The Sun Protection Factor

The Sun Protection Factor [SPF] number tells you how long the sun’s UV radiation would take to redden your skin when using the product exactly as directed versus the amount of time without any sunscreen.   

Whether the sky above is a bright blue or steely gray, the sun’s rays are raining down billions of photon particles per second on us. Those kaleidoscopic rays contain ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the source of sunburn, premature skin aging and skin cancer.

SPF is a number that indicates how well a sunscreen shields unprotected skin from damage caused by a particular type of UV radiation: the UVB rays.

  • SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays

  • SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays

  • SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays

  • SPF 100 blocks 99% of UVB rays

Studies show that products with very high SPFs often create a false sense of security.

People who use them tend to stay out in the sun much longer. They may skip reapplying. And they may think they don’t need to seek shade, wear a hat or cover up with clothing no matter the activity. They end up getting a lot more UV damage, which, of course, defeats the purpose.

Almost everyone uses too little and almost no one puts it on correctly. 

We recommend the application tips below from REI.com on how to use sunscreen the right way.

Share these tips with your family and friends:

  1. Far more important than the sunscreen you choose is the way you apply it. An SPF 50 sunscreen applied haphazardly provides much less protection than an SPF 30 (or SPF 15) sunscreen applied conscientiously.

  2. Apply 15 minutes before sun exposure. This is true of all sunscreens.

  3. Use massively more sunscreen than you think you should. A rule of thumb for a person wearing shorts and a T-shirt is to use at least an ounce (visualize a full shotglass), and make sure you cover every square inch of exposed skin. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommendations to use a water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher for any extended outdoor activity.

  4. Reapply at least every two hours. True for all sunscreens, this is another guideline that many people are lax in following.

Happy Summer from all of us at P/oP

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We've Got Your Back

Spine Flexibility"If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old.  IF it is completely flexible at 60, you are young."

~ Joseph Pilates

Photo: Joyce McCown /Upsplash

Do at Home:

Cat and Cow is the perfect posture for increasing spinal flexibility and shoulder mobility.

How to:

Start on your hands and knees, knees under hips and wrist aligned under the shoulders. As you inhale, slowly lift your chest, chin, and roll your shoulders back and away from your ears. On the exhale, round the back dropping the chin towards the chest and pressing the palms mindfully into the floor. Repeat this several times following the breath.

Celebrating July 4th often means making patriotic themed dishes

What's better than to make a red, white and blue treat with berries...

July 4th Berry Treats

Instead of loading up on fake food coloring, go natural and create a buffet of berry-infused beverages for Fourth of July! Berry Cubes Ice can be exciting. That said, you can dress up your drinks with berries. Drop a few blueberries and raspberries into your ice cube tray. Fill with water, and freeze. Put the frozen berry cubes into a water pitcher or add them to sparkling water.

Happy Independence Day from all of us at P/oP.

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Say Hello to H2O

When you're heading off to pilates, yoga, or any other exercise class, it's always important to hydrate so you can stay energized and have your best workout.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Electrolyte-loaded athletic drinks can be a source of unnecessary calories, so drinking water is usually best until you're exercising for more than one hour.

At that point, feel free to go for regular Gatorade-type drinks which can give you a beneficial replenishment boost.

Do you have a favorite athletic drink..share with us in our comment section below.

Garbanzo Bean Health Benefits

With origins in the Middle East, garbanzo beans have become a global food – the most popular of all legumes, according to the University of Arizona.

Whether you toss them into salads, process them into hummus, or roast them as snacks, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) make a smart addition to your diet no matter what your age, They are great for kids lunches too!

For vegetarians and those trying to eat less meat, garbanzo beans supply lean protein, including the essential amino acids needed for muscle building and maintenance.

These hearty beans provide a wealth of nutrients that support good health.

Try P/oP’s favorite recipe below for

Garbanzo Bean ‘Tuna Salad’ style

Photo by Deryn Macey on Unsplash

Vegan Garbanzo Bean Salad, Tuna Salad style

What you’ll need:

Garbanzo beans, 1 -24oz can or 2 -14oz cans, rinsed and drained

2 Celery stalks, diced

3 Persian Cucumbers, diced

2 Green Onions, chopped

2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half

1tsp Dill weed, dried or fresh, add more to taste as needed

4  Tbsp Vegan Mayo or regular mayo

3 Tbsp Mustard, regular, Dijon or Brown (your choice or mix & match)

2 tsp Rice Vinegar

In a large bowl add the drained garbanzo beans and mash with a fork leaving the mixture slightly chunky to resemble tuna chunks.  Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well to incorporate ingredients.

Add salt & pepper to taste as needed. Serve with Pita bread, sandwich style or scoop over a bed of chopped kale or mixed greens.  We love adding avocado chunks too.

ENJOY!

Is Your Workout Working

July marks the mid-year point that causes us to pause and reevaluate our workout commitments.

Are you where you want to be?

Here are some tips  to help you stay motivated to rethink and  make it through your workouts.

  • Think back on why you started in the first place and the results you wanted

  • Ask yourself if you really want to start all over again because you slacked off on your workouts.

  • Ask yourself if you’ll regret in any way not working out. Feeling good about what you do is important.

  • Try a variety of workouts to achieve results and avoid boredom.

  • Take Group fitness classes to keep motivated. Look forward to seeing the other participants and instructor. The energy of the group can keep you going in the moments that you want to quit.

Photo by Geert Pieters on Unsplash

Tell us how do you stay motivated to exercise and how do you  make it through tough workouts?

 

Find diet-friendly munchies

While there are lots of good-for-you and your family foods out there, some key ingredients make it a lot easier to keep your weight or meet your weight-loss goals.

Next grocery store run,

be sure to load these 3 diet-friendly items in your cart:

1 - balsamic vinegar (it adds a pop of low-cal flavor to veggies and salads)

2 - in-shell nuts (their protein and fiber keep you satiated)

3 - fat-free plain yogurt (a creamy, comforting source of protein)

Too much Holiday Sweets

Feeling guilty about the sweets or food you enjoyed at your Holiday celebrations?

Most people decide to cut back on eating to trim back down.

Don't beat yourself up! It takes a lot of calories—3,500—to gain a pound of body fat. So really, that holiday eating doesn't usually result in any significant weight gain.

It's about what you do the next day and the day after that's really important —so get back and stay on-track with your workouts. So be sure to whittle away at those extra calories over the next day or two, preferably by boosting exercise rather than eating too little. Starvation is not the healthy answer!

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Foot Health: Don't Tiptoe Around its Importance →

We all know how to keep our biceps in shape, but few of us know how to keep feet and toes in good condition.

They take significant abuse from the hours we spend on our feet each day.  

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) considers your feet a marvel of engineering.  Together, your two feet contain more than 50 bones, accounting for about one-fourth of all the bones in your body. And somehow they also make room for more than 60 joints and 200 muscles, tendons, and ligaments that hold them together and help them move.

The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society recommends doing these simple exercises to strengthen toes and prevent foot discomfort.

All shoe wearers will benefit from these exercises.

Toe raise, point and curl:

Hold each position for five seconds and repeat 10 times. Great if you suffer from toe cramps.

Golf ball roll:

Roll a golf ball under the ball of the foot for two minutes.
This is a great massage for the bottom of the foot and is recommended for people
with plantar fasciitis (heel pain), arch strain or foot cramps.

Towel curls

Place a small towel on the floor and curl it toward you using only your toes.
You can increase the resistance by putting a weight on the end of the towel.
Relax and repeat this exercise five times.

Try these exercises recommendations the next time your feet cry mutiny.

You’ll soon be stepping lively again!



For more information on foot health go to: http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/.aspx

 

Increase your brain power with Rosemary

WHY: Shakespeare knew what was up when he wrote, “Rosemary, that’s for remembrance.”

The herbal essential oil stimulates the brain and keeps you on the ball.

A study conducted by the Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Science found that inhaling the scent of rosemary increased productivity and improved visual and numerical memory.

HOW: Plugging away at your keyboard?

Block out office distractions by popping an aromatherapy diffuser into your computer and add a few drops of essential Rosemary oil.

Simple Steps to Better Sleep

The secret to refreshing sleep is to wake up naturally after a sustained period of REM. There is wisdom in the old saying that ‘one hour’s sleep before midnight is worth two after.’

We spend about a third of our lives in sleep.  Sleep is important on so many levels.

As Leonardo da Vinci said, “…a well-spent day brings happy sleep.”

If only we could sleep like a baby

and get some solid restful sleep.

Short-term insomnia, which is the commonest type of insomnia afflicts as many as one in three people, can be caused by a stressful life event, a poor sleeping environment, and an irregular routine.

 Try these 7 simple steps to better sleep:

1. Set up a strict routine involving regular and adequate sleeping times.

2. Devise a relaxing bedtime routine that helps you to wind down before bedtime.

3. Eat a wholesome evening meal with a good balance of protein and complex carbohydrates.

4. Enjoy a hot, non-caffeinated drink such as herbal tea or hot chocolate before going to sleep. In time, your hot drink could serve as a sleeping cue.

5. Sleep in a familiar, dark, and quiet room that is adequately ventilated and neither too hot nor too cold.

6. Exercise regularly. Exercise reduces arousal and anxiety and also helps with other aspects of psychological and physical health.

7. Reduce your overall stress. At the same time, try to do something fulfilling each day.

Don't make the common, almost universal mistake of underestimating sleep. Time spent in sleep is time well spent; almost everyone could do with better, more restorative sleep.

 Sleep is the best meditation. —Dalai Lama

Tuesday Tip

Looking for fresh looking, healthy skin?

Try peppermint oil in any of these

6 peppermint oil benefits for your skin.

Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash

1. Makes Skin Brighter

Adding a few drops of this oil into your daily beauty regimen is an easy and effective way to achieve healthy and radiant skin. It contains menthol that has a cooling effect and at the same time, works to brighten up the dull skin. Great to do after a Pilates workout!

2. Alleviates Stress And Pain

Peppermint oil can alleviate stress and pain after a long and tiring day. Apply some drops of peppermint oil on your body and take a bath. The refreshing properties of this wonderful oil will energize you and its cooling properties will remove body pain.

3. Hydrates A Dry Scalp

Since this oil has excellent moisturizing properties, you can mix it with your favorite carrier oil like almond oil or olive oil and apply the mixture on your hair.

Wrap your hair in a shower cap and wait for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, you may use peppermint essential oil in combination with other essential oils like jasmine or lavender. It helps to nourish your hair and moisturize it thoroughly.

4. Eases Digestion

Peppermint oil can cure indigestion. You can add it to your food as a flavoring agent or drink few drops with a glass of warm water after your meal. Since peppermint oil is carminative in nature, it helps to reduce a stomach upset.

5. Peppermint Oil For Headaches

Peppermint oil is the best natural remedy to get relief from headaches. Sprinkle few drops of the oil on a handkerchief or dab it on your wrist and inhale it to get rid of a nagging headache. It is also used for migraines as an excellent stress buster.

6. Oral Health

It is usually added in all toothpastes for that refreshing flavor and if not, you can add it yourself. Put two drops of peppermint oil on your toothpaste and you can stay away from bad breath and toothaches. This is the best way for dental care and fighting against harmful germs. Enjoy a great smile!

Got a beauty tip? Share it in our comment section.