James Rickner, CMT

...my vote is CAPITAL ATHLETIC CLUB.  Friendly people, friendly staff, ultimate convenience, heated outdoor pool, yoga, massage, personal trainers, laundry service, permanent lockers...and the best spa of any health club.

11 Ways to Avert the Flu

By Donna Cardillo, RN, MA

Cold and flu season is upon us. And while it may be impossible to avoid exposure, it is possible to minimize your chances of letting those nasty bugs take hold in your body. Here are 11 ways to fend off influenza.

Wash your hands often and thoroughly. Flu and cold bugs are transmitted by droplets spread by infected people through sneezing, coughing, talking, kissing and touching surfaces with contaminated hands. It can also be spread when your clean hand touches an infected surface and you then touch your mouth, nose or eyes. It is therefore vital to wash your hands regularly with antibacterial soap and warm water. But a quick rinse won’t do. Scrub for 15-20 seconds minimum and up to your wrists or elbows when practical. Be sure to scrub under your nails, too, since lots of bacteria hide there.

Use hand sanitizer. Hand washing kills a lot of germs but an alcohol-based sanitizer will kill additional germs. It should not replace traditional soap and water washing but be an adjunct to it. It is also a convenient way to clean your hands when soap and water are not available. Carry a container of sanitizer with you at all times. It will kill germs present on your hands but doesn’t protect you from future exposure. Use more often when in public places. The product must be 60% alcohol or higher to be effective.

There are lots of reasons why I enjoy a hot cup of tea: I love the aroma of various flavors of tea; holding onto a hot tea mug warms my hands on a cold winter morning; sipping tea in front of the fireplace is a great way to relax. And those are just the feel-good reasons. If you're not drinking tea yet, read up on these 10 ways tea does your body good and then see if you're ready to change your Starbucks order!

1. Tea contains antioxidants. Like the Rust-Oleum paint that keeps your outdoor furniture from rusting, tea's antioxidants protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.

2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee. Coffee usually has two to three times the caffeine of tea (unless you're a fan of Morning Thunder, which combines caffeine with mate, an herb that acts like caffeine in our body). An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. If drinking coffee gives you the jitters, causes indigestion or headaches or interferes with sleep -- switch to tea.

3. Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Unwanted blood clots formed from cholesterol and blood platelets cause heart attack and stroke. Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, the same way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear. A 5.6-year study from the Netherlands found a 70 percent lower risk of fatal heart attack in people who drank at least two to three cups of black tea daily compared to non-tea drinkers.

"Kimba is a performer and recording artist, a musician since age seven with classical training in piano and flute. In 1997 she was introduced to sound therapy, and since then she has developed her own practice, grown out of extensive subtle energy training in sound as medicine.

She received a B.S. in molecular and cellular biology and then moved on to graduate school studying acupuncture and herbal medicine.  Kimba’s sound healing practice combines her varied backgrounds in herbology, Reiki (master level), flower essences, and aromatherapy. Kimba teaches workshops, gives private sound sessions, group sound journeys, monthly group sound/prayer circles, and produces sound therapy CDs.  She also works with light and color, and crystals, and has incorporated these diverse elements into a multi-dimensional approach to healing with intentional frequency."

I have been preaching the benefits of stretching for many moons. I have not been very good about practicing what I preach! Below is a link to a very good article on stretching from the American Massage Therapy Association website. -JR, CMT

"...Stretching is very simple. The essence of stretching is that it lengthens soft tissues. Taut soft tissues limit motion, whether they are tight muscles or any soft tissue that has accumulated fascial adhesions. Stretching can help to reverse this process. Even better, stretching on a regular basis can prevent soft tissues from becoming taut in the first place..."