Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Health and Wellness’ Category

Go on Vacation Without Leaving the Chicago Area!

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , on July 10, 2011| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Over the 4th of July weekend, I went “on vacation”..only 30 miles from home! I went to the Itasca Westin off the 290 and Thorndale and had a very relaxing time with my family. (Note: for business travelers that like to stay fit on the road, the Itasca Westin is a wonderful “home-away-from-home,” too.)

Itasca Westin-All lit up and ready to book your visit!

First off, the Westin is located in a large industrial park with multiple ponds, water fountains and hiking/walking trails.

Looks like Florida! But it's Itasca, Illinois

The Westin is adjacent to a super nice health club that sports a large swimming pool, ample sized hot tub, raquetball courts, tennis and basketball (indoor and outdoor) courts, cardio equipment and strength training gear. Oh and boxing equipment!

Pool inside Northwest Athletic Club adjacent to Westin in Itasca, IL

The Westin rooms are all lovely and spacious with super comfy Heavenly beds.

A whole lot of relaxing goes on in these Heavenly beds!

This hotel turned out to be a great place for our mini-family reunion. And late at night, walking along the trees, ponds and water fountains, we felt safe and secure, much safer than walking along the Chicago Lakefront!

No it's not Close Encounters! It's a view of the fountain behind the Westin at night!

Sure, Itasca is no Lake Geneva, there are  no speed boats, no long motorcycle runs and no ice cream parlous. But for a quiet romantic get away or just a place to relax and “get away from it all” for just a few days, Itasca is worth visiting.

Walking paths abound around the Westin with bridges over waterways and swans and ducks

Several weddings took place at the Westin while we were there but somehow we managed to get rest and enjoy the beautiful flowers left over from the night before!

The Banquet for an Indian Wedding took place in the main hall so we got to see the lovely decorations!

The hotel staff let me father take some of the flowers from the weddings for our family party. Recycling versus throwing them out!

"Recycled" flowers in our suite!

And if you just want to walk the grounds without staying at the hotel, that’s fine! As far as we could tell, walking around at about 11pm at night, there is no curfew for night walks. During the day, you can see the ducks and other birds swimming and enjoying the ponds and waterfalls. And there is ample parking-no city of Chicago meters to feed. Check it out the next time you want to go for a walk in the  (industrial) “park.”

Note: Neither Working Well Massage nor myself, Sue Shekut, has any affiliation with the Westin. The latest AMTA-IL Annual Conference was held there and I’ve done a few chair massage events there in the past. As a guest of the hotel,  I found that some of the font desk staff were really not nice. Others were very helpful . That’s the case in many hotels–staff responsiveness varies.  I found the policy of charging $9.99 per day for Wifi access excessive (what hotel charges for Wifi these days?!). Rooms do not come with microwaves or mini-fridges standard–you have to order them and there is a limited supply. But location wise the hotel is a nice place to go for a short get-a-way. Just pack a cooler with ice and enjoy the health club pool and hotel grounds.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Take a Gander at the Clouds and Get Inspired

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, tagged , , on July 8, 2011| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

There is something restorative about sitting back on a nice summer day and watching the clouds go by. It’s relaxing, it let’s your mind wander and let’s you relax your body as well.

If you can’t get outside, I am sharing a great cloud pic with you for inspiration. Enjoy!

Heavenly Clouds

Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

The Truth About Vitamin D Deficiency

Posted in Health and Wellness, tagged , , , , , , on July 7, 2011| 3 Comments »

Overview of calcium regulation (See Wikipedia:...

Image via Wikipedia

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Recently I’ve been running into more and more stories about vitamin D deficiency-in the U.S.! One friend of mine was feeling so low energy and lethargic that he though he was depressed. Then he got a physical exam and found out he was Vitamin D deficient–even though he eats very healthy and loves the sun. A few weeks of taking Vitamin D supplements later, and he was functioning better than ever.  He said finding out he was Vitamin D deficient may explain why he gets so low energy and depressed in the less sunny winter months. (According to Dr. Carrie Bearden from everydayhealth.com, low levels of vitamin D can also cause symptoms of depression, fatigue and sleep disturbance!)

But did you know Vitamin D deficiency can also cause trouble with your bones density?

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, your body requires vitamin D to absorb calcium. Kids need vitamin D to build strong bones. Adults need Vitamin D to keep bones strong and healthy. Thus when people do not get enough vitamin D, they can lose bone density along with other effects. Studies show that people with low levels of vitamin D have lower bone density or bone mass. They are also more likely to break bones when they are older. There are three ways to get vitamin D:

  • Sunlight
  • Food
  • Supplements and medications

There is a test to determine if you have a deficiency in Vitamin D. It’s called 25-hydroxyvitamin D and is used to determine if bone weakness, bone malformation, or abnormal metabolism of calcium (reflected by abnormal calcium, phosphorus, PTH) is occurring as a result of a deficiency or excess of vitamin D.

Discuss with your healthcare provider whether you should have your 25-hydroxyvitamin D tested,( which is also written as 25(OH)D). This test should not be confused with a test for 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation has a great info about Vitamin D and bone loss here.

This article from the Guardian talks about how Vitamin D deficiency is on the rise.

Science Daily has this to say about Vitamin D deficiency.

And even the Huffington Post weighs in on Vitamin D loss with this article, Why you are not getting enough vitamin D. apparently Vitamin D is an important cancer inhibitor, immune system booster and mood lifter!  This is a fantastic article and really covers in detail why Vitamin D is so essential, how to get your levels tested, how to supplement (The only active form of vitamin D is vitamin D3 –cholecalciferol–according to Dr Mark Hymen, author of the article).

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Peace and Serenity in Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , on July 6, 2011| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Today I offer you an image of peace and serenity courtesy of Wisconsin’s Devil’s Lake. This shot is of a small outlet just off the lake’s South Shore. No motor boats, no large crowds. Just you, nature and the ducks. Enjoy!

Devils Lake, WI, South Shore. Image by Sue Shekut

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Help For Your Tight and Sore iPad Muscles

Posted in Health and Wellness on July 5, 2011| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

I see people on a weekly basis that have pain in their necks, shoulders and backs due to smart phone and now iPad use. With the new Samsung Galaxy tablet and other iPad-type devices hitting the markets, I see a whole new host of massage and physical therapy clients on the horizon. While that’s great that the client base for massage and physical therapy is expanding, it means that more people may be injuring themselves through improper postural habits and excessive use of these handy devices.

The main problem is that most people hold their tablet devices about  chest or even waist level, forcing their necks into hyper flexion. This puts strain on the upper back muscles, the suboccipital muscles (those little muscles in the back of your neck that connect from the base of the skull to first few cervical vertebrae and between the first two cervical vertebrae), and other neck muscles.

According to Nav Gill  at Neck Pain Support in her post, The Neck Pain Associated with Occipital Neuralgia,  “Occipital neuralgia refers to having pain and muscle spasms that come specifically from the base of the skull, the subocciptal area.” One of the causes they list is whiplash (often from car accidents). Yet another cause is holding your head down and forward for prolonged periods of time. And what do most people do when they use tablets? Look down for long periods of time.

So what can you do to help save your neck and shoulders from pain and strain from tablet use? There are a host of cool products coming out that hold and support the tablets sot hat you can place them at a viewing angle that doe snot cause excess strain on your neck and upper back muscles. I’ve listed a few of the more highly rated products below. Let me know if you try any out and they help you!

Cyber Acoustics IC-1000BK Leather iPad Cover/Case

At Amazon for about $36. Stand to prop at 14° typing angle or 76° viewing angle. Click here for link to product page.

I like that the case is easy to use and can be set up at two different angles. However, the lower viewing angle doesn’t do much to relieve neck pain. It’s still too low of a viewing angle to suit me.

Cyber Acoustics Leather iPad Cover/Case. Stand at lower level

However, if you place the stand at a higher viewing angle, it allows you to set up your tablet (iPad or whatever flavor you use) at a much more comfortable viewing angle.

Cyber Acoustics Leather iPad Cover/Case. Stand at higher viewing angle-more useful

The downside, is that this stand requires you to place the tablet on a flat surface. So it’s useful for desktops or tables but not so great for public transaction viewing (on your lap basically when you ride on buses and trains). amazon reviewers give this stand high marks.

R1 ET Arm Series Portable Stand Desktop Holder for iPad, iPad 2, ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Tab, ViewSonic gTablet, BlackBerry Playbook, HTC Flyer and more

R1 ET Arm Series Portable Stand Desktop Holder

For $50 at Amazon you can get this snazzy device. It holds all tablets at a comfortable viewing angle. the trick is to place the stand high enough so that you can view it like  normal monitor. But again, it requires a hard surface to stand upright.  Specs:

  • Solid aluminum construction and extremely portable (comes with a carrying bag)
  • Cable Management and free stop at any angle using hinge technology
  • Compatible with the iPad 1st and 2nd generations, most tablet PC including Samsung Galaxy Tab and more (for tablet PC size up to 10″) and smartphones (iPhone, Galaxy and more)
  • Non skid material on base keeps the stand secure on flat surfaces
  • Position your device in multiple angles in landscape or portrait view
  • Weight about 1 pound

Click here to go to product page.

360-degree Rotatable Holder Stand for Apple iPad 2 2nd Generation 16GB 32GB 64GB 3G Wifi

360 Degree rotatable iPad 2 Holder

This stand intrigues me because it claims to be able to rotate your tablet 360 degrees. It;s made from aluminum and the product description says it’s made for iPad 2. Will it fit other tablets? Likely not due to its design.  No one at Amazon has reviewed this product. Its’ only about $18 so I suspect it may not wear well over time. But check it out if you have an iPad 2 and you want  a low-cost stand. Click here to link to product page.

There are a number of other stands on Amazon. Most of  them are some variation of the stands above. Click here for a list of the top tablet stands at Amazon.

Human Tablet Stand

For most people who want to use their iPads, galaxy tabs and Blackberry tabs on their laps on the bus, train or plane, I’m still a big fan of the elbow, lap backpack solution. It’s not shiny nor elegant. But you can bring your elbow and lap with you wherever you go. All you need to do is add some height to your lap with a backpack or bag. And then anchor your elbows into your lap/backpack to hold your forearms upright. Check out this post about holding your smart phone in your lap and the picture below for an example. The woman in the pic is holding a smartphone but it could be an iPad or other tablet as well.

Close up of comfy backpack smartphone holder position

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Why Get a Chair Massage?

Posted in Health and Wellness, Massage Therapy, tagged , , , , , on June 30, 2011| 3 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

One of the many things I am proud of is my Working Well Massage chair stations in Whole Foods Markets. I am proud of this business because it serves multiple needs for a variety of people. For one thing, it provides a means for people with limited time or funds to receive massage. For another, it allows potential table massage clients to try out different massage therapists before they commit to a one-hour table massage. And it allows people to experience muscular pain relief in as little as 5 minutes (although 15-20 minute massages can give you more results!).

Sue Shekut, Owner of Working Well Massage

I’ve been working in and managing chair massage stations for the past 9-10 years. In that time, my massage therapists and I have helped hundreds, if not thousands, of people relax, experience pain relief, learn about their own bodies and how to better care for their muscles. Selfishly, I myself have also received hundreds of chair massages at the Working Well Massage stations! I love the convenience because I don’t need to make an appointment. I love being able to shop for some good healthy grub and then plunk down in the massage chair, trusting that my team will take good care of me. Not because I manage them, but because they are highly trained and skilled massage therapists and they treat all WWM clients well.

Sine I am such a big fan of chair massage myself, I thought I’d list a few reasons why you might want to check chair out massage for yourself. And so that you don’t think I am entirely self-serving, I’ll offer this up: Get a chair massage somewhere,  whether you get it from a Working Well Massage station or through someone else. WWM has only two locations in Chicago for chair massage. For those of you in the suburbs or other areas of the country, many Whole Foods stores offer chair massages. but there are  other places to get chair massage as well. Shopping malls, salons, airports, all these places may offer chair massage. More and more, many workplaces are bringing in companies like Working Well Massage to offer chair massage to their employees. It’s a great motivator, boosts productivity and sure beats sending your people out to the doctor for a muscle spasm that might have been prevented if they had regular massage.

Chair massage:

• Is fast and easy-no need to take off your clothes or get oil on you!

• Can release muscle tension in your neck and shoulders, upper and lower back. Sitting in a massage chair angles your upper body in  way that is optimal for the massage therapist to address your neck and shoulder without a massage table in the way.

• Tends to cost less than table massage. I can buy four 20-minute chair massages a month for the same price as one 1-hour table massage. So I get more attention to the areas that are sore more often.

• Allows you to sample a massage therapist’s work without a big time or money commitment.

• Provide work for massage therapists and chance to meet new clients.

• Can help relieve headache pain causes by tight muscles.

• Can help reduce muscle pain causes by overuse or repetitive motion activities (ahem, computer users work their upper backs and neck muscles all day).

• And lastly, it just feels good! I always feel better after a chair massage. The world seems brighter, my mode is lighter and I feel refreshed and relaxed and ready to face the next round of emailing and smart phoning!

Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Are the Medications You Take Contributing to Premature Bone Density Loss?

Posted in Health and Wellness, tagged , , , , on June 28, 2011| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Are the medications you are taking contributing to premature bone loss? And if so, what can you do about it? This past week I attended a class on Functional Strength Training for the Aging Spine taught by Shari Kalstein, a physical therapist and personal trainer. )Shari created a class, Fortify Your Frame for older adults and now teaches it to seniors in her practice in Florida The class I attended was modified for personal trainers and physical therapists to teach older adults how to safely exercise.). Her class was a very useful and informative class. She presented a LOT of material about bone density, the aging spine and exercises to help people strengthen their backs and cores as they age. Since we all age at one point, it was useful info for people of all ages.

Long Bone. Image from Wikipedia

A few of the points Shari made were that:

1. Many people are vitamin D deficient, even in sunny Florida and don’t even know it.

2. Men can have osteoporosis and are not regularly tested until at least age 70, long after preventative measures could have been taken. Important facts for men about bone loss here.

3. Many medications as well as soda pop consumption lead to bone density loss.

I was surprised to see so many common medications listed as contributors to bone loss. I thought I’d share them with you as well as the link to the Osteoporosis Association website here.

Medications That Can Contribute to Bone Loss

Below is a list of medicines that may cause bone loss.

  • Aluminum-containing antacids
  • Antiseizure medicines (only some) such as Dilantin® or Phenobarbital
  • Aromatase inhibitors such as Arimidex®, Aromasin® and Femara®
  • Cancer chemotherapeutic drugs
  • Cyclosporine A and FK506 (Tacrolimus)
  • Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) such as Lupron® and Zoladex®
  • Heparin
  • Lithium
  • Medroxyprogesterone acetate for contraception (Depo-Provera®)
  • Methotrexate
  • Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Nexium®, Prevacid® and Prilosec®
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Lexapro®, Prozac® and Zoloft®
  • Steroids (glucocorticoids) such as cortisone and prednisone
  • Tamoxifen® (premenopausal use)
  • Thiazolidinediones such as Actos® and Avandia®
  • Thyroid hormones in excess

Preventing/Counteracting Bone Loss

• Make sure you are getting enough calcium and vitamin D. If you are not sure, get blood work from your doctor and make sure he/she specifically checks your calcium and vitamin D levels. Even if you are ingesting food high in calcium, you may not be properly absorbing it. Supplementation may be required.

• You need regular weight-bearing exercise to keep your bones healthy and strong. Walking is a great weight-bearing exercise you can do well into old age. And not on a treadmill–outdoors is best.

• Eat fruits and vegetables.

• Reduce your alcohol intake

• Quit Smoking

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Where to Find Healthcare Technology Info Online

Posted in Health and Wellness, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , on June 26, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Recently I received an email from William Hopper at HealthTechTopia . He called my attention to one of their posts, “25 Online Health Informatics Resource Collections” in which they list 25 online health informatics resource collections  that provide useful sites filled with statistics and data, articles and projects about health. The post lists 10 sites for health care statistics, 7 sites which provide  tools and resources and 8 useful website links such as  World Health Organization and Center for Public Health Informatics.

If you want stats or biometrics, check out their post, 25 Blogs on Biometrics. If you are looking for a experts in health care field, check out 17 Informatics Experts Worth Listening To.
If you simply want to learn more about your own health, you may want to check out their post on  33 Essential Tips to Take Control of Your Medical Records,
25 Free & Freemium Web Apps to Track Your Body’s Statistics, and
The Definitive Guide to CDC.gov: 10 Resources Everyone Should Bookmark.

For Biometric info from the US Government check out this site, Biometrics.gov

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Looking for Funding to Improve Wellness in Your Community? Check out Healthy People 2020 Community Innovations Project

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , on June 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

For those that want to make a difference in the wellness of their community, there is call for proposals for the Healthy People 2020 Community Innovations Project. This project, is administered by John Snow, Inc. (JSI) as part of a contract it has with the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). The project will fund non-profit, community-based organizations with budgets less than $750,000 to implement projects that address Healthy People 2020 overarching goals, topic areas and objectives and integrate at least one of the following Healthy People 2020 Community Innovation Project priorities: environmental justice, health equity, and healthy behaviors across all life stages. As many as 170 projects will be given between $5,000 to $10,000 to conduct projects between December 1, 2011 and May 31, 2012. For more info on Healthy People, click here.

The Mission of Healthy People 2020 (from their website)

Healthy People 2020 strives to:

  • Identify nationwide health improvement priorities.
  • Increase public awareness and understanding of the determinants of health, disease, and disability and the opportunities for progress.
  • Provide measurable objectives and goals that are applicable at the national, State, and local levels.
  • Engage multiple sectors to take actions to strengthen policies and improve practices that are driven by the best available evidence and knowledge.
  • Identify critical research, evaluation, and data collection needs.

Overarching Goals of Healthy People 2020

  • Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death.
  • Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups.
  • Create social and physical environments that promote good health for all.
  • Promote quality of life, healthy development, and healthy behaviors across all life stages.

The deadline for submitting an application in response to this Request for Proposal (RFP) is Friday, August 5, 2011. More details are included in the  Healthy People 2020 RFP which is available online at http://www.healthypeople.gov.

A Bidders Conference will be held on Monday, June 27, 2011.  During this one hour conference call and webinar, JSI and ODPHP will describe the Healthy People 2020 initiative, review the Healthy People 2020 Community Innovations Project Request for Proposal (RFP), and address any questions that bidders may have.

One-Hour Conference Call and Webinar Time Table

Eligible applicants in Eastern and Central time zones:

12:00 p.m. EDT/11:00 a.m. CDT

Please follow this link to register:  https://jsi.webex.com/jsi/j.php?ED=149637867&RG=1&UID=0&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

Dial: 1.877.223.6135; Conference I.D.: 628.55.112

Eligible applicants in Mountain and Pacific time zones:

12:00 p.m. MDT/11:00 a.m. PDT

Please follow this link to register:  https://jsi.webex.com/jsi/j.php?ED=150472232&RG=1&UID=0&RT=MiM2

Dial: 1.877.223.6135; Conference I.D.: 705.32.378

Eligible applicants in Hawaii-Aleutian and Alaska time zones:

10:00 a.m. HAST/12:00 p.m. AKDT

Please follow this link to register:  https://jsi.webex.com/jsi/j.php?ED=150472417&RG=1&UID=0&RT=MiM2

Dial: 1.877.223.6135; Conference I.D.: 705.32.501

During this one hour conference call and webinar, JSI and ODPHP will describe the Healthy People 2020 initiative, review the Healthy People 2020 Community Innovations Project Request for Proposal (RFP), and address any questions that bidders may have.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

Visit the Tropics–in the U.S….at Rough River Lake in Kentucky

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , on June 21, 2011| 2 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Costa Rica or Kentucky? Kentucky!

Last year, my boyfriend and I ventured down to Kentucky for a long weekend get away. And what we found surprised and delighted us. Rough River Lake, Nolan Lake and Mammoth Cave are great spots for hiking, swimming and boating. Swimming in Rough River Lake, we felt like we were in Costa Rica.  The great thing about a Kentucky vacation for Chicago area dwellers is that getting there is only 6 hours drive from Chicago to Rough River Lake. Door County, WI is just as far but Lake Michigan is cold and prices for boat rental, lodging, and food are about double in WI as compared to prices in Kentucky. Kentucky is warmer in general.  Check out the photos from our last trip and decide for yourself if Kentucky should be on your “must visit” list. We know we’ll be back!

Tranquail island in Rough River Lake, KY

What about wild life? We saw many deer and they saw us!

Kentucky deer look a lot like Illinois deer

Pontoon boats are easy to navigate in Rough River Lake

See an island you like? Pull up your boat and stay a while!

We made a wrong turn and ended up heading for an uber narrow canal!

Beautiful, peaceful and warm clean water in abundance!

Tiny "islands" abound in manmade Rough River Lake

For info on Rough River Lake, click here.

For inf on Nolan Lake, click here.

For info on Mammoth Cave, click here.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »