Healthiest You Ever

“Despite all of the amazing medicines and treatments we have, cardiovascular disease is still the number one cause of death and illness in our society.”

Anyone over thirty—or anyone who eats a high-fat diet—should know their cholesterol levels. If you don’t, ask your doctor for a total lipoprotein profile so that you are aware not only of your total cholesterol but of each component as well. You may have a total cholesterol level that is desirable, but that doesn’t mean your HDL (high-density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol) levels are in line. Your total cholesterol level will fall into one of three categories:

If you fall within the high-risk range, you have at least twice the risk of heart disease as someone in the desirable range. If you have a cholesterol reading over 240 mg/dL or you have risk factors such as heart disease along with cholesterol readings over 200 mg/dL, your doctor will probably prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication in combination with a healthy low-fat diet and exercise. You can lower your negative cholesterol and improve your positive cholesterol levels significantly through improved nutrition and exercise. If you want to live a long life, with a healthy heart, arm yourself with knowledge and take control of your cholesterol levels.

“Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”

Lifting weights is one of the most efficient forms of building muscle. While there are still some gyms that cater to the intense bodybuilder, most gyms, like the YMCA and many commercial health clubs, serve the regular person who just wants to be healthier and get in shape. Joining a gym means having access to multiple machines, as well as free weights, or weights not attached to a machine. The best way to start is on gym machines, most of which show the exercise you can do right on them, so you can simply follow the instructions. If you still feel uncomfortable, work with a personal trainer who can show you some basic exercises. Once you get comfortable on machines, you can try “hybrid” machines, or machines where the resistance used is free weights. While you are getting comfortable on these machines, pay attention to those around you. Other people can serve as great instructors, simply by watching.

Eventually, you may feel comfortable using totally free weights, including barbells and dumbbells. The benefit of these weights is that since they are free, you must use stabilizing “accessory” muscles that you may not need to use with machines. Start with light weights and work your way up. When lifting heavier weights, use a spotter, a person who can grab the weight if you feel unable to lift it, for safety reasons. The last thing you want is for a dropped weight to scare you away from this invaluable activity.

“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.”

Giving your brain new (novel) experiences helps it to form new neuronal pathways, i.e., whatever you focus on will generate activity and growth in the areas of your brain that are required for that activity, particularly if it’s something you’ve never done before. The more you do something, the more synapses your brain fires and creates. Novelty is great because it will stimulate synapses that have lain dormant or create entirely new ones, because your brain is trying to adapt to process and understand whatever it is that you deem important. Here are some ideas:

• If you’re athletic, try something that will flex your cerebellum more than your biceps, something requiring precise movement and muscle control, like dancing.

• If you’re an obsessive reader, try learning table tennis (which is supposed to be one of the best physical activities for your brain because it involves anticipation, memory, analysis, and physical coordination, all at a very rapid pace).

• If you never go more than thirty miles from home, plan a 100-mile trip, mapping out back roads that will lead you somewhere exciting (using GPS is cheating!).

• Learn to read music and play a musical instrument. Reading music and playing an instrument has consistently been shown to stimulate your brain in ways that few other activities can. If you’re already a musician, take up sculpting or fly-fishing.

• Learn a foreign language, and that means learning to speak a foreign language. Join a club that requires you to only speak in the new language—good for your brain and fun!

“I’m the walkingest girl around. I like to work at it—really get my heart pounding.”

All you need is a stopwatch or regular watch and your walking shoes, and then here’s what you do:

• Go to a local indoor or outdoor track where you can measure how far you walk. If you don’t know the exact distance, that’s okay. You can measure your progress in terms of laps.

• Click the stopwatch or note the time on your watch and begin walking. If you don’t use a stopwatch, it helps to start at an easily remembered point, such as on the hour, quarter hour, or half hour. Walk comfortably for ten minutes. If you are not used to walking vigorously, do not push yourself. Simply walk at a comfortable pace.

• At the end of ten minutes, notice how many laps you have walked. Note it down for future reference.

If you want to increase the time of the test, that is okay. Another way to perform this measurement is to go by distance rather than time. Rather than walking for ten minutes, you can choose to walk four laps or you can walk one mile. Whatever method you choose is fine. Be cautious not to push yourself too hard if you are new to exercise.

You can also check your heart rate at the end of the walk. Keep your feet moving and take your pulse (see Week Two). After one minute has passed, repeat taking your pulse. Note down both figures. As you improve you may see reductions in your overall heart rate as well as a more rapid recovery rate after one minute.

Once you have these numbers, you can use them as a measurement of your progress as you work toward building endurance.

“You should include flexibility exercises a minimum of two to three days a week in an overall fitness program sufficient to develop and maintain range of motion. These exercises should stretch the major muscle groups.”

Yes, there are rules for static stretches, and following them will benefit your quest for flexibility. Familiarize yourself with the list and get into the habit of following the rules when stretching for flexibility. The rules are:

• Increase the stretch as the muscle releases, always working the edge of tension.

• If you feel any pain or tightness in your joint, ease up on the stretch. Pain in your joints means you are stretching too hard.

• Do NOT go beyond a joint’s natural range of motion or hyperextend your joints.

“I don’t know if it’s just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others as it is against myself and the clock.”

During those winter months when running may not be an option, why not break out the cross-country skis? A 150-pound person can burn up to 900 calories per hour as she strengthens the muscles in her shoulders, back, chest, abdomen, buttocks, and legs using the kick and glide technique. If you’re looking forward to starting a cross-country routine, we recommend preparing with exercises that work the upper- and lower-body muscle groups such as cycling, walking, swimming, and rowing.

NO SNOW DAYS

As cross-country skiing requires snow, participating in sports or activities that will bolster your skills can make the months between snowfalls productive: Some popular cross-training activities that will improve your cross-country skiing include:

• Cycling (outdoor or stationary)

• Hiking

• Rock climbing

• Inline skating

• Elliptical trainer

• Stair machine

• Nordic Trak (ski machine)

“While making this portage I saw many splendid specimens of the great purple fringed orchis, three feet high. It is remarkable that such delicate flowers should here adorn these wilderness paths.”

You don’t need a reason to indulge in some sensual pleasure. Fill your bathroom with blooming orchids for a super sensual feast for the eyes. Orchids such as oncidiums, cymbidiums, dendrobiums, and paphiopedilums are known for their lush and colorful blooms that can last for weeks. All they need is a little light, warmth, and moisture (bathrooms are perfect places for them). Stick them in antique urns, glazed pottery, or terra-cotta pots. Group them along the window sill, on jardinière shelves, or around a Victorian plant stand. Put on some music. Draw a bath. Drop in your favorite scented oil and a few exquisite orchid blooms. On a bathtub tray or a small table nearby, place a flute filled with sparkling apple cider or champagne, a chocolate truffle, a scented candle, and even a book that inspires you. Take your time, luxuriate, and let the cares and concerns of your day float way. Permit your mind to fill with peaceful, joyful thoughts. When you step out of the bath and back into your world, you will feel renewed and ready to meet whatever challenges may be coming your way.