by

healthy_blogging

Functional strength is essential at any age. It allows us to perform everyday tasks, improves posture, balance and strengthens our bones and joints. Senior citizens and folks with joint problems or low endurance often find it difficult to participate in strenuous exercise. Unfortunately physical inactivity can lead to muscular atrophy, and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and weight gain.

So today I'm going to demonstrate some basic strength training exercises that you can do from the convenience of your own home. Although these exercises aren't very strenuous, please consult your physician before starting any new fitness or nutrition program. 

Body Weight Squat

Body weight squats are a very effective compound exercise. Compound exercises require cooperation between many different muscle groups, thereby accelerating muscular strength beyond what would be expected if each muscle group worked independently. Squats strengthen the muscles in your glutes, legs and back making them excellent for developing lower body strength.

("Joseph demonstrating body weight squat" - copyright Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.)

Stand up straight. Now extend both arms in front of you, palms down. Now bend your knees as if you were sitting in an imaginary chair. Hold that position for a moment then use your leg and glute muscles to push yourself back up again. You've just completed a body weight squat. Do this for a total of five repetitions, take a short break then squat five more times. Work at your own pace, you're not in a contest with anyone but yourself.

Standing Calf Raise

Calf raises strengthen the muscles in your calves and ankles. Scientific evidence suggests that strong calf muscles can reduce the likelihood of tibial stress fractures, thus making the calf raise a very important bone strengthening exercise.

 

("Joseph demonstrating standing calf raise" copyright Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.)

To begin, stand next to a chair with a high back. Place your hand on the back of the chair. Make sure that your feet are planted firmly on the floor. Now flex your ankles. This action will cause you to push yourself onto the tips of your toes. Hold for a moment then lower yourself back down again. Repeat the standing calf raise exercise five more times, take a moment to rest then do it for an additional six repetitions.

Wall Push Up Exercise

The wall push up or standing push up exercise is one of many different type of push up variations. The wall push up trains the chest, upper back, and arm muscles which comes in handy for enhancing your upper body strength.

(Joseph demonstrating wall push up. copyright Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.)

Place both palms on a wall, make sure that your palms are at chest level. Keep both palms on the wall and take one step backward. By now your arms should be fully extended.

(Joseph demonstrating wall push up. copyright Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.)

Now lean forward allowing your elbows to bend. Once your chest is in contact with the wall, use your chest muscles to push yourself back to your starting position. Repeat this exercise five more times, rest then go again.

And there you have it. A recent study showed that just fifteen minutes of exercise per day can extend your life and lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. The three basic strength training exercises that I just demonstrated can easily become part of a fifteen minute low volume physical fitness program. 

Take care of yourself and have fun.

God sees everything.

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Article Source

Phys Ed: How To Prevent Stress Fractures. NY Times. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/phys-ed-how-to-prevent-stress-fractures/#more-20415

"Three Strength Training Exercises That You Can Do At Home" copyright © 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy_(SM). All Rights Reserved.

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Bar of Chocolate with Cocoa, Cocoa Powder and Cocoa Beans
Peter Rees
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by

Joseph

Yes, you read the headline correctly. Chocolate really is good for your heart - that is according to a recent study appearing in the 29 August 2011 issue of the BMJ. If this preliminary conclusion holds true, it will have a far reaching impact on heart disease. 

Scientists investigated the association between chocolate consumption and reduced risk for heart attack, stroke, metabolic syndrome and other cardiometabolic disorders. To accomplish this task they performed an extensive meta-analysis which included data from randomized trials, cohort and observational studies of human adults.

Chocolate Helps Prevent Heart Disease, Diabetes and Stroke

Adriana Buitrago-Lopez, a visiting research assistant in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge, led a research team that found a relationship between the amount of chocolate consumed by adults and their risk for heart disease.

Interestingly, adults who eat a lot of chocolate lower their risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In fact, when compared with lowest amounts, maximum amounts of chocolate consumption was found to lower heart disease by 37%, diabetes by 31% and stroke by 29%. It's important to note, however that the study didn't find any association between chocolate and heart failure.

It may seem hard to believe that chocolate could actually be used as a method to treat diabetes, but the meta-analysis suggests that it can. This could possibly be the result of anti-oxidant properties associated with polyphenols which are abundant in cocoa based products, one such study did find an association between consumption of chocolates made of cocoa and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Research published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism found that flavonoids, a specific type of polyphenol, possess anti-inflammatory properties that are good for the heart (to learn more about this read my article "Dark Chocolate or Milk Chocolate: Which Is Healthier For Your Heart?"). The current study points to a relationship between polyphenols and lower insulin resistance which would, of course, be very beneficial for reducing diabetes risk.

What Does The Cardiovascular Disease/Chocolate Consumption Article Mean To You?

The conclusion arrived at by Buitrago-Lopez and her colleagues underscore the health benefits of chocolate. Eating high amounts of chocolate may substantially lower your risk for diabetes, stroke and heart disease, but I wouldn't go rushing down to the store to buy a ton of the stuff. Most of the chocolate in Buitrago-Lopez's meta-analysis consisted of milk chocolate.

Milk chocolate is very energy dense, high calorie foods are very fattening and may off-set any long term health benefits they would otherwise provide. Thus it does seem counter-intuitive that eating vast amounts of chocolate could help people with metabolic syndrome, particularly since two primary characteristics of the disorder are obesity and adult-onset diabetes.

The one saving grace of chocolate in that particular case would that it would lower inflammation that is commonly associated with metabolic syndrome (read my article "Vicious Cycle: Is Metabolic Syndrome Interfering With Your Ability To Exercise?" for more about the relationship between metabolic syndrome and inflammation). But if people who are overweight or obese and already at risk should eat too much chocolate, they could very well put themselves at risk for the very diseases that they're trying to avoid.

So although this is good news, keep in mind that it's still preliminary and in the words of Buitrago-Lopez and her colleagues "any conclusions should be cautious" as their findings could be refuted by further study. Chocolate can indeed be beneficial if it's eaten in moderation as part of a well designed nutrition and fitness program. 

Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.

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Article Source

Buitrago-Lopez et al. Chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2011;343:d4488

"Chocolate Is Good For Your Heart" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy_(SM). All Rights Reserved.

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(CDC image "Histopathology of amoebic meningoencephalitis"- via wikipedia)

by

Joseph

Recently many media outlets reported on the tragic deaths of three people who became infected with a parasite known as the "brain eating ameba". In light of the fact that "brain eating amoeba" infections tend to occur during the summer months, this is an appropriate time to write an article describing what the organism is, where it lives and ways to protect yourself from it.

Where Do Brain-Eating Amoeba Come From?

The scientific name for brain-eating ameba is Naegleria fowleri, a species of ameba-like organisms discovered in 1965. N. fowleri is a primitive single celled organism which belongs to the kingdom Protista and makes its home in warm weather environments throughout the world. In fact it's not uncommon to find Naegleria fowleri in the following environments:

• warm, standing water such as lakes and unchlorinated swimming pools
• untreated tap water
• hot springs
• mud puddles
• water heaters
• warm water discharge from industrial plants
• shallow rivers
• geothermal areas
• dust
• aquariums

How Common Are Brain-Eating Ameba Infections?

Although several people were recently killed by Naegleria fowleri, the chances of infection are quite rare. According to government health officials from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2001 and 2010 there have only been 32 reported cases of Naegleria fowleri infections in the United States. Infection is most likely to occur between July, August and September. However, just because Naegleria fowleri infections are rare does not mean that you are not at risk.

How Does Naegleria fowleri Get Into The Brain?

Naegleria fowleri got its name because of what it does to the human brain. Naegleria fowleri enters the body when infected water gets into the nasal passages. From there the organism makes its way to the brain where it feeds on protein. 

Naegleria fowleri infections cause an illness known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis or PAM.  (Fans of the tv show "House" may recall how Dr. Foreman became infected with the disease after passing through a mist of contaminated well water.) Primary amebic meningoencephalitis infections are often fatal. It's for this reason that you should take precautions to lower your risk of infection by the brain-eating ameba.

Steps You Can Take To Prevent Risk of Brain-Eating Ameba Infection

Although the risk of Naegleria fowleri infection remains very small, health experts say that you should take precautions to lower your risk of infection which include:

• use nose clips when participating in warm fresh water activities
• avoid water activities when fresh water temperatures are warm and the water levels are low
• avoid disturbing the sediment when playing in shallow, fresh water areas

("Freshwater Pond" copyright Living Fit, Healthy and Happy_(SM). All Rights Reserved.)

Symptoms of Brain Eating Ameba Infection

Most cases of brain eating amoeba infection occur in the southern United States, but the organism can be found in warm freshwater all around the world. Because Naegleria fowleri causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis, experts say that the early symptoms of brain-eating ameba infection are similar to bacterial meningitis symptoms.

There are many symptoms to be on the look out for including:

• headache
• fever
• vomiting
• nausea
• stiff neck
• confusion
• lack of attention to others
• hallucinations
• loss of balance
• seizures

According to health officials, PAM symptoms begin manifesting themselves anywhere from one to seven days after infection and can progress very rapidly. Death can occur within one to twelve days after infection by the disease. If you think that you've been infected, seek immediate medical assistance.

Scientists assert that Naegleria fowleri can exist in untreated fresh water, but anyone who participates in warm fresh water activities is at some risk of exposure. Nonetheless, it would be unwise and counterproductive to post signs warning people to steer clear of certain bodies of freshwater. This is because the population and location of these freshwater organisms can change over time.

The best chance of cutting brain-eating ameba infection is to stay out of the water. Aside from that, use your best judgment and prevent water from getting into your nose.

Now that you have some facts about brain eating amebas, you're better equipped to protect yourself from infection and to have a fun time playing in the water during the rest of the warm days we have left this summer.

Since God is for us, who can be against us? Since God is our Protector, the devil can not win.

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Article Sources

CDC - Naegleria fowleri - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/general.html

Naegleria fowleri. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri

"Important Facts You Should Know About Brain Eating Amoeba" copyright © 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy_(SM). All Rights Reserved.

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Discover The Serious Risk Factors You Will Suffer If You Do Not
Reduce Your Stress Levels
By Wolfgang Hofbauer

Stress Can Kill You

Type "How To Reduce Stress Levels" and see all the information
you will find. The amount of information that told me that being
and staying under a lot of stress is not good for you is
amazing. There are a lot of nasty side affects if you do not
reduce stress levels in your life.

Not that I needed anymore convincing, that taking a powernap in
the afternoon or at lunchtime with Pzizz, was a great way to
reduce my stress level and give me the extra energy that gave me
the edge over others.

So what are some of the negative effects of prolonged stress?

I know not everyone is the same and therefore there will be
people that will display some or all of these and some that
might not show any symptoms, until it is too late.

To stop yourself getting to the Point of NO Return without
medical intervention, learn how to manage acute or short term
stress before it becomes a long term problem.

Knowing How To Reduce Stress Levels is important because of the
potential problems.

Here are some of the potential problems of long term stress:

* Your immune system will have its function Decreased, making
you person more prone to serious illness or even turning a
normal illness into a prolonged illness.

* You will increase your risk for cardiovascular disease- heart
attacks and heart failures.

* You could get High blood pressure.

* Your muscle pain will increase.

* You could get Chronic stomach or intestinal problems.

* If you are a woman you could start to get Irregular menstrual
periods and overall challenges to your reproductive system.

* You can increase the risk of getting asthma.

These problems are not a good way to spend your days whilst
looking out of a hospital window wondering what your family is
doing and how your children are going.

What is the Answer to "How To Reduce Stress Levels?"

The answer is actually a simple one. Prevent these symptoms
from arising by taking care of your body early on. I found that
using the Pzizz powernaping system to have a powernap each day
gave me the strength to cope, making it possible for me to
reduce my stress levels and yes I loved the extra energy I got
along the way.

One aspect I have not told you about yet is that reducing my
stress levels and gaining more energy (due to the powernaps)
also improved my marriage and fatherhood. Yes I was able to
spend better quality time with my family and not bring my stress
home to them.

I can not recommend having a powernap enough especially if you
are in a high stress level position or you simply are having
issues with fellow workers. You will be amazed what a bit of
“Time Out” can do for your Stress and Tension levels.

Please all I ask is that when you have used it, get back to me
using the details in the BIO and tell me how things are going
for you, by leaving a comment on that page. You see not only
will you be telling me but a lot of other people that are
constantly visiting my site in search of assistance for their
stress level reduction.

You see only by helping and supporting each other can we truly
achieve our goals. The added advantage of supporting each other
is that if someone discovers something that might be of benefit
to others and that information is passed on the finder of this
information has immediately had their search time reduced by a
lot.

Why is this important? – it speeds up recovery time ten fold.
So assist others by leaving helpful comments.

Happy powernaps and go get them tiger. Reduce Stress before it
kills you.

Look after your well Being and take powernaps.

About the Author: This article was prepared on behalf of How To
Reduce Stress Levels ( http://www.HowToReduceStressLevels.com ).
To Discover more valuable information about how to reduce your
stress levels check out the site, especially if you are a Nurse
on Nightshift .

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=556655&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet

Food Shops and How to Look for the Most Practical Ones
By Trevor Stone

Many different families have many different needs, especially
when it comes to food. And, with the numerous food shops you
encounter every day, it might be hard to find the best ones that
offer the best meats, the best deals and even the best
hard-to-find food and ingredients.

One of the most practical ways to narrow down your food shop
choices is to take the time to figure out what you and your
family needs. Then comes the harder task of going to different
food shops to compare stocks and prices. The following tips
below can help your narrow down your choices and choose the most
practical food shops for you and your family.

1. Think of the food you need on a weekly basis. It's better if
you can come up with your regular menu so you know what
ingredients you need. List down special ingredients, as well,
such as hard-to-find spices or baking needs and the like. Some
food shops might not carry these unique ingredients, so it's
better to note which shops have these.

2. Start with food shops near your area. You wouldn't want to
drive an hour to a food shop just because they carry your
favourite brand of tea. Start looking at the food shops near
your home or place of work. If those food shops nearby don't
carry your favourite tea brand, then it's more practical to look
for another good brand rather than making the long drive out
just for tea.

3. Check out which food shops have the most coupons available.
You can save a lot of money by using coupons regularly to buy
items from food shops. Search online for coupons and check which
food shops have the most coupons. You can also find these in the
papers or your neighbourhood gazette. Remember to print or cut
these out before doing your groceries so you can save money.

4. Check different listings online. There are many websites
that list down food shops and categorise them according to area,
city or even specialty. You can also search these sites by
typing in a descriptive word. For instance, you can type in
"chocolates" in order to find the different chocolate food shops
available near your neighbourhood. Use these listings so you can
narrow down your search for the best food shops.

5. Try shopping in the food shops you chose as your top five.
Once you've narrowed down your list, choose a day wherein you
can visit each food shop in your top five. You don't have to
rush when doing this, so you can get to know each food shop
better. Watch out for things such as properly organised aisles,
the courtesy of the staff and the variety of stocks in each
shop. You can also compare prices and the quality of the food in
each one.

With the variety and number of food shops in your area, it's
normal to be quite confused about which one to go to. Follow the
simple tips above to find the best and most practical food shop
for your needs.

About the Author: Search for the best
http://www.foodshopslocally.co.uk food shops in your
neighbourhood. Our website has listings of the different
http://www.foodshopslocally.co.uk food shop in various areas in
the UK.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=543736&ca=Food+and+Drinks

Stars in the Night Sky

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by

healthy_blogging

"Things are always darkest before the dawn." is a metaphor that is familiar to most Americans. We often use it when situations seem to have reached their bleakest point from which things can only (hopefully) get better. It is related to the contrast between night (dark) and day (bright). But the metaphor isn't always accurate. Why? On a clear night venture outside and take a good look at what you see.

You should be able to see plenty of stars, a few planets and even our own moon. Moonbeams that bathe the land in a wonderful light, and the thousands of twinkling stars in the sky above serve as proof that the night is not dark - not hopeless. 

When you look for light, you'll find it. When you look for hope, you will find it. When you hold fast to the belief that life will become better, you'll have the strength to keep on going. When you accept the fact that you do in fact have a place in this world, you'll feel a sense of warmth welling up from inside. This warmth is its own light. The light of hope which is really the light of Life. 

Things are not always darkest before the dawn. There is always light if you believe.

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"Things Are Not Always Darkest Before The Dawn" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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by

healthy_blogging

Pete is glad that he enrolled in water aerobics, it is one of the best ways for him to lose weight and manage diabetes. As he tells Anne about the good news, she's relieved to know that he's found a safe place to exercise. Pete shows his wife the brochure and assures her that the classes will be taught by a certified instructor. Pete also tells her that he'll be exercising in waist deep water and that the water aerobic workouts are designed to help overweight and obese people get healthy.

"This is a safe way for me to exercise." Pete says to her. "The water exercises won't bother my joints or feet. I can wade in the pool and learn some stretching techniques and play games like water polo and water volleyball."

Anne smiles as she looks at the enthusiasm on her husband's face. "It sounds like fun, honey. How often will you go?"

"Twice a week." Pete replies, thumbing through the brochure,"The gym offers early morning and evening classes. I signed up for evenings, I can go there right after supper."

At that point Pete's voice trails off. He suddenly remembers the candy bar that he bought on a whim. The candy bar that is sitting at the bottom of one of the grocery bags. Anne looks at him quizzically. "What's wrong, Pete?"

The heavy man scratches the back of his neck thoughtfully searching for the right words."I was buying groceries at the supermarket. It was going just fine until I got to the checkout line and saw the candy bars." 

"And what did you do?" Anne quietly asks him.

"I bought a chocolate and peanut butter candy bar and was just this close to eating it." Pete gestures with his thumb and index finger, showing the narrow space between them to prove his point.

"The important thing is that you didn't eat it." Anne says supportively. "Where is it now?"

"In one of the bags." Pete replies as he walks over and retrieves the junk food item from the bag. "I'm going to keep it as a reminder of what I'm up against. I'm going to beat this thing. This is my own fight against obesity."

"No, honey, it's not just your fight. We're in this thing together. And together we're going to beat it." Anne reaches out to her husband who pulls her close to him with a sense of determination and affection. "Yes," Pete says,"Together."

As Pete embraces his wife, he thinks about his love for her. Their love can overcome mountains. Pete knows this is a fight that he has to win. 

To be continued...

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**All characters depicted in this story are fictional and do not represent living or deceased persons.

Disclaimer: **"Don't Let It Weigh On You, Pete" is not affiliated with the E! Television series "What's Eating You?"

"Don't Let It Weigh On You, Pete Part VII" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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Asian Woman Doing...

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Exercising When You're Young Keeps Your Mind Sharp When You Get Older

by

Joseph

Women and teens who regularly participate in physical exercise dramatically cut their chances of developing dementia when they get older, according to a report published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Scientists have discovered that women who are physically active are less likely to experience cognitive impairments in later life than people who are sedentary.

Scientists made the discovery after conducting an experiment into the benefits of physical activity at different life stages. To accomplish this, Laura Middleton, PhD of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Canada led a research team that compared cognitive abilities against physically activity at teenage, early 30s, 50s and late life of 9,344 women from Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon and Pennsylvania. 

Women who were reportedly inactive at teenage, 30s, 50s and late life were between 50 % to 100 % more likely to suffer cognitive impairment at each time point. After Middleton's team placed physical activity at all four age groups into a single model wherein they adjusted for diabetes, age, education, hypertension, BMI, depression, and other variables they found that physical activity in teens was the only status to be strongly associated with cognitive impairment in late life.

The data suggested to researchers that women of each age group would benefit from physical exercise, but teenage women will get the jumpstart on preventing dementia and other cognitive impairments disorders.

Women who were inactive in their younger years, but took up exercise when they got older significantly lowered their chances of developing dementia when compared to women who remained sedentary.

Middleton's research stresses the importance of physical exercise to good health in later life. Of the current study she concluded: "Low physical activity levels in today's youth may mean increased dementia rates in the future. Dementia prevention programs and other health promotion programs encouraging physical activity should target people starting at very young ages, not just mid- and late life."

What Does This Study Mean To You?

Laura Middleton's current study supports other research that she did on the effects of exercise on the aging brain. Last July we reported on a study wherein Middleton discovered that older men and women who participated in exercise were less likely to suffer cognitive impairment (read my article "Dual Research Studies Show That Exercise Really Is Good For The Aging Brain").

Exercise has been associated with reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer (read my article "Healthy Lifestyle May Prevent Cancer Deaths: WHO"). It stands to reason that since exercise slows the aging of muscles, bones and other organs (read my article "Regular Exercise Slows The Aging Process") physical activity will also help you to maintain a healthy brain. 

The research team at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre showed that it's never too late to exercise. Leading a healthy lifestyle which includes regular exercise, proper nutrition, and rest can improve the quality and quantity of your life. Talk to your doctor about setting up a fitness program that is right for you. Get your family and friends involved, too.

If you've been a less active person most of your life, now you have proof that exercise will do you good. And if you're already active, then stay active. You'll be all the better for it.

Jesus who is God loves all of us, He demonstrated it when He died for our sins then on the third day rose by the power of the Father. Believe in Him and have everlasting life.

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Article Source

Wiley: Teenage Physical Activity Reduces Risk of Cognitive Impairment in Later Life.  http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/PressRelease/pressReleaseId-77637.html

"Physically Active Young Women Lower Their Risk Of Dementia In Later Life" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy_(SM). All Rights Reserved.

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by

Joseph

It's been an incredible eight weeks. I've enjoyed this time with you, sharing my workout routine as part of my dead lifting challenge. Now that I've come upon the final week of the challenge, it's hard to believe how quickly the time has passed. There's so much more to be done and to improve upon. You'll find out what I mean as you read the latest report.

Tuesday 16 August 2011

This was a light training day. I had wanted to give myself recovery time leading up to the big day. I performed a light workout consisting of compound exercises and light aerobics. The first fifteen minutes of the workout was devoted exclusively to lunges. This is because the gluteal, quadriceps and hamstring muscles help generate much of the power necessary for dead lifting. After finishing the lunges, I spent the rest of the workout performing chin ups, pull ups and tricep extensions and one minute of running in place.

By the time I finished the lunges my leg muscles were sore which meant I had done a good job. The chin ups and pull ups were intended to exercise the rhomboid and trapezius muscle groups since dead lifting relies heavily on them. 

I made fine use of my time and had a good workout.

Wednesday 17 August 2011

This workout was more intense than Tuesday's with a focus on upper body training and aerobics. The workout was set up like this:

tricep dips (15 reps x body weight) [10 secs rest] chest dips (15 x body weight) [10 s rest] run in place (3 min) [10 s rest] dumbbell side bends (25 reps x 40 lb in each hand) [REPEAT]

I performed the above mini circuit for a total of forty-five minutes. Dips are a compound exercise and they were useful for training my chest, shoulders, triceps and back (which was the primary reason for doing them). The side bends targeted my obliques, I did them because dead lifts recruit this particular muscle group. The aerobics were to burn fat and strengthen my cardiovascular system.

It was a good workout.

Friday 19 August 2011 

Friday's workout was very similar to that of Thursday, the focus was on upper body strength training and light aerobics. I started with light sets of the Turkish get up exercise (2 reps x 20 lb right arm, 2 reps x 20 lb left arm), these were to demonstrate proper form for this exercise (to learn more about this exercise, watch my youtube video "How To Do the Turkish Get Up With Dumbbells").

After that I spent the next thirty minutes performing pull ups, chin ups and light aerobics. I didn't have as much energy as I had the day before, I assumed it was because I hadn't gotten enough sleep. Despite this, I had a decent workout.

Saturday 20 August 2011 - One Rep Max Deadlift

I had a good night's rest and was eager to do the strength test that I'd spent the past two months preparing for. I started with a warm up set (10 reps x 135 pounds) and quickly added more weight. I started my next set which was 225 pounds. By the time I was coming up on my fourth rep, I knew something was wrong.

I completed six reps then stopped to rest. I was surprised that I had trouble lifting such a small amount of weight. Last week I was dead lifting much more than this. Yet, I didn't want to lose any momentum so I added more weight, going up to 315 pounds. I got it up, but was not feeling good about it.

I rested again. Four minutes. Muscles can start to stiffen after two minutes. And there I was waiting twice that. I decided to continue. Go for the max test. I added 120 pounds more and got into position. First try - nothing. I didn't even get the weight off the platform. The second and third tries were just the same. I barely got the weight off the floor on my fourth try, but set it back down again. The fifth try was like the first three. 

The one rep max test was a fail. Psychologically, I felt as if I had gone ten rounds with Frieza in Dragon Ball Z. My muscles were sore and I had no energy. I had the motivation to lift, but my body wasn't helping. I wasn't feeling out of breath, all the same I got out my peak flow meter and measured my respirations. It turned out that I had been in an asthma attack.

It shocked the heck out of me. Exercise induced asthma is a tricky thing, often times it hit when a person inhales cold, dry air. The air in the gym was cooled with fans. I was exercising in the presence of a large overhead fan and a floor mounted one, and when it reacted with sweat drenched clothes it must have induced an attack.   

I spent the next twenty minutes walking and thinking about what to do next. The deadlifting challenge didn't end as planned. I know that you were all expecting good news. Unfortunately I hadn't taken the possibility of an exercise induced asthma attack into account. I won't make that mistake again. I'll give myself a rest, resume training and go for the max test again soon. When I achieve that lift, you'll be the first to know.

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"Deadlifting Challenge - Week 8 Progress Report" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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Early Morning Tai Chi Exercises, Taipei City, Taiwan
Christian Kober
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by

Joseph

Fifteen minutes of daily exercise is enough to reduce cardiovascular risk, concludes Taiwanese researchers in the 16 August 2011 online issue of The Lancet. The idea that people can safely get by with less than 150 hours of exercise per week is welcome news to people with lower physical endurance.

Taiwanese scientists recruited 416,175 volunteers for a cohort study which began in 1996 and concluded in 2008 that studied a range of physical activities. The study participants which consisted of 199,265 men and 216,910 women were placed in one of five categories based on their responses to self-administered questionnaires regarding their physical activity level: inactive, low, medium, high or very high.

When the research team compared the low volume physical activity group with those who didn't participate in exercise, they found that people who exercised for a minimum of fifteen minutes per day were healthier than those who didn't exercise at all.

Scientists observed that men and women across all age groups as well as those with cardiovascular disease benefited from physical exercise; exercise extended life expectancy and improved overall health. By contrast, inactive people put their lives at risk, they increased their risk of death by seventeen percent when compared to people who worked out for fifteen minutes each day. 

What Does The Taiwanese Physical Exercise Study Mean To You?

"15 min per day or 90 min a week of moderate - intensity exercise might be of benefit, even for individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease." was the conclusion made by lead researcher Chi Pang Wen and the rest of the Taiwanese research team. It's difficult to ignore the results of a study with such a large sample size.

The Taiwanese study underscores the importance of physical fitness and exercise even at low intensity. Although the health benefits from physical activity increase the more a person exercises, low volume workouts are good for overall health.

The findings this study are certainly encouraging because God wants us to take care of our health, and to glorify Him; exercise is one of the ways that God has given us to keep the body healthy. The fact that working out for a mere fifteen minutes per day can cut the risk of dying from heart attack, diabetes or stroke is particularly good news for people with joint problems, or poor physical endurance and thus can't participate in prolonged exercise.

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Article Source

Chi Pang Wen et al. Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: a prospective cohort study. The Lancet doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60749-6

"How A Fifteen Minute Workout Can Supercharge Your Body" copyright 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy. All Rights Reserved.

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