The Oaks at Ojai (California)
Stay on Target - Fit Tips
By Sheila Cluff

Here's a challenge: Turn off from the media buzz that says you can have it all and still be trim, fit and beautiful. Sure you can try, but the stress of buying into that, including eating super sized, high-fat meals while wearing skinny jeans could leave you depressed and plumper.

Not everyone is meant to resemble a Boishoi ballet dancer or line backer from the Rams or Redskins. However, unwanted body fat has been proven to lead to dismal diseases that age us beyond on years such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Now is the time to trim down and get a new lease on life. Now is the perfect day.

But what if it's too hard or you fail? There's help with commercial weight loss programs, perhaps with your health insurance organization or by talking with a counselor or a listening friend. You are not alone and if you fail, then simply dust off your backside and start again. This is not a race, but a lifestyle. Here are tips to change for the better, especially with the New Year fast approaching.

*Become informed. Buy books and magazines on health and use the web for nutritional information, from reputable sites please, such as the Mayo Clinic and universities. Web MD, www.webmd.com, also had solid information.

*Eat less. Okay, that's a "given" when it comes to weight loss, but so many times those who want to lose unwanted body fat try to come up with detailed plans and intricate diets. If you want to reduce the amount of calories you're eating, reduce your portions slightly. Slightly is the key word, because if you eat just a small amount less each day, than normal, and increase your activity, you'll lose weight.

*Eat on smaller plates. As an alternative to serving food on dinner-sized plates, use those for sandwiches. You'll feel like you're getting as much food because your eyes will tell you that the plate is full. And again, say "no thanks" to seconds.

*Munch a bunch of fibrous, crunchy, chewy foods. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are rich in natural fiber. There's been a lot of research that indicates diets that are rich in fiber may reduce various cancers, including colon cancer. Fiber helps keep the body to stay regular, proven to promote better health. When we eat foods, such as whole apples, we feel much more satisfied than having a smaller portion of a sugary, fatty treat such as a donut.

*Drink lots of H20. With zero calories, it quenches the thirst and helps fill you up. Next time you're thinking of munching a snack have a glass of water first, wait five minutes and then consider the snack. You may find you're not really hungry at all and with the increased fiber in your diet, this makes smart health sense. I believe that drinking water promotes beautiful skin; it definitely keeps skin well hydrated. This could be the best, quickest and fastest beauty aid around.

*Switch to soup. Soup is nourishing. It satisfies our craving for savory foods. Many people say that having soup for two or three meals each week helps them to stay trimmer.

*Sip some tea. Studies have reported that tea provides more flavonoids to the average American diet than any food or beverage in the U.S. food supply. Flavonoids are a nutritional powerhouse that might just keep your heart healthy and body free of debilitating diseases. You can read more about this on: www.celestialseasonings.com/research/abouttea/benefitsbt.php.

*Sneak in fitness. If you're already participating in a fitness program, such as playing golf, cycling, dancing or going to the gym, add something new to your day. Try running in place for ten minutes. Do a few pushups or lift some weights, using barbells, books or unopened cans of condensed soup. Squeeze in some tummy crunches. Don't make this a "real" workout. Not only will you use unwanted calories, which will trim you down, but you'll become stronger too.

*Walk it off. By eating just a bit less and walking a bit more, you will find your clothes are roomier and more comfortable. Make your goal to walk every day, once you've gained back some endurance, for a total of 30-40 minutes each day. How long will it take to lose weight? You could feel a difference in less than two weeks, but please don't consider this a diet plan that you'll go off of when you lose body fat. Your trimming ways must stick with you.

Keep your body on target with these tips and you will be the bell of any New Years ball or spring fling as you stay fit for life.

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

Red Mountain Spa (Utah)
Protect Your Skin
Myrna Beardshear, Director of Spa & Wellness

Wind, cold and indoor heating during the winter can leave skin feeling parched, tight, dry and flaky. Allowing skin to become severely dry means it is less effective at providing a barrier against infection and can split and bleed, creating a greater chance for an infection.

However, dry, itchy skin can be prevented with a few simple changes to a skin care routine.

Long, hot showers may make you feel warmer, but as soon as you step out of the water, your skin begins to lose moisture because hot water removes natural oil from the skin, leaving it dry and itchy. Bathe or shower in lukewarm (not hot) water and limit showers to five to ten minutes.

Within three minutes of stepping out of the shower or bath apply a cream, ointment or lotion to your damp skin. This helps to trap water in the upper skin layers and decreases dryness and itching. If you don't want your skin to feel oily or greasy use a cream or lotion with a light texture.

Exfoliate two or three times a week to remove dry, flaky skin from the surface and allow moisturizer to penetrate better.

The most potent moisturizing treatments contain one or more of the following: botanical oils; antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; seaweed or algae; and oxygen which helps carry nourishing agents to the skin. Vitamin-rich serums are especially effective for dry, mature facial skin. Their small molecular structure helps them penetrate the skin.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors, switch to a thicker more occlusive moisturizer to prove extra protection from wind and cold. Snow can reflect more than 80 percent of the sun's ultraviolet radiation, so be sure to always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher and reapply every two hours for maximum benefit. Don't forget to protect your lips with a lip balm of at least an SPF 15 to prevent chapped lips.

After washing hands, always put on hand cream to seal-in moisture.

Remember to drink enough water. Like the earth, our bodies are comprised of 70% water. Just as preserving our world's bodies of water is vital to the planet's equilibrium, maintaining ideal hydration levels in the human body is one of the simplest ways to balance the entire organism, including the skin.

Here are two home care remedies for extremely dry skin:

Gentle yogurt and aloe cleanser:
Two tablespoons of fresh plain yogurt
Two tablespoons of aloe gel

Warm you hands under running water and then gently massage the mixture onto the skin. Remove with a clean washcloth and pat dry.

Follow with this healing mask:
Combine one tablespoon of honey and one teaspoon of wheat germ oil with a beaten egg yolk. Whip the mixture into two tablespoons of powdered milk or one tablespoon of fresh, whole milk. Apply to clean skin and leave on for 20 minutes. Remove gently with tepid water.

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

Cal-a-Vie Health Spa (California)
Here's the Scoop
Linda Illingworth, Registered Dietitian

We have successfully survived the trans fat debacle, and reduced our intake of refined grain products. Now for a new challenge = salt. A new health initiative to reduce sodium in packaged and restaurant food by 25% has been introduced by the American Heart Association and is believed to reduce the risk of stroke by one-third.

Athletes and other active people who already eat a lower sodium diet do not need to further reduce salt intake. In fact, for them it can be harmful to restrict sodium as it is an important electrolyte. For the rest of us, the trouble lies with the fact that we do not feel high blood pressure happening and so may be blissfully unaware of the damage our bodies are sustaining from salt. And while you might think you are at low risk for having a stroke, consider that one study found the risk of stroke is twice as high for a person who has high normal blood pressure than for the person with low normal blood pressure.

So how do you cut the salt intake? First, reduce the amount of processed foods you consume. Replace salty chips with unsalted nuts and low sodium crackers, choose low sodium soups, or use low sodium broth for homemade soup. Be aware of hidden sodium in baked goods and salad dressings and opt for a simple dressing of vinegar and oil. Choose more fresh vegetables and fruits which contain potassium and other nutrients which help to lower blood pressure. Be prepared that your taste buds may struggle at first, especially if you have been overloading them. It may take two to three weeks before your sense of taste adjusts and you become more adept at tasting less salt. With patience, they will adjust and lower sodium foods will be just as satisfying as their saltier counterparts once were.

www.cal-a-vie.com
(866)SPA-HAVENS
(760) 945-2055
cavinfo@cal-a-vie.com

Canyon Ranch (Arizona)
Training Your Overlooked Muscles

Most people admit that a big part of their weight-training program is about looking good. In addition more substantial benefits, a regular routine tones your body and enhances confidence. But smart weight-training is not just about biceps, pecs and abs. Though most people know this, their exercise regimens don't always show it. Fitness routines can easily become more comfortable and image-oriented than conscientious.

Most people start strength training for cosmetic reasons, so they are more interested in the muscles they can see. Functionally, however, some of the less "glamorous" muscles are more important than the ones that most weight-lifters concentrate on.

In addition, training muscle asymmetrically - working the front of the shoulders but not the upper back, for example - can create posture and joint problems.

In fact, as a general rule, the muscles behind you - the upper back, the erector spina, and the anti-gravity muscles - are the most important functionally. And actually, they're important even if you're mostly interested in looking good. We need to remember that, while we don't see our backs and bottoms when we look in the mirror, other people notice them every day.

The top three commonly overlooked muscle groups to target for a pain-free, fully functional body? The muscles of the lower back, the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder and the muscles of the forearms - here's a simple exercise to strengthen each group. With all three exercises, the goal is not to look great in a bathing suit, but to avoid pain and debility further down the line - which will, of course, eventually affect your appearance. Keeping the body functional and pain-free is the foundation not only of health, but of beauty.

The lumbar spine
Exercise physiologists and other fitness experts often see clients who assiduously train their upper backs while neglecting the area of the back most prone to injury: the inward curve of the lower back.

Research shows that people with good tone, strength and endurance in the lumbar region are less likely to experience back pain than others.
Nonetheless, experts see a lot of weak lower backs, even in clients with well-developed shoulders, chests and abs. People train these muscles because they see them, but training the front while neglecting the back can lead to big problems.

Using a seated lumbar extension machine is a safe way to strengthen the lumbar area. Using the machine is straightforward: Simply sit down with the pad between your shoulder blades and push back against the pad, moving smoothly from the waist. Since the lower back muscles are often weak at the beginning, try starting with just 10 pounds on the stack and progress gradually. Avoid any part of the exercise that is painful.

Interestingly, the muscles of the lower back get quite strong if you work them just one or two days a week with 10 to 20 repetitions. For a small investment, you get a huge return.

Rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder joint These four small muscles act as stabilizers in everyday movements such as raising your arms and reaching to the side.

A sure sign that you have neglected these muscles too long is shoulder discomfort when doing a bench press, pectoral deck or lateral raises. If you have pain in the shoulder doing these moves, there is a good chance the rotator cuff is already damaged or not working properly. In that case, you should consult a doctor or physical therapist.

If you don't have shoulder pain, take the initiative and train your rotator cuff muscles before they cause trouble: Lie on your left side, holding a
one- to five-pound hand weight in your right hand. Bend your right elbow 90 degrees, holding your upper arm against your side and your forearm across the front of your body. Keeping your elbow against your ribs, lift the weight toward the ceiling. (Don't lift any higher than is comfortable.) Lower slowly and with control, contracting the external rotators. Perform two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions for each arm.

An exercise band offers an effective standing alternative: Loop one end of the band over a doorknob and hold the other end in your right hand. Stand with your left side or back against the door. Hold your right upper arm against your side and pull outward with your hand away from the door, keeping the elbow against the ribs. Perform two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions for each arm.

Front and back forearms
Wrist curls strengthen the forearms, an area especially prone to weakness with advancing age.

This exercise is particularly useful for people who are prone to arthritis, those with problems with gripping or opening lids, and those who do lots of computer work."

Sit comfortably and lean forward, resting your forearms on your thighs with your hands and wrists hanging over your knees. Hold a three- to ten-pound weight in each hand, palms upward. Slowly flex the weights up and down, 10 to 15 times. Repeat with palms facing downward. Perform one or two sets several days a week.

These exercises are commonly used in rehabilitation, but an even better use for them is 'prehab' - in other words, prevention. It doesn't take very much effort to avoid a host of common problems.

www.canyonranch.com
(800) 742-9000

Canyon Ranch (Massachusetts)
Coping with Change

Just when things feel cozy and you think you know what's coming next, the world changes. We can't always predict or control what comes next, but change is part of life, so we need to know how to cope with the good and the bad. Fortunately, we can all do things to prepare ourselves for the surprises in our world and in our lives.

Stay true to the authentic you.
Wars, financial crises, crime and other distressing news can feel overwhelming, but they cannot touch what's inside you. Take time each day to affirm the core values that define you, and live and act with them in mind.

Remember what's important. If you put all your hopes on material assets and numerical goals, you can always be disappointed. In fact, the research shows that level of wealth has no bearing on happiness, except for those living in poverty. On the other hand, the love of your family and friends, your creative pursuits, the good work you do, and your relationship with nature all tend to be more reliable sources of enduring satisfaction.

Do things that give you joy.
Financial markets can tumble or you could lose someone dear to you, but you can still play with your dog, teach a child to whistle, hike your favorite path, write a poem, watch favorite movies, read great books, get together with friends and dance all night. The things that you enjoy most are often cost-free and always there for you.

Live in gratitude.
When you're facing changes that frighten you, remember those things that comfort you. Make a list of everything you're grateful for, including your loved ones, your home, your body and your pets. Take it to a seemingly mundane level to see how much you have to be thankful at any given moment -the view from your window, a sweater you love, a song on the radio, the meal you're about to eat, your pillow, strawberry jam. Think about all the things you can enjoy each and every day.

Don't dwell on things beyond your control.
If you can help yourself or others, then by all means take action; otherwise, don't spin your wheels on a negative path. Give up the constant news and market updates - you can't change what's happening anyway, so give yourself a gift by reducing your exposure and practicing patience. Understand what you can realistically do for the world, your neighborhood or your family, and use your talents and resources in the most effective ways.

Become the solution.
Many people rise to occasion in remarkable ways during times of crisis or change. Those people who give of themselves often find strength in the midst of loss, like the mother who lost her son to AIDS and became a volunteer delivering meals to advanced AIDS patients, or the displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina who helped organize relief efforts for other victims.

Try something new.
When your world is changing in ways you didn't choose, make some changes by choice. What have you been meaning to try? Explore a new interest that will excite your imagination and redirect your energy. Dust off your art supplies, get started on your memoirs, learn another language, volunteer in a community project or take a class. The possibilities are endless.

Talk about it.
Other people share your anxiety about change, both on a global and individual level. Be willing to receive and offer support. You can talk things over, acknowledge your feelings, vent a bit, then look for positive ways to get through change with practical suggestions and friendship.

Exercise, eat well, stay healthy.
Don't let the anxiety of change put extra stress on your health. When the going gets tough, the tough get moving. If you're already eating well and exercising, stay on course or ramp up your efforts. If you've been meaning to make positive change, this is the time.

Training for a marathon, triathlon or charity walk is a great way to cope with the pain and dislocation of a breakup, job loss or other disorienting life-change. Your wellness and immunity are affected by stress, so do everything you can to stay healthy. Besides, regular exercise and good nutrition will always make you feel better, think more clearly, sleep more soundly and cope more effectively with all types of stress.

Remember, too, that change can be as promising as it is scary. You might move to another city and fall in love with it. Or you could find a new career or passion when you least expect it. Change gives you the chance to explore the possibilities that exist every day, looking in new directions with fresh perspective. And when change brings adversity, it can challenge you to grow, to develop resilience, wisdom and maturity that are a measure of who you are and can be. This is a time when you can learn to cope - and
to thrive.

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