Stretching Essentials

Before you plunge into stretching, make sure you do it safely and effectively. While you can stretch anytime, anywhere, you want to be sure to use proper technique. Stretching incorrectly can actually do more harm than good.  Use these tips to keep stretching safe:

·         Don't consider stretching a warm-up. You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles. So before stretching, warm up with light walking, jogging or biking at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Or better yet, stretch after you exercise when your muscles are warmed up. Also, consider holding off on stretching before an intense activity, such as sprinting or track and field activities. Some research suggests that pre-event stretching before these types of events may actually decrease performance.

·         Focus on major muscle groups. When you're stretching, focus on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play. And make sure that you stretch both sides. For instance, if you stretch your left hamstring, be sure to stretch your right hamstring, too.

·         Don't bounce. Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in the muscle. These tears leave scar tissue as the muscle heals, which tightens the muscle even further, making you less flexible and more prone to pain. So, hold each stretch for about 30 seconds. Repeat each stretch three or four times.

·         Don't aim for pain. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching, not pain. If it hurts, you've pushed too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch.

·         Make stretches sport specific. Some evidence suggests that it's helpful to do stretches tailored for your sport or activity. If you play soccer, for instance, you're more vulnerable to hamstring strains. So opt for stretches that help your hamstrings.

·         Keep up with your stretching. Stretching can be time-consuming. But you can achieve the best benefits by stretching regularly, at least two to three times a week. If you don't stretch regularly, you risk losing any benefits that stretching offered. For instance, if stretching helped you increase your range of motion, and you stop stretching, your range of motion may decrease again.

·         Bring movement into your stretching. Gentle movement can help you be more flexible in specific movements..

Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about the best way to stretch if you have any health concerns. Otherwise, I can show you how to perform stretches correctly.

Obese Children at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: How Parents Can Help

There's no doubt that childhood obesity has become a nationwide issue, the future implications of which largely remain unknown. According to a new study published in the British Medical Journal, however, it appears we may have underestimated the severity of the issue.
Researchers from the University of Oxford examined data from nearly 50,000 school-aged children in developed countries to investigate the effect of body mass index on cardiovascular disease risk. They found that those who were overweight and obese exhibited greater risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, compared to those who were underweight or normal weight. Not surprisingly, the researchers referred to obesity’s effect on future cardiovascular disease as "substantial" and "concerning."
These findings are undoubtedly alarming, and may be the wake-up call our country needs to start taking more serious measures to eliminate this epidemic. According to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, and is largely a result of kids eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity. Children today are exposed to a number of environmental factors that may make it difficult for them to make healthy lifestyle choices, including:

• fewer healthy food and drink options
• a lack of daily, quality physical activity on school campuses
• easier access to highly-caloric foods and sugary drinks
• increased portion sizes
• increased exposure to ads for unhealthy foods on TV and in the media
• limited access to safe recreation centers

As parents, you have the ability to empower your children to make healthy choices for themselves by modeling a healthy lifestyle and making adjustments to your own behaviors. “Changing our children's eating and exercise habits means we have to change our own, as well," explains ACE Chief Science Officer Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D. "If we are honest with ourselves, what we do and the example that we set greatly influences what our children do. It's vitally important that we as parents take on the responsibility of being good, healthy role models for our children when it comes to physical activity and eating sensibly. That means being more thoughtful in terms of buying food, planning meals and looking for opportunities to become more physically active as a family," adds Bryant.
Here are some practical tips on how you can positively influence your children's health and well-being:

• Limit the amount of junk food you keep in the house.
• Plan healthy meals in advance that the whole family can enjoy together.
• Try to get out of the habit of using food as a reward for good behavior.
• Plan ahead when you eat out so you can make wiser and healthier selections.
• Look for simple ways to move more as a family. For example, teach your kids the games you played as a child, such as tag, capture the flag, hopscotch, duck duck goose, or red rover.
• Train your children to connect movement with enjoyment. (Note: Many activities today tend to be conducted in a more structured environment, and many children have forgotten how to play just for the sake of playing.)