Last month, we brought up the statistic that 80% of us suffer from back pain at some time in our lives, and one way to avoid pain and keep our backs healthy is to practice good posture. Have you practiced the posture tips from the last issue? If you consistently do so, you are a long way toward building a better back. (Maintaining proper posture seems challenging, but is actually quite simple. The real challenge is to remain aware of our posture throughout each day so that we can make any necessary adjustments.)

Another way to keep your back healthy is to exercise your core muscles (the muscles of your abdomen and low back that support your spine and affect posture).

I call this exercise “Supermans.” Lie face down with legs and arms resting on the ground. Slowly lift your right arm and left leg just a few inches off the floor. Hold for a couple of seconds then return to your starting position. Repeat using the opposite arm and leg.

This particular exercise uses your core muscles to stabilize your position on the ball while you alternately straighten your legs.

This exercise works your back with an extension movement. If at first this feels too difficult, rest your hands at your side to lessen the “weight” being lifted during the extension.

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February is National Heart Month. In the spirit of my presentation on February 28th (see Heather’s Upcoming Appearances) I’d like to think of this as “Health Responsibility Month.” Okay, it’s a corny title, but let me explain.

Whether it’s National Hearth Month, National Nutrition Month (March), or any other “month,” what these campaigns do is draw awareness and educate us on caring for our own health – taking personal responsibility. This is the crux of why I do what I do. I don’t love to exercise, but I do it because I love the outcome. I don’t diet. Rather I eat mindfully and select healthful foods that I enjoy. I motivate and empower others to do the same because I know that the quality of each of our lives is within our control. It’s our responsibility to make daily decisions that improve and maintain that quality. We deserve it!

In today’s reality where health care appears to be more of “disease care,” and politicians are arguing about who should pay for what, it’s good to know that we are the ones in control over the decisions we make about our health. That’s true health care.

To your health,

Heather Moreno
PeopleFit USA , President

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Good news first: the 2005 Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer stated that death rates from cancer were down 1.1 percent from 1993 to 2002. This was determined to be due to prevention, earlier detection, and better treatments. But still, according to the American Cancer Society, more than 1.3 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2005.

Even more frustrating than this statistic is that advice about treatment and prevention seems to change on a daily basis. It’s difficult to keep up with the latest information. One day you can read about something that helps prevent cancer, and the next day you might hear that the same thing causes cancer!

A solid piece of advice – that will not change on a whim – is to exercise. Research shows exercise benefits in the treatment of cancer patients. Remember when doctors used to recommend rest for heart-attack patients? Now they get them out of bed right away and exercising. Some physicians are starting to realize rest may not be the best advice for patients in cancer treatment; they now encourage exercise during treatment, even at the beginning of treatment.

Cancer patients can benefit from exercise in many ways, including:

• Reduction of anxiety and depression
• Reduced fatigue, nausea, and pain
• Improved mood and self-esteem
• Improved body image

What about prevention? According to the World Health Organization, lack of physical activity and being overweight may be responsible for one-quarter to one-third of breast, colon, endometrial, kidney, and esophageal cancers.

Body fat and hormones have a lot to do with these types of cancer. Regular exercise reduces body fat and helps to regulate hormones. In fact, researchers found a 20% reduction in the risk of breast cancer in those women who were not overweight and participated in moderate, regular activity. One of the easiest things you can do right now for prevention is to exercise.

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“I’ve never been a fan of diets because they deny me the foods I am accustomed to eating – the foods I like! I’ve also never been very motivated to start an exercise program. But, I knew I wanted to be healthier and, mostly, I wanted to stay healthy and not develop the afflictions that so many people take for granted as a natural part of aging. I decided to join the PeopleFit USA Custom Fit Coaching Program because it appealed to me in a personal way, and fit nicely into my budget.

The program helped me bring into perspective the work/exercise/life balance and to find more logical ways of getting fit and losing weight while still being me. It also helped me to gain back control of my health, weight, and life by making me identify what I really wanted to achieve – and why it was important. This made the process easier.

The best part of the program was the relationship with my personal coach. She supported me to make the changes I needed to make in a manageable way and helped me to recognize the progress I was making. I lost 5% of my body weight throughout this program, and no diet required!

I think it’s necessary to look deeper into ourselves before we can become fitter, healthier, or lose weight. Weight loss actually becomes a side effect of getting life under control without dieting. I believe anyone can achieve their goals with the PeopleFit USA Custom Fit Coaching Program by using the knowledge, tools, support, and understanding provided – I most definitely recommend it! “

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