Month: October 2015

Categories
Lifestyle

5 Products Every Runner Should Have in Their Medicine Cabinet

We all know that running is a great way to get in shape, and can improve your cardio performance dramatically. But, anyone who runs on a regular basis will also tell you that it is an activity that can also put a lot of wear and tear on your body as well. Sometimes this can result in small, but nagging, injuries that are more of a nuisance rather than anything too serious. That’s why it is a good idea to keep your medicine cabinet well stocked with these product, each of which will come in handy at various times throughout your running career.

Band-Aids

The good old-fashioned Band-Aid that your mom put on your skinned knee as a child is just as useful for adult runner too. Sure, you’re probably not falling down and scraping yourself up as much anymore, but these adhesive bandages work great for covering blisters and hot spots on your feet too. If you find your running shoes are rubbing you raw, applying a Band-Aid will protect your feet from further irritations and get you back out on the road for your next run sooner too.

Bodyglide

Let’s face it, chafing is a fact of life for runners. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, it is probably only a matter of time. That’s why you should keep some Bodyglide around the house at all times. Apply some Bodyglide to areas susceptible to chafing before you head out on a run and it will not only help prevent painful irritations, it can speed the healing process for any areas already affected. Marathoners will tell you that this is definitely an essential for any runner’s medicine cabinet.

Hyland’s Leg Cramps Tablets or Ointment

Leg cramps are an occasional side effect of running. Sometimes you’ll experience them during a workout, but more often than not they’ll strike while you’re resting and recovering back home. Hyland’s Leg Cramps medicine can help alleviate the pain, and stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself. Available as either a pill or ointment, these meds are all natural, and will help both new runners and experienced long-distance runners to avoid serious leg pain.

Icy Hot Patches

Running on a regular basis can result in tendonitis, bursitis, muscle pulls, and minor sprains. But Icy Hot patches can help relieve the soreness and inflammation that comes along with each of those injuries, speeding recovery before they can become more serious. The patches are available in a variety of sizes, and can be adhered to just about any part of the body, allowing them to work directly on the source of the pain.

Ace Bandages

Most of the products on this list are meant to provide relief from the everyday aches and pains that come with regular running. But sometimes you might experience an injury that is a bit more serious, requiring a different type of attention. For example, an ankle sprain or a swollen knee may not necessitate a doctor’s visit, but they do require time and patience. An Ace Bandage can help prevent further injury while providing compression that can speed along the healing process. These highly elastic bands wrap around sore joints and muscles, stabilizing their movement and promoting improved blood flow to an injured area.

Keeping your medicine cabinet stocked with these products means that you’ll have them on hand when you need them most. You never know when a nagging pain or injury might flare up, and when it does, you’ll be happy to know that relief is close by.

Categories
Nosh

The Many Faces of Soy: Why You're Confused About Soy And Your Health

Soy: is there any ingredient quite so controversial? The headlines it makes are divisive, passionate, conflicting, and downright confusing. One expert recommends it emphatically; the next calls it the worst thing you could possible eat. They can’t both be right…right?!
Well…
I can’t, in 800 words or less, give you a full run-down on all things soy, but I can tell you one thing: there is a big difference between traditional soy foods and more processed soy derivatives that are now so pervasive in our food chain. There are people who do believe that soy should never be consumed in any form, but there is little argument to be made that watching out for the latter, more processed soy would go a long way in mitigating the health concerns they raise. So let’s start there.
Traditional soy foods have been consumed for centuries in parts of the world, and can be either fermented (tempeh, miso, soy sauce) or not (tofu, whole soybeans, soy nuts, full-fat soy flour). These products are minimally processed and generally contain soy in its whole form. Cultures with traditionally higher intakes of soy also tend to have lower rates of breast and prostate cancer, heart disease, bone fractures, menopausal symptoms, and age-related brain diseases. (Important: that doesn’t mean soy is definitely the reason for these health benefits.)
However, traditional soy is not the source of most of our soy intake these days, and especially not in societies whose traditional cuisines did not include soy until recently. Rather than eating whole, minimally processed and sometimes fermented soy, we are consuming highly processed soy in the form of isolates, isoflavones, lecithin, concentrates, and so on and so forth. These forms of soy are troublesome for a number of reasons:
1. They are much more likely to come from GMO seeds, which really is another post entirely. Long story short: it has some pretty serious implications, if not for our own health, than at the very least for the health of the planet. Grumble if you will; I stand by that statement.
2. The method of extracting these isolated and processed forms of soy uses hexane, which comes with its own baggage.
3. Soybean oil specifically (and “vegetable oil,” which is almost always made of soy) is rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, which are pro-inflammatory when over-consumed. Spoiler alert: we over-consume them.
4. Individual compounds behave very different when extracted or isolated than they do when packaged naturally with other compounds in the form of a whole food, and not in a good way. Which leads me to the last point…
5. Processed soy is, quite simply, a red flag indication of an overall processed product. The same way that a baked potato is a more nutritious choice than French fries, so too is a serving of seared tofu more nutritious than a soy burger or protein bar. Period.
Lately, I have noticed how preoccupied we have gotten with specific nutrients. We get hyper-focused on one antioxidant, ingredient, or compound, stripping it of context and losing sight of the bigger picture. Instead of looking at our diets and food system as a whole, we slice and dice them into pieces and suddenly, they have lost all sense of meaning.
Take soy protein isolate for example. It has been used for a while in products like meat analogs (fancy talk for those vegetarian burgers, chicken patties, turkey, and the like), but these days, you can find it in just about anything. Why? Research has associated eating whole, traditional soy protein with health benefits, so we have tried to pull the protein out of the soy and place it in the foods we already eat. (We also have a bit of an obsession with protein right now, and soy protein isolate is cheap.) However, jamming some extra isolated soy protein into a low-fiber, sweetened cereal, for example, does not a health food make.
We do this a lot with our diets: instead of eating fish, want to take fish oil pills; instead of eating a diet rich in fiber, we want to mix a sawdust-like powder into our water; instead of eating our vegetables, we want to buy pastas, wraps, and chips that mix corn or white flour with only enough vegetable puree to color them green or red.
The hard truth is that there are no short cuts when it comes to nutrition. It takes time, effort, and persistence. That also means, though, that it’s less complicated than we make it out to be. Forget the package claims and headlines for a second and ask yourself this: does the food you’re eating (and its ingredient list) look like it came from nature or a factory? Make sure the answer is nature more times than not. Everything else is just noise

Categories
Wellbeing

Why Do Some People Need More Sleep Than Others?

Society seems to believe that if you sleep more than eight hours you are lazy. However, there are many of us who simply wouldn’t survive on just eight hours a night. I am one of those. I typically sleep 10 or more hours a night, and I’m usually in bed for about 12 hours or more a night.
I’ve always needed more sleep. Growing up I could sleep late even after going to bed early. Mornings were never my friend, but I wasn’t really a night owl either. If I did stay up really late I would sleep into the afternoon. I’m still that way. I can force myself to wake up with less than 10 hours of sleep but it’s not easy and I don’t perform particularly well when I do so.

Why do some of us need more sleep?

Why do I need so much sleep? I sleep longer for the same reason that some people can be perfectly alert and chipper on just four hours of sleep a night. It’s genetic.
Ying-Hui Fu, PhD, isolated the gene mutation that she believes is responsible for those who can easily get by on just four hours of sleep a night. While they haven’t isolated exactly why some of us need 10 or more hours of sleep, there is a name for it. The term is “long sleepers,” and we make up approximately 2 percent of the population. Although it’s referred to as a disorder, there are no negative side effects, unless we don’t get the 10 to 12 hours of sleep our bodies crave. Who knows, maybe one day they’ll isolate a gene mutation that explains my excessive need to sleep.
Long sleeping has been correlated to the introverted personality type. Introverts are easily tired out by interacting with others; so, it’s possible that we just need more sleep to handle those interactions. The American Sleep Association advises that we not fight our need for sleep as doing so may cause more issues. Rather we should do our best to live with it.

What can we do about it?

There’s not much we can do about our need for more sleep since it is hardwired. however, you do have control over your sleep schedule. By going to bed at the same time each night and having a set wake time each morning you can help your body learn to expect the pattern. Our biological clocks (yes, there are more than one) work on patterns and when we go to bed or get up at different times we are messing with those patterns.
The best thing you can do is have a set bedtime ritual and go to bed at the same time, and use an alarm to wake you up at the same time. Your body learns these patterns and even if you struggle to fall asleep and lay in bed reading for a while it helps your body learn and adjust to the pattern.
Speaking of reading, if you must read in bed get a tablet and set the brightness to low, with white text on a black background. This not only reduces the lighting in your bedroom, it reduces the flicker associated with electronic devices making it easier to fall asleep.
You may also want to try taking melatonin two hours before your set bedtime to help your brain send the proper “it’s time to go to sleep” signals to your body.
If you haven’t always had a need for long sleep, but developed it later in life you should talk to your doctor so that they can check you for other sleep disorders. Long sleep isn’t typically found with other sleep disorders, but the need for excessive sleep developed later in life may be a sign of other problems.
Don’t feel bad about needing more sleep than average. There’s a reason they call it average, our need for long sleep just balances out those folks who can get by on four hours. We simply have to work with what we are given and make the best use of the time when we are awake.

Categories
Lifestyle

Do You Really Need Gluten-Free Beauty Products?

I have a few friends who suffer from celiac disease. They work hard to avoid gluten at all costs. I’ve changed my diet to cut out gluten because of auto-immune issues. One thing I hadn’t worried about was beauty products.

Take a look at your favorite foundation or lipstick. Does it mention anything about wheat or grain? Most beauty products aren’t clearly labeled, but many do contain small trace amounts of gluten. The question my friends worry about most is whether those beauty products are safe or not.

The Debate Rages On

So far, experts haven’t provided a clear yes or no answer on the effect of gluten in beauty products. I’m kind of shocked myself that no definitive proof has been found either way.

Some experts believe the amounts used in lotion, makeup and other beauty products are so minuscule that it doesn’t trigger the gluten allergy. Others claim the only way to experience a negative side effect is if the beauty product is digested.

Other medical professionals believe any gluten in any form is bad. They believe it’s possible to experience skin rashes. If the gluten levels are high enough, the gluten could be absorbed through the skin.

Avoid Digestible Products

I know it might seem disgusting to think of eating your beauty products, but think about it. You lick your lips with lipstick or lip balm on. You might swallow a tiny bit of toothpaste or mouthwash. You may even accidentally digest hand lotion after eating chicken wings.

My friends have converted to gluten free beauty products for all products they might digest. I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t take the risk either.

It’s the one area nearly all medical experts agree on. If you could swallow the product, those trace amounts of gluten could be dangerous. The less sensitive you are to gluten, the less likely you are to have a reaction.

Testing Your Own Reaction

I didn’t think a little bit of wheat in body lotion would be a problem. It wasn’t until my friend developed a rash on her legs that we discovered gluten free beauty products might not be a bad idea.

Before you rush out to buy gluten free everything, I’d also like to say another friend tested the same lotion with no negative side effects. The key is to test the products yourself.

Try any beauty product on a small area of skin for a few days to see how you react to it. If you develop a rash or any other side effects, stop using the product immediately.

I would also recommend testing any eye makeup when you don’t have to go out. Once again, the friend who had the reaction to the lotion had itchy, watery eyes after using mascara with gluten in it. You don’t want side effects popping up in the middle of an important first date or interview.

Diet Matters Most

The best thing to do for celiac disease or a gluten allergy is to change your diet. Even if you have dermatitis herpetiformis, a gluten free diet is still the most effective treatment.

I wish there was a clear answer about gluten free beauty products. For now, doctors believe most reactions to gluten only occur when gluten is digested. Placing small amounts on the skin shouldn’t affect you.

My friend found out certain products didn’t work so well with her. Other friends have no problem.

Even though I don’t have a gluten allergy, I’ve had skin rashes from using certain beauty products containing Vitamin C. This proves that a negative side effect can happen from other ingredients and not just gluten.

What Should You Do

Finding gluten free beauty products isn’t always easy. Eliminate any potential digestible beauty products and replace them with gluten free varieties. You may have to contact the company to find out if the product is truly gluten free. For everything else, test it first.

My friends haven’t gone completely gluten free for beauty and they’re doing fine. I recommend switching only when needed and keep using your favorite beauty products.

Categories
Sweat

Epsom Salt Baths: Old Wives Tale or Recovery Magic?

One of the first real big shocks to a new runner is how sore your legs can be after upping your running distance. Naturally, being the 21st century and all, one of the first things that new runner will want to do is run (pun totally intended) to the internet to either Google or ask running strangers how to cope with the pain.

But asking the internet will give you hundreds of different answers. Every dedicated runner has their preferred recovery trick, whether there is any proven benefit to that trick or not. Compression socks. Foam rolling. Ice baths. And the one I want to talk about today: Epsom Salt baths.

The claim is that by soaking in a bath with Epsom salts, otherwise known as magnesium sulfate, will help prevent and heal muscle soreness, joint pain, and detoxify the body.

But how does it work?

Magnesium is a critically important mineral found in the human body, and is heavily involved in protein synthesis, energy production and detoxification. The unofficial claims are that, as a whole, humans are deficient in magnesium. Therefore, by soaking in a tub full of Epsom salt, the magnesium and sulfate are absorbed through your skin, and magically aide the protein synthesis and detoxification resulting in a much less sore YOU.

Sounds pretty logical, right?

Except that the human body doesn’t exactly work that way. Our skin is relatively waterproof, it’s how we keep all of the good stuff inside of us and the bad stuff out. If our skin wasn’t essentially non-permeable, we’d be constantly struggling to keep out toxins and keep in, well, everything we need in order to survive. Therefore, the idea that a quick soak in a tub can both cause minerals we are supposedly deficient in to soak into our body, all while the bad “toxins” soak out, seems a little far fetched.

In fact, a quick Google search, or even an extensive one for that matter, will turn you up empty handed with reputable, peer reviewed research that says magnesium and sulfate are absorbed across the skin, or that Epsom salt baths actually work as a means of post workout recovery. In other words, science does NOT currently back the claims of Epsom salts when it comes to sore joints and muscles.

So is an Epsom salt bath soak a complete waste of time?

Not exactly.

There is no denying that a nice, hot bath can help relax you, both mentally and physically. This of course, is the complete opposite concept of the post long run ice bath, which I would argue is not relaxing AT ALL…even though it still may help ease post run soreness.

But let’s get back to the hot bath.

Adding essential oils or aromatherapy salts to your bath an help you mentally unwind from the stressors of training, and life in general. Relaxing your mind may help you relax your muscles, which can help soothe stress, aches, and pains associated with hard training. And some research even shows that warm muscles are likely to be less tense than cold muscles.

Plus, there is always the argument of the placebo effect. If you feel better after soaking in a hot tub full of Epsom salt, then it most likely isn’t going to hurt you.

So in conclusion, I’m sorry to break it to all of you devout Epsom salts fans, but it appears at this time that the use of Epsom salts for healing sore muscles is likely an old wives tale. That said, you ran hard, you’re training hard, so if you want to relax by taking a nice arm bath, then do it. You’ve earned it!

Categories
Nosh

How The Paleo Diet Can Benefit Women of All Ages

When asked about the paleo diet, most people depict scenes of cavemen running through the open plain, feasting on nuts and berries they forage for on their way to hunting down and slaying game animals. As popular as the paleo diet has become with modern day homo sapien men, it’s quickly gaining momentum with women as well. Even though women tend to migrate toward community-oriented programs like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, paleo should be one of their first choices.
Here are 10 reasons why:

1. Paleo eliminates soy and soy products.

Soy is a phytoestrogen, which means that it mimics estrogen in the body. Not a good thing for women. In high doses, soy can cause weight gain, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), headaches, and mood disorders and has been linked to cancer.

2. Paleo balances the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega 6 are the fats found in vegetable oil, corn soil, soybean oil, and all other seed oils. Although you need them for proper health and for your body to function well, if you eat too much of them, they become bad for you. If you don’t eat the proper balance of omega-6 to omega-3 ratio it can cause inflammation and serious maladies like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, and depression.

3. Paleo relies on hormone-free meat and dairy.

Readily absorbed from the small intestine into the blood, growth hormone has been shown to increase the risk of breast and colon cancers and can block natural defense mechanisms against early microscopic cancers. In other words, you can’t fight the little cancers as well, and they can turn into big problems (or bigger cancers).

4. Paleo encourages eating berries and veggies.

Eating lots of fresh produce will give you a huge boost in antioxidants and will help you fight diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
Check out this recipe for paleo fruit pizza!

5. Paleo discourages grains that can cause leaky gut.

Grains play a role in causing leaky gut syndrome, which has been shown to possibly give rise to autoimmune diseases found in women like rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s. Grains also pull important minerals like calcium and magnesium from your body, which can contribute to the development of osteoporosis.
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6. Paleo encourages lean meats.

Lean, grass-fed meats not only are lower in fat but also have a better ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fats than grain-fed meats (see No. 2). Studies show that women with diets high in saturated (animal) fat have higher rates of diabetes, cancer and ovarian disorders.

7. Paleo eliminates sugar.

Sugar is highly addictive and can contribute to the onset of type 2 diabetes and weight gain. Weight gain causes fat cells to produce estrogen and too much estrogen is pretty bad for women (see No. 1). Also, excessive sugar has been linked to reduced fertility and acne (yep, can you believe it?), and it can kill your sex drive.

8. Paleo discourages eating processed foods.

Processed foods are filled with high fructose corn syrup, salt, fat and artificial dyes and chemicals and can wreak havoc on a woman’s body in so many ways including contributing to the incidence of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, bloating and other gastrointestinal problems.

9. Paleo encourages a rotational-based diet.

A rotational diet is one where you rotate the types of foods that you eat, often eating meals that you would normally not eat. Eating a whole variety of foods ensures that you get a bunch of different vitamins, minerals and micronutrients, making you the healthiest you possible.

10. Paleo eliminates sugar substitutes.

Products like saccharin, sucralose and aspartame are used to help you to control your sugar intake and blood sugar levels, but they end up doing more harm than good. Studies have found that women who consume two or more servings per day have an increased chance of developing high blood pressure, headaches, PMS-related symptoms, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, because these products cause foods to be abnormally “super sweet,” people who consume them regularly get used to a more intense flavor and tend to gain weight from over salting or over sweetening, (and even over eating) other foods.

Categories
Wellbeing

A Healthy Woman's Guide to Finding Mr. Right

If you’re a woman who has been dating for a while you might be feeling discouraged about the prospects out there. You may even be struggling with self-trust and your own ability to have good judgment. Maybe your wondering if you’re “too picky” or losing hope that there are any “good ones” still out there. It only takes a few false starts or bad dates to wonder whether you’re doing something wrong as you search for your Mr. Right.

From the time we’re little girls we’re taught to be pretty, pleasant and pleasing. We have also been culturally convinced that we be more accommodating of our own needs, and within the context of relationships we learn that we shouldn’t be too demanding or place our expectations too high. We’re so hyper-focused on approval and acceptance that we sometimes forget that we have the ability to make empowered and conscious choices about the men we let into our lives.

Searching for your right partner requires a blend of your gut instinct and your higher consciousness. This becomes easier the more you know yourself and what you need to thrive as a woman in the world, but there are actually some universal qualities in men that you can keep your eyes peeled for when you’re out there dating. Learning to read between the lines while keeping your wits about you when meeting men will reduce your chances of heartbreak and making a bad choice of partner.

To make things a bit easier I have broken down some of the things you want to watch out for by categorizing them into Red Flags and White Flags. When you experience a Red Flag you’ll want to abort the mission because they suggest qualities that may be very problematic down the road regardless of compatibility. A White Flag is more negotiable and includes issues that are either negotiable or changeable depending on the person. With these you’ll want take note, but you don’t necessarily need to run for the hills.

Here are some examples:

He says he had a “perfect” childhood. – Red

No one has a perfect childhood so this implies a sense of denial and an inability to see his life through a bigger perspective. He probably needs things to be perfect, and has a low tolerance for challenging or difficult feelings. People who refer to their past in this way almost always have a need to protect themselves from the bad which means he will not welcome your negative feelings. This is a big issue and he would need a lot of help to address this conditioning.

He doesn’t talk about his past relationship or marriage – White

You might be someone who needs full disclosure, but it’s actually healthy to not inundate a new relationship with old baggage. This is probably more a sign of resolution with his past than avoidance. If there are skeletons in the closet you’ll uncover those soon enough, but not vomiting his past and sharing all of the details are signs of good boundaries and the ability to find closure.

He’s really “good friends” with his Ex(s) – Red

Many men brag about this like it’s some badge of honor. This is a big red flag because it only means that his Ex(s) will be around and in his life. While he may think this shows that he ends things well, it actually implies that he hasn’t ended it at all. Ex’s only have a place in one’s life if there is co-parenting involved or some other shared logistic that requires contact. Being amicable and remaining friends are not the same thing.

He waits a couple days to follow up after the date – White

While this may be upsetting or generate a feeling of anxiety most men are encouraged to wait a bit before making contact after a first date. Immediate contact is also a white flag because many men don’t play games when they meet someone they like. If the pattern of delayed response continues beyond the first few encounters you are probably bordering on a red flag situation, but playing a little hard to get isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

His last girlfriend was “crazy” – Red

Any man that refers to a woman as “crazy” has a high probability of being sexist, and won’t understand the feminine. This is a guy who will find you irrational, tell you to calm down when you’re upset and will not be empathic with your moods. Don’t think that you won’t be considered to be “crazy” too at some point so remain aware of any derogatory language that implies a lack of respect for the female gender.

He’s never been married – White

If you’re dating older men you might find that the one’s who have never been married are not dateable. While this could be something to take note of, sometimes men (like women) spend a large part of their time focusing on career, travel and other personal opportunities more than marriage. Later marriages are becoming more and more common so this doesn’t always mean he’s commitment phobic.

Remember that no matter how long you’ve been searching for the right partner you should never settle or compromise your values or needs. Be mindful of rationalizing negative qualities to make something work because your honesty with yourself in the beginning will protect you from heartbreak in the end.

Categories
Sweat

Can You Rely On Your Wristband Heart Rate Monitor?

2015 is the year of fitness wearables. Seriously, I literally have gibr activity trackers myself. But, activity trackers no longer are just tracking steps and sleep. The latest wearables are monitoring your heart rate too, but how accurate are they?
Heart rate monitors have been around for a long time. Industry leaders, like Polar and Garmin, have become just as important to runners as a good pair of running shoes. However, more and more people are wanting the same valuable information too – whether they are an avid runner or not.
Since heart rate monitors have always required the user wear a matching chest strap to pick up the heart rate, it’s no wonder these new wristband heart rate monitors have gained so much popularity. No more sweaty, stinky chest straps. The question is, “How accurate are these new wristband heart rate monitors?”
Since this was a question I was getting a lot at the gym, I decided to do my own research so I could give an intelligent answer.

How It Works

My first mission was to figure out how in the world these things worked. What I discovered is most of them use what they call an optical heart-rate monitor, which uses light to measure the pulse. Since blood absorbs more light, the fluctuations in light levels can be translated into a heart rate.
Chest strap monitors use a totally different method though. Instead of using light to measure blood flow, it measures the heart’s electrical activity similar to an EKG (electrocardiogram). An electrical signal is transmitted through the heart as it beats, which can be detected through the skin. The chest strap is the transmitter, which picks up the signal and sends the information to your receiving device.
So, after I fully understood how both of these heart rate monitors worked, it was time to compare the two. I found many unbiased studies and tests on various wristband wearables against the traditional chest strap devices like the Polar H7. Many of them also used an EKG to set an accurate baseline.
Each tester checked their heart rate during all stages of activity. Multiple devices were tested at rest as well as during intense activity. Testers also used varied placements and wristband pressure to check inconsistencies. Since a wristband wearable relies on light, testers discovered placement was key to accuracy.
Wristband wearable’s must be carefully placed and secured to the skin with no space between the back of the watch and your wrist. This means the band must be pretty tight. One of the testers actually said the watch left an indention in her skin after testing the device with the correct placement. However, when the watch is secure, most of the wristband devices were within 10-15% of the accurate reading. In every study I found, the chest strap was nearly dead on in comparison to the EKG.

Pros and Cons

The most obvious pro to wristband wearable’s is the pure convenience. The monitor is already built in the back of the watch so you no longer have go to the locker room to clip on your chest strap. The con, however, is there a many variables to getting an accurate reading. This means there is a lot more room for error. And, some devices proved to not be very accurate even if it the device was secure.
Another interesting variable I found was skin perfusion. The Apple Watch, for instance, explains that skin perfusion (how much blood flows through your skin) varies from person to person and can be affected by the environment. I could really see this being an issue for people who run in cold climates. If you exercise in the cold, your skin perfusion in the wrist may be too low for the heart rate monitor to get a reading.
Some devices, like Apple watch, also admit that irregular motion can also decrease accuracy. Another words, you may get an accurate reading while jogging, but you may not get as accurate of a reading while taking a kickboxing class or playing a sport.
Lastly, another factor, which may prevent accuracy, are tattoos. Depending on ink, color and saturation, some tattoos may block the sensor’s light resulting in an unreliable reading.
Besides the different variables which can affect accuracy, you should also know you still have to open the appropriate app, or press the appropriate buttons, to choose your activity and start your training session the same way you would a traditional heart rate monitor watch with the chest strap. It’s not a huge deal, but a step you still need to take either way.

Fit or Flop

When it comes to choosing the right heart rate monitor, the question you have to ask yourself is “What is more important? Accuracy or convenience?” If you don’t mind sacrificing 10-15% accuracy, a wristband wearable may be perfect for you. However, if you need to have accurate numbers to stay in your desired training zone and accurately track calories burned, the chest strap is the more reliable device.
If you have been one of the millions who have been drooling over the Apple watch, but you don’t want to sacrifice accuracy, don’t fret. I have good news for you too. You can still use a chest strap with the Apple watch and enjoy all the other Apple features as well. While it may cost more than twice as much as the Polar M400, Polar’s new smartwatch (which I have and love by the way!), you can have the best of both worlds.
Are wristband wearable’s a Fit or Flop? I’m ready to give you my final answer. Wristband wearables can be a total fit for the right person, but they aren’t for everyone. If you decide you want to go the wristband route, I just highly recommend you do thorough research when shopping. as I quickly found not all wristband wearable are created equal. Finally, I would also recommend checking your device against a chest strap to make sure your wearable is giving you the most accurate information possible.

Categories
Lifestyle

"Paper or Plastic?" is No Longer The Question in Hawaii Grocery Stores

In a historic move, Hawaii became the first state in the nation to ban plastic bags at grocery stores. 

The green initiative was passed in 2012, and the measure went into effect on July 1. The goal of the law is to reduce marine litter around the islands. 

Interestingly, the ban was instituted by Hawaii’s four counties, rather than at the state level. Honolulu County, located on the island of Oahu, became the final region in the state to take action. Now, stores on the islands are prohibited from handing out plastic bags at checkout. 

Well, almost. 

Unfortunately, there’s a glaring loophole in the ban that allows stores to hand out “reusable” plastic bags. Some retailers, including Wal-Mart, are distributing thicker plastic bags marked as “reusable.” Many environmental advocates are dismayed by what they perceive as an oversight in crafting the law.  

“That’s more plastic that they have to use to make the bag which is more of a finite resource. It’s oil. Plastic is made out of oil. They also pose just as much of a risk to our marine creatures,” Kahi Pacarro, executive director of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, told Hawaii News Now. 

There are other exceptions, as well. Restaurants will still be allowed to use plastic bags to transport delivery and carryout orders. Pharmacies and dry cleaners can continue to use plastic bags, too. 

The ban is still an incredible step in the right direction. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans threw away 3.4 million tons worth of plastic bags and wrapping in 2012. It’s that sort of waste that has resulted in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a concentration of debris twice the size of the continental United States located between California and Hawaii.  

“At this point, now we got something in. So now we’ve worked together, proven that we can do it together. Now let’s take the next step and close these loopholes,” Pacarro told Hawaii News Now. 

Small changes can lead to something bigger, though. If more states start to follow Hawaii’s example, real reductions in plastic waste could be possible. 

Categories
Nosh

Going Down The Paleo Path

If you’ve been wondering what the paleo diet is all about; if you’ve been following the paleo diet for any length of time; or if you’re looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle through diet: this article is for you.

First a Little Background

The paleo (“paleolithic” or caveman) diet posits that our ancestors evolved over millions of years to eat whole, unprocessed foods that they either foraged or hunted. Farming, whether it be plants or animals, is a relatively new practice, and paleo enthusiasts argue that our bodies have not had time to adapt to these “new” foods, particularly when consumed as frequently as they are today.
Paleo diets encourage fruits, vegetables, wild-caught fish and seafood, and pasture-raised or wild animal proteins. Nuts, seeds, chocolate, wine and spirits, and raw honey may be consumed in moderation. Dairy, grains, legumes (including peanuts), added sugar, and all stereotypically “processed” foods are out.
It’s really no wonder paleo has gone as mainstream as it has over the past year: It offers a new outlet for anyone who loved the Atkins carbohydrates-are-evil approach 20 years ago; and it conveniently fits into the recent boom in gluten-free dieters by rejecting gluten-containing grains. It in no way sought to capitalize on these popular diets (and in fact has been around for many decades), but they surely aided its momentum.
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So it’s popular, but is it healthy?

THE PROS

Avoiding processed foods is by far the greatest component of the paleo diet. Suddenly, we’ve eliminated cakes, candy, ice cream, chips, fast food, and basically every other trigger food in the Western diet. If you followed no other tenet of the paleo diet but this one, you would be healthier. Period.
More homemade meals is a happy byproduct. If you can’t rely on those quick convenience foods mentioned above, you’re going to wind up making more food yourself. Restaurants also become iffy, since the animal proteins they serve are not often pasture-raised and the fish not often wild-caught. Out of necessity, you will be cooking and prepping food more which is associated with improved health whether using paleo-friendly recipes or not.
(As an aside, the more popular paleo gets, the more companies and restaurants will offer convenient paleo-friendly items, which will make this particular benefit less of a give-in.)
Dairy, grains, and legumes do bother some people. These individuals may feel better when they do not consume these foods or, at the very least, when they consume them less. If you think you may react poorly to one or more of these foods, a registered dietitian can help you pinpoint them and suggest nutritious alternatives.

THE CONS

There are many experts debunking the accuracy of the paleo diet, but that doesn’t really concern me. Whether today’s paleo diet is The Real Deal doesn’t matter as much as carefully considering the risks and weighing them against the potential benefits.
Most people can’t sustain extreme diets that label certain foods as “good” and others as “bad.” The “bad” forbidden fruit become infinitely more appetizing, until you fall off the wagon into a gluttonous, guilt-ridden binge of potato chips and Ben & Jerry’s. I’ve seen it happen with paleo. It’s not pretty.
Restrictive diets risk nutrient deficiencies. Cutting out dairy removes our largest source of calcium, while beans and whole grains offer fiber, potassium, and B-vitamins, among other nutrients. It is absolutely possible to get these nutrients elsewhere, but it takes a bit more effort and a substantial amount of nutritional knowledge.
Loose interpretations may miss the point. It’s true that the heart of a paleo diet is vegetable-rich, but the average individual only hears, “you can eat meat but not grains.” Thinking of paleo as an excuse to eat more meat and go low-carb is not a recipe for improved health. Another risky interpretation is going overboard on the paleo-friendly versions of non–paleo-friendly recipes, especially dessert.

The bottom line: Fit or flop?

FLOP, but not because going paleo doesn’t have its merits.
There are a lot of awesome components of the paleo diet: namely, eating more vegetables; eschewing highly processed, chemical-laden convenience foods; and swapping factory-farmed meat out for wild game and pasture-raised options. However, I think we lose something when we vilify entire food groups and slap a label on ourselves, which only winds up feeling claustrophobic and divisive.
Instead of “following the paleo diet,” can’t we just agree to eat more real food? Paleo, raw, vegan: they’re just splitting hairs and distracting us from the real issue: our society is completely disconnected from our food, and that’s a problem.
Eat lots of vegetables. Cook more from scratch. Involve the whole family. Savor your food. Let’s stop harping on our differences, gather around the table together, and talk about all that we agree on for a change.