Source: Gregg Braden Official
Gregg Braden shares 4 things you can do to thrive and extend your lifespan in this fast-changing world: nutrition, exercise, supplements, and heart-brain coherence.
Source: Dr Rangan Chatterjee Clips
In this interview with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, David Sinclair explains the secret to looking younger and feeling healthier.
David Sinclair, a Harvard professor and author of Lifespan: Why We Age – And Why We Don’t Have To, is a revolutionary thinker and ground-breaking scientist who’s on a mission to make you younger. He is one of the world’s leading scientific authorities on longevity, aging, and how to slow its effects.
Watch the FULL CONVERSATION HERE:
If you find it challenging to finish a project, get through work tasks, study for exams, or concentrate on something, you may be looking for ways to improve focus.
You’re in a moment when you sit at your desk with an urgent deadline and cannot focus on the task at hand. Despite your efforts, you fail to progress. But you know you need to focus and motivate yourself because your job depends on this. Nevertheless, you just can’t concentrate.
In the digital era, it’s easy to get distracted. Interesting content is everywhere, and you deal with an increasing amount of information delivered in various ways. The inability to focus is one of the maladies of our generation, and everyone wants to find out the secret to better focus. So, the tricks for improving concentration are worth addressing.
Image source: Unsplash
In the book Will Power & Discipline, Remez Sasson defined concentration as one’s ability to direct attention to their will. Concentration is control of attention, an ability to focus your mind on one thought, object, or subject while excluding other sensations, feelings, ideas, or thoughts from your mind.
The last part is most likely quite tricky if you’re reading this article. To focus implies not paying attention or excluding unrelated sensations, feelings, ideas, or thoughts. To ignore your phone, emails, beeps, or colleague who is eating ice cream at their desk.
Your daily routine is dominated by switching in and out of digital devices. You get a constant flux of emails, messages, and notifications from apps critical to your job. You are constantly searching for information to solve daily issues or complete tasks.
But all these distractions affect your concentration and productivity, and it takes you longer than it should to complete a task. You don’t listen to what other people have to say, don’t comprehend things, and misunderstand or misinterpret information. Your lack of concentration also affects your memory, and you often forget things or fail to recall information.
Some days you feel like your focus is under attack from all sides. External and internal factors affect your concentration, and you need to identify them in order to improve your focus.
Here are the main factors that stop you from zooming in on the task in front of you.
Distractions. Enormous amounts of information daily bombard you while you work. Researchers found out that the human brain is so primed for distractions that only hearing the phone’s beep impairs your ability to focus. You need to constantly decide if the information you receive is useful, meaningless, or sufficient. The constant flow of information muddles your assessment of whether you need it to decide or complete a task.
Insufficient sleep. Science suggests that lack of sleep can lower your alertness, reduce concentration, and slow thought processes. When you’re sleep-deprived, you feel confused and find it more challenging to focus. Therefore, your ability to meet deadlines is seriously affected. Insomnia can affect your concentration and memory.
Eating habits. What you eat impacts how you feel and how sharp your mind is. If you don’t fuel your brain with the proper nutrients, you can experience fatigue, memory loss, and lack of focus. A restrictive or low-fat diet negatively affects concentration because it triggers cravings and hunger and leaves you feeling unwell.
Environment. Depending on your activities, the environment can impact your concentration; a loud noise level can prove problematic because you may need quietness to focus. It’s not only the overall noise level but also the kind of noise that affects your focus. While co-workers chatting may derail your focus, a favourite song can keep your mind focused.
Vary your diet
What you eat affects your cognitive functions, such as memory and concentration. Stay away from processed foods and take supplements like trace minerals to boost concentration. Staying hydrated also positively impacts your focus because even mild dehydration can make it challenging to remember information.
Improve sleep
When you’re tired, your reflex slows down and affects your daily tasks. Therefore, it’s essential to get as close to the recommended amount of sleep nightly. Experts state that adults should aim for 7 or 8 hours of sleep each night.
How can you improve your sleep?
Exercise
Regular exercise increases concentration because physical activity benefits everyone. Research suggests that adults who engage in moderate physical activity can stop or reverse memory loss associated with brain atrophy.
Experts still debate what tricks function best in improving concentration. We hope that now you can identify the factors that impact your focus and strategies that can help you enhance your engagement.
Committing to starting a fitness lifestyle can be tough. There are so many obstacles that stand in the way of beginning an exercise routine. In this article, Dr Ryan Shelton will discuss some simple steps you can take to make it as easy as possible to get started and stay committed!
When it comes to fitness goals, there are many things to consider. For example, do you want to lose weight, gain muscle mass, or improve overall health and well-being? Selecting and striving towards a goal that is important to you personally is essential. Once you know what goal you’d like to achieve, it will be much easier to create an effective plan tailored specifically for you.
It’s also important to set realistic expectations. Don’t strive toward unrealistic goals or strive towards goals that are impossible to achieve – this will only set you up for disappointment. Start with smaller goals and work your way up.
For many individuals, working is more fun when you have something to look forward to. Try creating rewards for yourself when you reach milestones in your fitness journey. For example, you might want to reward yourself with a massage or a mini-vacation after you have been exercising for six weeks.
Another way you can make working out more enjoyable is by working out with a partner. Group classes are becoming increasingly popular, such as boot camps, yoga classes, and dance classes. All of these are great ways to socialize and stay committed!
Additionally, having a support system, such as a workout partner or friend, is crucial for helping you stay on track and maintain a fitness lifestyle.
Setting a realistic timeline is important as well. We all want to see immediate results when we work out, but it simply doesn’t work that way. Bodies take time to change. Keeping a realistic timeline and expectations keep you motivated as you progress along your journey.
The next step is to create an exercise plan tailored to your needs and lifestyle. If you work long hours and don’t have time to go to the gym, then consider incorporating some at-home workouts into your routine. If you enjoy being outdoors, find a hiking trail or park where you can walk or jog. There is no wrong way to get active as long as it fits into your schedule, and you enjoy doing it!
Quality workout clothes can be very pricey, but it’s worth the investment if you are serious about getting fit. Working out in clothes that make you feel uncomfortable or self-conscious can hinder your progress. When you look good, you feel good – and that will show during your workouts!
Finally, keep a food journal of what you eat, how much you eat, and what times you’re eating. This will help you identify patterns in your eating behavior that can help motivate you to make changes. For example, if you’re trying to cut out unnecessary carbs and you realize you’re stopping at local coffee shop for a muffin with your afternoon latte 2-3 days per week, then this might help motivate you to pack a healthy snack instead. The last thing you want is to hinder yourself when you’re trying to achieve your fitness goals.
Starting a fitness lifestyle can be daunting, but it’s worth it in the end! By following these simple tips, it can help make your fitness journey a lot easier and more enjoyable. Remember to set realistic goals and a great fitness plan, find a support system or partner, invest in high-quality workout clothes, and keep a food journal. Most importantly, have fun, and don’t forget to celebrate your progress along the way!
Source: Mercola.com
This article was previously published on June 29, 2020, and has been updated with new information.
Breathing is universal, habitual, and nearly always automatic. When you get stressed, your breathing pattern and rate change. This often results in more chest breathing in response to a “fight or flight” situation, a response triggered by the autonomic nervous system.1
In April 2019, a headline in The New York Times announced, “Americans Are Among the Most Stressed People in the World …”2 This was slightly less than one year before the COVID-19 pandemic raised stress levels even further.
Americans are no strangers to stress. A poll was conducted in 2007 by the American Psychological Association (APA). In a press release they noted that one-third reported they were living with “extreme stress” and 48% thought their stress had “increased over the past five years.”3 Russ Newman, APA executive director for professional practice, commented:4
“Stress in America continues to escalate and is affecting every aspect of people’s lives — from work to personal relationships to sleep patterns and eating habits, as well as their health.
We know that stress is a fact of life and some stress can have a positive impact, however, the high stress levels that many Americans report experiencing can have long-term health consequences, ranging from fatigue to obesity and heart disease.”
Fortunately, your breathing is not completely automatic. Controlled breathing is one strategy that has proven effective in reducing physiological stress indicators and improving feelings of being calm.
This means you can control your breath to help manage stress, improve relaxation and make greater strides to take control of your health. Let’s start with a short explanation of some of the different parts of the nervous system.
Stress and your body’s reactions to environmental stimuli that cause stress are survival mechanisms. However, chronic activation of the system causes the consistent release of hormones that produce harmful physiological changes.
While the fight-or-flight response is critical if you’re facing down a bear or running from an assailant, ongoing exposure to societal stress can raise your risk of chronic disease and death.5 Your response to a stressful situation begins in the amygdala of your brain, which plays a role in how you handle the emotions associated with stress, joy, and other scenarios.6
The amygdala sends a signal to the hypothalamus, which communicates to the body through the autonomic nervous system. This system controls functions in the body that happen automatically, such as your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.
The autonomic nervous system has two parts, one that raises the alarm and another that helps calm you down. The sympathetic nervous system signals the fight-or-flight response to begin. This gives you the energy and focuses you need to flee from a risky situation. Once the danger has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system helps apply the brakes to the release of hormones so that the body can rest.
Each of these changes happens quickly and without any input from you. This is why you can jump out of the way of a snake in the grass before you fully recognize there’s anything in your path.
Keeping the sympathetic nervous system revved up and ready has a detrimental effect on your health. By using controlled breathing, you can calm yourself and create real physiological changes, including:7
The technique of box breathing is what SEALS use. In this video, Mark Divine of SEALFIT demonstrates box breathing and tactical breathing. He explains tactical breathing is used during performance to calm the mind when you’re under duress. For those of us not in combat situations, this might happen in the boardroom, during athletic competition, or while taking a test.
SEALS use box breathing as the practice technique, so tactical breathing is effective when it’s needed. There are four steps and each is done for the same amount of time. Breathing affects how you think and feel.8 Lynne Everatt is an author, personal trainer, and wellness expert from Toronto. She spoke to a reporter from Forbes, saying:9
“Stress and anxiety trigger neurocircuitry that was designed to be used sparingly to deal with life-or-death threats, not on a daily basis as a response to gnarled traffic, a toxic boss or work overload.
Chronic stress has a corrosive effect on the brain that has been linked to degeneration of the hippocampus (the brain’s memory center) and impaired functioning of the prefrontal cortex that can manifest in our lives as depression, dementia and impaired executive function.”
To begin practicing box breathing, get in a quiet place where you can concentrate and maintain good posture. Ideally, you’ll want to measure how many cycles or minutes you can do the technique and work up to five minutes.10
Do each step below with focus and intention on your actions. Most people who use this technique recommend inhaling and exhaling to a count of four or five. Either is acceptable as long as each phase takes same the length of time.
Step 1 — Begin by exhaling the air out of your lungs to a slow count of four. Some recommend exhaling through your mouth; Divine recommends exhaling through your nose.
Step 2 — Hold your breath for a slow count of four.
Step 3 — Inhale slowly to a slow count of four through your nose, keeping your back straight and breathing through your abdomen so your shoulders do not rise.
Step 4 — Hold your breath for a slow count of four and return to step 1.
Breathing through your nose offers specific health benefits. Researchers have found that people who usually breathe through their mouths have a higher risk of sleep problems and attention deficit disorders.11 One theory for this is the difference in brain oxygenation.
Individuals who mouth breathe tend to hyperventilate or get more oxygen than is needed.12 This lowers the level of CO2 in the body, which is important since you need a balance of oxygen and CO2 to function optimally. Nose breathing helps accomplish this.
Your vagus nerve is the major part of the parasympathetic nervous system.13 Diaphragmatic breathing, which you may have heard as slow abdominal breathing, triggers the vagus nerve and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. Since the 1970s, deep breathing has become a central part of helping reduce stress and anxiety, widely accepted by Western clinicians.14
By stimulating the vagus nerve and thus the parasympathetic nervous system, nose breathing can help reduce stress, anxiety, and the release of stress hormones. Breathing through your nose helps you to breathe less.
This might sound like a bad recommendation, yet many people chronically over-breathe and deplete their carbon dioxide reserves. Chronic mouth breathing has been associated with several health problems, including:
As I’ve written before in “Top Breathing Techniques for Better Health,” the function behind box breathing that reduces stress, raises your CO2 level, and signals your parasympathetic system is diaphragmatic breathing. You can easily assess your body’s tolerance for CO2 at home, using a technique developed by Dr. Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko.23
This Russian physician discovered that the level of CO2 in your lungs correlates with your ability to hold your breath after a normal exhalation. Begin by sitting straight with your feet flat on the floor. Take a small breath in and out through your nose. After exhaling, pinch your nose to keep air from entering and then start your stopwatch. Hold your breath until you feel the first desire to breathe. When you feel that urge, resume breathing and note the time.
Your first breath should be calm and controlled through your nose. If you feel like you had to take a deep breath, then you held your breath too long. What you just measured is called the “control pause,” or CP. This is a reflection of the tolerance your body has for carbon dioxide. Most people can hold it for 20 to 40 seconds, but 40 to 60 is optimal. Anything lower than 40 may be a reason for concern.
One strategy for improving your CP is to raise your fitness and endurance levels. Another is to improve your breathing technique by expanding your abdomen rather than lifting your shoulders. When your shoulders lift during inhalation, it’s called vertical breathing.
This can make you feel taller and it does not involve extending your stomach. However, correct breathing causes your midsection to widen and is called horizontal breathing. This engages your diaphragm, which allows you to take a more complete breath and stimulate your vagus nerve.
Another reason to breathe through your nose is to raise the production of nitric oxide (NO).24 Your body produces NO in other places as well, including your endothelial cells. This is a soluble gas that has some exceptional health benefits, some of which I discuss in “The Importance of Healthy Bacteria in Nitric Oxide Production.”
Many of those benefits may be a result of NO being a signaling molecule. Doctors use the gas in a number of clinical settings, including to help reverse pulmonary high blood pressure in newborns. NO produced by your endothelium helps to relax arteries and reduce blood pressure. This helps to promote oxygenation to all your organs.25
Another benefit of inhaled nitric oxide has been in the treatment of viral infection. Clinical trials are currently underway for the treatment of people infected with SARS-CoV-2. The principal actions that could help combat COVID-19 include:26
Louis J. Ignarro, Ph.D., author of the article in The Conversation, was one of three recipients of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1998. The group of pharmacologists discovered how nitric oxide was produced and how it functions in the body.27 Nitric oxide is produced in the nasal cavity, but not in the mouth.
This means that those who chronically breathe through their mouth are bypassing production that can be inhaled into the lungs.28 This direct delivery helps increase airflow and blood flow within the lung tissue, and it inhibits the growth and replication of viruses and other microorganisms. There is a clinical trial currently underway to:29
“… determine whether inhaled NO improves short term respiratory status, prevents future hospitalization, and improves the clinical course in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 specifically in the emergency department.”
You can help boost your NO production at home using a simple, four-minute exercise three times a day. Dr. Zach Bush, whose triple-board certification includes expertise in internal medicine, endocrinology, and metabolism, named the exercise the Nitric Oxide Dump. He says it is anaerobically efficient and the more you do it, the better it works.
The exercise can be done at home with no equipment and can accommodate every fitness level. It works by stimulating the release of nitric oxide. You’ll find more about the exercise, how to do it and why it’s so beneficial at “Fitness Checkup: Why You Need to Try the Nitric Oxide Dump Workout.”
By Hilary A. Marusak, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University
Many people have experienced reductions in stress, pain and anxiety and sometimes even euphoria after exercise. What’s behind this so-called “runner’s high”? New research on the neuroscience of exercise may surprise you.
The “runner’s high” has long been attributed to endorphins. These are chemicals produced naturally in the body of humans and other animals after exercise and in response to pain or stress.
However, new research from my lab summarizes nearly two decades of work on this topic. We found that exercise reliably increases levels of the body’s endocannabinoids – which are molecules that work to maintain balance in the brain and body – a process called “homeostasis.” This natural chemical boost may better explain some of the beneficial effects of exercise on brain and body.
I am a neuroscientist at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. My lab studies brain development and mental health, as well as the role of the endocannabinoid system in stress regulation and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.
This research has implications for everyone who exercises with the aim of reducing stress and should serve as a motivator for those who don’t regularly exercise.
Several decades of research has shown that exercise is beneficial for physical health. These studies find a consistent link between varying amounts of physical activity and reduced risk of premature death and dozens of chronic health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and heart disease.
More recently – over about the past two decades – mounting research shows that exercise is also highly beneficial for mental health. In fact, regular exercise is associated with lower symptoms of anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s disease and other common mental health or neurological problems. Consistent exercise is also linked to better cognitive performance, improved mood, lower stress and higher self-esteem.
It is not yet clear what is behind these mental health boosts. We do know that exercise has a variety of effects on the brain, including raising metabolism and blood flow, promoting the formation of new brain cells – a process called neurogenesis – and increasing the release of several chemicals in the brain.
Some of these chemicals are called neurotrophic factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor. BDNF is intricately involved in brain “plasticity,” or changes in activity of brain cells, including those related to learning and memory.
Scientists have also shown that exercise increases blood levels of endorphins, one of the body’s natural opioids. Opioids are chemicals that work in the brain and have a variety of effects, including helping to relieve pain. Some early research in the 1980s contributed to the long-standing popular belief that this endorphin release is related to the euphoric feeling known as the runner’s high.
However, scientists have long questioned the role of endorphins in the runner’s high sensation, in part because endorphins cannot cross into the brain through the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from toxins and pathogens. So endorphins are not likely to be the main driver for the beneficial effects of exercise on mood and mental state.
This is where our research and that of others points to the role of our body’s natural versions of cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids.
You may be familiar with cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol – better known as THC – the psychoactive compound in cannabis (from the Cannabis sativa L. plant) that causes people to feel high. Or you may have heard of cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, an extract of cannabis that is infused in some foods, medicines, oils and many other products.
But many people do not realize that humans also create their own versions of these chemicals, called endocannabinoids. These are tiny molecules made of lipids – or fats – that circulate in the brain and body; “endo” refers to those produced in the body rather than from a plant or in a lab.
Endocannabinoids work on cannabinoid receptors throughout the brain and body. They cause a variety of effects, including pain relief, reduction of anxiety and stress and enhanced learning and memory. They also affect hunger, inflammation and immune functioning. Endocannabinoid levels can be influenced by food, time of day, exercise, obesity, injury, inflammation and stress.
It’s worth noting that one should not be tempted to forgo a run or bike ride and resort to smoking or ingesting cannabis instead. Endocannabinoids lack the unwanted effects that come with getting high, such as mental impairment.
Studies in humans and in animal models are pointing to endocannabinoids – not endorphins – as the star players in the runner’s high.
These elegant studies demonstrate that when opioid receptors are blocked – in one example by a drug called naltrexone – people still experienced euphoria and reduced pain and anxiety after exercise. On the flip side, the studies showed that blocking the effects of cannabinoid receptors reduced the beneficial effects of exercise on euphoria, pain and anxiety.
While several studies have shown that exercise increases the levels of endocannabinoids circulating in the blood, some have reported inconsistent findings, or that different endocannabinoids produce varying effects. We also don’t know yet if all types of exercise, such as cycling, running or resistance exercise like weightlifting, produce similar results. And it is an open question whether people with and without preexisting health conditions like depression, PTSD or fibromyalgia experience the same endocannabinoid boosts.
To address these questions, an undergraduate student in my lab, Shreya Desai, led a systematic review and meta-analysis of 33 published studies on the impact of exercise on endocannabinoid levels. We compared the effects of an “acute” exercise session – like going for a 30-minute run or cycle – with the effects of “chronic” programs, such as a 10-week running or weightlifting program. We separated them out because different levels and patterns of exertion could have very distinct effects on endocannabinoid responses.
We found that acute exercise consistently boosted endocannabinoid levels across studies. The effects were most consistent for a chemical messenger known as anandamide – the so-called “bliss” molecule, which was named, in part, for its positive effects on mood.
Interestingly, we observed this exercise-related boost in endocannabinoids across different types of exercise, including running, swimming and weightlifting, and across individuals with and without preexisting health conditions. Although only a few studies looked at intensity and duration of exercise, it appears that moderate levels of exercise intensity – such as cycling or running – are more effective than lower-intensity exercise – like walking at slow speeds or low incline – when it comes to raising endocannabinoid levels. This suggests that it is important to keep your heart rate elevated – that is, between about 70% and 80% of age-adjusted maximum heart rate – for at least 30 minutes to reap the full benefits.
There are still a lot of questions about the links between endocannabinoids and the beneficial effects of exercise. For example, we didn’t see consistent effects for how a chronic exercise regimen, such as a six-week cycling program, might affect resting endocannabinoid levels. Likewise, it isn’t yet clear what the minimum amount of exercise is to get a boost in endocannabinoids, and how long these compounds remain elevated after acute exercise.
Despite these open questions, these findings bring researchers one step closer to understanding how exercise benefits the brain and body. And they offer an important motivator for making time for exercise during the rush of the holidays.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The new year is around the bend and with it will come the promise of something wonderful. No matter how you feel about new year’s resolutions, it’s hard to deny the excitement that comes with a new year. You have time to reflect on your past year, examining all the experiences that it gave you; your victories, your defeats, and all the things you learned in between.
For many, the new year represents a unique time to be thankful and help set up goals and aspirations for the next. One of the most popular areas of focus during this transitional season is in the area of self-improvement and physical fitness.
In fact, the new year provides an opportune time to take inventory of your personal health journey. Whether you are a seasoned veteran who has been growing on this path and taking it seriously for years or you are just starting to consider it. This time of year is a great time to pause, reflect and decide on what you want the upcoming year to look like for you.
One of the most important things to achieving a goal is to take careful inventory of all your resources that you have to accomplish that goal. So much of the time the bad stigma that new year’s resolutions do get come from ideas that are enacted upon from a place of emotional reaction instead of logical thought.
The simple truth is, whether you are just starting your journey into better health or you have been committed for some time, you deserve the best health that life can give you. If your goal is to increase and enhance your current health journey, then no matter the stage – this is a goal that you should be excited to be making.
That being said, take time and reflect on what you will need to accomplish that goal. Maybe you need to start making dietary changes or incorporating a new form of exercise into your weekly routines. Whatever it may be, you need to take time and make sure you have both the capacity and the resources available to make these decisions correctly.
Typically the number one reason why so many don’t accomplish their health and fitness goals is because they underestimated the amount of time it would take to accomplish them. For instance, if you already have a packed schedule – it may be very challenging to try and incorporate more training or gym time into your week.
If you already struggle to find the time to eat as it is, trying to hold yourself to a new nutritional standard that requires you to cook every day may prove to be very trying.
When it comes to taking inventory, however, the goal is not to simply see what you ‘can’ and ‘cannot’ do – but instead to see if you are properly equipped. If for instance, you see that you are not well equipped for certain paths, then don’t rule them out but find out how you could get prepared to meet those goals.
One of the most powerful tools you can introduce into your health care journey is electrolyte powder! This all-natural supplement will help you no matter your level of fitness or how advanced you are in your health journey. The number one reason that it will act as a powerful tool for your journey is that it is an all-natural way of giving your body the electrolytes that it needs to function optimally.
HRDWRK’s signature electrolyte powder blend has zero added sugars and no artificial ingredients. So no chemicals that are hard to pronounce or worrisome, and no added guilt for the diet conscious.
With a specific blend of electrolytes containing ions like potassium, sodium, and magnesium – this electrolyte powder will enhance every aspect of your day. With a flavorless profile, you can add a scoop to any of your favorite drinks and experience the all-natural hydration-enhancing effects.
The body naturally uses and loses electrolytes throughout the day. While they can be replenished through diet, by introducing the electrolyte powder supplement you can effectively replenish your electrolytes at any point in your day with no hassle! This simple step will help to keep you naturally alert, energized, and ready to accomplish any of your physical wellness goals in 2022!
It is not uncommon for people to have back problems. The number of individuals who have had spinal surgery has increased exponentially in recent years, which means that there are many more people looking for ways to prevent these issues from happening. In this blog post, I will discuss what causes back problems and how you can avoid them with some simple changes!
Back problems occur when the spine starts to lose its normal curvature and alignment. This can be caused by many different things, including:
As you can see from this list, many things that cause people to get spine problems are preventable and manageable! So let’s look at what we can do to correct these issues and prevent them from getting worse.
The first step to preventing back problems is breaking the bad habits that cause them. This means not slouching in a chair, correcting your posture when you’re standing up, and doing exercises to strengthen your core muscles (the ones in between your hips).
These are all great tips that will help improve your overall health and reduce the risk of developing back problems. But they’re not a cure-all; if you’re already experiencing back pain, please consult a doctor to find a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Another big cause of back problems is when your spine loses its flexibility. The discs in between the vertebrae are almost like jelly; they’re flexible and act as shock absorbers for all the bumps you go through every day. But over time, these discs can dry out if you don’t stretch or exercise them regularly – just like any other muscle in your body.
This is why it’s so important to stretch and exercise your spine regularly! You don’t need to do anything crazy or intense – just a few simple stretches every day will help keep your spine healthy and flexible. Yoga and Pilates are great exercises for this, but even something as simple as walking can help.
When you’re stretching or exercising, make sure to focus on your breathing. This will help relax your body and stretch the muscles more effectively. If you find yourself getting tense, take a break and try again later.
Stretching and exercising your spine is one of the best things you can do for your health! Not only does it reduce the risk of back problems, but it also helps improve your posture and reduces stress levels. So make it a habit to stretch every day, and you’ll feel better both physically and mentally.
Chiropractic care is another great way to keep your spine healthy and flexible. Chiropractors specialize in the alignment of the spine, and they can help correct any problems that may be causing back pain. They also provide education on how to maintain a healthy spine through stretching and exercise.
If you’re experiencing back pain, it’s a good idea to consult a chiropractor to see if they can help. Many people find relief from chiropractic care, and it’s a great way to prevent any long-term damage to the spine.
If you’re not sure whether chiropractic care is right for you, talk to your doctor or check out some online reviews. It’s always a good idea to get other opinions before trying out any new treatment!
The benefits of seeking chiropractic care can’t be ignored – it really works for many people, and it’s one more way you can help maintain healthy spinal function.
It’s always a good idea to consult with your doctor before trying any new medication. Depending on the type of back pain you’re experiencing, medications may not even be effective for you! And worse yet, certain types of painkillers can actually make things worse in the long run. Talk to your doctor about what they recommend and whether or not surgery is a viable option.
Some back problems may require surgery, but this should always be your last resort. There are many different types of surgeries available, so it’s important to talk to a specialist about which one is right for you. There are even simple spinal surgery devices that you can look at before going all in. Surgery is a big decision, and it’s important to weigh all the pros and cons before making a final decision.
Surgery can be very effective at relieving back pain, but it’s best to consult with a specialist first – they’ll help you decide if surgery is right for your situation!
In conclusion, there are many different options for relieving back pain. Stretching and exercising, chiropractic care, and consulting with a specialist can help you prevent any long-term damage to your spine! So don’t wait – start taking care of your spine today and you’ll feel better in no time!
Maintaining your health takes more than eating right, getting sleep, and exercising. To live a healthy life requires a process of those three fundamental principles along with regular health screenings.
Having regular health screenings will help determine and diagnose any potential underlying health issues and provide better guidance to improve your health and wellness.
To live well requires that you focus on the four central pillars of health, diet, exercise, sleep, and wellness exams. So let’s examine each of those four pillars and provide some tips to help you live the best life.
The sayings, “junk in, junk out” and “you are what you eat” are more than something to help you remember to eat better. There’s truth in these adages that what we consume provides us with the necessary macronutrients to fuel our bodies.
Macronutrients are the primary sources of energy and nutrition, so it only makes sense to provide our bodies with the best macronutrients we can provide. Avoiding processed foods that may be high in sugar, salt, and additives is a great start.
Focusing on a diet that is low in calories but rich in protein and high in fiber will provide your muscles with the energy needed to perform critical functions, aid in the digestive process, and provide long-sustaining energy.
These are all essential functions of weight management and appetite control.
There are numerous health benefits to moving to a more plant-based diet, and there are a wide variety of menu options available to you.
For example, you can decrease the amount of meat you consume and substitute it with beans and legumes.
Additionally, you can move to a breakfast routine that includes daily smoothies. Smoothies provide essential vitamins and minerals, protein and fiber, and are delicious ways to create flexible, filling meals.
A second pillar to wellbeing is getting regular exercise. The World Health Organization recommends 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week for a fully grown adult or up to 120 minutes of low-impact movements for optimal health.
The apparent benefits of exercise include strengthening the skeletal-muscular system, enhancing the immune system, slowing the aging process, helping the digestive process, and weight control.
One of the more significant benefits of exercise, we enhance the body’s immune system empowering it to fight off illness and other diseases such as cancers.
Exercise causes the body to strengthen its respiratory system and cardiovascular function and helps the body to perform more efficiently.
That said, one often overlooked benefit from regular exercise is that it works in boosting moods.
When the body is stressed, the brain releases powerful neurochemicals that can inhibit or strengthen moods.
For example, too much negative stress, such as when we experience depression and grief, can lower the body’s spirits.
On the other hand, when we stress the body in a good way, such as strengthening it through exercise, the brain releases dopamine that boosts moods and energy.
Sleep is the primary function of the body and mind to relax, regenerate, and rebuild itself. Yet, it is often the first thing we sacrifice when we’re stressed or overstimulated but should be considered necessary for our overall health as the other two cornerstones to good health.
The WHO recommends that fully grown adults get at least 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night, and some studies show that even with the proper amount of sleep, occasional naps are encouraged.
At different stages of our life, we are prone to more or fewer health concerns. For example, at 45 years of age or older, getting regular colon exams is the recommendation, and those examinations may occur earlier in cases of family history of colon cancers.
However, if colon cancers are a concern for you, you can always get an at-home test before scheduling a professional examination. An at-home test, known as a fit test, will help you have peace of mind before your regular exam.
The primary benefit of regular health examinations is to screen for potentially more serious diseases or other underlying health concerns.
Taking a balanced approach of eating right, getting regular exercise, sleeping well, and getting annual health screenings will help you live a healthy, happy life.
The good news for those who reside in the UK is that the COVID-related restrictions are finally easing up a bit. For example, in Europe, Brits can now use outdoor gym equipment from March 29, which means not only can people enjoy fresh air and sunshine in a social setting, but can get a good dose of exercise while doing so.
For more than a year, people all over world have faced varying forms of lockdown regulations. Some have been fully sequestered in their homes, only able to venture out for essential functions like visiting a doctor or buying food. But, from the end of March, all UK residents are subject to fewer rules, especially those that pertain to socializing, traveling abroad, working at a remote office, and more. Here are the benefits of the new changes in the UK laws.
While most of the rules about indoor activities will remain in place, outdoor sports and exercise are pretty much reverting to their pre-COVID structure. That means you’ll be able to do things like play football, use outdoor exercise equipment, and golf. The key thing about the new legislation, especially as it pertains to sporting activities, is that indoor sports are still off limits in most cases.
Authorities are careful to point out that travel abroad is still restricted, except for several categories that fall into the essential category. Travel within the UK is allowed as well, but it’s suggested that citizens still minimize that amount of movement they take part in, especially if it involves trains, buses, or planes. Government officials have set up a phase-out of most pandemic lockdown regulations, with March 29 being the beginning of phase one.
What about weddings, funerals, wakes, backyard get-togethers, and similar routine social events? They all have their own limitations on the number of people who can be in attendance, with details posted on the official national health website of the UK. Weddings are a typical example. Before March 29, only special circumstance weddings were allowed. Now, since March 29, weddings are fully permitted as long as they take place outdoors and have six or fewer attendees. That means large nuptials continue to be out of the question. Those who want to have large numbers of attendees at weddings, funerals, wakes, or parties will have to wait for the second or third phase of the ease-up.
The new, more lax restrictions on child-related functions like schooling, day care, and sporting events are rather complex. The key factor is that anything indoors is much as it was throughout the lockdown. For instance, parents can’t drop kids off at daycare unless it’s for the purpose of freeing the adults to seek employment, do their jobs, attend official classes, or visit a doctor. When setting limits on outdoor events that involve children, authorities have decided to allow any children under the age of five to be released from the rules. For example, if a kids’ football game is limited to 15 attendees, the limit doesn’t apply to the players who are age five or younger.
Summer is around the corner, many people have already prepared for lean muscle mass gain with their best pre workout supplement, training schedule, and grit. Bodybuilding is mainly focused on getting the physique that looks attractive. Basically, it is training for looking in trend, you have to make many sacrifices to maintain that look unlike other sports where you have to focus on honing a particular muscle strength to perform better. You can compare bodybuilding with weightlifting in olympics though both have included the same weightlifting program. Or from boxing or other sports though, bodybuilding requires athletic performance. All of them are different and require different training, nutrients, discipline, and body type. The article explains how you get lean muscle mass just by following some methods used in bodybuilding.
All these are simple and doable things that you can include in your lifestyle to get lean muscle mass. Along with them, don’t forget to have a sound sleep. Without proper sleeping, it is almost impossible to gain lean muscle mass. Sleeping is quite crucial for muscle relaxation, recovery, and nourishment that are most required things for lean muscle mass.
Image soure: Pixabay
People have become more aware of how taking care of their bodies can keep them healthy and strong. Nutritional awareness helps individuals maintain a healthy lifestyle that will allow them to achieve maximal performance. In addition to proper nutrition, exercise also has a significant role in keeping our bodies healthy. You can choose from tons of different workout routines, whether it’s cardio or circuit training. One aspect of circuit training are strength exercises. This type of exercise routine can be hard and you will give a solid effort to motivate yourself. Once you increase your strength and are familiar with the exercises, the routines will be easier to do. Here are some of the most effective strength exercises that you can do.
One of the most basic and purest tests of a person’s strength, the squat targets almost all your muscles in the lower body. A bodyweight squat will enhance your form, making it solid eventually. You may carry some weights such as dumbbells or a straight bar, which you can hold in front of your shoulders, or holding it in front of you, or resting a barbell on your back.
Deadlifts are one of the strength exercises that requires proper training from professionals. It targets the backside of your body, specifically the hamstrings and glutes. You may also want to try the different varieties of deadlifts such as the traditional barbell, the sumo, and the Romanian. You need to protect your lower back at all times, which makes it ideal to train lifting with lighter weights until you get used to it. Remember that deadlifts use your legs, and not your back for lifting.
The glutes are one of the biggest muscles in the lower half. The glute bridge helps strengthen our lower body and develops more power from our legs and enhances our core stability.
You can use your own body weight for your strength exercise, such as push-ups. This exercise can be challenging if you are just doing it for the first time. There are modifications that you can choose with degrees of difficulty. There are wall push-ups, elevated, normal, and inclined push-ups. Push-ups work the upper body muscles in the shoulders, triceps, and chest.
Chest pull-ups are great for toning and strengthening the chest to achieve a balanced upper body. Chest muscles work on activities that require pushing movements and gives us the proper posture. Chest pull-ups target muscles in the upper body including the chest, the back, and arms. To know more varieties and techniques of doing chest pull-ups, check this site to see more.
This exercise toggles all the pulling muscles in the upper body. The bent-over-row exercise increases the muscle strength of the back, biceps, and shoulders. It also helps in maintaining a strong position using the legs and core.
Strengthening your core is one of the key foundations of strength exercises. Perhaps one of the best exercises that would allow you to maintain your core stability is the hollow-body hold. This workout allows your body to develop a total body tension, enabling you to carry out compound moves better.
Single leg movements force your body to become stronger as they encourage your muscles to compensate for the imbalance. Movements such as reverse lunges, step ups, and single leg pull ups are a great way to develop strength. If your main goal is to build muscle, single leg pull ups are your best bet to achieve your ideal build, moreso, if you combine it with intensive push up routines.
These strength exercises are all proven to be effective in keeping your body healthy and strong. Incorporate these into your workout, and don’t be afraid to do variations.
Wellbeing has been a big talking point of 2020/2021. The pandemic has forced us all to take a look at ourselves under the magnifying glass and improve our lives and learn to make the most of things. Here we have listed some small things you can do to improve your overall wellbeing.
Exercise is good for us in many ways. Of course, it has the physical benefits of helping us to maintain a healthy weight and build up fitness. However, it also has a positive affect when it comes to our mental wellbeing too. You don’t need to overexert yourself. Even short 10-minute bursts of walking round the block can leave you more alert and improve your mood. Make sure you fit time into your schedule. Yoga is a great one for this too, you can actually finish a yoga session feeling more relaxed.
We all can be accused of over-indulging in food and alcohol – but we should always be careful about what we put in our bodies. Of course, there is the obvious – such as eating fruit, and vegetables and avoiding processed foods – but we also should take responsibility for educating ourselves about the ingredients in the products we consume. A perfect example is 3 in 4 people are unaware there is plastic in chewing gum, and chew on it regularly. Make sure you understand what you are eating and drinking.
Practicing gratitude is a good way to improve your mental wellbeing. You should try to practice gratitude every day. There are lots of ways you can do this. You can start off each day thinking of something you are grateful for. It could be people you are close to, it could be your home, it could even be a favourite possession. You can create a journal where you write things down each day that you are thankful for. By doing this, you will notice the good things in your life as they happen.
There’s something we all have lots of at the moment: time. That gives you the opportunity to take extra time to do things you love. Although there are certain restrictions – that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can’t enjoy. It could be something as simple as reading a book or taking a bath. Whatever it is, make sure you put specific time aside. It could also be a chance for you to learn a new skill or hobby. Many people have been learning new languages, taking up photography, or even sewing.
If you want to try a hobby that will exercise your logical thinking skills, such as lock picking, you need to have a quality lock pick set. For beginners, it’s not going to be as easy as you think, but it’s going to be fulfilling once you’ve sorted out your first lock. Acquiring such a useful skill may also be very useful in the future.
It could be that you are a little overwhelmed and anxious as there are still so many restrictions on our lives – or it could be that you have just understood how important it is to take care of yourself. Hopefully these tips will help you on your way to improved wellbeing.
Yoga is a historic practice that originated in ancient India but it now a worldwide phenomenon. It helps to promote spiritual, physical and mental alertness and discipline through a series of breathing techniques, postures and meditation. One of these postures is the handstand.
The handstand (Ado Mukha Vrksasana) is one of the inverted poses in yoga. It is a way of supporting the body in a stable and vertically inverted position while balancing on the hand. It requires flexibility, strength, body alignment and integration. Usually, the body is held in a straight position with the legs and arms extended. The hands are spaced accordingly while the legs are put together.
There are several variations of the pose but an individual must possess upper body strength to go along with balance to be able to successfully carry it out. Handstands help to strengthen the arms, legs and a person’s core. It requires utilizing every muscle in the body to keep the pose.
A handstand may look like the coolest exercise that you can do but it is more difficult than it looks. It is one of the most intimidating poses in yoga. You need a lot of bravery and physical skill and strength to do it but fortunately, this can be learned or built. You will find some of its benefits here.
One challenging part of the pose is the patience t takes. Mastering it takes time as well as dedication but when you do, it is really rewarding. Although trying it can be intimidating at first but with a step-by-step method to it, you will find that with dedication and patience, it is achievable. When you master it, you would have made gains in flexibility, strength, discipline and balance.
The best way you can begin is to first of all have a clear goal about why you want to do this. This is what will keep you focused and motivated during times when things get tough and it feels like you are heading nowhere with it. Additionally, decide the route with which you want to learn. Will you be going solo or will you need a teacher?
As with anything do not just get into it without a goal as it will be counterproductive in the end. When you are ready with your goal, below are the steps to begin mastering handstand as a newbie.
A lot of people start with doing handstands right away but this is not the best way as much as it sounds good. It can lead to injury or discomfort and this may ultimately discourage you from continuing with it. You should learn by laying the right foundations. By doing this, you will progress better, be less frustrated, avoid injury and you will build the required strength and motivation to stay the course. People who rush into it will eventually start struggling. They become frustrated when they do not see the progress that they desire and they eventually give up.
Handstands require endurance and this can be telling on the body. Avoid doing it if you have any injuries or pain. Also, do not push through the pain but ensure that all your injury concerns are taken care of before you begin. This will save you from getting hurt or getting stuck along the way. You will enjoy the process and get things done faster if you are free of injury and pain.
Depending on how you learn or who is teaching you, the handstand can be broken down into several steps. At its core must include building strength, flexibility and alignment. It is important to move through each step at your pace. Go on to the next step only after you have mastered your current step.
These drills help you to build and master strength, engaging and activating the serratus and helps in scapula control.
This step target areas that will help to increase your overhead mobility and range. It includes.
This set of exercises helps your body parts to align during a handstand.
Handstands are cool when you can do them but falling on your head and getting injured is not so cool. Ensure that you do not rush into doing it but follow the necessary precautions and steps.
You no longer need to download inspiring videos from the internet to motivate you when working out. With improved technology, there are now connected work-out machines that come with a gaming experience. With these machines, you can watch your performance as you work out in real-time hence motivating you to push on. Many companies have been experimenting with smart bikes and treadmills, but Ergatta has taken a different approach with a gaming-inspired experience rowing machine. They have realized the benefits that a rowing machine has over most other at-home workout equipment, hence their decision to experiment with one. While rowing is monotonous and boring when using traditional rowers, Ergatta has gone a notch higher to improve on the same giving you a different and exciting experience. Here are some of the features and advantages you should expect in their new rower.
Connected to a Visual Monitor
The rower is connected to a virtual monitor that displays your performance in real-time. This display makes exercising interesting and engaging. Unlike the traditional version in which you would just row continuously using similar monotonous motions, this one shows you gains in terms of the distance you have covered, and the calories you have burned. It helps you motivate yourself when working out alone in the house. You can install various apps, some of which connect you to other users for group challenges. With such challenges, you can get to gauge your performance and push yourself to gain more while competing with members of your group.
Looks Great
The Ergatta rower is made of beautiful cherry wood. This makes it attractive to keep in your house as one of the house furniture. Much as it is a rowing machine, it also complements the furniture in your house improving the overall outlook of your home. The rower has a nice looking wooden frame and you can choose from several designs that the company has come up with.
Features Water Container
The rower has a donut-shaped water container attached at the bottom. This tank or container gives users a close to real experience when rowing. You feel as if you are rowing on an actual lake or river hence making it more exciting. It also makes rowing smoother with constant resistance in the strokes as opposed to air rowers where you experience a drop in the resistance during the stroke.
Easy Storage
Unlike traditional rowers that occupied too much space making them difficult to have in small apartments, the new Ergatta rower is foldable making it suitable for those whose space is limited. Once you finish working out, you simply fold the machine vertically next to a wall. It still looks great even when folded. If you live in a small apartment, this will be ideal for you as you only occupy the space when working out.
Apart from its physical features, the Ergatta rowing machine is proving to be an effective full-body workout machine as compared to other gym or home equipment. Here are some advantages you will have with this machine
Easier on Your Joints
Rowing machines do not place any pressure or impact on your joints. Unlike riding a stationary bike or running on a treadmill that can have a significant impact on your waist and ankles, the rowing machine engages you in a pull and release motion that works out your entire body without putting pressure on any joint in your body. With other machines, you will be prone to twists and sprains if you go too hard.
Good for Losing Weight and Building Muscle
Both treadmills and stationary bikes help you lose weight, but you have to put in extra work to burn as many calories as you would while working out with a rower. The fact that the rower engages your entire body pushes the body an extra mile and burns more calories. You also get to build more muscles on your body including your biceps, triceps, and almost all your leg muscles. It is like doing a bench press and a squat at the same time.
It is Fun to Use
With the new addition that makes the Ergatta rower a virtual machine, it is no longer the boring and monotonous machine it once was. You will enjoy working out with this machine just as you do while running on a treadmill if not better. Being able to track your performance or even view a representation of you working out on the screen is quite interesting.