Jennifer Aniston, Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow have all been photographed sporting the tell-tale marks of cupping therapy but what’s all the hype about?

Cupping therapy is a method of treatment often employed in Traditional Chinese Medicine. During cupping, small glass/plastic cups or bamboo jars are used to create suction and applied to the skin. Once skin contact has been established, the superficial layer of muscles is drawn into the cup to apply gentle pressure and the cups can be gently moved over the skin. Cups are often left stationary on areas of the body corresponding to acupuncture points or on areas of pain or muscle tension.

The suction created by cupping is used to relax tight muscles, increase circulation and blood flow, and calm the nervous system. It is also used to relieve back and neck pain, anxiety, migraines, abdominal cramps (especially those related to PMS) acute coughs and colds (to clear congestion), asthma, and high blood pressure. Cupping is a great tool to add to weight loss treatments as it can help to break down fat deposits and reduce the appearance of cellulite by improving lymphatic drainage and detoxification.

While cupping is not painful, the recipient commonly walks away with circular bruises on the areas where the cups were applied. Relief usually lasts for several days and chronic conditions typically require more frequent treatments to bring about lasting benefits.

I have a confession to make…I am a hoarder of magazines. It hasn’t yet gotten so bad that my family and friends have to weave their way through floor-to-ceiling stacks of magazines to make their way through my home but I have come to realize that my “habit” is neither serving much use nor is it environmentally friendly. Thus my newfound resolve to give up purchasing new magazines and to use those that I currently have. I will be starting a pre-New Year’s Resolution to apply the 3 R’s to my magazine stash: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Reduce:

While I love the quick read of a magazine, especially while working out, I will not be purchasing any more when standing at the grocery store checkout or when relaxing with a cup of coffee at my local Starbucks/Chapters location. To get my “fix” I will either have to settle for an older magazine already present in my collection or visit my local library and borrow a “new” one from there.

Reuse:

Most of my magazines are fitness and health magazines so I am beginning to integrate some of the suggested workouts into my fitness schedule. Not only does this impart a challenge to my workouts and refreshes them but it also puts all those magazines to use rather than just having them take up space on my shelves.

Recycle:

For those magazines that are really out of date or no longer of use to me, plan on recycling or using for future craft projects…nothing better than a good vision board. I also think using the workouts in the old magazines is a form of recycling.

Today’s Workout (courtesy of Oxygen Fat Loss Special 2008)

Warm-up/Cardio:

-       jump squats 10 reps 3 sets

-       walking lunges 10 reps/leg 3 sets

-       side lunge 10 reps/leg 3 sets

-       high skip 1 min 3 sets

Strength Training:

-       seated hammer curl 10lb 10 reps 3 sets

-       lunge 10lb/hand 10 reps 3 sets

-       stiff leg deadlift 15lb/hand 10 reps 3 sets

-       dumbbell lying hamstring curl 10 lb 10 reps 3 sets

-       squats 10 reps 3 sets

-       1 arm row 15 lb 10 reps/arm 3 sets

-       dumbbell fly 15 lb/hand 10 reps 3 sets

-       1 leg calf raise 10 lb 10 reps/leg 3 sets

-       tricep dip 10 reps 3 sets

-       broomstick twist 10 reps 3 sets

-       bench crunch 10 reps 3 sets

Melt Fat Away full body workout

Last weekend I did something I have never done before; I played in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament known as The Goosebowl in Kingston, Ontario. I had never played in any sort of athletic tournament in my life…I was definitely not an athletic child and preferred art classes over sports teams. About 2 years ago that all changed; my boyfriend, Greg, encouraged me to take up recreational Ultimate Frisbee with him and a bunch of our mutual friends. At the beginning I felt completely useless on the field but very quickly got hooked on the game. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Ultimate Frisbee, it’s kind of like a hybrid of football, soccer, and basketball but played with a Frisbee.

What made this tournament so challenging for me, is that I have only played on recreational teams and never with people who play at a competitive level. This tournament challenged me to improve my game and learn from those playing at a much higher level than myself. On Saturday, we played 5 back-to-back hour and forty minute games and Sunday we played 2 games.  Not only was I challenged to improve my skill level and learn but I also really tested my athleticism and physical endurance. I will admit to feeling pretty discouraged on Saturday after our first games but Sunday I pushed myself harder and really enjoyed myself.

Limestone City Cupcakery, Kingston, Ontario

Also, while we were in Kingston we had the opportunity to drop by the recently opened Limestone City Cupcakery at 250 Ontario Street. This shop is adorable and cosy with bright pink and pistachio green walls and open kitchen so you can watch the owner as she decorates cupcakes. The Limestone City Cupcakery offers creative and unique cupcake flavors that rotate throughout the week, including Maple Bacon (which I have heard is one of the most popular flavours), PB&J and Bubblegum. Each month they choose one cupcake to be the “Cupcake for a Cause” and donate 20% of the proceeds for sales of that cupcake to a designated charity.  Not only does Limestone City Cupcakery offer delicious cupcakes but they also serve certified organic coffee and teas. I encourage anyone in Kingston to drop by and support this new business, try some cupcakes and support a local charity.

Today at the gym, I was introduced to a piece of equipment that I have always erroneously believed to be a rack for weights…I had no idea it was actually a functional piece of exercise equipment.  Little did I know….

This was one of the most extreme leg exercises I have ever done. After pushing the Prowler Sled across the width of the gym a few times, my legs felt like jelly and were wobbling as I attempted to walk. It was awesome!

This evening, I got the Nike Training app and tackled the 15 min butt blast workout. I was really impressed by the quality of the workout and the level of challenge it offered. It was structured around timed sets and, true to its name, really blasted my butt. I really recommend this app to challenge anyone; the workouts can be incorporated into home or gym workouts.

With the rising prevalence of Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease triggered by the consumption of a protein found in wheat products and some other grains, and  gluten sensitivities there is greater interest in other health benefits obtained by eliminating sources of gluten from one’s diet. Recently, there have been articles published about the use of a gluten-free diet in elite athletes to support athletic performance.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/tennis/article/992437–djokovic-switched-to-gluten-free-diet-now-he-s-unstoppable-on-court?bn=1

http://www.mensjournal.com/winning-without-wheat