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Boost Your Metabolism!

8/17/2015

It’s about that time in the summer when the kids are heading back to school and many of us begin to lament that we didn’t quite get all of the healthy stuff done that we were planning. Maybe you set some pre-summer health or weight loss goals and now you’re wondering what you need to do to finish strong and meet some of those goals. A sluggish metabolism can undermine even the best diet and weight loss plans. Increasing your metabolism might just be that extra kick you need to make to your goal.

Metabolism is the chemical process that converts calories into energy. Your metabolism is involved in all of your body’s actions. Every movement whether internal (breathing, thinking, etc.) or external (every movement, every action) is impacted by your metabolism. So, if you want to get healthier or lose some weight, think about how your metabolism can help or hinder you. Here are three tips for giving your metabolism a quick boost.

1.  Get plenty of Sleep!

I know that you keep hearing this, but its true! Not getting enough sleep will mess up your metabolism. It can make you sluggish and increases your chances of developing serious diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and even stroke. A recent study at the University of Chicago showed that just a few nights of poor sleep can lead to insulin resistance, a precursor to getting diabetes.

2.  Build some muscle!

According to Michael Zemel, PhD, former director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee, lean muscle burns more calories than fat. That’s true even when you’re resting! Increasing your muscle mass helps increase your metabolism which leads to a quicker burning of calories. This is particularly important for those of us who have hit middle age and may be experiencing some loss of muscle as our metabolism slows. The solution? It doesn’t mean that you have to start pumping iron at the gym! Adding light weight training, even light dumbbells or some resistance bands will have a positive impact. Heck, you can do the dumbbells and resistance bands for 15 minutes as you watch TV!

3.  Get moving!

One of the keys to increasing your metabolism is up your activity level. Long periods of sitting or inactivity can make your metabolism sluggish, and damage your health and sense of wellbeing. Get up and walk around. Do a few exercises while you watch TV. Add walking 10 – 20 minutes to your daily routine. If you get really serious about it, buy a Fitbit wristband, or one similar to it, and keep track of your activity. I recently started wearing a Fitbit several days each week and it has made me more aware of what I am doing – and not doing!

One Caution – Don’t starve yourself!

Some people try to jump start a diet or weight loss plan by following a very low calorie diet or skipping meals. Don’t do it! It will slow down your metabolism and eventually undermine your weight loss goals. Studies have shown that this type of dieting often has short term success but usually results in later weight gain that is harder to reverse.

Here’s hoping we can all finish the summer stronger and healthier!

To your health!

Gail Grieger

Summer Harvest

7/20/2015

With all the summer farmers’ markets open it’s a great time to take advantage of the all the fresh produce that is in season. Eating fruits and vegetables that are in season provides our bodies with the nutrients they are craving at this time of year. I have chosen just a few of my in-season favorites to share the nutritional values and give you a few ideas on how to prepare them.

Cucumber

I will start first with the cucumber, which is one of my favorites. Cucumbers are great to eat during the summer heat as they contain a lot of water, and helps our bodies cool down. Cucumbers are a great source of vitamin C and silica, which is important for our connective tissue and the skin. Cucumbers also contain fiber, potassium, and magnesium. I enjoy slicing a cucumber and lemon and putting them in a pitcher of water. I also put them in salads, and just slice them and eat them raw.

Green beans

Green beans contain vitamin K, calcium, and fiber. Eating green beans can benefit your body by helping the heart, and digestive system, along with helping bone health. Here is a simple idea to incorporate them into your diet. Drizzle them with your favorite olive oil, garlic, and fresh ground pepper and roast for 25 minutes turning them half way through. Very easy and very tasty!

Kale

Kale is high in vitamin K, A, and C. Vitamin K helps the heart, the blood to clot, bone health, and can also help prevent cancer and diabetes. Vitamin A supports the skin, helps with your vision, and also has properties that may help prevent diabetes. Vitamin C is important for the immune system and also helps your joints. Kale is great in smoothies. Just toss in a blender with your favoriteberries, apple or carrots and you have a healthy and refreshing summer drink. Kale is also good in salads.

Blueberries

Blueberries contain fiber, vitamin C, B6, K, A, and E. Some of the benefits of consuming blueberries: helps build healthy bones, improves your complexion and hair, increases energy, and helps lower blood pressure naturally. Collegen relies on vitamin C for fighting wrinkles. I’m going to start eating buckets!! To get this fruit into your diet try putting them in your oatmeal or cereal in the morning, add them to smoothies or yogurt, or toss them in your salad.

Peaches

Fresh peaches are low in calories and are loaded with vitamins. Each peach contains vitamin A, C, E, and K. Vitamin A is essential for night vision and maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Peaches are rich in fluoride, iron, and potassium. Iron is required to make red blood cell formation. Fluoride is a component of our bones and teeth. Potassium is a component of cell and body fluids that help regulate our heart rate and blood pressure. Ways to enjoy peaches: Just pick one up and start eating it! You can also cut some chunks into your salsa, or slice some into a green salad.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article and are able to get to farmers’ market close to you soon.

To your health!
Gail Grieger

Healthy Picnic Foods

7/8/2015

It’s that time of year when all of us here in the Midwest get to get out and enjoy the warm, lazy days of summer! Which means backyard parties, picnics, pool parties and any excuse to be outdoors! I was talking with a few of my friends the other day and we were comparing ideas for easy and healthy outdoor snacks. Here is some of what we came up with.

Sweet Stuff:

Fresh fruit – like apples, cantaloupe, peaches, pears, and every berry: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries

Greek yogurt mixed with any ripe fruit

Sliced apples with almond butter (add honey for an extra sweet kick!)

Home-made popsicles (which we can do sugar free or low sugar)

Dried fruit mixes with some healthy dark chocolate chips or sweet carob chips

Smoothies! Any flavor. They are all good when you use fresh fruit and yogurt!

Sliced apples or pears drizzled with lime avocado oil or balsamic vinegar. (Serve it with cheese to mix up the flavors. Yum!)

Salty Stuff:

Hummus with blue tortilla chips for dipping

Crackers with a basil pesto dipping sauce

Tortilla chips and guacamole or salsa

Stuffed grape leaves (A bit more work than I ever tackle, but yummy!)

Any kind of olives

Roasted peppers stuffed with your favorite stuffing (Try cooked and seasoned ground turkey with garlic and onions.)

Crackers with cheese and a drizzle of garlic or lime avocado oil

Crunchy Stuff:

Frozen Grapes

Celery with peanut, almond or cashew butter

Celery with egg salad piled on (But this one can’t sit out in the sun too long!)

Crunchy veggies like carrots, cauliflower or broccoli with a healthy dip like hummus, or a raspberry vinaigrette

Of course, there are so many more options, but hopefully this will get you started on your outdoor fun.

To your health!
Gail Grieger

Your Fingernails May Point Out Health Concerns*

6/17/2015

In the last posting I talked about our hands and how they can sometimes give us clues to our overall health. Today I want to focus on how our fingernails can also provide us some signals about our health.

Before you read this, stop and take a look at your fingernails. Look at their texture, the color of the nail bed, and the white moons at the bottom of the fingernail. Your nails may tell a story of what is happening to you internally.

For example:

If your fingernail bed is short and wide, it may be a sign of possible heart issues.
If you have beads that look like pearls at the tip of the nail it often refers to arthritis or joint issues.
If you look at your nail from the side and it is clubbed you may need to breath deeper as it is sometimes a sign of respiratory issues.
A dark band at the top of the nail bed is an indicator the liver may not be functioning at full capacity.
A white arch in the center of the nail bed is an indicator of possible kidney issues.
Vertical splitting throughout the whole nail is an indicator that your adrenals may be in trouble.
White spots on the nail bed refer to hormonal issues.
Horizontal ridges throughout the entire nail suggest that you may not be able to rid yourself of stress as much as you need to.

If you noticed one or more of the things that I mentioned above, don’t panic! Like I said earlier, your nails can give you clues. Clues – not a diagnosis! So if you have any of these signs just pay a little bit more attention and see if you need to take any additional steps to ensure that you stay in tip top shape.

I hope this information helps you on your journey to better health. It truly is amazing what we can find out about ourselves by just paying attention to our bodies, and not waiting for them to start shouting at us before we react!

To Your Health!
Gail Grieger

* I initially learned about these health indicators while earning my certification as a family herbalist (CFH) and the information presented here are the findings of Dr. Thomas Anstett, ND.

Your Hands Tell Your Story!

6/9/2015

To get us started on our topic of hands, here are some interesting facts about your hands.

You have 54 bones in your wrists, hands and fingers!
There are no muscles found in the fingers. Fingers have tendons.
The tendons in the fingers are connected to muscles in the palm and mid forearm. That is how we are able to move our fingers.
The touch receptors make our fingertips extremely sensitive to temperatures, texture, moisture, pressure and vibration.

Most of us take our hands or granted, but our hands are much more complex than most of us think. Besides all of the wonderful thing we can do with our hands, they can also give us important clues about what may be happening in other parts of our bodies. In fact, traditional eastern medicine and the more recent practice of reflexology have mapped both the feet and hand to show a correlation between the hand and internal organs and other external areas of the body. For example:

The area between your fingertip and first knuckle refer to the head and neck. By massaging between the knuckle and the tip of your finger you are able to help relief sinus congestion, headache, and other symptoms relating to the head. By massaging this area the receptors send a message to the muscles of the neck.

Located right below the pinky is the area that refers to the arm and shoulder. Massage of the hand in this area may improve some soreness in the arm and shoulder – especially if it is combined with direct arm and shoulder massage.

The right palm area of the hand refers to the ascending colon which helps break down the food. If there is soreness here on your hand you may want to chew your food a little longer! The left palm is your descending colon. If you find tenderness here it could be an indicator of constipation or diarrhea and not getting enough water during your busy day. Fun, right?

My Disclaimer. I am not a reflexologist! But through my studies I have learned just how connected the body is. Our hands, eyes, and feet can sometimes alert us to things that might be happening in our bodies. So if you catch me looking at your eyes or spending an extra minute on your hands or feet, you’ll know why! If you want to do some basic hand massage on yourself, check out this video by Dr. Oz.

My next post will talk about some of the things that our fingernails can tell us about our health.

To your health!
Gail Grieger

Facts about Feet

3/26/2015

Feet. We all have them. And we demand an awful lot from them! We expect them to carry our weight around all day, every day. We stand on them, walk on them, and run on them. We place them in tight shoes or squeeze them into high heels. But we seldom take the time to think about them. Until they start sending us pain signals.

Some facts about your feet:

The foot accounts for 25% of the bones in the body.
There are more than 33 joints and 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments in the foot.
There are roughly 250,000 sweat glands on a pair of feet. Your feet can sweat 1 pint of water during a workout.
Your feet can contract array of nasty diseases from communal showers including planters warts, athletes foot, and ring worm.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome is a very common reason for feeling pain and burning in your feet.
Looking at your toenails can give you clues about your health. Spoon shape indentations are signs of anemia. Hairless toes show poor blood circulation, pits in the surface of the nail are signs off psoriasis.
High heels can hurt your feet. Wearing 2 ½” heels can increase the load on your forefoot by 75%.
Walking is the best source of exercise for your feet. It contributes to your general health by improving circulation and aiding weight control.
In the average person’s lifetime they will walk more than 250,000 miles. That’s about the distance from the earth to the moon!!

For a lot of my clients, the time I spend working on their feet is the most relaxing and the most rewarding. Taking care of your feet can do more than just relax you. A good foot massage can:

Increase circulation in your feet and legs.
Help reduce or eliminate foot and joint pain.
Help strengthen the foot and, when combined with foot strengthening exercises, reduce foot and ankle injuries.
Some studies indicate that foot massage can help reduce migraines and even contribute to lowering blood pressure.

Because the feet are so important, I try to include some foot massage whenever possible and usually end a massage session by wrapping the feet in hot towel. But you don’t need to see a professional massage therapist to get some of the benefits of foot massage. You can make massaging your own feet a part of your night time ritual. And if you want to make that special someone feel really special, rub their feet for a few minutes. You might be surprised by how much they appreciate it!

To your health!
Gail Grieger

Lymphatic Drainage Therapy

2/26/2015

In recent years a number of my massage clients have been referred by medical professionals for the purpose of receiving lymphatic drainage. Because I get so many questions about this technique I thought I’d share some basic information about this therapeutic massage technique.

The proper functioning of the lymphatic system is critical to our body’s ability to drain stagnant fluids, detoxify, regenerate tissues, filter out toxins and foreign substances, and maintain a healthy immune system. It is a complex system that is comprised primarily of lymph vessels and nodes working in cooperation to accomplish these important tasks.

What is lymph? Lymph is a clear colorless fluid containing white blood cells that help rid the body of toxins and waste. When you see anatomy pictures of the lymphatic system it looks like a large spider web covering the entire body. It is found in every system in our body.

Where is lymph found? The lymph capillaries which are in almost every tissue of an organism start out feather fine. They slowly increase in size, moving inside the lymphatic collection ducts and eventually joining the venous circulation just before reaching the heart.

How does it help overall heath? It plays a major role in your immune system, by removing waste at a cellular level and it assists with bringing nutrients and oxygen to cells. When your cells and tissue have enough oxygen, the tissue is healthier. Lymphatic drainage can help chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune disease, bronchitis, arthritis, scar tissue, anxiety, cataracts, dry eyes, joints swelling,and people who work out on a regular basis and have tight muscles, just to name a few.

How is this massage done? Lymphatic massage is done fully clothed. The strokes are light, rhythmical and the hand positions are different and the pressure lighter than having a regular massage. The therapist feels for constrictions in the tissue, than moves the fluid toward the drain. This helps to move nutrients and oxygen back into the tissue.

You can read a little more about lymphatic massage on my website. You can also check out this interesting video that shows one technique for doing lymphatic drainage on your own face and head, which can help relieve sinus and head congestion. While the video does not show the entire drainage technique, there is enough information here to help you get some relief until you can get into a trained therapist.

If you want more information about lymphatic drainage or if you would like to schedule an appointment give me a call.

To your health!
Gail Grieger

My Daily Metabolism Booster!

2/5/2015

Last week I wrote about the many great benefits of green tea, which I try to drink every day. It reminded me that there is another drink that I also keep in my daily regimen, and I want to share it with you too. I think of this drink as my daily cleanser and use it to jump start my metabolism each day. I refer to it as my “Hot Lemon Drink.” You’ll see why I call it “hot” in just a minute!

This drink has the ability to do so many good things for the body. When taken daily it can help keep unwanted mucous from forming and helps loosen and eliminate waste from many cells and organs. This is a good thing because bacteria generally does not feed on healthy tissue. Getting all of that old sludge and junk out of your system can be a great preventive health tool.

Some of the other potential health benefits of the Hot Lemon Drink:

It helps to dissolve and eliminate toxins and congestion that is formed in many parts of the body.
It can help cleanse the kidneys and digestion system.
Many believe that it can eliminate unusable waste and hardened material in the joints and muscles. (There is not yet scientific proof of this but there is anecdotal evidence of positive effects.)
There are some claims that it can relieve pressure and irritation in the nerves, arteries, and blood vessels and keep the bloodstream healthy. (Again, the scientific jury is still out on those claims. It might help and but it won’t hurt!)

Many have used a version of this drink as a weight loss program where they avoid all food for an extended period of time and drink only this drink, some teas, and sometimes salt water. Doesn’t sound very appealing does it?!

Should I use this drink to lose weight?

If you listen to some of the stars like Beyonce, the answer is yes. But if you listen to the doctors and your body, the answer is probably no. First of all, there are much healthier ways to lose weight than putting your body through such stress. Plus, this type of dieting usually produces results that don’t last. Taking this drink all by itself or with tea as some suggest, but avoiding all other foods and drinks will rob your body of essential nutrients. Don’t do it! For more on why you should think twice before using this drink as the basis for a weight loss diet, see the WebMD article The Lemon Diet / Master Cleanse.

Drink One Glass Daily

Many of my clients and other herbalists that I know drink just one glass each morning. I started doing this a few years ago and found that I felt better and seemed to be less susceptible to colds and flu. I know it gives me a quick jolt and makes my insides tingle. I think the drink does a great job of waking up the digestive track and keeping things moving in a nice healthy way. I have had people tell me they feel better after taking this drink for a week.

Give it a try and see what it does for you. Here is the recipe.

“Hot” Lemon Drink Recipe

What You Need:

2 TBSP. Lemon juice (organic source)
2 TBSP. Genuine maple syrup (not flavored) dark amber
1/2 tsp. bulk cayenne
8 oz. warm water

What to Do:

Combine all ingredients and stir well. Finish the drink while it is still warm.

Tip 1: You might want to start with 1/8 Tsp of cayenne pepper and work up to the larger amount one you get used to the hot taste.

Tip 2: The syrup is not pancake syrup. Definitely find the dark amber variety. AND once you get used to the taste of the drink, cut the syrup down to just 1 TBS. No reason to add unnecessary calories!

Tip 3: Some people drink this as they sip a glass of plain water. I think that is a good idea. It makes the drink go down more quickly and the extra water helps hydrate you and flush toxins out of your system.

To your Health!
Gail Grieger

PS.

Check out my special on a Swedish Massage. Click here for details. This is one of those limited offers that will expire quickly!

Drink Some Green Tea Today!

1/26/2015

If you are not drinking green tea regularly, you might just be depriving yourself of one of nature’s best health drinks! It may actually be the healthiest beverage on the planet! Its chock full of antioxidants and nutrients that have wonderfully positive effects on the body. The humble green tea leaf is getting credited with improving brain function, lowering cancer risk, helping with weight loss, and playing a positive role in fighting heart disease and diabetes, to name just a few.

Six Positive Benefits of Green Tea:

Protects your cells from damage. Green tea is packed with polyphenols including flavonoids and catechins which are powerful antioxidants that can protect your cells and molecules from damage caused by free radicals.
Calming effect. Green tea contains a naturally occurring chemical called theanine, which, according to 2008 study, produces anti-anxiety effects, increases dopamine and the production of alpha waves. It brings calm without causing drowsiness.
Increased Alertness. Green tea contains caffeine. Studies of the effects of caffeine shows that it improves several brain functions including vigilance, reaction time, memory and mood. Green tea provides the advantages of caffeine but without the jittery and distracting effects often caused by coffee.
Weight loss and fat burning. Green tea can help you to reach your weight loss goals. But a 2008 study cited in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that fat oxidation increased by 17% when combined with moderate exercise. A study published in Obesity Journal in 2012 showed evidence that green tea consumption reduced the abdominal fat as measured by waist size. But NO drink is going to burn off pounds by itself! How about this idea? If you drink soda or sugary drinks, cut out one per day and substitute a cup of tea instead. Over the next year you'd save over 50,000 calories. That's more than 15 pounds! But leave out the sugar or honey.
Improves Heart and Brain Health. Green tea has been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol and protect LDL from oxidation, which is a known contributor to both heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Some of the bioactive compounds in green tea have been shown to help block the formation of certain plaques that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative like Parkinson’s disease. And a recent Swiss study showed that green tea drinkers had greater activity in the working-memory area of their brains.
Lowers Some Cancer Risks. I don’t want to say that green tea prevents cancer because that would be significantly overstating what is currently known about the positive impact of green tea. However, because of its antioxidant effects, it seems to lower the risk of developing some cancers, including breast, prostate and colorectal cancers, according to recent studies in China and Japan. (The National Cancer Institute has not taken a position on green tea saying that it “does not recommend for or against the use of tea to reduce the risks of any type of cancer.”) Bottom line – it probably helps but definitely does not hurt!

Tea Time!

For all of us here in the middle of the winter chill, a nice warm cup of tea might just hit the spot! Here are a few quick tips for a great cup of green tea.
Start off with really good green tea. Instead use fresh green tea leaves (and a strainer) or the filter packets that don’t use string staples or extra paper. Use one tablespoon of dried green tea leaves or one tea bag for every 6 ounces of water.
Heat your water in a nice kettle and stop before it reaches a boil. (Putting green tea in boiling water strips out some of the beneficial antioxidants.)
Pour the hot water over the tea and let it steep – about two minutes for tea leaves or three to four minutes for a tea bag.
After steeping, add lemon to taste. The vitamin C makes the antioxidants easier to absorb. But avoid adding dairy products because they make it harder to absorb the antioxidants.

Healthful Hint: Avoid the sweeteners that can sneak in unnecessary calories!

The Republic of Tea has an easy to read chart for properly brewing different types of teas. You can also find a selection of their teas at most grocery stores.

If you want to read more about green tea here are a few other resources:

11 Benefits of Green Tea You Didn’t Know About

Medical News Today article: Green Tea Health Benefits Examined

A more scholarly look at Green Tea from the Univ. of Maryland Medical Center

Now, sit back, relax and enjoy a nice cup of hot tea!

To Your Health!
Gail Grieger

10,000 Steps Per Day?!

1/19/2015

One of the big gift items this past holiday season were the personal trackers and pedometers that count each step you take. Best selling tracker Fitbit introduced three new trackers and their competition flooded the market with their own versions. All of this to help you reach the goal of walking 10,000 steps each day!

Do you really need to take 10,000 steps?

While any activity that challenges us to be more active is a positive thing, the 10,000 step target should be seen as simply a guideline. Becoming more physically active than you are now is probably a better goal for most people than trying to hit an arbitrary number. Taking a lot of steps is certainly a good start. But any activity that gets you up and moving is good for your overall health. Walking is good, but so is dancing if that is what you like to do. Maybe you like to swim or garden. That’s great, get out there and do that too. Here in the cold north, shoveling a little snow might be a nice exercise too. (But don’t overdo that one! Too much shoveling can cause other problems – especially if you are not in the best of shape!) Yoga can also offer a lot of health benefits and can be done indoors during these cold months.

Did you know?

Regular physical exercise can improve your cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure. Consistent exercise can also lower cholesterol, improve blood circulation and reduce your heart attack and stroke risk. Of course you already know that exercise will increase your metabolism, burn calories and even help with weight loss – especially when combined with a healthy diet.

“Just Do It!”

The popular Nike slogan is perfect for those of us toying with getting healthier in the new year. So, skip the excuses and get started today. Even a small amount of exercise can make a big difference. A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicated that just 5 to 10 minutes of running per day can cut the risk of death due to heart disease in half! Even a small amount of exercise can give you some big results.

So, start now, not tomorrow, not next week - NOW. Go for a short walk or do something just a little more physical than normal. If you like the idea of tracking your steps, check out the Fitbit or one of the other health trackers. Some will do a lot more than just count your steps. For example, the Fitbit will even tell you if your sleep patterns are healthy or need to improve.

But, start slowly. If exercise is something new or something you haven’t done in a while, ask your doctor what level of exercise is best for you. And once you get started, you might be surprised how quickly or how often you take 10,000 steps!

To your health!
Gail Grieger

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Welcome to my Blog!

Thanks for checking out my blog. I have had a life-long interest in all things related to health and wellness, which is part of the reason I became a massage therapist. I am constantly on a mission to increase my knowledge and I like to share what I learn with others. My hope is that these posts will be interesting and provide you with information and tips that can improve your health. If I can ever answer a question or if you think you might benefit from therapeutic massage, please give me a call or send me a note.

Gail Grieger, CMT, CFH

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