Canyon Ranch (Massachusetts)
Don't Wear Worn-Out Shoes

You love your athletic shoes, but do they love you back? Many people choose the wrong size or style shoes for their feet and activities. And they often wear them long after they've lost their performance and protective value. For comfort and safety, it's important to know how to select shoes - and when to toss them away.

If your goal is to get the maximum mileage out of your workout shoes, the laws of physics will take on possibly painful significance in your life.

Shoe longevity is directly affected by the specific biomechanical function of your foot. The more balanced the shoe is to your body, the longer the shoe will last, experts advise. But no shoe lasts forever, and most people wear their shoes much, much too long.

If the shoe fits
Because feet are like snowflakes - no two are alike, including the two at the end of your legs - shoes must be selected to meet individual needs and counter any weaknesses such as excessive pronation (heel rolls out, foot rolls in) and supination (heel rolls in, foot rolls out).

Proper fit of a shoe and proper shape of a shoe for your foot is essential to workout-shoe longevity and comfort. If you have a straight foot and your shoe is curved, your foot will sit askew inside the shoe. Choose a shoe that fits the curve of your foot and supports your arch.

The most common footwear faux pas, however, is wearing shoes that are too small. Fitting experts say that out of any 20 people, 19 are wearing shoes that are too small, the cause many foot problems.

Manufacturers' lack of uniformity in shoe sizing contributes to consumer confusion: Every brand fits differently. There's no standard of specificity to size. One company will have a size nine that is too small and another will have a size nine that is too big for your "size-nine" foot. You can't pay attention to sizes: Fit is what matters.

Orthopedic experts therefore recommend that you err on the side of size: Bigger is better when it comes to shoes. Your foot will fit better and feel better inside a slightly larger shoe than it will with a shoe that's a little too small.

Shoe-shopping tips
Here's some advice from the experts to get a fit that will make the most of your soles:

• Shop for shoes later in the day, when feet tend to be tired and swollen. Always accommodate fluctuations in foot size caused by various conditions, including pregnancy and weight gain - the number on the box is infinitely less important than your comfort and health.
• Get athletic shoes that are wide enough. Buy from manufacturers that make a full range of widths, such as New Balance® and Etonic®. If you've got a wide foot, you need a wide shoe. Period. All the high-tech materials in the world aren't going to make a shoe work for you if you've got a D-width foot and a B-width shoe.
• Most people's feet are two different sizes. Always buy shoes to fit your larger foot.
• Clown around. When shopping, go up in size "until the shoe feels like a clown shoe." Then pull back about half a size, leaving at least an inch between the end of your toes and the tip of the shoe.

It's really hard to convince people that they need to go that much bigger, but experts consider an inch at the front optimal. It keeps the shoe from crowding your toes and prevents joints from being compressed, which can eventually cause hammertoes and bunions. You do not want to have to live with these conditions.

Shoe life
Shoes worn outdoors generally have a shorter lifespan than those worn in the gym, even if the mid-soles are made from durable polyurethane. Shoes worn outside and exposed to lots of sweat, water, abrasion and dirt simply wear out faster.

But not even an expert can tell what shape a shoe is in just by looking at it.

Some people wear them out from the inside out, some do it the other way. Shoes that look perfect can be shot - the mid-soles totally compressed. And shoes that look like they'd been through the wars may be just fine.

Exercise rates also have a significant impact, making longevity generalizations difficult. People who exercise moderately indoors can expect six to nine months of wear from a pair of shoes, while outdoor shoes average just three to six months. You can judge wear by pinching the insole at the heel and ball of the foot. If the insole is thin, it's time for action.

You can lengthen the life of a shoe with a new, good-quality insole, but not if the mid-sole is starting to become grooved and compressed. That's a sign that the shoe as a whole is wearing out, and you might as well walk around on a bunch of stale, broken-down marshmallows.

It's also vital to invest in new shoes after recovering from an accident or illness that affects gait. If you've limped or had to use a cane or crutches for any appreciable period of time, your shoes will have worn in an uneven pattern. Your old shoes will make recovering a normal gait that much harder.

Breakdown of the outer sole calls for instant action: When the outside lateral edge of the shoe is worn down at the heel and the insole is thinned - the shoe feels dead, with no cushion left - well, you needed new shoes some time ago.

Most people take their shoes to the limit, but fitness experts strongly caution against this practice: An investment in shoes is an investment in health.

Wearing the wrong shoes or worn-out shoes can have endless consequences, right up to your head. When your shoes are too worn to cushion against shock, or are skewing or cramping your feet, every structure in the body is going to feel the effects.

So treat your feet well. Good fit and fresh shoes are good for the sole.

www.canyonranch.com
(800) 742-9000
(413) 637-4100

Canyon Ranch (Arizona)
Movement Therapy & You

Movement is life. The heart pumps, the diaphragm expands and contracts and blood circulates. When all movement ceases, so does life. We can take this idea further: Diminished capacity to move means diminished capacity for life. Many people with physical limitations live extraordinary lives. Still, given a choice, no one would consciously choose physical restriction.

Yet many of us do make this choice unconsciously, incrementally, day in and day out. While our attention is elsewhere, we fall into patterns of movement and lack of movement that, over time, restrict our freedom, decrease our comfort and affect our health.

Fortunately, our relation to our bodies, like our bodies themselves, are open to change. Once we become attentive to the way we move, we can change the quality of movement - and with it, the quality of our lives.

Movement as healing
The visionaries of movement therapy were mostly dancers and performers; many started out looking for solutions to their own physical difficulties. You don't have to be a dancer who keeps getting injured or a public speaker with a failing voice to benefit from movement work. Anyone with any capacity to move can learn to move more efficiently, intelligently and joyfully through life.

The aim of movement therapy is a healthy body and sound mind, fully capable of performing the various tasks, duties and activities of life with enthusiasm and joy - and free from pain or limitation. Movement therapy offers so many paths to that end that people who want to improve their physical well-being can try various methods and choose the ones they like best.

Modern movement therapists use insights and methods pioneered by people like Moshe Feldenkrais, F.M. Alexander and Joseph Pilates. They work with people as they are, guiding them toward grace, comfort and healing and helping prevent damage from misuse or disuse. The therapies range from passive to strenuous, and each has a different approach to improving quality of movement. Some therapies focus on centering, control, precision, balance, alignment and breathing. Others emphasize freedom, lightness, release and ease. All rely upon awareness as a foundation.

Movement as conscious living
Movement therapy can also be a path to spiritual growth. This may seem counter-intuitive, because Western tradition tends to draw a line between body and mind and typically encourages us to think of our bodies as the "least spiritual" part of us.

Other traditions see it differently. Movement therapists view body, mind and spirit as indivisible parts of a whole. For many of us, the physical is potentially our shortest route to the spirit.

Consider this: Our thoughts and feelings are usually concerned with the past or future. Rarely, if we can observe them, do they bring us to the "now." We've all had the experience of being so preoccupied that we arrive somewhere only to realize that we don't know how we got there - we've lost a whole block of experience. We can become so overwhelmed by what's going on in our minds - fears, problems or painful memories - that we experience the biophysical reactions evoked by actual life-threatening situations. It doesn't matter to our nervous systems that we're really sitting down inside, safe and at rest, as we run through a gamut of panic or rage. The emotional part of our brain doesn't know that what we think about isn't real.

The body is much simpler. The body always exists in the "now," and becoming aware of physical experience shifts our attention to the present, to reality. Thus, body awareness is a path to becoming fully present in each moment of our lives. And when we are fully present - undistracted by thoughts of the past or future - we can remember our goals, priorities and our ability to choose. The present is where we are able to see things as they are and take responsibility.

Movement as connection
Exploring and improving movement also helps us connect to others. If you are not open to the life within you, you cannot be open to the life within someone else. If you literally cannot feel yourself and your body, you cannot fully connect to another self and another body. Movement is the natural expression of the body and various methods will guide you toward alignment - not just of bones and muscles - but of body, mind, breath and spirit. Healthy, balanced movement is a posture - a stance - you take toward life. From this stance you are ready to bring more of you into relationships, work, play and prayer.

Here are two examples of how movement therapy can increase both physical comfort and self-awareness. Try them to see how something you do all the time can be refined into a moving meditation.

How to Walk

• Keep your palms facing your body.
• Allow the arms to swing freely from the shoulder (not the elbow!).
• Keep a sense of the abdomen pulled in and up.
• Imagine the head floating off the top of the spine - pull the chin in slightly and lengthen the back of your neck.

Tip to improve your walking: Try skipping (remember skipping?) and then carry that buoyant feeling with you when you walk.

Simple Movement Awareness Exercise

• Sit up straight. Stand up. Sit down again.
• Relax your neck and shoulders completely. Wobble your head around, shrug your shoulders, etc., until your neck is relaxed.
• Now keep your neck relaxed as you stand up again. Notice what you have to do differently when you don't use your neck and shoulders to "pull" yourself up. Notice how your neck feels, how your legs feel.
• Sit down again, still keeping the neck uninvolved in the work of the lower body.
• Movement and awareness can enhance every part of your life - starting now.

www.canyonranch.com
(800) 742-9000

The Oaks at Ojai (California)
Why Skip Sleeveless?
Sheila Cluff

Years ago when a woman reached forty it was thought we shouldn't wear sleeveless blouses. Oh, those "dark ages." Like you, that's as silly as believe that we can't leave the house without matching shoes, belts and purses or that we must wearing hats and gloves to shop in the city or to attend church.

However, if you've looked at your upper arms lately and you're not fond of what you're seeking, take heart. It's time to firm up and do it now as summer will be here before we can blink.

Here are some tricks to help make your upper arms stronger, more muscular and something to show off.

In addition to a regular fitness program, such as brisk walking, cycling, and fitness routines, you'll want to include some weight training to increase the muscles in the upper arms for a sleeveless look you'll be proud to show off. If you belong to a fitness center, ask one of the staff, who understands exercise and weight lifting, to help you design a program that's right for your fitness level and age.

To tide you over, here are a few of my favorites and all you need are two books, two cans of unopened soup or objects that weigh the same. All exercises are done with the objects in your hands. If you are new to fitness, try the routines for a few days without extra weight. If you're recovering from an injury that has sidelined you, check with your doctor before doing these or any exercises. By the way, weight lifting can help improve anyone's strength.

Start with five repetitions of each routine and work up to three sets of ten.

1. With elbows shoulder level and fingers pointing down toward the floor, bring your hands across your chest in front of you. Then return to the first position. Do it slowly. Some people want to swing their arms back and forth, but you're working with resistance, so go slowly and you'll feel this routine in your arms, shoulders and upper back.

2. In the same position as above, move your hands toward your back and have the soup cans touch (if possible). Again, do it slowly.

3. This biceps curl is simple and effective. Holding your upper arms close to the body, bend elbows and bring your hands up to your shoulders slowly. Then release and slowly bring your hands down to your thighs. Keep your arm muscles contracted throughout the routine. For those who are new to fitness, you can sit down during this exercise and you can work one arm at a time.

4. Standing tall, bend your elbows so that your forearms are waist high. Now push your elbows toward your back. Try to make your elbows touch. Again, do it slowly.

5. Standing (or sitting) tall, lift the weight above your head. Hold for a count of five and then slowly return them to your sides.

6. Be sure to stretch (yes, put down those cans) out all your muscles after regular exercise and these upper arm exercises.

Now let's talk about one of my favorite subjects: Food. As you're striving for svelte arms, consider helping your entire body by trimming down your meal choices. Get information from your doctor or a nutritional counselor. Are you aware that if you simply trim out one or two high-fat low-nutrition foods you eat each week you can possibly lose a pound of unwanted fat each week? Sound good? It's true.

Fill up on whole grain foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and make water your drink of choice. Apples make great snacks while you're traveling and at home. A handful of shelled almonds or walnuts will satisfy you too. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to one drink per day, then switch to water or sparkling water.

The good news is that the above exercises along with a sensible menu which is rich on low-fat foods will trim your arms and your body. It'll boost your energy level to the moon. What else is in this program for you? How about lifting your baby without strain and hoisting your briefcase into the trunk of the car without noticing the weight.

Now when those sexy skimpy summer styles are whispering your name, you'll be able to snap them up. How so? With these tips and a determination to stay fit for life.

www.oaksspa.com
(800)753-6257
info@oaksspa.com

Chiva-Som (Prachuap Khirikhan, Thailand)
Five More Tips

Five more preventative measures we can use to build healthier lifestyles.

1. Move More
Staying active doesn't always mean dedicating hours at the gym, high level aerobics or kickboxing classes. There are many simple ways to move our bodies. Climb stairs if given a choice; walk the dog; play with children; enjoy sports with friends, mow the lawn; even clearing your clutter is exercise. Through movement we overcome stagnation of energy, clear mental blockages and relieve stress.

2. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook Smile and be happy!
Compliment someone, make others smile and never leave home without finding something about yourself to feel good and confident about. If you're feeling low, meditate and clear any negative energy about people or things you've encountered recently.

3. Cut out Excess Fat
Avoid fried foods, burgers and fatty meats like pork, bacon, sausages and ribs. Eat low fat versions of dairy products and avoid cream. Limit portions of nuts, mayonnaise, cold meats, butter, margarine and sauces.

4. Avoid Alcohol
Excessive alcohol can depress the immune system and lead to health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. If you do have the occasional drink, be mindful to allow your body to recover. Seasonal detoxes help to cleanse and rejuvenate the vital organs.

5. Drink Water
It sounds obvious, but it's surprising how easily we dehydrate, particularly in heated or air conditioned environments. With insufficient water, our bodies are unable to distribute vitamins and minerals, causing stress and toxic build up. Boiled water will help clear your complexion and caffeine-free natural herbal teas improve digestion and soothe the mind.

www.chivasom.com
+66(0)3253 6536
reservation@chivasom.com

Red Mountain Spa (Utah)
Creating a Healthy Happy Heart
Kim Watters, Fitness Manager

If you are stressed out and don't see any changes in your near future you should know there is a firm correlation between stress and cardiovascular disease. Sadly heart disease is estimated to be the largest cause of death and disability worldwide. If this information makes you want to help your heart, reduce your stress, and lower your risk of heart disease, great; it is the perfect time of year to start fresh.  However, if the thought of heart pounding aerobic exercises stresses you out even more, relax.literally.  Meditation lowers stress.

Meditation helps people manage stress and teaches how to disconnect from your stress issues; this brings a calming effect to your mind and body, bringing down cortisol levels.  (cortisol is a stress hormone that causes increased stickiness and platelet formation in the blood stream, which also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.)

To create a healthy happy heart, meditating for 15 to 20 minutes a day, every day is recommended.  Keep in mind your expectations and your actual experience may vary greatly.
 
According to Ian Philip White, Meditation Instructor, "When we first begin meditating we may find it really hard to focus. Our body aches, our mind wanders, noise and light distract us.  Our minds may think of everything from the past, and create lists. Then we think of everything in the future and create more lists. So, this can be the first phase of meditation.  Just as you begin to focus, relax or become aware your mind may kick in and kick you out of that peaceful place.  That is OK.  If your mind is used to spinning around and has been operating that way for 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years then it is unreasonable  for you to expect that it will quit spinning the first time you sit down to meditate!  Be Open, no expectations, no projections, only limitless possibilities".

There are several different methods of meditation, and many educational tools to help you learn more about meditating, but to get you started right away don't worry about following any specific protocol.  Meditating does not have to be elaborate.  It can be as effortless as sitting in a quiet spot and like Julie Andrews sings in The Sound of Music. "Simply remember a few of your favorite things". 

It doesn't matter how or where you get started it only matters that you start.  So, if raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens take you to a happy relaxing place, congratulations, you have already begun creating your healthy happy heart!

References:
meditation-techniques-for-happiness.com

www.redmountainspa.com
(800)407-3002 (435)673-4905