Adult Fitness Newsletter
January - February 2005

Fitness Classes - February 28 -April 1
Low Impact Aerobics
Basic Yoga
Cardio Mix (w/machines)
Dance (Tango)
Strength Training w/weights
Power Yoga
Intermediate Water Aerobics
Tai Chi
Flexible Strength
Pilates Mat Class

If you are interested in attending any of these classes contact: Heather Minetti, x2928 or hminetti@wesleyan.edu

Lunch and Learn Series

Tour the new Freeman Athletic Center Fitness Facility
Date: Wednesday, April 6, 2005   
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Location: Main front lobby of the Freeman Athletic Center
Presenter: Heather Minetti

The Answer to Cancer
Date: Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Location: Woodhead Lounge
Presenter: Dr. Carolyn Runowicz

Smart, Sexy Skin
Date: Friday, April 29
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Location: Woodhead Lounge
Presenter: Dr. Jane Grant-Kels

5 Ways to Give Gym Germs the Slip
These five simple tips can help you stay healthy at the gym all year long.
1.    Keep your hands clean. Washing your hands is the most important thing you can do to stay well, especially at the gym.
       So after touching weights and machine hand rails, keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, ears and mouth until you can lather up.
2.    Take two towels. Place one on machines and benches before you sit down to protect yourself from fungi like those that cause
       jock itch. Use the other to blot sweat off your body.
3.    Wear flip-flops. You don't want to know what grows on shower floors, but fungi and bacteria thrive in damp shower stalls and
       can cause athlete's foot and painful plantar warts.
4.    Use your own mat. Gyms try to keep their yoga mats clean to prevent contact allergies and halt the spread of germs, but it is best
        to be safe and use your own (or cover the one you borrow with a clean towel).
5.    Change your sweaty shorts. You're more likely to develop a yeast infection from leaving them on than from anything else you
       would encounter at the health club. So shed the shorts right after your workout.

What Is the Best Way to Calm an Upset Stomach?
Drink some water. If a backwash of stomach acid is causing your pain, some water will help dilute it.
Take a deep breath. Stress can produce anything from butterflies to queasiness to sharp pains. Deep breathing, a dose of your
favorite music or anything else you can do to relax might put your stomach at ease.
Eat the way your mother taught you. Eating too fast, taking big bites or talking while you eat can make it hard for your digestive
system to do its job.
Change your pants. If gas is the reason you ache, tight trousers won't help. A walk can also help you work it through your system.

Coffee Contains Life-Saving Antioxidants
Coffee has never carried the label of health food-until now. Coffee contains several beneficial antioxidants that protect vital cell
membranes and DNA and slow the aging process. Antioxidants help fight free radicals that are produced naturally during metabolism.
Free radicals are like biological rust eating away at your tissues, while antioxidants prevent the damage. Norwegian researchers found
that coffee provides more antioxidants to the body than do fruits, tea, wine, cereal or vegetables. Considering the entire diet, people
who consumed the greatest amounts of coffee, wine and vegetables had the greatest amounts of whole body antioxidants. Coffee
drinkers can hold their heads high because their beloved beverage has been elevated to the status of health food.

"FACE" Foods Foster Superior Skin
You can help your skin be healthy and look great if you "feed" it properly. Yes, some foods are particularly skin-friendly and can
actually enhance your appearance. Fatty fish such as salmon and tuna help keep your skin moisturized, especially in summer, and
in dry climates anytime. Vegetables like broccoli and dark leafy greens are a source of vitamin C and help with collagen production.
Citrus fruits are also loaded with vitamin C and oranges are great providers of folic acid as well; grapefruits and tangerines help skin
retain moisture. The zinc found in whole grains boosts collagen production and has anti-inflammatory properties. And nuts like almonds,
pine nuts and Brazil nuts are packed with vitamins B6 and E, which help promote skin elasticity.

How to Boost the Burn-Getting the Most Out of Your Next Snowshoeing Workout
Be prepared. A few weeks before your first expedition of the season, add 30 second to 1 minute intervals at increased speeds
and/or inclines to your cardio routine to help pump up your endurance.
Start out slowly; this will help you warm up. Do arm circles and lunges (forward, backward and sideways) to get the kinks
out of the muscles you'll need for hills and other challenging terrain.
Work the poles. Downhill ski poles or hiking poles with large baskets bring your shoulders, triceps , lats, biceps, chest and back
muscles into play increasing the number of calories you burn by 8-14 percent.
Get off the beaten path. Venture into deeper, untracked snow and burn more calories, work your muscles harder and get your
serenity fix-all at the same time.

Summer's Goodness Year-Round
Dried fruit has no cholesterol and a negligible amount of fat. Once you get past its wrinkly appearance, you will enjoy the intense
flavor and chewy, satisfying texture. Listed are five of the most nutrient-packed fruits. Blueberries-highest antioxidant content
among dried fruits, which helps neutralize free radicals and may reduce cholesterol build-up. Plums (a.k.a. prunes)-Antioxidant
and other compounds in dried plums may slow the progression of heart disease. One cup contains more iron than an cup of
cooked chicken. Tart Cherries - Rich in antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties; high in melatonin, a potent free-radical
scavenger and sleep-cycle regulator. Figs - contain omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, which may protect against heart
disease. Also has phytosterols, which may help lower cholesterol. Papaya - good source of papain, an enzyme that aids digestion
and is used as a meat tenderizer; heat from the drying process may reduce it effectiveness.