Health tip #5 -Don’t be afraid of eating those healthy fats, learn to enjoy them without overindulging. Your body will thank you. If you are allergic to nuts, raw seeds are an amazing substitute. Meet Karen Raden MS, RD, LD, CCN, a Highland Park native, who has has coached thousands of people along the path to long-term health and wellness.
Don’t miss Zema’s Morning Glory Smoothie recipe at the end!

One of the best things that you can do to help bring great nutrition to your daily life is to add one ounce nuts daily. Nuts are full of healthful fats that help to decrease inflammation and keep your hunger down. Research shows that just one ounce of nuts daily will help to lower your cholesterol significantly. Don’t be afraid of that good fat!

One ounce is all you need. This equals about 20 Almonds or Cashews, 30 peanuts or 45 pistachios. Enjoy!

Karen Raden is a certified clinical nutritionist and holistic registered dietitian with more than twenty years of education and experience in the fields of nutrition and the culinary arts. She has a private practice in Northbrook where she consults with individuals, families and corporations.

You can read more about Karen through her website:www.karenraden.com.

Health tip #4- Break out of your ordinary work-out and try something new, fun and challenging…the kettleball! Meet John Spezzano, a RKC certified kettleball instructor and author of “The Martial Arts/Kettleball Connection”. John also works with the Operational Skills Group as a defensive tactics instructor to local, state and federal law enforcement personnel. John is currently touring the US promoting his new book and running clinics at various gyms.

The Russian kettlebell was a popular tool for 19th century eastern European strongmen and has recently made a huge resurgence in fitness across the globe. The kettlebell is the perfect tool for someone who wants to get back in shape or improve their already impressive physicality. Because the kettlebell uses full body movements not muscle isolation it gives the user greater overall improvements in strength, cardiovascular conditioning AND flexibility. For those with limited time, space and financial resources the kettlebell is again the perfect tool! With a single kettlebell, about 8 square feet of training area and a couple hours per week, you can make phenomenal improvements!

For more information on kettleball training, please go to www.pacificcoastmartialarts.com.

Health tip #3 - To stretch or not to stretch before you exercise. Meet Stuart Yoss, Doctor of Chiropractic and owner of Bannockburn Chiropractic who has worked with hundreds of professional athletes from all over the country, most notably the Chicago Bears and Chicago Blackhawks.

“Debunking the Stretching Myth”

One of the biggest misconceptions that I encounter in my practice is that people believe that they do not have to stretch before they exercise. They say that they read an article about not having to stretch before you exercise, only after working out. They are about 50% correct with that statement. True, you should not do static stretching (when you hold one position for more than 10 seconds) pre-workout. Research shows that static stretching on a “cold” muscle causes micro tears, which potentially lead to more pulled muscles. Static stretching should be done post-workout. That way the muscle is full of blood and will be able to handle the load of stretching. Where the problem lies is that you still need to warm the muscles up prior to activity. What that means is that you should take the joints that you are going to use through their full range of motion. Start with small movements and slowly increase the range until you reach full range of motion. You can also hold the end position for 3-5 seconds and then release the position. Another good idea is to hop on a treadmill or bike for 5 minutes before you workout. This will help warm the body up. Make sure to drink plenty of water during your workout, as well.

For more information on stretching, joint pain and sports related injury and recovery, please contact Dr. Yoss at 847.236.1194. Besides chiropractic adjustments for the spine, Dr. Yoss also uses Active Release Technique(ART) soft tissue mobilization and rehab exercises to help the spine become stronger and more stabilized. Bannockburn Chiropractic and Sports Injury Center, 2101 Waukegan Road, #100, Bannockburn, IL 60015. www.bannochiro.com

Health tip #2- Are you in back pain while driving in your car? Most likely it’s your poor posture while sitting in the driver’s seat that is causing so much discomfort. Meet Highland Park resident, Lily Horowitz, a leading and published certified Pilates instructor with over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry.

Everyone talks about “core strength” but do you know what that really means. Having a strong core isn’t about doing thousands of sit ups to achieve a six pack. It’s about creating strength and awareness through your entire mid section: shoulders, stomach, back, glutes and legs. Having a strong core will help with balance, posture, and spine stabilization. Navel to spine is one of the key concepts in achieving a strong core so here is a tip: when sitting in your car (before driving) pull navel to spine like you have a string pulling your belly button to your back. This will force you to change your posture and sit taller, then adjust your rearview mirror to that position. This way when you drive and aren’t aware of navel to spine, you won’t be able to see and it will remind you to engage.

For more information about Lily and To The Core Pilates, located in Northbrook, please visit www.kidlates.com.

Health tip #1-Eat seasonal foods to ease those seasonal allergies. Meet Sharada Hall, Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Ayurvedic praticioner, a Highland Park native, now living in New Mexico with her husband and two young boys. Besides operating her private medical practice in Santa Fe, she also writes natural health articles on her site, Bodhimed.com.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, a simple shift in your diet can make a huge difference in your symptoms. According to Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, excess mucus production is treated by eating foods that are of the opposite qualities of phlegm, i.e. foods that are light, drying, and warming. After a winter of eating heavy, rich foods, it’s best in springtime to switch to lighter, fresh foods that help relieve sinus congestion and inflammation. These include leafy green vegetables, most fruits, amaranth, quinoa, rye, barley, buckwheat, and spices. Foods that increase mucus and allergy symptoms are cold, frozen, and greasy foods, dairy products, wheat, avocado, banana, dark meat, seafood, sugar, and salt. Give this ancient prescription a try this allergy season and you’ll be amazed how much lighter and clearer you feel.

For great natural allergy remedies, visit www.bodhimed.com.