Sunday, March 10, 2019
Monday, February 6, 2012
Grow Them Muscles
The best exercises for muscle growth are ones that require you to use multiple joints. Squats, cleans, deadlifts and bench presses are all very effective at helping your muscles get bigger, and for toning your entire body.
To grow muscles, you should lift enough weight for actual muscle fiber tearing to occur. For most people, this means lifting about 65-85 percent of what you could normally lift only one time. This is called your "one rep max" or "1RM".
If you can bench press 100 pounds, then your weight for increasing the size of your chest muscles would be 65-85 pounds. Most people can lift 65-85 percent for 8-12 repetitions.
Your muscles need a significant amount of time under tension, about 60 seconds, for actual muscle tearing to occur. Try at least three to six sets for each exercise, 8-12, reps. Each set should include one to two minutes of recovery for the muscle group you are working. If you stress or tear a muscle every day, your body will not have enough time to repair the muscle fibers, resulting in uncomfortable levels of soreness, low muscle growth and joint injury. So give your muscles 2-3 days of recovery before re-stimulating those fibers again. Eating a well balanced diet is also essential.
The best strategy to growing muscle is to stress it, allow it to recover while eating enough healthy food to feed the new muscle, and repeat. With this method, you can safely build one to two pounds of muscle each week. And since muscle takes up much less room than fat, those pounds will look lean.
FitFlax with flax seed and chia seeds, and FlaxVibrance with lignans, are deliciously healthy choices to help boost your diet and immune system. Enjoy the benefit of flax seed and the benefit of chia seeds with FitFlax.
To grow muscles, you should lift enough weight for actual muscle fiber tearing to occur. For most people, this means lifting about 65-85 percent of what you could normally lift only one time. This is called your "one rep max" or "1RM".
If you can bench press 100 pounds, then your weight for increasing the size of your chest muscles would be 65-85 pounds. Most people can lift 65-85 percent for 8-12 repetitions.
Your muscles need a significant amount of time under tension, about 60 seconds, for actual muscle tearing to occur. Try at least three to six sets for each exercise, 8-12, reps. Each set should include one to two minutes of recovery for the muscle group you are working. If you stress or tear a muscle every day, your body will not have enough time to repair the muscle fibers, resulting in uncomfortable levels of soreness, low muscle growth and joint injury. So give your muscles 2-3 days of recovery before re-stimulating those fibers again. Eating a well balanced diet is also essential.
The best strategy to growing muscle is to stress it, allow it to recover while eating enough healthy food to feed the new muscle, and repeat. With this method, you can safely build one to two pounds of muscle each week. And since muscle takes up much less room than fat, those pounds will look lean.
FitFlax with flax seed and chia seeds, and FlaxVibrance with lignans, are deliciously healthy choices to help boost your diet and immune system. Enjoy the benefit of flax seed and the benefit of chia seeds with FitFlax.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Do The Dog
The Downward-Facing Dog Pose is a yoga pose that is extremely beneficial for runners.
Runners often experience sore feet, bad backs and knees, tight hamstrings and hips. Others suffer joint pain, back problems, muscle pulls, tendinitis, and strains and sprains. Yoga helps increase range of motion, agility, flexibility, lung capacity, endurance and strength.
In Downward-Facing Dog Pose, your body forms a triangular pyramidal shape. The posture resembles a dog stretching after a nap. Do the Downward Facing Dog Pose as a warm-up of your muscles at the beginning of yoga practice. In many styles of yoga, this posture is repeated many times during any given yoga class. It provides a transition between poses. For many it is the first pose they learn as they begin to do yoga. Because the head is lower than the pelvis this pose is often classified as an inversion posture.
Begin from a position of all fours, lift your buttocks up toward the ceiling. Elongate your spine, and straighten your knees, and push your heels toward the floor as much as you can without forcing. Lift your wrists. Move the abdominal muscles in and keep them firm; drop your head toward the floor and let it hang loosely. Release after three breaths.
In the pose your body is in an inverted “V” shape with your sitting bones rolling up toward the ceiling. Lengthen your spine so that your tailbone extends up and away from the back of your pelvis. Aim your chest to your knees with an extended spine. Keep your arms and legs straight, lifting up your kneecaps with your quadriceps with perfectly straight legs. Your torso goes toward your legs so the head hangs freely and more toward the floor.
As your hamstrings become more stretched with practice, you should be able to get the heels on the floor without losing the spinal extension. Do not worry if your heels do yet not reach the floor. Keep the feet parallel and work on getting weight on the back part of the ball of your foot.
As you work in the pose, continually observe the distribution of your weight on each part of your feet, on your hands and your fingers. Keep equal weight on both sides of the body and in all parts of hand or foot.
In the beginning, place a block on its side under each hand as you do the pose. You will be able to feel a grounding of your heels more easily. This variation takes weight out of your arms and shoulders and allows you to be much more present in your legs in the pose. This variation is especially good if you are suffering from a hand, arm, or shoulder injury since it takes some weight out of those areas.
Over time extend the time in which you hold this pose. As you become able to work in the pose for longer periods of time you will gain in strength and in stretch.
Eventually you should be able to hold and continually work in the pose for at least five minutes.
SmartToes Toe Stretchers and Straightener unique design are great for stretching your hamstrings, and provide overall relief for stressed out feet.
SmartSole Exercise Insole to help you burn more calories with every step and turn your everyday footwear into toning shoes.
SmartSole and SmartToes are also available at Duane Reade.
Runners often experience sore feet, bad backs and knees, tight hamstrings and hips. Others suffer joint pain, back problems, muscle pulls, tendinitis, and strains and sprains. Yoga helps increase range of motion, agility, flexibility, lung capacity, endurance and strength.
In Downward-Facing Dog Pose, your body forms a triangular pyramidal shape. The posture resembles a dog stretching after a nap. Do the Downward Facing Dog Pose as a warm-up of your muscles at the beginning of yoga practice. In many styles of yoga, this posture is repeated many times during any given yoga class. It provides a transition between poses. For many it is the first pose they learn as they begin to do yoga. Because the head is lower than the pelvis this pose is often classified as an inversion posture.
Begin from a position of all fours, lift your buttocks up toward the ceiling. Elongate your spine, and straighten your knees, and push your heels toward the floor as much as you can without forcing. Lift your wrists. Move the abdominal muscles in and keep them firm; drop your head toward the floor and let it hang loosely. Release after three breaths.
In the pose your body is in an inverted “V” shape with your sitting bones rolling up toward the ceiling. Lengthen your spine so that your tailbone extends up and away from the back of your pelvis. Aim your chest to your knees with an extended spine. Keep your arms and legs straight, lifting up your kneecaps with your quadriceps with perfectly straight legs. Your torso goes toward your legs so the head hangs freely and more toward the floor.
As your hamstrings become more stretched with practice, you should be able to get the heels on the floor without losing the spinal extension. Do not worry if your heels do yet not reach the floor. Keep the feet parallel and work on getting weight on the back part of the ball of your foot.
As you work in the pose, continually observe the distribution of your weight on each part of your feet, on your hands and your fingers. Keep equal weight on both sides of the body and in all parts of hand or foot.
In the beginning, place a block on its side under each hand as you do the pose. You will be able to feel a grounding of your heels more easily. This variation takes weight out of your arms and shoulders and allows you to be much more present in your legs in the pose. This variation is especially good if you are suffering from a hand, arm, or shoulder injury since it takes some weight out of those areas.
Over time extend the time in which you hold this pose. As you become able to work in the pose for longer periods of time you will gain in strength and in stretch.
Eventually you should be able to hold and continually work in the pose for at least five minutes.
SmartToes Toe Stretchers and Straightener unique design are great for stretching your hamstrings, and provide overall relief for stressed out feet.
SmartSole Exercise Insole to help you burn more calories with every step and turn your everyday footwear into toning shoes.
SmartSole and SmartToes are also available at Duane Reade.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Tea Time
When tea mavens talk about tea, they mean black, green, white, or oolong teas, all of which are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal brews, like chamomile and peppermint, are not technically considered tea. They're infusions of other plants with different nutritional characteristics. If you're not sure what kind you're drinking, check the ingredients for the word "tea."
What makes the four tea types different from each other is the way the leaves are prepared and how mature they are. Black tea is made from leaves that have been wilted (dried out) and then fully oxidized (meaning that chemicals in the leaves are modified through exposure to air). Green tea's leaves are wilted but not oxidized. Oolong tea is wilted and then only partially oxidized, and white tea is not wilted or oxidized at all.
All four types are high in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that seems to protect cells from the DNA damage that can cause cancer and other diseases. Most research has focused on black tea, which is what about 75% of the world drinks, and green tea, the most commonly consumed variety in China and Japan. Green tea contains an especially high amount of antioxidants—in particular, a type of polyphenol called a catechin.
A 2009 review of 51 green tea studies found that sipping three to five cups a day may lower the risks of ovarian, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers, but not breast or other cancers. As for black tea, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) deems it "possibly effective" for reducing the risk of ovarian cancer, and "possibly ineffective" for lowering the risk of stomach and colorectal cancers.
One to four cups of black or green tea a day has also been linked with a lower risk of Parkinson's disease, according to the NIH.
Drinking tea may be helpful in preventing or delaying certain risk factors of cardiovascular disease, and lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. One Japanese study found that adults who drank five or more cups of green tea per day had a 26% reduction in death from heart attack or stroke compared with those who had one cup or less; the effect was greater in women than in men.
More research needs to be done on other potential benefits. One small study suggested that the catechins and caffeine in green tea may give dieters a small metabolic boost that could amount to burning a few dozen extra calories per day.
There's also evidence that drinking tea may help ward off osteoporosis and reduce the incidence of cavities, due to the fluoride it contains. And EGCG, that green-tea antioxidant, has been found to increase the number of important immune-boosting cells.
The vast majority of the research conducted has been observational, meaning scientists can't know if the medical boosts seen in tea drinkers are definitely a result of that habit, or some other factor that makes these people healthier. And many of the studies that have looked at specific compounds in tea have been conducted in labs or on animals, not on people. These chemicals act as antioxidants in a test tube, but they may not do the same in your body. That said, experts agree that a daily cup, or five, won't hurt you, and may well help fight disease. If you're trying to limit your caffeine intake, go for decaf—it has antioxidants too, though fewer than the caffeinated kind.
FitFlax with flax seed, chia seeds and FlaxVibrance with lignans are also a delicious choice to help boost your immune system. Enjoy the benefit of flax seed and the benefit of chia seeds with FitFlax.
What makes the four tea types different from each other is the way the leaves are prepared and how mature they are. Black tea is made from leaves that have been wilted (dried out) and then fully oxidized (meaning that chemicals in the leaves are modified through exposure to air). Green tea's leaves are wilted but not oxidized. Oolong tea is wilted and then only partially oxidized, and white tea is not wilted or oxidized at all.
All four types are high in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that seems to protect cells from the DNA damage that can cause cancer and other diseases. Most research has focused on black tea, which is what about 75% of the world drinks, and green tea, the most commonly consumed variety in China and Japan. Green tea contains an especially high amount of antioxidants—in particular, a type of polyphenol called a catechin.
A 2009 review of 51 green tea studies found that sipping three to five cups a day may lower the risks of ovarian, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers, but not breast or other cancers. As for black tea, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) deems it "possibly effective" for reducing the risk of ovarian cancer, and "possibly ineffective" for lowering the risk of stomach and colorectal cancers.
One to four cups of black or green tea a day has also been linked with a lower risk of Parkinson's disease, according to the NIH.
Drinking tea may be helpful in preventing or delaying certain risk factors of cardiovascular disease, and lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. One Japanese study found that adults who drank five or more cups of green tea per day had a 26% reduction in death from heart attack or stroke compared with those who had one cup or less; the effect was greater in women than in men.
More research needs to be done on other potential benefits. One small study suggested that the catechins and caffeine in green tea may give dieters a small metabolic boost that could amount to burning a few dozen extra calories per day.
There's also evidence that drinking tea may help ward off osteoporosis and reduce the incidence of cavities, due to the fluoride it contains. And EGCG, that green-tea antioxidant, has been found to increase the number of important immune-boosting cells.
The vast majority of the research conducted has been observational, meaning scientists can't know if the medical boosts seen in tea drinkers are definitely a result of that habit, or some other factor that makes these people healthier. And many of the studies that have looked at specific compounds in tea have been conducted in labs or on animals, not on people. These chemicals act as antioxidants in a test tube, but they may not do the same in your body. That said, experts agree that a daily cup, or five, won't hurt you, and may well help fight disease. If you're trying to limit your caffeine intake, go for decaf—it has antioxidants too, though fewer than the caffeinated kind.
FitFlax with flax seed, chia seeds and FlaxVibrance with lignans are also a delicious choice to help boost your immune system. Enjoy the benefit of flax seed and the benefit of chia seeds with FitFlax.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Let's All Do The Pigeon
The Supported Pigeon is a hip opening yoga pose that can help those who spend too much time sitting behind the desk.
Typical exercise like walking, running and biking can help, but they don’t open your hips in the special way that the pigeon does.
There are a number of ways that you can start assuming this pose.
One is to start kneeling on your mat. Then, bring your left leg back so that it extends straight behind you with your left knee facing the mat. Now, place your right leg on the mat in front of you with the heel below your left groin.
Another is to start seated on your mat with your legs stretched out in front of you. Then, bend your left leg and bring your left heel in as close to your right groin as possible. Place your hands on the mat by your hips with your palms down on the mat. With the support of your hands, lift up and swing the right leg out, around and behind you. Extend and straighten the leg. The center of your right knee should face and touch your yoga mat.
Or, you can start with your legs extended behind, then bend the left leg and swing it in front of you positioning it so that the left heel is under the right groin area.
After assuming the initial pose using one of the approaches described above, use your arms and hands to help keep your balance. Straighten your arms and simultaneously elongate your spine. Because your pelvis is slightly lifted your own weight and gravity elongate your lower spine and helps to protect your lower back. Feel the connection with your spine through the extended back leg and the front bent leg. Adjust your balance with the arms pressing, keeping long and extended. Open the shoulders and chest and lift your sternum. Bring the foot away from your groin and up a bit forward toward the front of the mat so that your shin becomes parallel to the top of the mat.
Only go as far as comfortable. If you feel any pain, stop or find a way to make it less intense by moving out of it a little, by bringing your hands forward on the mat and pushing yourself upward with your arms.
You will gain stretch over time and repetition. Keep the hips level throughout your work in the pose. Continue to work on opening the hip joints by descending your pelvis toward the mat without either hip sinking lower than the other. If the stretch is too uncomfortable, place the hands more in front of you to make it easier. Likewise, move the hands behind you a bit to make the stretch deeper and more difficult.
Hold the pose for 5 to 10 full breaths. Relax into it.
The Supported Pigeon should bring ease into your everyday movements.
SmartToes Toe Stretchers and Straightener unique design are great for stretching your hamstrings, and provide overall relief for stressed out feet.
Typical exercise like walking, running and biking can help, but they don’t open your hips in the special way that the pigeon does.
There are a number of ways that you can start assuming this pose.
One is to start kneeling on your mat. Then, bring your left leg back so that it extends straight behind you with your left knee facing the mat. Now, place your right leg on the mat in front of you with the heel below your left groin.
Another is to start seated on your mat with your legs stretched out in front of you. Then, bend your left leg and bring your left heel in as close to your right groin as possible. Place your hands on the mat by your hips with your palms down on the mat. With the support of your hands, lift up and swing the right leg out, around and behind you. Extend and straighten the leg. The center of your right knee should face and touch your yoga mat.
Or, you can start with your legs extended behind, then bend the left leg and swing it in front of you positioning it so that the left heel is under the right groin area.
After assuming the initial pose using one of the approaches described above, use your arms and hands to help keep your balance. Straighten your arms and simultaneously elongate your spine. Because your pelvis is slightly lifted your own weight and gravity elongate your lower spine and helps to protect your lower back. Feel the connection with your spine through the extended back leg and the front bent leg. Adjust your balance with the arms pressing, keeping long and extended. Open the shoulders and chest and lift your sternum. Bring the foot away from your groin and up a bit forward toward the front of the mat so that your shin becomes parallel to the top of the mat.
Only go as far as comfortable. If you feel any pain, stop or find a way to make it less intense by moving out of it a little, by bringing your hands forward on the mat and pushing yourself upward with your arms.
You will gain stretch over time and repetition. Keep the hips level throughout your work in the pose. Continue to work on opening the hip joints by descending your pelvis toward the mat without either hip sinking lower than the other. If the stretch is too uncomfortable, place the hands more in front of you to make it easier. Likewise, move the hands behind you a bit to make the stretch deeper and more difficult.
Hold the pose for 5 to 10 full breaths. Relax into it.
The Supported Pigeon should bring ease into your everyday movements.
SmartToes Toe Stretchers and Straightener unique design are great for stretching your hamstrings, and provide overall relief for stressed out feet.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Pillow Talk
The right pillow should comfortably provide support for your head and neck. Here are some pillow tips:
Know what's inside. The most common fills for pillows are down feathers, synthetic/polyester fibers and foam. Natural goose down feather pillows are long-lasting and excellent in terms of comfort, but can be a bit pricey. A more cost-friendly option are synthetic/polyester fiber pillows, which are generally hypoallergenic, feel like down and are machine washable. For firmer support, spongy memory foam and Tempur-Pedic pillows are the way to go. Foam pillows retain heat, so if you're a hot sleeper, foam is not for you.
The higher the thread count in a pillow the more durable and plush it will feel. A fluffier a pillow provides better cushioning and is longer lasting. A fluffy pillow also means that fresh air is still able to travel through it. A deflated and flat pillow is not ideal for giving comfortable support. To test fluffiness, fold a pillow in half and see if it unfolds on its own or give it a big hug and see if it fluffs back up. If not, you might want to look for a new pillow.
If you sleep on your back, make sure you get a fluffier pillow that lifts your head and chin, which helps with breathing and snoring.
SmartToes Toe Stretchers and Straightener unique design are beneficial to stretching, as well as hammer toe. SmartToes also provide hammer toe treatment, bunion treatment and overall relief for stressed out feet.
SmartToes are available at Duane Reade.
Know what's inside. The most common fills for pillows are down feathers, synthetic/polyester fibers and foam. Natural goose down feather pillows are long-lasting and excellent in terms of comfort, but can be a bit pricey. A more cost-friendly option are synthetic/polyester fiber pillows, which are generally hypoallergenic, feel like down and are machine washable. For firmer support, spongy memory foam and Tempur-Pedic pillows are the way to go. Foam pillows retain heat, so if you're a hot sleeper, foam is not for you.
The higher the thread count in a pillow the more durable and plush it will feel. A fluffier a pillow provides better cushioning and is longer lasting. A fluffy pillow also means that fresh air is still able to travel through it. A deflated and flat pillow is not ideal for giving comfortable support. To test fluffiness, fold a pillow in half and see if it unfolds on its own or give it a big hug and see if it fluffs back up. If not, you might want to look for a new pillow.
If you sleep on your back, make sure you get a fluffier pillow that lifts your head and chin, which helps with breathing and snoring.
SmartToes Toe Stretchers and Straightener unique design are beneficial to stretching, as well as hammer toe. SmartToes also provide hammer toe treatment, bunion treatment and overall relief for stressed out feet.
SmartToes are available at Duane Reade.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Even More Immune Boosting Foods
Stay healthy this winter with these two immune boosting foods.
Garlic is a powerful infection fighter thanks to the sulfur-containing compounds in each clove. The anitmicrobial effects of the garlic compound allicin are well-documented, including a 2004 study in the British Journal of Biomedical Science. The medical literature consistently shows that allicin is also active against drug-resistant E.coli infections, fungal infections and parasites, and one clinical trial found that dietary garlic was useful in preventing colds. Allicin is only released when garlic cells are damaged (cutting, crushing, chewing) and is heat sensitive. Try adding some minced, raw garlic to a salad dressing.
Wheat germ is one of the richest vegetarian sources of zinc, an important mineral that is involved in nearly every aspect of immune system regulation. Zinc aids in the development of T-lymphocytes, a group of white blood cells that are central to fighting off infection. It also helps maintain healthy skin and mucus membranes, the body's first barriers to infection. Wheat germ has 17 milligrams of zinc per 100 gram serving, more than the government's recommended daily allowance, which is 11 mg for men and eight for women. Animal protein is the best form of zinc, particularly oysters, lobster, beef and pork shoulder. However, these sources also high in cholesterol and saturated fat, and are not an option for vegetarians, vegans and those who keep religious diets.
FitFlax with flax seed, chia seeds and FlaxVibrance with lignans are also a delicious choice to help boost your immune system. Enjoy the benefit of flax seed and the benefit of chia seeds with FitFlax and FlaxVibrance.
Garlic is a powerful infection fighter thanks to the sulfur-containing compounds in each clove. The anitmicrobial effects of the garlic compound allicin are well-documented, including a 2004 study in the British Journal of Biomedical Science. The medical literature consistently shows that allicin is also active against drug-resistant E.coli infections, fungal infections and parasites, and one clinical trial found that dietary garlic was useful in preventing colds. Allicin is only released when garlic cells are damaged (cutting, crushing, chewing) and is heat sensitive. Try adding some minced, raw garlic to a salad dressing.
Wheat germ is one of the richest vegetarian sources of zinc, an important mineral that is involved in nearly every aspect of immune system regulation. Zinc aids in the development of T-lymphocytes, a group of white blood cells that are central to fighting off infection. It also helps maintain healthy skin and mucus membranes, the body's first barriers to infection. Wheat germ has 17 milligrams of zinc per 100 gram serving, more than the government's recommended daily allowance, which is 11 mg for men and eight for women. Animal protein is the best form of zinc, particularly oysters, lobster, beef and pork shoulder. However, these sources also high in cholesterol and saturated fat, and are not an option for vegetarians, vegans and those who keep religious diets.
FitFlax with flax seed, chia seeds and FlaxVibrance with lignans are also a delicious choice to help boost your immune system. Enjoy the benefit of flax seed and the benefit of chia seeds with FitFlax and FlaxVibrance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)