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IN THIS ISSUE                                                           September 2, 2006

 
  • Essential Fats for Healthier Skin
    and Body

  • T'ai Chi ... The Healing Martial Art

  • T'ai Chi Classes Starting in the Fall
    at Sequoia Health

  • The Recipe Corner ... Some Cool
    Summer Recipes

  • Seated Massage Sign-up for October 14th
    Fundraiser www.SequoiaHealth.com/NOFFair

Essential Fats for Healthier Skin and Body

Many people still believe that a low fat diet is a sensible way to eat especially when it comes to a healthy heart. Hopefully you are not one of those people who are still stuck in the "low fat" zone... talking about low fat or no fat foods as being healthy for your heart and your waistline. If you are, you need to read this article carefully and update your nutritional database. Following the low or no fat approach is actually bad for your health making it harder to lose weight and keep yourself healthy. But don't feel bad, even the American Heart Association can't get it right and still has outdated information on their website about fats, oils and cholesterol.

How did we get where we are? Briefly, in the early 1980's obesity and heart disease were on the rise (they still are). The theory was to reduce total calories by cutting all fats because fats have the highest calorie density (calories per amount) at 9 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram for proteins and carbohydrates. Most nutritional authorities were substituting carbohydrates for fats, having us eat as much as 80% carbohydrates. This was when everybody in the country had a rice cake in their hands. All fats became the "bad guys" because they were incorrectly seen as the precursor to high cholesterol and heart disease.

The first diet guru to get us off track was Nathan Pritiken. He cut fat almost to zero and people did lose weight and felt better temporarily. But in the long term, his followers were always hungry and their hair, nails and skin got dry. His approach was a bad idea because it was unsustainable and caused other health problems. Even today, many people still follow his teachings to the detriment of their own health.

Fortunately, in 1987, Ann Louise Gittleman, a former employee of Pritiken came along with one of the best books ever written on nutrition. Her book,
Beyond Pritikin, was ground breaking talking about the glycemic index, trans fats and many other ideas we hold true today. She also said that not all fat is bad and there are essential fats you need to curb hunger, promote healthy skin, hair and nails and maintain proper hormone function. She set the record straight and helped us come out of our carbohydrate tail spin.

So what is the more accurate story about fats and oils? One of the foremost authorities on fats and oils is Udo Erasmus, PhD. His information is cutting edge and his book,
Fats That Heal Fats That Kill, is one of the best in explaining how to develop and maintain a healthy fat balance for optimum health. So here, in a nut shell, is some quick advice on the use of fats and oils from Udo Erasmus:


Essential fats are an important part of any healthy lifestyle program.
Fresh Start introduces dietary changes that increase the natural intake of essential fats and oils. In addition to dietary changes, Fresh Start incorporates stress reduction and moderate exercise helping integrate these activities into a Fun and easy to follow healthy lifestyle program.

Fresh Start
is your complete, healthy lifestyle solution reducing pain, strengthening bones, controlling weight, reducing stress and improving your golf or tennis game. Fresh Start gives you all the tools necessary for increasing strength, vitality and good health.
Contact Woody McMahon at 702-628-2880 or email
Woody@SequoiaHealth.com to learn more about giving yourself a Fresh Start or to schedule your free in-person or telephone consultation.


Tai Chi ... The Healing Martial Art

T'ai Chi is an ancient Chinese art of movement. Originally started as a form of self defense, T'ai Chi is defined as a "...soft style martial art, an art applied with as a complete relaxation or "softness" in the musculature as possible, to distinguish its theory and application from that of the hard martial art styles which use a degree of tension in the muscles." T'ai Chi's basic training forms are the well known motions you see groups of people practice every morning in parks all across China . Some call it a form of moving meditation and T'ai Chi theory and practice evolved in agreement with many of the principles of traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional T'ai Chi training is intended to teach awareness of and what affects one's own balance and the awareness of the same in others. Because of the extreme concentration involved and the development of body motion and control, T'ai Chi imparts a strong relaxation effect as well as a sense of body control.

T'ai Chi as Physical Training

T'ai Chi is characterized by a relaxed use of the muscles and leverage of the joints rather than tensed muscles like other martial art forms. The slow, repetitive work involved in that process gently increases and opens the internal circulation (breath, body heat, blood, lymph, peristalsis). Over time, this improvement in internal circulation becomes a lasting effect; a direct reversal of the constricting physical effects of stress on the human body. T'ai Chi improves energy levels making more available to the practitioner for the rest of their lives; families, careers, spiritual or creative pursuits and hobbies.

T'ai Chi as Health Enhancer

T'ai Chi has long been known to have positive health benefits. Improved balance, increased flexibility, improved cardiovascular fitness in healthy as well as those who have undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. In the elderly, T'ai Chi has been shown to reduce the risk of falls, moderate pain, stress and anxiety. T'ai Chi has also benefited patients that suffer from heart failure, high blood pressure, heart attacks, arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

T'ai Chi is also effective in young people with symptoms of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). T'ai Chi's gentle, low impact, movements surprisingly burn more calories than surfing and nearly as many as downhill skiing. T'ai Chi significantly boosts your immune system's function and has been shown to reduce the incidence of anxiety, depression, and overall mood disturbance.

To learn more about incorporating T'ai Chi into a total healthy lifestyle program, please contact Woody McMahon at 702-628-2880 or email Woody@SequoiaHealth.com.

 


T'ai Chi Classes Starting in the Fall at Sequoia Health

Where: Jow Ga Shaolin Institute - Herndon , Virginia
What: Tai Chi Classes
When: To Be Announced in September

Just down the street from Sequoia Health is the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute. Mr. Lee and Mr. Momenan are the chief T'ai Chi instructors and owners. From their brochure here is their description of T'ai Chi, "T'ai Chi is highly regarded as an anti-aging exercise and is recommended by health professionals as an excellent way to cross train for fitness, sharpen mental focus, and foster spiritual harmony. T'ai Chi students learn a pattern of movements that help improve muscle tone, balance and flexibility."

To learn more about the institute go to www.jowgashaolin.com.

Join us at Sequoia Health this fall as we start our small group T'ai Chi classes . Mr. Lee has agreed to teach a special T'ai Chi class for Sequoia Health students. The class will combine teaching both the movements and the health benefits associated with each movement. Classes will be held once a week to start. So far we have 3 people registered and need 8 to start our own class. Come join us. It's a great way to improve balance and movement while reducing stress and adding variety to your healthy lifestyle program.

Don't miss out on this one!!!

If you are interested please contact Woody McMahon at 702-628-2880 or email Woody@SequoiaHealth.com to learn more about T'ai Chi. 
 


 

The Recipe Corner 
Some Cool Summer Recipes Treats from Michele Powers, RD of
NutrientChef.



Continued Good Health,


Woody

Woody McMahon
 
The Sequoia Advisor

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

Required Disclaimer: The info rmation provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The info rmation 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 info rmation 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 info rmation 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 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.


 

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