by Dan | Apr 24, 2016 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, weight lifting, Wellness/Health
There are always challenges that will come up in our life, from start to finish…how do we handle them? Do we control them, and do they control us? Do we work at them to the best of our ability, or do they take us down a path we would rather not experience? Who knows, as there are always different situations that arise for all of us on a daily basis. We have to take them all individually, and do the best we can. In life, you have control over 3 things: 1) What you think; 2) What you say; and 3) How you act or behave. Our lives are not like our computer. We don’t have a control key that we can just hit when we need.
And we certainly don’t have the power to restart, or redo things in life by hitting on that keyboard “control/alt/delete” at the same time. Sometimes we may wish we could go back and redo things. That is what life’s experiences teach us: We learn from past mistakes. Two things in life we are in total control of are our ATTITUDE, and our EFFORT. Exercise can help with both of these, and can also help feel more like we are in control. We have to have control when we are doing resistance exercises, or lifting weights.
If we control our movements when doing exercise, we optimize the use of our muscles the way they were meant to be. We have to concentrate, focus, and stay disciplined…which teaches us the basic things needed for our life as well.
My daughter Megan is a swimmer, and watching her, especially in the backstroke, it the picture of control. In order to do this stroke well, you need balance, strength, grace, concentration, and a positive attitude. Here she is first for the start of a race of the backstroke:
She needs strength to get up in her stance, stay focused and hold that position until the gun goes off, and then the strength to push off backwards, followed by the grace to propel herself back up out of the water, all requiring a lot of concentration, and all of which starts with her attitude. Then the next 2 pictures are her showing the strength and grace this stroke requires, one from her in front, and one from the side.
It is amazing to watch! All of those above attributes come out during this stroke, and she cannot see where she is going behind her, so as she passes underneath flag markers in the pool, she has to know when to go under, turn, and kick back off the wall to go back the other way in one fluid motion. It is a like doing a race blind…she cannot see behind her, but has to have the trust, and confidence, to swim backwards, and know where she is going. She is in complete control! Just before she goes under, she takes a deep breath, and then goes down, does a flip turn, and has to”let it go” by kicking off the wall to head back. That is a good philosophy to have for life in general. When times get tough, and we think we “can’t go anymore” we need to take a deep breath, and then “let it go”! Just let it go!
Our attitude and effort are at the far right, and we need it at high gear to accomplish things. Exercise can help us to focus better, to improve our attitude…all based on our effort! Our self control can be determined by multiple things in our life, and all need continuous work and effort, and a positive attitude.
Utilize these, and improve our ability and sense of control! And remember, don’t worry about things you can’t control…it is out of our hands. Control what we can, and then move on. Take a deep breath, and let it go! I will keep working on my exercise streak, and have hit a magic number of “3131”…where it ends, I don’t know!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3131
by kelsey | Apr 21, 2016 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food
Salt is in a lot of our foods and most commonly found in packaged, processed foods. Limiting your salt or sodium intake can help prevent the buildup of extra water in your body and this can be beneficial for high blood pressure, heart failure, kidney disease, or other conditions that result in fluid retention. It is recommended to keep your sodium intake between 1500-2300 mg/day. 1/4 teaspoon of salt has about 600 mg sodium, so it doesn’t take much to get to that recommendation, which is why being more aware of your salt intake and choosing salt-free seasonings is beneficial for your health! You can use Mrs.Dash or No Salt to add flavor, but herbs are especially useful to add flavor without adding salt. If you aren’t familiar with working with herbs, you can use the chart below to select an appropriate herb for your food selection. Give these a try!
Food
|
Herbs to try
|
| Eggs |
Basil, dill weed (leaves), garlic, parsley |
| Fish |
Chervil, dill, fennel, garlic, basil, bay leaf (crumbled), French tarragon, lemon thyme, parsley |
| Poultry |
Garlic, oregano, rosemary, savory, Lovage, marjoram, sage |
| Beef |
Bay, chives, cloves, cumin, garlic, hot pepper, marjoram, rosemary, savory |
| Lamb |
Garlic, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme (try making little slits in the lamb to be roasted and insert herbs) |
| Pork |
Coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger, hot pepper, pepper sage, savory, thyme |
| Cheese |
Basil, chervil, chives, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, chives, marjoram, oregano, parsley, sage, thyme |
| Soups |
Bay, chervil, French tarragon, marjoram, parsley, savory, rosemary |
| Salad |
Basil, borage, burnet, chives, lovage, parsley, French tarragon, garlic. Herb vinegars are great on salad for extra flavor. |
| Tomato Sauce |
Basil, bay leaf, marjoram, oregano, parsley, celery leaves, cloves |
| Fruit |
Anise, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, ginger, lemon verbena, mint, rose geranium, sweet cicely |
| Bread |
Caraway, marjoram, oregano, poppy seed, rosemary, thyme |
| Vegetables |
Basil, burnet, chervil, chives, dill, French tarragon, marjoram, mint, parsley, pepper, thyme, savory |
| Italian Blend |
Basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme |
| Barbecue Blend |
Cumin, garlic, hot pepper, oregano |
Herb Blends to Replace Salt
|
|
| Saltless Surprise |
2 teaspoons garlic powder and 1 teaspoon each of basil, oregano, and powdered lemon rind (or dehydrated lemon juice). Put ingredients into a blender and mix well. Store in glass container, label and add dry rice to prevent caking. |
| Spicy Saltless seasoning |
1 teaspoon each of cloves, pepper, and coriander seed (crushed), 2 teaspoons paprika, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Mix ingredients in a blender. Store in airtight container. |
by kelsey | Apr 20, 2016 | Etc.
Just a reminder, this trail challenge starts in about 1.5 weeks–May 1st! Be sure to pick up your tracking sheets at the Fieldhouse!
Watertown Recreational Trail Challenge
Have you ever wonder how many miles you have biked, run or walked on the Watertown Recreational Trail? This summer we want you to join the second annual Watertown Recreational Trail Challenge. Starting May 1 Keep track of how many miles you bike, run or walk, then at the end of summer by September 30 just turn your tracking sheets back in and we will tabulate who the three people are who have biked, walked or run the most miles and those three will receive awards and be recognized later in the month of October as the ones who put on the most miles on our beautiful trail system. You can pick up your tracking sheets at the Park and Rec Offices at the Fieldhouse or at the City Aud. now! Thank you to sponsors: Watertown DASH, Tim Toomey, Dr.Dan and Dr.Sarah Reiffenberger, and Brown Clinic STRIVE for making this challenge a success!
Dates: May 1-September 30
Fee: Free
Location: All miles must be on the Watertown Recreational Trail
For more information contact Jeremy at the Park and Rec: 882-6260.
by Dan | Apr 17, 2016 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
As Sarah’s shirt says, “Marathon”…the true picture of endurance: the ability or strength to continue despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions. Things don’t just get handed to us. If they are especially important, then it takes even more work to achieve it. To earn it!
Tom and Sarah have been at this for many years as well, as the sign above them states, half marathon. They were getting ready to sign in for the race at Fargo. Training partners and friends, through thick and thin!
Those 2 have had my back for many years…and not just with running. Just like these races and events are not a sprint, for either entering in, or getting ready for, just like life. Life is an endurance event, and there will be many peaks and valleys throughout our life. We have to convince ourselves to keep going, and to work through those times that are tough…there are many more good times to experience.
Those challenges in life go much smoother when you have other people supporting you, encouraging you, and just being there for you.
Steve and I worked at it to go to Disney and do the Goofy race…half marathon on Saturday, marathon on Sunday, for a total of 39.3 miles! How much more endurance can there be! We proved we could do it, and with this, what in life would we not be able to handle? Some of the things in life we think are difficult now seem easy compared to this. But, we proved to ourselves that we did not have to be limited, not only physically, but especially mentally. If we can convince our minds of these challenges, the physical part falls into place.
My kids have all shown what they can do with endurance as well…Megan with swimming, Nick with running, and Molly with a multitude of different sports. All this translates to their life now…putting there head down, and “enduring” all of the stress and challenges of college life and pressure. If they keep reminding themselves of what they have already done, what they can do will seem easy. Here are all 3 with their different sports.
Convince yourself of the strength you have to continue despite all of the pressures, fatigue, and even negative thinking that can get in our way. Life is a marathon, and we are in it for the long run. At the end of it, we can look back and realize what a success in life we really had.
Remember…You can do this! Don’t give up on yourself! You can do amazing things, just believe in yourself. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3124
by kelsey | Apr 14, 2016 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management
These nice warm temps have officially welcomed grilling season! Grilling is a great way to change up cooking techniques and try new flavors after a cold winter season. Spice up any cookout by adding fruits and vegetables to the menu. Beyond the benefits of adding color, variety and flavor, fruits and vegetables can also add a variety of vitamins and nutrients. Keep in mind the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal.
Kabobs are a great item to include marinated vegetables like red or yellow peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, cheery tomatoes, and onions. Simply brush your favorite vegetables with olive or canola oil and your favorite spices and grill over medium heat, turning until marked and tender.
When grilling meat, choose healthier options like lean cuts of beef, pork, chicken, or fish. Be sure to keep raw meat, poultry, and their juices separate from ready-to-eat foods avoiding cross contamination. This can be done by using separate plates, cooking utensils, and cutting boards. Frozen foods should be thawed in a refrigerator or the microwave, not on the countertop or by the grill. Also remember to use a food thermometer when cooking meat, poultry, or fish to ensure it reaches a safe minimum internal temperature, this is key to reducing risk of food poisoning. Steak should reach 145°F, hamburgers 160°F, and chicken and pork 165°F.
Vegetarian or an avid mat lover, a grilled marinated Portobello burger can be a tasty alternative. Marinate and grill mushrooms, gill sides up, over medium-low heat with the grill covered until they are marked and softened (about 15 minutes). Flip and grill until cooked through.
Not forgetting dessert, try fruit kabobs with pineapple slices, watermelon, or peach halves. Grilling on low heat until the fruit is hot and slightly golden. Serve them on top of low-fat frozen yogurt or angel food cake.
Most of all enjoy!
