Tag: Fitness

Top Apps for Healthy Living

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Chiropractic, Health, Movement

Staying healthy can be tough! It is hard to stay on top of the latest in healthy eating, shopping, and fitness. Luckily, there’s an app for that!

Dr. Samelak has put together a list of her Top Apps for Healthy Living.

vegetables-3386212_1920.jpgFooducate

Fooducate is a free app that makes shopping a breeze! Simply scan the barcode on your food to learn more about it. The experts at Fooducate have created a database that grades your food based upon its ingredients. It even provides suggestions for healthier alternatives! Did you scan something not in their database? Simply submit it for evaluation by the Fooducate team and they will research the ingredients and add it to their list!

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The Environmental Working Group, EWG, is a US based environmental group that, “specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, agriculture subsidies, public lands, and corporate accountability”. [Wikipedia] EWG has released a Healthy Living App that works like Fooducate for your personal care products. This helps take the guesswork out of buying shampoo or toothpaste. Suddenly, you don’t have to be a chemist to shop smarter and healthier. EWG touts that you can, “scan a product, review its rating, and pick the better choice” in your purchases.

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We’ve all heard about the benefits of meditation in a myriad of areas in our lives… but where to start? Many times, we set out to meditate only to end up writing our grocery list in our heads or worrying about whether you were the one in charge of carpool pickup from soccer tonight. Enter: Headspace. The Headspace app specializes in providing guided meditations that are themed for different needs and work to help busy people take a break and create some headspace.

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There are a lot of fitness apps and they all have their benefits and drawbacks. My personal favorite is Runkeeper. I use this app to help myself stay accountable to my fitness, track workouts of various kinds, and ensure that I don’t put too many miles on my running shoes. The app even includes a goal setting area and even training workouts. If you need the push, you can even allow notifications from the app to your phone’s lock screen to encourage you to get out and move.

Do you have an app that you can’t live without? Let us know about it in the comments!

Hydration is Key to Performance!

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Health

Summer is here as are summer sports! This past weekend I participated in the Ragnar Northwest Passage Race, where I was reminded of the importance of proper hydration when exercising as well as in daily life. IMG_20170716_213251_01

All too often, we forget to stay hydrated, leave the water bottle at home, and find ourselves with a dry mouth or muscle cramps, etc later. This is extremely evident when looking at runners, cyclists, and triathletes who compete in long duration activities. Even slight dehydration can immensely impact performance and recovery.

Exercise performance is impaired when an individual is dehydrated by as little as 2% of body weight. Losses in excess of 5% of body weight can decrease the capacity for work by about 30% (Armstrong et al. 1985; Craig and Cummings 1966; Maughan 1991; Sawka and Pandolf 1990).

As indicated by the above quote, it is possible to determine your level of hydration vs dehydration using your bathroom scale. A best practice is to weigh yourself naked before your workout, then again after. When you compare the numbers, you can see if you were adequately hydrating during your exercise. A discrepancy indicates that you need to increase your fluid intake during the course of your workout.

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Remember, that drinking only when thirsty is not an accurate way to assess hydration. You are already dehydrated when you are thirsty! Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the course of every day is beneficial to overall health and it is best not to be dehydrated when beginning your exercise!

It may also be of benefit to discuss your hydration levels and training practices with your coach, medical doctor, chiropractor, PT, etc and assess your specific needs including electrolyte intake.

While dehydration impacts overall health, many times we first see this as a drop in performance.

According to Human Kinetics, dehydration impacts performance for the following reasons: reduction in blood volume, decreased skin blood flow, decreased sweat rate, decreased heat dissipation, increased core temperature, and increased rate of muscle glycogen use.

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Please speak with your health care provider regarding your individual needs as an athlete, whether you run 5K’s or 100 mile races. Each person’s body has unique needs and this blog is intended for informational purposes only. If you would like to speak with Seed of Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC about your health, please make an appointment!

 

3 Summer Fitness Trends to Try This Summer

by seedoflifechiro, posted in Health, Movement

Summer weather is here! It is warm enough to spend time out of doors and move from our winter fitness routines to summer fun. Read on to learn about 3 outdoor fitness trends that provide more than physical health benefits.

Paddle Boarding

You’ve probably seen them out in the Sound or on Lake Washington. Paddle boarding season is here! This fun fitness trend provides a full-body workout. However, its benefits don’t stop there.

paddle-board-1122355_1920.jpgPaddle boarding is a great way to improve balance. If you have a history of ankle or knee injury, balance work can help to prevent future injuries by improving proprioception (the way your body finds its limbs in space). It is important to check with your health care provider before beginning balance work following injury. For more benefits of Paddle Boarding, check out this article.

Outdoor Yoga

Yoga is a fantastic way to balance the spine and support the core. It helps to normalize and optimize breathing. Many people are turning to yoga to improve mental and physical health.

A great twist on your conventional  yoga class is Outdoor Yoga. According to Yoga Journal, benefits of outdoor yoga sessions include:

  1. Replentishing Depleted Energyyoga-2176668_1920
  2. Heightened Awareness
  3. Boosted Confidence
  4. Enhanced Meditative Benefits

Whether you join an organized class or choose to do some sun salutations on the beach at Discovery Park, you can reap the benefits of an outdoor yoga session.

Cycling Club

bicycle-1869432_1920The time has come! Ditch the spin bike and hit the trails and bike paths. Seattle has so many trails and you are sure to see groups of people on the weekends. Join in. Build your cycling skills and learn to repair your own bike. (Pssst! You can make new friends while you are at it!) Working out with a group helps you to commit to your fitness. They act like accountability partners.

Get Outside and Enjoy the Summer!

It is important to spend time in the summer sun, getting fresh air, exploring nature, and making Vitamin D. Always be sure to consult with a healthcare provider prior to starting a new fitness regime. Looking for a Seattle Chiropractor? Check out the rest of our website to learn more about Seed of Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC and Dr. Samelak- our Chiropractic Physician.