Archive for September, 2012

« Older Entries

BE WELL IN FALL: ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AUTUMN IN PHILADELPHIA

We've compiled all our cool-weather content so you can find what to do in Philadelphia this fall in one handy place.

Posted by Emily Leaman on 9/28/2012 at 3:31PM | 1 Comment

Bikers enjoy a fall day in Wissahickon Valley Park // Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC

What to Do in Philadelphia: Activities

Fall Fun: Where to Pick Apples, Pumpkins and More in Philly

Cycling in the City: A Newbie’s Guide to Riding Safely in Philly

Fall Trail Run Series with Philadelphia Runner

READ MORE

  • Share/Bookmark

FALL COCKTAILS: 6 RECIPES UNDER 150 CALORIES

Three cheers for fall weekends! Toast the falling leaves and cooler temps with these yummy (low-cal!) cocktails.

Posted by Kimberly Tai on 9/28/2012 at 1:30PM | No Comments

Whether your weekend plans include tailgating or apple-picking, here’s a list cool-weather cocktails that won’t break the calorie bank. Cheers, Be Wellers!

Cranapple Cobbler (92 cals)
via Shape.com

Made with a low-cal citrus liqueur and sugar-free cranberry and apple juices, this cocktail’s almost completely guilt-free.

Gingered Pear and Brandy Cocktail (111 cals)
via Cooking Light

The homemade ginger simple syrup is what makes this recipe a keeper. Make a batch ahead of time so you can just add the liquor, shake and serve.

READ MORE

  • Share/Bookmark

A.M. EATS: WHERE TO SCORE A HEALTHY, QUICK BREAKFAST IN PHILLY

Mom was right: A good morning meal is important. Here, six options from local eateries to really get you going.

Posted by Emily Leaman on 9/28/2012 at 11:51AM | 1 Comment

The benefits of breakfast are almost as plentiful as the options in the cereal aisle (it keeps your mood, energy levels and weight in check, for starters), but not all a.m. eats are created equal. “A balanced breakfast provides a combination of carbs, healthy fats and protein,” says dietician Krista Yoder Latortue, founder of Philly-based Family Food, LLC. Lucky for you, a good breakfast isn’t hard to find in Philly, thanks to the crop of healthy cafes and juice bars that have sprung up throughout the region. Latortue offers her favorite perfectly balanced grab-and-go options–which means you have no excuse not to start your day off right.

READ MORE

  • Share/Bookmark

THE CHECKUP: WOULD YOU FRIEND YOUR DOCTOR ON FACEBOOK?

Let's discuss the doctor-patient relationship when it comes to social media, shall we?

Posted by Emily Leaman on 9/28/2012 at 7:30AM | No Comments

• Today’s lead item comes by way of a Chicago-based blogger, who writes about a doctor who cared for her during a recent hospital stay. Doctor and patient-blogger talked about their shared love of yoga—”She promised I would see her in one of my classes one day,” the patient-blogger writes—and says the doc gave her a business card and said to call or email if she had any questions. “Obviously I looked her up on Facebook,” says the patient-blogger. “She wasn’t wearing her lab coat or stethoscope, but some sort of silly hat.” The blogger sent a friend request, but the doctor never confirmed it. From what I can decipher by the tone, the blogger seems somewhat miffed about the whole thing—like, why wouldn’t the doctor want to be her Facebook friend? To which I say: wait, why would she? Although it’s not strictly forbidden, the American Medical Association recently released guidelines about doctor-patient relationships when it comes to social media, warning the MDs about the potential problems with such relationships. And like many teachers, whose employers require them to use social-media profiles that aren’t accessible to students, some hospitals are starting to ask the same of doctors. I personally think it would be weird to be Facebook friends with my doc, even though I’m sure she’s a lovely human being. I mean, I don’t really want to see pictures of her kids or her cat or the gourmet dinner she whipped up on Tuesday night. And I’m sure she’s not interested in what I’m up to, either.

• Addicted to coffee? Do you work in the food-service industry or a field of science? Figures.

• In which an editor at Prevention eats a New York City pigeon—all in the name of journalism. (And I thought making a fool of myself in front of the Eagles Cheerleaders was bad!)

  • Share/Bookmark

THE CHEAT SHEET: PETER WOOLSEY OF BISTROT LA MINETTE

How the chef of a French restaurant stays lean. Hint: it's all about moderation.

Posted by Katie Cavuto Boyle on 9/27/2012 at 2:13PM | No Comments

Chef Peter Woolsey in the kitchen // Photo via Facebook

When you think about French cuisine, what immediately comes to mind? Butter? Cream? Cheese? Those decadent ingredients are ones that most health-conscious people try to avoid. So then why are the French healthier than most Americans? One word: moderation.

Chef Peter Woolsey of Bistrot La Minette agrees. He and his wife (a vegetarian) are very health conscious, so I was eager to learn about what a healthy lifestyle means for them and how he stays healthy in the kitchen. Read on for his answers.

READ MORE

  • Share/Bookmark

EXPERT ADVICE: HOW TO GET HOOKED ON EXERCISE

Let's face it—not everybody loves to work out right off the bat. If you're struggling to stick with a consistent routine, we've got some tips for you.

Posted by Dana Ricci on 9/27/2012 at 12:31PM | No Comments

Ah, exercise. In addition to building muscles, aiding weight loss, and fending off cancer, diabetes and heart disease, it releases feel-good endorphins, lowers stress, helps produce antibodies and enhances energy.

Still, there are lots of reasons why people don’t exercise regularly: they don’t have time, they don’t know how to begin, or, worse, they think they’re too out of shape to hit the gym. The trick is finding the right type of exercise for you—one that you can easily fit into your schedule and that is something you actually enjoy. To help you get in the groove, we’ve asked Philly fitness pros for tips and moves to help you get hooked on exercise in no time.

READ MORE

  • Share/Bookmark

STUDY: TESTOSTERONE KILLS

A new study of some very old data shows that the male sex hormone may reduce guys' lifespans.

Posted by Sandy Hingston on 9/27/2012 at 10:29AM | 2 Comments

If you’re in a betting pool on who’ll outlive everyone else in the Grand Guignol that is Game of Thrones (Season 3 debuts in March! I can’t wait!), you might want to rethink your wager in light of a new study by Korean scientists. By painstakingly combing through royal records, they were able to show that palace eunuchs—males castrated at an early age and working as servants—lived significantly longer than guys whose baggage was intact. How much longer? Nearly 20 years. “The average lifespan of eunuchs was 70.0 plus or minus 1.76 years, which was 14.4 to 19.1 years longer than the lifespan of noncastrated men of similar socioeconomic status,” according to lead researcher Kyung-jin Min of Inha University.

Why? Testosterone kills. No, really.

READ MORE

  • Share/Bookmark

THE CHECKUP: HOW CARDIO MAKES MUSCLE MEMORY STICK

Surprising new research shows that exercise may help you learn new skills.

Posted by Emily Leaman on 9/27/2012 at 7:30AM | No Comments

• Okay, let’s say you just learned how to ride a bike, or sink a free throw, or make it to level 25 in Super Mario Bros. (Do kids these days even know what that is?) Now tell me: What’s the first thing you should do afterwards? Here’s a hint: Go for a run. New research out of Copenhagen found that 20 minutes of cardio can help cement those motor skills into long-term muscle memory. For the study, the team asked a group of men to play a computer game; some of the men exercised before, some after, and some not at all. A week later they gathered the men back together to play the game again. The ones who exercised after the initial session performed best. The researchers aren’t sure why cardio gives a muscle-memory boost, but it could have something to do with how exercise prompts the brain to produce substances crucial in memory, according to the New York Times. Whatever the reason, let’s add “muscle memory” to the long and growing list of why exercise is awesome. Capisce?

• Are bamboo bikes the bicycles of the future? You be the judge.

• Yikes. The number of knee-replacement surgeries performed each year in the U.S. has grown by 142 percent (!) since 1991—partly due to the rise in obesity. We’re up to an estimated 500,000 such surgeries a year, according to a new report.

  • Share/Bookmark

TO DO: INTRO TO YOGA ACROBATICS AT FOCUS FITNESS MAIN LINE

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a yogi!

Posted by Kimberly Tai on 9/26/2012 at 4:12PM | 1 Comment

Develop Superman-like skills (namely, flying, but not excluding heightened confidence and core strength) on Saturday, October 27th, in a two-hour Yoga Acrobatics workshop at Focus Fitness Main Line. Acrobatics, of course, marries balance, coordination and agility. When this performance art is combined with yoga, the result is an amazing and playful practice. Yoga Acrobatics is a collaborative partner practice, so make sure you bring a (trusted!) buddy. More info and registration are here.

$40, October 27 from noon to 2 p.m., Focus Fitness Main Line, 1111 E. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.

>> Have a health or fitness event you’d like to share with Be Well Philly readers? Email eleaman@phillymag.com with details.

  • Share/Bookmark

JILLIAN MICHAELS HATES RUNNING

And five other things I learned about her at the Sweat AC fitness festival.

Posted by Emily Leaman on 9/26/2012 at 1:06PM | No Comments

So, yes. You already know Jillian Michaels kicked my butt last weekend in Atlantic City. What you don’t know is that afterward I got to sit down with her (okay, with about 20 other reporters, BUT THAT’S NOT THE POINT) to pick her brain about all things health and fitness. Here are the six things I learned about her.

1. Jillian Michaels Hates Running

This will come as a comfort to those of you who don’t understand how anyone could think possibly think it’s fun to run 20 miles on a Saturday morning—Jillian Michaels complete agrees with you. “I’m not built for it,” she said. “I forced myself to run for years. I would run three miles and wish I was dead the entire time.”

2. Jillian Michaels Hasn’t Done Yoga in Months

Not because she hates yoga as much as running—she seems to like it a lot, actually—but because life as a mom of two has made getting to the studio for classes a bit of a challenge. She says she and partner Heidi Rhoades take turns with the kiddos so one can sneak in a workout while the other babysits. Or, she takes the kids along with her: “I put a life vest on my daughter and took her on the paddle board with me when we were on vacation.” Smart!

READ MORE

  • Share/Bookmark
« Older Entries