Sep 2, 2009

How to Start and Stay With an Exercise program for Life


Edward MacMillan, EzineArticles.com Basic Author



You know all the stories, all the warnings, all the dire afflictions to your body, your health, your quality of life, and eventually, your early mortality coming to you soon or eventually, unless: you eat healthy, get enough sleep, give up smoking, and especially, exercise, exercise, exercise.

The chances of morbid obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, including stroke and heart attack have all been shown in countless studies to be reduced or eliminated through exercise. And you know that also. But it seems so hard, and it hurts, and you have perhaps tried, didn't see any changes, or feel any better, and just quit. Or maybe you wanted to do something to improve your body, but you like good food and pleasant drinking and hanging out, way too much to trade it in for the hard work and time taken for regular exercise.

But truly putting things in perspective, you need to hear the words of Joanne Woodward, excellent actress herself, but better known as the late Paul Newman's wife. In a question posed by the TV interviewer about her movie of a female marathoner and in real life, a committed runner: "How can one of your favorite foods be pasta and sauce when you are a runner, doesn't that cancel out your exercise?", Ms. Woodward replied: "you have it all backwards, I run precisely so that I'm able to partake of pasta and sauce and all those other wonderful foods". So exercise not only saves your life, but vastly improves the quality of it.

Almost every expert will tell you to start by walking outdoors. Moving at all, of course, is a plus, but we would recommend a gym membership where you can still walk but in air temperature comfort, while at the same time having a machine to ratchet up the speed as in a treadmill which, in turn increases your heart rate. Your improvement in cardiovascular endurance will be enhanced by moving just a tad faster each day, which does not happen in an ordinary stroll. When you get to the point that the speed requires running, ditch the treadmill for an elliptical machine, because you'll get the same aerobic benefit without the knee pounding resulting from lifting the feet. Even better, check out the elliptical machines before you decide on a gym, and see if they feature the new ones such as "Sports Art" that allow you to ratchet up the degree of difficulty to achieve not only the endurance needed to increase your lung capacity (aerobic exercise), but also to add muscle (anaerobic exercise) to your lower body.

That last point about anaerobic activity to improve muscle size and flexibility is an essential part of your exercise whether you're overweight by a little or a lot, and a key element in weight control. You see, muscle burns calories much faster than fat does, even when you're completely at rest. So it's exercise, especially aerobic to take weight off, and resistance training to add muscle so that your muscle mass will keep the calories burning and therefore continue to keep weight off, even when you're not exercising! So, let your gym people introduce you to the resistance machine circuit that you can begin with, and in many cases, have you instructed in each machine use, either at no or at a small fee.

Armed with this knowledge, and somewhat motivated, let's face the most difficult part of starting in a gym with all those in-shape people when you feel you are so out of shape. As they say in New York City, "fugedaboutit"! Nobody that goes to a gym that I know of, in countless cities that I have been in, will be treating you badly, or staring, or even thinking about putting you down in any way. At the most, if you are overweight, they're only going to think that you are where you're supposed to be, and even perhaps, "God bless you for taking it on" and silently praise your courage, because so many of them started as you have.

So lets get started and remember what someone, I forget who, said about our bodies: "Our body is the baggage that we carry around all our life, keep it light and strong".

For nutritional value to enhance your endurance, keep you healthy, fortify your body, and lose weight, check out our July posting on this blog.


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(That's most of what you'll need for health and wealth. The happiness part is up to you! )

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edward_MacMillan

Aug 26, 2009

The Health, Wealth, and Happiness Connection




Not perhaps as worthy a trinity as Faith, Hope and Charity with the greatest of these the latter, as proposed by St. Paul, the trio of Health, Wealth and Happiness is a combination of aspirations as old as all of civilized humanity. Moreover, the uniqueness of the grouping is that all of the parts of the HWH connection are undeniably interdependent.

We can argue the chicken or egg theory regarding HWH as to which is first, best, or most desirable, based on one's core beliefs, religion, or values, and/or by observing the way people choose to live their lives. While the obvious intellectual conclusion would dictate that the health of a person is paramount, for without it, it would be difficult or impossible to attain the other two, in real life situations, the lifestyles of many would suggest otherwise. How else to explain obesity, smoking, alcoholism, dangerous drugs, sleep deprivation, DUI, seat belt scofflaws, or suicide bombers, for that matter? We are speaking now of normal, reasonably intelligent people who are free to make choices, rather than forced to do so, because circumstances are thrust upon them resulting in risky behavior to survive.

But, of course, you say, reasonable, sane, and otherwise normal people would not deliberately ruin their health, or commit the ultimate health terminator, suicide, immediate or eventually. However, that is precisely where the interdependence of the three aspirations arise and conflict with the other two. Even though it is legitimate enough to be listed in our Declaration of Independence as one of the "unalienable rights of man" , happiness is a subjective pursuit and in a free society, available in all sorts of unhealthy and un-wealthy choices. Nevertheless, happiness is one of the main objectives of living, for us and for those we love, and it is, however defined, as one of the primary motivators of the human experience.

As for wealth, while the old saw remains that it does not necessarily buy happiness in and of itself, it can be extremely valuable, especially in these troubled times, to preserve critical access to health care, prevent loss of our home, breakup of the family, and other significant disruptions that cause enormous mental stress in today's severe economic conditions.

Clearly, there is no definitive conclusion to be drawn by a thoughtful person regarding the general desirability or importance of any of the three aspirations, but by individual definition, there is little argument that having it all in their lifetime, would be a universal measure of achievement, however remote the chances of attaining. What is left unanswered is which of these affords us the opportunity of the greatest control. Outside of genetic predisposition, this writer believes strongly that as individuals, it is our overall health, meaning physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. If we are able to see ourselves as custodians of those attributes, and take the appropriate actions to right ourselves, we are at least giving ourselves the opportunity to achieve some measure of success in the other two.

To learn more about a most effective approach to health, (with a unique opportunity for real wealth) please go to our archived July post: "Eating Healthy, Living Well-With Chia Seeds-5 Ways". In the wealth category, on this blog in September, look up hotel franchise articles. For other wealth opportunities please go to http://24hourwebcash.com/macmillan9747

(That's most of what you'll need for health and wealth. The happiness part is up to you!)

Jul 16, 2009

Eating Healthy, Living Well--With Chia Seeds-5 Ways

In this difficult economy we are cutting back on all our expenses, but we can't afford to short our health. So it's important to know the best and most sensible way to protect it, even when we're budgeting. A recent article from the Mayo Clinic referred to the Journal of American Medical Association, JAMA, on the importance of diet, indicating that:

*More than two thirds of all deaths in the U.S. are diet related!

*And, 50% of all deaths are caused by coronary occlusion, the blockage of blood flow to the heart or the brain!

The good news is that one product, a raw food of Chia seeds, recently rediscovered, and now available in a proprietary mix called Mila, has the kind of remarkable properties that not only directly relate to the prevention of these medical observations, but have a whole lot of other health benefits as well. Here are 5 of the most important preventative health benefits that this super food provides:

1. Omega-3 fatty oils. The Mayo Clinic reports that this substance found in fish "appears to reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by a third or more" and it recommends salmon as having the largest amount of these oils. Omega-3 oils are also believed to lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting, reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. The one raw super food carries 7 times the concentration by ounce of salmon, without the risk of any contamination, like mercury.

2. Antioxidants. It is believed that foods such as berries, and other fruits and vegetables, but especially blueberries, are effective protection against many types of cancer, coronary and Alzheimer's disease. This one super food has 3 times the antioxidant as blueberries.

3. Weight Loss.
Obesity is a national epidemic with almost 1 out of 5 of our children obese or overweight with many more at risk, and 8 out of 10 adults over 25 overweight. This super food is also a hydrophilic colloid, that is, a substance that can absorb more than 12 times its weight in water, making a gelatin substance that maintains and regulates the bodies absorption of nutrients and body fluids and keeps one feeling satisfied and thus a natural diet/weight loss enhancer

4. Vitamins and Minerals. The super food contains by volume:

" 6 times the calcium of milk
" 2 times the iron of spinach
" 14 times the magnesium of broccoli
" 1 ½ the potassium of bananas
" As much vitamin C as 7 oranges

5. Energy Booster. The super food, by virtue of its extensive hydration properties, together with its natural regulated delivery of nutrients to the body is an energizer of endurance both to the body and the brain. The ancient Aztecs, who used Chia seed extensively, called it the "running seed" because of the strength, endurance and energy it provided.

You will certainly begin to hear much more about Chia seeds, the ancient food , rediscovered, and reintroduced as Mila, the super food of the 21st century.

And you can also visit Mila, the miracle seed to answer all your questions about this amazing raw food and its remarkable properties. Author Edward MacMillan and his wife Kathleen are co-distributors of Mila. We sincerely believe that once you use the product and feel the difference in your well-being, we are confident you will make it a must addition to your daily diet. And although distributorships for this fantastic non-processed raw food are being snapped up all through the United States and overseas, there are still some available for qualified applicants. After viewing the Mila website, please email Kathleen at belfastbelle25@yahoo.com
regarding distributorship.

Wishing you the best in Health and Wealth with Mila, the miracle seed .

Also in the Wealth category, we recommend our newest internet venture: http://24hourwebcash.com/macmillan9747 . Be sure to fill out the short form on that site for an incredible opportunity to use the power of the Web for wealth creation.

(That's most of what you'll need for health and wealth. The happiness part is up to you! )

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert-EdwardMacMillan