through an unprecedented time, which for many of us had a significant impact on our healthy lifestyle goals. Maybe you like the idea of a fresh start, or perhaps you’re tired of the whole “new year, new me” mindset. Either way, let’s all agree that throughout the year, as we’ve continued to navigate a seemingly endless pandemic, we can all be guilty of indulging in some not-so-good habits.

“The new year provides an opportunity for all of us to start over again by setting goals that we hope to achieve through the coming year,” says Glenn Most, PsyD. “Research suggests that we have difficulty maintaining our resolutions because, all too often, the goals we set for ourselves are too large and complicated to achieve.”

So whether January 2022 is the beginning of a new era or not, it can’t hurt to try and incorporate some positive change into the next 365 days.

Defend Against Snack Attacks Whether you’re watching TV, at your desk (in the office or at home) or sitting in front your screen on a Zoom meeting, it can be tempting to pop something salty or sweet in your mouth — even if you’re not hungry.

If we’re stressed or bored, we develop a fixation to snack.

And it’s not the most healthy way to keep our minds occupied.

So the next time you’re feeling a snack attack coming on, try occupying your hands and mind in other ways.

Take up knitting when you’re watching TV, walk the dog, connect with a friend, dust off that exercise bike or even tackle that chore you’ve been avoiding.

Meditate Even Just For A Minute You’ve heard it a million times: “Try meditation — it has so many benefits!” Well, there may be something to the hype. Studies have shown that meditation may have some seriously impressive and direct effects on health, including increasing your immune function. To keep with our theme of starting small, why not try meditating for just a minute in the morning? Maybe you’ll like it enough to gradually grow it to 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and then an hour each day!

Stop Skipping Out On Sleep It’s all too easy to get caught up in work and play and settle for five hours of restless sleep. But the benefits of a good night’s rest should be incentive enough to take the time for proper shut-eye. From weight loss to productivity, getting a solid eight hours improves your quality of health and overall life.

Inadequate sleep affects the body in a variety of ways.

Many people are aware that one poor night’s sleep is certain to affect their energy levels the following day, but fewer may know of the link between sleep duration and chronic disease. For example, the Harvard Medical School notes that studies have linked insufficient sleep to type 2 diabetes, as the body’s ability to process glucose can be compromised by poor sleeping habits. Other medical conditions that have been linked to insufficient sleep include obesity, heart disease and mood disorders. While you might be proud of your ability to function on minimal sleep, the long-term effects of insufficient sleep can be dire.

Slow Down Your Eating Routine You may be eating the right foods, but too much of them. It takes time for your body to let you know it’s had too much to eat, so eating too fast can increase your risk of overeating.

While eating, try to limit distractions that can take your attention away from how much you’re eating. If you’re always watching television or checking emails on your phone while eating, try a few days of distraction-free, careful eating, and you may find yourself eating less and feeling more energized after a meal.

Don’t Let Yourself Get Dehydrated Here’s an easy resolution you can commit to without much effort: Keep yourself hydrated. All you need to do is take a sip or a gulp when you’re thinking about it, preferably before you start feeling thirsty. Maybe you’re a 32-ounce water bottle kind of person, or perhaps you like sipping straight from your favorite mug. Either way, keep that water flowing! You’ll feel more energized, have better digestion and even have healthier joints.

Spend Less Time Sitting Down Sitting is the new smoking — the body wasn’t built for spending hours at a desk or in front of the TV or computer screen. It increases your risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and breast, colon and colorectal cancer. And since the onset of the pandemic, many of us have Continued to Take charge Above photo: With the coronavirus still looming large, keep health and wellness at the forefront and resolved not to let bad pandemic habits re-emerge.

Many of us begin the new year inspired to make personal changes that will set us on a productive, fulfilling path for the months — and years — ahead. Health-related goals are popular New Year’s resolutions, but sticking to them can be tough, especially if you’ve put major lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, getting more exercise, or eating better on your list. A lot of us start out strong on our new healthy path, then quickly lose steam.

Whether your efforts include a desire to lose weight, eat healthier, be more diligent about exercise or even floss more we want to make this year’s resolutions stick. If you have made those resolutions with the best of intentions to follow through, you are not alone: each January roughly one in three Americans resolve to better themselves in some way. However, a much smaller percentage of people actually follow through with their resolutions.

It’s been documented that while about 75 percent of people stick to their goals for at least a week, less than half (46 percent) are still on target six months later.

Resolutions may seem silly to some, but there are several positive reasons to make them.

Resolutions provide practice setting goals. Goal-setting is an important component of life. Goals are key because they provide general direction in life. A goal is a map that can give you an idea of where you are heading and what path you need to take to get there, according to the selfimprovement guide Success Consciousness. Resolutions can be fun, low-pressure goals. Think of them as dress rehearsals for bigger life changes.

Resolutions offer time for reflection. Too often people are rushing through daily life without stopping or slowing down to truly assess the impact of their actions. Resolutions help you reflect on the past, present and future, figuring out what has been working and what may need to be changed to provide a boost, according to the wellness resource Alternative Daily.

Resolutions can serve as a catalyst for positive change. When something isn’t working with your routine, personal health or relationships, reso-

lutions can serve as the catalyst that ultimately rights the ship.

Resolutions can promote selfesteem and empowerment. Making resolutions and keeping them can provide a sense of accomplishment that comes with goal-setting and following through. Resolving to lose five pounds and then seeing the proof on a scale can be a powerful motivator that compels you to make other selfimprovements. Accomplishing small goals also can boost self-esteem.

Aim For Realistic Goals Every resolution you make turns into a new goal you need to work on reaching. No matter how big or small, goals should be respected and followed through That is, of course, if you are really invested in them.

One of the first things when you set up a New Year’s resolution or for that matter, any kind of resolution in your life is to make this goal reachable and realistic.

Here are some tips from the American Psychological Association to make sure your resolutions stick this time around.

Start small: Make resolutions that you think you can keep. If, for example, you want to exercise more frequently, schedule three or four days a week at the gym instead of seven and then build from there.

Change one behavior at a time: Unhealthy behaviors develop over the course of time which means replacing unhealthy behaviors with healthy ones will also require time. Don’t get overwhelmed by making several changes at once. Instead, work toward changing one thing at a time.

Talk about it: Some find it helpful to share their experience with family and friends. Consider joining a support group to reach your goals, such as a workout class. Having someone to share your struggles and successes with makes your journey to a healthier lifestyle that much easier.

Don’t beat yourself up: Perfection is unattainable. Remember that minor missteps when reaching your goals are completely normal and OK. Don’t Continued to Strategies Above photo: Think of the start of a new year as the opportunity to begin with a clean slate and make positive changes in your life.

January 13, 2022 — YOUR HEALTH - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

Resolve to stick with it

HEALTH MEMO

HEALTH MEMOS

Treatment options for the ‘ringing in my ears’ (aka tinnitus)?

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Treatment for your tinnitus Unfortunately, too many patients have said, “I have tinnitus, and I’ve been told there is nothing that I can do about it.” The emphatic response to these patients: it is not true!

Is there a cure for tinnitus? No. Are there proven FDA-approved treatment options available to reduce, and in some cases, eliminate, the ringing? Yes! The single most effective treatment option available for patients suffering with tinnitus is NeuroTechnology™. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved treatment for individuals with tinnitus by providing the brain with restored proper stimulation. And while most people with tinnitus also suffer with hearing loss, that is not always the case. Fortunately, newly available NeuroTechnology™ has been designed for people with hearing loss and for individuals with (so-called) “normal” hearing. Many studies show that patients who use the tinnitus support technology note a

significant reduction in their daily tinnitus experience — with some even reporting that “the ringing is gone all day.”

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t never hurt before…why is that like a cavity is usually painless until the cavity hurting today? Just like a body has grown unhealthy enough to cavity is painless until the body has have a symptom, most diseases and grown unhealthy enough to have a malfunctions are silent. symptom, most diseases and By correcting the subluxation malfunctions are silent until they reach (unkinking the hose) you restore the a tipping point and then we experience connection between brain and body, thus pain and symptoms. giving the body the opportunity to grow Our society teaches us when we to its optimal health. Over time your body have pain or symptoms to take drugs, gets used to vertebras being out of place, Dr. Douglas Drobbin or have a procedure that eliminates the and all muscles, ligaments, and joints symptom, but never addresses the cause. If you are have grown accustomed to that. The body will always driving your car and your engine makes noise, should want to go back to the out of place position, it does not you just turn up the radio? If you so, you may find out want to stay in the new/correct positions. How long and 60 miles down the road you should have looked under how much degenerative change, arthritis, muscle spasm, the hood. wearing away will affect how fast you respond.

Nerves carry the message of life and health from the Nearly every disease and condition responds to a brain to every organ, cell, and tissue in your body. Just healthier body — a body functioning with a stronger like the intelligence in your body, you are capable of immune system, greater harmony, a body with less growing a baby from 50 trillion cells in nine months, stress, more vitality and energy. Be proactive and get your eyes grew into their sockets, your arms and legs all adjusted regularly to allow Innate Intelligence to flow work perfectly. This allows your organs to work freely. Share with your family and loved ones the natural harmoniously together. Your stomach lining is replaced way to regain and maintain health and vitality: every five days and it is a hostile acid environment; your Chiropractic! blood cells are exchanged every 30 days because they START NOW! The earlier you get started, the better it are always working; the thyroid is exchanged every six is for you. months. You are growing and your body is taking directions from the brain straight to the nerves to grow new cells.

A subluxation is a pinched nerve in the spine like a dimmer switch decreasing the electricity to a light. It’s a kink in a hose, decreasing the innate intelligence to that Drobbin Chiropractic & Wellness part of your body, which may lead to developing 1298 Newbridge Rd., North Bellmore another health tissue. If Innate Intelligence is (516) 379-8500 www.drobbinchiropractic.com constrained, the body begins on a course of disease. Just

Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

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It never hurt before?

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he most common cause of tinnitus is damage to the sensory organ of hearing, the cochlea (i.e. the inner ear). The cochlea is to hearing what your eyes are to vision. Within the cochlea are tiny hair-like cells, called hair cells. When these cells are damaged, the nerves that connect the hair cells to the brain (and give us the ability to hear), become permanently damaged; and often the ringing will ensue.

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January 13, 2022 — YOUR HEALTH - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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Invest in your future: Be of service to the community

espite all the challenges that have come at us recently, there really has never been a better time to begin training for a career in healthcare. If you have been thinking about training for a career as a nurse or medical assistant, the experienced and caring faculty at St. Paul’s School of Nursing in Queens are dedicated to helping you achieve your education goals.

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St. Paul’s School of Nursing • 97-77 Queens Blvd. Queens, NY 11374 • (718) 357-0500 Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

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January 13, 2022 — YOUR HEALTH - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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Now trending

Fermented foods Current research is showing a connection between digestive tract (gut) health and immunity, and people concerned with boosting their immune systems are paying attention. Research published in the journal Cell indicated the immune system has evolved to maintain a sym-

biotic relationship with microbiota in the gut.

Accordingly, when operating optimally, this immune system-microbiota alliance allows the induction of protective responses to pathogens.

Naturally fermented foods, which use live organisms for the fermenting process., may help strengthen the gut microbiome by supplying it with healthy probiotics, according to current nutritional thinking. Fodds such as pickles, Korean kimchi and sauerkraut, can be beneficial.

CBD and hemp products Even though medical marijuana and recreational marijuana use is now legal in many parts of the country, CBD is widely being harnessed in its own right. Cannabidiol oil is a chemical found in marijuana and hemp plants. CBD doesn’t contain THC, the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana that produces a high.

CBD has been studied as a treatment for a wide range of conditions like Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and anxiety.

The only CBD product currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is prescription Epidiolex for epilepsy.

Since hemp oil is high in essential fatty acids, it may produce anti-inflammatory effects and improve brain function. It is widely used in beauty products like skin creams as well.

Adaptogenic drinks Move over, kombucha; increasing numbers of adaptogenic drinks are hitting the shelves.

They are often marketed as an alternative to alcohol.

Adaptogenics are essentially natural pharmaceuticals; they’re herbal and mushroom extracts that can be used to alter your body and

Restore Your Hearing

mind, whether that’s to boost your mood, help you sleep, strengthen your immune system or give you a burst of energy.

Adaptogens have been used for thousands of years in ancient Indian and Chinese medicine, but the western world is only just waking up to their natural power.

Some of the most popular choices include: Kin Spritz Euphorics, which contain rhodiola rosea to reduce stress and boost clarity, and 5-HTP to increase serotonin production; Trip Drinks, which contain CBD to calm and balance the mind.

Face yoga This doesn’t mean that there’s a facial version of the downward dog pose or that you need to start attending classes. Facial yoga is all about massaging and stimulating the muscles to increase lymphatic drainage and create a smoother, more defined appearance. And just like regular yoga, facial yoga is about relaxing and alleviating stress, which further helps with

anti-ageing and overall wellbeing.

Hiking Covid-19 locked us inside of our houses and meant that indoor entertainment and socialization was a no-go for long periods of time. It’s no wonder, then, that hiking saw such a spike in popularity. People are rediscovering the healing power of being outdoors and the mental health benefits of exercise.

Hiking is a great way to improve your fitness, explore beautiful new areas and safely spend time with friends. Hiking app AllTrails reported that the pandemic saw a 171 percent increase in the number of hikes being logged. It seems that this trend will continue for quite some time.

Above photo: The global pandemic has redefined what wellness means. From lockdowns that forced us to get creative to vaccines that provided us with hope for a post-pandemic world, the future holds a more accessible and simplified wellness routine.

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January 13, 2022 — YOUR HEALTH - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

What to watch for in 2022

The wellness industry is constantly evolving, but one thing’s for sure: it really came into its own during the pandemic. The global health crisis made the world very aware of their own wellbeing and the importance of looking after your body and mind during uncertain times.

Here’s what is taking hold in the year ahead.

Collagen supplementation Collagen is a family of proteins that serves as the structural component of most connective tissues in the body. Collagen production wanes as people age, but it also can drop quickly due to excess sun exposure, smoking, lack of exercise, and excess alcohol consumption, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Many folks are interested in maintaining adequate levels of collagen, which is vital to giving skin a youthful appearance and helps to maintain healthy joints. According to Google Trends, online searches for collagen have increased steadily since 2014. It’s become a topselling supplement to improve hair, skin and nails. Though human studies that prove collagen supplementation efficacy are lacking, some randomized controlled trials have found that supplements improve skin elasticity and joint mobility and reduce joint pain. Collagen supplements are thought to be safe, but discuss supplementation with a doctor first.

Go for it

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Pushing oneself physically can be exhausting and demanding. But whether you’re a seasoned athlete, a part-time fitness enthusiast or even someone who lives a largely sedentary lifestyle, you can find ways to dig down and improve your overall endurance.

Many athletes find pushing their bodies past certain boundaries to be empowering. Letting complacency set in is easy, but finding the motivation to press on and push ahead takes mental determination.

This year step it up and find ways “just do it.”

Join a marathon. The statistics reporting site StatisticsBrain.com states that only 0.5 percent of the U.S population have ever run a marathon. Running on the treadmill at the gym or a couple of miles around the track is excellent exercise. Runners can take their passion a bit further by enrolling in any of the hundreds of marathons and half-marathons held annually.

Crossing the finish line after running 26.2 miles is a rewarding feeling, and few activities do more to improve endurance than running a marathon. <bold>Try a new fitness class. <bold> Pushing yourself physically may mean getting out of your comfort zone. Gyms typically offer an array of classes to appeal to as many members as possible. Take advantage of these group classes or personalized training sessions, whether on Zoom or in-person if you are comfortable doing so.

Increase workouts gradually. It can be daunting to think about greatly improving your endurance levels. But taking a gradual, incremental approach to improving endurance is both safe and effective. Also, when engaged, mentally divide the workout into smaller chunks of time. This way you have several smaller goals to accomplish, rather than one large goal. This can make it easier to digest a tough workout.

Use friends to keep you motivated. Having friends workout alongside you can keep you

motivated. Workout buddies may offer the encouragement necessary to keep pushing through. Another motivating factor is bragging rights afterward.

Have a good emotional connection. A desire to have a great body may not be enough to motivate you to workout and push harder. If not, think of a better reason to exercise, and it may be the mind over matter you need. Many people find inspiration from family health history risk factors or through the goal of reversing negative health reports from doctors’ offices.

These motivating factors will help you press on and push harder.

Above photo: It’s one thing to resolve to get fit. It’s another to continue to push physical boundaries time and again. Continuing to surpass fitness goals is something to include in this year’s list of health resolutions.

Take charge of your life a step at a time Continued from Reset been doing more sitting than ever before as we pivoted to working from home, etc.

Try the Pomodoro method to break up desk time. Set a timer to break each hour into two 25-minute blocks separated by two fiveminute breaks. Work intently during the work periods and move about during the breaks. Use your breaks to stand up, do a quarter squat, do some rotations, or just go for a walk round the office. This technique can also boost your focus when you’re working.

Smile More, Even If You’re Not Feeling It.Smiling is like the age-old question, “Which came first: the chicken or the egg?” Let us explain.

When we feel happy and relaxed, our natural inclination is often to smile. But the simple act of smiling itself releases endorphins into our brain that make us happier and less stressed out.

Aside from the personal benefits of grinnin’,

smiles are sort of infectious when we flash them to strangers on the street. Long story short: when it comes to smiling — fake it ’til you make it.

Declutter Your Space Little By Little.

Whether it’s a messy garage or an unorganized home, clutter can create unnecessary stress and distraction. If you’re having trouble getting motivated, just imagine your space as a sleek and streamlined chamber of productivity. Take it one 15-minute chunk at a time, and soon you’ll have more room to live and think. And who knows — maybe you’ll use your extra space for getting in those home workouts you’ve always wanted to do.

So there you have it — some simple ways to start breaking those pesky bad habits for the new year. It’s all about small manageable steps, so don’t get discouraged if you find yourself slipping up and binge-watching Netflix or not drinking enough water.

Strategies for successful lifestyle changes Continued from Resolve give up completely because you ate a brownie and broke your diet, or skipped the gym for a week because you were busy. Everyone has ups and downs; resolve to recover from your mistakes and get back on track.

Ask for support: Accepting help from those who care about you and will listen strengthens your resilience and ability to manage stress caused by your resolution.

Whether you are making a major change in your life like cutting out alcohol or a small change make sure to celebrate your successes big and small. If your goal is to lose weight, don’t wait until you have lost the full amount to celebrate, celebrate the smaller milestones like losing five pounds or making it to the gym four times per week for a month. Celebrate your successes in healthy manner, such as rewarding yourself with a new workout outfit or gym shoes.

At your pace It’s okay if walkers miss the 10,000-step standard In recent years many have embraced the notion that 10,000 daily steps are the way to being physically fit. Health experts espouse that notion and trainers endorse it, but is there scientific proof behind the recommendation?

The 10,000-step standard — which equates to roughly five miles, depending on a person’s stride length and speed — has some surprising origins that are not necessarily rooted in medical science. I-Min Lee, a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard University T. H. Chan School of Public Health and the lead author of a study published in May 2019 in The Journal of the American Medical Association wanted to explore the origins of the 10,000step recommendation.

She discovered the guideline evolved from a marketing strategy devised by the Japanese company Yamasa Toki. That firm introduced its new step-counter in 1965, naming it ManpoKei, which translated into “10,000 steps meter.”

They marketed the meter using the Japanese character for “10,000,” which resembles a man walking. The character and round number proved memorable and the slogan, “Let’s walk 10,000 steps a day” was catchy. As a result, many people adopted the 10,000-step approach, even though its medical benefits might not have been proven.

But this isn’t to suggest that taking 10,000 steps per day cannot be part of a healthy living plan. In fact, such a goal promotes physical activity, a key component of a healthy lifestyle.

However, simply taking 10,000 steps daiy might not be enough to achieve long-term health.

What the standard means for you Lee conducted her own research to test if the Japanese were on to something by inadvertently setting the 10,000-step standard. She found that an increase in walking correlated to lower mortality rates among more than 16,000 elderly American women. However, when these women reached about 7,500 steps the mortality rates leveled out, suggesting that those extra 2,500 steps might not be necessary.

Even the manufacturer of one of the most popular fitness trackers, Fitbit, says that users’ step goals can vary depending on need and may even shift over time. As a result, you may need to modify step count accordingly.

Walking remains one of the easiest and

best activities for losing weight and staying fit.

To get the most benefit, aim for that gold standard — 10,000 steps a day.

But sometimes it’s difficult to fit that many steps in, especially during the workweek. Who has the time? Exercise physiologist, Christopher Travers, MS, offers some simple tips to smash your walking goals and improve your fitness levels.

“This magic number of steps is the equivalent of moving almost five miles,” says Travers.

While this distance might, at first, be daunting, he says when you walk this distance, you’ll burn somewhere between 35 and 120 calories per mile. “It all depends on your pace, and how well your body adapts to taking on oxygen and using fuel for energy,” he says.

Reaching your daily and weekly goals — a little at a time Here are four simple ways to add steps to your day — almost without feeling it — and also obtain the benefits of 10 minutes of consecutive walking.

Park in the space farthest from the door in every parking lot. Whether you’re at the gym, your workplace or the grocery store, always park as far away from your destination as possible.

Always try to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walking up the stairs will help toward your goal for cardiovascular exercise, too.

Use the bathroom farthest from your desk or station at work. If you work in a large building, this makes a big difference. You can even find bathrooms on other floors in a multifloor office building — and don’t forget to take the stairs there and back.

Walk during your lunch hour. Take 10 minutes from your allowed lunchtime to go for a walk, if you’re able. By the end of the week, you want to achieve, at minimum, a total of 150 minutes of consistent movement. But you don’t have to follow a structured schedule each day. Go for a 10-minute walk during lunch one day, and the next day do a 45-minute walk in the morning before work. That’s 55 minutes toward your goal of 150 minutes.

Above photo: Whether you’re striving for those 10,000 daily steps or 150 minutes of consecutive steps per week, trying to improve your overall health is your ultimate goal.

January 13, 2022 — YOUR HEALTH - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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January 13, 2022 — YOUR HEALTH - HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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