The Body & Movement

Healthy Eating

Because I’m in fitness, people often assume I eat healthful and know something about nutrition. This reminds me of when I was good at field hockey in high school. People assumed I was generally good at sports. I wasn’t. I’m interested in food and nutrition, but not the way I care about fascia and movement. However, since my book Keep Moving: Take Steps to Relieve Pain & Improve Your Life came out, during interviews I’ve been questioned about nutrition a surprising amount. I don’t think of myself as an expert in that department, and don’t feel a need to be, however, it made me think I should have some of the basics down. I figured I should review the basics on healthy eating.

Getting Educated

Two books piqued my interest: The Science of Skinny: Start Understanding Your Body’s Chemistry and Stop Dieting Forever by Dee McCaffrey (an organic chemist and nutritionist) and Why You Eat What You Eat by Rachel Herz (a neuroscientist).

The first was a little older. It came out in 2012, so it has been sitting in my upcoming reading pile for seven years. But she wrote in […]

Healthy EatingMaggie Downie2019-02-13T18:30:04-05:00

How Much Sugar A Day?

Sugar is actually good for us. Sugar fuels our brain and provides quick energy. At least that is the case with sugar before it is fully processed and transformed into the white substance we normally see. Sugar cane contains minerals and vitamins (like calcium, phosphorus, chromium, magnesium, cobalt, copper, zinc, and manganese). All those nutrients and the fiber in the sugar cane help us digest the sugar. When we consume sugar without the other nutrients (as is the case in white sugar) the body can be forced to leach calcium from bones and other tissues to help process the sugar. So how much sugar should we get a day?

Two hundred years ago it is estimated that Americans ate about 10 pounds of refined sugar per year. Today that poundage is estimated to be 156 pounds per person per year. This does not include sugars from whole fruits or dairy products. Just added sugar (white sugar, sugar cane, honey, maple syrup, agave, etc).

The American Heart Association recommends 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9 teaspoons a day for […]

How Much Sugar A Day?Maggie Downie2019-02-13T17:46:20-05:00

Moves for a Desk Jobs

Sitting isn’t always bad!

A study estimates that people spend in average 18 years of their life sitting. We definitely need to get up and move more, but if we have a desk job that isn’t always an easy option. But there are ways we can fit movement in at our desk. Recently, at a speaking engagement geared toward individuals who primarily work at a desk, I was asked two questions:

1) What is a great way to stretch your chest while at your desk?

Spinal Rotation is a fan favorite. It is rare to find a person who doesn’t like this rotational exercise. While normally done on the floor, you can alter it to be done from your chair. That means you can fit it in during a quick break. You can also stand up and try it too! Explore movement that feels good to you.

2) What can you […]

Moves for a Desk JobsMaggie Downie2018-11-07T11:06:12-05:00

Chakra Dance

Our team at Personal Euphoria gets together quarterly to do an activity. Most recently we tried Chakra Dancing with Anne Stamatakis from Circle of Life Holistic Health. I’m familiar with Chakras in that I would have told you they are different colored balls of energy relating to different parts of the body. So, I guess, on second thought, I would say I’m not at all familiar with Chakras, which is part of what intrigued me.

I’ve known Anne for years. She has taken our group classes and private lessons and for years I’ve been meaning to try one of her classes. Lack of time made me hesitate. But, if I’m being honest, I presumed Chakra Dance was a little out of my comfort zone.

Clearly, I know myself well. This turned out to be way out of my comfort zone. Anne is a fantastic guide on the journey, but how uncomfortable I felt made me additionally uncomfortable. I could not believe how hard it was for me to let go. Letting go required work, which seems like a contradiction. I often found myself […]

Chakra DanceMaggie Downie2018-12-14T09:45:11-05:00

What to do for a sprained foot?

No injury or person is identical. So anytime we have an injury, we need to treat it uniquely. That being said, there are some general tools that can help. This post will offer some tools to get started if you ever sprain your foot. A sprain is a stretching or tearing of a ligament. A strain is a stretching or tearing of a muscle or a tendon. But it is always recommended that you talk to your doctor. You want to make sure you are dealing with a sprain and not something else.

Tools for Healing

• Experiment with ice or heat. Ice will help reduce inflammation, but heat will help bring blood to the area, which will promote healing. If one seems to cause aggravation, try the other. I’m a lover of ice—the sooner the better and multiple times throughout the day.

• Massage the area. Immediately upon spraining something, a specific area may be tender to the touch. Do not feel like you have to rub that area, but try to massage as close the area in pain as possible without causing pain. You can rub the sole of the foot or the ankle. Never create pain, but rub what you […]

What to do for a sprained foot?Maggie Downie2018-11-07T10:32:45-05:00