Walking For Your Health

Everyone wants to stay healthy and one of the easiest things you can do for yourself is WALK. Such a simple thing, we all learn how at a very early age and take it for granted for the rest of our lives. There are growing health problems for many people that effect their heart, immune system and general circulation. Here are a few ways that walking improves these areas.

Studies have shown that, for your heart, walking can be as good or better than high intensity workouts. Walking for more than an hour a week will lessen the risk of cardiac problems. Better yet, a daily walk of 30 minutes or more will give health benefits needed for a healthy heart by reducing heart disease risk. Use a heart rate monitor. There are instructions with it to help find your target heart rate and achieve that rate so you will get the most benefits from your walk. It is not necessary to participate in strenuous exercise programs and risk injury, just take a walk.

Another benefit of walking is a healthy immune system. Walking raises oxygen levels by increasing blood flow and produces more cells that fight destructive germs that enter our body. Increased oxygen helps the immune system repair tissue damage. If you are prone to colds due to an impaired immune system, walking regularly increases the immune cell circulation throughout the body more quickly and will attack the unwanted bacteria. Intense exercise can overwork the immune system, so exercise in moderation, but walk everyday.

Some people have poor circulation in their lower body. If they have jobs that require sitting a lot, such as computer work this can cause problems in the lower extremities. Take a break from your desk several times a day, get up and walk around the office. On a lunch hour join some friends and take a walk outside whenever possible. There are tiny blood vessels that supply blood for proper cellular function and their size and efficiency can be improved by walking thereby improving general circulation in the whole body. Improving circulation also decreases anxiety, stress, and even depression in some cases. A nice walk can generate a feeling of well being that will change your whole day.

Walking should be done on a daily basis to continue the benefits as your immune system will return to normal after the walk and so needs the consistent stimulation of daily walking to continue its guard duty. Walking is so satisfying!

Posted under Live healthy life by Live healthy life on Monday 30 August 2010 at 6:33 am

Smoking and Heart Disease

The cases of heart diseases have been rising at a very high rate with the figure of 400,000 Americans still dying annually. Even if this projection is going to continue, Americans should do much to cut down chances and the risks of acquiring this disease by adopting some three simple lifestyle changes.

To begin with, Americans should be more conscious of healthy living as a regular part of their everyday existence so it doesn’t feel like a forced thing they’re bringing upon themselves. They should be aware that eating a high-fat or high-cholesterol type of foods will make them develop heart disease. Obesity and overweight will only put you at higher risk of falling victim to heart disease.

Preventing a heart disease calls for the eating of healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and good fats like olive oil and what is omega-3 fatty acids which is normally found in fishes such as salmon. Again it is very important that one takes only small portions of food to stop overeating since eating too much food is not good either as it contributes to cases of excess weight.

The second and very important thing that Americans should embark on is more exercise. Together with a more healthy living, a person needs to do enough exercise. Imagine this, just getting a thirty minute workout, three or four days a week will make a whole lot of difference in getting a heart attack or not.

Therefore, take a walk over lunch, try packing the car a little distance from your destination and take the stairs instead of a lift to give you extra exercise each day. Even light to moderate workout will make the heart stronger, give you a healthy body and good weight.

Last but not least, you must stop smoking because this poses a huge strain to the heart and threatens to increase the risk for many reasons which include heart disease.

Stopping smoking will help to protect you from getting heart attacks because your body will be without poisonous stuff called nicotine. All those who stop smoking have systematically reduced the risk of heart disease as soon as they stop smoking.

It is not easy to start on a path of recovery but it can be your lifeline. In short, eating healthy, increased exercise and doing away with tobacco can actually prevent or cut down the risk margin of heart disease which is one of the major causes of death in America today.

Posted under Live healthy life by Live healthy life on Monday 23 August 2010 at 6:22 am

How Cardiovascular Exercise Helps

With the kind of lifestyle that people lead today, the need for Natural heart remedies has never been greater. Without regular cardiovascular exercises that increase the demand for the heart, the heart wouldn’t recognize that its coronary arteries are gradually decreasing their capacity to supply ample blood in times of need. When the heart realizes too late that a part of it doesn’t have ample blood supply, a heart attack will occur.

Here are some natural heart remedies that can prevent this from happening. Stretching is an exercise that will help strengthen the heart muscles. While performing any form of cardiovascular exercise, ensure that your movements are slow and controlled. Stretch gently, don’t bounce or hold your breath. Avoid jerking or quick movements as well.

1. Groin stretch – with the soles of your feet together and your knees bent, lie on your back. Gradually, lower your knees to the floor until such time you feel a gentle pull on your inner thighs and groin.

2. Behind back arm raise – put your hands behind your back while locking your fingers together at waist level. You can also do this while holding on to a towel to ensure that your hands are a shoulder width apart. Raise your hands upwards and straighten your elbows until such time you feel a gentle pull in your shoulders or chest.

3. Side bends – with both of your legs a shoulder width apart, stand straight with your legs. Elbow bent, reach over your head with one arm while sliding the opposite hand and arm down your thigh toward your knee. Hold the stretch until such time you feel a gentle pull at your side. Repeat the process with the other knee.

4. Leg circles – for balance you can hold on to a sturdy object or a chair. Keeping both knees straight, lift one leg straight behind you. Rotate your leg clockwise, and then do the same counterclockwise. Perform this as if you are drawing circles with your foot. Remember that you should feel the movement at your hip joint. Repeat the process with each leg, in each direction.

5. Double shoulder circles – put your fingertips on your shoulders while bending your elbows. Next, rotate our elbows and shoulders clockwise and then counter clockwise. Perform this exercise as if you are drawing big circles with both of your elbows. Repeat the process in each direction.

These natural heart remedies will surely give the heart the exercise it needs to be healthier and stronger.

Posted under Live healthy life by Live healthy life on Monday 2 August 2010 at 6:34 am