When a person comes into the office as either a new patient or as a wellness visit, I usually ask if they perform any type of exercise at home. Some answer no because they are too busy or do not have the equipment at home. Others will say that they go to the gym and the rest will say they try and work on exercising at home. My next question is if they know what a pelvic tilt is. If the person takes a yoga class or has had some sort of physical therapy in the past this is familiar to them. Some will go into a bridge position and rest give me a blank stare. This lead me to start thinking how many people are doing a bridge instead of a pelvic tilt.

So what is a pelvic tilt? A pelvic tilt is an exercise comprised of very subtle spinal movements that strengthen the support muscles around the low back, particularly the abdominals. They are a good preliminary exercise for those seeking low back pain relief or to help improve your posture. They can be done lying...

We all know as soon as the weather is no longer below freezing you will start to see people running outside all bundled up. As the spring and summer months approach everyone seems to be out versus being in the gym. It’s important to protect yourself all year round if you plan to be getting your sweat on outdoors!

1. Eat Something

No matter if you workout first thing in the morning or after work it should not be on an empty stomach. Food is our fuel and if we do not have anything in our system then we are going to fatigue quickly and not be at our full potential. It can be a simple protein shake, RX bar, banana, or even a healthy nut mix. Something that can be taken easily around wherever you go.  If people push themselves too much they can become dizzy and even faint. It does not matter if the weather is 90 degrees out with sun or 53 degrees and overcast. Food is your friend!!

2. Sunscreen

According to the American Cancer Society, “Melanoma accounts for only about...

Differences Between Muscles Cramps, Spasms, and Soreness

Who has ever woken up in the middle of the night with the dreaded charlie horse cramp in their calf?? We have all heard about it but have you ever wondered why it happens? Listed below are the differences between a muscle cramp, muscle spasm and muscle soreness and how to help deal with and prevent them.

A muscle cramp is an involuntary muscle contraction. Meaning that the muscles fires without your control, and usually lasts for a short period of time.  There are many possible causes for muscles cramps such as: dehydration, electrolyte loss/imbalance, loss of sodium, low levels of magnesium, muscle fatigue, and lack of oxygen.

A muscle spasm is a reflex to something else that is going on in the body or trauma. There are two types of spasms that can take place: clonic and tonic. Clonic is an involuntary contraction that alternates between contraction and relaxation. Tonic is a hard, constant muscle contraction that lasts...

I run into clients that are not regularly eating breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Just like most of you my schedule is hectic and limited. At least two days a week I’m out of the house by 6 am and do not return before 8pm. It’s imperative that I start with a healthy breakfast so keep me going on those 14 hour days. I often start the other 5 days with a 60-90 minute workout heavy on weight lifting. So how do I do it? How do I have time to make such a complete breakfast? What do I eat before/during/after workouts?  I often get asked by clients and friends alike what goes into my protein shake. So here are the answers.

Base: I keep it simple and easy and start with water. Depending on the amount of frozen ingredients I’ll use between 4-6 oz of filtered water. If I’m making the shake for my husband or company I’ll sometimes substitute some of the water for coconut or almond milk – just to mix it up a bit.

Veggies:...