When you want to really get your heart pumping, there’s nothing like a cardio workout. But even a few minutes on the treadmill or elliptical can leave us feeling like hamsters on a wheel, and ending a workout early certainly won’t accomplish the burn we desire. Thankfully, there are plenty of other cardio workouts that don’t require stepping on the dreadmill. Follow along as Jaime McFaden, a personal trainer at Grokker, leads this 20-minute cardio routine complete with jumping jacks, mountain climbers, and chair squats. It’s impossible to get bored because you’ll switch up the moves every minute. Once you complete one circuit, repeat it, then finish off with the cool-down. Ready to get sweaty? Just press play. Here’s the full recap: Perform each move for
Category: lifestyle
Interview with WA Surfer Jerome Forrest
Jerome Forest is a West Australian local talent and the winner of the first HIF Pro Am Series for 2015. We caught up with him recently to find out how a professional surfer can maintain a healthy morning ritual…
Overcoming the Fear of the Lion: A Courageous Film About Genetic Testing and Huntington’s Disease
A new documentary, The Lion’s Mouth Opens, poignantly captures the precarious journey into genetic self-knowledge by Marianna Palka, a 33-year-old filmmaker-actress. She has decided to test for Huntington’s disease (HD), which has been referred to as the “devil of all diseases.” Watching a special preview of this Academy Award-shortlisted film at a meeting of leading HD scientists in February prompted me to relive my family’s struggles with HD, which destroys the brain. During the screening, I cried uncontrollably for a good while. I found consolation in a hug and encouraging words from Marianna. Directed by Lucy Walker, the film explores a harrowing predicament: Researchers have developed a test for HD, but have not yet found a way to halt the progression of
Inside Huntington’s
My first year out of college, I worked as a lab technician in a neurobiology lab at Massachusetts General Hospital East researching drug addiction. I was 22 years old in February 1993 when the scientists down the hall began celebrating, puncturing the typically austere bubble of this neuroscience research floor with big emotion. I remember pausing, my pipette hovering ready in hand, waiting for the details of whatever this exciting news was to reach me. I could feel it coming like a wave. The news was monumental. These scientists down the hall had just isolated the genetic mutation that causes Huntington’s disease (HD). I remember the goosebumps on my arms, knowing I was witnessing a historic moment in all of neuroscience. This genetic mutation is the only thing that
Life With HD and a Dog Named Flo
After noticing some unusual mental and physical behavior, appointments with and tests by a neurologist, we got the startling diagnosis of Huntington’s Disease (HD) in March 2010. It was an unwelcome surprise, as we were not aware that this genetic brain disease was in her father’s family. Mary’s reaction was, “I don’t want to know that…” but now, five years later, she’s resigned to her fate. I was glad to know what we were dealing with but had no idea that I would spend my retirement as a 24×7 caregiver. We’ve been married 54 years and had plans to continue the world travel that began in Japan after our marriage. But it was not to be. Our new adventure is learning about and managing the symptoms for this
Good Grief
Grief is weight – something you bear, a heaviness you learn to carry. Grief is the weight of never. – Ron Marasco – Grief is something none of us can escape yet the topic is rarely discussed because there is no one way we all experience it. Knowing how difficult the subject is Ron Marasco, on the faculty of Loyola Marymount University, began teaching a course on grief and his book, Grief, grew out of his lectures and research. Due to nature of the topic many grieving people feel alone in their pain and there exist no magic pills for relief and even time, although it has an effect, does not eliminate grief, at best it just may put it in perspective after a while. As Ron states: Grief is
Primal Mocktails
If it’s Saturday night and you want to kick back and relax without alcohol, but want something more celebratory than sparkling water, a Primal Mocktail is what you need. Primal Mocktails are non-alcoholic, low in sugar, refreshing, and fun to drink, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out when a pitcher of margaritas is passed around. The real challenge when crafting a mocktail is keeping the sugar content in check. Look up a few recipes for non-alcoholic beverages and you’ll find a lot of fruit juice, a lot of melons and tropical fruit, and sweeteners like simple syrup and agave nectar. The three recipes below don’t rely on sugar for flavor. Instead, these Primal mocktails are made with intriguing flavor combinations, like cucumber and
Are Our Kids Having Too Many Treats?
Whether it’s goodies from grandma or just a peacekeeping effort, treat-giving habits are becoming more frequent. In this blog post Susie discusses the behavioral and dietary impacts that these choices can have on our kids wellbeing, and explains why the simple act of holding back may be the best thing you can do.
Fluoride and Thyroid Disorders
Does fluoride-based toothpaste concern you? It certainly did for one of our blog readers recently, who sent in a question for Dr Emma. In response, Dr Emma discusses the pros and cons of using fluoride-based toothpaste, explains her concerns about ‘natural’ toothpastes, and explores the latest evidence regarding the effects of fluoride on dental decay.
ICYMI: The Rise Of Trigger Warnings And What An Empty Inbox Says About Your Personality
ICYMI Health features what we’re reading this week. This week, we read everything we could get our hands on about human behavior, including an essay on what the rise of trigger warnings and safe spaces say about us as a society, and a piece on the psychological advantages of strongly identifying with being biracial. We learned how a trick of the brain can make it difficult to end a bad relationship and what having thousands of unread emails in your inbox says about your personality. Read on and tell us in the comments: What did you read and love this week? 1. The Scary Psychology Of ‘Dark’ Perfectionism — The Huffington Post A new study shows that there is more than one kind of perfectionism. Self-oriented perfectionists set
2000 Meter Swim Workout
Training Buddy Brandi and I are doing more and more of our swims outside. It’s so nice! But I really need to think of a sun protection solution – my sunscreen comes right off, and I end up with all sorts of crazy tan lines. Maybe I need a rash guard shirt like Henry and Claire wear? Brandi is super organized and always keeps a few workouts in her gym bag. Once we pick our swim, we put it in a Ziploc bag at the edge of the pool so we can easily follow along. We ended up tackling this awesome 2000 meter workout. But I confess – I stopped after 1400 meters or so. I was super sleepy and the lounge chairs looked mighty appealing. Hah. To translate