Category: Blog

Swimming is a life-long activity that the very young and the very old can enjoy. It builds confidence and is an excellent form of low-impact exercise. Below, our Downtown Y aquatics director Jeanne Moss gives us her “David Letterman” Top 10 List of reasons to learn to swim.

1.  Swimming is a low impact sport that anyone with any disability can do.  Swimming offers a variety of workouts from swimming lengths, taking a water fitness class, playing water basketball or volleyball etc.

2. Swimming increase flexibility. Cross training for your body.  Adding a swimming workout to your workout routine will allow you to do better in your other work outs.

3. Swimming is a lifetime sport that is easy on your joints and burns about 500 calories per hour. It is a total body workout that improves Coordination and Posture. Swimming is considered to be the ultimate aerobic activity. Swimming builds whole body strength.

4. Helps with chronic Diseases, Post surgery recovery and can help you to continue your physical Therapy after you have completed your appointments with the PT. Swimming can help decrease pain from osteoarthritis.  Some doctors recommend to their patients that they get into the water after joint replacement

5. Family oriented. The entire family can be in the pool together for fun and fitness.  What is more fun that spending a hot day in the water with your family at the beach or a pool.  It also a great way for the family to get out and get active doing the winter months.

6. Swimming is a survival skill. If you find yourself in water by accident and you know how to swim you will be able to help yourself.

7. Swimming engages your Mind. Swimming can help clear your mind or develop innovative ideas.

8. Swimming help children do better in school. Swim lessons translate almost seamlessly into the type of learning children do in school.

9. Learning to swim helps prevents drowning by teaching people to be safe around the water and how to swim back to safety or stay afloat until help comes. Swimming lessons also teaches children the importance of asking a parent or a grown up before going near any water.  Also it teaches  parents that they  need to pay attention to their children when they are in and around water.

10. It is fun and it is a lifetime skill. You never forget how to swim.  It is refreshing.  You can enjoy a day at the beach or water park.

Getting outside to enjoy the beautiful weather is undoubtedly one of the top ways Erieites like to spend the summer. This time of year, protecting your skin is more important than ever—when harmful UV rays, pesky bugs and dehydrating temps are common.  Read on for a quick guide to keeping your skin healthy all summer …

Protect against sun damage

The American Academy of Dermatology notes that one in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime. Block harmful UV rays (even on cloudy days) by:

• Wearing sunscreen—choose from sprays, lotions, sticks and more. Look for those that are water resistant, have at least SPF of 15, and offer broad-spectrum protection. Many beauty products and lip balms also include SPF, which are great for daily use.
• Wear protective clothing and accessories. Keep your eyes shielded with sunglasses (prolonged sun exposure can contribute to cataracts), and wear a hat to keep your scalp, ears, and face protected.

Nourish skin with healthy foods

Taking care of your skin isn’t just about what you put on it. There are several foods that can help you protect and preserve your skin. The BBC suggests the following foods to help you maintain healthy skin: Antioxidants and help slow and prevent free radicals, which cause signs of aging. Try in-season antioxidant-rich berries, beets and spinach.

• Selenium is found in Brazil nuts, shrimp and tomatoes, and may help prevent skin cancer.
• Fruits and veggies like carrots, kale and papaya contain antioxidants, which help with a healthy skin tone.
• Vitamin C-rich bell peppers, kiwis, strawberries and broccoli can help with collagen and elastin production.
• Almonds, avocado and sunflower oil are packed with vitamin E, which helps support healthy skin growth.

Ward off bugs

Aside from bites that can irritate skin, bugs can carry diseases. Keep pests away by using repellent products like these sprays, wipes and bands from the Huffington Post. If you’re not into wearing bug repellent, you can:

• Keep skin covered with clothes
• Use citronella candles or other bug-repellant oils in your outdoor spaces
• Avoid the outdoors in the early morning and at dusk when bugs are the worst
• Don’t use scented lotions that can attract bugs

Keep skin moisturized

Moisturize skin after bathing and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. An article from the Department of Dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York cites that moisturizers can help serve as a barrier to water loss, and improve the skin’s function as a barrier to protect underlying tissues.

Volunteering is a great way to make a difference in your community- and your personal well-being.  In addition to the satisfaction from giving to others, and the social connections you can make through volunteering, studies show that it also has a positive impact on your mental and physical health.

A 2007 research report form the Corporation for National and Community Service links volunteering and health – those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life.

A 2013 research paper published in BMC Public Health found that volunteering is associated with a 22 percent reduction in the risk of dying and increased well-being.

n 2013, Psychology and Aging published a study citing that volunteers over the age of 50 were less likely to develop high blood pressure than non-volunteers of the same age.

If you’d like to add volunteering to your healthy lifestyle, here are four easy steps to get started:

1. Determine a cause that is important to you. What do you care about? Who would you like to help? How can your talents benefit others? Here are just a few idea starters:
   • Coaching sports
   • Initiating or participating in community projects like cleanups and gardens
   • Making, delivering, and serving food
   • Mentoring, teaching, and tutoring
2. Figure out the amount of time you’re willing and able to donate, and how far you can travel—overextending yourself in your volunteer plans will only add to your stress, rather than decrease it! There are volunteer gigs to fit every schedule, and some of them don’t even require you to leave your home.
3. Find an organization that aligns with your priorities. Try using a free matching tool like Get Connected Erie. Or if you know what you want to do, contact the organization directly to find out what volunteer opportunities are available.
4. Invite your family and friends to join you. Many organizations (like the Y!) offer volunteer opportunities for the whole family to make an impact in their community.

In the last blog post, we learned several ways to celebrate American Heart Month. Today it’s time to continue our healthy heart education by looking at the risk factors of heart disease and more preventative measures that we can take this month.

There are several different risk factors for heart disease. Some we have no control over like age, gender, race of family medical history. If we focus on the factors that we can take responsibility for, however, there is a lot we can do to reduce our risk for heart disease and improve our overall health. Here are a few examples:

• High blood pressure – If you followed the advice in the last blog post, then hopefully you know whether or not you have high blood pressure. Some things you can do reduce your blood pressure include working out, quitting smoking, reducing your stress, and starting a healthy, low-sodium diet. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommend following the DASH diet which encourages food with less saturated fats and more whole grains, lean meats and veggies.
• High cholesterol – There are some medications, like statins and blood thinners, used to treat hypertension or secondarily treat high cholesterol, but these medications sometimes come with their own adverse side effects. Before you get to a point where medications and their side effects are necessary, consider simple lifestyle changes. Again, exercise and diet can do wonders for hypertension. Harvard Medical School published a list of 11 common, healthy foods that can lower your LDL.
• Diabetes – Did you know that someone with diabetes is two to four times more likely to develop heart disease than those without? By frequently monitoring your blood glucose levels, taking insulin regularly, exercising, and using the glycemic index to meal plan, you can better control your diabetes symptoms and reduce your risk for heart disease.
• Obesity – Our list ends with obesity because obesity actually influences the other three symptoms. Most often, people who are obese often suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, prediabetes or diabetes, putting them at a greater risk for heart disease. If you are overweight or obese, take this month to refocus on your weight loss or health resolutions from January. Commit to a healthy eating plan and check out some of the fitness programs your local YMCA has to offer. Your heart along with the rest of your body will thank you!

Editor’s Note: The above post was contributed by Caitlin Hoff, a health and safety investigator. Caitlin aims to educate consumers to make smart decisions affecting their personal health and that of their families. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February is American Heart Month, which is the perfect time to learn about heart disease and how you can prevent it.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women – one out of every four deaths in the United States.

Now’s the perfect time to take charge of your health -and fortunately, there’s lots you can do to help your heart.

Eat red fruits and veggies

• Cranberries are thought to increase HDL or your “good” cholesterol and decrease LDL, also known as “bad” cholesterol. Plus, they help to prevent plaque from forming on your teeth.
• Tomatoes get their red color from lycopene, an antioxidant that can help prevent heart disease and some cancers. The potassium in tomatoes also helps to lower blood pressure.
• Pomegranates are thought to help slow the buildup of cholesterol in your arteries—and they contain loads of antioxidants, which help protect your heart.
• Red bell peppers are packed with capsaicin, flavonoids and vitamin C. These nutrients can help to prevent blood clots, reduce cholesterol and lower your risk for heart attacks and strokes.
• Red cabbage protects against heart disease with anthocyanins (which give cabbage it’s red color) as well the antioxidant vitamin C.

Go for a rosy glow

Get your blood pumping with a cardio class at your local YMCA. Whether you like to dance, kick, cycle, or step find something that keeps you moving.

Check your red

Stop in at your local pharmacy to check your blood pressure.

Be well re(a)d

Keep up the good work all year long by staying informed on the best ways to keep your ticker healthy. The American Heart Association’s CEO regularly blogs about heart health at the Huffington Post. Or, see the eight tips the Mayo Clinic recommends for a heart-healthy diet.

Editor’s Note: The YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities contributed to this blog post.

A good pal can boost your exercise success

Everything’s more fun with friends—and that definitely includes exercising. Not only is it more enjoyable, but there’s proof a workout partner can make your exercise more effective. One study found that an exercise buddy can boost cardio results. Another found that women could lose a third more weight by exercising with a friend than by themselves. And when you pair up with a friend you think is better at working out than you, you can increase your “workout time and intensity” by 200%.

Go for a total win-win

A little friendly competition can certainly encourage you to push harder. But you don’t need loads of research to know that working out with a friend is basically a two-for-one deal. You get some quality hangout time while also staying on top of your health goals.

Save the date

To maximize your fun and fitness, set a regular day and time for your “workout dates.” This helps you plan ahead and gives you built-in accountability and encouragement to make sure you stick to your goals. It’s harder to skip a workout when you know someone else is depending on you to show up!

Pick the perfect activity

You can stick to a workout you know, or try something entirely new to both of you. There are so many options to choose from:

• Take a class at your local YMCA. There are plenty of great choices, from dance, yoga, and Pilates to Kettlebells, kickboxing, spinning, and more.
• Play some one-on-one. Enjoy activities that require a partner, like basketball, racquetball, or volleyball.
• Walk and talk. Whether it’s a spin around the neighborhood or the walking track, catching up on life, or your favorite TV show, really makes those laps fly by.
• Be the coach. A partner can help spot you during weightlifting or count your reps so you can focus on your form.

Whatever activities you choose, your workout pal may be one of the most important factors in successfully reaching your exercise goals. Even more, a good friend can make working out a more important and enjoyable part of your life.