Why You Can’t Afford NOT to Get a Massage.

It’s a myth that you can’t afford massage – the truth is that if you want to stay happy, healthy and full of vitality for longer, you can’t afford NOT to fit regular massage therapy sessions into your schedule. Massage might have a reputation for being something that’s a treat, a fluffy afternoon in a spa with aromatherapy candles and whale music, but that’s not what it’s all about.

Massage is healing, reviving, relaxing and in fact it can save you a whole lot more money than it costs you. Massage therapy has been proven to treat the symptoms of conditions as diverse as depression, chronic pain, fibromyalgia and MS.  This is according to the Touch Research Institute, who has carried out over 100 separate studies into massage and its many benefits.  Even if you’re not managing a particular health condition, you still need massage in your life. It can help you if you’re an athlete, or just enjoy a workout. Massage can help keep your joints and muscles supple so that you’re less prone to injury. It’s great for dealing with stress, even if you’re not actually depressed, and improve immunity and sleep, making you more present and productive at work.
How Expensive Is Massage, Really?

According to recent figures, the average massage session costs about $50 for 45 minutes.[1] That’s about the same as tank of gas and an oil change, erring on the cheaper side. The average price for a trip to the doctor, spending approximately 10 minutes with a doctor – is $68 [2] (without insurance).

Although most insurance companies aren’t enlightened enough to cover massage, there’s no arguing that massage DOES play a big part in injury and disease prevention. Experts know that a regular massage session will help to keep your body healthy.

Worst Case Scenario? What’s the worst that can happen if you neglect your massage routine?

Plenty of people struggle through with sore backs, a bit of repetitive strain, or hurt themselves while running, what’s the big deal? Did you know that back injuries are the second most common reason for worker’s compensation claims? That’s everything from muscle spasms, problems with discs, and injuries leading to disability.

Thirty-one million Americans are thought to experience low-back pain at any given time. Most of these injuries could be prevented with better posture, rest and massage. So many back problems can be directly attributed to over-use and fatigue, and most problems are mechanical that is, not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture or cancer. On average, managing back pain costs Americans over $50 BILLION a year. Still think you can’t afford that massage?

References: 1 http://health.costhelper.com/massage.html 2 https://www.debt.org/medical/doctor-visit-costs/

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Caring for the skin you’re in: staying sun safe

I see a lot of skin. All colors, all textures. Freckles, scars, stretch marks, moles. Skin with lots of hair and skin with none.

So, That brown spot on your shoulder blade? It wasn’t quite that big when you came in a month ago.  Maybe you should have that checked out?

Skin we love. Skin cancer? Not so much. Which is why you’re here on our website, reading about sun exposure. Because even though I’m not a dermatologist, your skin is a friend I see regularly. And I want to be able to keep working with it for many healthy years to come.

What happens when you get a sunburn?

You’re exposed to the sun and then your skin turns red and itchy, right? Well, yes. But there’s more to it as well.

When you step out into the sunlight, you’re immediately bombarded by UV radiation. This radiation causes mismatches in the curlicue of your DNA in the nucleus of your skin cells, which is dangerous and can lead to cancer. As soon as this starts to occur, your skin jumps into protective action redistributing melanin, the pigment that causes suntans, and which helps to protect your DNA from further damage.

But if you’re still outside and the damage doesn’t stop (especially if you’re fair skinned and don’t have much melanin to go around), you start to see an inflammatory response. This is the same kind of inflammation that you see when you sprain your ankle, only spread out across your damaged skin. Your blood vessels dilate to get more nutrients and infection-fighting cells to your skin, making the it red and warm to the touch. Itching and pain result, a warning signal from your body that something is wrong. You may feel thirsty and tired as your body works to repair itself.

If the burn is bad enough, you’ll start to see blisters as the plasma leaks from inside cells into the space between the dermis (the bottom layer of skin) and the epidermis (the top layer). These blisters form a cushion of fluid over your damaged tissue. (At this point, your body has already written that top layer of skin off.)

Eventually, even if you didn’t have any blisters, you will get flaking and peeling of the top layer of your skin. Interestingly enough, these skin cells weren’t killed by UV radiation. When skin cells recognize that their DNA has been severely damaged, they deliberately die off rather than risk becoming cancerous. This planned cell death is called apoptosis, and it’s the reason you see massive numbers of skin cells coming loose at once.

So to be clear: all sunburns, no matter how mild, contain the beginning stages of skin cancer. It’s only because our skin kills itself off before these cells go haywire that we see as little skin cancer as we do. Even so, more than 5.4 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed in the US each year, and 1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer before the age of 70. UV radiation will play a role in many of these cases.

How can you protect your skin?

The short answer: Stay away from UV radiation. This means tanning beds as well as sunlight.

The longer answer: Unless you plan to become a vampire, you will probably be exposed to sunlight at least some of the time. The trick is to reduce that exposure to a safe level by seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and using non-toxic sunscreen.

How much sun is safe?

This depends on two main variables: the UV Index and your skin type.

UV Index

The UV Index is a measure of the level of UV radiation in your location at any given point in time. It’s something you can easily look up on your computer or phone before heading out the door. In general, global UV Index recommendationslook something like this:

• 1-2: Low. Enjoy being outside!
• 3-7: Medium. Seek shade at midday, put on a shirt and hat, wear sunscreen.
• 8+: High. Stay indoors at midday, seek shade as much as possible, sunscreen is an absolute must.

Skin type

With the exception of people with albinism, everyone has some melanin in their skin. Those with more of the protective pigmentation are less susceptible to DNA damage in their skin cells from UV radiation than those with less.

• Type I: Very pale, burns quickly, never tans.
• Type II: Pale, burns easily, rarely tans
• Type III: Burns moderately, tans over time to light brown
• Type IV: Burns minimally, tans to medium brown
• Type V: Rarely burns, tans to dark brown.
• Type VI: Never burns, rarely tans, deeply pigmented skin.

People with Type I skin can burn after as little as five or ten minutes, while those with Type VI skin can sometimes be outside for an hour without damage.

Note:You might have seen a skin type scale that goes from I-IV, especially if you are looking in an older medical textbook. That’s because the original Fitzpatrick scale was made in the 1970s for white people. This is the same scale, but expanded to include everybody.

Is sunscreen safe?

A 2001 study raised concerns that oxybenzone (the chemical that makes most sunscreens so effective) might impact hormones. In this study, rats fed large doses of oxybenzone developed enlarged uteruses. Studies in humans haven’t been conclusive. What we know for sure is that, if you’re a rat, you shouldn’t drink sunscreen.  Not to mention that Hawaii has banned sunscreen because it kills the coral reef.

Some pediatricians recommend sticking to mineral-based sunscreens for infants and very young children just in case, until long-term studies are concluded over the next twenty or so years. But these are thick and need to be reapplied regularly. If your children are experiencing sunburns with mineral-based sunscreens, they are being put in significantly more danger than any potential hazard from oxybenzone.  Or Lavender and Helichrysum diluted is a natural sunscreen.

What about vitamin D?

Yup, you need vitamin D in your body to stay health. And yes, your skin manufactures vitamin D in response to UV radiation. (People with lighter skin types make more vitamin D with less sun exposure than people with darker skin types.) So shouldn’t you go without sun protection sometimes for the nutritional benefits?

Luckily, there are a number of sources of vitamin D that don’t also cause skin cancer. Fish, mushrooms, eggs, and fortified dairy products are all excellent sources. And if you’re a tremendously picky eater, there are also vitamin D supplements you can take. For the severely deficient (diagnosed with a simple blood test), there are high-dose supplements or injections your physician can prescribe.

Caring about your skin isn’t about vanity.

It’s a critical organ, like any other. If you exercise for your heart and quit smoking for your lungs, then preventing sunburns is just another healthy habit.

Massage therapists love skin. We work with it on a daily basis and appreciate all it does to keep your insides in and your outsides out. It keeps you cool, it tells you what’s around you, it prevents infections and repairs itself at a remarkable rate. So take care of it!

And maybe bring it in for a massage.

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Massages are often sold as a purely indulgent treat that you get when you visit a spa or go on vacation, but there’s so much more to massage than just a feel good treat. Did you know that the symptoms of many health problems can be reduced and even eliminated with regular massage?

Here are a few conditions that massage can work really well on; a few you probably know and some that may surprise you!

Stress
It’s no surprise that a regular dose of massage therapy is good for your stress levels, it works by helping to lower your blood pressure, improve your quality of sleep, and by reducing your stress levels, it’s also thought to help reduce the risk of heart disease.  In 2008 the journal Psycho-oncology published a study which came to the conclusion “…a significant reduction in cortisol (the main stress hormone) could be safely achieved through massage, with associated improvement in psychological well-being.”

Lower Back Pain
This is such a common problem, often caused by bad posture at work, so no wonder many employers are drafting in massage therapists to help. Poor posture and sitting for too long can cause a lot of lower back problems, as can simply getting older. Get your massage therapist on the case and you can hopefully wave goodbye to a sore back.

Sports Injuries
Fitness and sport are great for your health but they can sometimes lead to injuries and overworked muscles. A regular massage can help to heal any wear and tear on your muscles and tendons, and can also help you manage the pain from a chronic or acute sports injury. Having well looked-after muscles may also help prevent future injuries – one more reason to book those regular sessions.

Joint Stiffness
Massage can be a blessed relief for people dealing with the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis and other joint problems. Research published in 2013 in the Complementary Therapy in Clinical Practice journal said that people with rheumatoid arthritis reported some relief from pain and stiffness after four once-a-week moderate-pressure massages, topped up with self-massage at home in between treatments. Massage can also help with your range of motion and flexibility, which can relieve pain in your shoulders, knees, and hips.

Circulation
There are a whole range of health problems that can be caused by bad circulation, so it figures that boosting your circulation will be a bonus for your whole body. Regular massage helps to get the blood moving, getting essential nutrients to where they are needed in your tissues and vital organs much faster. The squeezing and pulling actions involved in a good massage also help to flush lactic acid out of your muscles and improve the circulation of lymph – the fluid that carries metabolic waste away from your muscles and internal organs.

Migraine symptoms
Nobody really knows what causes migraines, and there isn’t a cure, but if you’re a migraine sufferer you’ll be pleased to hear that studies have shown that massage can help reduce the frequency of attacks, and lessen the severity of the symptoms. Some migraines, especially those triggered by stress, are especially receptive to massage treatment.

Skin Cancer
Of course, we wouldn’t tell you that massage cures cancer; it can’t. But in some cases your massage therapist can notice abnormalities in your skin that you can’t see or just haven’t picked up on, and alert you to them. Regular massage can also be good for your skin as it gets the circulation going and the nourishing oils used in a treatment help to keep skin feeling soft.

Allergies
A massage helps to stimulate lymph flow around your body, which boosts your immune system and can help to reduce the severity of allergic reactions.  Sometimes a therapist might be able to tell just from your lymph nodes if you are an allergy sufferer as they can feel tender or swollen.

Did any of those surprise you? Of course, you don’t need to make an excuse for wanting a massage, but if you are dealing with any of these health issues, it’s good to know that your regular massage habit is helping.

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Massage cupping, or just ‘cupping’ crops up in the news and celebrity pages every now and again, as there are some well-known fans of this treatment, which is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) techniques.

It’s a massage technique that’s becoming popular in spas and clinics over the country, and it’s one that can be really great for your overall health.

So, what exactly is massage cupping? It’s a healing therapy which was developed thousands of years ago, and involves placing glass, bamboo or plastic jars onto your skin, creating a vacuum which sucks the tissue underneath into the jar. The suction is designed to help boost circulation, relieve pain, and help to stimulate removal of toxins.

Despite having the word ‘massage’ in its name, it’s actually the opposite of normal massage. In traditional massage, a therapist will apply different types of pressure to your muscles and connective tissues. With cupping, the therapist uses suction instead, which pulls skin, muscles and tissues upwards.

What happens during a massage cupping treatment?
Cupping works well on fleshier areas of the body so it’s common for a treatment to involve the back. It’s supposed to be pleasant and relaxing so you shouldn’t feel any discomfort. As the cup is placed on your body, you may feel a tightening sensation, but if you do start to feel any discomfort at all, your therapist will move the cups around elsewhere. Depending on the reason for your treatment, the cups are left in place for varying amounts of time. A cupping treatment is unique to your needs on the day you have it, so your ‘routine’ may well change as different health needs arise.

After a cupping session, your skin may turn red, purple or blue – this is more likely if you have any kind of energy blockage in that area. It usually only lasts a few days but it can last longer, even up to a few weeks if there’s an injury, but it shouldn’t hurt. Once the marks have disappeared, you can have another session, until the health issue you’ve been treating is resolved.

Are there different types of massage cupping?
Yes, there are a few different methods, but the two you’ll be most likely to come across are fixed cupping and moving cupping.

In fixed cupping, the cups are placed on one area of your body and not moved once they are in place.

Moving cupping has more of a massage element as the therapist will use massage oil or cream along with the cups, placing the cups over the areas to be treated and then sliding them around – this type of session is often used for a back treatment.

What is cupping good for?
Cupping is a good all-round therapy and is great if you suffer from:

• Stress and/or anxiety
• Pain – especially back pain
• Allergies
• Fatigue
• Colds and flu
• Muscle aches and pains

Contact us today to add cupping to your next massage!

810-844-1283

www.tabmassage.com/appointments

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This conventional treatment works to reverse acid reflux by reducing the amount of acid in your stomach, in turn blocking the enzyme responsible for production. Unfortunately, it’s a common misconception that acid reflux symptoms are a result of excess gastric acid. In fact, it’s normally quite the opposite. There isn’t enough stomach acid. So, not only are these medications not getting to the true root of the problem, they’re also putting you at an increased risk for numerous health conditions

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Acid Reflux Medication

Our stomachs produce acid to kill ingested microbes. By taking a medication that suppresses the secretion of these gastric acids, it changes the composition of the gut microbiome.

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine uncovered evidence in mice and humans suggesting that stomach acid suppression may promote liver injury and the progression of three chronic liver diseases: alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), as a result of these microbiome changes.

Specifically, researchers found that the lack of gastric acid promotes the growth of the bacteria Enterococcus in the intestines. When this bacteria translocates to the liver, it worsens inflammation and chronic liver disease.

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Other Acid Reflux Med Side Effects

While the risk for liver disease causes enough concern to toss aside this conventional acid reflux “remedy” for good, PPIs pose a number of other health risks. The most common, milder side effects of taking proton-pump inhibitors include:

Headache
Diarrhea
Constipation
Abdominal pain
Flatulence
Fever
Vomiting
Nausea
Rash

But it doesn’t stop there. Long-term, high-dosage use of acid reflux PPI medications may result in:

Clostridium difficile (C. diff)
Osteoporosis and arthritis
Reduced absorption of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)
Magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesemia)
Heart attack
Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Toxic epidermal necrolysis
Reduced kidney function
Pancreatitis
Erythema multiforme
UlcersInflammatory bowel conditions, including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and IBS (7, 8)
Leaky gut
Asthma

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Natural Acid Reflux Remedies

Study after study points to diet as one of the main contributing factors to acid reflux. In order to avoid complications and restore your digestive tract back to health, it’s time to change what you eat. A diet that will help restore your stomach acids back to health includes:

Organic vegetables (especially leafy greens, squash, artichoke, asparagus and cucumbers)
High-fiber foods
Probiotic-rich foods (kefir, bone broth, apple cider vinegar)
High-quality protein (free-range chicken and grass-fed beef)
Healthy fats like coconut or olive oil
Aloe vera
Parsley
Ginger
Fennel

Some of the worst foods for acid reflux that may be contributing to the problem include:

Alcohol
Carbonated beverages, sugary drinks or energy drinks
Artificial sweeteners and excess sugar
Fried foods
Vegetable oils, including canola oil
Spicy foods
Processed foods
Refined grains

While using food as medicine is the most natural approach you can take to get rid of acid reflux, if these foods aren’t powerful enough alone to alleviate unwanted symptoms, natural supplements may give your natural treatment the extra boost it needs. These are often recommended for acid reflux:

Digestive enzymes — Digestive enzymes help foods fully digest and aid in nutrient absorption.
Probiotics — Consuming healthy bacteria helps balance the digestive tract and get rid of bad bacteria that may lead to indigestion, leaky gut, poor absorption of nutrients and other digestive issues.
HCL with Pepsin — HCL may help return stomach acid levels to a healthy, balanced amount.
Chamomile or papaya herbal tea — Chamomile tea helps reduce inflammation in the digestive tract. Papain, an enzyme in papaya, aids in digestion by breaking down proteins.
Magnesium complex supplement — Magnesium can function as an antacid, helping correct acid in the stomach, reducing acid reflux symptoms.
Melatonin — Research shows melatonin levels in individuals with acid reflux are lower than individuals without acid reflux. In one study, approximately 50 percent of individuals that took melatonin for 12 weeks had symptoms either improve or go away completely.

Lifestyle changes in combination with introducing healthy foods, saying goodbye to gut-wrenching diet choices and supplementing offer you the best opportunity to return to complete gut health. To balance your stomach acids:

Use blocks to raise the head of the bed four to six inches, which can help keep acid in the stomach.
Exercise and manage stress. Try yoga, meditation, acupuncture, art or music therapy, or another stress-management tool. A sedentary lifestyle and stress worsens symptoms of acid reflux.
Don’t overeat. Eat smaller meals to allow foods to properly digest. Large meals and overeating put pressure on the sphincter.
Don’t consume food three hours before bed. Allow your stomach to digest the foods from the meal and sip a cup of tea instead.
Chew foods more. Remember, digestion starts in the mouth.
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Final Thoughts

Proton-pump inhibitors, or PPIs, suppress the secretion of gastric acids. As a result, they also alter the gut microbiome.
The lack of gastric acid as a result of these medications promotes the growth of Enterococcus in the intestines. When this bacteria moves to the liver, it worsens inflammation and chronic liver disease.
Natural remedies such as an acid reflux diet, supplements and eating and lifestyle changes offer an effective alternative for acid reflux relief without the dangerous side effects.

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Stress is part of life — and it’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes it gives you the motivation you need for hitting a deadline or performing your best. But unmanaged or prolonged stress can wreak havoc on your body, resulting in unexpected aches, pains and other symptoms.

Stress can do some strange things to your body, affecting it in various places:

1. Muscles and joints

Stress can cause pain, tightness or soreness in your muscles, as well as spasms of pain. It can lead to flare-ups of symptoms of arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions. That’s because stress lowers your threshold for pain.

2. Heart and lungs

Too much of the stress hormone cortisol may make heart and lung conditions worse. These include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and asthma. If you have pain or tightness in your chest or heart palpitations, see a doctor as soon as possible to rule out a serious condition.

3. Skin and hair

If you have a skin condition such as eczema, rosacea or psoriasis, stress can make it worse. It also can lead to hives and itchiness, excessive sweating and even hair loss.

4. Gut

Stress really shows in your digestive system — from simpler symptoms such as pain, gas, diarrhea and constipation to more complex conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and acid reflux (GERD).

5. Shoulders, head and jaw

Doctors call this the “tension triangle.” Stress can trigger tension headaches, tightness in the neck and jaw, and knots and spasms in your neck and shoulders. It also may contribute to TMJ, a jaw disorder.

6. Immune system

You need a strong immune system to fight disease, but stress weakens your body’s defenses. It makes you more likely to catch colds or the flu, for example. It also may make autoimmune conditions such as lupus and inflammatory bowel disease worse.

7. Mental health

Stress can bring on symptoms of depression and reduce your enthusiasm for activities you usually enjoy — from everyday hobbies to sex. People also tend to eat poorly and exercise less when stressed, which only makes symptoms stronger.

Feeling down in the dumps because of stress is not a personal failing. It happens to most of us, so don’t be afraid to reach out for help. “We can treat the symptoms,” Dr. Lang says, “but the real key is to find and treat the cause of the problem.”

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Symptoms of TMD include:

• Pain in one or both of your jaw joints, your face or neck
• Earache
• Pain when you chew
• Stiff jaw muscles
• Difficulty with fitting your teeth together.

A clicking noise, while it can be a symptom, doesn’t necessarily mean you have TMD – many people experience popping and clicking noises with their jaws, and it’s only likely to be caused by TMD if you have one or more of the other symptoms also.

The good news is that most of the pain you get from TMD can be treated without needing surgery, and massage can help treat the cause of the problem, which relieves the symptoms. Sometimes the pain can come from something as simple as grinding or clenching your teeth, and ion this case especially, regular massage therapy can really help to make a difference by counteracting the stress that’s making you grind your teeth.

Back in 1981, a dentistry study found that the teeth-clenching and grinding which often leads to TMD reduced when the masseter facial muscles were massaged.

Stress relief can lead to TMD relief.
We all know of the studies into massage as an effective stress reliever and its role in reducing anxiety, tension and stress has been reliably proven over the years. Massage leads to lower cortisol levels and increases in the amounts of feel good hormones such oxytocin and serotonin. The feeling of total relaxation that can be induced by regular massage is the key to reducing stress-related habits like teeth grinding.

Home massage for TMD
Specific techniques can help the symptoms as they flare up, too. Try massaging your jaw with a kneading type pressure – use your fingers to make a constant, circular motion against the joints and muscles that are most affected.

Find the masseter muscles in your lower jaw – these are directly behind your molars and sitting just below your cheekbone.

Start the massage by touching the corner of your mouth, then working your fingers all along your jaw until you feel a flat plane of bone. Massage the area by pressing gently with two or three fingers in a circular motion. Massaging like this helps to warm up the muscles and also stimulates the lymph function, flushing out toxins at the same time. Keep going with the jaw massage until you feel some relief from the pain.

I really enjoy Cynthia’s book here (insert this link http://amzn.to/2vEMmcP ) for at home therapy in between massages with us!

tabmassage.com/appointments Schedule your session now! Or call 810-844-1283

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The book that I recommend for my clients that helps them get through my pregnancy is “Exercising Through Your Pregnancy” by James Clapp. While published in 2012, the information provided (based on an immense amount of research) is still more forward-thinking and credible than anything I have ever laid eyes on! Truth be told, however, just because Clapp says you can do it, doesn’t mean you have to. Listen to your body, explore what feels right, or makes you feel uncomfortable, and determine what you want to do on any given day. And let’s be honest, all of that can be tempered with a dose of, “I’m pregnant and I don’t want to!”

Though note: It’s important to heed the advice of your physician. Pregnancy is a precious time with a variety of factors that can influence what you should or shouldn’t be doing. The information below is meant to start a conversation with your physician, not replace the advice s/he has provided.

Myth: If You Haven’t Been Exercising, Don’t Start
Actually, getting started on an exercise plan when you become pregnant is the perfect time! No literature exists that proves moderate activity (such as walking) will do any damage to the baby in a low-risk pregnancy. Quite the opposite is true: inactivity is more of a concern than activity with moms-to-be, because this can lead to unnecessary weight gain, high blood pressure, aches, pains, and higher risk for a Cesarean section and gestational diabetes.

Now, there’s no need to jump up and start training for a marathon. But including some sort of physical activity each day is important. Walking will certainly do the trick for your heart health (and mental health!). You may also want to explore prenatal yoga (look for a certified practitioner specializing in the needs of moms) and resistance training.

Resistance training is an important part of any fitness program, and safe for moms-to-be as well. A 2011 University of Georgia study found that a low-to-moderate-intensity strength program is safe, even for novices, when pregnant. And, you know, you’ll need muscles to lift the growing baby and all the accoutrements that come with the bundle of joy! Definitely learn proper technique and focus on controlled range of motion. Relaxin floods your system when you’re pregnant, leaving your ligaments at risk of “over-stretching.”

Myth: Keep Your Heart Rate Below 140
Chances are someone has warned you to keep your heart rate below 140 BPMs (beats per minute) when exercising and pregnant. Actually, the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) abandoned the target heart rate recommendation years ago, because everyone has different target heart rates. A better recommendation is to focus on your ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). (Read more about ACOG’s recommendation for physical activity here.)

According to the Mayo Clinic, “…for healthy women, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity—preferably spread throughout the week—without any specific heart rate limits.” Thank goodness, because for me, simply walking upstairs shot my heart rate up well over 140; I wouldn’t have been able to do anything including my regular daily activities if the 140 guideline still existed.

A good rule of thumb is to exercise at an intensity where you can carry on a conversation. Of course, if you were exercising at much greater intensities prior to becoming pregnant, there’s room for a bit more (as long as you are experiencing no complications and feeling up to it). And if you experience any vaginal bleeding or unusual signs or symptoms, you should stop exercising and contact your doctor.

Beyond the intensity, monitor your temperature and ventilation while exercising. Early in pregnancy, elevating your core temperature could be damaging to your baby. Be sure to exercise inside if it’s particularly warm outside, and stay hydrated.

Myth: Eat for Two!
You’re growing a human; eat up! This sage advice has been passed down generation after generation, but many have taken great liberty with the recommendation. It’s true, there’s another person inside of you and you must be mindful about what you’re putting in your body as it directly affects the baby’s health. But your baby is itty-bitty—a fraction of the size of an adult. Eating for two, therefore, does not mean doubling your meals!

The recommendation for most women is to consume an extra 300 calories per day during the last six months of pregnancy. Of course, this is not a time to restrict your eating or “diet.” You would run the risk of denying your growing baby the nutrients and calories needed to prosper in the womb. Focus on eating more often throughout the day, hydrating, and choosing the most healthful food that provides the biggest bang for your buck. A combination of carbohydrates, protein, and fat should do the trick.

For more information about weight gain and nutrition recommendations, visit womenshealth.gov.

Truth: Trust Your Gut
Last piece of advice from a fitness pro who swore she’d be teaching a cycling class the day her water broke: Plans change and you have to trust your gut. I stopped teaching about 6 weeks into my pregnancy and took up dog walking and yoga. I stayed healthy, but the high intensity exercise went away because it just didn’t feel right for me.

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