Pesty spring allergies!

After my spring allergies hit, i knew i might have to go to the allergist for some meds. but i REALLY hate taking pills and sprays.
so heres some ways to avoid allergens and keep youre systems clear this summer:

Keep your eyes clear.
be careful what youre touchnig and when youre touching youre eyes. you can use water to clearyour eyes out, visine, or tear free baby shampoo accroding to fox.com.

Shower constantly.
remove the allergens from your body, especialy before going to sleep at night and leaving them in your sheets.

Know the pollen count: its generally said on the weather report and its not sucha shabby thing to pick up.

Choose seaside vacas:
the sea air will do you well.

Eat well:
Accodring to fox.com, omega3s like in fish contain antioxidants which particulary help with asthma

Clean filters often: if you have the AC pumping all summer, you need to get you filters cleaned so your not circulating allergens around your car or home.

Take Care!

my future patients

When i decided a year ago that i was pretty certain i wanted to do PT, i was thinking about when I had seen a trainer, and a Pt when i was hurt in high school Field Hockey. I loved the experience at the clinic I was at and it was a large push to get me to choosing a career, Taking this class i realized that quite a lot of my patients will not be the young high school athletes who i want to help get back in the game. Instead, it will be elderly or seniors in the boomer generation who need possibly getting around their home.

At first, this made me doubt my decision. maybe i could speciale my PT towards something else... neurological etc. Or PT for animals
But after getting over the initial realization, i think i'm atually pretty excited to take it on. Of course im still going to enjoy helping injured athletes becausei sympasize with them, but theyre not going to be the only patients i get excited for. 5 more years of school?!

Dangerous Driving

As i was driving to health class, I realized that every day i put myself and other drivers at risk by some of the things i do while i drive. Why did i think of this? Why thank you for asking. that would be because i almost go pushed of Route 20 by a girl driving next to me and trying to go through me to get into the right lane. Now it's still dark out, and freezing, but she has sunglasses on, an iced coffee, and a phone in her hand.
Now after i got over it thinking about "mr. change your pants while driving." and "the make up artist" I realize that some of the things that girl did, I do as well. I text while driving, I talk on the phone, sometimes i eat, but usually i don't combine them, or do many of the much more dangerous things other people do.
this blog isnt even talking about driving under the influence, but it still is a little out there.

If I;m really striving to have a healthy body and mind, than being in a car accident really isnt going to help my situation. When it comes to Dangerous cell phone usage while drivien, about 50% of teens admit to it.
http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2008/08/12/48-of-us-drivers-age-18-to-24-admit-to-texting-while-driving/
This article gives a lot of insight.
Over the last week i noticed these funny, but really stupid things done while behind the wheel.
-make up
-plucking eyebrows
-cell phone usage of all kinds.
-taking pictures with friends
-removing a sweater
-driving with elbows,
-sitting with one leg against the steering wheel
-clipping finger nails.

Even more $$ down the drain.... tobacco tax.

On april first the new tobacco tax was passed which substantially raised the price of cigarettes. On the same day a new bill was passed by the House so that all tobacco products will be regulated under the FDA. although the senate still must vote on it, the outlook looks positive to get it passed.

The price of a carton of cigarettes prelaw was around 50$ a carton, and post law is about 75$. thats a fifty percent increase from before. Although the extortionate prices are causing panic among buyers, it does not come with out a positive impact. the high prices are meant to give a great reason to many smokers to quit! Even both my parents, who have smoked for twenty years, are quitting because of this.

new NFL rule

A new Rule by the NFL is causing controversy and having a lot of eyebrows raised towards the New England Patriots. the new rule states: "defenders on the ground can no longer tackle quarterbacks."

Its not like Brady is the first QB to ever be taken out for the season. I mean, lets remember how he got the starting position in the first place. The Reasons behind this stated was 1. for safety, and 2.) because apparently the quarterback is the only star people go to the game to see.
This Quote is from the Patriots owner Robert Kraft "...So whatever we can do to protect quarterbacks and to minimize the opportunity of them being taken out with a year-ending injury I would support....It's like going to see a great movie and the star isn't in the movie. It's the same principle."

here is the link to the article.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/gameon/2009/03/wednesday-eye-4.html

the article is fresh, so the poll on the bottom has about 50 new votes a minute.
but around 84% say - "this is football. not a tea dance."

Seasonal Affective Disorder.

My spirits are on an elevator with the back and forth of the nice and snowy weather.
With the days of bright sunshine, melting snow, and tiny windows of warm air, my happiness soars! I mean really, I don't care that I see brown grass... I care that I can see the grass!! I've decided that mother nature is not personally against me... everyone else must mope around and seriously consider transfering down south as well. Dont get me started on the last snowstorm.
Before I looked it up I one hundred percent believe that i suffered from Seasonal Affective Depression.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/seasonal_depression_sad/article_em.htm

When i looked this up to see more info i realized that SAD has a lot more to it than the winter blues. A very small number of people are depressed in the Spring/Summer.

SAD affects northern territories more than southern, and it really applies to only a smaller amount of the population than i had expected... 6/100. SAD really means depression, not just moping or pouting like i tend to do.
So unexpectedly, i do not think i suffer from Seasonal Affective Depression.
Rather i think i have a seasonal mood change.

Can't wait for summer!
Anne!

Music Increases Endurance!

I find that when I listen to music while running I'm more motivated to keep going longer than if i was just listening to my own gasp. How about you? a study done in late 08' that i stumbled upon yielded these same results! I had to find the article in ELY so i can only link you to the Sport discus Abstact page

http://scroll.lib.wsc.ma.edu:2282/login.aspx?direct=true&db=sph&AN=36083743&site=ehost-live

In the study, 30 people ran on treadmills once while listening to uptempo contemprary rock/pop songs and once without any music a week later. For almost all the runners it showed a 15% endurance drop!
Many runners already are aware of these effects, but finally some proof ! the article from Brunel university, (England) is published in the october 08 Journal of Sport and Exercise Physiology is you want to find it on your own.

My top bands to listen to
-Minus the Bear
-Coheed and Cambria
-Brand New
-The Recieving End of Sirens
-Offspring


If you comment- Let me know ifyou listen to music while working out, and if so what you listen to :-)

- Anne :-D

YMCA & other resources

I realized the other day when i was walking into work at the Westfield Y, there are a lot of classes here that i didnt know i could use before. There were AM cardio classes, circuit training classes, yoga, pilates, boot camp and more, they were at pretty flexible times as well
as for recreational PA there was the 2 pools, raquetball courts, competivite sports like badmitton, and a whole lot more than just treadmills and ellipticals.


I am a person who really does not enjoy treadmills. I mean, I am a BIG fan of Fartlek. So when the instructor told me to run through the labyrinth of hallways to grab a pamphlet and a list of other stuff around the "mansion" i was excited. this was definitely a new, fun twist to working out.

Anne :-D

Get Some Sleep!!

How much sleep do you actually get a night? I'm not sure if college students know the definition of peace and quiet. Most of the dorms are still loud and bustling in the early morning hours. What does this mean though?

Before reading about it online, i thought that not sleeping enough would mean getting bags under your eyes, being cranky and irritable, and not having as much energy as usual. However, there are far more detrimental consequences than the aforementioned.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/08/AR2005100801405.html

The article explains how not sleeping enough disrupts your bodies hormones, energy levels, metabolism leading to weight gain and other diseases like cancer.

Of course, amount of sleep varies for everyone. Some people can sleep 4 hours and function normally, others need 10. I learned in my psych class that as you get older, the mean number of hours you need to sleep lessens. Most senior citizens sleep a little under 6 hours.

In the march issue of Runner's World, I learned that if you sleep for 6 hours you have 1/2 the number of illness fighting white bloodcells than if you sleep for 8.
The last tidbit I'll leave you with pertains to many of this in our class... Athletes! RW also advises that if your working out for 30-60 minutes you produce more white blood cells, but warned that if you strenuously working out for more than 90 minutes beware that your immune system will need a day to re-cooperate.
Make sure you dont knock yourself out with the double whammy of not getting enough sleep and working out like a maniac.

Goodnight!
<3 Anne

Healthy Valentines Day Recipes & Ideas!!

On February 14th, girls all over the country are showered with presents, candy and of course that romantic dinner for two. I admit it, in years past I'm totally guilty of going out and getting that tiramisu after dinner and completely enjoying being spoiled for the day. This year I still will enjoy being spoiled for the day, but that doesnt mean that I need to spoil my diet and exercise system. You can still stick to your diet while having a lovely time.<3>

Boys and girls: give flowers instead of candy. They're fragrant, beautiful, and will probably last the same amount of time as the chocolates! Single ladies, buy yourself flowers!

Here's another thing to think about...make a scavenger hunt for their presents! Who doesnt like adventure of searching for clues and treasure? Make em' work for it!

Here;s a site that you can go to for some awesome Valentine's day Recipes and morehttp://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/healthy_valentines_day_recipes.html

Also, here's some of my own ideas for you and your significant other!

Breaky in Bed!

You can make or buy waffles/pancakes and even cut them so they're heart shaped. But here's where it get's a little healthier. If you make them by scratch, use only egg white. ( same with if you make anything with eggs) This is the good part, instead of that sugary maple syrup, use yogurt! Add some fresh fruit on top of it. Yogurt on waffles may sound weird, but give it a try! It's delicious, and a whole lot more nutricious than liquid glucose. Now I know that no one wants to cut out that wonderful dinner for two. Just because you're being healthy, doesnt mean you cant keep the romance going! If you go out, have a salad with dressing on the side (Caesar without croutons is my favourite!) It'll fill you up and still be delicious. Try to look at the healthy options, and stay away from the cheesy, delicious options. For dessert, look at something like frozen yogurt, or fat free options, maybe split it with you're partner!

Being on a diet does not mean being on lockdown from anything tasty. Don't be discouraged if you stray away every once in a while. keep your head up and get back in there!

Happy Valentines day!

<33Anne