Give yourself (and your health) the gift that keeps on giving! If you are anything like me, you put yourself and the personal ‘to do’ list on the back burner too often, and especially during the holiday season. I sympathize. Who has the time to finish holiday shopping, eat organic, get eight hours of sleep, and do things like visit the dentist as often as we should? (For those who appreciate foreshadowing.) How do you justify the “me time”, you ask? I’ve always referred to it as the oxygen mask theory, and I should disclaim that I am not the originator for its metaphor. We all know the rule of thumb; place the oxygen mask on yourself before helping the person next to you. For those who prefer ground transportation, the lesson is that in order to meet the demands of school, work, kids, pets, and life, sometimes you have to put yourself first. So what is the best gift we can give this holiday season? Dental care. No really, I am not joking. Read on, because visiting the dentist will benefit you in more ways than you know. (Also, it is probably on that ‘to do’ list, so you can call this “research”. Way to multitask!) I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Frinet Kasper, owner of Old Town Dentistry, located in the heart of Old Town at 1203 Prince Street. Frinet has been practicing dentistry for almost 20 years and supports my “oxygen mask” theory when it comes to health. We met at the office where I was welcomed by the friendly faces of her colleagues. During our conversation I had the opportunity to hear about Frinet’s professional background and how Old Town Dentistry became home. Few know that she was chosen by Dr. David Leekoff to be…
A sure sign that winter is on the way…winterized my sailboat last month. Luckily it was 52 degrees at the time and not the mid-20’s that we had a week later. I have heat on the boat, but I still have to force myself to check on the boat when it is cold. The cold also signals the end of another year, but some things start anew. The Old Town Theater has their restaurant in place and a new schedule for the rest of the year and next year. Check it out…it is a beautiful facility with varied entertainment…and right here in our town. Prices are pretty good too! Since this is a season for our teeth to chatter, Liz Jones profiled the business of Dr. Frinet Kasper, DDS in her column this month. Relatively new to the area, Dr. Kasper is wasting no time in making us all have a bright smile. Speaking of smiling, that is just what restaurant showcase writer Vince Arrunategui is doing right now as he has taken a month to hike in South America. With Vince gone, we grabbed a few friends and visited Saphron Restaurant in Prince Frederick, Maryland. Read about low country food in Dining Out. Sylvia Winterling took on the task of writing about her Christmases through the years in her Personality Profile column while Lori Welch writes about Christmases past and present in Single Space. My Road Trip is, as is every December, takes on a home for the holidays theme…a look at Old Town during December. As in the other historic towns of the region there is much going on. Learn not only about Alexandria, but also Julie Reardon takes us To the Blue Ridge and Molly Winans takes us From the Bay with reflections of holiday activities in…
Welcome to the final edition of From the Trainer for the year 2013! The holiday season can be your worst nightmare concerning fitness. Excuses are easy to find, but the ten pounds you’ve gained over the previous month will be harder to lose. What’s the old saying: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” There’s definitely something to that idiom. I believe prevention is the best medicine rather than taking medicine for prevention. Catch my drift? Be strong and stay focused on what matters. Next to family and friends, your health should be one of the most important priorities in your life. Unhealthy = Unhappy. I hope this column helps you become or stay healthy. Each exercise provides an opportunity to improve your health. Take advantage of it. I call this month’s exercise the Fit Ball Knee Tuck. It’s designed to strengthen your core, but can offer much more. Stability, flexibility, balance and endurance are all factors that come into play. Grab a medium-sized ball (65cm) and a mat if necessary. The start position is shown in Figure 1. There are several ways to get there, but I suggest you kneel behind the ball and then lay your stomach and hips over top of the ball. Roll yourself forward by walking on the hands until the ball is underneath your shins. If you have a workout partner, have him or her hold the ball still while you put your legs on top. Place your hands about shoulder-width apart for increased stability. Next, roll the Fit Ball forward by tucking your knees toward the chest. Lift your hips to further engage the abdominal muscles. Figure 2 shows the correct position. Notice how high the hips are compared to the start position. At this point, your feet should be…