Fitness

How Regular Exercise Lowers Cholesterol

Cholesterol is modern society’s major bugaboo. It is called the silent killer because it sneaks up and clogs arteries without the person knowing about it. What symptoms there are tend to be ignored as they do not stop or slow down a body until it is too late. This is why it is vital to start some form of exercise and stick with it long before symptoms start twinging.

The most basic positive result to exercise is that it lowers weight. Weighing less means that there is less LDL floating around in the bloodstream. This is somewhat obvious that being overweight puts a body at a higher risk, thus losing excess weight makes a difference. What was not known is the “how” mechanism, as in how exercise causes the body to lower LDL levels.

One such reaction is that exercise gets enzymes going and doing their job. They grab the excess LDL that is floating in the blood stream and on blood vessel walls, then deposit the cholesterol in the liver. From there the liver uses the excess as bile for digestion or excretes it through waste functions. All of this by working out for 30 minutes a day. Working out vigorously for 60 minutes a day will serve to lower the LDL even more.

If this has convinced you to get out and exercise, remember to start slowly. Build up the tolerance over time to ensure that muscles, joints and tendons have a chance to acclimate and avoid an injury. Always remember: 30 minutes a day makes the bad cholesterol go away.

Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Tagged With: Cholesterol, Hypercholesterolemia, Low-density lipoprotein

Simple Secrets to Getting the Most Effective Workout

The first thing to conquer when working out is the most basic one: Getting to the gym. Sounds kind of silly, doesn’t it? This certainly is not a secret. But it really is a secret because most people overlook this simple fact. So, what does getting to the gym entail? Distance. The farther you have to travel to get in a workout, the less likely you will go. It is a common excuse, and a pathetic one at that, but legitimate. The way to overcome this is to find a gym that has a satisfactory selection of machines and is closest to the home.

So now that you have figured out the gym that makes the most sense to you, what do you do when you get in the door? This is another secret that many over look. Start picking the brains of the staff. They have their jobs because of the knowledge they have learned. This makes them an excellent resource for even the most advanced weightlifter. Staff can start you out on the right machines and give you a basic routine to start with. For those who really want to get serious, it is time to consult a physical therapist. If there is one on staff, the better. They can walk you through exercises that provide you the most benefit to help you reach your goal, regardless if it is weight loss or muscle building.

The last secret is another seemingly obvious one. Do not over do it. So many people attack the machines as if it were the last great obstacle in their life. This is just plain dumb. Instead, use a simple rule of thumb: If it feels too easy, that is because it is. Add a little resistance in the form of weight or incline on the machine until there’s a strain. Success will be yours by following these tips.

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: Health, Physical exercise, Weight loss

Working Out Does not Have to be a Chore

Many people have an image in their mind that those who regularly work out must be overachievers, body builders, or obsessives. Looking from the outside in, they have this impression that they too must join in or be left behind forever. It gives a kind of intimidation, that they will never look as good as the overachievers, so why bother joining a gym in the first place?

It is amazing what we will tell ourselves in order to avoid getting into an exercise routine, isn’t it? The reality is, working out does not have to be an excessive feat. Someone who is just starting out should not feel pressured to do more than they can physically handle. It is an accident waiting to happen. A newbie should focus on themselves, and on themselves only. Ignore those who are obviously weight lifters or training for a triathlon. You, the beginner, are not aiming for any of these goals. Instead, you are there to simply get started. And do not psyche yourself into thinking that all of the pretty people are laughing at you in their head. Chances are they are probably thinking that is awesome that someone has felt the need to come and learn how to burn.

So, on your first foray into the gym, don’t go hole hog. Take it easy. Find the least resistance you can tolerate on a weight or cable machine. Who cares if it is only five pounds? It is a start. Eventually the muscles start telling you that it needs more, and you oblige. But in the beginning, take it easy and do it smart. If it hurts, stop the activity and try something else. Getting into shape is a slow journey, one that does not need to be rushed.

Filed Under: Fitness, Tips Tagged With: Cable machine, Health, Weight loss

Head Health Problems off at the Pass with Regular Exercise

Modern lives and diets have turned our bodies into ticking time bombs. High cholesterol and diabetes are two problems that more and more adults are facing, all because of our tendency to be sedentary and eat poorly. Certainly nutrition plays a large role in the care of our bodies, but we can not have complete wellness if we do not add exercise into the mix. There is no need to roll your eyes at the last statement. The truth is, Americans eat a lot of garbage on a daily basis whether they realize it or not. Add into that our supposed lack of time to prepare proper meals and we wind up eating more processed food than is good for us.

The key is to change habits before they become a problem. Many people get to their late 40′s and early 50′s and think that they are doing fine because they have not had a cardiac event or diabetes. Both will sneak up on a body without the owner realizing it. All of a sudden, an individual finds themselves having to repair the damage from their habits. This means radical lifestyle changes that make no one happy.

Get into the gym long before these problems have a chance to become major ones. Exercise will not necessarily stop a clock and instantly return someone to a picture of glowing health overnight. However, the simple act of stressing the heart even mildly will strengthen the muscle for the better. For those who have concerns about their LDL levels, they are in luck. Regular and moderate exercise provide results by stopping the levels from rising. Vigorous exercise will not only stop the levels, it will lower it even more.

The simple fact is, exercise is beneficial to the body. We thrive on having our bodies stressed for the endorphin release. But it is not an easy road to travel as it is simpler to give into a day of feeling blah instead. Working on changing the mindset is the best thing you can do for yourself.

Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Tagged With: Diabetes mellitus, Hypercholesterolemia, Physical exercise

Stretching Improves Fitness, Strength and Prevents Injuries

Stretching before, during and after exercise can actually improve your workouts. Flexibility helps you prevent injuries, like sprains and strains, and it improves your overall fitness as well. Studies have shown that stretching between weight-bearing exercises can actually improve your strength more than lifting weights alone.

Before exercise, stretch gently. Don’t bounce, just stretch gently. After your muscles are warmed up from exercise you can really begin to improve flexibility. You can stretch further without injuring yourself. You don’t have to wait until your workout is over – stop periodically to stretch your major muscles during exercise.

After the workout is over, stretching is a good way to cool down and tone. Keeping limber can help you avoid soreness, work soreness out and allow you to do more exercise without injuring yourself.

Stretching even on the days you don’t work out can improve your overall fitness, help you retain muscle tone and be in better shape when you return to your exercise routine.

Be sure to stretch all your body’s muscles- arms, back, sides, tummy and legs. Even light exercise – such as a leisurely walk – can be enhanced by stretching. Most injuries during exercise can be prevented by good flexibility and stretching the muscles before, during and after exercise.

Any time you sit for long periods of time, taking stretch breaks can improve your circulation. It is good for the mind as well as the body. When blood is circulating from light exercise, it sharpens the mind, improves your mood and prevents lots of aches and pains. Next time you get a headache, back ache or leg ache try a few minutes of stretching. You may find you no longer need that pain medicine.

Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Tagged With: Flexibility, Muscle, Stretching

Walking May Be the Perfect Exercise

Walking may be the perfect exercise. It can be done at almost any fitness level, almost any time, almost anywhere. Most post-injury and post-accident physical therapy includes some walking. It is good for your heart, burns calories and has mental and even emotional benefits.

Weightlifting builds muscle, but walking is a cardiovascular exercise, which means the heart muscle is the main benefactor. Cardiovascular exercise also burns fat better than weightlifting exercises. It is associated with fewer injuries than many other types of exercise.

Doctors recommend walking for lower back pain more than any other treatment. It helps strengthen the muscles in the back preventing further injury.

Walking is also associated with a feeling of well-being in most people. It helps relieve stress, and many people report that taking a walk helps them solve problems and have a better attitude at home and work.

A walk also increases circulation in the brain. This helps memory and concentration. If you have trouble focusing after a long period of sitting, a brief walk will help perk you up and finish the job.

For many people, walking makes them feel less self-conscious than going to a gym. It can be enjoyed alone or with a companion, and even children can join.

If you are really out of shape, you can start slow and gradually build your fitness level. Add a few minutes each day or a few minutes a week. What is important is getting what exercise you can and building on it gradually.

A few stretches before and after your walk can prevent sore muscles. If you need a break during your walk, stopping a couple of minutes to stretch keeps your muscles warm and loosens your back.

Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Tagged With: Muscle, Physical exercise, Physical therapy

Obesity in Kids-Time to Change

Obesity in America’s kids is rising, sadly. It has been noted in the health industry that over 9 million kids between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. We have been warned and encouraged to change, but the numbers are not showing any change for the better.

Even Michelle Obama has jumped on board with her anti-obesity campaign, “Let’s Move”. She even started a garden on the White House lawn and brought in local children to help. All to encourage eating fresh fruits and vegetables. She even gave cooking classes for those kids in the White House kitchen to teach those kids how to use them. An awesome endeavor.

Did you know that one study shows that over 7 million American kids have high cholesterol? Did you know that Type 2 diabetes continues to rise among children. Sleep Apnea, strokes, cancers, even coronary artery disease have been showing up in America’s children. These are suppose to be diseases for old people.

Where have we gone wrong? Many school cafeterias have eliminated the soda, junk food and candy, bringing in healthier foods. Some schools have even banned bringing these items in from home. This is all a step in the right direction, but parents you need to jump on board and help your child to work toward better health.

Lifestyle change is a good place to start. Many of our children get very little exercise. Encourage this, even better, exercise with them. Take a walk together or go swimming at the town pool.

Eating habits need to change. Most kids do not eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables. Teach your child healthy eating habits. Buy fresh foods, not packaged foods.

Portion size does matter. In America we have seemed to super-sized everything. Do a little research and find out what the portion size is for your child.

We need to stop this epidemic of obesity in our children, It needs to start in each of our homes. As parents we need to do our part. Step up and be part of the solution. Help reclaim your child’s health.

Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Tagged With: Let's Move, Obesity, Sleep apnea

The Effects of Soda Consumption

Soda has become a staple of most American homes these days. In fact, most people consume one or more cans a day. Even in children consumption has doubled over the years. It is not unusual to see toddlers drinking soda from a sipper cup.

Most parents would not think of giving their child a bowl of sugar to eat, but that is exactly what a 20 oz bottle of soda entails. There are seventeen teaspoons of sugar in one bottle, the equivalent of a bowl full of sugar. That would be 250 empty calories. All that sugar has added to America’s problem with obesity.

Soda drinkers may be spending more time with their dentist too. Not only for cavities from all that sugar either. Acids from soda actually eat through the enamel on the teeth. This could lead to the teeth becoming overly sensitive. This also could lead to weakening of the teeth and breakage later in life.

Diet soda has been in the news lately. Studies are showing that diet soda could lead to heart attacks and strokes. For many years there has been concerns voiced over the artificial sweeteners and the effect it has on the body. Some studies even claiming that these sweeteners could cause cancer.

The Phosphoric acid in soda weakens the bones. It also gets in the way of the body’s ability to absorb calcium which could be hazardous to a child’s developing bones.

Caffeinated sodas are another problem all together. Caffeine is known to increase heart rate, cause sleeplessness, headaches, and raise blood pressure among many other things. All things most of us are trying to by pass, especially with our children. The average soda contains 50 mg of caffeine, many people drink multiple cans of caffeinated soda a day.

Hopefully you are seeing soda is not your best choice for a healthy beverage, diet or not. Milk and 100% juice would be a better choice at least there is something healthy in them. Then again, we do have good old water, probably the best choice.

Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Tagged With: Diet soda, Sugar, Sugar substitute

Eating Healing Foods

Have you ever thought about eating foods that targeted certain illness? Using food to heal or as medicine? Fresh unprocessed foods hold many health boosting items that can help you achieve good health. Available in your grocery store, no doctor’s note needed.

Onion, that vegetable that you either love or hate is great for you cooked or uncooked. Onions are great for heart health. They help lower cholesterol and also lower blood pressure. They also have anti-cancer attributes.

Garlic; a cousin to the onion; is a blood thinner when eaten raw, the affect is similar to taking an aspirin. Garlic helps regulate blood sugar. A natural decongestant, it also kills bacteria. Garlic is also a cancer fighter.

Red chili pepper has six different pain relieving and anti-inflammatory compounds. These are great for fighting arthritis. Chili peppers also are great for fighting heart disease. If you haven’t tried it, the next time you are experiencing sinus pain, eat something with chili pepper in it, a natural sinus cleaner too.

Nuts help lower your LDL (bad Cholesterol) and help fight heart disease. They also regulate blood sugar.

Legumes (beans), have an antioxidant that protects the blood cell. They also regulate your blood sugar.

Carrots are great for you raw or cooked. They boost the immune system, fighting off bacteria as well as cancers.

Cinnamon regulates insulin. You can bake into a muffin and it still works.

Cruciferous vegetables are cancer fighters. They also ease symptoms of asthma and arthritis.

You may wonder why, if all these foods are packed with such super disease fighting components that we have such a big problem with disease. Most of us do not eat a balanced diet. We eat too many processed foods and not enough fresh food. We eat to much of one kind of food to the exclusion of others. BALANCE is what we need to find in our diet.

Eat for optimum health. Find the balance.

Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Tagged With: Chili pepper, Eating, Onion

The Cost of Obesity

Obesity is on the rise. We see the expanding waistlines all around us. The super-size portions and sedentary lifestyles are leaving their mark on the American population. Many people are slowy eating themselves to death and it is costing the health care system billions.

Obesity is the number two cause of preventable deaths in America. Over 60 million adults are considered obese. The average American is basically 25 pounds over weight. All this extra weight is taking its toll on our health care system.

Obesity is causing a rise in health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, strokes, cancer, even sleep apnea. It is not just affecting adults either, over 9 million children are experiencing many of these problems also.

Over $147 billion a year is spent on direct and indirect problems related to obesity. The average American spends $34oo a year on health costs, an obese person closer to $5000. The numbers are staggering. America spends $4.1 billion dollars on hypertension (high blood pressure) a year. We spend $8.8 billion on heart disease, also every year. The real mind blower is that we spend $98 billion a year on diabetes. Insane amounts of money are being spent treating diseases associated with obesity. When will we realize we as individuals must do something about this problem?

This epidemic of obesity must stop. It starts with each individual taking responsibility for themselves. Learn to eat fresh, healthy, balanced diets. Get out there and start exercising, even if it is just slowly. America can not handle this strain we have placed upon our health care system. The cost of obesity is more than our economy can bear. Each of us needs to do our part to make a change.

Filed Under: Exercise, Fitness Tagged With: Disease, Health, Obesity