Healthy Cookies Recipe

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chips and Pecan Cookies

Crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup regular oats
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar (or half of that)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (half of that)
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Combine flour and next 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; set aside
- Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed
- Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended
- Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined
- Stir pecans and miniships
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned

*Calories 81; Fat 3g, Protein 1.1g; Carb 12.9g; Fiber 0.5g; Chol 10mg ; Sodium 76mg;
 Calc 12mg

Recipe from Healthy Heart recipe book.

let me know how you like it!

High Ankle Sprain

Just a sprain ankle. I'll be fine!!! This is what my client told me today. My ankle is still sore and it happened a year ago, how can I fix it?

Well, let's see.

What is high ankle sprain anyways? The most common ankle injury is the inversion ankle sprain (rolling the ankle inwards). The ligament damage is the anterior talofibular ligament, located in the front region of the outside bone of the lower leg.

High ankle sprain on the other hand is less common and annoying to rehabilitate. The mechanism of the injury is where the ankle is in a dorsi-flexed position (toe up) and rolling  the ankle in, severely.

The ligament damage is the distal tibio-fibular ligament (ligament connecting the tibia and fibula) along with interoseous membrane (fascia in between tibia and fibula) and  sometimes fracturing a bone.

http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2007/8/20/133518/616

So, my client mentioned that they had used ice and elevated the ankle initially. It was very swollen and painful. Ice and elevation was the only treatment used for this ankle. But why is it still sore?

My answer was that the injured ankle was not treated and rehabilitated properly. Using ice in the acute phase was good but the use of other modalities (such as ultrasound/soft tissue massage/heat), strength program, flexibility program and prorioception program were not prescribed to be completely rehabilitated.

Now, all of these goals are part of the plan to help heal the damage tissues and to prevent the re-occurence of this injury.


If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. See you next time!!!!

Core Strengthening 2

The importance of core strengthening was discussed in the previous entry.

Here are some exercises you can try to start strengthening your core.

Bridge: targets glutes, hamstrings and low back muscles.

Start

Finish

Plank on knees: abdominals

Side planks: Internal and external obliques, transverse abdominus.

Start

Finish

Quadriped: back extensors, erector spinae muscle, glutes



Start

Finish



These are beginner core strengthening exercises you can start doing as part of your daily work-out.

Try it and let me know what you think.

Intermediate and advance core exercises will be posted soon.

Core Strengthening 1

What is "core" in training?

Often people mistaken the definition  of "core" to abs (the six pack we all wish we had)


Core in anatomy term is the body minus the arms and legs: which mean you are left with the spine and the pelvis. 

Specifically, core has major muscle groups deep within the body, that stabilize the spine and pelvic region.These are the transverse abdominus, external and internal obliques, erector spinae along with gluteal muscles that stabilizes the pelvic region.


This is important because with core strength we generate power to create movements like lifting, shoveling, pushing and pulling everyday. 

In sports, great athletes are great because of their core strength. You wanna know why? 


Tiger Woods can hit the ball far by twisting the core and engaging all the muscles needed to generate his power.

How do you think Serena Williams is so powerful? Its because of her core strength.



 Volleyball......how powerful is a hit with a strong core. Spiking a volleyball comes from engaging your core and crunching your abdominals to generate power to hit.

To develop core strength takes dedications in training throughout your active life. This is no joke and it does not happen over night. These athletes train every single day to be better and part of the jumping exercises, the resistance training and agility training comes core training specific to their sport.


To be continued..............

CIRCUIT TRAINING

CIRCUIT TRAINING

October 12 - November 16, 2010

Tuesday/Thursday 7:00a.m. - 8:00a.m. 

(Duckworth Centre 400 Spence Street Wpg. MB)

5 Week Program

Members: $90.00(10 sessions)

Non-members: $110.00 (10 sessions)

Trainer: Melanie Talastas

BA Kin, CAT (C), ISSA-CFT

Certified Athletic Therapist

ISSA-Certified Fitness Trainer

 

To register visit the Customer Service Desk at the Duckworth Centre. For more information call 786-9349 or email at duckworth@uwinnipeg.ca

Register before October 8 limited Spots Available!

Plantar Faciitis

Experiencing Heel Pain?

Yesterday in one of my Zumba classes I attended, one of the participants came up to me and asked if there's anything you can do for a heel pain? Specifically, Plantar Faciitis. 

I said, "of course there is, there's tons of things you can do!" She was told by her doctor that it will never go away!!! 

Mmmmm........interesting. 

Plantar faciitis (inflamation of the plantar fascia under the foot) is one of the most common injury due to:

- Walking
- Improper foot wear
- Tight calf muscles / achilles tendon (gastrocnemius and soleus complex)
- Flat feet / High arch (pes planus & pes cavus)
- Overweight
- Running

I have few suggestions and recommendations on how to treat plantar faciitis.

Almost always, the person experiencing plantar faciitis has tight calves. So, what to do: Calf stretch with a towel: * Sit with your knee straight, towel around the ball of your foot. Slowly pull back until you feel a stretch on the upper portion of your calf. Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat 3 times.

*

After activities, be sure to ice your foot if it is tender to touch. Ice will help decrease the pain and swelling in the effected area. The most effective icing technique I give to my clients is ice massage. *Fill a water bottle with water, then freeze it. Roll your injured foot onto the ice-water-bottle. This will mimic the massage part and at the same time, icing it. Just like that! You can complete this for 10-15 minutes.

 

And of course, another way of going about treating your sore heel is to find/wear proper foot wear with a proper arch support. Find a foot expert and find out whether you have flat feet or high arch. They can then, prescribe the correct shoes for you!

Another way is to see the right health care provider for the specific injury. If you are an active individual it is always good to see an Athletic Therapist aside from your family doctor. Athletic Therapist make sure you will get back to what you love to do with less pain to no more pain. It will be a combination of manual therapy with the use of modalities and exercise prescriptions. 

If you have any other questions or comments, please ask and I will be here to answer.

See you next time!!! 

Images taken from:
http://spectrumwellness.net/plantar-fascitis/
http://www.burleighphysio.com
http://www.joint-pain-solutions.com/plantar-fasciitis.html

Current Affairs: July 15, 2010

9:47 p.m. As I was driving home tonight, I saw the moon hanging on the blue sky. It was magnificent! Correctly me if I'm wrong, the bright shinning star off to its side is the Northern Star. If I could, I would have taken a picture of it to show you.

7:30 p.m. - 7:55 p.m. Outdoor basketball game at Whyte Ridge. My team won two games, I scored 2 points on the first game and 1 rebound. Got burnt 3 times. Second game, we won again....! I scored 4 points - which was the winning score! Very quick game! Happiness!

8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Zumba class!!!!! Awesomeness!!!!!!!! :D

3:00 p.m. Quick training, rehabbing my knees! Its going well if you're wondering.

8:00 am. The news was on the radio for the 3rd time, trying my hardest to get up. My cell rang, "Hi Mel, your first appointment this morning canceled."  Yes, more  time to sleep. 

7:00 a.m. Alarm when off again for the second time CJOB radio was on. I was still half asleep when I heard all this:


NEWs #1  July 15, 2010 No cell phones while driving ($200.00 fine) & No smoking in vehicle when driving with children.
                         
NEWs #2  Argentina : approves same sex marriage this morning after a long debate. According to Los Angeles Times, Argentina is the first country in Latin America to legalize homosexual marriage. Here in Canada we know all about that right?

NEWs #3 Update on the oil spill in Mexico. I could not remember cuz like I said, I was half asleep when I heard all this. This one is hard to follow.


6:00 a.m. The alarm when off for the first time CJOB was on. There were tons of updates, but I cannot remember I was still asleep.

12:00 a.m. Ok, I was already asleep at mid-night, but its my cousin's birthday today.
 Also, just so you know, July 15, 1994 mid-night, I arrived at the Winnipeg airport. Its officially my 16th year living in Canada!!! I don't normally celebrate but its nice to look back and celebrate my achievements. All the ups and downs, funny stories (don't have enough time to tell). The awesome friends from different groups....hahahha!! lots and lots....I'm not forgetting the challenges. Love it!!!! Bring it on Life!


JULY 15, 2010 - 11:34 p.m.I'm going to have soup, then sleep! Good night everybody!!!