What Does Your Resting Heart Rate Tell You?

A good way to measure your health is through your actual heart rate. A quick and easy way to measure is to take your index and middle fingers and place them on your wrist or on the side of your neck until you feel a pulse. Count the number of beats in 30 seconds and then double that number to get your beats per minute or bpm.

RHR- Resting Heart Rate:

Your RHR can be one of the most important numbers in helping you gauge your fitness and health. It is the number of times your heart beats in one minute when you are at rest. It is the action of the heart contracting and pumping a reduced amount of blood while you are not as active. A stronger heart will contract stronger and less frequently, as it can pump more blood with each contraction. Typically we want the number to be between 60-100 bpm for the average adult, or 40-60 bpm for trained athletes. To get this number you would wear a fitness tracker or heart rate monitor while you sleep. Otherwise, you can manually take your resting heart rate using the method above upon first waking, before moving and getting out of bed.

What can affect your heart rate?

There are several factors that can affect your heart rate:

-medications

-temperature and humidity

-age/gender

-fitness level

-exercise

-caffeine

-other factors...

What can affect your RHR?

Several above factors are taken into consideration when determining your healthy resting heart rate. There are other factors that can influence your RHR such as:

-chronic stress

-not enough sleep

-overtraining or exercising too much

How can I improve my resting heart rate?

To improve your RHR, work on the following:

-Consistently get 30 minutes of daily exercise- alternate low intensity/impact with higher intensity modalities.

-Maintain a healthy body fat percentage- ideally under 25% for both men and women.

-Reduce stress- try daily walks, yoga, tai chi, meditation, etc

-Get adequate sleep- aim for 7-8 hours each night

-Eat a healthy whole foods diet - eliminate processed foods and sugar

-Don't use tobacco products

Resting Heart Rate Chart for men and women:

(https://www.pinterest.co.uk/explore/resting-heart-rate-chart/)

If you have any concerns regarding your heart rate, it is always best to consult your doctor.

Tips To Having Healthy Skin This Winter

Winter months tend to wreak havoc on our skin due to the drop in humidity levels. The dry air zaps the moisture from our skin leaving us with itchy, flaky, even cracked skin. Here are a few conditioning tips to help your skin stay healthy through the coldest season!

1. Eat more avocados- they are rich in healthy fats and vitamin E- which is good for your skin.

2. Work from the inside out by drinking more water for overall good health.

3. Apply a layer of fresh aloe vera gel to areas of dry skin and let it sit for 10 min. Then rinse it off with warm water. For best results do this twice a day.

4. Add one cup of plain oatmeal to your bath water.

5. Use an oatmeal facial- mash 1 ripe banana with one cup of ground oatmeal and apply it to your face or other areas of dry skin. Leave on 10-15 min and rinse with cold water. Try this once a week for best results.

6. Apply coconut oil to your body after your bath or shower while your skin is still warm.

7. Try an oil-based moisturizer rather than one that is water based. The oil will act as a protective barrier to retain the moisture.

8. Protect your hands from harsh winter weather by wearing gloves.

9. Use a humidifier to get more moisture in the air.

10. Make a massage oil of 2T of olive oil and 2 drops of lavender oil and gently rub into the dry areas of your skin.

11. Make a facial mask of 2T of sour cream and enough flour to make a paste. The lactic acid in the sour cream acts as an exfoliate to remove the dead skin cells and moisturize your skin.

12. Use a gentle scrub of 3T of sugar mixed with 1/4 cup of yogurt and 1T of honey. Gently massage the concoction on your face in circular motions and leave it on for 5 min then rinse with cold water.

13. Be sure to get enough omega-3 fats in your daily diet. Omega-3 fats help prevent dehydration in your cells. Some examples are walnuts, flax seed, fish, olive oil, and/or winter squash.