Yaniv 'Goonda' Keter is a nightlife king and restaurateur turned ironman, running coach and trainer in Tel Aviv, Israel.  He trains people from all over the world to run better and faster.  You do not have to be an elite athlete to train with Goonda.  He will take you from couch potato to running a 5k or 10k race in no time!  Goonda will be guest blogging on Dr. Suz Heals to bring you great information and simple running exercises and drills.  Enjoy!

By Yaniv 'Goonda' Keter

Let me begin with why I began running.  As many do, I was working a lot and had little time to myself.  I was making a lot of money but found I would go days without doing one of the things I love most, listening to music. I was sitting in my living room one day listening to music and relaxing.  Two hours had past and I got up to look at my mobile phone and saw 30 missed calls from my boss!  I called him back and he asked where I had been and why I was not available.  I told him I was listening to music.  He yelled at me and asked why I would listen to music in the middle of the day and ignore his phone calls (I worked nights).  I said OK and continued to go to work as usual.   

About one week went by and I saw this girl running on the bicycle track.  She appeared to be listing to music and moving her head side to side.  She looked like she was having a blast!  I shouted at her to get off the track but she did not hear me because of the music.  It hit me!  I will do the same! 

The next day I took my Ipod and went for a run.  After an hour, I came back home and saw that my boss called 10 times while I was out.  I gave him a call back and he asked where I had been.  I told him I was running and he actually sounded excited for me.  He asked me how many kilometers I ran and how fast.  At the time I did not have the answers because running was new to me.  I knew from then on that this was my calling! 

During the past several years, I have found numerous reasons why running is essential to me.  I will share this with you in upcoming posts including tips, exercises and drills to get you running now. 

If you can walk, you can run.  Lets Start 2 Run your first 5km/10km!  Every week I will post a new exercise.  This weeks exercise is below.  Let me know if you have any questions, concerns or comments.  Good Luck! #CoachGoonda

This Weeks Exercise:
Start with 5 minutes Fast Pace Walk
Then 1 min run, 2 min walk x 8 times-24 minutes
Perform this drill 3 times/week
Your running/jogging should be at an easy pace and walking at a moderate to fast pace

You can connect with Goonda Keter on Instagram: @Goondak

They say your  eyes are the windows into your soul. This may be true, but your feet are two important keys to your health and longevity.  Your feet not only support your entire body but can provide crucial clues about your overall health.

As a podiatrist, I have observed that people tend to ignore or neglect their feet.  We shove them into socks and shoes and for most of the day they remain out of sight and out of mind.  Foot problems that are ignored (which usually are until they become too painful or ugly) can have dire consequences.  Foot conditions that go  untreated can lead to weight gain due to lack of movement because of pain. They can also cause imbalance and lead to falls and broken bones. 

Each of your feet has 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments.  There are several nerves and blood vessels that branch from the heart, spine, and brain.  These structures all connect in your feet.  Your feet are the sites of several neuromuscular junctions. Where the nerves that begin in the brain and spine affect the muscles in your feet.   If these nerves and muscles are not functioning appropriately, it can lead to certain debilitating neuromuscular diseases. 

Dr. Lady DeJesus, a Foot and Ankle Surgeon in Astoria, NY had such a case;  "A  32 year old male patient presented to my office with trouble running since a child. He complained of a limp as well since a child. He also complained of high arches and trouble flexing his right foot up, especially during his job because he was a cab driver. He related no previous medical problems  and never used braces or other devices as a child.  He had weakness in his right leg, foot drop and severely high arches. I wanted to rule out Charcot Marie Tooth.  After referring him to a neurologist it was confirmed as a  diagnosis of CMT."   This patient was given prescription braces and physical therapy.

Careful evaluation of your feet by a qualified podiatrist can help detect diseases like diabetes, arthritis  and nutritional deficiencies like B12 deficiency which may cause numbness and tingling in your feet. 

Dr. DeJesus describes another patient she saw in her office.  This patient was a middle aged female with thickened toenails, dry cracked skin of her heels, and numbness and tingling in both feet.  Her patient related no medical conditions. After examining her and finding decreased sensation, fungal toenails and non-healing fissures or deep cracks in her heals, she  referred  her to a primary care physician and performed bloodwork.  The patient was then diagnosed with severe diabetes and peripheral neuropathy.

"A patient had pitting and discolored toenails. They thought it was fungus when it actually was psoriasis," said Dr. Tiffany DeLutis a Podiatrist and foot surgeon in St. Louis, Missouri.  The patient was then treated with oral and topical medications. 

Take off your shoes and take a close look at your feet!  I promise you will be OK.  Check the temperature and the color of your skin.  Look between your toes and at the bottom of your heals for any scaly, irritated skin or open wounds.  Do your feet smell bad or are they overly sweaty?  Maybe you need to make sure you wash your feet even between your toes with soap and water.  Treat your feet as you would any other part of your body.  Would you forget to wash your underarms?  I would hope not!  Are your feet and or legs swollen?  Are you getting foot or leg cramps?  You may have a nutritional deficiency or other medical condition.   There are several more diseases and medical conditions that may be diagnosed after a foot examination. 

Do not ignore your feet.  Make a point to care for your feet daily and if there is anything out of the ordinary in regards to pain, swelling, new lesions or other issues contact your local podiatrist for a consultation, it may just save your life!

Cheers to Your Health!

To participate in the challenge simply follow me on INSTAGRAM at @DrSuzHeals

Living a healthy lifestyle can sometimes seem like a lot more work than it actually is.  Many are stuck with a long list of bad habits they have had for several years, even decades. 

I have proposed a 30 Day Feel Better Challenge to help you restart your life! 

I will post an all new challenge on Instagram each day for a total of 30 days.   The idea is to add each challenge to your daily activities.  By slowly adding a new healthy habit, you will soon feel better and toss those old unhealthy habits out the door! 

As Brian Tracy said "It doesn't matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going."

To participate in the challenge simply follow me on Instagram at DrSuzHeals.

Cheers to your health!





Disclaimer: Please consult with your physician before attempting a new exercise or diet.  YOU are in charge of your health.