Sunday, September 30, 2012

Weight Training Injury Prevention Report

It is a known fact that weight training related injuries are on the rise. This is only natural considering the fact that more people are attempting to remain fit now.
The Report in Brief
The report concerning the rise of weight training injuries that published recently (April 16, 2010) is based on Center for Injury Research. Quite a large number of large number of injuries had also been discovered by the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
This study of weight-related increases accounts for cases that occurred from 1990s to 2007. This is a time during which a 50 percent increase in injuries took place.
The largest portion of these injury increases was reported in men ages 13 to 24. Usually it was while using free weights and the majority of these were sprains and strains.
Other injuries included these: Upper body injuries, lower trunk pain, soft tissue injuries, and hand injuries. It should be noted though that even though most of the injuries that occurred in young people 18 to 24 the largest increase in incidences actually took place in people 45 and older.
The reason the older people would get hurt is because they would over-exert themselves. This often is a result of too much lifting and pulling.
There of course is an increase in women participants in weight training too. However, not as much information has yet been provided about female weight trainers.
This is only a short segment of information provided in a report about this issue. Additional information can be found in "Weight Training-Related Injuries Increasing."
Prevention Tips
This next section is not taken from the same source as the above information about injuries. This is rather a collection of fitness safety tips related to weight training collected from a variety of publications.
There are a variety of reasons why injuries occur. This is a short list of tips based on those varying causes:
Illegal steroids-One main cause of weight training injuries is the use of anabolic steroids. People use them to obtain gains in strength and muscle. However, using steroids is illegal and can lead to torn muscles, tendons, or ligaments. These should NOT be used.
Inadequate warm-up-Another reason that injuries occur is because of not warming up properly. It is highly recommended that you stretch all the major muscles in your legs, arms, back, and abdomen before proceeding.
Inappropriate age-Sometimes adolescents who have not had their muscles fully developed can hurt themselves. Therefore, they should be under close supervision in case of injury. They should limit their weight lifting activity until after reaching puberty.
Improper technique-Sometimes people injure themselves while not using the weights the way they should be used. They also may not handle the weights the way they should be handled. Bouncing, jerking, or throwing them is a very bad idea. Sometimes a person can also extend his/her back in a way he/she should not either, or extending it too often can be dangerous.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

10 Top Tips

10 Ways to stay Healthier at Home
Many people spend all or part of the week working from home, caring for children, parents and relatives, or keeping house. All of these things can be just as demanding and stressful as going to work each day. And you may need strategies to make your experience of home life healthier.
1. Fill house with healthy food and snacks for adults and children. Avoid snacking on treats bought for the kids, making sure your children eat healthy snacks such as raisins, fruit, rice crackers etc rather than sugary, salty or fatty snacks. Fill a container with strips of cucumber, peppers, celery and carrot, grapes, blueberries and strawberries, maybe a little cold salmon or hard-boiled eggs, ensuring there is always something to snack on if you find yourself staring into the fridge without quite knowing how you got there.
2. Have a glass of water every hour. Often the body mistakes thirst for hunger- you may automatically reach for food when you need a drink. Buy a filter jug, or some mineral water, drink with a slice of orange or lime, and encourage children to drink water or dilute fresh fruit juice. Limit yourself to one of two coffees or teas, and stock up on interesting herbal teas for variety.
3. Beat Boredom; hunger may result from boredom- your body is telling you to get up and get a change of scene. Go for frequent little walks, take small children to post a letter, buy a newspaper, have a stroll around the block, or go outside and pull some weeds up. Small changes will keep your brain stimulated. If you are working from home, get up for a couple of minutes every half an hour to keep the body mobile (avoiding back pain) and to refresh your brain. If you cannot leave the house, do something different for five minutes, open a window and get some fresh air, or put some music on.
4. Treat housework as a work out. Turn on the stereo, and perform each task with energy. Vacuuming, floor scrubbing, cleaning windows, gardening and sweeping for 30 minutes each day will keep you healthier.
5. Protect your family from environmental toxins. Safely dispose of dangerous and unpleasant chemical cleaners, go for old-fashioned alternatives (such as vinegar and bicarbonate of soda) or eco-friendly brands, and use some elbow grease.
o Recent research has shown that household cleaning residues cross the placenta to your unborn baby
o Cleaning products are linked to asthma in adults and children.
o The average household contains in excess of 20 gallons of hazardous chemicals- many in cleaning products.
o Most poisonings, particularly of children occur in the home. Children under the age of 6 are usually poisoned with cleaning products.
o Out of 70,000 synthetic chemicals in production, many are linked to cancer and other health problems, but only 600 have been adequately tested. (U.S. Office of Environmental Affairs).
o Many air fresheners contain chemicals harmful to your health, such as artificial musk. Avoid sprays, and swap for an oil burner and pure essential oils such as lavender- much cheaper in the long run.
6. Use the stairs as exercise equipment! When you come to the bottom step, jump off with both feet, and land with slightly bent knees. The impact with strengthen the bones of your ankles, legs and hips, guarding against future risk of osteoporosis. (Do not do this if you have existing bone problems or injuries).
7. Mums of young children- get out with that push chair! Pushing a child around (especially with all those bags kid-stuff) can be challenging exercise. Choose a push chair which does not encourage you to stoop and round your shoulders- many now have adjustable handles. Get out to parks and shops, take the hilly route, stand tall, pulling in your tummy and power along with that pram. Some instructors run push-chair workouts in local parks for new mums- keep your eyes peeled, or invite some friends and do it yourself.
8. Take care whilst preparing food. It can become habitual to finish off children's food and eat your own as well, or eat tea with kids and then later with a partner. This road leads to steady weight gain making many parents unhappy and unhealthy. Try to stay aware whilst preparing the endless drinks, meals and snacks demanded by children, that you are not falling into bad habits.
9. Stay organized. There is so much to do, and it can easily spiral into chaos, leaving you stressed and tired. Take a business-like overview of your week, making the most of your time and resources. For example, try to make several meals out of one cooking session. Prepare extra pasta, rice, green beans, roasted vegetables to be eaten cold as salads in lunchboxes or for snacks and meals, use the same ingredients for several meals- roast red peppers for sauces, soups, salads etc, if you are making one pie/lasagna/soup make two or three and freeze them, marking them with the date you made them. Prepare children's lunch boxes while you are making their tea- using the same ingredients- rice, veggie sausages, cherry tomatoes....
10. Make some time to exercise- reducing stress, achieving personal goals, improving fitness, losing baby weight, and having some time for yourself. If you have young children, look out for local health clubs with crèche facilities or mother-and-baby classes (many council facilities are very affordable). Some clubs also provide classes for older children, and you can use the free time to go for a swim or to the gym. Alternately, buy an exercise or yoga video, or some hand weights and a gym ball. Just 15 minutes of toning exercise a day will make a difference.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

The Good and Bad News About Hoodia

Anyone who is seriously considering a new diet pill or alternative weight loss product of good practices are fully informed about its short-and long-term side effects, and in combination with other drugs. Most people aware of weight today are aware of hoodia gordonii and his incredible ability to suppress appetite. But unfortunately, most people are not fully aware of the hoodia long-term potential side effects.
The good news
The good news about hoodia gordonii is that until now has not demonstrated the short-term harmful side effects. There have been no reports of dangerous side effects of consumers in the West who have hoodia. Volunteers who have participated in small group formal tests have shown that hoodia pure hoodia when taken regularly at an optimal dose - between 750 and 1500mg - were eating 1000 calories a day less compared with the control group. Furthermore, in animal experiments, hoodia has been able to reduce food consumption by as much as 40 percent.
The bad news
Since it is still too early in the hoodia gordonii general of history in relation to modern consumers, the studies have not yet been conducted to assess their potential long-term side effects. Until clinical trials are administered in a large group at random and diverse racial composition, which is not known at this time what the possible side effects hoodia gordonii may have on pregnant women, young obese, or anyone with chronic conditions as the liver, kidney, or heart disease.
Another point to remember is that so far the only harmful side effects from taking Hoodia is achieved through abuse or misuse. For example, someone who suffers from an eating disorder can find his or her self-harm on the road after taking Hoodia for several weeks. How? His health may suffer from a lack of nutrients when they do not feel like eating. The suppression of appetite may cause unknown damage to your body. So how does a prevent this from happening? Here's a simple preventive measure: hoodia supplement with a well-balanced diet and daily exercise.
If you are interested in finding high-quality hoodia reputation of business confidence, be careful with web sites that you order that there are many vendors out there that claim to sell pure hoodia, but the sad reality is that most are selling fake or inferior products hoodia.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Coffee And Fitness

Many of us fitness enthusiasts love to have ourselves a cup o' Joe. It smells good, it tastes good, it makes you feel good. It's a morning ritual for some and a social way to catch up with friends, for others. Some like it black, some like it nonfat with caramel on top. Whatever your coffee preferences are, coffee lovers can all agree that they really enjoy their caffeine!
Is it good for fitness though?
Caffeine is a drug, a stimulant and a supplement.
Effects of caffeine include:
-Increased heart rate
-Increased blood pressure
-Increased dopamine
-Improves Alertness
-Improves Concentration
-Feeling frazzled
-Headaches
-Restlessness
-Irritability
-May effect ability to fall asleep
-Addiction
Caffeine is an "anti-nutrient." This means that it prevents the vitamins and minerals you eat from being absorbed. This is especially bad news for your bones because coffee steals calcium from them. If you are at risk for (or have) osteoporosis, then you really need to cut back!
It's also a diuretic. Caffeine takes water from your body and dehydrates you. This can lead to a bunch of unpleasant conditions, such as constipation. When you are dehydrated, your body holds on to water. This is commonly known as "water weight" and it seems to give you an unsightly extra layer of fat.
Dehydration is also bad news for putting on muscle. You need water to carry nutrients to the working muscles. They need to be "fed" for growth. In combination with the fluids lost through sweat you need to make sure you are drinking lots of water, if you are a coffee drinker. Caffeine also blunts the effects of creatine. So there is a chance your supplements are not working as effectively as they could be!
For a weight loss program you need to be aware that like any drink, there is the potential "empty calories." If you drink in the morning have coffee with low fat cream and without sugar. Do you really need sugar first thing in the morning? Be careful of those delicious lattes. A whole milk latte is over 200 calories! One of those everyday will really slow your progress. Think of fancy coffees as a dessert and treat yourself once in a while.
The good news is that coffee is considered a fitness supplement. It is proven to be endurance enhancing. So much so that the international Olympic committee has placed a ban leading to disqualification for athletes with a urinary limits exceeding 12 mg/ml. This is approximately 4-7 cups of coffee. Coffee in the morning can really clear the cobwebs and make you feel alert and ready to take on the day.
The benefits of coffee as a fitness supplement can be achieved through proper nutrition and exercise. I don't think it's necessary for any fitness program. However, moderate coffee drinking (1-2 cups/day) doesn't have any known long term effects on health. So enjoy a coffee once in a while but don't count on it to give you a great physique.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Health and Happiness

Whatever you think about your health and level of happiness determines how healthy and happy you actually feel.
In his famous book, As A Man Thinketh, James Allen quoted the Bible when he stated, "As a man thinketh in his heart so shall he be.""Henry Ford reiterated that point in simpler language saying, "If you think you can or if you think you can't you're right."
What pictures do you hold of yourself in terms of health and happiness? You may or may not know, actually. You see, your early caretakers, your parents, siblings, teachers, friends and society created the picture you have inside you out of your awareness telling you who you can and cannot be, what you can and cannot do, and what you can and cannot have when you were too young to filter out their messages.
Consequently, the limiting picture you live by now, your self image, only allows you to accomplish actions that fit that narrow definition of you. The good news is nothing about your self image is set in stone.
You can change many aspects of who and what you are simply by deciding who and how you want to be in life. You just need to know that fact, really believe it in your heart, and live from that truth. Decide then act in the new way, the way a person who lives that way, the life you desire to live, acts.
How do you do that? Ask yourself, "What would a person who leads that kind of life have to do to be that way and have what they have?" Then work backwards. Ask yourself, "What kind of actions would he have to take to get where he is now?" Next ask, "What would such a person have to think that leads him to take those particular actions?" Finally, ask, "What kind of person takes those actions?"
Okay, so now you have some answers to some of those questions. Now what?
You cold make yourself crazy trying to figure out all the how to make it happen OR you could ask the Universe, God, Source, Creator (whatever term you use) to show you how to become like that person who already lives that other life style to which you'd like to become accustomed.
OR you can find someone who already lives that way and ask him or her to mentor you.
Actually you don't really need mentoring, per say, you really just want to follow that person around for a few days, note what they say and do, then do as they do.
When you duplicate the actions of a successful person and you know, in your heart of hearts that you deserve that same success, then you have to achieve that goal. Period.
And if you are ready to move further along the path to create your happiness and health I invite you to pick up my FREE Special Report: 45 Tips to Live in Happiness Now