Different Seasons for Excercise
Different Seasons for Different Exercises With the different seasons come opportunities for different variations of exercise . However, there may be built in limitations to certain outdoor exercise depending on the geographical area in which you live. Conversely though, your particular area might also afford you types of exercise not found or that are not possible in other climates. For instance, not all areas of the Country get snow in the winter months, but the areas that do will certainly enjoy the exercise the sports of Alpine/Nordic skiing, snow shoeing, sledding/inner tubing and the like can do for calorie burning. And the best part is, you’re having fun while burning calories, reducing weight and improving your health. You must learn to maximize what your geographical area has to offer. Do some searching and investigating as to what your surrounding area has to offer in ways of outdoor exercises . Look in your local paper (if you still have one) or on line for various clubs in your area that fit your purpose of reinventing your health. Fall time is a wonderful time to seek out and join a walking club or a hiking club for the more adventurous. Aside from the obvious of meeting new and different people and making new connections, you’ll see beautiful fall colors and be enjoying the crispness of fall weather as you explore nature and the great outdoors. I personally walk through out the various seasons as I find it so refreshing, and a great way to recharge my batteries in life and get a fresh perspective on challenging tasks at work. In Northern California summers can reach 118degrees, so the fall is a welcome change as there is nothing like a cool walk by the river. In Northern California we have many beautiful lakes, streams and canyons to explore. We also are home to the gorgeous Lassen Volcanic National Park which has among other attributes the beautiful and challenging Mt. Lassen peak. In my youthful days I climbed it every summer while attending church camp. Two and a half years ago before I set about reinventing my health , climbing a mountain such as Mt. Lassen, would have been nearly impossible if not dangerous to my life as I was so physically out of shape and over weight. Upon a trial run I couldn’t hike up the 1st switch back without getting breathless and experiencing a side ache. My son was getting the “call of the mountain ” to climb it and wanted me to go with him, this was one more trigger point that convinced me that I needed to reinvent my health . I gave myself a personal challenge and goal to be physically fit and ready to climb Lassen Peak by the next summer as it is snowed over in late fall and winter. I met the challenge and succeeded! My son and I immensely enjoyed sharing the experience and soaking up the panoramic views from the top at the summit! I was exhilarated with my accomplishment and the renewed freedom I was enjoying with improved health and cardiovascular improvement. The goal is to stay active year round with various indoor as well as outdoor exercises , thereby staying focused and committed to reinventing your health . Investigate your local area and see what activities are available on a seasonal basis, design a plan and start enjoying the new adventures. And remember, "You Can Do!"
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Comments (0) 14.12.2009. 22:43
Exercise
Exercise What would you prefer to do when you are free, watch television or exercise by taking a walk? If you thought ‘watch television’, congratulations you may be one among the 25% Americans who practice a sedentary lifestyle of no exercise ! Ever wondered why there is a rapid increase in the number of physical disorders in today’s world? A lack of physical activity (exercise ) is root cause for many disorders affecting a wide variety of organs from the top of your head to the tip of your toe. Physical activity or exercise keeps the body in tone and helps it to function normally for a longer period of time. Regular exercise and other physical activity results in multiple adaptations in the muscles and also in the different organs in our body and thereby helps us to lead a longer, healthier life as stipulated at Sports and Exercise.1, 2. Types/styles of exercise The types of exercise can be broadly categorized as: Aerobic/Cardiovascular Exercises Stretching/Flexibility Exercises Strength Training/Muscle toning Exercises Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise is aimed at improving the blood circulation and strengthening your heart. They are also helpful in keeping you fit and active; and more importantly helps you to lose that extra fat thereby lowering your BMI (Body Mass Index) as previously discussed! The repeated rhythmic actions of the aerobics can be fun. Other activities such as brisk walking, running, jogging, swimming, cycling and dancing are also considered excellent aerobic physical activity and exercise. Stretching or flexibility exercises are practiced more commonly by sports individuals who need to keep their muscles and body fit for the wide range of motions required in sports. They can be helpful in other individuals in improving the joint flexibility and body function. This kind of exercise can also be used as a warm up exercise before performing aerobic or strength training exercises. Strength training exercise or muscle toning exercise is aimed at building strength and endurance in the muscles. Popular among body builders and other who practice heavy weight sports, strength training exercise can also benefit other individuals in strengthening the muscles to improve the functioning of different organs such as the heart as explained at Types of Exercise. 3, 4, 5 Make exercise fun The most amount of drop outs from exercise programs are either due to a lack of motivation or due to boredom with a monotonous type of exercise chosen. Here are some tips at Making Exercise Fun to keep you fit.6 · Love being with nature? Excerise by taking a walk in the park, jog around the neighborhood or go for a hike/trek instead of working-out indoors · Try fitness balls ; they can be exciting as well as a good calorie burning excercise . · Invite like-minded friends for exercise training or outdoor activities such as cycling or running · Ever thought of dancing ? It’s a great way to lose those extra pounds and also have fun! The best of both! Sports as physical exercise Enjoy a specific sport? Join a local team near your home. This helps you to enjoy the game and practice fitness exercise in between. Sports such as rugby, basket ball or foot ball can help you lose calories at a faster rate and keep you fit. If you are not an extreme sports guy then you can try other sports such as golf, cricket, tennis and many more. All of these are great exercise . Some of the martial arts such as kickboxing, taekwondo, and tai chi can also help you to keep fit through exercise while improving your confidence levels. These sports do require some amount of stamina but are much easier. Practicing sports helps you in many ways: gives you pleasure, burns the calories and keeps you fit and active through exercise . You ask, what calories are burned with different types of activities? Here is a table for you to see how much calories you burn with different types of activities that you perform commonly. 7 One-hour Activity Amount of calories burnt by an average adult Aerobics (low key) 365 Trekking 511 Basketball 584 Bicycling as a leisure activity 292 Bowling 219 Dancing 219 Football 584 Golfing 329 Hiking 438 Ice skating 511 Jogging 584 Running 986 Skiing 365 Softball 365 Swimming 511 Tae kwon do 730 Tai chi 292 Tennis, singles 584 Volleyball 292 Brisk Walking 277
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Comments (0) 26.05.2009. 13:01
Health Juice with a Juicer
For many reasons investing in a juicer to juice your own blend of health drinks is something to be seriously considered. Would you like to reverse middle age health issues, feel years younger and peel off the pounds? Of course you would , especially if it’s easy and effective. If you’re like most people, you probably haven’t given much thought to making fresh juice daily. You need to because the benefits of using your juicer for producing fresh juice recipes are incredible for your health. . Most of us are aware that healthy juicing is derived through a process of selecting the right combination of fruits & veggies for the juicer , thus creating and drinking fruit and vegetable juices that become addicting. But did you know that juicing with a juicer can be more beneficial than actually eating the fruit itself? As mentioned in best of juicing,your body absorbs more nutrients from fresh juices versus solids because the process of digesting the solid is skipped. Imagine these fresh fruits
transformed in to fresh juice
with a juicer
and served in a frosted glass...so good and so healthy, you must try it if you haven't already.
As we age,
we’re more prone to diseases and most people don’t
eat enough fruit and vegetables , let alone fresh juice
from a juicer
,
which contain phytochemicals, antioxidants
and nutrients
to help create immunity. Fresh Juice
from your own juicer
provides
an easy way to solve this problem. You just have to make it a part of your daily diet
. Yes, that will take a little time and patience on your part but the rewards will be worth the effort
.
What are those rewards
? First and foremost, better health
. As mentioned in juice detox phytochemicals help prevent diseases such as cancer and heart problems
. By using your juicer
to juice on a daily basis
, drinking only a few glasses a day will give your body the same amount of phytochemicals
found in eating a very large number of fruits and vegetables. Not only that
, juicing is less expensive than drugs
and provides no unwanted side effects
.
In addition
, a combination of specific fruits and vegetables blended in to juice
with your juicer
will improve arthritis, asthma, allergies and colds.
You can find out
what types of fruits and vegetables will assist in curing certain ailments
as well as finding out a wealth of information from juice therapy
You’ll have the benefit
of feeling younger due to the antioxidants
which combats wrinkles, sagging, less muscle tone and age spots.
You also may
be less prone to depression which can happen when our bodies lack certain nutrients, antioxidants and enzymes
.
More about this can be found
in the previous links.
Fresh juice
from juicing
can also help
with weight loss. If that’s your goal in addition to better health
, you might consider a juice
fast. You can lose
a lot of weight initially but it may slow to a pound a day depending on your metabolism
. Check health recipes for specific articles on juice fasting.
All of this information
sounds great but where do you get started? The following information below will get you on the road to finding the right juicer
. According to discount juicers, you need to make some considerations before purchasing.
You won’t find the perfect
juicer
because of the different properties
found in fruits and vegetables so you’ll need to do your research.
This means you’ll need to prioritize
what you want your juicer
to do. Do you want to juice
specific fruits and vegetables
for certain ailments? Once you figure out
your goal, you’ll have a better idea of what to buy. You also might want
to consider how easy it is to clean your juicer
, how fast you need it to be and what is the noise level.
Different types of juicers include
:
-Centrifugal Juicers-older design
, is good for most fruits and vegetables, can make 1-2 quarts before further juicing can be done. Most popular and affordable.
-Centrifugal Ejection Juicers-Easier
to clean, faster and good for most fruits and vegetables.
-Masticating Juicer
-Not a machine for a physically limited person due to design but very effective at chewing the pulp further down to extract the juice.
-Manual Press Juicer
-Produce has to first be shredded then pressed. Does a better job of juicing fruits versus other types.
-Single Auger Juicers
-Not the best for juicing fruits as hard and soft fruits need to be alternated when juicing.
-Dual Stage Single Auger Juicers
-Produces more juice
and is more effective than Single Auger Juicer.
-Twin Gear Press
-Some pressure is needed to feed the produce into juicer. Best for juicing vegetables.
Specific models and designs can be found on the above website.
Once you’ve identified
the right juicer
, you’ll need to find recipes
. These will be easy to find online and in books. Recipes can be simple or creative
and you’ll need to experiment to see what works for you. Check harvest essentials for some recipes. For example
, to create a juice
consisting of apples and strawberries, you would need 5 or 6 apples (depending on strength) and a cup of strawberries. Some recipes
might call for more preparation. If you’re creating
a recipe that calls for nuts and dates, for example, you might need to soak the nuts and dates in water overnight before being able to feed them into the juicer.
The most important thing
is to have fun with juicing and your juicer
! As with most things in life, if you have fun
and stay creative, you’ll never lose interest. Start today by deciding which juicer
is best for your needs, make your purchase and start juicing your way to better health!
I have always found Amazon.com to have a plentiful selection of products (juicers no exception), great prices and customer service. In case you don't already own a juicer,
I've included the following links for your review.
Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor
Breville BJE200XL 700-Watt Compact Juice Fountain
Breville BJE510XL Ikon 900-Watt Variable-Speed Juice Extractor
Jack Lalanne's JLSS Power Juicer Deluxe Electric Juicer, Stainless/Black
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Comments (0) 18.05.2009. 17:13
Weight Gain and Diets
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Meet the Doctor Before initiating various diets or weight loss programs always meet your health care provider and discuss the risks of being overweight and the methods of weight loss (diets) that suits your need. Weight Loss Methods: The best suited methods are generally • Cutting your calories through diets • Eating a balanced diet • Being physically active Based on your health condition and your weight gain , doctors may further advise the use of medications and surgery .4 Cut those Calories, Check your body mass index (BMI). (see box) A BMI of 25 indicates that you are overweight while a BMI of 30 or more indicates that you are obese. Most of the weight loss programs advise cutting down your daily intake of calories. This can be accomplished by either calorie counting or the various dreaded diets . Ideally cutting down about 500-1000 calories per day helps you to lose 1-2 pounds of weight gain a week.4
Risks: If the weight loss program requires you to cut down more than 1500 calories per day then it is always better to consult your health care provider before doing so. This is because of the reason that a drastic decrease in the amount of calories from diets or otherwise may have adverse outcomes on your health. Rapid weight loss with very low calorie diets deprive the body of energy and nutrients required for normal functioning of the body.5 Balanced Diet: The dietary guidelines for Americans suggest that eating a minimum of five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, having grains, lean meat and low-fat or fat free dairy products is highly beneficial . This provides your body with the necessary nutrients and usually without weight gain . p> The diet recommended includes the following principles: • Low fat (<30%) • High carbohydrate (55% of daily energy intake) • High protein (up to 25% of daily energy intake), and • High fibre (25 g/day).4, 6 Risk: Do not practice fasting to decrease your body weight; instead eat short courses of a balanced diet spread over the day. As with very low calorie diets , fasting also deprives the body of the essential nutrients which may be harmful in the long run. Further, fasting may also make you feel tired, dizzy and physically week. In some cases it may also lead to increased eating and weight gain . The concept that fasting cleanses your body is a popular misconception . On the contrary it leads to accumulation of substances known as ketones that may be harmful for the kidneys. 5 Physical Activity: Being physically active combined with diets is very much associated with positive outcomes. Physical activity of moderate intensity for 30 minutes every day performed for a minimum of 5 days a week is highly recommended. These can include a brisk walk, playing with your kid in the park, and light house work, or washing your car...I'm sure you get the idea! The workouts may be performed at home, parks or gyms. Additionally activities such as walking, cycling and using stairs whenever possible further add up to the weight control programs.4,6 Risks: Strength exercise, as a way of reducing weight gain may not suit everybody. Consult your physician before opting for strength exercises. Individuals suffering from underlying disorders such as heart diseases, osteoporosis, or arthritis should always consult their health care provider for choosing the intensity and duration of physical exercises. Medications and Surgery: Medications are advised for losing weight if your BMI is 30 (or more) and is not controlled with other methods as listed above, such as diets . Additionally , medications may also be advised if you are suffering from obesity-related conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or other disorders . There are two types of medications available for weight loss namely, appetite suppressants and lipase inhibitors . Appetite suppressants as the name suggests decreases your appetite while lipase inhibitors reduce the body’s ability to absorb fat . These medications are quite effective in causing weight gain loss. However, a physician’s consent must be obtained before initiating these medications. 6, 7 Among surgical treatments , bariatric surgery is considered as the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. Surgical therapy is generally advised for individuals with BMI 40.0 kg/m2 or with BMI between 35.0 and 39.9 kg/m2 who are suffering from adverse effects of obesity such as high blood pressure.7 Risks: Medications are normally advised to be consumed for a few weeks or few months duration only. Long term use may be associated with occurrence of adverse effects. These can include cramping, intestinal discomfort, passing gas, diarrhoea, and increases in blood pressure and heart rate. Diets and physical activity must be carried out along with the use of medications. Surgical treatments are always considered as a last treatment options . Sufficient expertise is required to prevent complications associated with surgery. Alternative Therapy: Various alternative therapies such as hypnotherapy and acupuncture have been tried for weight loss. Herbal and dietary supplements such as conjugated linoleic acids, chitosan, Garcinia cambogia, and Citrus aurantium are also being used for weight gain loss.8 Risks: Although there are studies that support the use of these alternative methods for weight loss, the effects may vary with each individual. Furthermore , they are not as effective as the basic approaches such as the various diets and physical activities . The alternative methods may however, hasten weight loss when used with the basic approaches.
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References: 1. Lutfiyya, M.N., Garcia, R., Dankwa, C.M., Youung, T., Lipsky, M.S. (2008). Overweight and obese prevalence rates in African American and Hispanic children: An Analysis of Data from the 2003-2004 National Survey of Children’s Health. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 2008; 21: 191–199. Journal of The American Board of Family Medicine 2. Wang, Y., Lobstein, T. (2006). Worldwide trends in childhood overweight and obesity. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, 2006; 1: 11–25. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity 3. Low S, Chin MC, Deurenberg-Yap M. Review on epidemic of obesity. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 2009 Jan;38(1):57-9. Review on epidemic of obesity 4. The Partnership for Healthy Weight Management. Weight Loss. Federal trade commission: Washington DC. Accessed: 2009 April 24; Available from: The partnership for healthy weight management 5. Duyff RL. American Dietetic Association complete food and nutrition guide. American Dietetic Association. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: John Wiley and Sons; 2006. 6. Hainer V, Toplak H, Mitrakou A. Treatment modalities of obesity: what fits whom? Diabetes Care. 2008 Feb;31 Suppl 2:S269-77. Diabetes care 7. U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services. Prescription medications for treatment of obesity. Accessed: 2009 April 24; Available from: Dept. of Health and Human Services 8. Cherniack EP. Potential applications for alternative medicine to treat obesity in an aging population. Altern Med Rev. 2008 Mar;13(1):34-42. Alternative Medicine Review
Comments (0) 08.05.2009. 15:10
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- Diabetes Epidemic Facing in US and the Resulting Impact on Health Care and Costs (Diabetes Epidemic and the Impact on Health Care Costs)
- Winter Sports (Seasonal Excercise)
- Different Seasons for Excercise (Seasonal Excercise)
- Exercise (Exercise)
- Health Juice with a Juicer (Health Juice with a Juicer)
- Weight Gain and Diets (Weight Gain And Diets)
- Walking and Excercising for Health (Walking and Excercising for Health)
- Fitness Equipment and Gyms (Fitness Equipment and Gyms)
- To Lose Weight (To Lose Weight)
- Reinventing Your Health After 50 (Reinventing Your Health After 50)