As I was speaking with one of my long time clients and friend, I realized that not everyone really knows about all the amazing things that Jack LaLanne brought to the world of health and fitness. He, my client, still runs about 5 days a week for an hour plus and just celebrated his 68th birthday. He too is a picture of fitness.
I told him about some of the amazing feats Jack did for his birthdays and he was astounded to learn that at the age of 70, Jack:
Handcuffed, shackled and fighting strong winds and currents, towed 70 boats with 70 people from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary, 1 ½ miles.
This was just one of many!
In an attempt to inspire you yet again, I am offering you the following video:
Last, if you would like to see the list of feats Jack LaLanne accomplished, GO TO HIS WEBSITE NOW!!
I was first introduced to health and exercise when I joined a Jack LaLanne Health Spa at 16 years old. In looking back I really don’t know what made me do that but it did start me on the path to health I have been on every since.
Over the years I would reflect on Jack and his teachings. As I have gotten older I have tried to motivate other people in considering to choose health as an alternative way of living. I had dreams of teaching health in corporations in hopes that people would see that eating well really isn’t that difficult and yet the rewards are great. I even emailed Jack LaLanne last year to see how he inspires others. I was told to just keep on the path.
I was struck, in going to his website at that time, by how he essentially was preaching the same basic nutrition advice 50 years ago that is still true today – eat real food and exercise regularly. Times really haven’t changed in what is healthy for us and yes it does take discipline but is so worth it!
So in honor of Jack and a life filled with the desire to motivate others to live a healthy full life, I salute him. Here are just two videos showing just how amazing he really was…
I am excited to be launching my posture eBook! I have been involved in posture through my massage training for almost 20 years. I wrote this book after seeing the consequences of many postural imbalances – pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, emotional responses, stress, a decrease in energy and much more!
This book will educate you about how to support good posture, which muscles may be involved in your body and how to assess this, descriptive teachings of how to stretch each muscle as well as exercises to strengthen those that are often weak. In addition, the book includes video presentations of how to perform each stretch and strengthening exercise.
Here is a video presentation on stretching one of the muscles in the book:
Testimonial from D.M. Shepard, Torrence, California
“As I mentioned, I was a personal trainer years ago and I still refer to my anatomy books to diagnose surprise aches and pains. Suddenly a couple of weeks ago I developed major discomfort in my left groin and lower back so I limped around my business office for a full week before I searched online for treatment for the iliopsoas muscle. Your video demonstration reminded me that sitting at a desk all day will reduce flexibility, shorten muscles and over time compromise posture. The best part of your video was the stretch you demonstrated to lengthen the iliopsoas muscle area. My discomfort was remarkably improved after only one day of stretching and I just about have regained full range of motion.
The trend these days is for people to live longer lives. As a professional financial advisor, I have to prepare more ‘preventive’ investment strategies for my clients to stay ahead of potential financial problems later in life.
I see the same ‘preventive’ value for regaining and maintaining healthy posture and stretching flexibility, to assure functionality and better quality of life. Certainly posture and stretches are cheaper than pills and surgery!
Fresh herbs are a great way to add lots of flavor to many dishes. Although they can be expensive to buy, they are cheap and easy to grow. As perennials, they will return every year even if you live in a very cold climate. In my garden I have oregano, sage, chives, parsley, and thyme. I also have rosemary but it will die in a cold climate over the winter so I keep it in a pot and bring it in during the cold months. Unfortunately basil will not winter, as often cilantro will not. I purchase those every spring and keep them in the ground for most of the spring and summer.
The challenge with herbs is that they tend to lose their flavor fast. I try to never purchase dried herbs as they often are tasteless. This video will show you the best way to handle herbs to get the maximum flavor from them. Oh and one last note – fresh chopped herbs do maintain their flavor if kept in butter. In the fall, before a cold frost, I usually pick lots of herbs, chop them and mix them with a little softened butter. I put this in the freezer so I can have fresh (almost) herbs throughout the winter.
Here is a great easy dinner all planned out for you. The only thing you need to do ahead is the glaze. It takes no time to put together, just time to reduce on the stove.
Salmon with a Maple Ginger glaze grilled on a cedar plank. Included in the dinner are grilled zucchini and crooked necked squash, Farmer’s Market tomatoes, and a field green salad with a Balsamic Champagne Vinaigrette.
Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer until reduced to less than 1 cup. I find in Colorado altitude this takes about 1 hour. You can make this a day or two early. Just reheat to use.
To cook:
Place the soaked plank on a hot grill and let it blacken on one side, about 15 minutes. (You will hear it start to crackle.) Once it is black, turn it over. Lay onions on plank. Place salmon on top of that. Pour ½ of glaze on top of salmon. Close lid and grill on medium to high until salmon is cooked, approximately 10 minutes. Note: You may want to keep a spray bottle of water near by in case the plank starts to burn.
Zucchini & Crooked Neck Squash Grilled:
1-2 Zucchini, depending on size, sliced lengthwise into 3 or 4 pieces depending on thickness
1-2 Crooked Neck Squash, sliced lengthwise into 3 or 4 pieces depending on thickness
Drizzle olive oil over both sides of squashes. Turn skin side down on outside pieces. On one side sprinkle oregano and parmesan over evenly. S&P to taste. Place on grill, olive oil only side down. Grill for approximately 10 minutes or until squash is soft but not over cooked.
Salad:
The basic salad I did was this one. The differences is I used the following ingredients but the same dressing.
Field Greens
Yellow Bell Pepper
Toasted Pecan pieces
Applewood Goat Cheese
Dried Cranberries
Serves 4
[1] Chives are a perennial and are really easy to grow. By having them in my garden, I can save money since I don’t have to buy them and they are a great substitute for green onions.
[2] Oregano is another perennial herb that is so easy to grow. I planted mine years ago and it just keeps coming back in abundance every year.
Do you ever eat fast food? If so, watch this movie!! I haven’t eaten fast food in years and yet watching this film made me want to clean up my eating habits even more. It is amazing how quickly our body can become sick from poor food choices.
There is no time like the present to educate yourself and your family!
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