New Year, New Exercise Program for You

Get the Legs Plus or Swing Workouts books to learn workouts that will help you get fit, lose weight, and gain strength. And while you’re on Amazon, be sure to also check out the children’s and gymnastics books by Karen Goeller, CSCS.

http://www.amazon.com/author/karengoeller

Happy Holidays to our Athletes…

To all of the young athletes out there… Enjoy your holiday season, but be sure to keep up with your sleep, healthy eating, and hydration. Lack of any of them can reduce your focus in the gym and school. Reduced focus may lead to accidents and poor grades.

Have fun and stay safe! Check out my books and be sure to let me know how I can help you…

#gifts #holidays #training #athletes #sports #cscs #nj #gymnastics

Karen Goeller on Tweed Talk

Karen Goeller on Tweed Talks…
Karen and Pedro Tweed go way back. Pedro, Crystal, and Karen talk about Karen’s books, the quarantine, bullying, and other subjects. Karen and Pedro have known each other for over 30 years through the gymnastics world. Goeller and the Tweeds all work in the film industry too. Listen to this relaxing and fun interview. And check out Karen Goeller’s books on Amazon.

Gloves and Masks During COVID Pandemic

FYI… Regarding the gloves and masks. Yes, I have medical training-EMT-1990’s, Physical Therapy-1980’s.

Many people do not know how to properly remove the gloves and are spreading the germs their gloves picked up. Some are dropping the gloves all over the place, increasing the danger for those who are forced to pick them up. I have also seen people touch their faces with the gloves and masks on. What’s the point in wearing them? And then some people are driving with them on and likely walking into their houses still wearing the dirty gloves. You are spreading the germs from the gloves to your cars, keys, front door, and anything else you are touching.

To remove the gloves safely-pinch the glove at the top of the palm near the wrist to slowly pull the first one off, turning it inside out as it is removed. Use that glove to slowly pull the second one off, turning it inside out and rolling it over the first one. Wash your hands after removing your gloves! Throw the gloves in the garbage for everyone’s safety. Here is a method similar to my instructions, https://youtu.be/3I_kKVNrEMo. I would rather you use the inside-out first glove to remove the second, but the method in the video is ok.

And Masks that you make at home do not really keep you safe. They prevent you from spreading your germs (COVID) to others, keeping them safe. (Only the highest quality medical masks keep the user safe.) Apply the mask securely. When removing the mask do not touch the mask itself. Touch the elastic to remove and throw in trash immediately. Wash your hands! Here are instructions on applying and removing the mask, https://youtu.be/iOnYD3A_XY4

I am not saying not to wear gloves or masks, but please use them wisely for everyone’s safety. It is really sad that with all the recommendations on TV from media and politicians that people should wear masks and gloves, none of them have discussed how to safely apply and remove them.

Laundry Bag Exercises, a Unique Fitness Method

Goeller Laundry Bag Exercises…   If you want to workout and do not have weights, use whatever you have!  Working out with a laundry bag is definitely unique, effective, and fun. This is a full-body workout with exercises for every major muscle group. If you follow along, Karen only does a few reps of each exercise. Do the entire workout to learn the exercises and then repeat it with a higher number of reps so that you are getting more reps in than what is shown here. Exercises for legs, back, chest, arms, shoulders, and core. For more of Karen Goeller’s unique exercise methods check out www.LegsPlus.com  and  www.SwingWorkouts.com.

Handwashing is Not a New Concept… COVID-19

   Handwashing is really not a new concept. So many people are stressed because they must wash their hands more often as a result of this COVID-19 (Corona Virus). I laugh at the silliness of it all. We should all be washing our hands before we eat, after using restrooms, and when we first walk into our house after a day of work or being out and about.

   I’ve been living like this since my 1991 cancer surgery. I have one liquid soap dispenser and one foam dispenser on my bathroom sink. Do you know what’s in my foam dispenser? Listerine Ultra Clean. I use one pump of soap and one pump of the Listerine and wash my hands as soon as I walk into my house and right after I walk my dog.

   Here is an excerpt from my book telling people exactly what it is like to live like a germ-a-phobe for life.

  “Besides wearing the compression stocking there are many things that must be considered daily. In addition to dealing with the lymphedema, I must take precautions as I go through my day.

  The one thing that most people do not understand is that I must be careful with germs…

  I have to avoid athlete’s foot and clean between my toes carefully. I must make sure I do not step on anything that would cut my foot or cause infection. That is why I always wear something on my feet. I even wear slippers or flip-flops in my house. I never walk around barefoot.

  The research I read right after my cancer surgery, and the information the doctors confirmed, was that germs could cause serious complications with lymphedema. An infection could send me to the hospital. Great, a place where I can pick up MORE germs!

  After my surgery, it was recommended that I carry antibiotics, alcohol swabs, and a first aid kit to take care of any cut or other mishap immediately. I did do that for the first year. Keeping a first aid kit with me was annoying. I do still carry antibacterial wipes and a few Band-Aids, just in case. OK, I admit it, there is a first aid kit in my car.

  You would not believe how much there is to think about when doctors tell you to avoid germs! It’s insane! Can you spell GERM-APHOBE? I wash my hands often, use Lysol in my house to kill viruses on surfaces, and always make sure my food is prepared properly.

  Since my lymph nodes were removed, I have fewer “filters” than anyone whose lymph nodes were not removed. In other words, dealing with bacteria, virus, or other issues could be problematic. It’s a real pain in the neck to worry about germs and swelling all of the time, but again, the doctors saved my life with the surgery.”

 So stop stressing that you must wash your hands and clean surfaces. Many people with previous or current medical issues live this way daily. I bet if you keep up with the handwashing you’ll catch fewer colds in the future too.

   There is more information on the book is at www.LymphedemaBook.com. My blog is at www.KarenGoeller.com.

Not Everyone Does the Keto Diet

Not everyone follows the keto diet.

Someone asked what I eat for breakfast. I responded honestly, “oatmeal with blueberries, or honey & flax, or gogi berries, or banana…”

Her response, “oats and honey are not good for keto.”

Ummm, not everyone follows that extreme and dangerous diet. I told her it is not a good idea and found her some info on the DANGERS of KETO.

My exact response was, “Keto is not good. Anything extreme is NOT GOOD!!! Just eat HEALTHY FOODS and stop the extreme stuff.”

The keto diet could cause low blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, nutrient deficiencies, and an increased risk of heart disease. Strict diets like keto could also cause eating disorders. Keto is not safe for people with any conditions involving their pancreas, liver, thyroid or gallbladder.

With such a low carbohydrate keto diet, you likely restricting grains, beans, dairy, fruit, and vegetables, If you eliminate entire groups of food you could end up with a nutritional deficiency. You may end up being low on B-vitamins, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C.

And yes, I also let her know that I’ve been teaching people about health and fitness since the 1980’s.

Here are a few articles on the dangers of the keto diet…

https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/health-and-wellness-articles/ketogenic-diet-what-are-the-risks

https://www.thedailymeal.com/healthy-eating/hidden-dangers-keto-diet/slide-11

https://www.moms.com/turns-out-the-keto-diet-is-seriously-unhealthy/

https://www.everydayhealth.com/ketogenic-diet/diet/keto-diet-dangers-you-need-know/

Just eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, some carbs, and some protein. That means, buy most of your food from the produce department including the potatoes,  as well as some foods from the meat department.

 

 

Sugar Crashes after Halloween Can Lead to Real Crashes

Halloween. I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable day. 

Please keep in mind that many gymnasts feel sick or extremely tired the following days. It can be that they eat much more candy and much less healthy food than usual. They could feel sluggish from the sugar overload, lack of nutrients such as B vitamins, or they have become dehydrated.

Be very careful because that sluggishness and fatigue that comes with the fast drop in sugar, lack of needed nutrients, or reduced fluids in the body can also cause lack of focus. Lack of focus causes accidents, including in the gym. It is the same as when an adult is extremely tired, drunk, or texting while driving. Would you take a chance?

Please remind your athletes not to eat so much candy at once, eat healthy foods, and drink enough water, especially if it is the day before training or a meet.

Eating candy does not work the same as eating pasta before a marathon. Believe it or not, some pasta and the sauce may have protein and other nutrients to slow the digestion and reduce the spike and drop effect.

Sugar in candy processes fast and then there is often a crash. Here’s more information on sugar crashes.  https://news.sanfordhealth.org/healthy-living/sugar-crash-effects/

Enjoy your Halloween, but please be smart about the celebration.

Lymphedema Maintenance

For those with lymphedema… There are two things I recommend for overall health that may eventually ease your symptoms a little (every little bit helps!).

Drink lots of lemon water, fresh lemon squeezed into your water. It will keep you hydrated, adds potassium which helps with fluid balance, and add vitamins that help with your immune system.

The other thing is to use organic wheatgrass powder mixed in lemon water in the morning. The wheatgrass has many health benefits. It will add nutrient that you may not be getting from your food. here is an article with 7 benefits of wheatgrass, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/wheatgrass-benefits#section1

I am fortunate that I have been able to drastically reduce my swelling and maintain my lymphedema well, but I did notice a nice difference a few years ago when I added the lemon water daily and wheat grass in the mornings before breakfast. My leg looks totally normal if I do not do too much standing.

I do still elevate my leg whenever I am not standing and I di use compression on days I work. My leg is swollen at the end of the day, but all the things I do for maintenance really make a difference. the discipline with eating, elevating, and compression make a huge difference in my quality of life. You CAN get there too!

One more note, since lymph nodes filter proteins, make sure you are not overdoing the proteins. Get a balance of nutrients in addition to your proteins and stay away from protein shakes.

Good luck to all with lymphedema… I know it’s very difficult…

Read my story at LymphedemaBook.com.

Bronchitis… And My Soup

Bronchitis… Its day 4 and my lungs are tired.

Simmered 30 min between each photo.

So you know what I did earlier today? I went to the farmers market and bought the ingredients to make soup. Yup, my soup usually opens my lungs up nicely. For some reason, I went through the winter without making a batch and now look what happened. I usually eat at least one serving a week or more when I start to wheeze and within a few hours, my breathing is restored to normal. (I’m not making any guarantees this will change your health or that this soup is medicinal.) So what’s in my soup?

Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Green Beans, Carrots, Celery, Red Potatoes, Garbonzo Beans (Chick Peas), All-Natural Chicken

Many of these ingredients have multiple health benefits alone, but when you combine them the benefits are even greater. It’s kind of like double dosing on the good stuff!

Yes, you can pop a vitamin daily, but getting nutrients from food seems so much better. The nutrients are likely absorbed easier when they come from food, therefore, more beneficial. Use vitamins as a supplement, not as your main method of maintaining your health.

So go out there and take care of your health… Getting through the day is much easier when you feel good!

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