StrongWomen Newsletter
Issue 123, December 2008
I hope you find this newsletter helpful, and that you share it with your friends. Feel free to forward, post or reprint it – but please credit strongwomen.com for the information and don’t change the content.
By Miriam E. Nelson, PhD
Author of
Strong Women Stay Young
Strong Women Stay Slim
Strong Women, Strong Bones
Strong Women Eat Well
Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis
The Strong Women’s Journal
Strong Women, Strong Hearts
Strong Women, Strong Backs
Founder of www.StrongWomen.com
IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE
- I Am So Thankful
- Upcoming StrongWomen Workshops
- Reader Questions and Answers
- What about whole body vibration training?
- What type of pelvic floor exercises do you recommend?
- Success Stories
- Recipe - Mim's Meltaways
I AM SO THANKFUL
A few weeks ago, I was in New Hampshire with my husband Kin, and a bunch of other family and friends. Recently, we've taken over the care of the house that my husband grew up in since his parents have passed away. The house is 150 years old and part of the family's organic farm that Tom, my brother-in-law, manages with his wife Ruth. It was a weekend of hard work and a lot of fun. We split and stacked three cords of wood for heating the house this winter, cleaned a workshop and did a number of repairs on the house. And we were able to get in a few walks during the afternoons to enjoy the surrounding beauty.
The most memorable part of the weekend was Saturday night when the twelve of us sat down for dinner after a hard day of physical work. Every part of the meal came from the farm. The pork chops, the kale salad, potatoes, squash, and apple crisp―all were grown on the farm. I marveled at the remarkable nature of this occasion. It is such a rarity these days for people to be nourished by a meal that was completely grown within one square mile of the dinner table! It was a meal enjoyed and appreciated by all.
I realize that most people don't have the opportunity to participate in manual labor (by choice) and to enjoy a meal grown so close to home. We each have to figure out how to lead the healthiest life possible. I try my hardest to walk whenever I can for commuting and socializing. And whenever possible I buy locally grown food, whether at the grocery store or a local farmer's market. I encourage everyone to seek out opportunities to be more active and to eat more healthfully.
I am blessed and thankful for the immediate and extended family that surrounds me. I wish all of you good health and happiness too during this holiday season.
Lifting women to better health,
Miriam E. Nelson, Ph.D.
UPCOMING STRONGWOMEN WORKSHOPS
Several upcoming StrongWomen Program workshops are scheduled for the next few months. In order to be eligible for StrongWomen training, you must be actively strength training right now, and you must have a firm commitment to starting a program in your community. This training teaches you how to "lead" a StrongWomen Program, and should not be attended simply for informational/personal purposes.
Date: December 17, 2008
Location: Lebanon, PA
Contact: Nancy Wiker
Phone: (717) 394-6851
Email: nwiker@psu.edu
Registration Deadline: December 1, 2008
Date: February 4, 2009
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Contact: Shirley Perryman
Phone: (970) 491-2404
Email: shirley.perryman@colostate.edu
Registration Deadline: January 9, 2009
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: I am very interested in studies conducted using whole body vibrators on humans to increase bone density. What information do you have about this?
A: Whole body vibration training (WBV) is a new technology that shows therapeutic potential for being a viable option to increase bone density and/or inhibit bone loss in older women. WBV has been tested in older women and in people who have difficultly walking due to birth defects. The preliminary results are promising, but I don't feel it is ready for general use (despite the advertising claims). And it is important to realize no fitness benefits will be accrued by using WBV. While much more research is needed before we will find this technology used at home or in the doctor's office, you should stay tuned to the progress of WBV. I believe new technologies like this are only a few years away from being used to treat osteoporosis.
Q: I am post-menopausal and need to strengthen my pelvic floor muscles. Would any of the exercises in your Strong Women Stay Young book need to be added or replaced by others to strengthen the pelvic floor?
A: I would encourage you to consider adding Kegel exercises to your current weight training regimen. Kegel exercises are the best way to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Here is a link to the Mayo Clinic website that describes how to do Kegel exercises: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kegel-exercises/WO00119
FROM THE MAILBOX: SUCCESS STORIES FROM INSPIRING WOMEN
I have been working out with weights now for about three years, having been inspired by reading Strong Women Stay Young. I feel stronger than I have in years. I have also been doing a fair amount of aerobic activity. This has allowed me to practice agility training with my dog Tug. The two of us competed in our first dog agility trial last summer. While we didn't win, we sure had fun. And at 80 years old (for me) I was the oldest competitor at the event!
-- Sally
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
|
