The Sequoia Advisor

IN THIS ISSUE                                                               December 15^th 2015

• Lower Your Stress... Make Fewer Trips to the Dr.'s Office
• Beware! It is Almost Diet Season
• Video... Sara Meeks, PT Talks About The LivMD Benefits
• December is Fall Prevention Screening Month
• Posture Perfect!^TM  Try Your First Class for FREE!

Feel Better... Live Better

Lower Your Stress... Make Fewer Trips to the Dr.'s Office
By Woody McMahon

Stress Levels Are High
If you want to keep your health at optimum levels this winter; it will require a little extra effort and vigilance on your part. Are you getting stressed-out due to higher prices for food, job instability, family concerns and the world safety uncertainty? If so, the extra stress can negatively affect your immune system and its ability to avoid infections. No wonder there is a "cold and flu season." The best way to maintain good health this winter is to reduce stress while paying attention to a few simple health habits.

Stress and Your Immune System
Stress in the form of anger, fear, depression, worry and uncertainty all strongly influence how well your immune system works in three major ways. First, high stress severely depletes the cells in your immune system that are responsible for maintaining good health. With fewer cells available, your body has a more difficult time adequately containing bacterial, viral and other infections such as the flu.

Second, constant stress also changes your hormone balance elevating cortisol levels (stress hormone) and reducing serotonin levels (feel good hormone). The shift to higher cortisol and lower serotonin levels increases hunger and promotes over-eating (especially simple carbs) and weight gain.

Finally, stress increases the levels of inflammation and free radical formation in your body speeding the development of osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, psoriasis, back pain, arthritis and many other diseases.

Improve Your Health This Winter
Staying healthy through these stressful times is easier than you think. Here are my three suggestions to help get you started.

Make Time to Rest and Relax
Keeping a positive attitude even in the worst of times gives you hope that there will be a better day. Skeptical and negative thinking erodes your physical health by further increasing cortisol production. Read a book with a positive message. Watch a movie that will make you laugh. Listen to music that makes you relax and feel good. If you have the cash flow, get a relaxation message, facial or other pampering activity. For you water lovers, drive to the lake or beach and sit and watch the water. This is a very relaxing activity especially if coupled with a nap.

Abdominal Breathing... a Great Stress Release
Consider making the time to practice some abdominal (belly) breathing. Breathing is one of the few functions in the body that you can fully control. Breathing helps to increase the oxygen levels in your blood speeding healing while increasing the release of relaxation hormones. To begin an abdominal breathing session, lie flat on your back preferably on the floor (you can lie on a bed but it won't help your spine as much). Place your feel flat on the floor with the knees bent. Focus on starting your breath with a gently push of the abdominals towards the ceiling. Release the abdominals back towards the floor and allow your breath to escape. Repeat for 5 to 7 minutes. 

Reduce Stress with Fun Activity
Fun activity is a great stress buster. Mentally you know you're doing something good for yourself. Physically your body loves the stimulation that comes from harder breathing, increased heart pumping and a little sweat. Fun activity also stimulates serotonin production and distracts your mind from negative thoughts. What exercise is best? Exercise that is both safe and stimulates your body and relaxes it as well. You can try table tennis, ball games and functional weight training.

Balance Your Food Intake
Eating balanced meals is a good way to strengthen your immune system. Getting enough proteins, carbohydrates and fats at every meal is a very healthy way to eat. Eating adequate amounts of daily fruits and vegetables provides vitamins, minerals and most importantly fiber. Fiber helps your digestive system work more efficiently. Adequate protein is essential for strong bones and cellular repair. Complex carbohydrates found in whole grains provide essential fuel for the active body. On the other hand, over eating is a physical stressor. It takes a lot of work for your body to digest all that extra food. Eating less food reduces the burden on your digestive system improving your health and your weight.

Practice these four essential health suggestions and you'll stay illness free all winter (year) long.

If you are inactive or have health problems, my Posture Perfect!^TM classes are ideal helping reduce pain, increase balance and strength, stimulate breathing and promote relaxation. Adding weight training, walking, sports or active games helps improve your health even more. Please contact me for a complimentary Strategy Session where we can discuss your current health and fitness program. Call 703-628-2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Beware! It is Almost Diet Season
by Woody McMahon

Dieting is Unsustainable
Dieting, or more accurately, calorie restrictive eating plans are never the way to shed excess body fat. A recent study funded by the Canadian government shows again that dieting is not only a failed weight loss  strategy but erodes your confidence and self-esteem. Even if you lose weight initially, dieting does not teach you how to eat properly. Eventually, you gain back the weight and start the process all over again. Secondly, taking the weight off in a short period of time has you losing more water and muscle weight than fat. This leaves you dehydrated and with plenty of baggy skin. Yuck!

Dieting Erodes Your Health
If you are severely overweight, reducing excess body fat is important for improving your health. Research has also shown that the repeated rapid weight gain and loss associated with dieting can double your risk of death from heart attacks. It also reduces your bone density and health and can lead to more serious psychological eating disorders.

The body does not like it when your weight fluctuates up and down. The fluctuating weight places you under increased physical and mental stress. This added "diet stress" is the reason why so many people fall off the wagon and never accomplish their goals.

Feeling Too Restricted
Restriction is the second major reason diets are unhealthy. It's human nature to rebel and want something more when you feel restricted. The rebound from restriction is why most people regain the weight they have lost once the diet has ended. The whole "good food bad food" mentality is a sure fire way to never reach your weight loss goals. One of the secrets to successful weight loss is to never feel restricted or unfulfilled. Learning to eat what you want in proper balance and moderation leads to success. So if dieting is not the answer to permanent weight loss then what is?

Learning to Change Your Focus
If you are tired of wasting time and money on dieting and want to figure out the real solution to achieving a healthy weight, you will want to change your approach. By its very nature, dieting places the blame on food as the reason for your excess weight. But is that really true? Can food really be the culprit? A certain amount of food is required for your daily sustenance; beyond that, everything extra that is not needed for activity or bodily functions is stored as fat.
 
Food is Not the Issue
So if the food you eat is not the issue; then it must be the amount that is the problem. The first questions to ask yourself is " Why am I eating more food than I really need? I say I want to lose weight but then I proceed to overeat. "Understanding the answer to that question places you in a perfect position to begin solving your weight problem for good. Changing your "desire" for all that extra food will help you permanently fix your overweight condition. Always consider dieting as an unhealthy "Band-Aid" solution to a much more complex problem.

The Healthy Alternative to Dieting
My Healthy Weight!^TM program takes a comprehensive approach to the problem. It includes three major components: stress reduction, safe and effective activity and balanced foods. These three factors are all important to successful weight loss and work in a balanced manner. Notice I did not mention calorie counting or points; we just don't do that here. The prgram is also individualized; one size will not fit all in this case. It can also address food allergies or sensitivities that may prevent you from eating certain foods.

Losing weight does not need to be a frustrating experience. If you need additional suggestions and advice on healthy weight loss, please contact me for a complimentary Strategy Session where we can discuss your current health and fitness program. Call 703-628-2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Complimentary Fall Prevention Screening in December...

Falls Screening and Prevention Program! 

At Sequoia Health we are committed to helping our clients and the community prevent falls and fractures. Problems with your balance can occur at any age and generally develop slowly over time. Better balance and a stronger body is THE KEY to preventing falls, fractures and improving the quality of your life.

Virginia Fall Prevention Coalition
We have joined the Virginia Fall Prevention Coalition that is a part of a national Falls Free initiative started in 2006 by the NCOA. As a part of the coalition, we will offer free balance testing at our office in Herndon and at selected partner sites throughout Northern Virginia. We will also hold regular falls prevention workshops and balance classes to help people reduce their fear of falling, enhance their balance and increase the quality of their lives. Call for more information about becoming a partner site.

Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance
We are offering one of the best falls prevention programs in the world. What makes this program so unique is that it has been shown through scientific and clinical research papers to reduce th frequency of falls by over 50%. Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance modifies traditional Tai Chi movements and creates a unique, therapeutic balance system. The movements and activities integrate motor, sensory and cognitive components to improve postural control, balance, gait and enhance performance of daily functional tasks and mobility for older adults. The classes are especially helpful for those who have movement and cognitive impairments and balance challenges such as Parkinson's and Alzheimers's disease.

Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance is a 2 hour a week, 24 week program. It has the potential to prevent and manage various diseases by improving balance, circulation, coordination, confidence, well-being and quality of life in middle-aged and older adults. It is a great addition to the CDC recommended goal of participating in 150 minutes of regular exercise per week.

To introduce as many people as possible to thos wonderful program, I am offering FREE introductory classes for the Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance functional therapy program. 

For more information please contact Woody McMahon at 703-628-2880 or by email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Sara Meeks, PT Talks About the Benefits of the LivMD

LivMD Updates

A New LivMD Testimonial Showing Bone Density Test Improvement

Here is a link to another excellent LivMD customer testimonial that talks about significant increases in bone density scores by using the LivMD. http://livmd.us/customer-writes-in-to-marodyne

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.

Falls & Fractures!
We Can Help You Stay Safe!

A Simple 10 Minute Test That Can Save Your Life!

Our Falls Prevention Screening offers three simple tests that can accurately predict your risk of falls, future mobility and balance that can lead to fractures and other injuries. These tests are a part of the CDC- STEADI Falls Prevention Program. Once you know your score and risk level, we'll help you create a falls prevention and balance program to reduce your risk of falling. You can practice these simple activities at home or join one of our Falls Prevention Classes.

To lean more go to Falls Prevention Screening and watch the videos that demonstrate the tests that we will use in your screening. For more information or to schedule your screening contact Woody McMahon at 703.628.2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.   

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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.

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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.

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