"Stay-Cation" Gift Basket Giveaway for Mother's Day

Yipes. The big day is about here, and if you haven't already figured out what to get mom, it might look like flowers and a card....again.

Lucky for you that you might just win a prize, and you have a last-minute opportunity to impress mom.  

This Mother's Day three lucky moms will win the ultimate home spa gift basket, including: an Aromatherapy Shower Kit by ESSIO, cleansing and revitalizing Turmeric, Ginger and Kava capsules from Wakaya Perfection, and an invigorating lip gloss and skin firming moisturizer from HydroPeptide. 

Enter below.

5 simple, effective brain health tips for women

A press release came my way that I thought was worth sharing since it provided insights from Kristen Willeumier, PhD, the Director of Research at The Amen Clinic. 

Willeumier is on the advisory board of Total Woman Gym + Spa, California’s largest gym and day spa uniquely designed for women. She supports the Total Woman Gym + Spa in their efforts to include brain health as part of woman's fitness, and says that training the brain also improves health, fitness, weight loss and happiness. I say "Hooray" for all that!  

1.       Know your Brain

According to Dr. Willeumier, “The female brain is significantly more active than the male brain. “Women tend to be more empathetic, collaborative and nurturing than males; but, this elevated brain activity can make some females more prone to psychiatric issues such as anxiety and depression”—which, of course affect fitness and health. 

2.       Feed the Brain

“What you eat is utilized by the brain and body to help maintain the integrity of your cellular membranes and to generate hormones, maintain cellular structure, build muscle and provide cellular energy,” Dr. Willeumier says. A few brain diet tips from her seminar include: avoiding excess sugar, gluten and dairy, which can cause a toxic, inflammatory environment; consuming plenty of brain healthy fats like Omega 3s, flaxseed oil and coconut oil to stave off depression and anxiety; and taking brain directed multivitamins and probiotics. 

3.       Hydrate the Brain

 Since the body is comprised of 50-70% water and it requires that you consume approximately half of your body weight in ounces of water daily. “I cannot stress enough the importance of drinking clean water daily,” she says. “Not only will it help flush the toxins out of your cells and help your kidneys to function properly, but it will also aid in weight-loss.”

4.       Rest the Brain

“One of the best things you can do for your brain is to keep it in a relaxed state,” says Dr. Willeumier. She explains that the demands of a busy, stressful life create excess cortisol in the system. “I encourage my patients to do daily meditation and get weekly massage and spa treatments to maintain optimal brain and body health.”

5.       Train the Brain

“If you only do activities that are routine to you, then you are not establishing new neural connections,” Dr. Willeumier says. Mental challenges such as crossword puzzles, as well as physical exercises that involve balance and coordination—like juggling, tennis, Ping-Pong and tai-chi—help build brain-fitness. Additionally, daily physical exercise routines such as Total Woman’s yoga, Pilates, dance and cycling classes help “improve blood flow to the brain, oxygenate the brain, and aid in the development of new neural connections.”

               

Rainbow Quinoa Summer Salad

I've developed a taste for quinoa, and am always hunting for good recipes. The folks at Eco sent me the following recipe, and they also said the product is 100% fair trade, organic and non-GMO.I haven't even tasted it yet and it already has me thinking about how much I'm going to enjoy it.  I think I still have some Meyer lemons on the tree and I'm betting that will add a nice taste to this. 

I will be making it in the next week or so, lucky for me that the Whole Foods 4 miles from my house carries Alter Eco foods,  but in the meantime, let me know if you have tried it and like it.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups Alter Eco Rainbow Quinoa
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 cup tightly packed basil leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 to 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 or 2 lemons)

PREPARATION

Rinse Quinoa thoroughly in cool water and drain.

In a medium saucepan combine quinoa, salt and 3 cups water. Bring to boil over high heat.
Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add corn, cover and cook until water is
absorbed.

Let cool, then transfer mixture to large serving bowl. Toss well with fork, fluffing
quinoa. Add basil, peppers and onion. Stir in oil and enough lemon juice to give salad a
distinct lemony edge. Adjust seasons to taste.

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes in Silicon Valley

YMCA of Silicon Valley recently announced that it received a grant from the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Diabetes Prevention Program, to help expand the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program and help reduce the burden of chronic disease in communities across the nation.

 

YMCA of Silicon Valley will launch the program and offer classes to community members in its YMCA facilities spanning from Morgan Hill to Redwood City beginning in July. For locations log onto the Y information page.

 

“Providing support and opportunities that empower people to be healthy and live well is part of the YMCA’s charitable purpose,” said John Remy, vice president of Operations and Healthy Living. “We welcome the chance to work with CDC to bring an effective program to prevent type 2 diabetes to Silicon Valley and help individuals in this community make lasting changes to protect their health.”

 

CDC leads the National Diabetes Prevention Program, which offers communities an evidence-based lifestyle change program to prevent type 2 diabetes. The program is geared to those at high risk of type 2 diabetes. People have a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes if they are overweight, age 45 years or older, have a family history of the disease, get little physical activity, developed gestational diabetes while pregnant, or are members of certain racial/ethnic groups, including African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders.

 

The program is based on a research study led by the National Institutes of Health and supported by CDC, which showed that people with prediabetes could reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by making modest lifestyle changes that resulted in a 5 to 7 percent weight loss (about 10-14 pounds for a 200-pound person). CDC estimates that national implementation of the prevention program could save $5.7 billion in health care costs and prevent 885,000 cases of type 2 diabetes in the next 25 years.

 

Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine were able to replicate the successful results of the national DPP research study with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis.  Unlike the national DPP research study, which was conducted with individuals one-on-one, the YMCA’s program is conducted in a group setting.

 

The research by the Indiana University researchers also demonstrated that the YMCA could effectively deliver a group-based lifestyle intervention for about 75 percent less than the cost of the original Diabetes Prevention Program. This research also highlighted the ability of the Y to take the program to scale nationally.

 

“We now have proof that lifestyle interventions delivered through community-based organizations such as the Y can save lives and health care dollars,” said Remy.

 

The program provides a supportive environment where participants work together in a small group to learn about healthier eating, and increasing their physical activity in order to reduce their risk for developing diabetes. The evidence-based program is delivered over a 12-month period, with 16 weekly core sessions then monthly maintenance. It is classroom based and can be offered in any community setting.

 

“The partnership between the YMCA and the CDC stands to reduce the burden of diabetes, one of the nation’s costliest diseases, in Silicon Valley and across the nation,” said Remy.  “With CDCs recent prediction of an increase in diabetes rates, it’s of the utmost importance that we do all we can to help the 79 million people in the United States who have prediabetes prevent the onset of the disease to live healthy, happy and more productive lives.”

Bob Green's healthy Chocolate French Toast

Yum!  I'm currently gluten free, so I can't test this healthy version of a classic brunch food, but the folks at

TheBestLife.com recommended it for a healthy alternative at Easter brunch and it sounds terrific.

It's from Bob Greene, Oprah’s diet and fitness expert, author of the bestselling The Best Life Diet and founder of TheBestLife.com, where he shares some favorite recipes.  

 

Recipe for Chocolate French Toast from The Best Life:

Makes 5 servings

 

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Total Time: 20 Minutes (if griddle fits four slices)

 

With whole-grain bread and lots of fresh strawberries, this is a healthy spin on the classic.

 

Ingredients:3 large eggs
3/4 cup 1% milk
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, such as Hershey’s Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon
10 slices whole-wheat bread (with about 80 calories and 15 g carbohydrate per slice)
1 second spritz vegetable oil cooking spray (to coat pan)
2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
10 teaspoons soft margarine (containing no partially hydrogenated oil, such as Smart Balance Buttery Spread)

Directions:1. Beat eggs, milk, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, salt and cinnamon in large bowl until smooth.

2. Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Coat pan with a thin layer of cooking spray. 

3. Dip bread in egg mixture and place a few slices on griddle. Cook about 2 to 4 minutes on each side. Repeat until all slices are cooked. Serve immediately with equal portions of strawberries and 1 tsp soft margarine per slice.

Nutrition Information

1 servingCalories:  332

Protein: 13 g

Carbohydrate: 47 g

Dietary Fiber: 9 g

Total Sugars: 18 g

Total Fat: 12 g

Saturated Fat: 3.0 g

Cholesterol: 113.4 mg

Calcium: 126 mg

Sodium: 338 mg

 

The connection: Seasons, sleep, weight loss

How cool is this! 

The folks at BodyMedia (an armband that tracks calorie burn and sleep patterns) drew data from its thousands of users and found some interesting stats. It shows how much people sleep in different months. Since this is from BodyMedia users, most of these people are engaged in weight loss programs.

I've never personally used the BodyMedia, but seen it in use with friends and co-workers, many of whom swear by it and credit it not only with weight loss but a huge increase in overall fitness.  So now we know what sleep patterns they put in place to help make that happen.

Really cool health advances thanks to high tech products

Covering everything from cancer to organ donation, Reader’s Digest has compiled a list of the most promising solutions to prevent, detect, and treat our annoying, debilitating, and deadly ills. 

I loved reading that in the future we may be able to “print” out replacement body parts. And did you know that  a step stool can provide the “boost” medical professionals need in order to perform live-saving CPR on patients?

 

Other interesting advances include:

·         “Print” New Body Parts – Imagine being able to manufacture knee cartilage, heart valves, muscle tissue, and skin at the touch of a but­ton. That’s the aim of bioprinting, a technique that creates human tissue using a special “ink” made from do­nor stem cells.

 

·         Safer Surgery: No Tools Left Behind – Every once in a while, surgeons leave an item inside a patient’s body, increas­ing the risk of infection and even death. Now a new “magic wand” that uses radiofrequency technol­ogy can help prevent such terrible mistakes. Sponges and pads are tagged with a signal-emitting device about the size of a rice kernel. Waving the wand over the body before sewing up an incision picks up any signals from the surgical site and alerts doctors to tagged items that were overlooked.

 

·         A “Super Vaccine” Against Cancer – Cancer treat­ments that help the body heal itself are a hot research topic since they may help people avoid surgery, radiation, and chemo­therapy. Once the vaccine prompts the immune system to recognize those sugars as a threat, the body’s natural de­fenses can destroy the cancerous cells without harming healthy tissue.

 

Best workouts: Surf-inspired SURFSET now at Western Athletic Clubs

It's no secret that I like the Western Athletic Clubs (WAC)  with their upscale fitness clubs here in Northern California and I like the folks I've met from there too. In general, they just seem to be smart, forward-thinking people who do things right. As an organization, they promote from within, they seem to spot trends early, and they just seem to have their act together when it comes to fitness.

Which is why I was intrigued by their newest workout programs, and health-oriented fitness offerings for 2013: SURFSET (surfer-inspired) workout, Les Mills GRIT (a high intensity interval training), and Wellness FX  (advanced health diagnostics with trainer-led consultations for insights and recommendations to improve biological health).

I wrote about SURFSET over on Examiner.com. The Les Mills is pretty self-explanatory to anyone who knows the Les Mills system of workouts with choreography that is changed periodically to prevent too much muscle memory.

The Wellness FX intrigues me, and though I don't know a lot about it, it seems to me to be a shrewd move for the chain's upscale membership. I can't vouch for the program, but it seems to have a PBS-type intelligent appeal. I'll be curious to see in a year if it's still being offered.  According to the original press release, WAC CEO Matthew Stevens was credited with the quote that defines Wellness FX as a, "...unique measurement tool [that] helps members track their success. Seventy percent of the data needed for accurate health diagnosis and management is in our blood—and our blood cells regenerate every 120 days. This system allows our members to measure not only the physical changes, but also the biological changes happening within."

Not all the Western Athletic Clubs offer all the new courses, but here are links to the locations: SURFSET, GRIT, and Wellness FX.  

If you get a chance to try any of these, let me know. Meanwhile, here are some photos of a SURFSET class. 

How to keep your fitness resolutions and get the most out of your gym membership

Here's a great infographic from 24 Hour Fitness, with tips on how to make your 2013 fitness resolutions a hit.  I  especially like their tips for how to get the most out of your gym membership.

Men lie about yearly goals. So do women.

Don't you love the new year? So many polls on what was, what is, and what will be.

The information today comes from Mindbloom, which  issued its annual Life Improvement Pulse Report and discovered that men are projecting that their careers (31%) followed by relationships (20%) and health (17%)will be the most important life areas in 2013.

For 2013 women are projecting it will be their health (29%), followed by careers (18%) and relationships (17%).

But here's the rub: the same survey showed that what people say and how they behave throughout the year are different.

In last year's survey,  men cited their career as their most important life area for 2012, yet when Mindbloom looked into the actions that men took in 2012, it discovered that men placed a higher priority on conducting acts first to improve their relationships, then health, and finally their career.

In addition, while men kicked off 2012 with a focus on their careers, they finished the year having checked off more relationship-oriented actions, such as: 'say I love you,' 'schedule a date night,' 'check in with my parents' and 'give someone a smile.'

Men did place a top priority on taking actions related to their careers, including 'clean out my email in-box,' 'write a to-do list,' and 'add a connection to LinkedIn.' However, they preferred actions for health improvement over their career. The most popular health improvement actions included focusing on things like drinking water, exercising regularly and taking a walk. The least popular life areas men focused completing actions in 2012 was in finances, followed by lifestyle, creativity, and spirituality.

What women said they wanted in last year's survey and what they did in 2012 were also at odds. In the 2011 survey, Mindbloom found that women said their health was their most important life area, followed by their careers and then relationships. 

Their behavior was a little different: yes, they did a lot for health and careers, but relationships lost ground to an interest in improving their creativity. To be more creative, women focused on accomplishing acts like trying a new recipe, taking a photo or listening to music. The least popular life areas women focused on completing actions in 2012 was in spirituality, followed by finances, relationships, and lifestyle.

So while the poor guys are out there trying to make a love connection, the women appear to be exploring their own creativity.  Hmmmm.

Anyway, I just wanted to pass that all along to you. Here's the press release if you want to read the entire thing, and see how folks say they are going to adjust their life for 2012.

Really easy tips for cutting fat but leaving in the flavor

It's no secret to anyone who reads this column or San Jose Fitness Examiner that I'm a big fan of the American Council on Exercise (ACE).  

As we head into the new year, ACE has developed a quick, healthy holiday cooking video  to help you prepare seasonal favorites and avoid those two extra pounds.

 

Here are some of ACE’s recipes and cooking tips for compromising fat and not flavor:

·         Use whole grains: You don’t have to sacrifice enjoying rolls and stuffing during the holidays. Instead of choosing white bread, opt for whole grain products. Check out ACE’s kale, apple and chicken sausage whole grain stuffing recipe for a traditional stuffing alternative you and your guests will surely love.

·         Reduce Sodium:  This season comes with its fair share of hearty, warming soups. However, these often contain high sodium levels. You can still enjoy your favorite bowl of soup if you cook it with a low sodium broth. Lower your sodium intake while maintaining a quality taste, and start your holiday meals with ACE’s Spicy Sweet Potato Soup. Can we link to these individual recipes

·         Throw on the feta: Everyone loves cheese, but we all know it’s high in fat. Substitute regular cheese with feta; it’s lower in fat and makes your dish look pretty and festive. Serve up ACE’s green bean and almond salad with feta and cranberries for a delicious side that’s sure to be a hit.

After maintaining flavor, indulge without overstuffing:

·         Listen to Your Body: It takes about 20 minutes after eating for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s satisfied. When there is a spread of holiday dishes in front of you, this message may be even more delayed. Be sure to listen to what your stomach is saying before taking another serving of stuffing.

·         Use a smaller plate: You can still enjoy all of the holiday foods that you like, but portion size is key. To ensure that you’re not taking more than you need of one dish, use a smaller sized plate. You can always go back for more, but once that oversized serving is on the plate, you can’t put it back.

Stress: deal with it or pay for decades

A recent situation caused me so much stress that I was almost incapacitated. I came across this transcript of a podcast from  U.S. Department of Health & Human Services HealthBeat which served as an important reminder.  I'm passing it along for others who may be in the same situation.

We all experience stress at some point. There are interpersonal stressors, like arguments. There are overloads. I have too much to do and no time! And there are network stressors that happen around you. Researchers reviewed the National Study of Daily Experiences to see how people react to stress, and how that affected long-term health.

David Almeida is a professor of human development at Penn State.

“People who reported being emotionally reactive were 30 percent more likely to report chronic health conditions 10 years later.”
People were more reactive to interpersonal stress that involved their family. If you’re feeling stressed…
“Get away from the situation. Try to take a break. And, if possible, engage in some sort of physical activity.”

The study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

Angeles Burke shares 3 great anywhere, anytime exercises

Quick, effective workout: Anytime, anywhere exercises to fight the holiday bulge

  Angeles Burke, who is one of those incredible-bodied bikini fitness goddesses, a member of the National Physique Committee, a certified fitness instructor through Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and a Celsius sponsored athlete, put together a holiday workout with three exercises that could be done pretty much anytime, anywhere. 

 

 I liked them not because they were remarkable exercises but 1) because she wrote them in a nice way and even had photos to go along with them, and 2) because even if three exercises (10 reps each, 3 sets a day) aren't the equivalent of going to the gym they do keep you from getting that sloggish feeling that comes from not doing any workouts.  

Here's one of her exercises, but go to Examiner.com to see all three along with some photos she sent so you can check your form:

 Holiday Cooking Lunges
Who says cooking for the holidays had to be dreaded work? Lunge across the kitchen while cooking and baking: no walking allowed! Grab ingredients as you need them, making this workout more intense and earning that holiday pie for dessert.
a. Start with your right leg forward, left leg back in a lunge stance.
b. Keep your front knee behind your toes and the majority of your weight on the front heel.
c. Push off the ground with your front heel and step your left leg forward past the right.
d. Keep your chest up, back is nice and tall. This is great for stability as well.

Didn’t your trainer teach you any manners? A guide to the unwritten rules of working out in a public gym

I'm not much for recommending books I haven't even read yet, but we're headed to the most dreaded month for gym rats: January. 

Gyms across the country are swarmed with newcomers each January. As any regular gym-goer can attest, the first few months of the year bring out all kinds of newly inspired fitness fanatics, many of whom could use a lesson in gym etiquette.

The following preview of a book crossed my desk and I found myself shouting, "YES!"  Sounds like a great book to pre-order and have on hand as a coping mechanism....or perhaps to place strategically around your own favorite fitness haunt.
  
Bombarded by inconsiderate behavior at the Manhattan gyms she frequents, attorney and long-time fitness buff Lori Pines put down the dumbbells and wrote The Little Book of Gym Etiquette: A Handbook for Dealing with Annoying People at the Gym (January 2013, $8.95).

Pines addresses the culprits of “gym rage" among the regulars, and point newcomers to six helpful rules of gym etiquette:

1. Don’t be a slob

2. Don’t be a hog

3. Don’t be a space invader

4. Don’t be a super-talker

5. Don’t be a grouch

6. Don’t be an exhibitionist 

“This is a topic every gym-goer has thought about at some point,” says Pines, who is tired of seeing empty water bottles litter the gym floor and listening to loud phone talkers barely breaking a sweat on the stationary bikes.

In The Little Book of Gym Etiquette, she cites the “3 C’s” everyone should know before a gym workout: be clean, considerate and cheerful. Following these three simple rules will, according to Pines, keep everyone in the gym satisfied.

With satirical descriptions and hilarious illustrations, Pines pokes fun at stereotypical offenders—the slobs, hogs, space invaders, super-talkers, grouches and exhibitionists—while simultaneously promoting  fitness and encouraging readers to be accommodating.

“Let’s face facts—it isn’t easy getting to the gym. You have to walk or drive there, change your clothes, psych yourself up for the pain and exertion, and then clean yourself up and change your clothes afterwards,” Pines writes. “The last thing we need is a further deterrent to getting to the gym. That’s why there is nothing more annoying than having to deal with people who don’t know how to behave there.”

Fitness Gift Guide: Galactic Romance dance-themed apparel

You don't have to be local to San Jose to enjoy the dance-themed fitness apparel made by a small Silicon Valley firm. Galactic Romance apparel was inspired by owner Brandie Schweizer's love of dance and...(read more on San Jose Fitness Examiner)

Longing for a trip to Hawaii? Win one.

There's still time to enter the Eat Well, Be Well Holiday Giveaway presented by Spa Week and famed nutritionist, Keri Glassman.

Running on SpaWeek.com until the end of the year, this exclusive giveaway will gift a lucky winner with the perfect post-holiday package that will aid in creating a smooth healthy diet and lifestyle transformation.

Seriously, isn't that what we're all longing for about this time of year?  The prize is  an incredible three part nutrition and wellness giveaway. Begin with the ultimate Be Well Package from Kalani, an oceanside retreat in Hawai’i where the winner and guest will enjoy a Six Night Stay for Two in an Eco-Friendly Bamboo Cottage, complete with three healthy meals daily, full access to more than 50 yoga and Hawaiian culture classes, two spa treatments and one half-day adventure to the winner’s choice of Hawaiian cultural site.

Once the winner returns from this life-changing retreat, he/she can conveniently stay on course courtesy of the Eat Well Package from Keri Glassman, which includes a personalized nutritional counseling program, three-day supply of Nutritious Life meals and two autographed copies of Keri’s new book, The New You (and improved!) Diet. Last but not least, the winner can relax body and mind at his/her choice of over 7,500 spa and wellness locations across North America anytime of the year with a $175 in Spa & Wellness Gift Cards by Spa Week®.

Javorskie Lane's inspiring weight loss transformation

As part of its continuing series "Outside The Game," Yahoo! Sports recently spotlighted Miami Dolphins' rookie fullback Jorvorskie Lane, whose decision to get healthier has not only given him a second chance at his dream, but has also made him a role model for his family.

Thanks to Yahoo! for allowing the story to be shared here.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

A standout running back at Texas A&M University, Lane was switched to the fullback position after ballooning up to over 300 pounds during his senior year following the death of his grandfather. After a subpar senior season, mostly due to his weight gain, Lane went undrafted and for two years Lane found himself working as a furniture deliveryman. However in 2012, he got a second chance when his former college coach signed with Miami Dolphins and helped him turn his life around.

 

In the segment, Jorvorskie gives insight into to his life changing diet and how his family have show their full support. 

Athleta opens in Silicon Valley - preview event Tue Dec 4. 2012

Athleta is opening a store in Valley Fair - whew, just in time for Christmas.  The store is located near Sephora, on the first floor of the massive shopping center. 

According to the company, the store will feature a broad assortment of apparel for run, yoga, gym/training, swim, hike/explore and everything in between.  The Valley Fair store will offer a personalized styling service, uniquely tailored to individual athletic pursuits and style with Performance Stylists, complimentary hemming, kiosks that link directly to the website offering customers access to additional product and sizes, free fitness classes and in-store discounts for fitness professionals.

Telling people to exercise isn't working. So why does the fitness community just do it louder and more often?

According to a terrific article in today's New York Times by Tara Parker-Pope, "Only 3.5 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 59 do the minimum amount of physical activity recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services: 150 minutes a week of moderate activity."

Wow.

She also says that when it comes to self-reporting, about 40 percent of Americans say they never exercise, a stat that has remained steady for decades.

Double wow.

I found Pope's entire article, "Updating the message to Get Americans Moving," a great read, and would encourage you to check it out.

We talk more about fitness, do it less

My first takeaway from reading it is that over the past 10 years, there seem to be 100 times more blogs and magazines and fitness gurus and tv shows that all talk about how easy it is to exercise.  And yet, it changes nothing. The same percentage of people are still inactive.

So the gurus, tv doctors, gyms, fitness instructors say it louder, in even more brain-numbing terms, and in more places.  

There are people who "do" fitness, and people who "don't do" fitness

The other thing it brought home to me is how stratified our country has become in terms of health and fitness. I'd venture to guess that among my friends, fewer than 20% would report they never exercise.

Some of that probably reflects that I live in Silicon Valley with a high percentage of active adults. More likely it also reflects that people who are active hang out with others who are active. 

I'm a slug compared to most of my friends who are busy running marathons, biking for fun, and hiking for weekend pleasure.  I'm more about yoga and stairs and my PowerPlate machine. In any case, it's not about how or what, and I digress.  

Read her article.  I like that she actually says out loud what fitness people seem to ignore: telling people to work out, telling them exercise is good for them, giving them easy tips is "clearly not working."

Heart attack or holiday indigestion? Two apps and a short code to keep on hand.

Here's a note that came over the wires from ERtexting.com.  

The info seems appropriate as we head into Thanksgiving and the holiday season.

It recommends three apps that can help aid choking dinner guests, decipher if overindulgent guests require emergency medical attention or find the nearest ER with the shortest wait time:

• iTriage Health: Created by two ER docs, iTriage helps you answer the questions: “What medical condition could I have?” and “Where should I go for treatment?” Great for helping determine whether chest pain is a heart attack or post-turkey indigestion.
• CPR + Choking: Developed by University of Washington educators and doctors, this app offers instant videos on how to perform CPR and aid a choking victim.
• ER Texting short code “4ER411”: Consumers text “4ER411” and receive an immediate response with wait times at nearby participating hospital ERs and urgent care centers. (Editor's note: It doesn't look like ER Texting has a nationwide network of providers, so if you download this, it seems worthwhile to check it out ahead of time and be sure there are clinics near you.)

ER Texting provides texting services to hospitals and urgent care facilities that want to post emergency room wait times and allow consumers to access those times via text message. The firm's clients include: Miami Children’s Hospital, Adventist Health System, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Metrowest Medical Center, Lawrence General Hospital, Park Ridge Health, The Hospital of Central Connecticut and Shawnee Mission Medical Center.