GIFT OF LIFE MARROW REGISTRY STEPS FOR LIFE 5K RUN & WALK AT BATTERY PARK – THIS SUNDAY

October 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment
WHAT: Gift of Life Marrow Registry helps children and adults suffering from leukemia, lymphoma, other cancers and genetic disorders find donors for bone marrow transplants.
Event is dedicated to raising awareness on the importance of joining the marrow registry.
Certified and timed 5K with awards given to the top finishers.
At the event, a life-saving marrow donor and their transplant recipient will meet for the first time.
WHEN: Sunday, October 14, 2018 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Check-in Time: 8:00 am
WHERE: Battery Park- Robert F. Wagner, Jr. New York, NY
REGISTRATION: Please register today here and help us get everyone involved, swabbed and cured!
Invite friends, family, and co-workers to run as a group; Volunteer at the event to earn community service hours; Students $15 when registering online (includes shirt)- $20 on the day of the event; Adults $30 when registering online (includes shirt)- $35 on the day of the event; Kids (6 and under) FREE- Superhero Sprint includes a cape and medal.
About Gift of Life Marrow Registry:
Gift of Life Marrow Registry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. The organization, established in 1991, is dedicated to saving lives and facilitating bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood-related diseases. To learn more about Gift of Life Marrow Registry, visit www.giftoflife.org.
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Come Support “Gift of Life Marrow Registry” 5K

October 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Join the Gift of Life Marrow Registry Steps for Life 5K Run & Walk at Battery Park.

Come and support “Gift of Life Marrow Registry”, an incredible organization dedicated to helping children and adults suffering from leukemia, lymphoma, and other cancers and genetic disorders find donors for bone marrow transplants, by signing up for the “Steps for Life 5K Run & Walk”. This event is open to professional runners and families alike, and is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of joining the marrow registry. The race will also be the first ever meeting place of one marrow donor and their recipient.

Certified and timed 5K with awards given to the top finishers.

Please register today and help us get everyone involved, swabbed and cured!

Date:
Sunday, October 14, 2018 from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. Check-in Time: 8:00 am

Location:
Battery Park- Robert F. Wagner, Jr. New York, NY/ 20 Battery Pl, New York, NY 10280

Right off of the 4/5 Bowling Green Train Station, and the 1 South Ferry Train Station.

Ticket Price:
Students- 15$ when you sign up online. 20$ at the event.
Adults- 30$ when you sign up online, 35$ at the event.
Kids- 6 and under FREE, and will receive a Superhero Sprint cape and medal.

About the 5K

The purpose of this race is to raise awareness for the “Gift of Life Marrow Registry”, and also provide a venue for the very first meeting of a donor and their recipient. The donor, a 28-year-old New York medical resident will meet the 54-year-old New Jersey mother and wife whose life he saved through the Gift of Life Marrow Registry. The New Jersey woman had been battling the potentially fatal Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), until the New York man donated his stem cells, via Gift of Life.

And this is not the first time this New York man saved a life: as a university student, he was shot while defending a woman during an attack in New Orleans.

Due to federal law, donors and recipients must remain anonymous for at least one year. But the New York resident and his recipient will finally learn one another’s identities at the Gift of Life Steps For Life 5K Run & Walk in New York City Oct. 14, starting at 8 am in Battery Park.

Filed Under: charity/notforprofit, fitness, health Tagged With: , , , ,

7 Super Ways To Beat Stress

September 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment

stress busting

Are you constantly stressed out? Chronic stress could be causing long-term damage to your health. Here are just seven ways in which you can help beat stress and feel happy and healthy again.

 

Tackle the source

 

A lot of things can trigger stress. In some cases, you may be able to get rid of the trigger – this could involve a quitting a job that you hate or splitting up with a partner who is making your unhappy. In other cases, the source could be something that you can’t get rid of and you may simply have to find a calmer way of approaching it. Stress is only necessary in dangerous situations – if you’re getting stressed over non-dangerous situations, start questioning yourself why the moment it happens.

 

Take a break

 

A well-earned break away from the source of your stress could also be needed. This could be a holiday away or simply a weekend to relax at home. Don’t feel that you can’t rest because of commitments – you can always book time off work, hire a babysitter or look into respite care services if you’re looking after a sick or elderly relative. Make sure that your break is spent relaxing and not doing other activities that could cause more potential stress.

 

Exercise

 

Exercise is one of the best stress-busters out there. When stressed, our body is preparing for fight or flight – by being active, you’re giving your body the release of energy that it needs. Exercise floods the body with endorphins, which can help flush the stress-causing cortisol out of your body. Just make sure that it’s a physical activity that you enjoy.

 

Have a hot bath

 

A hot bath can also be a great stress reliever. This is because the hot water helps to fight a lot of the symptoms of stress such as helping tense muscles to relax and releasing endorphins to fight cortisol. It’s the perfect stress reliever for the end of a hard day as it can also help to improve sleep quality.

 

Get more sleep

 

On the topic of sleep quality, this is also an important factor that can affect stress. Lack of sleep and stress can cause a vicious cycle – when you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more likely to be stressed and when you’re stressed, it’s harder to sleep. Reward yourself with an early night so that you can get the hours of rest you need. If you find it hard to get to sleep, you can always try out some of these tricks to help you sleep.

 

Laugh it off

 

Laughter is also good for tackling stress. When we laugh, we release endorphins. This can help to get rid of cortisol in our veins causing stress. A night out with friends or a comedy could be all you need.

 

Meditate

 

Another stress-buster worth trying is meditation. Meditating is great for clearing the mind, for bringing down high blood pressure and for restoring steady breathing. This could involve simply closing your eyes for a minute and taking yourself away from the situation.

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With Alzheimer’s treatment stalled, promising pipeline drugs and a shift in perception could be key

September 17, 2018 by Leave a Comment

As World Alzheimer’s Day approaches (21 September) with the aim of raising global awareness and understanding of the issues faced by people affected by dementia it’s timely to reflect that no new drug for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been approved in the past 16 years, despite more than 400 clinical trials and billions of dollars being spent in an attempt to tackle the disease and address unmet needs, says GlobalData a leading data and analytics company.

According to GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Alzheimer’s Disease: Competitive Landscape to 2026’, the pipeline has been characterized by big failures, as AD drug development is considered to have one of the highest failure rates of all indications. The AD pipeline features 657 drugs across all stages of development, and out of these, only 3.2% of drugs are in late-stage development; which is dominated by small molecules and monoclonal antibodies. The report reveals that amyloid precursor protein (Aβ peptide and protein) and microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT) are the major targets being pursued by companies developing drugs against AD.

Alessio Brunello, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, commented, ‘‘The need for new disease modifying drugs (DMDs) is urgent as the current competitive landscape in AD offers medications that are aimed at treating only the symptoms of the disease. A few key drugmakers have already stopped their research into AD, and given the significant amount of R&D failures, pharma companies may be disincentivized from producing new drugs.

“The amyloid hypothesis has been the central theory for the pathogenesis of AD, but all Aβ-targeting drugs treating AD have ended in failure. In fact, recent studies indicated that one of the main factors concerning the development and progression of the disease could be tau and not beta amyloid. We may, in the future, see tailored therapies to include potentially both an anti-amyloid and an anti-tau approach being administered concurrently.”

Currently, treatments for AD consist only of symptomatic treatments, of which there are only five approved medications: three cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine), one N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) antagonist (memantine), and one combination therapy (memantine/donepezil). These leave a lot to be desired in terms of efficacy, routes of administration, and dosing frequencies.

The potential launch of promising monoclonal antibodies from Biogen (aducanumab) and Roche (gantenerumab and crenezumab) will boost the size of the Alzheimer’s market given their potential to halt or prevent disease progression. Most of the tau-targeting approaches that are currently in clinical trials are immunotherapies such as Axon neuroscience’s AADvac-1 and Eli Lilly’s LY3303560. Tau is more likely to be a better target than Aβ as the clinical stages of cognitive decline much better correlate with the number, density and distribution of tangles than does the Aβ burden.

Brunello concludes, ‘‘Monoclonal antibodies have shown more promise than anything in the pipeline and in the next 10 years, we’re going to have a good idea whether amyloid is really a meaningful player or not. The industry shifted a little to anti-tau therapies, showing that tau treatments represent a new direction with a possible combination approach if trials will provide positive results. In the absence of any proven disease-modifying therapy, if and when one will reach the market, the rewards in terms of profits for the developer would be huge.”

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Too Hot To Work Out? Work In. Inside, Anyway.

July 30, 2018 by Leave a Comment

When it’s just too hot to work out outside, you can take your workouts inside. Don’t have a gym membership, or just REALLY not in the mood to go out? Just keep some DVDs in the house so you can stay on track. Here are some new ones we tried out.

Bottom Line & A Core Defined with Patricia Friberg (a professional trainer) is a Pilates and Strength based workout broken into three segments; Bottom Activation 1, 2, and A Core Defined. These and a few guides, set ups, and an intro make up the DVD. It focuses on defining your butt (as the name indicates) but also works your core, improves posture, and helps you become more flexible and fit. While it definitely focus on the glutes, you will feel this workout in your abs and legs as well for sure.  You will likely want to do the first activation a few times before you move on to the second, just to get the hang of it or to get your body ready for the higher intensity. A Core Defined covers more of the body overall, but really focuses on the abs. Friberg gives good direction throughout, just keep pace that is comfortable to you and move on when you are ready. Available for $20 from http://www.patriciafriberg.com

Want to work your lower body? Want to work out, but in a bit of a time crunch? Your Sexy Everything (Booty, Legs, Thighs) by Ilyse Baker might be one to try out. I know it says “everything”, but it means everything below the Mason Dixon, it seems. It has a good variety of workouts, containing four mini workouts that are 5, 6 ,7, and 8 minutes long each as well as two bonus workouts- Ballet Grooves, a 5 minute core workout (and it’s fun) as well as the Dancer’s Floor Stretch (seeing a theme here?) that is 10 minutes of lengthening, flexibility enhancing stretching and toning. $15 at http://ilysebaker.com/

Also available by Ilyse Baker are Dancinerate Sassy Jazz and Hip Hop Fusion and Dancinerate Burn with the Beat. These fun workouts are great ways to add some variety to your routine, and maybe learn some new moves. If you are a great dancer- great! These will just add to your skills and be good practice for you. Not a good dancer? (Cough) That’s ok- they are still really fun to do, and no one sees you being completely off when you are in your own living room- enjoy it.

Want to add a little something extra to your workout? The AB-EZE suspension trainer is fun, interesting, and easy to install and use. It’s an interesting way to work your abs and core, it’s design based on a trapeze harness found on a catamaran. It uses your body and weight as well as gravity to give you a work out, by leaning on the support pad and using it to engage your muscles. AB-EZE anchors easily over any door or fixed point, then by leaning on the comfortable support pad, muscles will instantly engage. You can change the intensity by pressing a button and lengthening or shortening the strap, and changing your body positions. Use it to “firm and lift the butt; sculpt abs and shrink waistline; strengthen back; and, shape and define legs”.  Easy to take with you when you travel if you’d like as well. Get yours for $149.99 at www.ab-eze.com 

In Light of Change by Julie Rammal is a change of pace. It’s a little slower, and uses your whole body to work out your whole body. This is one of the more interesting DVDs I’ve tried in a while. It is for sure not like other DVDs you might have tried. It has eight different (VERY different) segments ranging from Cardio Boxing to “Tibetan Rituals”, none of which take more then 8 minutes to complete each. No equipment is needed to do any of them, and is said to be inspired by “aerobics, primal movements, yoga, Pilates, stretching and nature.” Overall, I found it calming and relaxing, while still providing a decent workout. I enjoyed this one, it was quite different, but in a good way. One note- it’s not great for beginners. Ms. Rammal is not great with instruction or giving modifications, so only do what you feel comfortable with, or what you’ve been taught to do as modifications outside. Available for about $19 from Amazon.com

 

 

 

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Five Ways To Prevent Lower Back Pain When You Work Out

June 22, 2018 by Leave a Comment

 

Lower back pain is often an unwanted side effect of working out. It can interfere with your workout and prevent you from achieving your fitness goals. The pain can also get worse and you might end up not wanting to exercise at all. Keeping your lower back healthy is essential if you want to exercise without experiencing pain the next day. Read on for the five best tips that are going to keep your lower back strong and pain-free.

Don’t Forget To Stretch

Stretching takes time and you might be tempted to skip this step, but it is one of the most important things you can do to keep your lower back loose and limber. Stretching is going to lubricate your spine and it is also going to help keep your back in alignment when you are working out. Spending five minutes stretching your lower back before you exercise and five minutes after you exercise is going to make a big difference in how you feel, and you are going to reduce your risk of getting injured during your workout.

Your back will also heal faster if you do get injured which is important. It is easy to hurt your lower back when you are lifting and twisting during a workout. Sudden movements can cause your muscles to tear or stretch which is going to cause pain. Make sure that you pay attention to your hamstrings. Tight hamstrings cause lower back pain so to make sure that you regularly stretch them out.

Strengthen Your Back With Exercise

If you are going to be doing a lot of exercises that involve your lower back, you are going to want to keep your lower back as strong as possible. This means that you need to do back exercises on a regular basis to make your lower back strong. Regular exercising is going to help prevent injuries and it will keep your lower back healthy.

Wall sits are a great way to strengthen your lower back without using any weights. Get as close to the wall as you can and make sure that your back is touching the wall. Bend your knees and slide your back down as far as you can go. Hold this position for 30 seconds or more. Repeat five times. Wall sits are harder than they look, and they will give you a serious back workout.

Another move you can try is to lie face down on the floor with your arms at your side. Raise your torso as far as it can go and hold the position. Lower your torso back down and repeat. Try to raise your upper body further each time you do this move and try to hold the position as long as you can.

Use Pain Relief Patches After You Work Out

If you are prone to lower back pain, you might want to consider making a preemptive move to stop the pain before it even gets started. One way to do this is to use pain relief patches after you finish your workout. Use patches that are made with natural ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about side effects or the effects of any medication. These patches provide pain relief, but they are also gentle and don’t contain chemicals. Just place the patch on your lower back and enjoy the relief.

Watch Your Form

When you do intense workouts, it is very important that you work out correctly. Keeping the proper form is essential because you don’t want to risk doing the move wrong and hurting your back. It doesn’t matter how strong you are, you can still hurt your back if you don’t lift properly.

It only takes one wrong move to end up with a serious back injury and you could end up having to spend weeks recovering. Try to use your hips and knees to absorb the weight you are lifting and keep the weights close to your body. Never extend them away from your body or you could get injured. If your back starts to feel strained, stop what you are doing and rest. Don’t try to work through the pain because you could end up getting seriously hurt.

Develop Your Core

A strong core is going to protect your back and help prevent lower back injuries. Strengthening your core is one of the best things you can do, and it is going to make your back stronger. Your abs support your spine and keep your posture straight. When your core is weak your back sags and you are not stable. You won’t perform your best with a weak core and your body won’t be as strong as it could be.

A strong core allows you to work out harder without hurting your back. One of the best ways to strengthen your core is to do planks. Planks work all of your muscles and they will tighten up your core when you do them on a regular basis. Pull-ups and push-ups are good for your core and you can also focus on doing rows.

Exercises that force you to use one side of your body are also good for exercising your core. Try doing dumbbell presses with just one arm. This will force the other side of your body to work hard to keep you balanced. You might also want to try working out on an exercise ball which is going to keep you unstable. Strengthening your core is one of the best ways to protect your lower back and prevent pain when you work out.

Staying fit is important, but you need to make sure that you protect your back when you do so. You don’t want to do anything that is going to put your lower back at risk and you want to make sure that you focus on exercises that are going to strengthen your lower back. Having stiff lower back pain is very uncomfortable, and you want to make sure that you do whatever you can to prevent pain and injuries.

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Switch up you fitness-plan this summer and get the body you want

June 20, 2018 by Leave a Comment

If you have left it late this year to prepare for your summer body then don’t worry, so have we. However, there is still time to get the results you want ahead of bikini season, by taking inspiration from 2018’s key workout trends and shaking up your exercise regime to help you get the body you want in no time at all.

  1. HIIT your fitness goals and prepare for an intense sweat sesh – HIIT workouts have been popular for a while and are renowned for their ability to engage all muscle groups and leave you a calorie burning machine, long after the class has finished.  In these classes you can expect to burn anywhere from 500-900 calories and uses a combination of treadmill work and training interval exercises to keep your heart rate up and keep your body guessing. These classes are great if you want an intense workout and quick results.
  2.  Overcome the Obstacles – Prepare to increase your stamina, agility and have your resilience thoroughly tested with an outdoor obstacle course. These classes are usually run by a specialist boot-camp with trained instructors though some gyms do hold an indoor equivalent. They are perfect to get you out ion the fresh-air and the combination of different exercises in quick succession will challenge you to your limits.  From scaling steep inclines to running with sandbags, this dynamic workout will usually last for around 45minutes and the alternating cardiovascular and strength training will turn you into a true ninja warrior.
  3. Training to the Max from home – It is not always convenient to train outside or to head to the gym for a class so why not exercise from home? With the Bowflex Max Trainer, you can still have an intense work-out whilst meeting work and family commitments. This unique elliptical trainer gives you a total body workout allowing you to burn over two and half times more calories than the average elliptical trainer. Focus on a specific set of muscles such as the calves and core or work the whole body with the trainers Fat Burn workout program. Whatever plan you choose to do this innovative piece of equipment will support your weight loss and fitness goals and is the perfect way to train from home.  If you want to learn more about it, AllWorkoutRoutines have written a useful guide that may help.
  4. In the Splash Zone – High intensity aquatics is a trend not to be ignored. Whilst water aerobics are nothing new, these newly developed classes incorporate innovative equipment designed to increase resistance and allow for a high intensity work out in pool environment that is less stressful on the joints. These clever classes work you hard with a combination of lunges, push-ups and jumps, performed with weighted training aids. They are guaranteed to torch some serious calories and help you to recover quicker. Head down to your local pool to see their list of new water activities ahead of the summer and help you get the body you have dreamed of in half the time.
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Improving Your Energy with Natural Herbs

June 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Herbs offer a natural alternative to boost energy levels and enhance brain function. Adaptogenic herbs increase resistance to illness by strengthening your immune system. Also knowns as “natural fatigue fighters,” herbs contain plant-based polyphenol antioxidants that clear your body and mind of toxins that slow metabolic function.

Are feeling exhausted all the time? The stresses of work and family life accumulate over time, resulting in physiological disorders that can disrupt your feeling of well-being, thereby reducing your quality of life.

Here are 9 examples of adaptogenic herbs to supercharge your diet and restore your energy levels.

 

  1.    Green Tea

Instead of reaching for an energy drink when you’re feeling tired, prepare yourself a steaming mug of green tea. Green tea contains natural caffeine to wake you up. Catechins, natural plant polyphenols found in green tea, balance the effect of caffeine in the body, providing a sustained release of energy. Green tea boosts metabolic function and alleviates stress, preventing anxiety.

 

  1. Rhodiola

This golden root assists the body in managing adrenaline production. Supplementing with Rhodiola suppresses feelings of anxiety while providing a boost of energy that eliminates fatigue. This adaptogenic herb balances your mood and boosts libido, making it a popular supplement choice for professionals and students.

 

  1. Ashwagandha

Well-known in Ayurvedic medicine, this herbal remedy is used to improve energy levels and stabilize mood. Regular supplementation with ashwagandha keeps your mind clear and increases levels of vitality. The polyphenols found in ashwagandha reduce stress and demand on the adrenal system. It’s a particularly useful herbal treatment for conditions such as adrenal fatigue, and hormonal imbalances.

 

  1. Panax Ginseng

Also known in Chinese medicine as “red ginseng,” the roots of this plant contain potent energizing compounds. Supplementing with 500 mg to 1,000 mg of red ginseng three times a day improves energy levels and enhances feelings of well-being while boosting libido. Panax ginseng is the most studied natural adaptogenic, with use extending back through millennia. Available in liquid or powder, you can find Panax ginseng as a stand-alone supplement, or blended into energy compounds.

 

  1. Holy Basil

Basil isn’t just a tasty herb used to flavor food; it’s also a powerful adaptogenic herb used to restore vitality. This traditional Ayurvedic herb contains polyphenol compounds that alleviate stress on the adrenal system. Well-known for its anti-inflammatory effect on the gastrointestinal system, basil helps improve digestion and colon health as well.

 

  1. Astralagus

Weak circulation of blood throughout the body reduces energy levels and exposes the immune system to infection. Circulatory issues can develop from environmental stresses, or as a result of poor dietary and lifestyle choices. Astralagus enhances immune function and boosts heart health by improving circulation. Astralagus is used in Chinese medicine as an ingredient in energy tonics to restore mental and physical vitality.

 

  1. Oregano

Sprinkle this adaptogenic herb over pasta dishes, roasted veggies, or scrambled eggs for a taste sensation that’s out-of-this-world. Oregano, when combined with amino acids, decreases mental fatigue and improves feelings of alertness. Boost your immune function, detoxify your GI tract, and improve digestion by adding this essential herb to your diet.

 

  1. Supplement for Increased Energy Levels

You can find Mitochondria inside every cell in the human body. These microscopic, essential organelles, produce energy from ATP and shuttle it throughout your system. As we age, mitochondria lose their efficiency, creating feelings of fatigue and exhaustion. Malfunctioning mitochondria are responsible for your need to have an afternoon nap or the reason why you might feel tired after a full night’s sleep.

Supplements for mitochondria act as an energy booster, restoring the normal function of these organelles.

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