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Last week I was invited to try out an EMS training session at One20fit, which is in Claremont in Cape Town. For those of you not in the know, EMS stands for electro muscle stimulation. You may recall the Bodytec EMS trial session I did last month, well One20fit works on a very similar principle to that. [Read more…]
Two weeks ago I was invited to try a session at a Bodytec studio, as part of a campaign to help moms get their pre-baby bodies back! Yikes I somehow think that may never happen for me but who knows. I am not saying I am fat but not everything is where it used to be and I have a few added “curves” that were not there pre kids! I was interested to try Bodytec but I must admit I had no idea what it was, so I did a bit Googling, to find out more. [Read more…]
Last month I attended the 17th Reach To Recover Conference held at the CTICC in Cape Town. I must admit that never having attended something like this before I was uncertain what to expect. Cancer is an issue that hits quite close to home, for me, having lost my own mom to Cancer when I was quite young!
The theme of this years conference was Together We Reach and the focus was breast cancer from the perspectives of the patient (both the newly diagnosed and those with metastatic spread), the survivor, the partner, the family, the community, the breast cancer activist and the health professional. How we can reach together to improve the quality of life for women and men with breast cancer.
In essence the conference was aimed at women and men across the world to gain a better knowledge of breast cancer, a better understanding of the needs of low-resourced areas, how to improve service delivery and support for patients, survivors and families, to find sustainable solutions that can be used across borders, to increase networking opportunities to facilitate skills and knowledge transfer and last but certainly not least to empower survivors who are advocates for their rights.
My main aim for attending the conference was to gain more knowledge myself because I believe that knowledge is power and without it we are unable to help and support those around us. Having two daughters of my own I am aware of the responsibility as a mother to ensure that they are informed and have an understanding of the threats that this disease poses.
As a woman of 40, one may think that you know everything you need to about Breast Cancer(BC) but in my opinion unless you are directly affected by BC, you know very little. Attending the conference definitely left me feeling more knowledgeable on the topic but I must admit I did find it quite overwhelming trying to grasp the severity of this global problem! With over 1 million deaths caused by cancer each year the stats are devastating and with BC being the most diagnosed cancer in woman, it is definitely something that we all need to know more about.
There were many doctors who spoke at the conference, all specialists in their own right and extremely passionate advocates in the fight against Breast Cancer. It was great to hear from such a diverse range of people and in essence they all had the same message – it is vital to empower yourself and know your risks and most importantly not be ignorant, like an ostrich with you head in the sand.
It was very interesting to learn that although Mammograms have their place in diagnosing BC, there are other methods that are as, if not more successful and that mammograms are more successful in diagnose of BC, in patients over the age of 50. Another interesting factor was self or clinical examination can be as beneficial when diagnosing BC, so it is important to be vigilant with these things, making them part of your everyday life. Make sure you have regular checkups and if you know you are at risk, genetic testing is a good option!
So what did I take away from this experience? I now have a more balanced understanding of what the risk or contributing factors to BC are. I also know that it is important for patients and survivors to share their knowledge and experiences with those around them, as it may in turn help someone else who is suffering with Breast Cancer.
“The Discovery Cape Times Big Walk is happening this weekend, so I thought I would share this press release with you, in the event that you are participating!” ~ Super Mom Blog
DISCOVERY CAPE TIMES BIG WALK
COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TO THE DISCOVERY CAPE TIMES BIG WALK
By Dr Craig Nossel, Discovery Head of Vitality Wellness
With just five days to go till the 2012 Discovery Cape Times Big Walk on the 11th of November 2012, it’s time for the Cape Town community to make sure they are fit and ready to make the most of this active and fun walking experience.
Improve fitness and strength training
Improving your fitness ahead of the Discovery Cape Times Big Walk can include walking up hills, as this is one of the best ways of performing cardio training; it boosts your fitness levels, burns kilojoules and gives your buttock muscles a work out.
Before performing such training, make sure that each session includes a warm up and ends with a cool down and stretching. Structuring your training in this manner will help you avoid injury, improve your performance and get the most benefit from walking.
Warm up exercises are crucial, as they are designed to increase blood supply to your working muscles and to prepare your body for more vigorous activity. Warm up for five minutes before walking briskly. You can do this by starting out at a relaxed, leisurely pace to prepare your muscles for more intense activity, and then pick up the speed.
Suggested hill session
The Importance of stretching
Most people make the mistake of stretching before they walk, but by stretching cold muscles you risk straining or tearing them. You should do static stretches after your walk, while your muscles are warm.
“Golden rules” to keep in mind when stretching:
It is extremely important to prepare correctly for any exercise-focused events, such as the upcoming Discovery Cape Times Big Walk. Doing so will go a long way to prevent injury and will also afford you the best chance of a strong finish.
Free health screenings will be offered from Wednesday, 07 November until Saturday, 10 November at the Good Hope Centre, leading up to the actual walk which takes place at Rhodes High School on Sunday, 11 November 2012. Vitality members will be able to earn up 26 000 Vitality points, with bonus points rewarded for results that are in a healthy range.
To find out more about the Big Walk and visit their website click here.
Image: My Cape Town Stay
