Massage therapist recommendation

If you are anything like me, it's been too long since your last massage. The cost in time and money are usually just too much.

Sonya King is a local massage therapist who charges a flat $50 per hour or $65 for 90 minutes (she does not accept tips).

She has been doing massage for over a decade and, while she has a great massage room, is also happy to travel to you (depending on your location).

Sonya specializes in a therapeutic blend of soothing Swedish massage, hot Serpentine stones, passive stretching and localized deep tissue work, depending on the client and his/her needs.

Please contact Sonya for more details at 503-936-3114 or sonyakingpdx@msn.com

Stretching

There are three major components to physical fitness

1. Muscle conditioning

2. Cardiovascular conditioning

3. Stretching

If you are like most people, the first two are hard enough to fit in, and stretching just never makes it into your normal routine.

Next time you work out, pay attention to your body and to which muscles are tight. Take the time to stretch those muscles.

Remember to hold a stretch for at least 15 seconds. 30-60 seconds is even better. Your muscle will initially contract against the stretch to protect itself from being pulled. It takes a few seconds before it relaxes enough to stretch.

Finally, relax your mind as you stretch. It can be a nice 5-minute break from the stress of your day!

Give yourself a break!

Negative thoughts are counterproductive in the gym. If you get in the habit of self-loathing behavior while you work out, you have subconsciously created a negative connection to exercise. It's only natural to begin avoiding situations that create such feelings.

See yourself through the eyes of someone who loves you. What might they say to you as they pat you on the back for making time to exercise and sticking with it? Would they beat you over the head if you fall of the wagon for a while, or encourage you to get right back on again?

Each day you wake up is another opportunity to challenge your body and your mind, and that's a blessing!

To drug, or not to drug?

I just watched a Dateline special from a few years ago called: The Medicated Child. You can watch it online at www.pbs.org: The Medicated Child. Or, if you have Netflix, it is in the television section.

Parents do the best they can for their children, and in some cases, medication may be the best answer. Whatever side you are on, this special is amazing and has people speaking both for and against medicating children. It's worth checking out!

Our son has some challenges that we've been able to address with dietary changes: No preservatives or additives, no food coloring, no gluten, no dairy or meat with hormones, and very limited processed food (what he does consume is organic and does not contain any of the above mentioned ingredients). It may sound overwhelming, but by taking these things out of his diet, he is able to focus at school and function normally.

As we experimented with taking things out of his diet, my husband and I noticed that we were feeling much better as well. What a nice bonus!

On the hunt for a hairdresser?

Do you want hair that is perfect for your face, coloring, and personal style? Go see Mendy Fahey at Beauty Box. www.beautybox.us

Mendy is truly talented and the prices at her salon are very reasonable. I recommend her, without reservation!

Fun 30-minute workout

Getting ready to move your workout back indoors? Here's a great way to get in a killer workout in just 30 minutes.

1. On the stationary bike (use the upright version, if possible, to get more core conditioning), set the resistance to a moderate level (meaning you could pedal at about 60 rpms for 5 minutes or more without needing a break) and pedal for 3 minutes at about 60 rpms.

2. Still on the bike, increase the resistance by 1 level and pedal at 100 rpms. Pedal for 1 minute.

Repeat #1 and #2 until you've done each of them a total of 3 times.

3. On the treadmill, set the incline as high as you can walk without holding on and set the speed to 2.0-2.5 for beginners...if you've done this for a while, bump it up to 3.0 or higher.

--Walk forward for 1 minute

--Shuffle left side lead for 1 minute

--Walk forward for 1 minute

--Shuffle left for 1 minute

***Are you watching the seconds and struggling to get through the minute on the lateral shuffles? Do you need the minute forward to recover before you do the other side? You are doing it correctly. If not, bump up the incline and/or the speed.

*****Remember to hold on to the handles as much as you need. The more often you do this, the less you will need the hand rails. Eventually, you will be able to let go altogether.

Do #3 3 times (will take 12 minutes)

3. 10 push-ups and 10 dips. Do 3-6 sets of each, depending on how much time you have left. Try to do the sets with little to no breaks in between, and do the most difficult option of both push-ups and dips you can manage...decreasing the intensity as needed.

Push-ups can be done with feet on a bench and hands on the ground (decline)

--Flat military style, but catch air as you come up from the push-up (propulsion)

--Normal military style

--Knees down

Dips can be done with hands on one bench and feet on another bench

--Hands on a bench and feet on the ground with legs fully extended

--Hands on a bench, feet on the ground with knees bent and feet closer to the body

Extra time and want to get in some abs?

1. Knees on a Swiss Ball, elbows on a mat. Pike your bum as you roll the ball toward your hands and then away again. Do 20 roll-ins.

2. Sit on a mat with a 10 pound medicine ball. Feet can be off the mat for more intensity. Lean back slightly and keep your back flat. Throw and catch the medicine ball. The higher you throw, the more difficult it will be. Throw 20 times.

Repeat both exercises until you have done each three times.

Have fun!

Gluten free suggestions

Gluten free products can be hit or miss. Pamela's brand is always a grand slam for us. The baking mixes are not gritty like some brands and they do not have odd flavors either. All of the Pamela's products we have purchased have been as good, if not better than similar products made with wheat flour.

I have purchased Pamela's products at Fred Meyer, New Season's, Lamb's, Albertson's, and Whole Foods. I'm sure there are other stores that carry them as well. Different stores carry different products from the Pamela's line.

Here are some of our favorite Pamela's products:

1. The bread mix can be used in bread makers, made the old fashioned way, and you can make it with or without dairy. The mix can be used to make pie crust, pizza crust, bagels, cookies, and more.

2. The pancake and baking mix. This mix has buttermilk solids, so it does not work if you are off dairy as well, but it is delicious. I've used it to make cakes, cookies, and pancakes.

3. The cake and frosting mixes are unbelievable. I made a white cake with vanilla frosting for my son's birthday and it was gone in 5 minutes flat. (Mostly eaten by people that had no idea it was gluten-free and were shocked when I told them)

4. We've also tried the pre-made chocolate chip cookies, molasses cookies and lemon cookies. They are fantastic!

5. The gluten-free brownies are also delicious. I add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and it is to-die-for chocolatey heaven.

**Vegetable and olive oils have very distinct flavors which I believe take away from the flavor of baked goods. When recipes call for oil, I use either coconut oil (which truly has no flavor) for high heat temperatures, or butter if I am making it for a crowd that is okay with dairy.

Other foods/brands we like

Trader Joe's brand of rice pasta macaroni and cheese in a box is a favorite for my kids.

Trader Joe's small beef tacos (made with corn tortillas) in the frozen foods section.

Amy's brand of frozen convenience foods are delicious. We especially like the frozen bean and cheese burritos. She has a gluten and dairy free version as well. We haven't tried them, but I've heard they are great.

Kinnickinick's makes really great gluten and dairy free doughnuts. Of all of the brands we tried, these were a favorite for my kids. They can be found in the frozen section with the other gluten-free frozen foods.

We've tried every brand of gluten-free bread. The only kind my family will eat is homemade from the Pamela's mix. That gets rave reviews and makes great sandwiches. Be sure to store it in the freezer, though, as it has almost no shelf life.

Shelton's brand of mild turkey chili is a go-to meal for my husband and I when we are in a rush. I buy it at Fred Meyer in the gluten free section. I pair a small bowl of it with a small salad for a well-rounded meal in 3 minutes flat. It is high in protein and fiber and low in sugar. They have a spicy version as well, but I like lots of flavor and less spice.

For cold cereal EnviroKidz has a number of different choices that my children love. We've tried other brands and keep coming back to this one for flavor and texture reasons.

If I missed one of your favorite foods, please send me an e-mail as I likely have a recommendation for that food as well.

I can be reached at: tetfitness@yahoo.com

Have a wonderful day!