Gardening is Good Exercise!

Turn Your Garden Into a Natural Gym-Gardening is Good Exercise!

Gardening is fabulous exercise because it incorporates many of the components of a moderate to intense fitness routine, such as stretching, repetition moves and even the resistance principles similar to lifting weights. As you cultivate your garden you’re also reducing stress, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol and burning calories.
You’ll also be improving your balance and flexibility, keeping your mind sharp, increasing your energy, stamina and strengthening your heart---overall improving your quality of life!

A person who weighs about 150 pounds and spends at least 30 minutes a day performing moderate to intense gardening can burn 150-200 calories. Of course this isn’t just standing there watering the flowers, but weeding, digging, hoeing, raking, etc. As you garden many different muscle groups are being used. Squatting, bending and lifting works your glutes, hamstrings, thighs, core and back muscles. Lifting and reaching, pushing and pulling works your upper body, some lower body muscle groups and your mid-section. Being outdoors preparing the soil, weeding and planting in your garden help you achieve a meditative state which is good for the brain, helps sharpen memory and relaxes the mind while you forget about the normal stresses and anxiety of everyday life.

Gardening Exercise Tips:

• Begin with a simple warm up exercise (stroll around your garden a few times.)
• Stretch a few minutes and take breaks to stretch between heavy gardening tasks.
• Focus on breathing deeply and make sure you don’t hold your breath during strenuous activities.
• Alternate limbs (ex: when raking put your left foot forward and use left hand on the lower part of the handle, switch foot/hand periodically.)
• When lifting bend your knees and keep your back straight.
• Vary your gardening duties, don’t overdo any specific task.
• Listen to your body, avoid any activity that is painful.
• Take breaks whenever needed and stay hydrated.
• Aim for at least 30 minutes of gardening in the beginning. This can be broken up into smaller 10 or 15 minute sessions.
• Take some time to smell the roses!

Typical Calories Burned During 30 Minutes of Gardening:
(based on 150 pound person)

• Mowing the lawn with a push-mower --250
• Planting trees--200
• Weeding--200
• Watering the lawn--70
• Raking --165
• Clearing land--235
• Bagging leaves--170
• Chopping wood--275
• Digging, tilling--220

And by comparison:
*Watching TV--35
*Sleeping--36

Exercise And Endorphins, On Kindle.

My Meniscus Repair Surgery

April 12th, 2012, 11:30 a.m.

I’m heading over to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City soon to have the meniscus tears in my right knee repaired.  http://www.tout.com/m/o4m0xc --- It’s been months of pain, limited range of motion, swelling, better one day, hurting the next, not being able to run, jog, lunge, squat, kick-box, do yoga, and sometimes waking up during the night with pain. The last 3 months have been a complete lifestyle crimp, a cautious, slow-motioned existence, many days feeling like an old lady who has to be careful going up and down a simple step. Something I never worried about.  (Yeah, welcome to middle-age, I know.)

I learned that meniscus tears are quite common, especially in the sports world. They sometimes heal on their own and sometimes they don’t, as in my case. Jeremy Lin, the Knicks basketball player, recently had the same procedure and I serendipitously found his doctor, IN MY NETWORK, Dr. Answorth Allen. 

Dr. Allen

According to MedicalNet.com:   http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=14859

Meniscus injury: Injuries to the crescent-shaped cartilage pads between the two joints formed by the femur (the thigh bone) and the tibia (the shin bone). The meniscus acts as a smooth surface for the joint to move on. The two menisci are easily injured by the force of rotating the knee while bearing weight. A partial or total tear of a meniscus may occur when a person quickly twists or rotates the upper leg while the foot stays still (for example, when dribbling a basketball around an opponent or turning to hit a tennis ball). If the tear is tiny, the meniscus stays connected to the front and back of the knee;  ** if the tear is large, the meniscus may be left hanging by a thread of cartilage. The seriousness of a tear depends on its location and extent.

***That’s the type of tears I have, hence the surgery.

A few weeks ago I saw one of the first of a few different doctors for this injury. I point blank asked him, “What are my options?”  He point blank told me, “You can live with it and it will probably get worse, or you can have the surgery, fix it, and be better than ever.”  The thought of never being able to jog or do the physical activities that I love so much, and since my livelihood is fitness training, I knew I had to opt for the surgery. 

I’m feeling anxious, as this is the first real operation I’ve ever had, but eager to get back to my normal activities with a healthy knee. They predict 4-6 weeks for a full recovery, with exercises I’ll do on my own as well as physical therapy. I definitely get the impression that one must work hard to make this type of surgery a complete success.  That’s what I’m going to do, and aiming to document the journey.

2:45 p.m.

My items packed, crutches in hand, I head downstairs to the street and hail a cab. My driver was curious and asked me if I was going to pick someone up from the hospital.  “No, I’m going over for knee surgery.”  “You?” he asks.  “Yes, me.”  He then proceeded to wish me luck in Yiddish and made me laugh, which eased my anxiety. 

A total stranger expressing his concern was just what I needed right then!


My Cabbie!---- http://www.tout.com/m/q677zo

3:30 p.m.

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Discover ISUN "Alive" Skincare

I just stumbled upon the most incredible, organic natural beauty products! Our family is in Vail on spring-break vacation and I had the special treat of visiting the ROCKRESORTS SPA at THE ARRABELLE.
My esthetician, Laura Pliske, (who looks like Natalie Portman!) used a product that was new to me, and I fell in love with! I plan on interviewing Laura in the next few days, because she was so knowledgeable and really opened my eyes to the difference in truly ORGANIC skincare.

"Only wildcrafted, organic & natural ingredients are used. We use no harsh chemicals & no animal testing is conducted.  We select our ingredients for their benefit to skin & the overall well-being of body, mind & spirit.  Our ingredients are from global sources where animals, micro-organisms & their ecosystems & the people are protected.  Sustainable practices support a thriving, healthy, natural diverse environment."---ISUN ALIVE & AGELESS SKINCARE.

LINK TO ISUN PRODUCTS:
http://store.livingearthbeauty.com/ISUN_Organic_Skincare_s/12.htmclick=3549

I could go on and on...and can't wait to interview Laura to get her professional, expert opinion.
In the meantime, I urge you to check out these products. I was so impressed I went back to purchase some ISUN products from the spa a few days later.

CLICK HERE: to experience ISUN and the other incredible, natural & organic skincare products from LIVING EARTH BEAUTY:
Click this PIN if you like fresh skincare!

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Mesothelioma Awareness

www.MesotheliomaSymptoms.com

ASBESTOS AWARENESS CENTER @ MAACENTER.ORG

I received an e-mail yesterday from Sarah Anderson, Communications Director for Mesothelioma Symptoms.  I didn’t know much about this disease, so I did a little research and I’m happy to bring this awareness to my readers.

Sarah’s Letter:

Dear Friends at Laura McDonald Fitness,

Unlike past medicine’s discouragement of physical activity during treatment, today’s doctors recognize its beneficial impact on patients, even those suffering from serious diseases like mesothelioma. Many mesothelioma patients today enjoy an improved quality of life and survival rate by maintaining a healthy exercise regimen, which professionals can help devise. These regimens can complement a course of treatment and fight its negative side effects, including pain, emotional distress or fatigue.

My name is Sarah Anderson and I am the Communications Director for Mesothelioma Symptoms. We have an excellent resource for you to take a look at today. www.MesotheliomaSymptoms.com is an extensive database of information and resources for patients and their families to better understand the Symptoms of Mesothelioma and the various aspects of diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, as well as mesothelioma life expectancy.

I can see that the http://lauramcdonaldfitness.com/Laura_McDonald_Fitness/Links.html page has a variety of health-related websites. I would be grateful if you would mention our site on your links page. Please let me know if this information exchange is of interest to you. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanks again,

Sarah Anderson

Communications Director

What is Mesothelioma?  According to Wikipedia:

Mesothelioma (or, more precisely, malignant mesothelioma) is a rare form of cancer that develops from transformed cells originating in the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.[1]

The most common anatomy site for the development of mesothelioma is the pleura (the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it can also arise in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), and the pericardium (the sac that surrounds the heart),[2] or the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis).

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they inhaled asbestos, or were exposed to asbestos dust and fibers in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos increases their risk for developing mesothelioma.[3] Unlike lung cancer, there seems to be no association between mesothelioma and tobacco smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers.[4] Some people who were exposed to asbestos have collected damages for asbestos-related disease, including mesothelioma. Compensation via asbestos funds or class action lawsuits is an important issue in law practices regarding mesothelioma.

Thank you, Sarah, for bringing attention to my readers and myself about this disease.  I’m honored to help spread awareness about www.MesotheliomaSymptoms.com  and the great information provided. 
And thank you, Barbara O'Brien for your attention to the efforts made to help this important cause. 

For more information: 
Asbestos Awareness

Best, 

Laura McDonald

Fitness After 40! My Favorite Place--The Beach!

My daughter just got the film developed on a couple of disposable cameras she took to camp the last few years.  It's so rare to see and hold an actual photograph these days! (We've vowed to take more "real" pictures and have them developed.)
Anyway, mixed in with the camp photos were a few others...This is one of them.  Even my daughter said, "looking good, mom."
And it just re-enforces my philosophy:
You can be fit after 40!   Of course I see things I don't like, things I'd like to look different on my body, but this is what a women over 40, after 3 pregnancies (gaining lots of weight!) really looks like if you make fitness and healthy nutrition a part of your lifestyle.  I don't go super crazy working out, and honestly the most important joy of working out for me is how it makes me feel...empowered, strong, more confident, and I love the endorphin rush. I eat well, but I have my sweets now and then and treat myself to my biggest weakness once in a while...french fries.
The moral here is don't give up.  Sure our bodies change, time marches forward and gravity pulls us down---but if you embrace who you are, and if you stay physically active and eat healthy, life can just keep getting better.

Eat Your Veggies! You may not even realize your body is craving them!

My incredible daughter has just returned from a massive sleepover party and I can see she didn't do much sleeping! We are both catching up on things around the house and trying to get a little rest.
It's a cloudy, snowy Saturday here in NYC, and we are home alone, enjoying some time without the "guys" around! (They are on an overnight rode trip to visit Carnegie Melon in Pittsburgh, we love 'em, but everyone needs a break now and then!)
While we were both doing a little work on the computer and chilling, she asked me for a "raw veggie plate."

I've been making my kids "veggie" plates for years and it's amazing that when she's obviously feeling run down and tired, her body is craving the vitamins and nutrients in fresh, raw veggies! That's my girl! I went into the fridge and took out everything in the crisper drawer (it needed going through, anyway, so I got that done!) And look what we came up with! A beautiful, healthy array of veggies! I like to dip mine in hummus, or you can use a healthy ranch, or any dressing you like.
Treat yourself to some fresh, raw veggies. If you don't have any at home now make a point of picking some up the next time your at the store. They are inexpensive, so tasty, and so good for you! They are packed and bursting with healthy energy! Veggies are low in calories for weight management, they keep your skin glowing and your body healthy and strong!

Visualize

Visualize----by Laura McDonald

“Everyone visualizes whether he knows it or not.  Visualizing is the great secret of success” - - - Genevieve Behrend (1881-1960)

Your thoughts and feelings are enormously powerful.  Your thoughts can run wild, provoke despair and anxiety, consume you and temporarily cripple you emotionally.  But, the powerful flip side is that you can become master of your thoughts - - -by seeing yourself with what you want, what you need, and how you want to look.

When you are visualizing, you are emitting powerful frequencies. You are transmitting a strong signal to yourself and the Universe, which will come back to you, just as you see it in your mind.