Healthy Body

Springing To Life

March 20, 2012 – 4:46 PM

This post was written by a good friend of The Pink Cart Team, Cathy. She wanted to share her experience of the benefits of running both socially and for her health. 

It’s finally spring (well actually it feels like summer) in our part of the world and that brings us outdoors to start getting more active and involved with our neighbors.  I started running with my friend Lori back in November.  She has talked me into doing a 10k with her in May and while I persevere in my training I mostly feel like I have a piano on my back while I’m running (or is it jogging?).  It’s the social aspect of running with my friend that keeps me going. I was surprised at how social and supportive other runners and the running community can be. I had always thought of it as a solitary sport.

Research and common sense tells us how critical exercise is in breast cancer survival rates.  Being a cancer survivor I know that eating right and exercise are important but more importantly, setting a goal to run or walk a race can motivate us to get up off the couch and ultimately provide a sense of accomplishment which empowers us to do more in our lives.  The research also tells us that being part of a social group is critical to health and long life.  If competing in a race isn’t for you, try volunteering with a local road race or triathlon with their built in social networks. I plan 

So find a running/biking/walking partner and get going this spring!to help with the Grand Rapids Triathlon in June. Consider helping out with a local Relay for Life or with a 5k that benefits a cause that is important to you.

By caitlint | Also posted in Breast Cancer Awareness, Healthy Lifestyle | Comments (0)

Wheat Belly

March 12, 2012 – 3:28 PM

Ever since the American Cancer Society proclaimed a direct link between obesity and cancer deaths, we on the Pink Cart team have been working on a new Be Healthy section on our site as a destination for readers interested in leading a healthy lifestyle. We would love help from you, our friends, in this area so if you have topics, recipes, book reviews, exercise tips or ideas that would contribute to a woman’s good health please send them in for posting as this is our collective site to share.

Along those lines, I recently read a book called Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis which I thought was an interesting read.  Essentially the Doctor makes the connection between the highly altered wheat of today and obesity in our society. He says “Wheat strains have been hybridized, crossbred, and introgressed to make the wheat plant resistant to environmental conditions, such as drought, or pathogens, such as fungi. But most of all, genetic changes have been induced to increase yield per acre. The average yield on a modern North American farm is more than tenfold greater than farms or a century ago.” The wheat of today (which by the way seems to be in everything…just ask a Celiac sufferer) when ingested causes blood sugar to spike and the body reacts by accumulating abdominal fat. You know the dreaded spare tire around the middle of our bodies? The Doctor talks about diabetes and other diseases that are on the rise and helps the reader to understand his perspective as to why that is happening.

I have been following the program for ten weeks and didn’t lose the copious amounts of weight suggested in the book but have lost steadily one pound per week and significant inches, and that feels pretty good to me. What I can attest to is renewed energy and the complete absence of bloating or  any digestive issues which would occasionally bother me. In some ways this program is easier than any of the other famous ones I have tried because it doesn’t take over your life, forcing you to think about, measure, weigh, calculate, write down, etc. every morsel of food you put in your mouth. You simply give up wheat. The book speaks to withdrawal, which I had for about three days, but after that I have absolutely no cravings or desire to consume wheat.

I don’t think this book’s wheat-free diet is for everyone but if you are interested in different points of view and a little education, I recommend the read.

 

~Jo-Anne

By caitlint | Also posted in Be Healthy, Healthy Eating | Comments (3)

Take the Physical Activity Quiz!

February 23, 2012 – 4:01 PM

We know, we know, we know, you’re probably tired of hearing “you need to get more exercise” from your parents, your doctor, your friends, and your local news. But you can’t deny that regular physical activity has so many benefits for your health and is a huge component of staying cancer free and reducing your risk of recurrence if you’ve already had cancer. So, let’s see if you’re up to snuff! Click on the red checks below to see if you’re getting enough physical activity in your life.

 

Leave a comment and tell us how you did!

By caitlint | Also posted in Be Healthy | Comments (0)

WONDERDRUG! Exercise and Cancer

February 23, 2012 – 2:17 PM

We are all about Cancer Prevention. But, sometimes, despite our best efforts, Cancer still rears its ugly head into our lives. So once you’ve got Cancer, it’s time to make some decisions about your treatment, your recovery, and how you’re going to keep up your exercise routine. Wait, WHAT? You’re fighting cancer, who cares about exercise? Well, it turns out, it could save your life. Exercise  should be one of your top priorities in your cancer treatment plan.

This may not seem like it makes sense. A lot of times we associate cancer treatment with really taxing experiences like chemotherapy and radiation and think that cancer patients should make a point of “taking it easy” but actually, they should do the opposite. We’re not talking about running a marathon while you’re hooked up to an IV, but regular physical activity could actually be the wonderdrug you’ve been searching for. Take a look at what Macmillan Cancer Support found in their Move More Report and then tell us what you think – is this news to you or have you been an active cancer fighter all along?

  • Cancer patients should spend 150 minutes a week doing light to moderate physical exercise. By doing that…
  • A breast cancer patient can decrease her risk of recurrence or of dying by 40%
  • A prostate cancer patient can decrease their risk of recurrence or of dying by 30%
  • You can reduce your risk of developing colon cancer by 50%
  • You can curtail typical cancer treatment side effects like fatigue, depression, osteoporosis and heart disease

 

This is a big shift in what we’ve thought about the best way to go about treating cancer. And a lot of our health professionals are still catching up on this information. These are some recommendations of how cancer patients can exercise safely. As always, be sure to ask your doctor about what physical activity could be most beneficial for you while you go through your cancer treatment.

  • Stretching can help relieve and repair muscles after surgery (be sure to clear stretches with your doctor)
  • Strength Training like weight-bearing exercises can help maintain bone density while undergoing chemo
  • Aerobic Exercises like Walking, Biking and Running get the heart rate up and help to keep off excess weight
  • Balance Exercises like walking a narrow path or heel raises can help strengthen your ability to balance which may be impaired by medications; it also is a proactive measure to help reduce your risk of falls that could lead to broken bones or other injuries that could add to your recovery

 

For those of you going through cancer treatment now, when are you going to take the first step in being more active?

 

By caitlint | Also posted in Be Healthy, Breast Cancer Awareness, Healthy Lifestyle | Comments (0)

Breast Cancer Quiz

February 23, 2012 – 11:41 AM

Alright, Pink People – we pride ourselves on being passionate for our cause. AND WE ARE! Pink ribbons, fundraising walks, survivor tattoos, volunteering for local breast cancer groups and more all show that we have all been touched by breast cancer. But when it comes down to cold hard facts, what do we really know about it? We know we need to be doing breast self checks every month and annual mammograms, but, we think you’ll agree, there’s a lot more to breast cancer than feeling or squeezing our boobs on a regular basis! So, let’s put your breast cancer brain power to the test – click below to take this breast cancer quiz and leave us a comment with how well you did!

Is your Breast Cancer Brain Power leaving something to be desired? Brush up on your facts here.

By caitlint | Also posted in Be Healthy, Breast Cancer Awareness | Comments (0)

Pink Cart Goes Red For Women

February 3, 2012 – 11:35 AM

 

Friday February 3rd is National Go Red For Women Day. It’s The American Heart Association’s annual campaign to raise awareness and funds in their fight against heart disease, the #1 Killer of Women. The Go Red Movement is a passionate, emotional, social initiative designed to empower women to take charge of their heart health, according to AHA. Go Red also supports programs to educate women and to fund breakthrough research. Learn more about where the money goes by clicking here.

While The Pink Cart is focused on the fight against Breast Cancer, we recognize the need to bring an end to all preventable life threatening diseases that claim the lives of the people we love. We hope you take some time today to educate yourself on heart disease and what you can do to lower your risk factors and stay aware of your heart health. Go Red offers these resources to help you get started:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By caitlint | Also posted in Be Healthy, Healthy Grandma, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Mom | Comments (0)

World’s Fastest Workout

January 31, 2012 – 4:25 PM

We know that a key part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is making sure you find the time to be active every day. Usually between work and home, we end up walking a good amount each day, but it’s usually in short spurts and at slow speeds. This doesn’t do as much for us as it could. But over-using your snooze button instead of getting up an extra hour early for a cardio workout when you’re already running ragged is very easy to justify.

So, instead of trying to find time where you don’t have any, how about just starting your day with this, the World’s Fastest Workout. Our Pink Cart Friend, Lindsay, asked us to share this with you as an easy way to engage muscles throughout your body and get your heart pumping a little faster in just 4 minutes. Who doesn’t have 4 minutes? You can fit this in while you’re waiting for dinner to finish cooking, for the kids to get their teeth brushed, for the car to warm up, or right before your shower. Heck, do this once or twice every morning and you may even be able to pass up that cup of coffee!

Give it a try and let us know how it works for you. In case you’re not familiar with these exercises, we’ve linked them to how-to-videos and instructions from www.livestrong.com.

 

World’s Fastest Workout

0:00 Squat Thrust

0:20 Rest

0:30 Mountain Climbers

0:50 Rest

1:00 High Knees

1:20 Rest

1:30 Jumping Jacks

1:50 Rest

2:00 Squat Thrust

2:20 Rest

2:30 Mountain Climbers

2:50 Rest

3:00 High Knees

3:20 Rest

3:30  Jumping Jacks

3:50 Rest

4:00 Done!

By paulk | Also posted in Be Healthy, Breast Cancer Awareness, Healthy Lifestyle | Comments (0)

Be Healthy, Be Cancer Free!

January 27, 2012 – 1:01 PM

We do a lot of talking on our blog and Facebook about how to lower your risk factors for developing breast cancer. Recently the American Cancer Society released a report linking 100,000 new cancer diagnoses  every year in the U.S. to excess body fat. And quite frankly, it scared us.  We know we should “be healthy” and lead healthy lifestyles to lower our cancer risk, but how committed are we to following through on making the right choices for our bodies and our health?

Honestly, with work, kids, and a social life, our ability to eat well balanced meals on the go and make time for exercise is inconsistent at best – it depends on the day – and that’s not good enough. We, all of us, need to get serious. The war against cancer starts with us, and specifically with our attitudes about our health.

So today we’re launching The Pink Cart’s Be Healthy page. We’ll have research, breaking news and tips for being active, eating right, and doing your part to keep harmful carcinogens out of the environment. Whether you’re a fitness guru, fabulous cook, health-conscious Mom, the family matriarch, or a tree hugger, we’ve got a way for you to lead a healthier lifestyle and reduce your risk of developing Breast Cancer.

We’ll be giving you a lot of information, but we want to know what’s important to you, too. What do you want to hear about? What are your struggles in maintaining a healthy lifestyle? Write to us, leave a comment below, tell us what support you need. Ditch the excuses and get engaged, get educated, and get moving. Be Healthy and Be Cancer Free.

Share your thoughts with us, leave a comment below!

By caitlint | Also posted in Be Healthy, Healthy Eating, Healthy Environment, Healthy Grandma, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Mom | Comments (0)