New stuff, exercise, diet, etc.

Well after posting the fasttwitchmind to this site I decided to let it rest a few days, then get back on some fitness/healthy lifestyle stuff. One of the periodical fitness/healthy newsletters that I subscribe to is Alternatives(For the Health-Conscious Individual) and on a monthly basis it really gives me some new, interesting information. The March issue came in while I was sending fasttwitchmind stuff your way, so now I can really fill you up with some current information from Alternatives. While I get all kinds of weird stuff in the mail this newsletter happens to be one that I have a lot of confidence in and I feel good about providing my readers with some of the information I get from them. I have felt for a number of years that alternatives to the synthetic drug use is a great idea for our body and health I have also felt that there was not enough real professional information out there to tell us what to take or how much. Since just about anything can be toxic if you take too much or take the wrong thing for the wrong reasons, I felt that more professionalism should have been applied to herbs or so-called natural healing medicines. So, what has happened is a lot of medical doctors are venturing into the natural medicine applications and or actually telling bad things about the possible toxic affects of pharmaceutical products. It is a known fact that over 100,000 deaths occur each year, in our hospitals, due to poorly prescribed drugs. So, I am a believer in investigating the alternatives to see if they may apply.

Since aging happens on a daily basis everything we do affects it, good and bad. Also, I have found that on a daily basis I am ask what is the easiest and single most important thing a person can do to stay healthy. Funny thing is there are a couple of key things people can do to stay as healthy as possible, but the two things that are a must are the two things that most unhealthy people are really guilty of: 1. Unhealthy diets, 2. Lack of exercise. Since cardiovascular disease is the number-one cause of death in the US, and accounts for 30 percent of all deaths worldwide there is certainly awareness of the dangers associated with abusing this part of your body. Along with this major killer is the associated partners called, high blood pressure, heart attack, angina, peripheral arterial disease, stroke, kidney disease, fatigue and shortness of breath. Man this makes me ill just writing about it. Today I will touch on the exercises that will help combat these dreaded killers and you have heard it before, but I am going to keep harping on it till it sinks in. The two forms of exercise that will help us live healthy is aerobic and musculoskeletal exercises. While I have been talking about the values of aerobic exercise since the beginning of time you will find it very repetitious, but not boring. The most current study resulted from a group that exercised 15 minutes per work out, 3 times per day, 3 days per week at 65% of their maximum heart rate. Remember, to get your maximum heart rate take your age say 70(mine) from 220 equals 150 then multiply by .65 for 98 beats per minute. While most fitness coaches now use the blood test method of determining your maximum heart rate this less sophisticated
method will work. Also, the three times a day is not realistic for people still active in the world but was used for this test period. I suggest the 3 times per week, at a time you will most likely feel like exercising, going 30 minutes each time. As you feel stronger you can increase the amount of time you are out there, but do not add anymore than 10% any given time. Now that we have the cardiovascular motion going let's do some musculoskeletal exercises to give us a little strength but not Arnold looks. Resistance or weight bearing exercise is good for the body if done is smaller doses. Possibly some light weights, maybe 5-15 pound dumbbells for the arms, and small small weight resistance for the legs. If you don't have actual dumbbell weights just go to the pantry and get out some large cans of beans, or similar products. They work just as well and don't clutter up the room. A couple of strength exercises were also mentioned for home exercises: LUNGES--This exercise strengthens the muscles in your upper and lower legs, knees, and lower back. Stand with your feet together, then take a long step forward with one foot. Be sure that your toes are pointing straight forward on both feet. Lower your body slowly by bending your knees, until the knee on the front leg is just over the ankle on that leg. Don't go any further down that that. Slowly return to an upright position by pushing with the heel of your front foot. Do five of these, resting for a couple seconds between each repetition, then return to a standing position with your feet together. Repeat the same with the other foot, see that is not so bad and can be done anywhere in your home. SQUATS--The squat is undoubtedly the best exercise for the muscles of the lower body. It will strengthen the muscles in your legs, knees, and buttocks. Here goes, stand in front of a chair with your feet spread should-width apart. Keep your back straight, and your arms extended in front of you. Slowly and steadily lower yourself until your are almost sitting in the chair, hold that position for a couple of seconds(longer as you progress), and then slowly come to the upright position. Do this exercise for 10 repetitions, with a couple seconds between each repetition. Work your way up to three sets of repetitions, with a minute or two of rest between sets. You can also lean flat against a wall and accomplish the same thing while giving your back some support. As in any new exercise always take it easy to start with since these muscle groups have not been worked in a while and will have a tendency to feel weaker and get sore. If soreness sets in then give it a day of rest, but try to do these exercises at least 3 times per week.

Last but certainly not least Alternatives had some food tips for some healthy grub. This little number is called "one of the most delicious heart-healthy foods you can eat comes from the pure, clean water of Portugal."--Dr. David Williams. Now get ready for this since we all have our misconceptions of this little fish. It is the sardine of all things. All I can think of it those little flat cans of little fish coated together withs some kind of slimy wet substance and the real fishy taste. BUT, wait a minute the sardines that Dr. Williams is talking about come from Portugal and are really healthy. He says that these little powerhouses are filled with bone-building nutrients, and are a great source for Vitamin D, which is necessary for bone growth and immune function. This little dude also is rich in calcium and enhances cellular metabolism and energy production. Now you ask, "well how do I get these little bundles of health and energy since what I see on the market shelves just doesn't seem to fit these descriptions?" The answer is simple, Alternatives has a way that you can order the "from Portugal sardine," so I will order some and report back to you on how they look, smell, and taste. Sounds like a little saltine crackers, some Tabasco and I am off to healthy eating.

My closing comment would be another simple suggestion, if we all just adopt eating and exercise habits that become our lifestyle, instead of doing these things as an after note to our lifestyle, it would so much easier to live a healthy fun life.

Mike Greer