If you’re like me, stretching is the worst part of running. Whether I’m warming up before I go out or stretching when I get back, I always come up with reasons to skip this important piece of training. Physical therapist Stacey McConnell from St. Elizabeth Sports Medicine has a great reminder about how to stretch before, during or after your run. From your glutes to your quads and your hamstring to your calves, McConnell will help you stay flexible through all of those miles.
Whether you’re getting ready for the Flying Pig, the Heart Mini or another of Greater Cincinnati’s fun races coming up this spring, you know the way you start has a big impact on how you finish. If you start too fast, you can burn out quickly and run out of steam halfway through the race. But, start too slow and you’ll miss your goal time. If your race starts with a big hill you’re unprepared to face, it may take a couple of miles to get back on your race plan. To keep you from feeling surprised by the Flying…
We’ve all heard people say they’re bad at math because they’re “so right-brained.” Or don’t have a creative bone in their body because the “left brain” rules. But, do you know what that really means? Two brains in one? Every person’s brain has two halves, known as hemispheres or the left brain and right brain. Each hemisphere is responsible for different information gathering and processing functions. Usually the left brain is credited with analytical functions and the right brain has intuitive and creative functions. Everyone naturally gravitates to one or the other method of functioning, however, we have access to…
As we’re knee deep in cold and flu season, it’s good to know that not all of what we think we know about staving off winter illnesses is right. Some are almost right, some make an awful lot of sense. Others are just plain wrong, like the old “starve a cold, feed a fever” trope. You should be eating in either case, experts say, but fevers do bring an increase in your metabolism and you burn more calories. So, it’s still a good idea to feed that fever to deal with the increase demand. See if you know which of…
If you’re like me, you got one piece of Mom’s advice repeated constantly while you were growing up – “Stand up straight!” Good advice from Mom for life, and surprisingly, for your next run. In the video below, physical therapist Stacey McConnell from St. Elizabeth Sports Medicine will focus on the correct running posture, and how to make sure you keep it up even during a fatiguing long run. An avid runner himself, McConnell will share tips to help you get ready for whatever run is in your future.
In case you missed it, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams is in hot water. The anchor is being placed on six months of suspension after allegations came to light that an often-told story from his time in Iraq may not be accurate. Several times Williams claimed a helicopter he was in was hit by enemy fire, an incident that simply didn’t happen. But Williams may not be completely at fault. The New York Times’ Well blog shared a post about how false memories can quickly trick our brains. In fact, through years of telling this story, Williams may actually…
By now, you’ve probably heard about the measles outbreak that began on the west coast, and now is in other places throughout the United States. As of February 10, 2015, a total of 121 people from 17 states and the District of Columbia were reported to have the measles. You may be wondering if/when the measles will hit the Tri-State area, and what you can do to prepare yourself and your family. We have the answers. As of now, there is not an outbreak locally; however, cases have been reported in Ohio and potential cases have been reported in Kentucky.…
Do you ever feel like you got your job due to a fluke in the system? That someone else was more qualified than you, but the managers just overlooked some key details? That you just “got lucky,” and some day they will realize they made a mistake? Recently, Buzzfeed featured a list of 6 ways your brain is lying to you, which includes “Impostor Syndrome,” or the feeling that you’re a fraud. Researchers began studying Impostor Syndrome because they noticed this phenomenon in successful women. When interviewed, many of the women felt like they didn’t belong at the top and…
At age 13, while watching TV indoors, my daughter complained of loss of feeling in her feet and showed me her white, cold-to-the-touch toes. I was surprised to see her feet go through color changes as I rubbed them, and was sorry to hear my daughter complain of pain during these transitions. I discounted the experience as a “fluke” and reassured her that it probably wouldn’t happen again. Then, the episodes began occurring regularly and we sought help. The diagnosis of Raynaud’s Disease was surprising and perplexing. Here is what we learned What is Raynaud’s? The disease causes arteries to…
Short days, cold weather and limited opportunity for outdoor exercise can sap your energy. If you feel tired ““ and have checked with your doctor to rule out any underlying medical concerns ““ you can take action to energize yourself until spring. Improve your diet It’s easy to hibernate during the winter. While we’d all prefer to curl up on the couch with some chips, a glass of wine and Netflix, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet all year long. All of the go-to healthy strategies are even more important in the winter: Avoid skipping meals, especially breakfast Eat…
