Life and Fitness Coach

Bigger, better memory through fitness

Time to pump up your hippocampus.

Scientists have long known that exercise fights depression and keeps participants mentally alert. Now comes news that working out can halt age-related shrinking in the part of the brain called the hippocampus and even increase its size.

This pays off in better spatial memory, learning abilities and memory.

For those of you who stayed awake in biology: The hippocampus is located inside the medial temporal lobe, beneath the cortical surface. It has left and right mirror structures in the brain, filled with dense layers of neurons. These hippocampi play an important role in spatial memory, which helps humans negotiate their physical environment. They are shaped like seahorses, hence the name.  

When the horrible Alzheimer's disease strikes, the damage first appears here, doctors say.

Researchers from the universities of Pittsburgh and Illinois report that about 40 percent of the added brain power fit people have over the unfit comes from this region of the brain. They found a straight path from physical fitness to growth in the hippocampus to improvements in spatial memory.

"The higher-fit people have a bigger hippocampus, and the people that have more tissue in the hippocampus have a better spatial memory," says Illinois psychology researcher Art Kramer.

His partner in the study, Kirk Erickson of Pitt, adds: "This is really a clinically significant finding because it supports the notion that your lifestyle choices and behaviors may influence brain shrinkage in old age.

"Basically, if you stay fit, you retain key regions of your brain involved in learning and memory." 

Kramer says even without the team's findings, there are excellent memory-related reasons for staying in shape as you age:

 "Even ignoring the hippocampus data, we see there is this significant and substantial relationship between how fit you are and how good your memory is."

The study was of 165 seniors, ages 59 to 81.

Jack LaLanne video: C'mon, get happy!

The holidays bring cheer and fellowship, but as we know many people get the blues this time of year.

Some think back on better times; others simply feel left on the sidelines.

If you're feeling a bit depressed, give some thought to your state of holistic fitness. Exercise and healthful nutrition help keep our spirits on the upside, as our video buddy Jack LaLanne points out in this vintage pep talk.

Jack asks: "What's the good of living ... of making lots of money ... of having fine clothes and driving a fancy automobile if you're miserable all the time?

 "If you don't get enough exercise, it affects your mind -- you're just kind of down in the dumps."

 Enjoy!

Time to feel like a '10'

How do you feel? 

Do you know how it feels to be at a 10, physically, mentally, emotionally?

 Lisa does! 

Lisa showed up recently for her session and Wow! Did she look good! I asked her if she felt as good as she looked and she said yes, she felt wonderful. 

There she was, her skin glowing, her hair shining, the whites of her eyes were W-H-I-T-E and the blue of her eyes were sparkling! She was sharp, witty, present and energized. In short, bright-eyed and bushy tailed!

 Lisa started as my client a few months ago. At that time she was slim, in reasonable shape for a 26-year-old woman, was a little weak with average cardio fitness. 

She had a pervious shoulder injury from playing netball but worst of all she had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The doctors, in their wisdom, gave her medication that stopped the bloating but did little else. The only other choice they gave her was "to live with it."

 IBS has several symptoms; pain in the stomach, sometimes diarrhea, sometimes constipation. Bloating is common, as is belching, passing gas, nausea, aches and pains, often in the lower back, tiredness and weakness. 

When I met Lisa I promised we would get the better of this IBS. She was surprisingly open to my promise.

 A lot of people have seen all the experts who not been able to 'fix' the problem and I do understand when they say. "How come a simple personal trainer can help me when all of these highly paid doctors can't?" My answer is, I work holistically and I come forth with 36 years of experience!

 IBS is exacerbated by certain foods eaten in the incorrect combination at the wrong time of day! If you correct the food combining while staying away from the foods that ill affect you … hey, presto! Problem solved! 

Now, the only time Lisa has IBS is when she chooses. She knows if she eats certain foods in the wrong combination with other foods she's gonna have a problem … it's as simple as that. 

Lisa now knows how to feel a 10. Her old 10, she tells me, would have been her current 6. From my observation most people go their whole lives never knowing how it feels to be at a true 10. Most people are living their everyday lives at about a 4 dropping to a 2 at their lowest ebb and raising to a 6 when they're feeling "fantastic." Of course, it varies from person to person as to how to reach a 10 but there are some basic rules:

• Don't eat wheat or products with wheat in them.
• Don't drink cow's milk or eat cow's milk products.
• Don't eat sugar or processed foods.
• Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Exercise regularly but don't over train
• Take vacations often.
• Meditate or take quiet time most days.
• Be love and in love.
• Give to others
• Study life. Read, listen to CDs etc.
• Choose to feel good. Be grateful.
• Drink alcohol sparingly.

Two simple words that can change your life

Ronda Byrne, author of "The Secret," just sent this great message out into the universe. I recommend "The Secret" to everyone.

There are two words that, when spoken, have the most unfathomable power to completely change your life. Two words which, when they pass your lips, will be the cause of bringing absolute joy and happiness to you. Two words that will create miracles in your life. Two words that will wipe out negativity. Two words that will bring you abundance in all things. Two words which, when uttered and sincerely felt, will summon all the forces and vibrations in the Universe to move all things for you.

The only thing standing between you, happiness and the life of your dreams, are two words ...

Thank you.

Gratitude is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to transform your life. If you become truly grateful, you will magnetize absolute joy to you everywhere you go, and in everything you do. In fact, without gratitude, nothing can ever change. Your life will change to the degree that you use gratitude and begin to feel grateful. If you are just a little bit grateful, your life will change a little bit. If you are very grateful, your whole life will change. If you live gratitude every single day, you will become one of the greatest human beings on the planet, and the light of your life will uplift our world.

The greatest human beings who have ever lived showed us the way with gratitude, and by their example became shining lights in our history. Einstein said "thank you" hundreds of times every single day! Ancient wisdom dating back thousands of years gave us the truth about gratitude. Every single religion speaks of giving thanks. All the sages and saviors of the world demonstrated the use of gratitude in all their teachings. ...

So how do you live in gratitude? Begin your day by feeling grateful. Be grateful for the bed you just slept in, the roof over your head, the carpet or floor under your feet, the running water, the soap, your shower, your toothbrush, your clothes, your shoes, the car that you drive, your job, your friends, your refrigerator that keeps your food cold.

Be grateful for the weather, the sun, the sky, the birds, the trees, the grass, the rain, and the flowers. Be grateful for the stores that make it so easy to buy the things you need, the restaurants, the utilities and services and electrical appliances that make your life effortless. Be grateful for magazines and the books that you read.

Be grateful for the chair that you sit on, and the pavement that you walk on. Be grateful for your favorite music that sweeps you away, and for movies that make you feel good. Be grateful for your phone that connects you with people, for your computer, for the electricity that lights up your life. Be grateful for air travel that flies you everywhere. Be grateful for the roads and traffic lights that keep the traffic in order. Be grateful to those who built our bridges. Be grateful for your pet, for your child, for your loved ones, for your eyes that enable you to read this.

Be grateful for your imagination. Be grateful that you can think! Be grateful that you can speak. Be grateful that you can laugh and smile. Be grateful that you can breathe! Be grateful that you are alive! Be grateful that you are You! Be grateful that there are two words that can change your life!

Thank you!

"The Secret" is available at Amazon.

The six mistakes of man

1. The illusion that personal gain is made up of crushing others.
   Many people think they are able to elevate themselves by finding fault with others.


2. The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed or corrected.
   It makes no sense to worry about the things you have no control over, because if you have no control over them it makes no sense to worry about them. Likewise it makes no sense to worry about things you do have control over because you have control over them.
3. Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it.
   How many times in history has it been said "it’s impossible" only to find a short time later it is achieved.
4. Refusing to set aside trivial preferences.
   For many, ego becomes the driving force of our lives making us obsessed with the pettiest of things.
5. Neglecting development and refinement of the mind and not acquiring the habit of reading and study.
   Our lives are greatly enriched when we immerse ourselves in literature and spiritual writings.
6. Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.
   Imposing our thoughts on others creates stress and resentment.

-- Marcus Tullius Cicero. Roman philosopher (106 B.C.–43 B.C.)

Taken from the book "Wisdom of the Ages: 60 Days to Enlightenment" by Wayne Dyer.

Happy thoughts, happy molecules

Your body is composed of molecules and atoms that are constantly changing. Your attitude toward your body literally impacts the atoms and molecules that comprise your body.

Deepak Chopra often says:

"Happy thoughts make happy molecules."

Here are some suggested ways to think about your body on a day-in-day-out basis:

• Give thanks every day for this temple that houses your soul.


• Give verbal appreciation for your liver, your eyesight, your pancreas, every organ, every inch of your body. Simply say: “Thank you for this always changing and always perfect place for me to observe from.”


• Become more aware of how you choose to treat this miracle of a body. Talk to it as you give it exercise, good food and generous amounts of fresh water. Be aware of what a perfect creation you are.


• Observe the changes that take place in your body with joy rather than displeasure. Refuse to call any part of your body flawed.


• A body that is cared for has a greater opportunity to advance a spiritual life. It is out of the spiritual invisible dimension that the material world is created. Purity of thought will help your to maintain a pure, healthy body. Remember thoughts heal a body. This is why a welcome attitude of awe and gratitude toward your body is such an important factor in the enhancement of your spiritual life.

Taken from Wayne Dyer (pictured) -- "Wisdom of the Ages: 60 Days to Enlightenment"

Wise guys get a chance to measure up

Think you're smart? Well, you probably are. Wanderers of our world are smarter, better educated and more sophisticated than any generation before. The crowns of creation. But ... are you wise? Take this quiz from Monika Ardelt, a sociology professor at the University of Florida. The test weighs your response to 39 statements before delivering a verdict.

Take the wisdom test (via the New York Times' web site)

I never get sick

I haven’t been sick since 1996, not even a cold. Back then, I had a new girlfriend who had the flu -- bad, real bad. She gave it to me. I got sick as a dog. At the same time I started listening to Anthony Robbins’ tape set "Personal Power" (his first and best). He talked about how getting sick was learned and we could "un-learn" this. I did, and have not gotten sick since.

People who don’t know me have never guessed my age to be older than 38. I am 51. I believe that getting the immune system to its peak is imperative. In this blog you will learn how to get your immune system to its peak. How to always be well, and how to get and stay young. (Please note the wording -- I am a strong believer in the “Law of Attraction” and the use of words is vital).

Lastly (but maybe it should be "firstly"), live a life of kindness, compassion, love and unshakeable integrity. Of course I am interested in and have studied weight/fat-loss, body-building and the like -- but being young, healthy, strong and vibrant at any age, now that’s unbelievable.

Not-so-secret 'The Secret'

By now everyone's heard about "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. I have watched the DVD and read the book. I'm a firm believer in the law of attraction. Whether you are or not, I highly recommend you at least be open-minded and watch the "the movie":

"It is the law that determines the complete order of the Universe, every moment of your life and every single thing you experience in your life. It doesn't matter who you are or where you are, the law of attraction is forming your entire life experience and this all-powerful law is doing that through your thoughts. You are the one who calls the law of attraction into action and you do it through your thoughts." -- Rhonda Byrne, "The Secret"

'The word is a force'

The word is not just a sound or a written symbol. The word is a force; to think and thereby to create the events in your life. You can speak. What other animal on the planet can speak? The word is the most powerful tool you have as a human; it is the tool of magic. But like a sword with two edges, your word can create the most beautiful dream or your word can destroy everything around you.

-- from "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz