Tag: health

Good Sleep: One of the Most Powerful Health Practices You Can Follow

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This first appeared as an article published as Good Sleep: One of the Most Powerful Health Practices You Can Follow on Technorati.

One of the most beneficial practices you can follow is to leverage the power of constructive habits. Good habits can improve your overall quality of life, including increased health and productivity.

What is one of the most, if not THE most, important health habit you can adopt?

The habit of getting sufficient, good quality sleep.

We often look externally for the answers and resources to our health and fitness-related challenges. What supplement should I take? What new exercise regime or gizmo should I follow or use? And so forth. But the most powerful ergogenic, health and beauty aide available to humans is free…and completely controlled by you.

Yes I know, it can be very difficult to get enough sleep. There’s just too much to do and not enough hours in the day. And if you are stressed out by a hectic schedule, work pressures, family responsibilities, or health issues, you may have difficulty relaxing and getting to sleep.

Deep breathing can help you out immensely. Take 5 to 10 complete, gentle breaths, in and out through your nose. This immediately helps you relax.

If you are lying in bed, you can place your index finger about 3 inches below your navel as a cue. Breathe into the spot your index finger is touching. As you inhale, imagine soothing blue air filling your lungs. As you exhale, imagine you are exhaling all the tension, worries and emotions from the day.

As you continue to breathe, visualize the soothing blue air filling your entire body. Feel your muscles relax and lengthen. Feel your entire body and relax and melt into the bed.

Think positive thoughts. Rather than rehash the problems or failures of the day, think and feel gratitude for the people and things in your life, as well as for the good things that are coming into your life.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But it works.

I’ve shared this little technique with many people, including clients with asthma or other chronic health conditions who have a difficult time achieving deep, restful sleep. They’ve all said this has helped them immensely.

Here’s one more important point about the quality of sleep: It’s becoming increasingly accepted that every hour of sleep before midnight is worth at least two hours after midnight. The reason is not entirely clear, although it has to do, in part, with our natural circadian rhythms.

If your tendency is toward the night owl side, you should consider gradually moving up your bedtime. Getting to bed earlier will help you achieve a deeper, more restful and more rejuvenating sleep.

This in turn increases the secretion of growth hormone, which helps you stay strong and young. And it decreases the amount of cortisol and other stress hormones, which can make and keep you fat.

You Can Do It!

Karen
“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/

P.S. If you’d like a wonderful routine for relaxation,
rejuvenation and effortlessly flowing energy, try the Secret
Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate
and Rejuvenate. In just a few short minutes, you’ll experience
a release of tension, stress, aches and pains. It’s a great way
to end each day! Get your copy today!

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Leverage This Ancient Practice for Better Health

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Fasting is great way to detoxify your body.

Fasting has been practiced for centuries for religious, spiritual
and health reasons. It is also done for atonement, and as a tool
to develop self-discipline and self-control.

When you are sick, your body naturally shuts down the typical
hunger signals, so you don’t want to eat. This allows your body
to leverage the energy normally applied to digestion and
assimilation towards repair and recuperation. 

I experienced this mechanism for myself last week, when I finally
succumbed to a stomach bug that had rampaged through our entire
household. (Except the pets).

Not only did I not want to eat, I couldn’t eat — or drink for
that matter.

As the bug wound down and I began to feel better, I deliberately
waited to eat, and focused instead on re-hydrating.

Many people think that fasting means no food and no drink, other
than water. However, there are various methods of fasting. I’ll
discuss a couple that may fit in better with your requirements
and lifestyle.

(Quick note: I’m no expert on fasting. If you decide to make
fasting a regular part of your lifestyle, get a good book on it.
A great one is by Paul and Patricia Bragg, called Super Fasting
for Health.)

There are two types of fasts that seem to be the most popular:
the water fast and the fruit fast.

When you do a water fast, you drink only water. This is probably
the fastest way to get rid of wastes and toxins that have built
up in your body. Usually you do a water fast for at least two
to three days.

On the downside, this type of fast can be too much for many
people. It rids your body of toxins so fast, that it can
actually make you sick.

You aren’t really sick. But you sure can feel that way. Headaches,
muscle and joint aches, irritable bowel, irritability and
depressed mood…wow, I’m sure not making this seem like a good
option, am I?

If you are already eating pretty healthy and exercising
regularly, you can probably do a water fast without terrible
side effects.

If you have been eating poorly, drinking alcohol or a lot of
caffeinated beverages….well, you may want to try a fruit
fast.

With a fruit fast, you consume only fresh fruit, and freshly
squeezed fruit juices.

For best results you should stay on the fast for at least two
to three days. Proponents of the fruit fast recommend staying
on it for a week.

Fruit is very cleansing and detoxifying. However, it also
provides calories for energy, as well as anti-oxidants and
bioflavonoids. These micro-nutrients are energy and health
enhancing, so they mitigate the side effects of detoxification.

In other words, you feel better and have more energy, even as
you detox.

If you want, you can add fresh vegetables and vegetable juices
into the mix.

Generally, it’s best to alternate days: one day on fruit only,
next day on veggies only, and so forth.

With a fruit and/or vegetable fast, be sure to drink lots and
lots of filtered water. The water is essential to helping your
body excrete waste products and toxins. The more you drink,
the easier the process.

If you have not fasted before, you may be a bit intimidated
by the thought of going without food for three days, or one
week. It is a very different experience than your normal
routine.

The longest I’ve fasted is three days.

The first day or two, all you are thinking about is food. You
have headaches because you missed your morning coffee and/or
afternoon soda. You feel hungry and tired and begin to wonder, 
“What the heck am I doing this for?”

After the first day or two, you begin to feel energized, even
without eating. Since your body does not have to expend energy
on digestion, it puts its energy to use for other purposes.

An alternative to a “long” fast is to fast once a month for
24 or 36 hours. In other words, fast from dinner on day one to
dinner on day 2. Or fast from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on
day 3.

Coming off a fast is just as important as doing the fast
itself.

For your first meal after a fast, don’t hit the drive-through
at McDonalds. Have a fresh salad or some fruit. This helps
break your digestive system back into eating in a smooth
fashion.

If you pig out after a fast, you will pay the price, and
possibly defeat the purpose of the fast. Listen to your body,
and progress to a normal diet over a day or so.

You Can Do It!

Karen
www.BestBreathingExercises.com
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Saying Goodbye to One of My Favorite Fitness and Health Heros

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One of my favorite fitness and health heros of all time, fitness
guru Jack LaLanne, died yesterday of pneumonia.

He was a young 96.

Jack LaLanne is an icon to many people. He is, perhaps, best known
these days for pushing the benefits of his “Jack LaLanne Juicer”,
as well as the annual strength and endurance feats he performed
until recent years.

Like swimming across from Alcatraz to Fishermans Wharf in San
Francisco – a difficult enough feat – while handcuffed, AND pulling
several boats tethered together – with his teeth!

Or doing 1000 pushups in a row.

I love Jack LaLanne for very different reasons.

First off, think about his story.

Jack was a self-proclaimed sugar addict as a kid, weak, pimply,
prone to illness. A neighbor gave him and his mom two tickets
to attend a session by one of the leading health gurus of the
day, Paul Bragg.

That meeting changed Jack’s life.

As the story goes, Bragg told him, quite bluntly, “You’re a
walking garbage can.” This must have hit a nerve somewhere.
Because Jack immediately went home and built a gym in his
backyard.He devoted himself to training with weights, body weight
calisthenics, swimming, AND…deep breathing.

He reformed his eating habits and went from “sugar addict” to
vegetarian, pushing the benefits of eating and juicing raw
fruits and vegetables for superior health and energy.

(See, there is always hope for us chocolate lovers!)

Jack LaLanne was also a trailblazer in the business of fitness
and health. In 1936, he opened his first health studio and
revolutionized the gym industry. For example, he insisted
on including women in his gyms and programs. He believed that
women could benefit immensely from strength training, and
perhaps needed it even more than the menfolk. Remarkable for
that time!

He accepted and trained athletes, which was also revolutionary
at the time. You see, back then, sports coaches frowned
on weightlifting, because they thought it would make their
athletes too bulky and slow.

My how times have changed!

In addition to the advances and new approaches he advocated,
Jack also motivated hundreds of thousands of people over the
years to begin a fitness and health program. His attitude
was infectious and, as he said, he never had a “down day”.

My own fascination with him began during my childhood, in the
late 60s and early 70s.

At that time he had his own daytime TV show. My mom stayed
home with us when we were young, and she would watch his show.
We would often participate by mimicking Jack’s exercises
(and my mom’s exhausted reactions!).

There was Jack, moving, jumping, exhorting…wearing that
dark jumpsuit thingie. Because he was preaching to a
predominantly female audience, he would tailor the exercises
to include quite feminine, graceful movements. But I don’t
think anyone ever gave him any trouble for doing those
movements. The guy had some guns on him!

With just a few props, such as a chair, a towel, a broomstick,
he would instruct his audience on how to do simple yet
effective exercises that worked the entire body. He did the
exercises to music too – presaging a popular approach to
fitness classes.

I liked the fact that he would emphasize breathing with the
exercise. “Breath in, now breath out”, he would say.

And he didn’t just stick to exercise and diet tips in his show.
Jack had a wonderful philosophy of life which he shared over
the years through his shows, guest appearances, and the books
he wrote or co-wrote.

His wife, Elaine, was always front and center in everything
Jack did. They had a true partnership in every sense of the
word. Something else for all of us to emulate.

One of my favorite bits of advice is what Jack called his
“Ten Point Self-Improvement Plan”:

1. Exercise
2. Nutrition
3. Positive Thinking
4. Good Habits
5. Grooming
6. Smile
7. Posture
8. Help Others
9. Relaxation
10. Faith

We’re sad to see you go, Jack. But your example, your
inspiration, and your enthusiasm live on!

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
www.BestBreathingExercises.com
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

One of the Most Powerful Things You Can Do To Ensure Success in Your Fitness Program

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Article first published as One of the Most Powerful Things You Can Do To Ensure Success in Your Fitness Program on Technorati.

One of the most powerful things you can do to ensure success with any kind of weight reduction, fitness, or self-improvement program, is to keep a journal.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. It can be as simple as a coil-bound notebook, or even loose papers that you place into a folder or notebook. And it doesn’t have to be elaborate, either. In fact, the less elaborate, the simpler, the better. If it’s too complicated, you’ll stop using it.

In this journal or notebook, you record your activity, what you ate, perhaps what you weighed (once a week). You might also write down (and re-write each week) what your goals are.

For example, if you have a goal to lose 20 pounds, write it down. Then make it even more specific by placing a deadline on it. “I will lose 20 pounds by March 31st, 2011.” With a deadline, you can then work backwards to determine where you need to be in relation to your goal, each month and each week.

Use each week’s goal as a driving force as you plan your week ahead. Then do the workouts, and follow the eating plan, which help you toward that goal.

Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? So simple that it probably isn’t a big deal.

Not so fast, though.

I read somewhere (seemingly eons ago, so this is not new information) that recording in a journal is highly correlated with success.

Not just success in losing weight, or achieving high levels of fitness…success in all areas of life, including financial, personal relationships, self-development, and so forth.

I’m not sure what it is about writing something down that supports, perhaps even propels, a person to greater levels of effort and, ultimately, success.

I’m sure the simple act of measuring what you are doing and where you are in relation to your goal has a lot to do with the power of keeping a record. You may be able to delude yourself from day to day — but reality is all there in black and white in your notebook.

Perhaps it’s the embarrassment of having nothing to fill in if you have not done the tasks or items you planned to do on a given day.

It may also be the wonderful sensation you feel when you record something you have accomplished. If you keep a “to-do” list, you know what I mean. There’s something really satisfying about scratching some pesky item off your list.

Several weeks ago, as I was cleaning out closets, I rummaged through a couple of boxes I had not looked at in about five years. I found an old spiral-bound notebook that I had used as a training and nutrition log some years back.

It’s funny, but I never looked through the log or looked at previous entries during the time I was using it. But looking through it now, some years later, I could actually remember what I was doing and how I felt at that time.

As I flipped through the notebook, I could see the periods when I was making great progress, as well as the periods when I was not doing so well.  During the periods in which I was making progress, there was consistency in the regularity of activity recorded, as well as in progress being made. On the other hand, the not-so-great times corresponded to more days with blanks in them, or written notes about what got in the way of my training. Some of the excuses I came up with were very entertaining!

You may already journal on a regular basis. If not, I highly recommend it. You can keep a record of just about anything in your life. It’s a great way of keeping yourself on track and focused.

It’s also a great way of memorializing the stresses, failures, advances and victories you encounter along your journey in life.

This practice can keep you on track today. And, with the perspective of time, it can make for some good reading in the future.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you have a goal to lose weight and “finally” get in shape this year, it’s time to put a deadline on it and get
cracking! If you’d like some help in wittling down the waistline and blasting off the flab, then check out the “Fire
Up Your Metabolism” Program. Limited time offer – get your copy today!

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011