Snowshoeing! Get Out and Enjoy Winter!

One of my favourite cardiovascular activities to do in the winter is SNOWSHOEING! Not only is it great to get out for some fresh air in the winter, but to get an amazing workout as well!

This winter has been a little crazy getting some snow to stick on the ground here in Muskoka, but I think it is now safe to say, it is here to stay for the next couple months!

Did you know that you burn more calories snowshoeing than running, walking and cross-country skiing (at the same pace)?!
And it is a low-impact activity, so it is great for people who find running and walking hard on their knee joints and feet!

This activity covers so many realms of fitness, its a great addition to anyones workout regime.
Snowshoeing builds strength, balance, power and endurance, as well as, improving your cardiovascular system. With its high-energy expenditure, its a great activity to help with weight loss. The chart below explains an estimate of average calories burned/hour and the type of activity, speed and condition of terrain. http://snowshoes.com/learn/40?category=8

Now, calculating energy expenditure or calories used in physical activity varies for each person, depending on your metabolic rate, this chart shows an average from studies.

ACTIVITY / SPEED	SNOW CONDITIONS	ENERGY EXPENDITURE (CAL/HR)
Snowshoeing, 2.4 mph	packed snow, flat trail	420
Snowshoeing, 3.0 mph	packed snow, flat trail	510
Snowshoeing, 3.5 mph	packed snow, flat trail	740
Snowshoeing, 3.3 mph	powder snow, flat trail	744 women, 984 men
Snowshoeing, 2.9 mph	powder snow, hilly trail	774 women, 1046 men
Walking, 3.0 mph	flat	335
Running, 5.2 mph	flat	570
Running, 7.5 mph	flat	890
Mountain Biking	rolling	550
Nordic Skiing (3.5 mph)	flat	600

Basically if you can walk, snowshoeing is a perfect fit for you! It does not take any special technique, but as you advance and get more comfortable with the feeling of them, you can choose different types of terrain, that range in difficulty. I advise staying with a flat packed trail when just starting out.

You can also get different types of snowshoes for different types of terrains. Recreational ones are for your typical day-to-day trail hiking. They are designed to let you walk comfortably on a packed trail.
Adventure ones are the next level up and can be used in more extreme conditions. They can withstand ice and steep hills. Backcountry are the most advanced snowshoes and are durable to any type of winter condition thrown at them. They are built to withstand ice, any type of hill and uneven footing.

Prices for these different types vary on the brand and design you are looking for! Any winter sports store attendant can help you decide which design is best for you!

Running snowshoes are the newest design in the lineup. They are lightweight and help you fly through the snow. This is a great training method for those running athletes out there to want to spice up their running programs. They fit comfortably with your running shoe, so you do not have to wear bulky winter boots, as you would with regular snowshoes.

Remember to keep hydrated when doing winter activities, such as snowshoeing. It doesn't always seem like it, but you still sweat outdoors in the winter and making sure you keep water on hand to replenish the fluids lost.
As well, make sure to stretch after snowshoeing. Even though it is low-impact, it is still strenuous on your joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Give your body a little T.L.C. and stretch out your body once you are warmed up again indoors!




And of course, don't forget about those furry friends at home, who need their exercise too! Snowshoeing is a great activity for the you to do together with your dog!
Enjoy the snow! :)

GREEN SMOOTHIES

Don't let the colour scare you away! These drinks are not only very nutritious, but absolutely DELICIOUS! 

Some where down the line of time, we have taught ourselves that greens are not a priority in our daily nutrition. How we have fooled ourselves!

We share 99.4% of the same genes as chimpanzees, but the majority of what we eat on a daily basis, is completely opposite! http://rawfamily.com

Most North Americans eat a majority of processed, high fat and starchy food. Where as we see, in the chimpanzee diet, that we should be eating an increased amount in green vegetables.

Leafy green vegetables are very high in Vitamin K, which promotes bloods clots, protects against osteoporosis, reduce inflammation and arterial plaque. As well, in Vitamin A, which is an antioxidant: helps fight cancerous cells in the body, and it also is an immune booster and fights infection. These green vegetables are also high in natural minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. Some of these greens are very high in protein and can compete with the amount of protein animal meat gives us.

Now eating salads all day long can get pretty boring and repetitive, where now there is a more creative way to get those vital greens!

Typical Green Smoothie Recipe
(individual serving)


1 cup of fruit (banana, berries, pineapple, mango, kiwi, orange, etc.)
2 cups of leafy greens
1 cups of almond/rice/soy milk
(or water)

Mix all in a blender

Switching up the types of greens you use is suggested, because they all have their own nutritive value and it is recommended to keep variety in the food we eat. Any major grocery store carries many different leafy greens to choose from: spinach, kale, swiss chard, bok choy, beet root leaves, collard greens, dandelion, romaine lettuce, arugula and many more.

Introduce these green smoothies into your daily diet! They take minutes to prepare and come loaded with health benefits. HAPPY BLENDING :)

Keep that cold/flu away!

It seems that everywhere I go this past week, everyone is sick with a cold or flu! Its that time of year, especially with the weather fluctuating temperatures so often!

Now everyone should know that the best way to let your body beat off a cold or flu virus is rest/sleep and drink lots of water to flush out the toxins, but I have some other little remedy recommendations that may help either prevent or help some symptoms you may be having.

                             

Herbs give your body the materials and help it needs to fight whatever it is trying to get rid of. They do not mask symptoms, or add anything foreign to your body that may counteract the toxins. They just act as an aid to help you out!

PREVENTION: Echinacea, Oil of Oregano, Garlic
This dynamic TRIO works wonders to prevent that cold/flu virus! That feeling of a scratchy throat, body aches, etc. taking 1, 2 or even better 3 of these will help beat that virus away.
The best way to take these herbs is through TINCTURES (strongest, most concentrated liquid and fastest!) They are found at any local natural health store.
Capsule form is also available! If taste is not an issue and for extra dosage, teas always helps to get both water into you and the herb itself.

Also, something to keep in mind during this prevention time is Vitamin C (through food, liquid & capsule supplements), Astralagus and Goldenseal can help!

Sometimes, even in your hardest efforts, that virus wins and has started to attack! Here are some herbs that will help based on symptoms to fight off and aid relief during these times.

GINGER: antiseptic, pain reliever

This herb is great for nausea! Can be taken in tincture, capsule, tea or eaten fresh. Ginger also helps with sore throats and fever!
**A great tip for high fevers is a Ginger Bath: draw a bath and using powder/ground ginger right in the water (2-6 tbsp up to 1/2 cup)

Cinnamon is also a great reliever of nausea or upset stomach and stop vomiting. Sipping on a tea is the easiest way to get the calming affects.



PEPPERMINT: decongestant, pain reliever, expectorant

This herb does wonders for relieving pain headaches/migraines. It promotes perspiration to aid and expel a fever. It even is comforting for congestion in the chest and throat and clears and soothes a stuffy nose/sinus.

LEMONS & LEMON BALM:


Lemons are very rich and vitamin C to help get rid of toxins, and prevent them from re-entering, but it also soothes a scratchy throat and opens up the nasal cavity.
A great bedtime reliever is a having a hot water with lemon and honey! And a little CATNIP infusion (muscle relaxer and aids insomnia), will help make for a good nights sleep.
Lemon Balm helps get rid of toxins by promoting perspiration of the body, great when a fever has hit.

These are some of the most common herbs, but there are many more out there that aid in their own way! Feel free to contact me for any questions or help with herbal remedies!
holly@naturalyou.ca or twitter @naturalyou11

DON'T FORGET TO WASH YOUR HANDS!  ;)

Winter Outdoor Running

It's that time of year where running outdoors has lost its beauty. Maybe its the snow covered ground or the bone-chilling wind, but knowing how to carefully prepare yourself for mother nature, will let you enjoy this winter season!

The following tips will help you safely, enjoy running outdoors in the winter!

--> WHAT TO WEAR?
The material of your clothing should be absorbent, so you will not get a chill as your body heats up, if you're clothes are wet from swaeating.

Make sure your extremities are properly covered. This is to ensure that you do not lose too much heat. Gloves should be worn, and mittens are good for really cold days to create more heat as your fingers are closer together. Socks should be absorbent and can be worn under polar fleece socks or with "hot packs/pads" (disposable pressure heating packets). Your head loses heat quickly, so wearing a hat (absorbent material), will prevent this from happening. To avoid that burning sensation in your throat, as you warm up, wear a "neck warmer" or breathable face protectant.

Don't overdress or over-layer! You will begin to get warm as you start up, a runner's logic is to dress 15 degrees warmer then it currently is.

--> TEMPERATURE
There can be a time when it is too harmful to attempt that winter outdoor run. Pay attention to the temperature, including the windchill, which can make it several degrees colder than what is stated. Anything below -20 can hurt your body, so maybe hit the treadmill, or another indoor cardio activity.

--> PROTECT YOUR SKIN
Watch for frostbite! Frostbite can appear on your skin as a hard, pale colour patch of skin. If you notice this, go indoors and apply heat slowing to the effected area. Consult your doctor if symptoms do not reside.
The sun's rays do not disappear in the winter! The ray's reflect even more off the snow then in the summer, so be careful of lips and noses. Apply sunscreen to prevent a burn!

--> POST RUN
The cold temperatures can be shocking to your body! After your run, make sure to change all your clothes completely, to ensure your body does not get a chill. Make sure to hydrate well! Even though its cold out, your body still sweats and loses water!
Pay attention to your muscles and joints. Allow them to warm up before stretching, to ensure prevention of tearing!

Always consult with your doctor before running outside in the winter! Remember to have fun! :)

Starting a BLOG

I recently started my own business in Muskoka, Canada, www.naturalyou.ca, and decided that I wanted to do more with my knowledge and passion for healthy living.

Starting a blog, seemed like a great way to connect with people and help those trying to make a lifestyle change. I also wanted to be able to share my ideas of sustainable living and eco-DIYs. I never thought I would get into the "blogging" world, not even the high-end of social media! I understood the minimum of Facebook, Twitter seemed to invasive and the word "blog" to me meant reading about people's lives on a daily basis, which I felt I did not have the time for!

After researching slowly, and even getting into other people's blogs, I can now officially say I am happy to join this social media revolution! I have spruced up my Facebook page, started up Twitter (@NaturalYou11), and now am writing my first blog!

I look forward to providing information and fun knowledge to those in need and interested!

Great start to a new year! Happy 2012 :)