Hiking Truly Is Healthy

Hiking Truly Is Healthy
A fit body is a happy body, and one of the best ways to stay healthy is to get plenty of exercise. Hiking is an efficient way to increase your action level, while offering an excess of health benefits. Start gradually, especially if you are a bit out of shape. Invest in a sturdy pair of hiking boots and do your research first. Many hiking trails are evaluated by intensity, so get a hiking guide and start out at the level that is correct for you. Get your doctor's advice before hiking if you are pregnant or have any health issues, such as heart illness or even if you are diabetic.

Improves Your Overall Health
Hiking is an exceptional way to get outdoors and get some exercise. Hiking offers prosperity in overall health benefits and may help extend your life. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, including hiking at your own level, is safe for most people, according to the Centres for Illness Control and Prevention.

Lowers Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Take a hike to help keep your cardiac system top shape. Regular exercise, such as hiking, helps raise your high-density lipoprotein levels and lower your triglyceride levels. This diminishes your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and of having a stroke.

Helps Prevent and Control Diabetes
Consistent hiking helps you to control, and or even prevent diabetes by depressing your blood sugar levels. Hiking gives your muscles a workout, which transfers glucose from your bloodstream for energy. Talk to your doctor first as you may need your diabetes medications attuned when hiking frequently.

Increases Your Energy Level
Aerobic undertakings such as hiking bring in extra oxygen and fuel your muscles, organs and even body tissues. This additional oxygen provides an enhancement fuelled by a process called Glycolysis whereby energy is created when glucose is broken down and this strengthens your muscles and lungs, while increasing your stamina, attentiveness and energy level.

Lowers Your Cancer Risk
Hiking helps decline your odds of developing cancer cells. There is a lesser risk of breast cancer and colon cancer linked with regular physical exercise, and it may also drop your chances of acquiring lung cancer and endometrial cancer.

Source

Top Three Exercises For Stress Relief

Whether coming from our jobs, personal life, incompetent drivers, or the soaring gas prices stress seems to be all around us, bombarding us with an over load that has us over worked, cranky, and restless. The effects of prolonged stress on the human body can be devastating to our health resulting in migraines, muscle aches, insomnia, digestive problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, weight gain, asthma, and heart disease along with a wide range of other health problems. Learning to effectively manage stress and adding regular exercise to your routine is a valuable part of stress relief which is vital to good health. But do not worry, you do not have to make time to go to the gym or worry if your fitness level is not up for that aerobic work out, here are three of the best exercises for stress relief than can be done by just about any one at any fitness level, of course as always, before beginning any new exercise program you want to be sure that your health care provider has cleared you for exercise if you have any recent injuries or health care concerns.

Tai Chi:
Tai Chi is an ancient martial art form. This Chinese art has been practiced for centuries and is a perfect exercise for stress relief. Tai Chi uses very fluid and graceful movements that are slow and precise, focusing the mind and strengthening the body. It can be done just about anywhere by people of all ages and is fairly simple to learn. People who practice Tai Chi experience a better sense of balance, over all improvement in health, sleep better, and feel a since of clarity and improved mental focus along with the stress relief.

Pilates:

Pilates was originally developed as a method of rehabilitation for injured dancers and soldiers. Incorporating simple moves similar to yoga in parts, pilates stretches and lengthens your muscles, improves the strength and stability of your core (the torso), and is also very calming and soothing making it a great choice for stress relief. Stress relief is not the only benefit of pilates, you also get a longer, stronger spine, better posture, more graceful muscle tone, and stronger abs. And because a large portion of pilates can be done as a mat work out, it is great for people with special needs to consider that may make traditional exercise more difficult.

Water Aerobics:

If you would like something to get your heart beat going and improve your over all tone and health, along with giving you stress relief, water aerobics is another great choice. Unlike traditional aerobic classes, being in the water lessens the impact of the movements on your joints, legs, and spine. Being in the water makes your motions effortless, yet the resistance of the water provides a better, stronger work out. The calming sensation of being in the water offers great stress relief and gives you a wonderful work out for your muscles, weight loss, and cardio building along with the stress relief.

Whichever routine you choose, or perhaps some combination of the three, you will find great stress relief from starting a regular routine and the stress relief will only enhance the other great health benefits you will obtain.

A Brief Guide To Exercise Stretching

The majority of us spend a large chunk of our day in a seated position. Think about it, you sleep for 7-8 hours and most of that may be in the foetal position, you get up maybe drive to work...in a seated position and then get behind a desk, when you get home you sit in front of the TV to unwind. Added to this if you do take some time out for exercise, can you honestly say that you finish your session with a good stretching routine? Just think of your poor bunched up muscles crying out for a BIG stretch!

I realise that I've just made a big generalisation but it hopefully helps you to understand where I'm coming from. There are many forms of stretching and much opinion of when it's better to stretch, before exercise, during, after or none at all! Some people think that we should stretch whether we exercise or not and others don't. So it can be confusing.

To keep it simple this advice is aimed at those who want to carry out a static stretching routine on its own and not before or after an exercise session. I don't intend to add any new theories to this debate but what I do want to do is to keep it clear and and concise, so read on!

Benefits of Stretching:

* Can improve your flexibility. 

* Helps you to relax. 

* Reduces the risk of joint sprain or muscle strain. 

* Can reduce the risk of back problems. 

* Can reduce post exercise muscle soreness. 

* Can reduce tension in the muscle.

Warming Up. Before starting your stretch routine I would recommend that you 'warm up' your muscles prior to doing so. Stretching is often mistakenly thought of as a sufficient way of warming up your muscles but its important realise that a gentle warm up prior to stretching is a safer option as your warm up routine will increase blood flow to your muscles and therefore reduce the chance of injury prior to stretching.

A gentle warm up should consist of light rotation of the joints such as the shoulders, hips, knees and ankles followed by gentle to brisk walking or walking/jogging on the spot. This should last approximately 5 minutes or so until you feel warm and slightly out of breath.

Types of Stretches. Stretches can be split into 5 different techniques: Static, Ballistic, Passive, Ballistic/Dynamic and Proprioceptive. If you are a beginner I would recommend the simplest and easiest technique to ease you gently into it which is the Static stretch where you stretch the muscle to a point where you feel the tension and holding the stretch for approximately 15-20 seconds.

Static stretching can improve your flexibility over time and is one of the safest forms of stretching. Good luck with your journey to improved flexibility!

Damian@FitnHealthy

6 Simple Breathing Exercise To Deal With Stress

Breathing is something we all do during our life time. We all know we are going to die if we are not breathing. Breathing is a reflex action done by our body to provide the flow of oxygen around the body to the vital organs.

Wikipedia, online encyclopedia, describes humans breathe between 12 and 20 times per minute, with children breathing faster than adults. 

Babies may breathe as much as 40 times per minute. Adults normally breathe about 500-700ml of air at a time. 

Breathing is something we all do during our life time. We all know we are going to die if we are not breathing. Breathing is a reflex action done by our body to provide the flow of oxygen around the body to the vital organs.

Wikipedia, online encyclopedia, describes humans breathe between 12 and 20 times per minute, with children breathing faster than adults. 

Babies may breathe as much as 40 times per minute. Adults normally breathe about 500-700ml of air at a time. An average 14 year old takes around 30,000 breaths per day.

However, we can control our breathing. We can be more relaxed by breathing in and out so deeply. The more we allow our body to be filled by deep breathing, the less stress we place on our body and mind.

The more we practice our deep and controlled breathing, the more natural it becomes and we can call on it at any time of day to help us through those tired or stressed out moments.

With all the problems we have -- either we feel stressed out at work, or at the end of a long hard day and we can’t sleep, or if we just want a few minutes to our self -- we will find this simple breathing exercise really beneficial. 

Here are some steps to do breathing exercise:

1. You can lie down, sit down or stand up as long as you are comfortable. Breathe in slowly through your nose to the count of four. Breathe very deep until all your body feel expanded.

2. Hold on that deep breath for four counts, and then exhale slowly through mouth to a count of eight.

3. Repeat the breathing in – right down so your tummy expands. Hold on to it and then exhaling nine more times. 

4. You can breathe deeper once you get used to the above steps by leave one hand on your stomach and place the other lightly across the chest. Breathe right down so your tummy expands

5. When it can’t go any further, breathe in some more and fill the tops of your lungs. Inhalations and exhalation are the same length, eight counts each, without holding in between.

6. When you exhales, let the old air out from your chest then from your tummy. So, you are going to be relaxed.

Damian@FitnHealthy 

10 Things You Should Know About Stretching

10 Things You Should Know About Stretching

Before fitness training, one must give importance to doing warm-up or stretching exercises to prevent accidents or to enhance the output during the training.  

There are also a number of precautionary measures and tips to serve as guidelines when doing fitness exercises.  

Here are some of them.

1.  To increase your flexibility and to avoid injuries, stretch before and after workout.  Almost everyone knows that stretching before workout prevents injuries during the exercises, but only few people know that stretching after workout, when muscles are still warm, can increase flexibility.

2.  Hold your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility.  While holding your position for 20 seconds is enough for warm ups, holding each position for at least 60 seconds will develop the body's flexibility.

3.  Do not go into a stretching position then immediately return to the relaxed position, and do it repeatedly.  This is more appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position.  When stretching, hold that position for several seconds, and then slowly relax. 

4.  Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to doing the hardest exercise or position.

5.  Make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups.  For some people, even if they have strong bodies, they tend to neglect the neck when working out of stretching.  Stretching the neck muscles can be as simple as placing the palm of one's hand against the front of the head and pushing it.  Then, do the same to the sides and the back of the head.

 

6.  Stretch regularly to continually increase your range of movements and your level of flexibility and strength.

7.  Workout considering only your capabilities and not of others.  Do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are people who can do it.  Increase your limits slowly.  Listen to your body. There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your range of motion.

8.  Learn to rest. Rest in between sets and stations to make sure that the body has enough time to recover its energy.  Also, it is advisable that you don't work the same muscle groups consecutively for two days. The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out.

9.  Do aerobic exercises to strengthen your heart.  Aerobic exercises are those physical activities that much oxygen for fuel. This includes cardiovascular exercises such as skipping rope, running or swimming.

10.  Music may help you when you want to train for longer periods or to increase your intensity.  You can use mp3 players,  lightweight ipod etc for this.  Just make sure that you brought your headset with you so you wouldn't disturb people who don't prefer music while exercising.

Apart from preventing injuries and increasing one's limit, it is also said that stretching is good for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit.

You may do this exercise repeatedly this way.  Bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage some joints or muscles.

Quick and Easy Ways to Relax and Take it Easy

4 Quick and Easy Ways to Relax and Take it Easy

 

If you are like millions of other people you find yourself felling run down and stressed out at times.  You may be unable to sleep, restless, and cranky because of your inability to relax.  Here are  four quick and easy ways to help you relax and take it easy.

Relax and Take it Easy Tip # 1:

Take a bath.  No, not one of those jump in jump out and wash behind your ears kind of baths.  Grab a few candles, especially aromatherapy ones with great soothing and relaxing scents such as lavender, chamomile, cinnamon, or sandalwood. 

Find some luxurious bubble bath or bath oil and grab a soothing CD and escape to a magical place of relaxation.  You will be amazed how how refreshed and relaxed you feel and how the warm waters can help to ease muscle tension and rejuvenate tired aching muscles and joints; a great way to relax and take it easy.

 

 Relax and Take it Easy Tip # 2:

Turn your bed into a night time escape.  You can do this easily by using some soothing aromatherapy products such as aromatherapy pillows or a soothing night time spray that you use to lightly mist the linens of your bed with a relaxing blend of lavender and other essential oils that can help lull you away to dream land.  Add to this a CD of nature sounds to drive away environmental noise that is played softly letting you escape into the sounds of a calmly crashing surf or the awe of a summer thunder storm.  And what a better time to relax and take it easy than when you unwind for a great night's sleep?

Relax and Take it Easy Tip # 3:

Meditate.  No, you do not have to join some new age group to meditate.  The art of meditation has been used for centuries to help people relax, deal with stress and pain, and to regain a sense of balance and clarity.  Meditating is a great way to relax and take it easy by helping you to redirect your thoughts and your mental being somewhere else, to a calm and soothing place free of stress.

Relax and Take It Easy Tip # 4:

Get some fresh air.  In this hectic cubicle world many of us live in today, you will be amazed at how relaxed and refreshed you feel after merely being in nature and getting some fresh air on a regular basis.  If you have a quite out of the way beach or leisurely wooded trail that you can enjoy then take advantage of it.  But even if you do not, simply taking a good book to the park and stretching out on a blanket or walking around the gardens examining the flowers can be a great way to ease you back into nature, help you connect with a larger world around you and infuse your lungs with the much needed fresh air that they so rarely get in our stale steel and concrete tombs.  So go outside, take a deep breath, and learn to relax and take it easy.

There you go, four very simple and easy ways that you can relax and take it easy.  The biggest key is to realize that we all need that down time for our mental as well as our physical well being.  So make some time for yourself today to relax and take it easy.

Points To Be Followed Before Learning Yoga

Once you have decided to practice yoga for better living and spiritual health, you need to take care of the following points so as to prevent injuries to your physical self:

• Physical condition of the individual: usually, it is recommended that people with normal health do yoga practice. But if you are suffering from some physical problems and are using yoga to cure it, you need to follow certain precautions since performing yoga practices without proper precautions may ...

Once you have decided to practice yoga for better living and spiritual health, you need to take care of the following points so as to prevent injuries to your physical self: 

• Physical condition of the individual: usually, it is recommended that people with normal health do yoga practice. But if you are suffering from some physical problems and are using yoga to cure it, you need to follow certain precautions since performing yoga practices without proper precautions may lead to harmful effects on the body. This is because the internal organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys etc. are involved and may get harmed if you do not practice yoga properly. Hence it is recommended that you follow the yoga techniques under expert guidance. 

 

• Right advice: it is important for you to get the proper instructor to teach you the yoga techniques. Usually, people who choose the profession of a yoga teacher do not understand the scientific basis behind the yoga practice and just impose their opinions and likes and dislikes on the students. They bring an element of mystery, charge exorbitant fees and introduce rites and rituals which are not a part of yoga. 

 • Age and sex: yoga can be practiced by anybody irrespective of age and sex. However it is important to note that certain yoga techniques should not be followed under certain circumstances. Women, who are pregnant or menstruating, should avoid the poses which lay a great stress on the abdomen. Children below eight years should not practice any yogic technique but yogic breathing should be introduced only after twelve years. Very young and old should avoid the poses with the intense twists. After a certain age, avoid strenuous practice but you can practice pranayam, dhyana and simple postures.

• Place and surroundings: The place for yoga should be well protected from, animals, rodents and insects. If you choose the indoor room, keep it well lit and it should be airy. If you choose the outdoors, the surroundings should be quiet. But avoid the outdoors if it is cold, rainy or very hot.
The ground chosen should be plain and flat.

• Time: Morning is the ideal time for practice since it incorporates regularity, but evening time can also be chosen since the body is already warmed up. Your stomach should not be completely full. So if you have had a meal, you can perform yoga after five hours. 

 • Diet: Take simple and nutritious diet. Do not overeat. Keep chillies and spices to the minimum. It is not important to be vegetarians but do not eat more than your body’s requirements.

• Interval: it is advisable to be regular but if for some reason like a lot of work in office or sickness or any other reason you need to skip a day or two, it is fine. But once the reason is over, go back to your original routine. Avoid taking long and frequent gaps.

• Clothing: Choose light and loose fitting clothes. If you live in a hot climate, you can opt for the sleeveless shirt or a vest. However, in temperate climate, your clothing should offer protection against the cold weather but at the same time, they should not hinder your movements.

• The seat: Always perform the yoga practice on a mat or a carpet but never on an uncovered floor.

• The order of different techniques: When you are combining different techniques like surya namaskar, weight training etc. with yoga, keep a rest period of fifteen minutes between the two. Within the yoga practice, start off by postural techniques, followed by breathing techniques and the techniques of mental concentration in the mentioned order.

Damian @ufitnhealthy

Living a Healthy Life

We’re so busy racing through our day to day lives that we don’t take the time to look after ourselves. It’s really no wonder that so many of us are tired and run down. What are some simple things that we can do to improve our quality of life?

In the fast paced world that we live in it can be easy to neglect our health and wellness. We’re so busy racing through our day to day lives – family, friends, work, social engagements – that we don’t take the time to look after ourselves. It’s really no wonder that so many of us are tired and run down. What are some simple things that we can do to improve our quality of life?

Drink Drink Drink…

You’ve heard it a million times and you’ll probably hear it a million more – drink more water!

Think about it: The human body is 72% water. A 5% drop in fluids creates a 25-30% loss in energy. A 15% drop in fluids causes death! At this point in time 66% of us aren’t drinking enough water, so over half the population isn’t running on all six cylinders to begin with – before things like bad air, bad food and stress take their toll.

It’s not really a difficult thing to remedy. Just drink one glass of water every half hour or so – or 10-12 glasses of water per day – and you’ll notice a huge jump in your energy levels.

Living Food – Loving Life!

A little known fact is that heating food above 116°F destroys much of the nutrient content. Considering that we already aren’t eating enough veggies, that’s a fairly substantial problem. Nutritionists recommend five serves of fresh vegetables per day. How many of us are actually taking that advice?

A great way to get the nutrients found in fresh veggies without spending all day at stove or eating raw celery sticks is to juice your veggies. Make sure that you own a good juicer (some juicers expose vegetables to heat created by friction during juicing, which breaks down important enzymes), grab some fresh vegetables and drink your way to good health. It takes a fraction of the time (there’s no cooking involved, for one thing) and it’s convenient. You can take your juice to work and even give some to the littlies for school lunches!

Wheatgrass in particular is an excellent source of nutrition. It’s high in chlorophyll (sometimes described as ‘plant blood’ because it closely resembles human red blood cell molecules) and has over 100 elements that the body needs. Fresh grains are another excellent source for vitamins and minerals.

Energy In – Energy Out

Exercise is another dirty word for most of us. The thing is, exercise doesn’t have to be horribly time consuming or mind-numbingly boring. There are plenty of options.

Now you can add Yoga, Pilates, HIIT, Spin classes and a whole range of new workout options.

If you don’t really have the time or money for the gym, or prefer to spend your mornings/nights at home, then try an exercise bike or walker. I’d be lost without my SPIN – I set it up in front of the television and peddle away merrily during my favorite shows.

An excellent way to get back into a physical routine is to start slowly. Ridiculously slowly, it may seem. For the first couple of weeks, walk/ride for 5 minutes per day – exactly 5 minutes, no more, even if you think you could continue. When the 2 weeks are up, increase to 7 minutes, then 10 minutes, 12 minutes… continue to gradually increase your activity until you’re at a level that you’re comfortable with.

It may sound a little silly, but it works. In effect, you trick your body into producing more energy. You’re building your exercise time up so slowly that your body doesn’t really realise what’s happening. Follow this method and, before you know it, you’ll be comfortably exercising within your limits every day.

So, folks, that’s the basics. If you can rearrange your life a little to allow for better eating habits and a little exercise, and if you remember to just drink a glass of water every half hour or so, you’ll be well on the way to living a healthy life. On a final note, don’t forget to take some quiet time for yourself. Meditating is an excellent way to minimize stress. You don’t have to sit around for hours, just give yourself 5 minutes of quiet time every day – even in the shower, if that’s the only place where you can get time out – and have a little catch up with yourself.

And, last but by no means least, laugh! In fact, laugh like a loon – the louder the better! You’ll be amazed at how much such a simple thing can lift your spirits!

 

 Damian @FitnHealthy

3 Superb Herbs to Calm the Nerves

No matter who you are or what your situation, life is filled with common stressors that can make it difficult to relax. The herbs on this list have a long history of use for the relief of overactive nerves. If you find that you could use some extra help in coping with stress, these herbs might be right for you.

 

1. Lavender:This herb is great for managing stress, and can be used in many forms. Lavender flowers can be steeped in hot water to produce a soothing tea, or it can be consumed as an essential oil. Lavender is a central herb in aromatherapy, as merely smelling lavender flowers or oil produces a calming effect. Lavender contains the compound linolool which has demonstrated anxiolytic properties and has also been shown to have a positve effect on sleep quality.

2. Chamomile: This herb has a long history of use to relieve anxiety and improve sleep quality. Chamomile is most commonly consumed by steeping in hot water to produce a slightly-sweet relaxing tea. Chamomile has been the subject of scientific research regarding its anxiolytic properties, which seem to be caused by a combination of different compounds. Chamomile has a number of other health-promoting properties which I will likely discuss in a future article. Be warned that chamomile may not be the best herb for relieving stress during the daytime, as it tends to induce drowsiness.

3. Kava-Kava: Also known simply as kava, the root of this plant has long been used by Pacific Islanders to relieve anxiety, and has even been used as a sort of "social lubricant" in a role similar to that occupied by alcohol in other cultures. Unlike alcohol though, kava has a reputation for inducing calm without disrupting mental clarity. Ground kava root is traditionally prepared via cold water extraction methods, though it can also be steeped in hot water or consumed raw. Kava contains a number of compounds known as kavalactones which seem to be responsible for its anxiolytic and sedative properties. Be warned that the use of kava can cause sedation that might be less than desirable during activities which require alertness (e.g. driving or operating heavy machinery). Be warned also that there is mixed evidence regarding the potential for liver toxicity attributed to kava.

Note: This article is not intended to constitute medical advice. Those with anxiety disorders might find it nearly impossible to cope even with the aid of the herbs listed above. If you find that your stress or anxiety is becoming unmanageable, do yourself a favor and contact a doctor to find out about available treatment options.

This article was written by Jacob Wonn, a young man with a passionate interest in herbal science.

StressLess

Does Exercise Beat Stress?

Exercise not only shapes our bodies, it also shapes our minds. With the ability to calm, elevate mood and counter anxiety and depression, exercise is a valuable tool for combating stress. But how does it work?

Chemical Reactions

One of the most well-known ways that exercise provides mental benefit is through chemical reactions brought about in the brain. During exercise, the body's stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, are reduced, while endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, are stimulated. Endorphins have also been associated with providing a sense of euphoria, but according to the review article, "The Antidepressive Effects of Exercise," published in Sports Medicine, it is unclear if the endorphins are directly responsible for these feelings or if they simply block pain while allowing the pleasure chemicals, dopamine and serotonin, to be more apparent.

Brain Reconstruction and Resilience

Currently, the National Institutes of Mental Health are studying the effects of exercise on mice and results suggest that regular physical activity can actually reshape the brain circuitry involved with emotional processing while protecting against stress. Other studies, published in The Journal of Neuroscience and Behavioral Neuroscience, have found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), involved in protecting and producing neurons, was higher in active mice than in those who were sedentary. Additionally, the active mice developed new neurons that appeared to be more resilient; when faced with stress, they displayed more controlled reactions than the inactive mice.

Total Body Communication

The American Psychological Association describes the benefits of exercise as total body communication, "Biologically, exercise seems to give the body a chance to practice dealing with stress. It forces the body's physiological systems -- all of which are involved in the stress response -- to communicate much more closely than usual...And all of these are controlled by the central and sympathetic nervous systems, which also must communicate with each other. This workout of the body's communication system may be the true value of exercise..." By regularly activating these communication pathways, the better the body becomes at handling stress. The less often this happens, the less efficient the body is with coping.

Improved Overall Well Being

By performing regular physical activity, the body typically becomes healthier and stronger which can reduce stress associated with other health issues that may be worsened, or brought on, by inactivity. Lost work and lost wages, doctor's visits, and expensive medications can lead to worry, insomnia, and irritability. According to Harvard University Health Publications, during the stress response, mind and body can amplify each other's distress signals, creating a vicious cycle.

Although they can work against each other, the mind and body are also capable of working together to provide tremendous benefits. Regular exercise provides improved health, better sleep, and more energy. This can lead to improved self-confidence and a sense of command over body and life, which can help an individual feel more equipped and confident when faced with stress.

Whether it's a needed escape, meditation or playtime, exercise can provide a way to get away from it all, either in solitude or with friends or family. Harvard University Health Publications state, "...when your body is busy, your mind will be distracted from the worries of daily life and will be free to think creatively."

Source Many Seay/ Fit Day

Proof We where made to Move ....

“Sitting will kill you”—this is a CNN headline that caught my eye a few days ago. In fact, many recent research studies have revealed that being sedentary and sitting too much will shorten one’s lifespan, diminish quality of life and contribute to the development of chronic diseases. 

How is it possible that, with the knowledge and technology available today, we have managed to adapt such sedentary, self-destructive behaviors? Slowly, but surely, we have arrived at a daily routine that involves hardly ANY physical activity, intentional or non-intentional. We are now reaping the consequences of not moving our bodies. This should give us a clue, namely, that our bodies were made to MOVE—not to be sedentary. 

The human body is an amazing and fascinating organism, which works BEST when it’s active. It is vital that health and fitness professionals fully comprehend this significance to be able to communicate its importance to clients. Understanding the value of one’s own human parts and mechanisms will contribute to a greater appreciation of one’s entire system, hopefully creating a desire to take care of it more intentionally.

Here are some amazing facts about the human body:

• There are an estimated 37.2 trillion cells in the body (at maturity)
• On average, adult bodies contain 5.5 liters of blood and about 10 liters of interstitial fluid
• Adults are made up of approximately 7 octillion atoms
• The human heart beats around 100,000 times per day
• The human lungs have a surface of around 70 square meters
• On average, adults blink 10 times per minute
• It takes the human body about 12 hours to digest food 

I often ask my clients and students, “Don’t you wish you had a zipper going down the front of your body, so you could open it and see what’s going on at all times?” The answers vary, but if you imagined the same thing and “unzipped” yourself, you would find out one key thing about your body: It is ALWAYS in motion! There is constant movement within our bodies. 

Benefits of Physical Activity 

Examining the immediate and long-term benefits of physical activity provides clear evidence that the human body is made to move. Examples of powerful benefits of movement include: 

• Lower blood pressure
• Better regulation of blood sugar
• Lower resting heart rate
• Better control of body fat
• Improved immune function
• Increased muscular strength and endurance
• Improved cardiorespiratory functioning
• Increased flexibility
• Better join health
• Improved mental functioning
• Higher quality of sleep 

In just a few minutes, physical activity boosts our metabolism. Research shows that physical activity decreases depression and increases self-esteem. This list could go on and on. Further, it is important to realize that the human body contains more than 600 muscles, which is an indication that the body was constructed for amazing physical capabilities. It is clear that the human body functions best when it is active. There is power in motion! 

Consequences of Physical Inactivity 

Further proof that the human body was designed to move, are the consequences of not moving. Physical inactivity leads to deterioration, such as: 

• Loss of bone density
• Stiffening of joints
• Weakening of muscles
• Weakening of the heart and lungs
• Degeneration of the cellular energy systems 

As soon as one sits down, electrical activity shuts off in the leg muscles. Calorie burning is significantly reduced (potentially to as little as one calorie or less, depending on one's height, weight, gender, etc.) and lipase, an enzyme in the legs that assists with the breakdown of fat, dramatically and rapidly drops. After two hours of sitting, HDL (the so-called good cholesterol) levels drop by 20 percent. After 24 hours of sitting, insulin effectiveness drops 24 percent and the risk for diabetes rises. Sitting increases the risk of death up to 40 percent. 

Inactivity is killing people and is arguably one of the greatest threats of our time. The World Health Organization (WHO) asserts that physical inactivity constitutes the fourth leading cause of death globally, causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally. 

As health and fitness professionals, we have a responsibility to educate our clients about the human body, its functions, abilities and needs. Recognizing that the human body was made to move and that it functions best when it is regularly physically active provides a critical foundation for our clients’ journey to improve their fitness and overall wellbeing. Further, it is essential that health and fitness professionals design effective exercise plans that include daily physical activity and structured exercise for maximized success and to meet the human body’s innate need to be in constant motion.

Source : By Dominique Wakefield/ Ace

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Planning to give your Valentine some chocolate? Make it dark chocolate and you'll be helping more than your relationship… you'll also be helping their heart. 

What is it about dark chocolate that makes it so heart healthy?

 "There is a lot of science behind the cocoa bean and a substance called flavanol," explained Jared Bunch, MD, electrophysiologist with the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute. "Flavanol is also in things we look at as healthy, like grapes, apples, blackberries and legumes and has been extensively studied regarding its heart-related benefits."

Research has shown that consuming four to eight ounces of 75% dark chocolate per day can be good for your heart. But what are the specific benefits of consuming flavanols? 

Helps How We Respond to Stress
When people get stressed, the body responds by releasing chemicals into the blood stream (cortisol, epinephrine, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and norepinephrine) that raises the blood pressure. Dark chocolate has been shown to reduce the levels of cortisol and epinephrine.

Lower Blood Pressure
Studies show that consumption of cocoa increases nitric oxide, which is a naturally occurring chemical in our body that prompts the blood vessels to dilate. This simple process lowers blood pressure.

Lowers Bad Cholesterol
There are two types of cholesterol - HDL (good) and LDL (bad). Flavanols reduce LDL cholesterol and can increase HDL cholesterol and since dark chocolate is high in flavanols, consuming the treat can also lower your cholesterol. 

Helps Stability of Injured Vessels
Cocoa may help stabilize blood vessels that have been injured by plaque build up over time, thus reducing the likelihood of blood clots forming that could cause a heart attack or stroke. 

Source : Intermountain Health/ Dr. Bunch

The Importance of a Rest Day

Rest days are an aspect of training which we maybe don't consider to be "training" - but ask any high performing athlete, and they'll tell you that Rest Days make the difference between hitting a new PB or picking up a new injury.

 REST

verb
verb: rest; 3rd person present: rests; past tense: rested; past participle: rested; gerund or present participle: resting

    cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength.
    "he needed to rest after the feverish activity"
    synonyms:    relax, take a rest, ease up/off, let up, slow down, pause, have/take a break, unbend, repose, laze, idle, loaf, do nothing, take time off, slack off, unwind, recharge one's batteries, be at leisure, take it easy, sit back, sit down, stand down, lounge, luxuriate, loll, slump, flop, put one's feet up, lie down, go to bed, have/take a nap, nap, catnap, doze, have/take a siesta, drowse, sleep;

noun
noun: rest; plural noun: rests; suffix: -rest; suffix: -rests

    an instance or period of resting.ri
    "you look as though you need a rest"

They say that big, multi-stage events (such as the Tour de France) are won in bed - how a team use their rest and recovery time is one of the leading factors in a winning team. How you spend your rest days can vary depending on which stage of your training you're in; if it's a rest day dring the taper before your marathon, odds are, you'll have too much nervous energy to just do nothing. Alternatively, if it's the day's rest in a multi-day event - your stategy will probably involve a lot more rest in that rest day.

Rest days are easier to plan for and to fit into a training plan when you're working towards an event, however if you train all year round, it can seem harder to find the time.

Why take a rest day?

• Prevent overtraining -  working out every day can lead to fatigue which can increase your risk of injury
  
• Prevent tedium - training with the same routine can lose its appeal if you do the same thing every day, rest days work as a mental break from your workout as well as a physical break
  
• Improve recovery - DOMS (delayed onset muscle soresness) can really affect your training, with appropriate rest days built into your routine, you can avoid training on already sore muscles
  
• Improve sleep - whilst you shouldn't spend your entire rest day asleep, taking a day to catch up on some Zzzz's can really help your training and productivity in the following days

We asked the Tribesports community & a selection of personal trainers how they like to spend their days - and from the results, we've pulled out 3 distinctive types of rest day-ers:

1. The life admin rest day: No exercise? Fine. I'll just do my chores instead.

"Rest day = laundry day. FACT."  

Source Jon B / Tribe Sports

How to Prepare for Exercise After an Injury

Injuries occur at any time and for any reason. If you get injured, you may not know how to proceed and prepare for exercise post-injury. This mind-and-body guide can help prepare you for a brighter, injury-free future in fitness and performance. 

Seek Medical Care

Pain, swelling, discoloration of the skin and chronic discomfort is your body’s way of letting you know that something is not right. Acute pain, if left untreated, eventually leads to chronic pain, which usually requires longer recovery and treatment methods. 

The first step to overcoming an injury is to seek medical care. Follow your healthcare professional’s recovery and rehabilitation protocols to ensure that your body heals appropriately. Pushing beyond protocols and avoiding corrective care prolongs recovery, so take care of the injury before planning your first post-injury run, hike or workout. 

Overcome Mental Battles

One of the hardest things to overcome when injured is the mental battle caused from a lack of movement and progress. If you’re someone who thrives with regular exercise, you may find yourself disconnecting emotionally when forced to be sedentary. Also, you may be concerned about losing some of the fitness you’ve worked so hard to achieve.    

It is important to accept the present moment. When injured, it is easy to let the mind spiral with negative thoughts, and extreme sadness can hinder the body from healing.  All of this can lead to depression or despair, so it’s important to remind yourself that your body will once again reach its potential. 

Question Yourself

Work to overcome mental battles by answering these questions, which will increase awareness of the injury and prepare you better for the future.

How did I get here?

This question can help you realize why or how you became injured. Reasons vary from overtraining, not wearing the appropriate footwear, pushing limits or not paying attention. If unsure, take note of what could be improved for the future. 

How do I get out of here?

Once you define how the injury occurred, you can better plan for the future. Talk to your healthcare professional about appropriate rehabilitation progressions. Ask the provider to specify if the injury is an imbalance or genetic issue. For example, plantar fasciitis is most often caused by overuse, whereas a bunion (bony growth) develops in early ages and is labeled as genetic. 

Ask your provider whether the injury is correctable with rehab, or if exercise alterations are required to avoid future problems. 

Is the injury a blessing in disguise?

Ask yourself, “Is there a silver lining to the injury?” Sometimes the most positive situations arise out from a negative event. For example, an injured marathon trainee may be forced to correct his or her running gait during rehabilitation. Because of the improvement, the runner improves performance and spares his or her body from running hundreds of training miles with incorrect form, which could have led to a more severe injury. 

What seems like a setback may actually be for your benefit. 

How do I stay positive?

The first step to staying positive is to remember that your injury is temporary. Next, use positive-thinking tools, such as motivational quotes or positive-reinforcement meditations, to maintain a positive outlook. Regardless of which tool is your preference, do your best to think positively and avoid falling into the trap of doomsday thinking. 

Also, talk about your injury as if it is temporary. Use sentences such as, “I will run again,” rather than, “I hope to run again.” Saying, “I will” trains the brain to know what it wants and focuses on the specific goal. “I will” clearly defines what you want and sets the tone for your future. This determination keeps the mind focused and clear of distractions.      

The Importance of Cross Training

Cross training allows the body to exercise while moving in various planes of motion. This reduces repetitive motions and impact from performing the same exercise repeatedly. Post-recovery, it is important not to overstress the healed area, which is still susceptible to reinjury. Take the load and stress off the body with cross training. For example, a weightlifter can benefit from alternative resistance training such as yoga or Pilates, while a runner can benefit from low-impact cardio exercise such as aqua jogging, swimming or cycling. 

Source Elizabeth Kovar M.A, personal trainer and yoga/fitness instructor

 

6 Ways to Avoid Burnout

You may have started the year with the best of intentions, vowing to exercise more, but after a few weeks of trying to stick to your resolutions, you may be feeling burned out and ready to abandon your goals. This is not uncommon. In fact, many people lose their motivation and feel burned out because they’ve had negative experiences with exercise. And those undesirable experiences can alter your resolve and make you question whether or not exercise is even beneficial or worth your time.

The good news is that it is possible to avoid burnout. These guidelines were created to help you make regular exercise a permanent lifestyle change.   

1. Know the Signs of Exercise Burnout

These signs and symptoms are indicators of exercise burnout:

    Exhaustion instead of energy
    Joint or muscular pain
    Difficulties sleeping
    Fatigue or weakness
    Persistent muscle soreness
    Yawning during exercising

2. Find a Deeper Connection with Exercise

It’s no secret that exercise offers a wide range of benefits, including reduced blood pressure, higher energy levels and stronger muscles. But it’s worth taking the time to ask yourself how can exercise benefit you on a deeper level. You will be more likely to commit to exercise when you understand the primary reason you want to exercise. Whether you want to play with your kids without gasping for air or one day qualify for the Boston Marathon, knowing what really motivates you will help keep you going when life gets busy or your interest begins to flag.

3. Gradually Progress Exercise

Trying to do too much, too soon is a sure-fire way to burn out on exercise. Gradually incorporating exercise into one’s life, however, can help you establish the building blocks and appropriate strength necessary to participate in higher-intensity training. Many people desire to participate in higher-intensity fitness programs because they promise to burn a lot of calories. These classes offer magnetic atmospheres and a fun, social connection, but these classes may cause more harm than good for those who aren’t yet prepared for more rigorous workouts.

A qualified fitness professional can help you discover the best routine and exercise progression for your current fitness level. If you’ve been sedentary, consider starting with one or more of the following modalities:

    Aquatic fitness classes
    Walking
    Basic body-weight training  
    Using cardiovascular machines
    Basic yoga or Pilates

Once you’ve established a baseline of fitness, you can progress to more challenging programs. Why is this important? Gradual changes lead to long-term results and helps you avoid injury, pain and negative perceptions toward exercise.

4. Monitor Your Stress

Many people do not realize that exercise is actually physical stress applied to the body. And, while exercise can be a great stress-reliever, pushing an already-stressed body past its boundaries is a recipe for burnout.

When stress levels are high, the human body breaks down and mental clarity decreases. It also undergoes physiological changes such as increased blood pressure, heart rate and perspiration. Hormonal changes also occur, providing the necessary energy for the “fight or flight” instinct that often kicks in. Not surprisingly, research has shown a correlation between stress and immune function. When chronically stressed, immune function decreases and the body is more susceptible to sickness and infections.

Ask yourself, “How much stress is in my life?”

If you’re going through a highly stressful period in your life, keep moving with lower-intensity exercise. Walking, yoga, biking, swimming and water jogging are great alternatives to high-intensity training. During stressful times, add in an extra recovery day if sticking with higher-intensity workouts. When life rebalances itself, revisit higher-intensity training.  

5. Cross Training

Cross training—including two or more types of exercise into your regular routine—is an effective method for avoiding burnout. Cross training helps you avoid doing the same motions day after day, which reduces the stress on your muscles and joints. 

A combination of resistance and cardiovascular training is particularly effective because it enables you to increase both muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance at the same time. For resistance training, you can incorporate a combination of body-weight training, yoga, Pilates and traditional weight training.  Equipment such as medicine balls, resistance bands and BOSUs also are effective and add variety to one’s workouts.

6. Prepare and Repair

Your body needs good nutrition to sufficiently “prepare and repair” your muscles between workouts.

Many resolutions include both diet and exercise, but you should be wary of drastically cutting calories.
The body requires energy (enough calories) to sustain exercise, especially high-intensity workouts. If your body does not have enough energy on store, your muscles cannot repair properly, so be sure to include a balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

 Source : Elizabeth Kovar M.A / ACE