I know I am not as strong or as flexible as I used to be, and like almost everyone else, would like to lose weight. I don't have to wonder how.....a small little orange book was recommended to me by 2 people in the medical profession -- it's called UltraMetabolism by Dr. Mark Hyman. It's based on the latest findings about how foods affect us, and states that there are so many additives in our foods these days that many of us have developed food sensitivities we are not even aware of.
I know this is true. My daughter went through a horrible year feeling sick constantly. She was finally diagnosed as lactose intolerant. No one takes this seriously.....but my daughter is so sensitive that she can feel the "brain fog" rolling in from a food with hidden dairy, and she has a serious problem with food additives. She convinced me to go completely dairy free for just 2 weeks and see if I felt better. The result was dramatic!! I was feeling lethargic and apathetic, and had my own brain fog rolling in. My energy level was dramatically increased once I totally went off dairy---and I do mean dramatically!!
And then I started the UltraMetabolism diet and after 8 weeks on the diet I had lost about 15 pounds, and felt healthier than before. I went through my pantry and the fridge and threw out anything containing high fructose corn syrup --- (which is almost everything!!) --- but the constant pain in my knees was gone!! I don't know if it was the corn syrup or the dairy that was causing the pain, I only know I don't have constant debilitating knee pain any longer.
I hear these complaints from my students constantly. We are all getting older, let's face it, but I wonder how much of our "aging" is actually caused by the food choices we make. Dr Oz featured gluten sensitivity on his program yesterday.....I would think this would be easily diagnosed, but it isn't. He says many of us have a sensitivity to gluten and are totally unaware of it. Symptoms include anemia, depression, fatigue, bloating, headaches, and osteoporosis. Having a food sensitivity involves your autoimmune system going on high alert and prevents you from fully absorbing the nutrients in the foods you eat ---- any of the foods you eat!! Your system is so busy dealing with the food it can't handle (like dairy or gluten) that it can't adequately handle other foods either. My daughter talks about the "shoebox" theory --- when you eat dairy or gluten (or any food your individual system can't handle) your intestines don't know what to do with it and so shove it aside, shove it in a shoebox to get it out of the way, and it just sits there causing problems. Food sensitivity can cause "brain fog" or difficulty concentrating, nasal or chest congestion, muscle aches or joint pain, or skin rashes or acne.
The UltraMetabolism diet consists of totally eliminating certain foods from your diet because these foods often cause problems for people: caffeine, alcohol, sugars in all forms, trans fats, and gluten. When I gave up sugar I stopped craving salt!! I still had coffee in the morning, but it was a muddy blend with almond milk and no sugar. After 4 weeks on the diet, you start adding things back in, but slowly because the idea is to discover if you have a personal problem with a certain food. I discovered I feel better if I limit the gluten in my diet. But here's the really amazing thing I learned that is so shocking: gluten sensitivity is linked to many other diseases!!
On his website, Dr. Hyman states:
" a review paper in The New England Journal of Medicine listed 55 “diseases” that can be caused by eating gluten. These include osteoporosis, irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anemia, cancer, fatigue, canker sores, and rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and almost all other autoimmune diseases. Gluten is also linked to many psychiatric and neurological diseases, including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, dementia, migraines, epilepsy, and neuropathy (nerve damage). It has also been linked to autism."
To find out if a gluten problem is affecting your health you should go totally gluten-free for 2 weeks. Avoid wheat, rye, barley, bulgur, spelt, kamut and triticale; they recommend avoiding oats because of cross-contamination, but if your oat product says "gluten-free" it's allowed. Be aware that gluten is found in many products since it's used as a binder --- read the labels of salad dressings and condiments. You should be reading labels anyway to avoid "shoeboxing" all that corn syrup!! For people with celiac disease, ingesting gluten can be life-threatening and they need to read labels on cosmetics and hair products too!!
I seriously urge you to completely go off dairy for 2 weeks and see how you feel --- especially if you are one of those people who have been buying Lactaid milk. Try soy milk or almond milk instead ---healthier for you and fewer calories!! Hey!! It's only 2 weeks, you can do it!!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Swing Tips
Every class is working on or finishing up their Swing section. Here are a few tips to help you make your Swing feel and look better:
1. Remember to keep your knees softened. Those knees are "shock absorbers" and it's impossible to move quickly with locked knees.
2. Keep arms at waist level unless you're doing an underarm turn. For men, this means no dangling of the free arm --- you want to look enthusiastic and it's much easier to get into a double hand hold. Women need to keep their arms at waist level too --- you know he's going to lead something so keep the arm in easy reach and you'll also have an easier time giving him that tone or resistance he expects when he leads.
3. If you are leading or following an underarm turn, remember to keep your arms relaxed!! Don't make it tougher on yourself or your partner by lifting too high or pushing or locking your elbow.
4. Remember that Swing is a rhythm dance. That means NO HEEL LEADS!! All steps should be taken with the weight forward on the ball of the foot, just as you would do if you were involved in a sport that required fast weight changes. Just as in other rhythm dances, keep the toe of your shoe in contact with the floor rather than picking up completely off the floor. This avoids the little wooden soldier look. We're not doing competition Jive and we should not have a "pump the knees" look. In Social Swing you want to look confident, relaxed, and as if you are having fun.
5. Rock steps are not a 5th position break. Women are especially guilty of turning the foot or hooking the foot behind in Open Position. This skews your body position ---- instead think of remaining square to your partner. He's going to lead something and you want to be able to respond quickly.
6. Men need to understand that leads need to come at the correct time and clearly. It isn't good enough to "approximate"...leading too late causes the lady to always feel like she is playing catch-up, while giving the lead too soon at the very least causes confusion and at worst catches her on the wrong foot.
7. Keep those triples under control!!! Beginners usually start with large triples that cover a lot of ground. That's not the goal and you are tiring yourself out unnecessarily. A good rule of thumb is to try to keep the triples about the width of your partner's shoulders. Sometimes a pattern will be more easily accomplished if the triple doesn't travel at all and stays in place.
8. A triple step is side-together-side. That means do not travel forward and back for a normal triple step whether you are a leader or a follower. If you are a leader, you may find yourself feeling off balance; a follower who does a triple backward is generally moving away from her partner.
9. Avoid the "Skippety-Do's Syndrome"!! What's a skippety-do? That's a triple with one foot in front and the other always behind, more in keeping with Promenade in Polka! Ladies who have a habit of using the skippety-do's find it difficult to get around for turns. Sometimes a pattern requires a triple moving forward but this should be a triple with each foot passing the other slightly.....what we call a "progressive triple". You can actually get somewhere with a progressive triple!
10. Remember that Swing is supposed to be fun!! If you make a mistake, just laugh and try to recover. The goal is not perfection, the goal is to enjoy dancing and make it enjoyable and fun for your partner.
11. Some of you are beginning to learn Lindy timing. I used to introduce Lindy, and then turn and see a big "blink-blink" in everyone's eyes, but these days most of my students are familiar with some West Coast. And even if you've never done West Coast Swing you know this rhythm already --- you do 8 count Cha Cha patterns!
12. Men please remember that leading is not pushing, pulling, yanking, or verbally telling your partner what to do!! The Lady does NOT follow your feet ---- she follows your specific and well-timed hand leads, your change of frame, and your body movement. A good leader makes sure the Lady has something to follow!
Next time.......Rhumba!
1. Remember to keep your knees softened. Those knees are "shock absorbers" and it's impossible to move quickly with locked knees.
2. Keep arms at waist level unless you're doing an underarm turn. For men, this means no dangling of the free arm --- you want to look enthusiastic and it's much easier to get into a double hand hold. Women need to keep their arms at waist level too --- you know he's going to lead something so keep the arm in easy reach and you'll also have an easier time giving him that tone or resistance he expects when he leads.
3. If you are leading or following an underarm turn, remember to keep your arms relaxed!! Don't make it tougher on yourself or your partner by lifting too high or pushing or locking your elbow.
4. Remember that Swing is a rhythm dance. That means NO HEEL LEADS!! All steps should be taken with the weight forward on the ball of the foot, just as you would do if you were involved in a sport that required fast weight changes. Just as in other rhythm dances, keep the toe of your shoe in contact with the floor rather than picking up completely off the floor. This avoids the little wooden soldier look. We're not doing competition Jive and we should not have a "pump the knees" look. In Social Swing you want to look confident, relaxed, and as if you are having fun.
5. Rock steps are not a 5th position break. Women are especially guilty of turning the foot or hooking the foot behind in Open Position. This skews your body position ---- instead think of remaining square to your partner. He's going to lead something and you want to be able to respond quickly.
6. Men need to understand that leads need to come at the correct time and clearly. It isn't good enough to "approximate"...leading too late causes the lady to always feel like she is playing catch-up, while giving the lead too soon at the very least causes confusion and at worst catches her on the wrong foot.
7. Keep those triples under control!!! Beginners usually start with large triples that cover a lot of ground. That's not the goal and you are tiring yourself out unnecessarily. A good rule of thumb is to try to keep the triples about the width of your partner's shoulders. Sometimes a pattern will be more easily accomplished if the triple doesn't travel at all and stays in place.
8. A triple step is side-together-side. That means do not travel forward and back for a normal triple step whether you are a leader or a follower. If you are a leader, you may find yourself feeling off balance; a follower who does a triple backward is generally moving away from her partner.
9. Avoid the "Skippety-Do's Syndrome"!! What's a skippety-do? That's a triple with one foot in front and the other always behind, more in keeping with Promenade in Polka! Ladies who have a habit of using the skippety-do's find it difficult to get around for turns. Sometimes a pattern requires a triple moving forward but this should be a triple with each foot passing the other slightly.....what we call a "progressive triple". You can actually get somewhere with a progressive triple!
10. Remember that Swing is supposed to be fun!! If you make a mistake, just laugh and try to recover. The goal is not perfection, the goal is to enjoy dancing and make it enjoyable and fun for your partner.
11. Some of you are beginning to learn Lindy timing. I used to introduce Lindy, and then turn and see a big "blink-blink" in everyone's eyes, but these days most of my students are familiar with some West Coast. And even if you've never done West Coast Swing you know this rhythm already --- you do 8 count Cha Cha patterns!
12. Men please remember that leading is not pushing, pulling, yanking, or verbally telling your partner what to do!! The Lady does NOT follow your feet ---- she follows your specific and well-timed hand leads, your change of frame, and your body movement. A good leader makes sure the Lady has something to follow!
Next time.......Rhumba!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Why Did God Make Dinosaurs?
Because of the holidays I've had more free time lately and sometimes find myself clicking channels on the TV. I watched some show about dinosaurs and was wondering why He created dinosaurs and wooly mammoths. (Yeah, my mind can go into strange places, especially when I have free time....) I mean, they were huge, they just kept eating everything, and it kinda seemed like a waste of resources. And then for some reason, I thought about people learning to dance. I know, they don't seem to be related, but stay with me ....I just finished teaching a beginners swing class and one of the classic mistakes beginners make is taking huge steps. Men especially cover big areas of floor trying to do those triple steps! After they get more used to the dance, they calm down, tire themselves out and the huge triples disappear, but that only happens over time and with practice. So that got me thinking........maybe He was new at this creation stuff, maybe He was just putting in practice, or like an artist, trying out a new brush to see what it would do. God had an empty canvas and decided to go big and bold? Or needed more practice in brush control to be able to add the fine details? Or was it all part of the original Plan? Got a lot of world here, let's fill it up quickly? Or maybe He was just approaching it all with a sense of humor, and knew that some day little kids would be fascinated by dinosaurs and wooly mammoths, and the thought of all those paleontologists digging in the dirt with little brushes seemed like a real knee-slapper? Told you my mind goes into strange places....... I kinda like the "need practice" or "new brush" theories though....I find it reassuring that all things get better with time and practice, even Creation. Think of the fun He must have had working on dinosaurs before He spent all that time with roses and tulips, and all creatures great and small!! That's a lovely thought, isn't it?
I'm trying to get better with time and practice too. I usually try to set a goal for myself as far as my classes go, try to focus on some skill my students need to learn or improve. But this year, I'm only going to focus on me---or more accurately, on harnessing the energies of positive thinking. I almost have a handle on this ---- oh yes! I have read many a self-help book through the years, and they have all finally started to gel into a life lesson for me. I am going to steep myself in these self-help theories, from Barbara Sher to Dr Wayne Dyer to the Secret to Feng Shui........I am going to re-visit these gurus, because it's there within my reach --- I can almost grab it. It's all about the flow of energy within us, around us and through us. It's about faith too -- not just hoping for the Good, but having such strong faith you expect it and discount all doubt. It's like that song Joyful Joyful --- "melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away". I want to capture that power of the positive; I want my clouds to melt away.
And here's another strange place my mind has wandered into ---- why can't we all do that? This past year or two have been tough on some people. People have lost jobs and homes and family and friends. You may be dealing with helping your children or helping your parents, or trying to cope with mounting bills, or funds that have lost value. I heard there is a group of scientists or statisticians that pay attention to things posted on the internet and make predictions based on the "global consciousness". There is that old saying "you are what you eat", but maybe it is more apt to say we live what we think. Suppose we confound that group of predicters by only thinking positive thoughts, supposing we all embrace the Pollyanna theory? My kids loved that movie, so did I, because there is truly something uplifting about looking for the sunny side and believing in it. Seems like I remember a line from that movie (was it a quote from Lincoln?)...."if you look for the bad in people you shall surely find it". But the opposite is true too; Norman Vincent Peale called his book "The Power of Positive Thinking"--- not the benefits or the good part or the comfort or maybe this will help ---- he called it the Power. Years later Dr Dyer called his book "The Power of Intention". Each of us has the ability to use that power in our own individual lives. But if we all use it, now we're talking power!
I know a lot of old songs and of course, since it's the New Year lots of you have been humming Auld Lang Syne. But there's another song that's connected to New Year, so instead let's all hum or sing "Happy Days Are Here Again!" There's another old song, can't remember most of the words, but these come back to me....."if everyone lit just one little candle what a bright world this would be". Yeah......that's a lovely thought too......and I believe with all my heart that it's possible.
I'm trying to get better with time and practice too. I usually try to set a goal for myself as far as my classes go, try to focus on some skill my students need to learn or improve. But this year, I'm only going to focus on me---or more accurately, on harnessing the energies of positive thinking. I almost have a handle on this ---- oh yes! I have read many a self-help book through the years, and they have all finally started to gel into a life lesson for me. I am going to steep myself in these self-help theories, from Barbara Sher to Dr Wayne Dyer to the Secret to Feng Shui........I am going to re-visit these gurus, because it's there within my reach --- I can almost grab it. It's all about the flow of energy within us, around us and through us. It's about faith too -- not just hoping for the Good, but having such strong faith you expect it and discount all doubt. It's like that song Joyful Joyful --- "melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away". I want to capture that power of the positive; I want my clouds to melt away.
And here's another strange place my mind has wandered into ---- why can't we all do that? This past year or two have been tough on some people. People have lost jobs and homes and family and friends. You may be dealing with helping your children or helping your parents, or trying to cope with mounting bills, or funds that have lost value. I heard there is a group of scientists or statisticians that pay attention to things posted on the internet and make predictions based on the "global consciousness". There is that old saying "you are what you eat", but maybe it is more apt to say we live what we think. Suppose we confound that group of predicters by only thinking positive thoughts, supposing we all embrace the Pollyanna theory? My kids loved that movie, so did I, because there is truly something uplifting about looking for the sunny side and believing in it. Seems like I remember a line from that movie (was it a quote from Lincoln?)...."if you look for the bad in people you shall surely find it". But the opposite is true too; Norman Vincent Peale called his book "The Power of Positive Thinking"--- not the benefits or the good part or the comfort or maybe this will help ---- he called it the Power. Years later Dr Dyer called his book "The Power of Intention". Each of us has the ability to use that power in our own individual lives. But if we all use it, now we're talking power!
I know a lot of old songs and of course, since it's the New Year lots of you have been humming Auld Lang Syne. But there's another song that's connected to New Year, so instead let's all hum or sing "Happy Days Are Here Again!" There's another old song, can't remember most of the words, but these come back to me....."if everyone lit just one little candle what a bright world this would be". Yeah......that's a lovely thought too......and I believe with all my heart that it's possible.
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