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THE IN’S AND OUT’S OF CONCUSSIONS
A concussion is defined as a mild-traumatic brain injury (MTBI) that occurs from a direct or indirect blow to the head. Indirect blows to the head happen from whiplash. Our brain does not sit against our skulls. It is surrounded by fluids and essentially “floats” inside our skulls. Both types of blows to the head result in forces being placed to the head that result in the brain being forced into the skull resulting in mild damage to the brain.
This damage can result in a number of symptoms such as but not limited to; headaches, dizziness, nausea, disorientation, vision problems, feeling run down and tired, and neck pain. These symptoms typically last anywhere from 1-3 weeks but can last longer depending on severity of symptoms and how well they are managed.
PROGRESS VS. SUMMER FUN
HOW TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS YOUR GOALS WHILE STILL HAVING A FUN SUMMER!
Do you have travel planned? Lots of summer parties to attend? A little bit of thought and preparation goes a long way. Here are a few of my top tips and tricks for a healthy summer - from a Registered Dietitian!
DO YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP ALCOHOL TO REACH YOUR GOALS?
Alcohol, we know her, she comes around at parties and weddings, and can be a tricky thing to navigate when you’ve got health goals.
POP QUIZ:
What’s Google’s highest searched question regarding alcohol and fitness? — “Do I have to give it up to reach my goals?”The answer is: No, you don’t have to give it up! But let’s educate ourselves about it.
KEEP ON STEPPING: THE IMPORTANCE OF DAILY WALKS
This past month at Level TEN, the coaches along with the vast majority of our clients set out on a ‘10K steps per day’ habit challenge. Some clients and coaches haven't missed a day while others, myself included, have missed some days here and there, but will likely still end the month with a much higher step average than in prior months.
However, as June is coming to an end, do we just leave the step goal behind us? Do we go back to our regularly scheduled programming of 6k steps per day?
The answer? … NO!
No matter if you hit the goal every day, failed miserably more days than not, or if you didn’t even try the June 10K challenge, I am here to encourage you (and maybe even push you a little) to “Keep On Stepping”!The importance of steps and general physical activity is often overlooked. Some people think that working out 3-5 days a week is all that matters – that, since steps don’t really result in weight loss like intense cardio, they don’t matter. Or, they think that since our heart rates do not go through the roof while doing house laps (shout out to Coach John), they really aren’t beneficial. However, this is not true!
So, let's talk about the importance of walking…
WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR METABOLISM WHEN WE DIET
The human body is incredibly adaptive. Our metabolisms are quite literally designed to keep us alive through times of food scarcity and famine and they're quite efficient at doing so. Unfortunately, they haven’t quite adapted as quickly as our modern lives have. Meaning, there's no way to let your body know that you're intentionally reducing calories / restricting food to reduce body fat. The body simply senses starvation, and adapts accordingly.
Once our metabolisms have “adapted”, it can cause immense amounts of frustration and lead you to feeling like your metabolism is broken beyond repair as it becomes less and less responsive to a caloric deficit.
The good news, you are not broken and your body is not in “starvation mode”.
Your body has simply adapted.
The difference between the two is that saying your metabolism is damaged or broken would indicate that it is irreversible. or that you did something wrong. However, once we further understand why these adaptations that have happened and how, we can understand that these adaptations can be changed with time, proper fueling, planning, and patience.
ADDRESSING POOR ENERGY LEVELS NATURALLY
Struggling with poor energy? There are many aspects of our lifestyles that can affect energy levels, including non-restorative sleep, stress (both psychological and physiological), nutrient deficiencies, certain medications, infections, illness, exposure to toxins and other imbalances within our bodies.
REST & DIGEST
Most likely, you’ve heard the adage, “you are what you eat”. Healthy, nutrient dense food goes a long way towards improving your overall state of being. However, it may be more beneficial to also consider this: “You are how you digest what you eat”.
SHOULDER IMPINGEMENT 101
The shoulder joint is complex with lots of muscles, tendons, and ligaments acting on and supporting it. These structures are woven tightly through small spaces. The shoulder joint also moves more freely than any other joint and therefore can be put into compromising positions quite easily.
The space between where your collar bone (clavicle) and your shoulder blade (scapula) meet is called the sub-acromial space. The joint here is called the Acromial Clavicular joint (AC joint). Through the sub-acromial space passes the tendons of the rotator cuff muscles. These muscles are responsible for rotating your shoulder in and out. There is also a smooth ball of jelly like substance in this space called a bursa sac. This keeps the tendons from rubbing directly on the bone causing pain and inflammation.
A GUIDE TO LOW BACK PAIN
Low Back Pain (LBP) is one of the most common orthopedic conditions that prevent people from physical activity. There are many causes to low back pain. It can be as direct as a herniated disc or as indirect as an auto-immune disorder. It can also be difficult to manage for health care practitioners. Sometimes the most minor issues (a muscle strain) can present with immense pain and be debilitating. Other times major structural issues (spondylolisthesis aka slipped vertebrae) might go unnoticed until an x-ray performed for another condition reveals it.