GR8TR Today Magazine

Living a GR8TR Life Every Day

Health & Fitness

Winter Health Foods and Drinks You Must Have

The cold weather has taken its time lately, but it seems that is finally here to stay. Flu epidemics affect the United States every year, and every year local health agencies encourage people to not only wash their hands regularly but to eat a healthy balanced diet to help us deal with these epidemics.  There are many healthy foods and drinks that can help us stay healthy and fight the dreaded flu, and some of these foods and drinks are even enjoyable for many of us.

These are the top 5 healthy foods to incorporate into your diet:

Teas

With the cold weather comes the craving of warm beverages that can make your day a bit more pleasant and enjoyable.  But before you go out and get yourself a warm drink at your local coffee shop, think of the calorie intake and inches you will acquire after you have finished the drink.  A Mocha Frappuccino at your local Starbucks contains 500 calories, 140 mg of caffeine and 79 g of sugar in one 20 0z drink. Not something you should do regularly, and especially not a drink you want to jump-start your day.

But, there have been many studies that look into the health benefits of tea, and while some of those studies are speculative, there is strong evidence to suggest that tea does have the ability to reduced the risk of coronary heart disease in people.

Black, green, white and Oolong teas are at the top of the list for the super healthy drinks for us. These teas contain disease-fighting antioxidants that can help you reduce the risk of heart diseases. A black tea-Earl Grey – contains only 30-60 mg of caffeine, green teas — 25-50 mg, and herbal teas-0 mg. If you drink teas without sugar, the calorie intake is minimal.

Dark Chocolate

Another enjoyable food or treat for us is dark chocolate. We are not talking about the white and milky chocolate variety, but the dark chocolate. That is the one that is found to have some of the same antioxidants found in tea, red wine, fruits, and vegetables. The health benefits are better blood flow in older adults and could help you reduce high blood pressure levels as well.

Avocados

Avocados are another healthy food that is great to eat and brings you many health benefits.  Yes, they are fatty and have about 3.1 g of saturated fat and 230 calories, but the health benefits associated with this fruit are too many to ignore, and the fats they contain are healthy fats that help you lower your “bad” cholesterol.

Cold Water Fish

Fish is one of those foods that you know from an early age is good for you.  You may not like fish, but the health benefits associated with cold water fish can range from reducing the risk of blood clots and heart attacks to lowering your cholesterol. The best cold water fish you can have are salmon, trout, herring, tuna, sardines, and mackerel. They contained an abundance of omega-3 acids that can help you fight many diseases. So, even if you don’t particularly like fish, you should try to incorporate them slowly into your diet.

Beans

There are many varieties and dishes you can have with beans. Here is an excellent black bean recipe.  And like fish, there are many people that do not like beans or don’t know how to cook them.  Beans are an excellent source of fiber, can help you with your digestion, lower your cholesterol levels, plus helps you reduce the risk of heart attacks. Incorporating these foods slowly into your diet can help you live a long and full life.

Clear Braces

Not every person qualifies for clear alignments treatment. If you are wondering whether this treatment method is the right one for your child or teenager, you need to keep in mind there are steps you MUST follow first in order to see if this is the right treatment for you or your child. Keep in mind, clear alignments are a treatment for teens or adults with issues that are not serious and can be fixed without seeing an orthodontist. It is not for everyone.

Who can get Clear Alignments Treatment?

  1. Teens and
  2. Adults

What kind of problems do you have with your smile (Teeth)?

There are different issues people have when dealing with their teeth and consequently their smiles. The main problems there are, and that are fixable with Clear Alignments Treatment are these:

  1. Crooked Teeth
  2. Gaps in their teeth
  3. Overbite and Underbite teeth
  4. Overcrowded teeth
  5. Overlapping teeth
  6. Open bite teeth
  7. Mostly straight teeth

An example of overlapping teeth is when the two front teeth called central incisors are one on top of the other. Also, the bottom teeth can be overcrowded making them look as if they are overlapping when in fact they just need space to fit. Regardless of your problems, if you follow the directions from the company you are ordering, and take the steps needed to see if you qualify for this kind of treatment, you can fix your problem over the mail.

What are the benefits of ordering Clear Alignments Treatment over the mail?

The biggest benefit when ordering “braces” over the mail is the price. The price difference between metal braces and aligners is substantial. Invisalign, the best-known company providing this option charges differently depending on the problems you have. SmilesDirect, another company offering this service states that they are cheaper than Invisalign by $4,000 dollars. The thing to keep in mind is that not everyone is a possible candidate for these treatments. Your problems need to be relatively minor for you to get aligners. Therefore, the price should be much less than going to the orthodontist and getting metal braces for you or your teen.

How do I Get Started?

  1. First, you need to go to the company you want to purchase the aligners from and answer a few questions.
  2. The company’s online form asks you what kind of smile you have. That means what are the problems with your teeth. Are they overcrowded? Do you have an overbite or underbite? Do you have a gap? etc.
  3. The fill-out form asks for your personal information. Name, address, phone number, etc.
  4. The company you choose will send you a kit for you to return to them. It is a kit to have a mold of your teeth, and then they will inform you whether you are a candidate or not.
  5. Fifth, they will send you clear aligners and instructions on how to properly use them to make a difference in your smile. If they don’t fit, or they are uncomfortable wearing them, call the company to resolve the problem.

What Are The Benefits of Clear Aligners?

They do work, and the price is much less than metal braces. I personally found the process of getting clear aligners easy to follow. The price was right, and although at the beginning I was a bit hesitant about the true benefits of having clear aligners versus metal braces, I am happy I chose clear aligners.

What Are The Disadvantages of Having Clear Aligners?

Personally, the only disadvantage of having clear aligners is the fact you have a clear, plastic retainer at the end of your treatment. You do not have metal retainers, and you have to replace the plastic retainer every six months according to the company. That means you will always have to pay for a retainer for the rest of your life.

If you or your teen have minor issues with your teeth but want to have a straight, beautiful smile, then clear aligners can be the solution for you. Check out the companies before you sign up for the treatment. 

Extreme Fitness Safety

Exercise is a great way to get into shape or to stay in shape. One trend for a while now has been extreme fitness, where people push themselves to the limit.  However, this is only for people who have consulted doctors and are already in good shape and knowledgeable about fitness and their body.  You have to be good at listening to your body and keeping careful track of your workouts and how they effect you to go down this road.

When preparing for an extreme fitness routine there are many safety precaution a person needs to take in order to stay healthy and to keep from becoming sick.  Before starting the exercise routine a person should wait at least one hour after they have finished their last meal. This will allow oxygen and nutrients to circulate throughout the body and for digestion to be completed. If a person ate a large amount of food they should wait an even longer period of time before exercising. During the summer months the hottest part of the day is between 10am and 4pm. When possible a person should avoid a workout outdoors during this time when the sun is the strongest. If a person does want to work out then they should stay indoors and in the air conditioning.

When working out it is important to drink plenty of water. Four to six ounces is recommended for every 20 minutes of the workout. This will keep the body from dehydrating and will help cool the body down. Loose fitting clothing should also be worn. This will allow the sweat to evaporate off of the body. For every hour that a person plans on working out they should take a fifteen minute break. This will give the body a chance to cool down and rest before continuing on with the workout. When doing an intense workout program a person should monitor their heart rate. When a person exercises their heart rate will increase but they need to make sure they are still within a healthy range. The heart should not go above fifty percent of its normal resting rate even when involved in an intense workout.

Examples of more extreme exercise are Crossfit, Spinning, Boxing, Weight Lifting, Spartan Training, Marathon Training and anything HIIT oriented.  HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training is a system of planned cardio respiratory training which requires repeated bouts of short duration, high-intensity exercise intervals combined with periods of lower intensity intervals of recovery. You want to look into any of these types of fitness regimes because there can be dangers.  Just take a look at what has been found out about spinning – which you would think is super low impact and safe.

Do a search and you will find many types of more intense fitness programs.  Many gyms have programs for more advanced people looking for a challenge and to push themselves.

When looking for an intense workout a person should combine walking, jogging, and cardiovascular training. This will help the body get into shape and be able to handle the intensity of the workout. Like all exercise programs be sure to consult with a doctor before starting.

Breast Cancer Awareness – This Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. People sport the pink ribbons all month long in order to spread awareness and show support for those diagnosed with breast cancer, and their loved ones. Breast cancer is especially important because it is the second-leading cancer found in women(lung cancer is first). Here are some facts about breast cancer that give us cause for concern and hope.

  1. 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
  2. Most breast cancer cases affect women/men with no family history of the illness.
  3. Men too can get breast cancer, although women are 100 times more likely to get it.
  4. Physical activity is one of the best ways to treat breast cancer.
  5. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, it is 4 times as likely that you will get cancer in the same, or different breast.
  6. Over 2.8 breast cancer survivors live in the U.S. currently.

There are many different ways to celebrate Breast Cancer awareness. Communities, neighborhoods, and entire cities organize events to celebrate and spread awareness. Among the most popular activities include walks and runs where you can either participate by running/walking or by helping organize and volunteer at the events. If you want to participate in one of these events, you can use Making Strides for Breast Cancer to find something in your area. If you want to take the tastier route, you can try some of these awesome breast cancer inspired recipes.

Pink Breast Cancer Cupcakes

Pink Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate and Pink Swiss Roll Cake

Sustainable Health and Fitness – Creating a Lifestyle

There are countless articles relating to fitness. There are those that  will convince you that it is possible to lose 7 inches in one month, and others that layout radical diets. A majority of these articles are based around getting quick results,  or seeing the numbers on the scale dial back with minimal effort. We often times buy into these gimmicks with false hope, knowing that maybe it is too good to be true, but reading on despite that fact. We fall in love with this fallacy, and it can cause problems when trying to get healthy, stay healthy, or change the paradigm of our eating habits.

It is the small changes you make now that will transform into significant differences later in your life. This is a small outline of changes you can make now, that will help create a healthier, and sustainable lifestyle.

  1. Shop Smart: Avoid temptations that lurk in the candy and chip aisles. It is much easier to avoid the danger zones in the grocery store than to avoid the snacks burrowed in your own cabinets. A trick to avoiding the unhealthier items in the store is to shop around the perimeter of your store. The outside areas of the store are usually where the fresh veggies and fruit live. You can also find the freezers and refrigerators with eggs, milk, yogurts, and meats on the perimeter.
  2. Drink More: Not just water either, tea and coffee have health benefits, and can help increase energy as well. Although water does not have any caffeine, it is the most effective way to hydrate, and dehydration is a common cause of sleepiness. Dehydration can also cause muscle cramping, headaches, and even dizziness in some cases.
  3. Find Your Physical Activity: Gyms are great, and so are CrossFit boxes, but if they’re not something you enjoy, then they’re probably not going to be something you will continue doing. Physical activity is important, but sometimes people neglect the fact that there are countless ways to exercise. Playing a sport, going on a hike, or even taking your dog for a more lengthy walk are all examples of exercise that are not as cookie-cutter as going to a gym or doing a structured hour and a half workout, but they will improve you physical fitness and health. The important aspect of this, is to find joy in the activity. To make a healthy lifestyle sustainable, you must get pleasure out of leading one, and enjoy the activities that keep you active.
  4. Accountability: If leading a healthy lifestyle is a newer goal of yours, accountability to others can be a huge motivator to stay in track. It is a much easier feat when the people closest to you are aware, supportive, and encouraging of your choices. Having a partner that is trying to lead a similar lifestyle is very helpful and can lead to a stronger relationship by bonding over staying active, or discover new fun ways to eat cleanly. This is a successful way to stay on track, as well as make it more fun for both parties.
  5. Cook at Home: As fun and tasty as the food in restaurants can be, often times, they are packing a very high caloric punch. Although we all can understand that a double decker cheeseburger is not healthy, we tend to gloss over the fact that we are eating our entire daily allotment of calories and fat in a single sitting. Restaurants focus more on making food taste good, than on making it moderately healthy. Learning to cook home-cooked meals can greatly increase your health, as well as keep some extra cash in your wallet. Cooking can also be a fun adventure, learning to mimic healthy recipes online can be exciting and rewarding, as well as help sharpen up a useful skill.

All these small changes are easy to start implementing slowly into your lifestyle. Although none of these are incredibly drastic, they can all be a great additions to your lifestyle change, and making it more sustainable as well.

One last important aspect is understanding balance, as well as flexibility in your lifestyle. No one is perfect, and there is nothing wrong with occasionally digging into some pizza, or spending a day binge watching your newest Netflix obsession instead of going for a run. Everything is best in moderation, but leading a healthy lifestyle can make some significantly positive changes for you.

 

Transitioning From Outdoor Fit to Indoor Fit

With the cooler weather coming soon, it is time for Ohio residents to start planning their transition from outdoor fitness activities to indoor. Northeast Ohio has a wealth of bike trails, hiking, beaches, swimming, outdoor sports and other ways to stay outside (for free) in the Summer.  But once it dips below 50 degrees, those outdoor activities seem a bit less appealing and eventually only are options for hard core outdoorsy people.

So what are some of your options this Winter to stay in shape?

Join  a Gym.  This is obvious, but one nice thing that has changed in the last few years is you can join gyms month to month and only use them in the Winter months.

Buy limited fitness equipment to stay fit at home.  A tread mill and some kettle bells might be all you need to stay beach body ready in your home.  Look for used kettle bells to save some money.

Join Indoor Sports.  We recently covered options of Indoor Tennis and Indoor Soccer.  Basketball would be another obvious one.  Maybe you can even find adult dodge ball.  There are plenty of indoor sporting opportunities for kids and adults.

Do Winter sports.  Cross country and downhill skiing are great workouts.  Snow shoe hiking?  Sure.  You can also simply hike snow trails with some extra preparation.

Watch what you eat.  There is the issue of paying close attention to your Winter diet.  Do not start eating more at night because you are spending more time in front of the television.  Do not cut back on fresh fruits and vegetables just because they cost a little bit more.  Do not stop grilling healthy lean meats just because you have to push some snow off the grill cover first.

With some advanced planning and careful attention being paid to how your habits change, you can stay fit and firm no matter how long the ground is covered in permafrost.

 

Fall Fitness – Things To Do Before Winter Hits

Summer is almost over and for many that means exercising outdoors is coming to an end. However, there are many fine days in fall when you can engage in various fitness activities such as hiking or biking and enjoying fall beauty or picking apples or traveling to a pumpkin patch and choosing several great looking pumpkins for your patio or porch. Running during crisp fall days is another way to get your exercise.

When running in the Fall, be sure to wear breathable, moisture-wicking clothing, as the temperatures will be much cooler. Or when walking during dark morning or evening hours, it is important to wear reflective workout clothes and carry a flashlight. For those who like to ride their bike, invest in blinking tail lights and headlights and be cautious of roads that are heavy with traffic. Other activities that you can do during the fall are learning how to tap dance, box and maybe even fence. Discounts are often available in the fall and that makes learning how to dance, box or fence that more enjoyable.

Or, if you would rather work out at home, buy several fitness DVDs or try Hulu for free workout tutorials on Exercise TV. In addition, how about buying a bike? Sometimes you will find sales on bikes during the fall season. Prices are often slashed on old models because most dealers don’t want old models taking up too much room in the showroom. Another way to exercise at home is by purchasing a rower or treadmill. Exercising during the fall has many benefits such as controlling your weight, combating health conditions and diseases, enjoying an improvement in your mood, boosting energy and engaging in activities that stimulate your brain.

To conclude, exercise is a wonderful and beneficial activity. It not only keeps you in great shape, it also helps with weight loss, improves your mood and combats health conditions and diseases. So, don’t let the cool, fall weather stop you from exercising. Try one or more of the above ways to exercise such as taking a hike and enjoying the foliage, picking some apples, riding a bike and enjoying the fall weather. Enjoy the summer while it is here but remember when fall arrives, you can still enjoy several outdoor activities. Remember, exercising keeps you fit physically and mentally; it is activity that will maintain your good physical and mental health.

5 Reasons To Cook More At Home

I get a little concerned when I hear that Americans do not cook. I get it if you both have professional jobs working 50+ hours a week and long commutes. I also get it if you live alone and it is easier and sometimes cheaper to go out to eat.  But if you have two or more people and you are not making a bunch of money working crazy hours, going out to eat should be more of a treat and not a twice a day occurrence.

From what is reported in the media, it seems like many people did not learn cooking growing up and decide this means it is too late to learn.  In fact, it is just a matter of building up your comfort level with different ways to cook and different ingredients.  You can do trial and error, starting with easier stuff and building up your competence over time.  You can watch cooking channels and try things you see.  You can take cooking classes.  You could offer to buy ingredients and cook with a friend who is a better cook than you but let them know you want to cook with them and learn.

Here are five very good reasons to cook at home – even if it is going to take you a while to get good at it.

  1. Healthier Food – The top reason is that you know what is going in your food and you can make it healthier.  The reality is that it might not taste as good as that unhealthy stuff, but it can be very good and be much better for you.  For example, I make Chipotle burritos at home and they are not as good because I put less of the cheese and no sour cream.  I just can’t bring myself to glob on huge portions like they do in the restaurant (even though it is delicious.)
  2. Less Fried Foods – You can also cut back on fried foods when you eat at home.  It is easy to order a side of fries but a pain in the but to heat up the fryer and fry things just for an unhealthy side.
  3. Show Off a Skill – As good cooks get more rare, it is even more impressive when you meet one.  The only way you become a good cook is by cooking regularly and experimenting with new recipes.  Once you get there you can amaze your friends and family, impress a date and act like a snob know it all in restaurants.  So much fun.
  4. Save Money – Sometimes you might spend MORE on a meal than you would have getting the same thing in a restaurant.  But what you might not factor in is that you have a lot more food than you would have by going out.  So you may get 3 meals for roughly the same spend.  Alcohol is one big bonus when it comes to saving money as you buy your bottle of wine or case of beer for what two glasses would have cost in that dinner out.
  5. Get Sick Less – I am not anti-restaurant, but we do notice we get sick more when we eat out more.  When you have a restaurant kitchen full of people cooking and prepping your food, it only takes one person with a cold to get the whole family sick.  Restaurants do not want employees to come sick, but since the employees most likely do not get sick pay, they need to work when they are feeling under the weather.  This results in people working while sick more then you would like to think.

I am not suggesting not eating out anymore.  Far from it.  But also you do not want to get into the habit of eating out all the time and eating prepackaged stuff at home that you only need to microwave.  It is so much healthier, cheaper and more rewarding to learn how to cook nice meals.  Start slow and build up your skills until you are an Iron Chef of your home.

10 Ways To Free Up Your Time

Let’s talk about how to free up a bunch of your time.  Most people feel overwhelmed and busy most of the time and there are ways to put more minutes back into your day and they do not take too much effort.

There are a lot of reasons you should want to free up your time.  Even if you just want to have more fun and enjoy life more, freeing up time is a noble en-devour.  Another reason you might want to free up time is to do more side gigs and make some extra money to pay down bills.  Either way, well worth doing.  Here are 10 ways to grab back those minutes.

  1. Live close to work – Have as small of a commute as possible.  If you are living in Hudson and working in Fairlawn, why?  You can change your job or your home.  Cutting your drive can add an hour or more a day to your free time.
  2. Work from home – Better yet, make your commute a short walk to your home office.  You may be able to work from home all the time or only some days a week, but cutting down on drive time can free up your day.  Also, less office chit chat might make you more productive.
  3. Plan your meals – Do you go to the store every day or two?  Plan out your meals for the week and shop once.
  4. Get up early – Get up earlier and go to sleep earlier.  Chances are you are more productive in the morning and even if your sleep hours remain the same, the morning hours will probably be more productive and free up time later in the day.
  5. Time your errands – Do your errands, such as going to the post office, the bank and shopping during times when other people are working.  This cuts down on lines and waiting.
  6. Prep outfits – Know what you are going to wear for the week and prep them all at once.  The less you need to think about your clothes the better.  There is a reason that many great leaders have worn the same outfit most of the time.  They save their time and energy for more important things.
  7. Declutter your home – In our article on decluttering your home, we talk about how having less stuff saves time and money.
  8. Automate finances – One of the best things I ever did was automate most monthly financial transactions.  I know how much money I need to have in my account and everything happens automatically, saving me time and avoiding late fees.
  9. Hire help – If you are not an expert on something, don’t try to do it yourself (unless you truly enjoy figuring it out.)  You can find people to do thing much more affordably than before with sites for people doing gigs like tutoring, handyman, lawn care, etc.  Know what your time is worth and don’t waste it when you could hire out more cheaply.
  10. Limit Non-work Screen Time – Whether it is binge watching Netflix or reading fake (or real) news, limit your time in front of screens and get back hours a day.

All of these things individually are fairly minor habit changes or location changes that can vastly free up your time and improve your life.

How To Prepare Your Garden In The Fall for Next Spring

As the summer months wean, and the fall and winter months approach, it is time for the gardener to prepare for next year’s bountiful and colorful vegetable and flower gardens. While the temperatures are still mild, there are different chores every gardener must do to prepare themselves for next year’s spring gardening.  From cleaning, storing, and oiling tools to getting ready the soil, many gardeners view the fall as a preparation time for their spring gardening. Here are 8 gardening tips to follow to have a beautiful garden without the backbreaking chores that come in the spring.

  1. Clean the leaves, dead branches, or plants from your garden.  Gardening during the springtime will be less time-consuming and strenuous if you get rid of unwanted plants in the fall.
  2. Trim the bushes and small trees.
  3. Plant bulbs during October for a colorful spring garden. From daffodils, tulips, and crocuses, to Asiatic Lily Blacklist and Dutch Iris Sapphire Beauty, your garden will surely be a beauty to see.  Check the planting periods recommended for the bulbs you buy or want to plant.
  4. Do you want lush grass on your lawn next spring? You need to fertilize and aerate your lawn in the fall, and plant grass seed to obtain great results. Buying a lawn aerator to accomplish this task should not be too expensive, or difficult to accomplish.
  5. Getting your flower pots ready for next spring means you need to clean them and stored them for the winter. The terra cotta pots might break if you leave out in cold climates. For that reason, it is better to store them in your shed in crates or stack them carefully on a shelf.
  6. Bring delicate plants inside to keep them from dying during the winter months. Your lemon tree needs to be inside before the first frost to survive. Any other delicate plants need to have a cool temperature to make it through the winter months.
  7. Store your garden tools in the shed.  Make sure they do not get wet and are safe from the elements.  Your garden hose needs to be stored away as well. Empty your lawnmower from gasoline. You need fresh gasoline next spring for it to start without trouble.
  8. Stored your patio furniture or cover them till spring. A heavy-duty polyester covering can protect your garden furniture from the elements and keep them ready for spring.

Protecting your garden furniture, plants, garden tools, and plants from the winter will make the time you spend gardening more enjoyable in the spring.  If you clean your flower beds, leaves, brush, or dead plants from the garden, you will have more time planning the vegetable garden or design the flower garden you always wanted. Because gardening can be a wonderful hobby and an enjoyable activity, preparation is key to having a wonderful time gardening during the spring.  Fertilizing your front and back yard during the fall might not seem important, but it is if you want to have a beautiful lush lawn during the year. Your local nursery is always a good source of advice if you have a specific question about a plant, tree, or fertilizer.  Moreover, a visit to your local nursery might inspire you to try a new plant or shrub.