The Sequoia Advisor

       IN THIS ISSUE                                                               October 15^th 2013

• The Holiday Eating Survival Guide
• The Healthy Bones and Heart Connection
• Upcoming Events... Workshop Series... There's No Place Like Home 
• Osteoporosis Support News... Yoga Nidra and Safe Senior Yoga
• Posture Perfect!^TM  October 21^st Beginner Class Starts in Arlington
   

Feel Better... Live Better

The Holiday Eating Survival Guide
By Woody McMahon

Struggle With Food No More
The next eight weeks can be a bit overwhelming when it comes to food.
This is seasonal food overload time with all of the football games,
Thanksgiving, holiday parties, Christmas and New Years all lined up in a
row. It is a challenging time for even the most health conscious
individuals. So what does a reasonable minded person do when faced with
trying to control uncontrolled eating? An old saying comes to mind, "When
the going gets tough, the tough get going." Here are some suggestions on
how to be "tough."

Keep Stress Low
Work diligently to keep your stress low during this time of year.
Lowering stress reduces your need to overeat. It is not necessary to
accept every single invitation to a party. You know people always invite
more guests than they really expect. So don't make yourself feel bad if
you can't say "yes" to all the invitations. If you have to say "no" to an
invitation from someone you really enjoy, suggest a lunch or tea after the
New Year. The time spent together with your friend will be of a much
higher quality and it will help both of you manage the holiday stress.

Never Stop Exercising
Sometimes you are forced to be more social than you might like to be this
time of year. Instead of stopping what has helped you feel so good all
year, learn to integrate. If for example you have company coming to town,
invite them when you go to our Posture Perfect!^TM classes, Pilates or Yoga
class. They may never have been bold enough to try it on their own or have
been admiring you and thinking "I wish I could develop a healthy habit just
like that." What a great opportunity to do something for yourself and set
a good example while sharing some healthy time with a loved one.

The Single Plate Overeating Survival Strategy
Why do you want to overeat right now and ruin a year's worth of good
work? Overeating is a unhealthy habit; a habit that is learned and can be
unlearned. The typical party is full of distracted eating (eating while
talking) and over grazing leaving you with no idea of how much you really
ate. Instead of grazing all night, take a plate and place a reasonable
amount of food on it. Then, go and sit down and enjoy your food. This is a
much more sensible way to enjoy the party and not hate yourself in the
morning for eating too much food.

Adopt a Positive Attitude
Take the time to be thankful for what you have and your accomplishments.
Determine what is really important in your life and how you plan on making
next year better than this one. What does this have to do with food? Well,
if you are struggling with food, now is the time to tell yourself next
year is going to be the year you end the struggle. Take the time to look
for a reason behind your overeating. Figure out why food is all consuming
and has such a hold on you. How are you going to break the bonds that are
keeping you from enjoying life more? Understanding the "why" can help
solve the problem and allow you to get on with enjoying life more.

Practice these simple time tested holiday strategies and start your
New Year off right!

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 20 minute
consultation at 703-628-2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

The Healthy Bones and Heart Connection
by Woody McMahon

The Inflammation Process
Until recently, most experts believed that having good cholesterol levels
and a normal blood pressure were enough to ensure a healthy heart. But one
disturbing fact has continued to confound researchers. Why do 50% of heart
attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels? Clearly, if high
cholesterol was the major indicator of heart disease, then these "normal"
cholesterol heart attacks should not be occurring or certainly in lesser
numbers. What do your heart and bones have in common?

Inflammation and Disease
The Inflammation Hypothesis of Disease has been around for many years.
It says that all degenerative disease (and aging) is the result of increased
levels of inflammation in the body. Inflammation is first the result of
tissue damage from chemicals called "free radicals." Some free radicals
arise normally during metabolism; some are used by your body's immune
system to neutralize viruses and bacteria. High stress living along with
environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, second hand smoke and
herbicides can also produce free radicals. Inflammation now seems to take
an active role in both heart disease and osteoporosis.

Free Radicals Damage
Inflammation is the result of your immune system's response to free
radicals damaging tissue in your body. Too many free radicals overload
your body's ability to neutralize them resulting in elevated total body
inflammation levels. Excess free radicals begin to attack your tissues
causing tears and breaks in the cells. In an effort to defend and heal the
body, your immune system responds to these attacks by releasing certain
inflammatory chemicals. These chemicals create redness and swelling (much
like you see on your arm if you cut it) and are designed to stimulate the
immune system to heal the damage.

Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables
Most antioxidants are found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Pound for
pound, fruits and vegetables contain the most free radical neutralizing
antioxidants. Generally, any food with a nice bright color has larger
amounts of antioxidants. Other common antioxidants that you may have
heard about are vitamins A, C, E and lycopene. Daily intake of these
antioxidant loaded foods helps reduce total free radical amounts, speeds
the healing of damaged cells and slows the aging process. Adults should
strive for 7 servings (a serving size is 1/4 cup) of fruits and vegetables daily.

Testing for Inflammation… C-Reactive Protein
The CRP test is a good way to determine total body inflammation levels.
It gives a better assessment of your heart and bone health than just
testing cholesterol or DEXA alone. Recent studies have shown that people
with increased CRP levels and normal cholesterol have a several-fold
higher risk of heart problems. Increased CRP has also been implicated in
several bone health conditions as well. Not only that, at least one study
found treating people with normal LDL cholesterol and high CRP levels led
to a reduction in their risk of heart attacks.

Lowering Total Body Inflammation
There are many naturally occurring ways to reduce inflammation. A healthy
diet of fruits and vegetables is the best place to start. Additionally
you'll want to look at adding plant based essential fatty acids, vitamin
supplements, especially vitamin D and adequate water. Finally, don't
forget to lower stress levels by participating in daily relaxation
techniques and three hours of moderate exercise per week.

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 20 minute consultation, at 703-628-2880 or
email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Upcoming Events and News

Workshop Series... There's No Place Like Home
Your home is your castle and, for many reasons, you want to
stay there as long as you can. But it does take a little planning
and some good decisions to make staying in your own home
a reality. This is one of the big life decisions you will ever make but
fortunately we are here to help. Just like we tell all of our clients, 
"You Can Stay, We Can Help!

Recent research has shed some 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 say that living in a retirement
center is not as easy or glamorous as you might think.

On January 21^st, 2014 Pat Williams of GraceFul Care and I will
begin a quarterly workshop series entitled
There's No Place Like Home. 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 logial
and important steps necessary to keep you in your home.

Watch this newsletter for times, dates and registration information
to be coming soon.!

New Beginner Posture Perfect!^TM Class in Arlington
We have a new beginner Posture Perfect!^TM class starting in Arlington on
October 21^st at 11 am. You may take your first class for FREE giving you
an opportunity to try the class without risk. To register please contact
Woody McMahon at 703-628-2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

The class address is:
The Rock Spring Congregational Church
5010 Little Falls Road
Arlington, Virginia 22207

Please wear comfortable clothes and bring a towel, a bottle of water
and an exercise mat if you have one.

Rock Spring Congregational Church currently offers a Yoga and Tai Chi
class at their church. Posture Perfect!^TM will be a nice addition to those
two offerings.

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, improves your posture and increases your balance.
Click Here to learn more about this exciting program.

Posture Perfect!^TM First Class FREE

Instead of holding a monthly Posture Perfect!^TM demo class, several
people have asked if thy can just come to one of the classes. For a 
limited time, you can try your first Posture Perfect!^TM class for FREE.

RESERVATIONS are REQUIRED
so 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 leg strengthener); and performed movements that
involved crunching, bending and twisting. (increases the risk of spinal
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.

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
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publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Copyright (c) 2006-2013 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.

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