The Sequoia Advisor

IN THIS ISSUE                                                               August 1^st 2015

• Your Osteoporosis Diagnosis... Now What?
• Fitness, Not Weight The Most Important
• Volunteers Needed for the LivMD Investigational Study
• Posture Perfect!^TM  Try Your First Class for FREE!

Feel Better... Live Better

Your Osteoporosis Diagnosis,  Now What?
By Woody McMahon

Receiving Your Diagnosis
The diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis is never welcome news. But given what we know about bones and how they work in the body, there are many natural ways to improve your bone health with simple lifestyle changes. So receiving your osteoporosis diagnosis can be taken as a strong wake-up call and a move to evaluating and sorting out the various aspects of your lifestyle.

Moving Away from Fear
Unfortunately the most common reaction to a diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia is panic, fear and a rush to take a pill. This is partly due to the strong insistence by most physicians who want their patients to start medications "right away." This rush to medication is accompanied by phrases such as "your spine is so bad it will break in half" or "you have the bones of a 90 year old" both of which may make it difficult to say NO.

A Healthy Lifestyle and Preventing Fracture is King
It is important to know that osteoporosis or osteopenia are heavily influenced by your lifestyle habits. Your exercise program, the foods you choose to eat, the supplements that you take and your stress levels all impact the health of your bones. Instead of rushing to medication after you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia, (you can take medication any time along the way) I recommend considering three important steps before doing anything else:

1. Start a Personal Health Journal
Documenting and organizing your current health and fitness habits is a valuable tool not only for you but any other health or fitness professional that reviews your case. It will first help you take stock of your current lifestyle habits and then track various lifestyle changes along the way. Journaling is an excellent way to begin stopping and reversing your bone health problems. Your bones respond favorably to safe and effective exercises, improved eating habits, better sleep patterns and stress reduction activities. Osteoporosis medications (if you decide to take them) work best with lifestyle changes so changing your lifestyle
first makes more sense.

2. Determine Your Real Risk for Fracture
After a diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia, the most important fact to know is: What is my real risk of sustaining a fracture? Reducing your risk of fractures is going to be your sole mission and much more important than increasing bone density. So one of the key pieces of information to focus on is not your bone density scores but your FRAX percentages. The FRAX Index calculates your risk of hip fracture. Bone density or BMD are the numbers your doctor gave you after your DEXA scan. BMD is only ONE risk factor of 12 that are important in determining your fracture risk. Go to http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX/ for more information.

3. Create a Professional Bone Health Improvement Plan
Your bones respond to many different changes in your life. The foods you eat, the amount of water you drink, your sleep patterns and exercise activities can all benefit your bone health. So many times the bone health programs I review consist of an odd collection of what people have read on the web or seen on television. These programs are usually missing key components and have not been reviewed by a knowledgeable professional or customized to meet individual needs. Having a good bone health program goes beyond just improving bone density.

No Diagnosis... The Above Applies As Well
Even if you have not been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia, everything I have mentioned still applies. There are many women out there who have not received a bone density scan. They just don't know what their relative risk is for sure. When it comes to fractures, it is better to be safe than sorry. I hope these three steps will help take some of the mystery and fear out of your osteoporosis or osteopenia diagnosis.

Would you like to reduce stress and improve your bone health but don't know where to start? I provide an easy to follow program called Be Bone Strong! that helps improve your bone health, posture, balance and strength while reducing fracture risk. Contact me anytime for a no cost consultation at 703-628-2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Fitness, Not Weight The Most Important
by Woody McMahon

Struggling With Your Weight
There is some good news if you are one of those people struggling with your weight. The latest research on weight and health suggests that excess weight may not affect your health as much as having a low level of conditioning. Recent studies show that if you only have 15 to 25 pounds to lose, reducing body weight may not be really that important for your overall health. The research also found that weight loss by itself was shown to be a poor motivator. The data showed that over 89% of the people using weight loss as their primary goal stopped their fitness program after just 6 months.

How Much is Too Much
Unless you fall into one of the three weight loss categories below, you probably won't see much of a health benefit from losing just a few pounds. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says this about weight loss:

"Health experts agree that you may gain health benefits from even
a small weight loss if:

1. You are considered obese based on your body mass index (BMI) (see BMI link below)

2. You are considered overweight based on your BMI and have weight-related health problems or a family history of such problems

3. You have a waist that measures more than 40 inches if you are a man or more than 35 inches if you are a woman"

To check your BMI go to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

The three scenarios above are a good guideline when excess weight needs to taken as a concern. Notice that #1 says you need to have a BMI in the OBESE range to be concerned about your weight unless as in #2 you have additional medical complications or as in #3 your waist measures more than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women respectively.

Conditioning is King
Instead of spending all of your time concerned about losing extra weight; switching your focus and goals to improving your conditioning is actually a much better strategy. Better conditioning opens doors to improving your ability to participate in activities of daily living called ADL's. The better your conditioning, the more fun you can have with your friends while not feeling left out of an activity because you are too tired. Any good conditioning program will be first and foremost safe and effective while including the following four major components.

These are:
• Stamina: Lets you play and work more before getting tired
• Balance: Prevents falls and fractures
• Flexibility: Keeps joints and muscles safe and pain free
• Strength: Improves daily activities and sports performance

At Home or At Sequoia Health
Whether you exercise at home or take regular trips to Sequoia Health, improving your conditioning will provide a host of healthful benefits even if you don't lose one single pound. Regular exercise reduces blood pressure, heart disease, cholesterol, blood sugar and joint pain. Exercise keeps your heart, blood vessels and brain in top condition. Exercise allows you to live a richer and fuller life. All of this and not one pound lost. Something to think about, isn't it?

Try these healthy lifestyle changes for 30 days. Starting an exercise program is easier than you think. Just 10 minutes a day can make a huge improvement in how your body feels and can help to reduce stress and alleviate painful joints. If you would like to begin feeling better or 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 $25. This is the perfect gift, the gift of health, to give to someone you love.

LivMD Updates

More Volunteers Need for Our LivMD
Investigational Study

We are conducting an investigation study of the Marodyne LivMD Low Intensity Vibration device. We are looking for a wide range of study participants with a broad set of health conditions. The study will collect a variety of information from the volunteers to assess the effectiveness of the LivMD for:

• Improving Circulation
• Restoring motion to joints
• Redeveloping muscles
• Assisting as an adjunct treatment for obesity
• Relieving aches and pains throughout the body

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer study participant, please contact Woody McMahon at 703.628.2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Here is a testimonial about the LivMD from a psychotherapist in Rhode Island. She read about the LivMD in my newsletter and then decided to buy one and give it a try. Here is her testimonial in its entirety:

"Hi Woody,

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. Come take your first Posture Perfect!^TM class for FREE. It's on us... 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 back aches 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. (increases 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.

Read more about S.A.F.E. and effective Posture Perfect!^TM classes.

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) 2006-2015 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.

------------------------------------------

About this Newsletter

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://clients.autopilotsolutions.com

To learn more about Posture Perfect!, please contact Woody McMahon:
woody@sequoiahealth.com

You are receiving our free newsletter from this email
woody@sequoiahealth.com