Articles
Fitness training that suits your body!
Fitness is not a one size fits all topic and we all have our own preferences when it comes to staying fit. There are several different styles of training which one can use to achieve their personal fitness goals and most people choose to stick to the one they most enjoy. Here are different types of training styles that you can easily incorporate into your lifestyle! As an addition to all the below-mentioned styles, it is worthwhile mentioning that training your balance will also go a long way in improving your daily movements. Your balance is tested when doing strength training but further training for your balance could include practice standing on one leg and if that gets easy, close your eyes, and try it! It may seem easy at first, but it will make trying to wash the other foot in the shower that much easier! Cardiovascular training: This type of training can be defined as any activity that increases your heart rate for a sustained period. The following exercises can be incorporated to develop your aerobic fitness levels: Running Swimming Cycling Rowing Hiking Do all of these at your own pace and slowly build up the intensity of your workouts. It can be as simple as walking for an hour and sometimes alternating with a bit more vigorous exercise for a shorter period. It really all depends on your goals and your current level of fitness, Strength training: Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to only do weight training to develop strength! Any activity that forces your body to work against gravity can make you stronger. These activities could include picking up your children or even carrying the groceries. As previously stated, the key is to work against gravity. A couple of exercises that you can do also include push ups, burpees, pull-ups, and step-ups to name a few. Strength is a relative term as it means something different to each person. Once you figure out what yours, do more of it and there are plenty of options to choose from! Flexibility training: The type of training is arguably one of the most important types of training because muscles that are flexible have less of a chance of getting injured. It is also said that the more flexible and mobile you are, the better you will age and move freely with little aid. The way in which you can improve your mobility and flexibility include dynamic stretches as well as static stretches. Dynamic stretches such as wall running, high knees and hamstring walkouts are all beneficial to improving your flexibility. Static stretches such as a standing quad stretch, hamstring stretch, neck and shoulder stretches should be incorporated into your daily activity. Do the above for just 15 mins every day and you will undoubtedly feel the difference in your movement. We would love to hear more about your personal fitness journeys. If you would like to know more about starting yours, please get in touch!
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Five Surprising Uses for a Banana Peel
We have all heard of the benefits of eating a banana before a run or strenuous workout but how can you make your banana and the banana peel go the extra mile? Here are five surprising uses for banana peels to help you do just that 1. Acne & wrinkles – banana peel houses nutrients and antioxidants which work wonders on your skin. Gently rub the inner peel on your skin and leave on for 30 minutes. Wash off with warm water and moisturize. Repeat 3 times a week and see if you note any changes to your skin complexion. 2. First Aid – rubbing a banana peel against sunburn, poison ivy rash or bug bites can sooth the skin and reduce itching. 3. Placing the peel on a splinter in the skin for 15 minutes can help draw it to the surface. 4. Shoe polish – rub the banana peel on your leather shoes and then buff them up with a soft cloth, we’re calling it Natures Shoe Polish! 5. Easy composting – by adding banana peel to your compost it will help introduce a multitude of nutrients. These will introduce nutrients including calcium, magnesium, sulphur, phosphates, potassium and sodium. Simply cut the it into small pieces then bury the banana skin bits under the plant you want to fertilize (ideally next to the roots). Water the plant right away to let the soil sit on top for a bit and let the banana skin work its magic. So, the next time you finish that banana snack, save the peel and give one of these a try! We’d love to hear from you on how you utilize this powerhouse fruit!
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How to Lower Hypertension
How many people do you know suffering with this – it’s like an epidemic these days. A healthy blood pressure (BP) level should be around 120-130 over 80. Hypertension is a stealth condition as there are sometimes no obvious symptoms. For that reason it has been called “the silent killer”. I want to tell you first of all HOW to measure your blood pressure. Don’t go darting breathlessly into your doctor’s rooms, sit down and have your blood pressure taken. You have “white coat syndrome” to start with which immediately elevates it. Secondly you should have been sitting quietly and in a relaxed attitude for a good 15-20 minutes prior to the measure being taken. If you have it monitored regularly, always do it at the same time of the day, relax first and then have it done. Perhaps going to your chemist or getting your own home monitor would be more relaxing than the doctor but do monitor it if you are concerned. Hypertension doubles your risk of stroke, heart attack, dementia, kidney failure and blindness – nasty! So here are some ways to lower it or at least address it: Speak to your doctor about any medications you are taking which could possible artificially be elevating BP (cortisone does this and so do many other medications) Are you drinking too much coffee – coffee’s great but too much of a good thing will lead to elevated BP Are you drinking too much alcohol? Alcohol is linked to hypertension – I’ll leave it right there before you get irritated with me…. Are you on hormones? Again, chat to your doctor as often these can elevate BP Some antihistamines and anticonvulsants can do this – maybe your doctor could change your script Increase vegetable intake – don’t cut down on meat and fats which are very healthy, just make sure you are getting a decent amount of fresh vegetables every day. Try to have them at every meal, breakfast included (who said you can’t have veggies at breakfast? Pffft.) Eat more potassium-rich foods like sweet potato, avocado, banana, squash, leafy greens and the odd prune. Lose the seed oils and use olive oil which has been shown to have a healthy effect on BP Take a daily stroll – it’s not necessary to do an entire gym circuit each day, but exercise is important Good quality sleep is a wonderful healer, and some instances of high BP are due to too little sleep. You absolutely have to find a way to manage stress – easier said than done, but find a way Use cinnamon – this is an amazing way to not only lower blood pressure but blood sugar too. It needs to be organic Ceylon cinnamon to work (see my online store) and has other great benefits too. Such as fighting unhealthy gut bacteria and improving metabolic rate. In a study by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in 2006, they discovered just ½ a teaspoon of cinnamon a day could be enough to lower blood pressure (I stress again organic, or it could be ‘cut’ with cornflour and be cassia which is not real cinnamon but a cheap imitation). You want pure, 100% organic Ceylon – I have an excellent one in my online store. If you eat oatmeal, add it to that, or smoothies, or coffee or sprinkle it onto anything. Really important – omega-3 fish oil – take this daily, and eat plenty of fatty fish too. Co-enzyme Q10 is known for the beneficial effect on blood pressure – take around 120mg a day – it’s heart healthy, gives energy and will help to control BP You really REALLY must stop sugar! And all high carb processed foods like breads and cereals. They just drive up insulin and blood sugar which in turn ramps up blood pressure. Take magnesium citrate – an amazing mineral for lowering BP, helping you sleep and relaxing you You might want to try more vitamin C too – according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, and a study published in Nutrition Journal, supplementing with vitamin C may help to reduce blood pressure. Head on over to my online store here for the above products Disclaimer: You can simply click on the name of each product mentioned above (in bold) and a hyperlink will take you directly to the product for an easy purchase. Originally published on https://www.facebook.com/SallyAnnCreedSA/ in 2020.
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Avoid nightshades before surgery
AVOID NIGHTSHADES BEFORE SURGERY Are you one of those people who seems to struggle for days to recover from anaesthesia? If so, you may find avoiding the nightshades will help you recover faster. Research suggests that nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, aubergine, bell peppers and potatoes) can delay recovery from anaesthesia. Who knew? The solanaceae family of plants inhibits two enzymes which help the body recover from anaesthetic drugs. To optimise recovery, omit these for a week prior to surgery. Of course anaesthesia is also very hard on the liver, so it’s a very good idea a week prior to surgery to take both our Pure Hydrolysed Collagen and Milk Thistle. These will both do damage control and help you in the recovery process. We sincerely hope nobody needs surgery, but if you do these are a couple of tips to help you. You can get these products at https://sallyanncreed.co.za/shop Disclaimer: You can simply click on the name of each product mentioned above (in bold) and a hyperlink will take you directly to the product for an easy purchase. Originally published on https://www.facebook.com/SallyAnnCreedSA/ in 2020.
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Anatomy of a laugh
ANATOMY OF A LAUGH When we laugh, we engage our entire body in the act. At least 15 different muscles in the face are called into action, along with our respiratory system and other muscle groups. But more importantly, laughter sends serotonin levels soaring in the brain, erasing mild depression in just a few minutes. Give happiness levels a boost The quickest way to feel better is to get moving. A brisk walk can get endorphins flowing, giving you the same feel-good boost as a shot of morphine, without the risk of drug addiction. Exercise helps you manage pain better and helps you sleep better Spread your happiness. Your happy emotions can affect others, make the people close to you happier – and make the people close to them happier. Surround yourself with positive people to remain positive too. Fake it until you make it. If you act happy, people see you as happy, and you see yourself through their eyes. You feel happy. Start with a smile to help you break free of the doldrums.
Read moreCOLLAGEN 101
COLLAGEN 101 Collagen is found throughout your body. It’s a structural element of bones, muscles, tendon, and ligaments in fact collagen and skin are always talked about together. This is because it’s a major component of your largest organ. Below I discuss Collagen 101. You may not be aware that collagen is also found in: • blood vessels • the cornea of your eye (just about pure collagen) • teeth (it’s true!) • cartilage • discs between your vertebrae • the digestive tract The fibrous nature and strength of collagen make it an ideal protective casing for your kidneys and other organs, and connects cells all over your body to each other. It’s “large scale” from bones and organs right down to the cellular level. The structure of collagen protein is what gives it the unique strength your body needs – it’s a triple helix, three chains twisting around each other – and there are 1,050 amino acids in each of the three chains that make up collagen. They’re held together with hydrogen atoms which are the smallest of all the atoms. Glycine is the amino acid that takes up the middle of the triple helix structure because it’s the only one that can fit. These long fibres don’t just exist as single protein ropes, collagen can come together to form striated horizontal sheets. Disclaimer: You can simply click on the name of each product mentioned above (in bold) and a hyperlink will take you directly to the product for an easy purchase. Originally published on https://www.facebook.com/SallyAnnCreedSA/ in 2020.
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COLLAGEN FAST FACTS:
There are many facts surrounding collagen but below I have list of the top COLLAGEN FAST FACTS I could think of. The benefits of collagen are however endless but just too mention a few. COLLAGEN FAST FACTS: Collagen literally ‘glues’ you together. 90% of your collagen is type I, the very strongest type Type I collagen is stronger than steel – on a gram-for-gram basis (our Pure Hydrolysed Collagen is type 1) Your muscles, organs, and arteries rely on type III (also found in Pure Hydrolysed Collagen). Type II collagen isn’t quite as densely packed as type I (Super CollagenT2), but it’s perfect for cushioning joints. Living a healthy lifestyle is a great adjunct to supporting healthy collagen production while taking Pure Hydrolysed Collagen powder. Collagen is a very large molecule, too large, in fact, to be easily absorbed by your skin. That fact makes collagen creams and other cosmetic products that contain the protein a bad bet for increasing levels in your skin, don’t be ripped off…. Taking Pure Hydrolysed Collagen in powdered peptide form is the best way to take it. Have it in your morning coffee, it makes it creamy and it’s tasteless. It really MUST be grass-fed, non-GMO and 100% pure, don’t settle for anything added to pure collagen. Our Pure Hydrolysed Collagen is the fastest growing brand and currently the brand leader of collagen in the country – we can hardly keep up with demand – you’ll find it in our online store at https://sallyanncreed.co.za/shop Disclaimer: You can simply click on the name of each product mentioned above (in bold) and a hyperlink will take you directly to the product for an easy purchase. Originally published on https://www.facebook.com/SallyAnnCreedSA/ in 2020.
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Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS)
BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME is a distressing condition that is all too common. Your mouth feels as though you have had a big gulp of boiling water and scalded your tongue and lips, gums, palate and/or throat or all of the above. It can appear out of the blue, develop over time or come and go. Some of the conditions which are linked to this include diabetes, allergies, candida overgrowth, acid reflux, thyroid conditions, menopause or medication. It also seems to be not too bad in the morning, and then get worse as the day progresses. Some of the symptoms include: Pain Increased thirst Changes in, or loss of taste Metallic taste in mouth that remains even after eating or brushing teeth Burning sensation in one or more areas of the mouth RISK FACTORS While this can happen spontaneously, some common medical conditions that can cause BMS include: Sjogren’s Syndrome Radiation therapy Chemotherapy Low blood pressure medications Vitamin B deficiency Iron deficiency Acid reflux Diabetes Thyroid problems Fungal infection in the mouth Allergic reactions to dyes, foods, toothpaste, fragrances or environmental elements OTHER RISK FACTORS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER: Being female Postmenopausal Over the age of 50 Dry mouth A recent illness New medication A recent traumatic life event Elevated stress levels Conventional therapy is merely giving salivary replacement products and various drugs, many with side effects. Here are a few things we have found to have helped people we’ve dealt with: VITAMIN B12 UNDER THE TONGUE: one of the main nutrient deficiencies which can cause this is Vitamin B12, and more than 50% of people with BMS had high homocysteine levels due to B12 deficiency. B12 reduces homocysteine, and in most cases will eliminate BMS. In addition to this, make sure you eat more beef, liver, wild-caught salmon, sardines and mackerel to boost your levels. Take B12 for around 8 months, then see how you go without it after that. It will take a little while to work. IRON RICH FOODS: sometimes in addition to a B12 deficiency – or because of low B12 – your iron stores will be low. Don’t ever take iron unless you have a blood test!! Too much iron is more dangerous than too little – but you can eat iron-rich foods like: organic beef liver, grass-fed beef, sardines, and other animal products for heme-iron (the most important one). Non-heme iron although poorly absorbed and not the same as animal-derived iron, can be obtained from spinach, pistachios and raisins. ZINC: a deficiency in zinc is also a cause of BMS, and this deficiency is widespread. Some signs of deficiency are a weak immune system, diarrhoea, allergies, thinning hair, leaky gut and acne. Zinc-rich foods include: pumpkin seeds, grass-fed beef (very nice source), cashews, cocoa powder and kefir.
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