Stretch your body

Good morning friends.  Many of us are very lazy to have an exercise.  It is very good to your health.  The reason why others don’t like to have a daily exercise was that they said that when they exercise, they fell pain.  And sometime you have to enroll in a gym just to boost the feeling of exercising.  But exercise need  not be painful, expensive or complicated.   There is one exercise which everyone can do it easily without complaining of anything.  That is stretching.  Stretching is one form of exercise.  That is very simple to do but so  effective. There are some few guidelines to follow:

(1) Try to wear slack and comfortable clothes  to get the maximum stretching.  (2) Start from the top and move downward. Bend from side to side, then front to back.  (3) Do each movement slowly and move with the flow. Relax and feel each tense area being stretched and rejuvenated.  (4) Breathe deeply and slowly.  (5) A good stretch is achieved by alternately moving shoulders up and down.  (6) Raise your arms upward, clasp them together and move your neck up and down, and side to side. Feel the stretch in the neck area become more intense.  (7) Raise the right arm and bend to the left and do the reverse. Feel the stretch along the side of your body.  (8) Raise arms forward and stretch them, opening them wide. Draw them in slowly, then spread them out again.  (9) Bend down forward and shake your shoulders while in downward pose. This will help relax the back and shoulders.  (10)  As you stretch the arm or leg muscles, don’t forget to also stretch the eye muscles by looking in different directions.  (11)  Before you get out of bed in the morning, you can do the cat and dog stretch to keep the spine supple and flexible. Get on all fours and alternately arch and move your head down to the chest, then stretch and look upward.  (12) Stretch the different parts of the body with gentle movements every chance you get. – R. Valencia S. Bismark

 

To lose weight, be in control of food (1 of 2)

Good morning everybody.  Almost all of us were aiming to lose weight and get sexy especially to women.  The tendency of us when we are doing nothing is that we tend to eat.  Maybe not a hard food.  Some are eating while they are reading books, some are eating while they are watching  TV, some are eating while they are playing games in the computer.  We love to eat.  But all of us should be aware and should always be in control when eating, especially those fatty foods. 

Before you start reading a diet book, apply weight loss approaches which have been successful for many people.   There are many books on weight loss that can teach you how to control your food eating.  There is this Bob Greene’s approach in his book “The Best Life Diet”.  It is easier to follow since it gives more time to gradually adjust to your new lifestyle. This is applicable to busy people who might not commit to a gym schedule or structured diet right away. 

In Phase One, focus on eating breakfast, avoiding extra snacks and not eating two hours before you sleep and increasing daily physical activities like walking. This is more double than limiting the amount of food intake right away. Once you get used to your new habits, move on to Phase Two which encourages you to exercise more and eliminate at least six problem foods like pastries, fries and sodas. Phase Three is about developing weight loss skills. Recipes and sample plans are presented but the focus is still on moderation.

Reference:  Mitch Felipe  ( E-mail the author at mitchfelipe@gmail.com

(End of Part 1)

A Change in Plans

If you don’t exercise at noon but you do at other times of the day, apply the same principles spelled out in “Eat the Clock”, but adjust them to fit  your schedule.  For example:

► If you exercise in the morning, have a larger dinner (a meat dish, with a side of pasta with red sauce, bread and salad) the night before.  The extra energy will carry over into the morning.  Then have a small snack and plenty of water early in the morning.  A piece of  fruit is fine.  Have a cup of coffee 30 minutes before you hit the gym, it you’re so inclined.  (If you have hypertension, check this out with your doctor first.)  after the workout, have another small dose of carbohydrate (a low-fat muffin, bagel, yogurt)  to replenish your energy stores.

►  If you exercise right after work, make sure you have a little more protein at lunch, to provide the extra mental energy needed to get through the afternoon.  But don’t overdo it.  Sluggishness is more common in people who eat large midday meals.  These are the people you often find unconscious at their desks around 2 p.m, and applying for unemployment benefits shortly thereafter.  Have a small snack—a nut mix or a piece of fruit on the way to the gym.  Have a soft drink, too.  It has considerably less caffeine than coffee, so it’s less likely to keep you up at night, but it may pack enough of a jolt to perk you up.  For dinner, cut back on the meal, because you’ll be eating most of your protein at lunch.  Instead, beef up the meal with carbohydrate-rich pasta.

Sock headache pain April

What exercise really does to your heart (2 of 2)

Good morning friends.  I will not prolong my introduction.  So join me in the second part of the article …

There is a good effect if you exercise frequently.  Exercise causes the heart to get stronger, enabling it to move more blood with each heart beat. It takes fewer beats to get you through the day. With the heart rate drop, the heart is able to enjoy a well-deserved rest.  Exercise also removes “bad” LDL cholesterol from the blood, reduces triglycerides and increases “good” HDL cholesterol.

Exercise wards off stress, builds endurance, prevents bone-thinning or osteoporosis. Importantly, it reduces blood pressure and blood sugar.  Exercise  stimulates the release of endorphins or the “feel-good hormones”. It is one good antidote for depression. It is an instituted  fact that depression increases the risk of heart attacks by 50% or even higher.

Some asked, what is the exercise should you dig yourself into? For how long and how hard?

You need not be a gym addict to be fit. Generally, 30 minutes of moderate exercise like brisk walking, five times a week, or 20 minutes of more vigorous exercise, like cycling or jogging, thrice a week is recommended. Exercise need not be a humdrum, but rather, a pleasurable activity.

For those who have heart disease, a stress test may be needed so a safe level of exercise can be set. Your attending physician will advise you on your corresponding physical activity level. While more isn’t necessarily better, none may be worse than you will ever imagine.  Little sweat a day can definitely work wonders. Investing in exercise not just for the short term but as regular daily routine is assured to give you the highest return: a healthy heart!

Reference: Dr. Ma. Belem Carisma, Cardiologist and President of the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) visit www.philheart.org or e-mail secretariat@philheart.org.

What exercise really does to your heart (1 of 2)

Good morning everybody.  Many people have heart ailment specially those who are in the age of 40 and above.  Exercise is the best thing to do. 

Investing in your heart through regular exercise is certain to give back everything you’ve put into it.  

You may neither really care about firm, sexy abs, nor would you care about increasing your muscle power. But there’s certainly one muscle you simply cannot ignore: your heart muscle. 

Daily physical inactivity or lack of exercise was one of the nine risk factors responsible for 90% of first heart attacks among the 30,000 respondents spread across 52 countries in the Interheart study. Among heart attack survivors who regularly exercised, 90% were more likely to be alive seven years after their heart attack compared to those who remained inactive.  Exercise is,  a worthwhile investment, whether one has had, or has not yet had, a heart attack. 

The protective effect of exercise was found by investigators to be due to the production of a substance called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that encourages new blood vessels to grow to supply muscle fibers. These muscle fibers are then able to switch from what is known as anaerobic metabolism (one that uses sugar for energy) to aerobic metabolism (one that needs oxygen to work through the breakdown of fats for energy).

Reference: Dr. Ma. Belen Carisma, Cardiologist and President of the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) visit www.philheart.org or e-mail secretariat@philheart.org.

(End of Part 1)

Walk it off!

Good morning friends.  Did you know that a few minutes of walk every day is good for the health?  Maybe some of you think that it will not affect the health for just few minute walking.  Wrong!  Going to gym is not only the solution to make our health good.  Walking is one … 

If you spend some time walking every day, here’s some good news for you. People who walk regularly are known to suffer lesser from ailments such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and several other diseases. Don’t walk as much as you’d like to make an extra effort to include it in your daily regimen and you’ll notice the difference it makes to your life almost immediately. Not only is walking cheap (all you have to invest in are a pair of comfortable sneakers and track pants), there are several benefits to it as well…

Walking is greatly recommended for people in their 50s and 60s because it decreases the risk of heart-related diseases and strokes.

Regular walking not only reduces cholesterol and lowers blood pressure, but also increases bone density and helps prevent osteoporosis especially in women.

People who walk and exercise on a daily basis are known to suffer lesser from depression and anxiety as it improves self-esteem and is an instant mood enhancer.

Haven’t been sleeping that well lately? Walk a few minutes every day and notice that you sleep better.

Want to lose weight? Walk. Experts say that nothing helps you lose weight in an effective way than a daily walk. Start with a few minutes and gradually build up your stamina.

Walking reduces the risk of colon cancer as well as cardiovascular diseases.

It is better than running since you go a little easier on your joints, you don’t wear down your joints or muscles.  – The Times of India

Prevention through the age (1 of 2)

Your 20s

These are the last years that your body is building new bones, so you want to do everything you can to maximize stores.  A critical first step is to give up smoking, which directly interferes with bone formulation.

Diet/Fitness  You need 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day.  Aim for at least three servings of calcium-rich foods, and take a supplement on the days you’re not making it.  Start a regimen of weight-bearing exercise:  workouts (walking, jogging, dancing tennis, aerobics) that put some impact on your bones.  (Swimming and biking, although great exercise, aren’t weight-bearing.)  Get in at least three 30-minutes session per week.

Doctor visit  If you’ve suffered from anorexia or amenorrhea (the absence of your period for several months), ask your doctor about having a bone-density test. 

Your 30s

You’ve reached your peak bone mass:  your goal for this decade is to hold on to it by following a healthy lifestyle.

Diet/Fitness  Most women in this age group get only half the recommended amount of calcium; take a supplement if that’s you.  Your life may be busier, but keep exercising.  “If you stop, you lose whatever bone gains you’ve made,” warns Kenneth Saag, M.D., an osteoporosis expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, US.

Doctor visit  have you been on steroids, such as prednisone?  A bone-density test may be in order.

Stretch Your Body

Many of us are very lazy to have an exercise.  It is very good to your health.  The reason why others don’t like to have a daily exercise was that they said that when they exercise, they fell pain.  And sometime you have to enroll in a gym just to boost the feeling of exercising.  But exercise need  not be painful, expensive or complicated.   There is one exercise which everyone can do it easily without complaining of anything.  That is stretching.  Stretching is one form of exercise.  That is very simple to do but so  effective. There are some few guidelines to follow:

(1) Try to wear slack and comfortable clothes  to get the maximum stretching.  (2) Start from the top and move downward. Bend from side to side, then front to back.  (3) Do each movement slowly and move with the flow. Relax and feel each tense area being stretched and rejuvenated.  (4) Breathe deeply and slowly.  (5) A good stretch is achieved by alternately moving shoulders up and down.  (6) Raise your arms upward, clasp them together and move your neck up and down, and side to side. Feel the stretch in the neck area become more intense.  (7) Raise the right arm and bend to the left and do the reverse. Feel the stretch along the side of your body.  (8) Raise arms forward and stretch them, opening them wide. Draw them in slowly, then spread them out again.  (9) Bend down forward and shake your shoulders while in downward pose. This will help relax the back and shoulders.  (10)  As you stretch the arm or leg muscles, don’t forget to also stretch the eye muscles by looking in different directions.  (11)  Before you get out of bed in the morning, you can do the cat and dog stretch to keep the spine supple and flexible. Get on all fours and alternately arch and move your head down to the chest, then stretch and look upward.  (12) Stretch the different parts of the body with gentle movements every chance you get. – R. Valencia S. Bismark

Jump-Start your workout

A full-body dumbbell program for summer-sport muscles

Like combat training and diet soda, sport-specific weight lifting should simulate the real thing.  Using dumbbells instead of a barbell lets you do exercise that mimic the jumping motion you use in sports like basketball, volleyball, and tennis.  Try a full-body dumbbell workout.  You can hit every major muscle in your body without leaving your garage. (Warning:  Don’t do these if you have back or knee problems.)

One Arm Dumbbell Snatch

With your right hand, grab a dumbbell that’s half the weight you usually use for a dumbbell shoulder press (you’ll probably start with 15 to 25 pounds).  Keeping your back slightly arched and your right arm straight, stand with your feel shoulder-width apart and behind your legs until the dumbbell is hanging between your knees [A].  press your feet into the floor and jump.  When your feet leave the floor, shrug your shoulders [B] while keeping your right arm straight.  Use your momentum and bend your elbow [C] to lift the dumbbell in a straight line over your head, then land with your knees bent [D].  Lower the dumbbell back to its starting position and repeat.  Do three sets of two to six repetitions with each arm.