FitSugar

Destress On Your Big Day: Yoga for Weddings

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 13:00:00 -0800

For all you bride-to be's out there, I just came upon this great website called Yoga For Weddings. Basically, it's a service that offers private yoga classes for brides, grooms, and their families, focusing on de-stressing and making strong connections.

Real teachers will come to you, and give classes for the months leading up to your wedding, such as a Bride Class, Groom Class, Bride & Groom Class, Parent Class, In-Law Class, Bachelorette/Bachelor Party Class (definitely not your traditional party), Bridal Party Class, Sibling Class, Groom & Dad Class, Bride & Mom Class, Bride & Sibling Class, Groom & Mom Class, or Family Combo Class.

They offer private classes for the day or week of your wedding, and classes for after the wedding, like for your Anniversary (aww).

I love this idea. Currently, they have teachers based in New York, London, Seattle, and Miami, but they'll work with you through their network of yoga instructors, depending on where you need them. Just e-mail or call Yoga For Weddings - schedule one class or a class package, and they'll come to you, offering you peace and relaxation on your special day.

If You Could Afford It, Which Would You Rather Have?

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:30:00 -0700

Hopefully you all know that I'm giving away $1000 to help one lucky winner get in tip top shape for beach time. (So if you haven't entered the giveaway yet, click here). Although it is important to feel good about yourself when headed to the beach, it's also important to feel good every day. So that got me thinking about ways to stay healthy in general, all year round.

So I was wondering . . .

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DVD Review: Trudie Styler's Warrior Yoga

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:00:35 -0700

Although I enjoy practicing yoga in my living room, I rarely have the time - and to be honest, the discipline - to complete a whole 90-minute session alone. For those reasons, I really enjoyed the DVD Trudie Styler's Warrior Yoga ($15). The full practice is 50 minutes long, and the verbal instruction is so professional and specific it felt like a private lesson. Although yoga enthusiast Sting is her hubby, Trudie invited celebrity fitness guru James D’Silva to help lead this video. His unbelievably calming voice coupled with the gorgeous backdrop of Trudie and Sting's eco-friendly Tuscan villa inspired me to move with strength and serenity.

Warrior yoga is a type of vigorous Vinyasa yoga, where postures flow one into another. I like how D’Silva repeated the same poses a few times, holding each one for a breath, so you could feel your body opening deeper every time. The sequence included challenging poses that targeted opening commonly tight areas of the body including the hips, hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders.

Is this DVD one of my favorites? Find out when you read more.

This video set a spark under my already burning fire for yoga. I've reviewed many yoga DVDs, and this one is definitely top on my list of faves. It included all the essential aspects of yoga - attention to breath and moving with strength and control, a variety of postures to target all areas of the body, repetition of postures to deepen your stretch, and awareness of the connection between your mind and body. By the end, I felt calm yet energized, and I was covered in sweat, so I know I worked my body well. Beginners and advanced yogis will love this video, and I know it'll be one I can come back to over and over again. You can order yours from Gaiam.

Angina

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:35:07 -0700

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Angina is chest pain caused by restricted blood flow to the heart (called ischemia). It usually occurs when you are under emotional or physical stress (such as exercise). The heart doesn't get enough oxygen from the coronary arteries, and you feel a squeezing chest pain or pressure across your chest, which usually goes away after you stop the activity. The most common cause of angina is atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Stable angina usually occurs when you exercise and is fairly predictable. It is relieved with rest or nitroglycerin. Unstable angina, on the other hand, can occur when you are resting, or at unpredictable times. It can lead to a heart attack, so if you experience unstable angina you should immediately call 911.

It can be difficult to determine whether your chest pain is something serious or whether it is a milder condition. For that reason, you should always see your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment. Angina can lead to a heart attack, so you should never try to diagnose or treat it on your own.

Signs and Symptoms

Chest pain from angina can feel like pain due to other causes such as heartburn, a muscle strain, asthma, etc. When in doubt, assume that the pain is related to your heart until proven otherwise, especially if you are experiencing pain that you have never felt before.

The classic chest pain from angina feels like significant pressure, squeezing, or tightness in the center of your chest. It's been described as feeling like a band across the chest or a weight pressing down on the chest. You may also feel pain in your left arm and shoulder, neck, and jaw. Other possible feelings include indigestion, rapid or skipping heartbeat, or mild discomfort.

Causes

Coronary heart disease, which occurs when the arteries leading to the heart become narrowed or blocked by plaque, is almost always the cause of angina.

Risk Factors

The risk factors for angina are the same as the risk factors for developing heart disease including:

Age
Male gender
Menopause
Family history of heart disease
Diabetes
Smoking or exposure to second hand smoke
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Obesity
Sedentary lifestyle
Stress

See articles on Atherosclerosis and Heart Attack for more information about risk factors.

Diagnosis

Your doctor may run several tests to determine the cause of your chest pain.

Electrocardiogram (ECG), which records heart activity through electrodes fastened to your chest.

Stress test, which measures how your heart performs when you exert yourself. You will be hooked up to an ECG machine and may be asked to exercise (usually on a treadmill or stationary bike) or you may be given a drug that causes your heart to act as it does when you exercise. The stress test also may be done with imaging (like thallium, sestimibi, or an echocardiogram) to look at the blood flow and muscle function of your heart.

Coronary catheterization, which examines arteries to see if they are narrowed or blocked, involves injecting a dye into your arteries through a thin catheter.

Other tests may include an electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) scan or cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Preventive Care

If you will be doing an activity that usually triggers your angina, your doctor may tell you to take nitroglycerin a few minutes in advance to prevent the pain.

The best prevention for angina is to modify as many risk factors for heart disease as possible:

Stop smoking
Maintain a proper weight
Control blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol
Eat a diet low in saturated fats, and high in whole grains, fiber, fruits, and vegetables
Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week
Reduce stress

Treatment Approach

In treating angina, your doctor will treat the underlying heart disease to prevent it from getting worse. By doing this, blood flow to the heart improves and angina gets better. Lifestyle changes and certain medications can improve blood flow and make you feel better fairly quickly. Keep track of what causes your angina pain, what it feels like, how often you get it, and how long it lasts. If there's a change in your pattern for the worse (for example, if it happens more frequently or with less exertion), let your doctor know right away.

Lifestyle

Changing your diet, exercising regularly, and practicing relaxation techniques to reduce your response to stress can help improve blood flow to your heart and reduce angina. These steps can also help treat your risk factors for heart disease.

Diet

A diet low in saturated fat and high in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables will help your heart and also keep your weight under control. The American Heart Association recommends that you do the following to prevent or treat heart disease:

Eat a variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups, especially whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and low-fat dairy products.
Eat at least 2 servings of fish per week
Limit sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day.
Limit alcohol intake to 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women.
Use up as many calories as you take in. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days (or, better still, every day).

Relaxation

Relaxation techniques may help you reduce stress, which can be a contributing factor to heart disease, and relieve chest pain. Such practices might include the use of meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, yoga, self-hypnosis, or biofeedback.

Medications

For the treatment of stable angina, your doctor will likely recommend daily aspirin as well as a combination of the following prescription medications:

Nitroglycerin and oral nitrates - temporarily dilates coronary arteries, allowing the heart to get more blood and oxygen
Beta-blockers - slow heart rate and blood pressure, reducing the heart's need for oxygen. You should never abruptly stop taking a beta-blocker, because serious side effects can occur. Talk to your doctor about how to slowly wean off of this drug. Beta-blockers include
- Atenolol (Tenormin)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL)
- Propranolol (Inderal, Inderal LA)
Calcium-channel blockers - slow heart rate and cause arteries to dilate. Calcium-channel blockers include
- Nifedipine (Procardia)
- Amlodipine (Norvasc)
- Diltiazem (Cardizem)
Cholesterol-lowering medications, such as statins
Ranolazine (Ranexa) - used only when other anti-angina drugs don't work, due to potential side effects. It is used with other anti-angina medications, such as beta-blockers or nitroglycerin.

Surgery and Other Procedures

If lifestyle changes and medications are not effective or if unstable angina develops, you may need coronary artery bypass graft surgery, angioplasty with stent placement, or another type of procedure to improve blood flow to your heart. (See Atherosclerosis for details regarding bypass and angioplasty with stent.)

Other procedures include transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR), which is usually done along with coronary artery bypass; and, for those who are not candidates for standard treatments, a procedure called enhanced external counter pulsation (EECP).

Nutrition and Dietary Supplements

Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Make sure you exercise at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week.

There are many supplements that can help reduce your chances of developing heart disease and its consequences, including angina. See Atherosclerosis and Heart Attack for details.

A few supplements are being studied specifically to reduce the pain from angina. However, you should never try to treat angina on your own, and should only take supplements or herbs under your doctor's supervision. The doses given below are ones that have been used in studies; it is important to talk to your doctor about what dose might be best for you.

L-carnitine (1 g two times per day), an amino acid, may help reduce symptoms of angina, according to several clinical trials.
Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 (150 mg per day) is important for heart health and several studies suggest that taking it may allow people with angina to exercise more without pain. High doses of CoQ10 may interfere with some anticoagulants (blood-thinners), so talk to your doctor before taking CoQ10 if you take anticoagulants.
Arginine or l-arginine (2 g three times per day) is another amino acid that may improve blood flow and increase exercise tolerance in people with angina.
Magnesium (365 mg two times per day) acts similar to a calcium-channel blocker in the body, although it is much weaker. One study suggested it may help reduce chest pain caused by exercise. Magnesium can lower blood pressure and cause diarrhea, so talk to your doctor before taking it.

Herbs

The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner. If you have angina, do not take any herbs without your doctor's supervision.

There are several different herbs that may be helpful for the treatment and prevention of heart disease, including those that help you reduce your cholesterol, blood pressure, and other risk factors. See articles on Atherosclerosis, Heart attack, High blood pressure, and High cholesterol for more information. Herbs that may be helpful for angina include:

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna, 60 mg three times per day) has been used traditionally as a to treat heart disease. One small clinical trial suggested that people with angina who took hawthorn improved blood flow to the heart and were better able to exercise without pain. However, the trial was small and more studies are needed. Hawthorn can cause side effects and interact with other drugs, so do not take it without your doctor's supervision.
Kudzu (Pueria lobota, 30 mg to 120 mg per day) has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries to treat heart disease. A few clinical trials have indicated that kudzu may reduce the frequency of angina in people, but the trials were poorly designed. More research is needed. Kudzu can cause side effects and interact with other drugs, so do not take it without your doctor's supervision.
Terminalia arjuna, an herb used in Ayurvedic medicine, was shown in one study to be as effective as isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur) in reducing the number of angina attacks and increasing exercise capacity. However, more studies are needed.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy should never be used instead of immediate medical attention for unstable angina, new onset chest pain, or chest pain that has changed in intensity, frequency, or other characteristics. Homeopathy may, however, be used to help reduce your risk of heart disease, along with other medications. Although few studies have examined the effectiveness of specific homeopathic remedies, professional homeopaths would recommend appropriate therapy to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths take into account your constitutional type. In homeopathic terms, a person's constitution is his or her physical, emotional, and intellectual makeup. An experienced homeopath would assess all of these factors when determining the most appropriate remedy for you as an individual.

Acupuncture

Studies using acupuncture to treat angina have found mixed results. While some show no benefit, others have found that acupuncture may help reduce the frequency of angina attacks and the need to use nitroglycerin.

Prognosis and Complications

Stable angina can progress and become unstable and even lead to a heart attack. The good news, however, is that with the right treatment including eating proper diet, getting enough exercise, and taking medication, blood flow to the heart can dramatically improve, lessening the likelihood of angina attacks.

Supporting Research

Almeda FQ, Parrillo JE, Klein LW. Alternative therapeutic strategies for patients with severe end-stage coronary artery disease not amenable to conventional revascularization. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2003;60(1):57-66.

Ardissino D, Merlini PA, Savonitto S, et al. Effect of transdermal nitroglycerin or N-acetylcysteine, or both, in the long-term treatment of unstable angina pectoris. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1997;29:941-7.

Bahorun T, Trotin F, Pommery J, Vasseur J, Pinkas M. Antioxidant activities of Crataegus monogyna extracts. Planta Med. 1994;60:323-328.

Bakloanov D, Simons M. Arteriogenesis: lessons learned from clinical trials. Endothelium. 2003;10(4-5):217-223.

Ballegard S, et al. Acupuncture in angina pectoris: does acupuncture have a specific effect? J Intern Med. 1991; 229:357-362.

Bharani A, Ganguli A, Mathur LK, et al. Efficacy of Terminalia arjuna in chronic stable angina: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study comparing Terminalia arjuna with isosorbide mononitrate. Indian Heart J. 2002;54:170-175.

Budoff MJ, Achenbach S, Duerinckx A. Clinical utility of computed tomography and magnetic resonance techniques for noninvasive coronary angiography. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;42(11):1867-1878.

Bueno EA, Mamtani R, Frishman Wh. Alternative approaches to the medical management of angina pectoris: acupuncture, electrical nerve stimulation, and spinal cord stimulation. Heart Dis. 2001;3(4):236-241.

Cunningham C, Brown S, Kaski JC. Effects of transcendental meditation on symptoms and electrocardiographic changes in patients with cardiac syndrome X. Am J Cardiol. 2000;85(5):653-655, A10.

Day W. Relaxation: a nursing therapy to help relieve cardiac chest pain. Aust J Adv Nurs. 2000;18(1):40-44.

Fugh-Berman A. Herbs and dietary supplements in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Prev Cardiol. 2000;3(1):24-32.

Fujita M, Tambara K. Recent insights into human coronary collateral development. Heart. 2004;90(3):246-250.

Gibbons RJ, Abrams J, Chatterjee K, et al. ACC/AHA 2002 guideline update for the management of patients with chronic stable angina – summary article: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on practice guidelines (Committee on the Management of Patients with Chronic Stable Angina). J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;41(1):159-168.

Gilbert C. Clinical applications of breathing regulation. Beyond anxiety management. Behav Modif. 2003;27(5):692-709.

Goldman JP. New techniques and applications for magnetic resonance angiography. Mt Sinai J Med. 2003;70(6):375-385.

Heatlie GJ, Pointon K. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Postgrad Med J. 2004;80(939):19-22.

Ignarro LJ, Balestrieri ML, Napoli C. Nutrition, physical activity, and cardiovascular disease: an update. Cardiovasc Res. 2007 Jan 15;73(2):326-40. Review.

Jacobson TA. Beyond lipids: the role of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil in the prevention of coronary heart disease. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2007 Aug;9(2):145-53. Review.

Kastrup J. Therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic heart disease: gene or recombinant vascular growth factor protein therapy? Curr Gene Ther. 2003;3(3):197-206.

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Kleiman NS, Patel NC, Allen KB, et al. Evolving revascularizaton approaches for myocardial ischemia. Am J Cardiol. 2003;92(9B):9N-17N.

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Rigelsky JM, Sweet BV. Hawthorn: pharmacology and therapeutic uses. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2002;59(5):417-422.

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Tackling tough-to-treat chest pain. Harv Health Lett. 2002;13(3):5-6.

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Review Date:
12/20/2007
Reviewed By:
Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D., private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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More Healthy Gift Ideas for Father's Day

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Still thinking about what to get Dad for Father's Day and Part 1's Gift Ideas didn't work for you? How about these great ideas?

Hire your dad a personal chef for a night - They'll come to his home, cook a healthy meal for him and your mom, and then clean up the mess! If you can't afford to hire a professional, why not cook the meal yourself?!

A private sports lesson - Does your dad like racquetball, tennis, golf, windsurfing, skiing, sailing, water skiing, salsa dancing, tai chi, Pilates, or something else? I'm sure he'll appreciate some tips from a professional.
A Heart Rate Monitor (check out this basic one called the Polar FS1 for $59.95) - guys LOVE gadgets, so this would be a great way to inspire him to exercise and keep his heart and the rest of his body healthy.
An iPod Nano ($150) with Nike + iPod Sports Kit ($30) - If you have a higher budget this Father's Day, this is a great gift your Dad can use on runs. He can chart his time, speed, distance, and calories burned, and upload it to Nike.com.
A 1-Month membership or gift certificate to the local gym, yoga studio, or YMCA.

If you have any more ideas, share them below. Happy Father's Day!

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