Health and Fitness Center

Are You Overweight? - A Few Tests To Find You Health Level
By Bill Nadraszky

Nearly half of all adults and one-quarter of our children are over - weight. Being overweight can lead to serious health problems including high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, back and joint pain, and sleep disorders. In addition, women who are severely overweight (obese) are also more likely to develop breast, uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. Obese men are at increased risk for colon and prostate cancer.

Being underweight can also cause health problems including bones that are thin and brittle, fertility difficulties, decreased ability to fight illnesses and infections, hair loss, and feeling cold all of the time.

For the sake of your health, you should aim for a healthy weight. A healthy body weight is not a single target number it is the range in which the risk for weight -related health problems is lowest for a particular height and body build. There are several methods used to determine if a person s weight is in the healthy range. The most common methods are the body mass index, hip- to-waist ratio, and waist circumference.

Body Mass Index
The body mass index (BMI) assesses body weight relative to height. You can calculate your BMI by taking your weight in kilograms and dividing it by your height in metres squared (BMI = kg/m2) or your weight in pounds divided by the square of your height in inches and multiplying that number by 704.5 (BMI = Ib/in2 x 704.5). But you don t need to do the math yourself. You can check your BMI on a standard BMI table found in many pharmacies and medical offices. If you have access to the Internet, there are many interactive BMI calculators that will do the math for you after you enter your height and weight.

Once you know your BMI, you can use it to help determine how healthy your weight is in relation to your height.

BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight.
BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered the normal, healthy range.
BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered over?weight.
BMI over 30 is considered obese.

The BMI is only one indicator of a healthy weight. It has limitations and does not apply to children, pregnant women, or people with very muscular bodies. If your BMI falls outside what is generally considered healthy, ask your doctor what would be a healthy range for you.

Hip-to-Waist Ratio

Fat stored around the abdomen (the “apple?shaped” body) raises the risk of cardiovascular disease more than fat stored in the hip area (the”pear-shaped” body), so the hip-to-waist ratio (HWR) can be a useful tool in determining your risk of weight-related health problems.

To calculate your HWR, measure your waist at the smallest part-generally a few centimetres above your navel-then measure your hips at the widest point, including your buttocks. Now divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement to determine your hip-to-waist ratio.

Women with an HWR greater than 0.8 and men with an HWR greater than 1 .0 have a higher risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes and should try to reduce their abdominal body fat.

Waist Circumference

Another easy tool for determining if your weight is in the healthy range is the waist circumference (WC). A WC of 88 cm (35 in.) or more in women or 102 cm (40 in.) or more in men carries a higher risk for health problems.

One of the keys to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is portion control. A number of studies have shown that many people under?estimate the number of calories they consume daily, primarily because they don t understand how much is in “a portion.” Here is a practical way of estimating the size of a portion of some common foods.

Now that you know what kind of shape you are in I urge you to act now to make changes. I have two products that I have reviewed A build muscle book review or my fat loss diet plan review.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Nadraszky
http://EzineArticles.com/?Are-You-Overweight?—A-Few-Tests-To-Find-You-Health-Level&id=649838

written by admin

Aqua Fitness
By Kate Steplton

Aqua fitness is used quite often by people looking to get in shape in this day and age dominated by the fitness craze. There are many reasons why aqua fitness is so popular, and there are many redeeming qualities for the body when it comes to aqua fitness, but the best feature about aqua fitness is the fact that for most people, it is fun. There is little in the universe that is more fun than swimming, and quite frankly, swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for the muscles in the human body, but there s much more to an aqua fitness workout than JUST SWIMMING.

Of course swimming laps isn t all that there is to aqua fitness routines, though swimming laps in a concentrated effort with varied strokes is certainly a part of any routine. Many muscles can be strengthened, toned, and stretched by swimming a number of laps, depending on your level of fitness, with different strokes. The butterfly, for instance, as an excellent way to workout your upper body torso, including your pecs and your lats. Even the doggie paddle strengthens your neck, back, arms, and legs. The biggest benefit of aqua fitness can come from simple static exercise. Herschel Walker, the famed Heisman Trophy winner, used aqua fitness techniques to build the endurance and strength in his legs by simply running under water. The resistance from the water itself helped build those oak trees that Herschel called legs. There are plenty of resistance and isometric exercises that can be used to build strength and muscles, from simple flexing and movement to more advanced routines involving light weights under water.

There are plenty of enjoyable water sports as well that can be used to help build the body. Sports such as water polo, water soccer, and water volleyball, while competitive and fun, are very good for building muscle. The great thing about aqua fitness is that it tends to use the whole body as you train and exercise. Bodybuilding in typical fashion generally requires exercises involving free weights and machines that focus on a primary and secondary muscle structure. For instance when you do curls with either a dumbbell or a barbell, you are using the resistance of the weight to strengthen the bicep as you curl the weight up, and you are stressing the triceps as you lower the weight back down. Two muscles are exercised, and unhealthy strain is placed on the back which supports the exercise as there is little to no support behind it. The same exact exercise done under water with far less weight is more effective and is safer as well. First of all, the back is reinforced by the water itself. Secondly you can use far less weight, putting less pressure on the back, because of the resistance of the water, which exercises the muscle. In the water, all of the back muscles and abdominal muscles are utilized as well, due to the resistance of the water, so it is a far more effective work out.

Kate Steplton travel.syl.com/health/ - More thoughts from different
authors on a variety of subjects

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Steplton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Aqua-Fitness&id=378896

written by admin

Alternative Health Approaches to Anxiety and Insomnia
By Hotaka Sutton

Anxiety and insomnia are something of a catch-22. Which one comes first? Both can cause the other. The use of drugs treats the symptoms, but not the underlying causes.

Insomnia may be one of the most common afflictions in the United States. Estimates run as high as 60 percent of the population suffering from it in at various times. In many cases, there is a very close connection between insomnia and anxiety. There is some confusion when the two conditions coexist as to their causal relationship. It is must likely the case that the two feed off of each other in a back and forth manner. Anxiety leads to insomnia, and the lack of proper rest heightens anxiety. Put simply, we are talking about a vicious cycle.

Many Doctors in the United States are almost reluctantly beginning to do clinical studies into the effectiveness of acupuncture as an alternative approach to these problems. One of the reasons for this is that just about the only treatment form available to them is chemicals that we know under the general term, “sleeping pills.” These chemicals are noted for their detrimental side effects and their potential for abuse. It is a typical approach of Western Medicine to a little understood condition. After all, little pills can cost big bucks while acupuncture does not.

The Western Medical Profession cannot easily accept the Traditional Chinese Medicine explanation of acupuncture’s success rate. The theory that a form of vital energy known as qi flows through 20 channels or Meridians inside the body cannot be demonstrated during a dissection. Since they cannot see these channels or isolate the substance, the classical theories are seen as similar to trying to explain the location and function of the human soul. It is seen as something that belongs in the spiritual realm and not the scientific arena.

Even when reviewing clinical studies done in China and sometimes even those done in Europe, the common criticism is the failure to monitor the various physical and chemical reactions that are thought in the West to be related to the disorder. Since the alternative health practitioner usually has no problem explaining or understanding the actual process behind the treatment, they do not usually take the time to measure factors that in their view have little or nothing to do with what is happening.

What they do measure is results. It is in the areas of pain management, stress and anxiety relief that acupuncture has won over the most converts in the West. The people who are being restored to a much healthier condition rarely care just exactly how something works. They did not really get too involved in just what chemical reaction took place when they took a sleeping pill either. They were just happy to finally get a good night sleep. With that comes a more relaxed mentality and a pull back from anxious moments.

Read more acupuncture articles at AlternativeHealthCompanies.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hotaka_Sutton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Alternative-Health-Approaches-to-Anxiety-and-Insomnia&id=521966

written by admin

Achieve Overall Physical Fitness
By Nahush Khubalkar

Physical fitness is one of the most important aspects of life. Of all the other areas of personal development, physical fitness would top the list.

Without physical fitness, can you imagine playing with your child, going for a trek, traveling, performing your office work, or even enjoying sex ? Undoubtedly, to enjoy many simple pleasures of life, you need to be physically fit.

Physical fitness is also important because it has something to do with your overall being. The casing in which “real you” resides right from your birth till death, is undoubtedly your own body. Unlike other inanimate casings of goods, your body is constantly in a state of change.

Unless you regulate this change for the better by achieving physical fitness, your body will shape itself by default which may not necessarily resulted to physical fitness.

The beauty of physical fitness is that once you are physically fit, you also possess a healthy mind. This results into your overall well being.

The Three Ss of Physical Fitness To achieve overall physical fitness, you need to work on these three areas:

1. Strength
2. Stamina
3. Suppleness

Strength: Strength implies your ability to lift things up. For e. g. lifting a child, a bucket full of water, or lifting a bit heavy luggage and to perform such common tasks with considerable ease. Strength, therefore, has greatly to do with your muscular strength. For the improving strength and you need to undertake systematic weight training schedule on a regular basis.

Stamina: Your ability to climb the tall building using staircase without much huffing and puffing, your ability to run, jog, swim for a longer time and are indications of having great stamina. Performing these tasks without feeling out of breath, implies stamina. After performing such tasks, your breath should return to normalcy within a short period of time. Improvement of your stamina is connected with the improvement of the capacity of your lungs to take in more air. Step in a can be improved by undertaking aerobic home of exercises such as cycling, running, aerobic dancing, swimming etc.

Suppleness: How flexible are you? Can you perform sex in various positions with ease? Can you easily bend down to tie or untie your shoelace. Can you bend backwards? Can you easily stretch yourself to take out the book you want to read from a higher place in the shelf above, without feeling any pain. Your body s suppleness is flexibility. Flexibility helps you greatly in moving swiftly and in responding to situations with improved reflexes. Training in yoga, and performing various yoga postures can help greatly improve your suppleness. Yoga will also eventually have an overall positive effect on your life.

Focusing on only one of the three Ss will result in an imbalance. To achieve optimal physical fitness you need to balance all the three Ss: Strength, Stamina and Suppleness. You need to undertake certain tasks from each area and to strike a balance.

For achieving maximum physical fitness in all the three areas above, it is a good idea to refer to various books written by experts on the subjects or to seek guidance from a qualified trainer.

Nahush Khubalkar is a Lawyer based in India. He loves learning and sharing success principles, skills for presonal development and applying them to his life. He runs a blog at http://www.successmantras.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nahush_Khubalkar
http://EzineArticles.com/?Achieve-Overall-Physical-Fitness&id=588950

written by admin

Attention Fitness Freaks, Here Comes Trampoline
By Richard Miller

Many believe that trampolines and trampolining were originated by Eskimos in which a walrus skinned sheet was used to toss people up into the air. However, the trampoline process has evolved greatly to having present day trampolines are made of a strong taut fabric stretched over a metal frame anchored together by strong metal coils.

Trampolines for the garden or yard have become one of the hottest sports in the world. And why not? It s great for you. You can do it alone or with others. You can use a trampoline to help you brush up on other skills - snowboarding, anyone? A trampoline in your back yard or garden is like having a gym right outside your door.

Trampolines can be therapeutic and entertaining and even cost-effective. Both family and friends alike can enjoy the addition of a trampoline. Exercising on trampoline helps to keep you healthy and fit. It increases the blood flow throughout the body thereby increasing the oxygen availability to each and every body cell. It also reduces the level of cholesterol and triglycerides thereby improving the lymphatic circulation.

But a trampoline is not all about fun and frolic it has a serious aspect and that relates to its many health benefits. Just bounce on the trampoline for just five minutes along with your children and see the differences It will improve the oxygen supply in your cells, you will get extra strength in your weak muscles and joints, improve your aerobic capacity. The greatest benefit of trampoline jumping is that it cleanses and detoxifies your lymphatic system. The efficacy of trampoline exercise was first widely felt among the soldiers and it was soon introduced in the school level physical activities programs.

We offer Trampolines in different shapes such as Round, Rectangle/Square and Octagon which are further available in different sizes. Our trampolines are built to the highest quality standards. They are built for outdoor use and are perfect for gymnastics training and are designed for buyers who want the very best.

Our rectangular trampolines feature the largest jumping surface of any rectangular trampoline on the market and are recommended highly by most coaches. Perfect for gymnasts, divers or just plain outdoor fun they are simply the BEST!

Our round trampolines are suitable for smaller families while the bigger sizes are mostly targeted for heavy users. The heavy construction imparts it more stability and makes it sturdy for repeated use.

We proudly offer Fun Spot? brand trampoline parts and accessories. For the past 36 years, Fun Spot has built a reputation for producing the finest trampoline products.

Richard Miller
Content Writer
richardmiller@trampoline-1.com
Funspot Trampoline

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Miller
http://EzineArticles.com/?Attention-Fitness-Freaks,-Here-Comes-Trampoline&id=593453

written by admin