Did You Know?

Did you know that drinking a daily glass of orange juice can help diminish muscle fatigue and boost endurance?  In one study of sedentary, obese women who took up exercise, those that drank a daily glass of orange juice found a much greater dip in lactic acid (the stuff that makes our muscles burn) than the group that did not drink the orange juice.  Less build up of the acid makes it easier to exercise longer and harder…and here’s a tip for lowering blood pressure:  a nice big banana a day!  It seems that the potassium in bananas helps our kidneys filter out  more sodium from pressure-raising sodium from our kidneys…here is a tip recommended to help deal with decadent food cravings:  imagine yourself engaged in a favorite activity, or enjoying a vacation somewhere like the sandy beaches of Tahiti.  In a study on college students, those that used this visualization technique until the craving faded, found their cravings nose-dived in comparison with the group that did not visualize.  Another benefit of daydreaming is that it lights up several quadrants of the brain  including the areas that deal with problem solving, making occasional daydreaming a great way to then get more efficient and effective at your job, by giving our brain a break from concrete thinking.

Though I don’t usually drink OJ, I am going to this morning, with this newly learned information.  My legs are killing me after sprinting with Jane yesterday morning and I have a few hours of play-0uts ahead of me this morning.  Don’t forget to take some time to let your mind wander on this first day of July.  Happy Friday!

To all my SilverSneakers students:  Don’t forget to mark your calendar for our first YogaStretch class this Tuesday, July 5 at 11:30 a.m.  Dress comfortably and come enjoy some peace for your body and your mind.  You do not have to be a SilverSneaker participant to come to this very basic class, no fancy contortions, done sitting and standing behind the chair.  Namaste