Archives June 11, 2023

McHenry County offers outdoor exercise opportunities providing added health benefits

by Virginia C. Oubre Healthy Body

For Valerie Koehn of Crystal Lake, exercise isn’t always just hopping on treadmills or elliptical machines inside her local fitness center.

Sometimes it’s exploring McHenry County’s many nature trails, learning about clouds, watching butterflies soar, playing a game of searching for gnomes or gathering prairie seeds to help reseed conservation parks.

It is doing something she enjoys, which is what fitness experts say is the key to continuing and benefiting from an exercise routine long term.

“It keeps me moving, keeps me young,” Koehn, 72, said. “My mom didn’t move. … then she couldn’t move.”

Pat Reed, fitness manager with Northwestern Medicine Huntley Health and Fitness Center, encourages outdoor activity for mind and body.

“Find something you like to do and do that something outdoors,” Reed said. “If the motivation is just weight loss or building strength versus if you actually enjoy it, your exercising is better. Whether rollerblading, cycling

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Bone Up on Osteoporosis & Your Bone Health

by Virginia C. Oubre Healthy Information

MONDAY, May 15, 2023 (HealthDay News) — It’s important to understand your bone health to avoid damage as you age.

Losses of bone mineral density and bone mass can cause weakening, potentially leading to a fracture, especially in the hip, spine and wrist.

Osteoporosis is considered a silent disease because it often has no symptoms until someone breaks a bone in an unusual way, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

“Breaking a bone after falling while in a standing position could be a sign of osteoporosis,” endocrinologist Dr. Jessica Starr said in a hospital news release. “Any fracture should prompt a discussion of bone health with one’s doctor.”

Chances of that happening go up with age. Before osteoporosis comes osteopenia, a less-serious loss of bone density. This affects more than half of adults ages 50 and up in the United States. Women

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Fix Your Health by Fixing Your Diet

by Virginia C. Oubre Healthy Plan

One of my recent patients, a 34-year-old man who works from home and consumes a diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates and processed foods, is a prime example of how lifestyle choices can impact one’s overall health. During his medical examination, I discovered that his metabolic health was at risk due to his unhealthy lifestyle choices. The results were worrying. He had high levels of insulin resistance which meant his body was struggling to regulate blood sugar levels. He also had elevated triglycerides levels, low high-density lipoproteins (good cholesterol). He was at risk of developing obesity, type-2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, which are all linked to a diet and a sedentary lifestyle. 

 

I explained to him that these lifestyle and diet changes are essential for his metabolic health. I advised him to reduce his carbohydrate intake and increase his consumption of proteins and natural fats. I also

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