Wellness Articles

“Anything in life is possible. What the mind can conceive, the body can do.” —Jack La Lanne, 1986 IDEA Lifetime Achievement Award winner, quoted in the Reuter’s article “Age Doesn’t Slow Fitness Guru Jack La Lanne,” August 20, 2004. Belated birthday wishes to Jack, who turned 90 on September 26. For highlights from his life and career, t...

Have you ever taken a step back, stumped at someone else’s success in the shadow of your failure, and wondered, “What does she have that I don’t?” Many fitness professionals have thought about the best way to pack a room or retain a client, and everyone has a unique perspective. More often than not, the theories focus on our methods: exercises, equipment, music and cuing...

’Tis the season to stock up on juicy, ripe raspberries. These ephemeral delicacies are hard to resist, especially since they are teeming with healthy nutrients. Health Benefits. Raspberries are rich in folate, vitamin C, iron and potassium. The fruit also contains soluble fiber pectin, which may help control cholesterol levels, while ...

The dangers of inactivity in children just became more grave. A study published in Dynamic Medicine (2008; 7 [5]) has found that sedentary kids, compared with their active counterparts, are five times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome by their teenage years. For kids with “low aerobic fitness,” the risk is six times as high. The authors analyzed data collect...

Who says organic food isn’t worth the extra cost? A new study suggests that buying healthier but costlier ingredients may be the better deal in the long run. Replacing less healthy ingredients with more wholesome substitutes is not only more nutritious; it also reduces your kids’ daily caloric intake, according to a study presented last October at the annual meeting of the Obesity ...

Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts advocate massage for enhancing resistance exercise performance. Some people cite improved circulation and lymphatic drainage as factors in efficient recovery. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2008; 22 [2], 575–82) suggests that rest may offer greater benefits than massage.

Is it ever possible to please all the people all the time? Maybe not, but if any business comes close, it is probably the spa industry, which specializes in making people feel happy, healthy and, perhaps above all, hopeful that life after their spa experience will be better. A recent article in the Los Angeles Times pointed out the e...

Lumbar supports have often been used in the fight against back pain; now, researchers are taking another look at the effectiveness of the brace. Authors for the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews  (2008; [2]) searched “randomized controlled trials that reported on any type of lumbar supports as preventive or therapeutic intervention for nonspecific low-back pain....

Want to help relax students or clients at the end of a group class or personal training session? Use the following script to treat them to a reclining meditation designed to elicit deep relaxation. Settling Down—Progressive Relaxation “Please make yourself comfortable lying down. If you are feeling any strain in your lower back, please feel free to bend your knee...

One of the largest trends in the wellness movement is the emergence of spas around the globe. Today’s evolved spa offers a plethora of self-care modalities, including body treatments, nutritional approaches to wholesome eating, educational platforms ranging from guided meditation to stress management, and fitness components. More often than not, the fitness components prove distinct...