Posts Tagged health
February 13, 2009 at 1:46 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged Exercise Routine for Seniors, Fit and Healthy Seniors, health, healthy lifestyle, Heart Disease, Life, People, Personal, Random, Seniors and Exercise, Seniors and Weight Loss, Seniors and Weight Training, Thoughts, Women And Heart Disease
Let me just take a few minutes to tell you about the importance of physical exercise (including cardio and strength training with weights) not only in our younger years, but especially when we age.
It is estimated that unless we exercise our muscles regularly, we can lose five to seven pounds of muscle tissue each decade of our adult lives. Add this to the amount of fat we gain because of a slow-down in our metabolism as we get older and you can see it becoming a real health problem.
The benefits of building and maintaining muscle mass through strength training are plenty: From a better posture, a decrease in lower back pain, a faster metabolism, to the prevention of falls because of stronger ankle joints and leg muscles, to better being able to deal with everyday tasks like carrying groceries.
General health benefits of regular physical exercise include:
*Reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes
*Lowering of high blood pressure and reducing related health risks
*Relieving arthritis pain by promoting greater flexibility
*Increasing bone density, potentially preventing osteoporosis
In addition, exercising regularly will boost your self confidence, improve your appearance and lessen the threat of depression.
Because of these benefits, The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association have released new guidelines encouraging Americans of any age to strength-train at least twice a week on top of a regular cardio workout (brisk walk, swimming, treadmill, stationary bike) of at least 30 minutes on most days of the week in order to build and maintain a healthy body.
It is recommended that adults of any age perform one to three sets of eight to twelve repetitions each of eight to ten exercises using appropriate weight for their individual fitness level in order to exercise all major muscle groups (arms, shoulders, chest, back, upper legs and lower legs).
In order to maintain a healthy weight and be physically fit at any age, it is important that the physical exercise routine is used in conjunction with an overall healthy diet.
Before starting any weight loss and exercise program, experts suggest that you consult with your physician.
For an easy-to-follow exercise routine, please visit my website www.fitwithandrea.com and click on ‘Exercise Routine for Seniors.’
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January 5, 2009 at 3:27 pm · Filed under health, healthy lifestyle, men's health, Women's Health ·Tagged Diet, Fitness, health, healthy lifestyle, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Life, Lifestyle Change, Men, Men's Fitness, men's health, People, Random, Thoughts, Weight Exercises, weight loss, Women, Women And Heart Disease, Women's Fitness, Women's Health
PREVENTING HEART DISEASE — ALARMING TREND: MORE WOMEN UNDER 45 DYING OF HEART DISEASE
An alarming trend is emerging in the fight against heart disease. More women under 45 are dying of heart disease due to clogged arteries, despite the fact that the overall death rate from heart disease has decreased.
A study by researchers at the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Britain’s University of Liverpool shows the worrisome trend for women of that age group. Experts think that increasing rates of obesity in younger adults, among other factors, are to blame.
Many diseases that are common today are a reflection of our unhealthy lifestyle, along with a combination of bad diet and lack of exercise. If that is true, then it is also true that you can decrease the risk of disease or even early death, by improving your eating habits and increasing your daily physical activity.
According to the American Heart Association and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number one killer today is heart disease, which accounts for about 700,000 deaths each year, about 29% of all US deaths.
The CDC recommends that maintaining a healthy weight by eating an overall healthy diet in combination with regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes on most days of the week) can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and prevent obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
The American College of Sports Medicine and The American Heart Association released new guidelines encouraging Americans of any age to strength-train at least twice a week on top of a regular cardio workout to build a healthier body.
It is recommended that adults perform eight to twelve repetitions of eight to ten exercises using appropriate weight for their individual fitness level. By exercising all major muscle groups (arms, shoulders, chest, back, upper legs and lower legs) regularly, we also prevent losing muscle mass and gaining fat as we age.
Research by Tufts University found that bone density can be improved through strength training, potentially preventing osteoporosis. So the benefits of adding weights to your workout routine are endless.
For simple suggestions on how to transform to a healthy lifestyle by creating healthy eating habits, increasing physical activity, de-stressing your life, and generally having a more positive mindset, please visit my website www.FitwithAndrea.com.
On a personal note: The prevention of heart disease is very dear to me as my mother passed away at an early age after suffering a stroke related to her blood pressure being too high.
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December 30, 2008 at 1:50 pm · Filed under health, healthy lifestyle, Uncategorized ·Tagged Change, Diet, exercise, happiness, health, healthy lifestyle, Life, Lifestyle Change, Men, Men's Fitness, men's health, Mind Body and Soul Connection, motivation, People, Personal, Random, Thoughts, weight loss, Women, Women's Fitness, Women's Health
“Hey, come here–Let me tell you a little secret: You’ve probably heard the slogan ’40 is the new 20, 60 is the new 40.’ How do some people manage to look and be so young no matter what age they are? Well, are you ready for this? It’s a mindset and a matter of attitude. There are ‘old’ thirty-year-olds and there are ‘young’ fifty-year-olds.
“Listen, if you’re sitting at home right now just vegetating from day to day, feel bad frequently and your attitude stinks and you want to feel better but just don’t know how to get started, GET OFF THE COUCH! SHAKE THINGS UP! CHANGE THE STATUS QUO! Change to a healthy lifestyle, get in shape with a fit body, de-stress and simplify your life and you will find out, you’ll get an attitude adjustment in the process! I’ve done it and so can you! Get ready to declare: 45 is the new 25! — Or for that matter: 55 is the new 35! — Or: 65 is the new 45!
“Bottom line is this: Everything happening outside you is a reflection of what’s happening inside you! Believe it or not, there is a FIT, SEXY and HAPPY person already inside you just waiting to be awakened. So what are you waiting for? Wake her up! Visit my website www.FitwithAndrea.com and find out how!”
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“Hi, I am Andrea and I am happy that your search has led you to my blog and website. Let me share with you why I have chosen the butterfly as my logo. Every time I see a beautiful butterfly fluttering by, I instantly smile. Just watching that little creature brings joy to my heart. It symbolizes lightheartedness, joy, love, happiness, a free and independent spirit, and most of all, it is a symbol of transformation.
“One of nature’s great mysteries is the metamorphosis from a crawling caterpillar, after going through chrysalis, to a colorful and beautiful butterfly. Fighting its way out of the old form, the butterfly emerges free to explore the world from a completely new perspective and to flutter through life in joy.
“One day we may find ourselves desiring a better, more meaningful life. At that point, we may not even know what this ‘something better’ exactly looks like. But if we have patience, it will come to us and we will find ourselves on a path of transformation very similar to that of the butterfly.
“Maybe you are in the ‘caterpillar stage’ right now, feeling like you are just living from day to day and are stuck in your old mold. But you also have the desire to change circumstances or behavior, or you want to shake up your life altogether. Then again, you may find yourself already in the ‘chrysalis stage’ but are impatient with the slow pace of transformation or you are lost at what change of your current circumstances you are actually seeking.
“It does not matter where you are at this point in your life. What is important is that you have already taken the first step in your desire for change which has led you to my blog and website. As I went through this transformation some time ago myself, I want to inspire and motivate you on your journey, and I will be with you every step of the way, until you get to the final stage, becoming a beautiful butterfly. 🙂
“By starting to live a healthy lifestyle which includes good eating habits and increased physical activity, limiting stress and maintaining a positive outlook on life, you will be well on your way to reaching your goal! As body, mind and soul are interconnected, you will find many simple suggestions on how to de-stress, have a more positive outlook on life and generally become a content and happy person when visiting my website www.FitwithAndrea.com.”
Life is truly beautiful! Enjoy your journey!
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December 12, 2008 at 1:31 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged Angry Kids, Breathing Exercise, Breathing Exercise Kids, Children, Children's Health, Family, health, healthy lifestyle, Kids, Men, Personal, Random, stress, Stress Relief, Stressed Kids, Thoughts, Women
Sometimes we forget that kids are dealing with stress and anger as well, especially in perilous and difficult times. The following simple breathing exercise will help them with calming down (also great for parents). Practice a few times with your kids until they feel comfortable doing it themselves and make sure it’s a positive experience for them without them feeling any pressure. After finishing the little exercise, tell them how good you feel and see that they are also calm and positive and that their anger is gone. The following is a general guideline on how to approach the issue with your kids:
1. Tell yourself: Time out!
2. Either sit up straight or stretch out on the floor on your back
3. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly
4. Take a deep breath, inhale through your nose
5. Count to four
6. Exhale through your mouth, counting to four
7. The hand on your belly should move when breathing in and out and the one on
your chest should move very little
8. Repeat a few times until you feel calm
Whenever you see your kids getting mad, impatient or stressed out, remind them of this little exercise and how good they felt when doing it before!
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December 8, 2008 at 1:31 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged Add new tag, Childhood Diabetes, Childhood Obesity, Children, Children's Health, Family, health, healthy eating habits, healthy lifestyle, Life, People, Personal, Random, Thoughts
As childhood obesity has become an important health problem with more than nine million children over the age of six being obese, it is important to start promoting a healthy lifestyle by establishing healthy eating habits and physical activity as early as possible. Kids who grow up with these habits usually keep them for a lifetime!
START EARLY !
As kids emulate their parents’ behavior when it comes to eating habits and physical activity, make it a family affair! Get your kids involved and, depending on their age, have them take ownership of some of the decisions, for example, which healthy food items to put on the shopping list, or which healthy snack to take for lunch the next day, and have them help with preparing healthy meals whenever possible. The ‘Fit And Healthy Kids’ section of my website www.FitwithAndrea.com provides you with a variety of suggestions.
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT
A study by researchers from Yale University and the University of Hawaii found that obese children are not only suffering from health issues like high blood pressure, childhood diabetes and eating disorders, but are also on a psychological level more often subject to teasing, bullying and other types of abuse and are two to three times more likely to report suicidal thoughts. The research shows that the stigmatization directed at obese children by other children, educators and others, even parents, is pervasive and unrelenting. The report further compares the quality of life for kids who are obese to the quality of life of kids who have cancer.
BOTTOM LINE: GET EVERYBODY INVOLVED AND MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR !
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November 25, 2008 at 1:31 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged Endorphins, Endorphins and Chocolate, Endorphins and Exercise, Endorphins and Love, Endorphins and Sex, Fitness, happiness, Happy Hormone, Happy Thoughts, health, healthy lifestyle, Life, Lifestyle, Men's Fitness, men's health, motivation, People, Positive Thoughts, Random, Runner's High, Thoughts, Women's Fitness, Women's Health
‘ENDORPHIN’ — A combination of ‘endo’ and ‘morphine’ – meaning endogenously
produced morphine, or internally produced painkiller
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ENDORPHINS AND EXERCISE
Have you ever asked yourself why you are generally in a good mood and feel great after exercising? Well, one answer certainly is an overall feeling of accomplishment, but there is also something to be said about the power of these little, hormone-like substances called ‘endorphins.’ When you exercise, endorphins are being released in your body, giving you a feeling of well-being and a state of euphoria. These feelings can be so powerful that they actually mask pain (the body’s natural painkiller).
Maybe you have heard the term ‘Runner’s High’ or have experienced it yourself. All it takes for most people is moderate-intensity exercise of at least 30 minutes to be in high spirits and feel the elation and joy of a ‘Runner’s High.’ Short, high-intensity workouts have proven to be of little value when it comes to experiencing those benefits. So the most effective stress relief and improvement to your mood may indeed be exercise–who would have thought!
ENDORPHINS AND LOVE
With so much power influencing your mood during and after exercise to the point of giving you a ‘Natural High,’ you probably think that endorphins are also responsible for the incredible feelings of infatuation, falling in love, and then being in love with that ‘special person.’ Well, yes and no. Infatuation or feeling an almost unbearable attraction to someone, when the pure sight of that person can make your heart beat faster and your eyes sparkle, and can make you talk for hours (the same person may seem boring later 🙂 ), is caused by an explosion of neurochemicals similar to adrenaline. At that point you’re basically in love with the idea of being in love.
This passion can last between six months and two to three years and is nearly gone after that for most people. At that stage, if the relationship is not strong enough, it will usually end. However, if it is strong enough, it will advance and then other chemicals, mainly endorphins, play a key role in long-term relationships. Endorphins don’t induce the giddy high you feel when you are first infatuated with someone, but give you a sense of well-being, peacefulness, calmness and stability. They literally are one of the reasons why people stay married because of their addictiveness. Endorphins are the reason why we like loving someone.
ENDORPHINS AND CHOCOLATE
Eating a bite of chocolate will trigger an endorphin release and can impact your mood in a positive way. There’s a reason why I call chocolate my ‘soul food.’ But be sensible; you don’t have to eat a large amount, a little will do. The darker and more bitter the chocolate, generally speaking, the better for you.
BY THE WAY: THINK ‘HAPPY HORMONE’
Looking for an easier way than exercise to release endorphins and get in a good mood? Try a good laugh, think happy and positive thoughts, or make passionate love (or all the above)! 🙂
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October 30, 2008 at 12:23 pm · Filed under health, healthy lifestyle, Random, Stress Relief, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Work ·Tagged de-stress, happiness, health, healthy lifestyle, Life, Mind Body and Soul Connection, motivation, People, Personal, Positive Thinking, Positive Thoughts, Random, stress, Stress Relief, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Work
If you’re like me, you feel a little stressed out lately. While we can’t avoid stress completely, it is important that we find ways to deal with it more effectively as it can be a contributing factor in more than 80% of illnesses. The following are simple suggestions on how to deal better with stress at work.
* Create a neat and organized workplace
Keep your workplace always neat and organized. Nothing is more stressful than if you can’t find something one minute before you have to go into a meeting. Surround yourself with beautiful things that give you joy, make you feel good and inspire you, like pictures of your kids and pets, plants, a cartoon, smiley face or anything that makes you laugh and smile.
* Have an active lunch
Instead of sitting in a crowded restaurant for lunch, why not take a healthy lunch you prepared the day before and opt for physical activity instead? The easiest exercise would be to take a brisk walk. You can do it anywhere and only need some comfortable shoes. Depending on the time you have, you could also go to the gym and work out, etc. Whatever suits you–and take your co-workers with you!
* Get a chair massage
Make a suggestion to have a massage therapist come to your office from time to time to give fifteen minute chair massages. Not only will it relax your tight neck and shoulder muscles and improve your overall well being, but statistics have also shown that it will increase productivity levels in employees (which provides a great selling point to your boss).
* Delegate as much as possible
If you are the boss/manager/supervisor, you don’t have to do it all yourself! Delegate as much as you can in good conscience. Not only will the people you work with appreciate the trust you place in them and will feel that they also have a stake in the success of the business, but it will help de-stress your life and you can concentrate on what is important to you while others work on issues they are perfectly able to handle.
* Stay away from toxic co-workers
In every workplace, there seems to be somebody, sometimes more than one person, who radiates negativity, tries to engage people in vicious gossip, tries to play one against the other, tries to drag people down. Stay away from that person as much as you can. If you think you are that person, please read my suggestions on how to become happy, by visiting my website www.FitwithAndrea.com and click on ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy!’
* Recharge your battery
Take a few minutes from time to time throughout the day to take a break. Get up and walk around, stretch your body and do some deep-breathing exercises. Your body and mind will thank you for it.
* Limit emails
Find ways to limit email use. Don’t let email take over your life!
* Carpool
If possible, try to find other people to carpool with, use public transportation or ride your bike.
Most of all: Enjoy life! Life is truly beautiful! 🙂
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October 30, 2008 at 12:22 pm · Filed under Fitness, healthy lifestyle, Men, Mind Body and Soul Connection, motivation, People, Personal, Positive Thinking, Random, Stress Relief, Uncategorized, Women ·Tagged Fitness, happiness, health, healthy lifestyle, Life, Men, Mind Body and Soul Connection, motivation, Personal, Positive Thinking, Positive Thoughts, Random, Stess Relief, Uncatergorized, Women
Has this ever happened to you? Somebody enters the room and you think to yourself ‘Wow! What a presence that person has!’ And you notice how other people stop what they’re doing to look at the person as well. If you would ask them, most people probably couldn’t tell you why exactly he or she draws all this attention. Often they don’t even fit the stereotypical ‘beauty standard,’ and yet, there is something about them that makes them sexy and attractive to other people. It almost feels like there is an aura around them. What exactly is going on here?
Well, let me tell you a little secret: It’s a mindset. People who feel comfortable with themselves are generally happy and radiate positive energy wherever they go. That in turn is being picked up by others and makes that person attractive, even sexy to them. From a confident walk, to sparkling eyes, to a radiant smile, you can tell they feel good about themselves and it shows.
George Clooney and Queen Latifah are perfect examples for what I just described. When they show up, people take notice. You just know they are self-confident and like themselves, have a positive attitude, laugh often and enjoy life, and that makes them very attractive and sexy.
Now, you also can be fit, sexy and happy, no matter what age you are. As I mentioned, it’s a mindset and a matter of attitude, and you can achieve it by developing a healthy lifestyle, getting in shape with a fit body, de-stressing and simplifying your life, and creating a positive mindset. And when you do, you will find the FIT, SEXY AND HAPPY person that is already inside you just waiting to be awakened. Visit my website www.FitwithAndrea.com and find out how. 🙂
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October 27, 2008 at 12:30 pm · Filed under Fitness, health, healthy lifestyle, Random, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Women, Women's Fitness, Women's Health ·Tagged exercise, Exercises For Arms, Fit and Sexy, Fitness, health, healthy lifestyle, Random, Sexy Arms, Sexy Body, Strength Training, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Weight Exercises, Weights, Women, Women's Fitness, Women's Health
A lot of us aren’t genetically predispositioned to have toned and sexy arms. Combine that with the loss of skin elasticity as we age and it’s really a double whammy. There’s good news, however. With a little persistence, you will be able to get shapely, toned and sexy arms. The first thing to emphasize here is regular cardio workout of at least 30 minutes on most days of the week (treadmill, exercise bike, brisk walk, jogging). This will help you with losing fat all over your body. In conjunction with the cardio workout, experts suggest strength training with appropriate weights for your fitness level on 2-3 days a week targeting each muscle group. The following two exercises are effective in giving your arms the well-toned and sexy look you desire. If you are persistent, you will notice positive changes after a relatively short time.
1. KARATE PUNCHES
Hold 1-2 pounds dumbbells in each hand, raise arms to shoulder level and start punching up to 50 times. After a few weeks, do two sets of up to 50 punches and increase it to three sets after yet another few weeks.
2. SHOULDER PRESSES
Hold your hands next to your ears, holding 5-10 pounds dumbbells, elbows to the side. Raise weights up and then straight back down. Start out with two sets of 12 repetitions and add a third set after a few weeks.
So, are you ready for your little strapless dress? 🙂
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October 15, 2008 at 11:37 am · Filed under de-stress, health, Health Care, healthy lifestyle, Massage, massage therapy, Mind Body and Soul Connection, stress, Stress Relief, Uncategorized ·Tagged de-stress, health, Health Care, healthy lifestyle, Massage, massage therapy, Mind Body and Soul Connection, stress, Stress Relief, Tense Muscles, Uncategorized
Sometimes, when giving somebody with very tense neck and shoulder muscles a massage, I joke around, telling them that I can see names of people engraved in those tense muscles, and that usually serves as an icebreaker or provides for a light moment. Of course, there is some truth to it. Because body and mind are interconnected, stress of any kind (involving people and/or circumstances), especially over an extended period of time, can influence our overall health tremendously in a negative way. Just think about various statistics showing upward of 80% of health problems being stress related. Imagine by how much that number can be reduced once we know how to decrease stress in our lives and discover ways to deal with stress that will work for us!
You will find various suggestions and tools on that subject when navigating through my website www.FitwithAndrea.com. Try out the approaches appealing to you and use the method(s) of stress relief that works for you. The key to achieving and then maintaining good health is a comprehensive approach. It includes healthy lifestyle choices, a healthy diet, self-responsibility for your wellness, regular physical activity, and a positive mental attitude and mindset.
Research has shown that negative emotions of fear, frustration, blame, hate and anger cause disorder in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and can have a negative effect on your immune system. On the other hand, your immune system can receive a boost and the efficiency of your heart can be increased by positive emotions of joy, appreciation, care, compassion and love. On matters of the heart, studies have shown that in general, being in a loving relationship of any kind, especially in happy marriages, can help your heart and your overall health. However, beware that the opposite can be true for negative and toxic relationships.
I believe the following shows the connection between mind, body and soul perfectly. One of my first massage clients was a sixty-something, very nice gentleman to whom I gave massages on a regular basis. I sometimes joked with him about his neck and shoulder muscles being like a “brick wall.” After the massage, his muscles were relaxed and he felt good and was in excellent spirits. However, when I saw him the next time, his muscles again were like a “brick wall.” I knew from talking to him that he was retired and his personal life seemed to be okay. So I had no idea why his muscles stayed pretty much tense most of the time, to the point where he almost couldn’t move his neck from one side to another. Naturally, I knew that there had to be a reason for that.
And then, one day he opened up to me, telling me how he was still angry at his parents (who were deceased) for him not having had a happy childhood and always feeling like they preferred his brother over him. When I listened to him, I could hear his anger in his voice and realized that he was still blaming his dead parents for how he felt and probably for most everything that went wrong in his life. I thought that he most likely had never been able to enjoy life to the fullest, because he ended up blaming his parents for everything that went wrong, and therefore hardly took responsibility and didn’t feel the need to change things himself, because it was his parents’ fault.
Now, this man carried that blame with him his entire life. And it showed in his tense neck and shoulder muscles. After hearing his story, I paused for a moment, and then suggested to him that in order to get to a better and more balanced place, he needed to let go of these negative feelings and forgive everybody involved: his parents, his brother and finally himself. I told him that if I was in a situation like that, I would seek counseling. After that we parted and I didn’t see him for some time. But one day, out of the blue, he called to make an appointment and when working on his neck and shoulders, I noticed how much more relaxed his muscles were. I was about to make a comment about it when he told me, “You know, I took your suggestion and talked to a counselor and I’m feeling so much better now.”
He didn’t have to tell me at all; his body had told me already.
I lost him as a regular client, because from that time on he got massages more infrequently–as he called it: for maintenance and preventive health care only, but not out of necessity, as before.
Somehow, I felt happy losing him as a “regular” client. 🙂
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