Here is this week’s powerful breast cancer fighting tip from Nikki Ver Steeg, a Registered Dietician, Certified Wellness Coach, and founder of Your Diet Designer, LLC .

If you knew how to starve cancer, would you do it? Some food choices starve that cancer and some feed it. As you fight for your life, be sure to starve that cancer! Starve it by not eating a lot of sugar and processed carbs like white bread, processed cereals, soda, candy, etc. These items either contain an excess amount of sugar or they are converted to sugar easily in your system. Cancer loves sugar! Remember, you are an active part in the fight against breast cancer. Do your part by consuming less processed carbohydrates and sugar-filled snacks.

You can learn more about Nikki’s quest to fight cancer with nutrition at YourDietDesigner.com.

Please note: The information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the advice or treatment given by your doctor or dietitian. Please consult with a registered dietitian or your doctor if you have any questions about the information in this post.

Read the rest of this entry »

Turn traffic jams into terrific gams with this commuter squeeze.

This exercise can only be done while the car is safely in park.  Place your hands on the steering wheel and with both feet firmly planted, keep your heels on the floorboards and raise your toes.  Hold for 10 seconds.  Slowly relax toes back down.  Now, keep your toes on the floorboards and slowly raise your heels.  Hold for 10 seconds.  Repeat.

Keep your abs engaged and squeeze to create tension in your legs focusing on your inner thighs throughout this exercise.

Put some kick into your fall clean up with this double-duty approach to raking.

Stand with rake extended in front of body. (See top photo.)

While raking leaves in toward you, kick your right leg slowly behind you. (See bottom photo.)

This is a slow and controlled movement designed to tone your legs.  Keep the standing knee slightly bent and your core engaged throughout this movement.  Alternate legs as you continue to rake in your leaves. Do at least 2 sets of 12 on each side.

Variation: Kick it up a notch to turn this exercise into a cardio boost!  Instead of raising your legs slowly, kick back quickly alternating legs as you briskly rake your yard clean.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here is this week’s powerful breast cancer fighting tip from Nikki Ver Steeg, a Registered Dietician, Certified Wellness Coach, and founder of Your Diet Designer, LLC .

Have you had your tea today? Green tea is a great cancer fighter – loaded with flavonoids. These flavanoids limit the growth of cancer cells while increasing cancer cell death. Put the squeeze on your cancer by drinking a couple cups of green tea daily.  But don’t forget, brew it yourself to get the most benefit! The more processed your tea, the less antioxidants you take in. So start from scratch with a green tea bag and enjoy that hot or cold beverage a few times a day.

You can learn more about Nikki’s quest to fight cancer with nutrition at YourDietDesigner.com.

Please note: The information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the advice or treatment given by your doctor or dietitian. Please consult with a registered dietitian or your doctor if you have any questions about the information in this post.

Read the rest of this entry »

You’ll never think of drivers’ ed the same way again after toning up with our 10 & 2 exercise.

Fully stopped at a red light or in the parking lot, extend arms and grab the steering wheel with hands placed at the 10 and 2 o’clock positions. Push hands toward one another squeezing the wheel.   Hold for 10 seconds then release.  Expand this isometric exercise to include squeezing your abs, glutes, and inner thighs.  Hold for 10-15 seconds and release. Remember to breathe throughout this exercise.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bent over raking all afternoon?  Raise your rake for a good a stretch and some great shoulder toning.

Hold rake in front of chest with arms fully extended. Feet should be shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent.

Keep your core engaged and slowly bring the rake straight up overhead.  Just as slowly, lower rake down to starting position in front of chest.

Repeat for 2 sets of 12.

To add a stretch:  Hold rake above head and slowly bend to one side.  Keep hips facing forward and bend from your waist allowing arms to follow.  This move originates from your waist. Keep your lower body still as you do these stretches.  Hold for 10 seconds and then come back to starting position with rake raised above your head.

Alternate sides until you have completed 1 set of 12.

Your back should be straight while performing this exercise.  If you’re lower back tends to sway during this move, straighten your knees to help keep back straight.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here is this week’s powerful breast cancer fighting tip from Nikki Ver Steeg, a Registered Dietician, Certified Wellness Coach, and founder of Your Diet Designer, LLC .

Everyone is worried about getting sick as we head into flu season, so how is your immune system? Did you know that it is important to keep your immune system healthy to lower your risk of breast cancer? As we replicate cells every day, some of them are not “copied” right which results in an error.  When your immune system fails to recognize this error, it results in an excess growth of these cells, which is cancer. Promote a healthy immune system by limiting trans fats and processed foods. Kick up your immune system and fight disease, even cancer.

You can learn more about Nikki’s quest to fight cancer with nutrition at YourDietDesigner.com.

Please note: The information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the advice or treatment given by your doctor or dietitian. Please consult with a registered dietitian or your doctor if you have any questions about the information in this post.

Read the rest of this entry »

Put some miles between you and shoulder tension with this great stoplight stretch.

Start with your arms extended and hands on the steering wheel.  Bring shoulder blades back as if they were going to touch each other.  Hold and squeeze before relaxing arms.  Continue this exercise until the light turns green or the traffic starts moving.  Remember to breathe throughout this exercise.

Put some spin on routine raking with our Turning Leaves Twist.

Stand in front of your pile of leaves with feet shoulder width apart and place your leaf bag to one side of your body. 

Squat down to grab some leaves.  Keep your weight in your heels and make sure your knees do not extend in front of your toes.

As you come up slowly twist from your waist to drop the leaves in the bag.  Hold this twist – abs tight – for a 3-count of “Squeeze-It-In” before returning to center and squatting down to grab more leaves. 

The twist originates from the waist and your hips should remain facing forward throughout.  Continue until you have completed 12 squat/twists on one side, then move bag to opposite side for another set of 12.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here is this week’s powerful breast cancer fighting tip from Nikki Ver Steeg, a Registered Dietician, Certified Wellness Coach, and founder of Your Diet Designer, LLC .

25 Hydroxy – what? Vitamin D – the sometimes forgotten supplement.  Research shows that by having adequate levels of Vitamin D, you can lower your risk of developing cancer and improve survival rates for those who have cancer.  In past studies it has been shown that breast cancer patients in particular have been found to have low levels. Have you had your Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy test yet?  To read more about this test visit:  http://bit.ly/WC4uf

You can learn more about Nikki’s quest to fight cancer with nutrition at YourDietDesigner.com.

Please note: The information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the advice or treatment given by your doctor or dietitian. Please consult with a registered dietitian or your doctor if you have any questions about the information in this post.

Read the rest of this entry »