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The Sequoia Advisor

       IN THIS ISSUE                                                               April 1st 2014

  • A Healthy Spring Tune-Up
  • Water... Not Just for Weight Loss Anymore
  • Unity of Fairfax Health Fair Saturday May 17th  1 to 5pm
  • Posture Perfect!TM Gift Certificates Available
  • Posture Perfect!TM  Try Your First Class for FREE!
     

Feel Better... Live Better

A Healthy Spring Tune-Up
By Woody McMahon 

Time to Clean House
Spring is a great time to "clean house" by taking a few moments to review
your health and fitness program. Ask yourself if your fitness program is
still fun or has it become a little stale? Are you getting a restful sleep
and feeling more energetic or do you feel stressed and tired all of the
time? Are you eating 7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day or has
too much junk or fast food crept into your eating plan?

Do you feel fulfilled and happy with your life or do your resemble a hamster
on a wheel? Did you answer yes to any or all of these questions? If so,
maybe you could use a little spring tune-up? Let's talk about a few simple
ways to revamp your springtime health and fitness and help you look and
feel your best.

Back to Fitness Basics
Having a fitness program that is appropriate for your abilities and complete
in its content is important for better health and independence as you get
older.
Making subtle changes in your activity program can yield big results
in your health and fitness. Traditional exercise programs usually involve
15 to 20 minutes of treadmill or other cardio machines followed by
15 to 20 minutes of machine style weight. This style of training is
out of date compared to more modern approaches and robs you of many
benefits such as balance, flexibly, better posture and increased joint motion.

A health-based, whole body exercise sequence is a more modern
approach to exercise training. Health-based exercise free you from going
to the gym and can be practiced anywhere at any time. These exercises
fit a range of abilities from the basic such as Decompression and
Leg Lengthener exercises
to push-ups, plank and door sits. With any
exercise program, always keep safety first by limiting flexion, lateral
bending and rotational motions. (Some exceptions apply).

Sleep is a Time to Heal
Your body uses sleep time to heal and repair itself. A good sleep helps
reduce the negative health effects of a stressful day. The secret to
having a restful sleep is to go to bed feeling equally physically and mentally
tired. A restful sleep becomes more difficult if you are more mentally than
physically tired at the end of the day.

Regular physical activity such as walking, health-based exercises or playing
a sport will help balance your mental and physical fatigue. Learning to
consciously turn off your day also improves sleep quality. Before going
to bed, try reading a book with a strong positive message, listen to
quieting music or take a few moments to meditate. These excellent
"before sleep" habits help quiet your mind and induce a deeper more
restful sleep.

Eating High Quality Fuel
Food is basically fuel. The old saying "garbage in, garbage out" applies
in this example. Eating higher quality foods makes it easier for your body
to digest and extract the important nutrients it needs. The myriad of
eating patterns and diet recommendations has made healthy eating much
too complicated. Simply follow a nutritional program that contains at
least 50% fruits and vegetables and adequate lean protein. It is as easy
as that.

Depending upon your metabolism, minimize starch-based carbohydrates
such as bread and pasta. Some people find these addictive so reducing
their quantity helps minimize overeating.
Fruits and veggies provide plenty
of plant based carbohydrates as well as greater amounts of water and
minerals. Correct portion sizes will also keep your body weight in a healthy
range thus eliminating the need for calorie counting, points or other silly
food games.

Creating a Purposeful Life
Last but not least, try to increase the purpose in your life. More than just
making money or tending the kids, humans need a purpose driven life to
thrive. The longest lived and healthiest people in the world all have a single,
common trait. Their lives are filled with purpose. They have a drive to get
up in the morning and fulfill that need. If you don't have an obvious purpose,
spend some time at the library or bookstore browsing the many wonderful
books on self-improvement. It will be time well spent.

Do you need help modernizing your exercise program but don't know
where to start?
I provide an easy to follow health-based activity program that
can be performed anywhere. It helps improve your bone health, posture,

flexibility and balance while reducing stress, backaches and fracture risk.
Contact me anytime for a No Cost consultation at 703-628-2880 or email
to woody@sequoiahealth.com.


Water... Not Just for Weight Loss Anymore
by Woody McMahon

Weight Loss and More
Drinking enough water is crucial for efficient burning of fat and healthy
weight loss. A study of over 3000 nurses looked at body fat percentage
compared to total daily water intake. The nurses that drank the most water
had the lowest body fat percentage. Another study showed similar results
with participants drinking approximately 17 ounces of water (slightly more
than 2 glasses) showing a 30% increase in metabolic rates for both men
and women. The increases occurred within 10 minutes of water consumption
and reached a maximum after about 30 to 40 minutes. Water also makes-up
about 25% of bone by weight so drinking enough is important for strength.
For anyone wanting healthy weight loss and bones, drinking more water is
a good first step.

The Staff of Life
Water is the most important substance you put into your body. You can
survive 40 to 60 days without food but only mere hours to a few days
without water. Water is required for proper detoxification of all the cells
of your body. Without water, waste products accumulate and lead to disease
and illness. The average adult does not drink enough water. There are many
diseases associated with mild dehydration such as high blood pressure,
kidney stones, urinary tract infections, constipation, headaches,
allergies, sinus infections and joint pain.

Important in Many Ways
Water comprises 50 to 70% of your total adult body weight. Today, if you
drink enough water, you're in the minority. There is a great debate on how
much water you should consume. Many experts suggest that you can get
adequate water from drinking beverages and eating foods. Some experts say
fortifying your water with vitamins or other substances is a good idea.
Just look at all the sports drinks that have popped up. The bottom line…
for the average person, pure, unadulterated water is your best bet for good
health. Anything less will not help your body work properly. What makes
plain old water so special?

Plain Old Water
It all goes back to high school chemistry class. Water is called the
universal solvent. Dissolve something in water and the water is literally
transformed into a different substance. Just take a look at ice tea,
coffee, milk, juice… made from water but definitely not water. When you
drink water instead of juice, your body knows the difference. One of the
reasons water is so good for you is it doesn't need to be digested or
processed by your body. It can be absorbed and used immediately to
facilitate digestion, detoxification and metabolism. Water is also
self-regulating. Drink enough water and your body doesn't need to retain or
"store" fluid. Drink too little and your body will retain fluid to try and
keep you alive.

More Active Means More Water
A very active person requires more water than a sedentary person. Muscles
are 75% water and require adequate hydration or they will not work
properly. Dehydration can result in muscle strains (pulls) and/or cramps.
Joints also require water to make synovial fluid for effective lubrication.
Without adequate water, cartilage in the joints is not adequately
lubricated and can wear prematurely leading to degenerative joint disease.
Simply drinking more water can reduce your future risk for joint
replacement surgery.

A Simple Hydration Formula
To make sure you are drinking enough water, here is a simple hydration
formula. Take your current body weight and divide that number by 2.
Multiply the divided number by 1 ounce and that is the amount of water you
should try and drink everyday. So at 150 pounds you need at least 75 ounces
of water per day to maintain a healthy body weight.


Try these healthy lifestyle changes for 30 days. Feel what it is like to be
a part of the health solution rather than a health burden. If you need
additional suggestions and advice on living a healthier lifestyle, email or

call me for a No Cost consultation, at 703-628-2880 or email to
woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Give the Gift of Health!
Posture Perfect!TM Classes...

Looking for the perfect healthy birthday gift for someone?
Consider purchasing a gift certificate for one or several
Posture Perfect!TM classes. Gift certificate amounts start
at $20. This is the perfect gift, the gift of health, to give
to someone you love.

Upcoming Events and News

The Art of Wellness: A Health and Healing Fair
Sigrid and I have been asked to participate in the Unity of Fairfax
health and healing fair in May.

Here is the event information:
Unity of Fairfax Health and Wellness Fair

2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton, VA 22124

Saturday May 17th, 2014 from 1 to 5pm

Workshop#1

There's No Place Like Home
Pat Williams and I will offer our how to stay in your own home workshop.
Pat and I will provide valuable
information and answer your questions
on how to safely and comfortably stay in your own home. The exact
time for our workshop is still to be determined.

Workshop #2
Osteoporosis... There is Something You Can Do About It!

I will also be offering a 45 minute demonstration and workshop covering
the many facets of improving your bone health. I will discuss the
importance of vitamin D, explore the stress-bone health connection
and review many other bone health topics. I will also show you some of
the health-based, bone buildiing exercises we practice in our
Posture Perfect!TM classes.

Come by our table where we will offer postural assessments, fitness program
consultations and much more. Hope to see you there.

There's No Place Like Home Workshop Series...

Our next regularly scheduled workshop is at:

Congregation Beth Emeth
12523 Lawyers Rd, Herndon, VA 20171

Thursday
on August 26th, 2014 from 2 to 3pm

Pat Williams of GraceFul Care and I will
provide valuable
information and
answer your questions on how to safely
and comfortably stay in your own home.


Pat and I believe that your home is your castle and, for many
beneficial reasons, you want to stay there as long as possible.
Deciding to stay at home may be one of the biggest life changing
decisions you will ever make
.

Fortunately, we are here to help you plan and make good decisions
allowing you to stay in your own home for as long as you want


In our workshop we will discuss the many health and quality of life
benefits of staying in the comfort of your own home rather than
moving to a retirement facility. We will outline the logical and
important steps necessary to keep you in your home.


Just like we tell all of our clients, "You Can Stay, We Can Help!

Recent research has shed some interesting light on the darker side of
retirement home living. Everything from higher costs to the loss of
personal freedom and independence has been examined in these
recent reports. These reports have determined that living in a
retirement setting is not as easy or as glamorous as you might think.

Click Here to read more about our wonderful, new program.

Beginner Posture Perfect!TM Classes in Herndon,
Reston and Arlington

We have beginner Posture Perfect!TM classes in Herndon, Reston and
Arlington. Take your first class for FREE and see how much taller, more
balanced and relaxed you feel afterwards. To register please contact
Woody McMahon at 703-628-2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Please wear comfortable clothes and bring 2 towels, one face and one bath,
a bottle of water and an exercise mat if you have one.

I am offering in-home health-based exercise instruction for
those who cannot leave their home. Contact me to find out more!


Posture Perfect!TM for Spinomed Program
I have created a new companion back strengthening exercise program to
help anyone wearing the Spinomed orthosis. The classes include helpful tips
on getting the most from your Spinomed as well as exercises that help
strengthen your back, improve your posture and increase your balance.

Click Here to learn more about this exciting program.

Posture Perfect!TM First Class FREE

If you have never tried Posture Perfect!TM you owe it to yourself to
come to one of our convenient classes and see how good it makes you
feel. We want you to give us a try so come take your first Posture Perfect!TM
class for FREE. It's on us... so what do you have to lose?


RESERVATIONS are REQUIRED
Please call Woody McMahon at 703.628.2880 or email to
woody@sequoiahealth.com for more information or to make
your reservation.


The FREE Posture Perfect!TM class helps introduce you to the many
benefits of our safe and effective posture, balance and strength program
co-developed by Sara Meeks, PT and Woody McMahon, personal trainer.


Come and experience how each class can help strengthen your bones,
improve your balance, alleviate backaches and neck pains, improve
osteoporosis and teach you how to sit and stand-up straighter. 


The History of Posture Perfect!TM
When I developed the Posture Perfect!TM classes over 2 years ago, there
were no safe and effective exercise programs available for "over age 50" adults.
Everywhere I looked there were older adults in classes that used seated

exercises (bad for your back); machine style exercises (bad for your balance)
treadmills (a poor hip and leg strengthener); and performed movements
that involved crunching, bending and twisting. (All of these increase the
risk of spinal compression fractures)
.
  

Posture Perfect!TM solved all of these problems by offering a safe and effective
approach helping older adults become more active. Each class improves your
posture, strengthens your bones, enhances your balance, alleviates back
aches and neck pains, reduces fracture risk and teaches you how to sit
and stand-up straighter. 
 

We have several people in our current classes who are coming to strengthen
their bones
and over half of the others are interested in exercises and posture
changes to help make their backs and necks feel better.

Please call Woody McMahon at 703-628-2880 or email to
woody@sequoiahealth.com for more information, class times and reservations.

Posture Perfect!TM Testimonials...
Posture Perfect's! momentum continues to grow. Here is a glowing testimonial
from one of our class members.

"Posture Perfect!TM class has not only met my expectations, but exceeded
them! There are several reasons I enjoy the class. The small class size
gives each of us extraordinary personalized training; your knowledge,
expertise, patience, and sense of humor makes me look forward to
coming to a class I thought would be only for 6 weeks; and I have
learned so much more than I expected."

"For example, I now think about my posture every time I sit, and just when
I thought I'd begin to have a hard time rising from sitting on the floor, you
taught me how to make it easier. I try to practice some of the balance
exercises a couple of times a week (I know, I should do it more often!).
I thank you for all I have learned from you so far, and hope to continue
this class for the foreseeable future!"
Paula S.

Click Here to read more about S.A.F.E. and effective Posture Perfect!TM
classes.

Continued Good Health,

Woody

Woody McMahon
The Sequoia Advisor


Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
483A Carlisle Drive
Herndon, VA
20170

Required Disclaimer: The material provided herein should not be construed
as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed
health-care advice or instruction. The material is provided with the
understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine
or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care
practitioner/patient relationship with its readers. The publisher does not
advise or recommend to its readers treatment or action with regard to
matters relating to their health or well-being other than suggesting that
readers consult appropriate health-care professionals in such matters. No
action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication. The
material and opinions provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound
at the time of publication, based on the best judgment available to the
authors. However, readers who rely on material in this publication to
replace the advice of health-care professionals, or who fail to consult
with health-care professionals, assume all risks of such conduct. The
publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Copyright (c) 2006-2014 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.

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    A mindful and holistic approach to Fall Prevention, Balance, Full Body Functional Strengthening and Posture Exercises for All Ages! Our Science-Based Exercises are Safe and Appropriate for Your Ability. Our Exercises Help Improve Osteoporosis, Osteopenia, Fear of Falling, Balance and Strength Problems. Reston, Great Falls, Herndon, Middleburg, Arlington Sterling and Northern Virginia.

    Herndon
    483A Carlisle Drive
    Herndon, VA 20170
    703-628-2880

     Middleburg
    300 West Washington Street
    Middleburg, VA 20118
          703-628-2880   

    email: woody@sequoiahealth.com