This is just so good, why reinvent the wheel? 
So, Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:

7 Fitness Tips for 2011 By Jessica Matthews
The start of a new year typically consists of making resolutions to get in shape and stay healthy. But the truth is many people don’t know how to start a safe and effective workout regimen. Implementing a new fitness program doesn’t mean you simply hop on a treadmill and start running. There are questions to ask yourself, your trainer (if you choose to use one) and even your physician before you start planning your exercise routine. To help kick off 2011, here are a few tips for you to consider when determining a fitness plan that’s right for you:

Set achievable goals. By setting goals, you’ll have a better idea of what your exercise program should look like and what you will want to get out of it. Understanding your fitness objectives, such as losing weight, toning up or becoming stronger, will define what kind of regimen will work best and offer the most success in the long run. Be sure to make your goals specific and accomplishable. Work with a certified personal trainer. A trainer is not always necessary, but it’s generally recommended to meet with a certified fitness professional when starting a new exercise program. He or she will be able to offer advice on the best ways to reach your goals, provide specific exercises and ensure that you’re performing them correctly. Be careful when picking your trainer―not just anyone will do! Here are some tips on how to pick a personal trainer, which includes making sure he or she is certified. Keep a fitness journal. Before you begin, write out all of the exercises—including the number of reps and type of cardio―you plan to accomplish daily or weekly to help you visualize your new fitness program and see how much time you will need to dedicate to it. By writing in this journal each time you work out, you’ll be able to keep track of your progress, as well as adjust the level of intensity of any of the exercises as needed. Consult your physician. Once you set your goals and desired fitness program, it’s important to meet with your physician before getting started. If you’ve ever had a heart condition, take blood pressure or heart medications, have joint or bone problems or are over age 45, then it’s especially important to visit or call your doctor before getting started. If you have a preexisting medical condition, there could be potential risks in adding physical activity to your daily routine. Start slow. Upon creating your exercise program and getting your doctor’s blessing, it’s time to begin! If you’re not used to exercising regularly, set a goal to exercise once or twice a week. As your body adjusts to this schedule, slowly increase the number of times you exercise until you find a comfortable weekly routine. Listen to your body. Like everything, fitness is different for everyone. It’s important to be in tune with and nurture your body. If you start feeling fatigued, lessen the intensity of your workouts or reduce the amount you exercise by one less day per week. When your body is ready for a little more physical activity, add another day onto your routine or find ways to safely challenge yourself during exercise. Don’t get discouraged. If you miss a day at the gym, or even a whole week, don’t get down on yourself—just get back on track when you’re ready and keep your goals in mind. Chances are, once your fitness program becomes part of your daily routine, your body will start craving that extra physical activity and you’ll want to go for a run or hit the gym more often.
Jessica Matthews develops and delivers fitness education as an Academy Exercise Scientist for the American Council on Exercise® (ACE®). Matthews, who is also an ACE-certified Personal Trainer and a registered yoga instructor, specializes in basic wellness, women’s fitness and mind-body exercise.

Knee Pain and the Posterior Thighs

Knees are tricky business, indeed!  But did you know that quite often, knee pain is a result of insufficient strength of posterior thigh muscles?  Yessiree...lack of strength of the semitendinosus, semembranosus and biceps femoris can lead to instability of the knee joint because they attach at the superior and inferior posterior ends of the thigh (to put it in plain English).  Women, particularly can 'hyperextend'  at the knee joints, which makes them look like bow-legged sailors (not a very attractive look for skirts and dresses).

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you are experiencing knee pain, make an appointment today for an orthopedic evaluation and treatment.  Acupuncture is highly effective in the treatment of orthopedic injuries and along with your treatment, you will receive suggestions for muscle-strengthening exercises that will make you legs long, hard, lean and mean, and...oh yeah...you'll get rid of that nasty knee pain in the process!

The Beauty of Getting Acupuncture and Doing Your Physical Therapy

Yesterday, I had some downtime....yippee!!  It was a beautiful day and the PERFECT day for an outdoor run.  Time to test all that acupuncture I've been self-administering and the physical therapy I've been torturing myself with for the past several months to strengthen my knees and quads.  Up to this point, I've been running at a slow and steady pace on a treadmill for 45 minutes at a clip; speed walking 5 to 10 minutes before and after the runs.
Yesterday, I warmed up, turned on my favorite outdoor running tunes and took off for a run along the Hudson River.  The air was fresh, the sun was shining, the temperature perfect!  I took it easy - I ran approximately .25 mile, walked about a block, then ran for .25 mile.  All told, I ran a total of 2 miles and felt great!!  It's always so different to run outdoors.  Your gait elongates, your breathing patterns are different and unlike the treadmill (where I feel like Astro the Dog), you actually GO someplace!!  Bittersweet....it was the first time I've run in over 10 years without my trusty dog, Sooki by my side.  She always set the pace and most likely why I always ran so fast.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  It's really nice weather coming our way this week.  Get out there and do SOMETHING!!!  And if you have a trusty dog...get them outside and sing songs, play games and run like the children we always are! And...write in and share your own stories; I just love to hear about what everyone is doing!!

WSJ Reports on Acupuncture

From the Wall Street Journal, Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Despite acupuncture's 4,000-year history, little is known about the biological pathways that enable carefully placed needles to relieve pain in many patients.


The compound adenosine is key to acupuncture's effectiveness, according to a study in Nature Neuroscience. Despite acupuncture's 4,000-year history, little is known about the biological pathways that enable carefully placed needles to relieve pain in many patients. Researchers mimicked acupuncture in mice by placing and gradually rotating a needle at a point just below the knee, for 30 minutes. Levels of adenosine, a neurotransmitter, rose 24-fold in the tissue fluid surrounding the needle. Mice injected with an inflammatory substance in their paws and given acupuncture displayed fewer pain symptoms than mice that didn't get acupuncture. But mice genetically engineered to lack a certain adenosine receptor didn't benefit from the acupuncture session at all—further evidence of adenosine's role. Blocking enzymes that break down adenosine made the acupuncture much more effective, tripling the level of adenosine near the needle and extending pain relief from about one hour to about three hours.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Acupuncture Works!!!!  Call or email me to make an appointment today or you must really like to be in pain!
k@kmondesire.com
917-701-7582

So, What Am I Eating For Breakfast and How's That Knee????

Many of you ask me what I eat for breakfast and what my daily food intake is now that I'm on my way to health and fitness. O.K., here's a typical day:
Breakfast:  1 scoop low carb protein with 8oz skim milk and 2 tblspns of flaxseed oil.
Midmorning:  an orange, or a half a grapefruit, or a banana
Lunch:  2 oz lean protein with a handmade salad.  Dressing is a tblspn of olive oil with either balsamic vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon.
Midafternoon snack:  a bit of peanutbutter and honey on a flatbread and a fruit.
Dinner:  3 oz protein, dark leafy greens (hot or cold) and a green vegetable.  Maybe a flatbread or 1/2pita (since I'm a breadaholic).
Beverages:  I usually have a cup of coffee in the morning...or not.  I drink a pitcher of green tea during the day, plus lots of fresh water and at dinnertime, either seltzer with fresh lemon/lime or water.
That's basically the plan.
Today, it is 29 days since my knee surgery and my wonderful and talented surgeon tells me I'm doing just great!  We are going to add a minitrampolene to the mix and I'm bound for the elliptical machine!  Today, I wore real shoes (2.5" heel) and so far, so good!  Stairs are still a bit challenging but we both feel that within another 4 weeks, I might just be seen running again in the downtown area with my trusty dog, Sooki!
What's the secret to the success so far???  Acupuncture and laser for the knee, lots of physical therapy exercises that I do everyday, and proper diet.
Someone asked me today if it is true that acupuncture really works for diet.  YES!!!!  Acupuncture and herbal pills can stimulate thyroid function and boost the metabolism.  It can help drain excess fluid, reduce appetitie and clear toxins from the body that trap fats in the body.
Call or email me if you are interested in my 12 week total health program for Fitness!  It's worked quite well for many of my patients and can work for you too!!

Progress of the knee

To all those who asked....I've been able to do the subway steps today...gently and slowly, but getting there.  The knee is becoming more and more flexible; stronger and stronger everyday.  Today, while during my physcial therapy exercises, I added shadowboxing into the mix...very carefully push kicking with my right leg and practicing knees with the left - imagining I was once again, back in the ring or training for another fight.

Read more about sports medicine, injuries and how to make a comeback from a physical injury by logging onto the link I've got listed on this blog.  You'll be surprised with how much you learn and how important it is to take care of yourself!!
http://www.kmondesire.com/sportsmedicine.html