Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It runs from your pelvis, through your hip area and buttocks and down each leg. The sciatic nerve branches into smaller nerves as it travels down the legs providing feeling to your thighs, legs, and feet as well as controlling many of the muscles in your lower legs. The term sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of this nerve.

What causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is actually a sign that you have an underlying problem putting pressure on a nerve in your lower back. The most common cause of this nerve compression is a bulging or herniated lumbar disc. Piriformis syndrome is another common cause of sciatica. The piriformis is a muscle that lies directly over the sciatic nerve. If this muscle becomes tight or if you have a spasm in this muscle, it puts pressure directly on the sciatic nerve. Occasionally, sciatic pain in men is caused by sitting on a wallet.

How do I know if I have sciatica?
Pain that radiates from your lower (lumbar) spine to your buttock and down the back of your leg is the hallmark of sciatica. Sciatica may be accompanied by numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness in the affected leg. This pain can vary widely, from a mild ache to a sharp, burning sensation or excruciating discomfort. Sometimes it may feel like a jolt or electric shock. Sciatic pain often starts gradually and intensifies over time. It's likely to be worse when you sit, cough or sneeze.

How is Sciatica Treated?
The vast majority of the time, sciatic pain can be relieved through a combination of stretches, deep tissue massage of the piriformis muscle and chiropractic care.

What to do in the Gym?

We are all extremely busy, we have work, families, children and pets to think about. So finding the time to work out and take care of ourselves can be difficult. When you do get to the gym you want to make sure that you are getting the most "bang for your buck", you want to be sure that your time is well spent.
So, what is the most effective way to burn the largest amount of calories in the shortest amount of time? The answer is interval training. A new study in the Journal of Physiology found that about 20 minutes of high intensity interval training provided the same benefits of longer exercise sessions that focused on endurance training. As CNN reported, “The study suggested that quick, high intensity interval training may represent an alternative to endurance training to improve metabolic health and reduce the risk for chronic diseases.”
So, if your training for a race or you just love running on a treadmill, GREAT keep doing it. But, if you are looking to lose weight in the shortest amount of time, interval training is the way to go.

April Newsletter

Starting each day with a healthy breakfast is important for getting your internal motor up and running. When you wake up in the morning, your body has gone without fuel for hours. Foods like cereal, low-fat milk, fruit, and whole-grain bread can be high in protein or carbohydrates and low in fat. What better way to shift your brain out of neutral?
Eating breakfast can also keep you on the road to healthy eating habits throughout the day. Skipping breakfast could leave you hungry and reaching for high-fat snacks or overeating at lunch and dinner.
A morning jump-start is especially important for kids. Studies show that kids who have breakfast are more alert, more relaxed, and have an easier time concentrating at school.
Making sure you eat breakfast doesn't have to mean a major morning schedule overhaul. Think of it this way: It can take less time to eat breakfast than it can to shower and dress. Try these quick and healthy breakfast ideas.
Grab for fruit on the go.
Oranges, bananas, apples, and grapefruit are high in vitamins and easy to carry.
Try instant success.
Instant oatmeal is warm, quick, and filling. Stir in some blueberries or grated apple for extra taste, vitamins, and fiber.
How about a sandwich for breakfast?
Bagels, English muffins, and whole-grain toast with low-fat peanut butter or low-sugar fruit spread can make great morning sandwiches. It takes only a minute to scramble an egg substitute for an egg sandwich.
Shake up your routine.
Blend a ripe banana with 3/4 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt, and 1/2 cup strawberries for a breakfast shake.
Anyway you cut it breakfast is the most important meal of your day. Make sure you and your family enjoy this meal and start your day of the right way!

Great Recipe for Spring

This makes a nice side dish with barbequed chicken. If you do not have lime juice on hand, you can use lemon juice, rice vinegar, or white vinegar.

2 cups cooked rice, cooled(about 2/3 cup when uncooked)
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large tomato, chopped
3 ounces low-fat cheddar cheese, diced into small 1/4" cubes

Dressing:
1 tablespoon, oil preferably olive oil
2 tablespoons lime jice, lemon juice, or vinegar
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix(or 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Optional:
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro; 1/4 cup diced onion; salt and pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, beans, tomato, and cheese(and cilantro and onion).
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, and taco seasonings. Pour over the rice mixture and mix well. Adjust the seasonings to the desired taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield:4 servings (as a side dish)

Nutritional information:
Total Calories: 960
Calories per serving: 240

Nutrients Grams
Carbs 27
Protein 15
Fat 8