Health Care

Build on exercise to master abdominal breathing. Objective is to add focus on the feet to experience being able to move energy out of the shoulders and send it down to the feet and hands for use in routine movement. Step 1.   Lie down with back flat, tailbone down, legs flat on the floor slightly apart aligned with hips, feet turned in, for males, left big toe is placed over right toenail, for females right big toe covers left big toenail. Step 2.   Place hands on abdominal area in order to feel the movement, preferably below navel (or just above navel if that is more comfortable.)  Hands should be in either position learned in Class One:  thumbs touching, one hand covering the other, making a circle; or thumb and middle finger touching, index finger pointed straight.  Step 3.   Inhale pushing abdominal muscles out, starting at the lowest part of the abdominal area and rolling the movement up into the chest as you inhale. Focus on feeling you...

  Beginning exercise to develop abdominal muscles and gain breath control.  Objective is to introduce the use of hands to master abdominal breathing. Step 1.   Lie down with back flat, tailbone down, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, legs slightly apart aligned with hip. Step 2.   Place hands on abdominal area in order to feel the movement, preferably below navel (or just above navel if that is more comfortable.) Hands should be one on top of the other with thumbs touching to make a circle and the armpits are flared open, with shoulder blades spread apart. For females, right hand should be placed over left hand. For males, left hand should be placed over right. Step 3.   Inhale pushing abdominal muscles out, starting at the lowest part of the abdominal area and rolling the movement up into the chest as you inhale. Focus on feeling your breath travel from your nose to deep into your abdominals on the front side of your body. At the...

The Art of Walking and the Way of the Breath main goal, in these classes is to less stress in shoulder and tension in body through walking and using the breathing techniques and understanding how the mind works in directing energy in the body.  It offers techniques (ways of doing things with the mind and body) and concepts (relationship in the mind, between ideas, thoughts and abstractions to manage a persons body tension and shoulder stress) that less tension in the body and give a person ways to deal and manage life conflicts. It offers an understanding of energy in the body and out side of the body that affect the everyday experiences of a person living life. Understanding relationships between Mind, Body and Breath is the first part of using walking as a way changing one self by controlling body tension which lets a person feel more of there life experiences.  For Walking is a human act that benefits a person in more ways, for time spent doing it, then any other activity....

Muscles must contract for movement to occur. The contracting muscles are called agonists and are the prime movers. For an agonist to contract, shorten, and produce movement, a reciprocal lengthening of its antagonists must occur. For example, when the biceps muscle of the upper arm contracts, its opposite, the triceps muscle, must relax and lengthen. In this case the biceps is the agonist and the triceps is the antagonist. The triceps becomes the agonist for movements that require it to contract, in which case the biceps becomes the antagonist. Understanding these concepts is necessary to understand stretching techniques.Ballistic stretching uses dynamic movements to stretch muscles. Each time a muscle is stretched in this manner, the myotatic reflex (stretch reflex) located in that muscle is also stretched. It responds by sending a volley of signals to the central nervous system that order the muscle to contract, thus resisting the stretch. This is not only counterproductive-the mus...

In February 1995, the center for disease control and prevention together with the American college of sports medicine (ACSM) jointly released a new recommendation for physical activity. The new guideline stated that “every American adult should get 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity on most, and preferably all days of the week. ” This recommendation is aimed at the 78% of our population who are sedentary or marginally active. Only 22% of the population is currently exceeding the new recommendation. The essence of the new recommendation, which was written by a panel of experts, can be summarized by the following - We believe that the most reasonable interpretation of the currently available data is that Calorie expenditure and total time of physical activity are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality There is a dose response relationship for this association Regular moderate physical activity provides substantial health be...

The term weight loss is too generic and implies that indiscriminate weight loss of body fluids, protein, and fat is desirable. A more appropriate goal is to measure success by the amount of fat lost rather than by weight loss. The term weight loss should be replaced by the more specific term fat weight loss. Until recently, advice to over fat persons was imprecise. For example, the suggestion simply to “cut back on calories” is an oversimplification of the truth and reinforces the misconception that diet alone is the problem. Successful weight management is rarely the result of following a diet or counting calories for a specific time period. Rather there must be a life long lifestyle change because the loss or gain of body weight, the development of fat cells, and the causes of obesity are complex issues related to the interaction of three factors-heredity, diet, and exercise.

Americans’ obsession with their body weight is evidenced by the 50% of women and 25% of men who are trying to lose weight at any given time One third of US adults and one fourth of US children are obese. Almost three fourths of all Americans are overweight. Americans are more sedentary and at the same time consume more calories than their peers of 10 years ago. Obesity is defined as being 20% over the recommended weight in height/weight tables. Better methods of determining obesity are those that involve actual fat measurements. With these methods, body fat percentages of 25% and 32% for men and women respectively are classified as moderately obese. Obesity is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, some forms of cancer, some types of diabetes mellitus, respiratory disorders, and orthopedic problems. Obesity has been declared a disease by the National Institutes of Health. Dietary intake of too much fat and too many calories is the major cause of obesity...

Mental Health problem is difficult to classify into clearly defined diseases. It is the symptoms of mental illness that distinguish one type of disorder from another, but those symptoms often vary much more widely in both kind and degree than the symptoms of physical illness. Because of this it is sometimes difficult to tell whether or not a person is actually mentally ill or, if illness is obvious, to determine the probable cause and work out a possible cure. In general, if you are able to keep your mental balance during periods of emotional stress, you can call yourself mentally healthy. If you lose that balance you are ill, at least to some extent. The articles in this section are designed to help you recognize some of the warning signs of common forms of mental illness, not only in yourself but also in others. The arrangement of articles is based on two groupings. First, there are illnesses that arise primari1y from internal influences, such as schizophrenia, depression and comp...

There are a few simple truths about getting fit and healthy: To get fit, you have to work out regularly. To work out regularly, you have to be disciplined and stay consistent. This means you can’t postpone that morning jog just because it is raining. Now, if you’re wearing glasses, this might pose a problem. Glasses get wet and impair your vision, glasses may fog, and you might drop them if you trip over something while running. And refraining from using them while you exercise might get you run over by a truck. Thus: you need to buy contacts. Using contact lenses is the ultimate solution for every sportsman or sportswoman; lenses don’t disturb you when you exercise, lenses are easy to put in before exercising, and lenses give you perfect vision. Frankly, you will be surprised by the high quality of modern lenses; they are extremely comfortable, very effortless to use and need very little care.Contact lenses used to be the expensive alternative but today, there are many kinds of cheap...

Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, a squeezing sensation as if a band were being tightened around the chest, pain in the center of the chest lasting longer than 2 minutes Pain that spreads to the shoulders, arms, or neck The above warning signs as well as dizziness, fainting, sweating, nausea, and shortness of breath What You Should Do If These Signs Appear If you have chest discomfort lasting more than 2 minutes: Do not deny what may be occurring. Call the emergency service or have a friend or family member drive you to the nearest hospital that has 24 hour emergency cardiac care. Know in advance which hospitals have such a service. Prominently display the telephone number of the emergency rescue service and also carry a copy with you. Stroke: The Warning Signs The American Heart Association suggests that people be familiar with the following warning signs: Temporary loss of speech or difficulty in speaking or understanding speech Unexplained dizziness, unsteadi...

Do you know why there is so much hype about the Nueslim diet pills these days? It is because they truly deserved to be hyped! Yes, these can be said the ideal diet pills available in market today. They help you and me to reduce our excess fat that has accumulated due to our bad sedentary habits and help us get back into shape faster. These diet pills now come with lifetime money back guarantee. When the manufacturers are so much sure about the product, one must try this product to make use of its amazing ingredients. They help one get rid of high cholesterol too thus lowering the BMI significantly within short period of time. One will thus save himself or herself of serious cardio-respiratory complications due to obesity. These safe diet pills are wonderful companions of people who have hard time controlling appetite. These pills reduce appetite and help one get rid of extra pounds accumulating with each lunch or dinner. If you read the testimonials of people who have effectively ...

Depression is a type of mental disorder which is completely different from other mental feelings such as unhappiness and and sadness. Depression is a long lasting disease like heart disorders. The people suffering from depression can have a feeling of built, loneliness, worry, worthless and helpless. The depression is a gift of the very fast life style in which no one has time to pay attention to the body. The number of patients suffering from depression is increasing day by day. The reports suggests the eighty percent of the depression patients also suffers from anxiety disorder. Categories of depression disorder: There are three main categories of Depression disorder Adjustable Disorder with depressed mood: This type of depression occurs because of stressful movements in our lives. For example the breakup in relations, failure in any entrance exam. Sometimes the positive changes such as getting a new job, successful marriage can also trigger this type of depression. Clinical...

Acai has been best known for its qualities to assure a good health. Apart from raising the immunity level of body, another significant quality of this natural product is to help in reducing body fat. The pure Acai targets the excessive fat possessed by the body by enhancing the metabolic process of a body. The anti-oxidants provided by this product help in eliminating toxins and unwanted content of fats from human body. Thus, it is an impressive procedure to lose weight and gain a good body shape. It gas been proven that Acai acts faster than any other product in burning body fat and thus, is recommended by experts in the industry. The result is that many weight loss pills manufacturers have started using this ingredient in their products. The provision of Acai in diet pills has further boosted the effectiveness of diet pills in lowering down the body weight. However, it is important that you avail these pills from a respectable resource. Best Pills 4 Weight Loss happens to be o...

Antithyroid Drugs In young people with diffuse goiter of moderate size, there is much in favor of a long-term trial of antithyroid drug therapy. If successful, normal health and normal thyroid function may be restored. About 50 per cent may expect a long-lasting remission. If the response is satisfactory the treatment should be adequate and long enough, from one to two years or longer. A favorable response may be indicated in most instances by reduced pulse rate, increase in weight, and return of well­being feelings. Treatment should be stopped in those patients who experience adverse reactions to antithyroid drugs, such as skin wheals, (urticaria), loss of head hair (alopecia), or marked drop in the white blood cell count (agranulocytosis). Blood counts should be performed regularly at monthly intervals and a drop to less than 50 per cent of the initial white blood cell count should serve as a warning. Only a few patients are adversely sensitive to propylthiouracil or methimazole...

The definition of obesity varies, depending on the method used to assess body composition. It is generally defined as being 20% over the recommended weight in height/weight. The problem with this criterion is that it incorrectly places the emphasis on body weight rather than body composition. Body mass index (BMI) measurements provide a better approach for classifying levels of fatness). Many experts use a BMI of 27 as a single value at which obesity occurs. The best methods involve actual body measurements. Body fat measurements of 25% for men and 32% for women are classified as moderately obese. , which provides six levels of body fat classification. Regardless of which measurement technique is used, it is important to view body-fat assessment results as measures on a continuum. They are not precise points on a scale that when exceeded magically increase a person’s risk for health problems. For example, although 24.9% body fat for a man does not technically fall into the category ...

Measuring flexibility is rather difficult, and several instruments have been developed for this purpose. Probably the most widely used device is the goniometer. This device is a protractor like device that measures the range of motion about a specific joint. This method is the most accurate means of assessing flexibility. However, for the average person, assessing flexibility by using the goniometer is not practical.Several tests are suitable for measuring flexibility when more sophisticated means cannot be used. (The directions and norms for these tests are provided in the assessment activities.) You should warm-up and follow the rules for general stretching before taking the assessments. Developing a Flexibility Program Flexibility can be improved by exercises that promote the elasticity of the soft tissues. These 10 minute exercises can be done every day, both before and after exercise, and also during days of rest from exercise. Flexibility is an important component of a fitn...

Anaerobic Exercise Strength development exercises are anaerobic. Anaerobic literally means “without oxygen,” and when applied to exercise, it refers to high intensity physical activities in which oxygen demand is above the level that can be supplied during performance. Short term supplies of fuel stored in the muscles provide the energy for anaerobic activities. As a result, these can only be sustained for several seconds. Sprinting 100 yards, lifting a heavy weight, and running up two or three flights of stairs are some examples of anaerobic activities. Circuit Resistance Training Circuit resistance training (CRT) is very effective for individuals who wish to develop several fitness dimensions simultaneously. Muscular strength and endurance, changes in body composition, and improvement in cardiorespiratory endurance can be attained together. A circuit usually comprises 8 to 15 exercise stations. The weight selected for each exercise station should equal 40% to 55% of the...

The principles of exercise intensity, duration, frequency, overload, progression, and specificity apply to resistance training as well as aerobic training. Intensity and Duration For muscular development and health enhancement, the intensity of resistance training may be set by selecting a weight that can be lifted at least 8 times but no more than 12 times. This weight probably represents 70% to 80% of a maximum effort. Each of these lifts is called a repetition. The duration of resistance training is determined by the number of repetitions of each exercise and the number of sets completed; 8 to 12 repetitions of an exercise constitutes one set of that exercise. If the development of strength is the primary goal, you may select the appropriate resistance for each exercise by determining, through trial and error, the amount of weight needed to perform 6 repetitions maximum (RM). This means that you are strong enough to perform 6 repetitions but not 7. This is the basis of progressi...

Muscular strength is the maximum force that a muscle or muscle group can exert in a single contraction. It is best developed by some form of progressive resistance exercise, for example, weight training with free weights (barbells and dumbbells) or single multistation machine weights. These exercises are demonstrated on exercise machines and free weights, these methods are equivalent and work the same muscle groups.The two types of muscular contractions are static and dynamic. Dynamic contractions occur when muscles shorten and move the bones to which they are attached, producing movement around a joint. Dynamic movements consist of concentric and eccentric muscle contractions . A concentric contraction occurs when a muscle shortens as it develops the tension to overcome an external resistance. An eccentric contraction occurs when the muscle lengthens and the weight or resistance is slowly returned to the starting position. In eccentric contractions the muscles are resisting the for...

The ultimate goal in stress coping and management is to reduce the negative effects of stress. Different relaxation techniques have proved successful and can be used based on individual preference. Brief descriptions of various techniques follow. If you are interested in pursuing the use of these techniques further, more information is available in books or on tapes. These books and tapes can be purchased at bookstores or may be accessible at your library. Deep Breating as a Relaxation Technique Deep breathing is the most basic relaxation technique and is often the foundation for other methods. The primary benefit is that deep breathing can be done anywhere and anytime. It is beneficial to practice deep breathing several times a day. The methodology consists of completely filling the lungs when breathing so that the abdomen expands out ward. You begin by taking a deep breath and then exhaling slowly through the mouth. A hand can be placed on the stomach to ensure that it is fully e...