Sunday, December 11, 2011

Stepping Outdoors Is (Gasp!) Good For You!

!9#: Stepping Outdoors Is (Gasp!) Good For You!

How many times did your mom or dad tell you to go outside? Probably more than you care to remember. It's pretty likely that their most immediate reason for sending you outside was to get you out of their hair. A few minutes of peace and quiet was all they really wanted, wasn't it?

More than That

Actually, it was more than that. While getting you out of the house while they stayed in may have been the more immediate goal, getting you outside because it's good for you was also part of the reason. After all, if sending you outdoors would make you sick or put you in danger in any way, they'd have kept you in. So why are you staying in now?

NO TV?

In our ever-increasing technologically-dependent society, it's hard to put down the remote and go out. We want to watch that show, catch that news report or root for our hometown sports team. We need to answer that call, send that IM and check the in-box for important e-mail. Going outside means no TV! Don't worry, you'll be ok. While there may be little to no technology out in the yard or on the deck or front stoop, you'll be doing yourself a favor. Get outside and shoot a few bucket on you or your neighbors basketball hoop if nothing else! That is always a fun activity to do outside.

A Little Vitamin D

Getting outside and soaking up the sun is good for you in so many ways...first of all, you're getting a shot of vitamin D. The sunshine you're basking in is bathing you in good health (provided you aren't cooking yourself up some skin cancer because you've been sitting there for hours with no sunscreen); vitamin D that your bones need to stay strong. You're improving the pallor of your skin by the stimulation of the sun. You're also breathing in fresh air - a huge improvement over the canned air you've most likely got running inside. Also, your eyes need a break, and there's not much on this earth that's more relaxing yet stimulating to watch than trees blowing in the breeze, birds hopping about, or waves crashing on the beach. Getting outdoors is so good for you that someone should probably charge you for it.

Cheaper Than a Health Club

Luckily, getting outside and enjoying everything the natural world has to offer is free. There are no membership dues or registration fees. No one stands at your front door to scan your ID so that you can take a walk down the street or simply sit out and watch the world go by. If you're trying to improve your health, get outside and take a walk or go for a run. Walk to the library instead of driving. Hop on the bike and go for a spin, with or without someone else. Sharing the outdoors with others can make your experience even more enjoyable. Getting out and seeing the world through the eyes of another can give you a whole new way of looking at things. Whether you take a walk, stoke a fire or shoot some hoops you'll benefit. So put down that remote, turn off that monitor, and go outside...it's good for you!


Stepping Outdoors Is (Gasp!) Good For You!

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Monday, November 7, 2011

Severe Problems Caused by a Lack of Sleep

!9# Severe Problems Caused by a Lack of Sleep

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Do you suffer from a chronic and consistent lack of sleep?  Many people do these days.  Sleep is very important to one's health but it's interesting how many things can interrupt it completely.  Stress and anxiety can keep a person awake for hours or wake them up in the middle of the night.  Pain and discomfort make it difficult to fall asleep.  And problems like sleep apnea and severe snoring can also cause a lack of sleep for the sufferer and the person that he or she shares a bed with.

While some people dismiss a lack of sleep as being not very important, and certainly some people think that it's "cool" to stay up late or go as long as you can without sleep, it's very important for the body's overall health to get adequate sleep every single night.  A chronic and consistent lack of sleep has been associated with some forms of cancer, heart disease, blood disorders, muscle pain, digestive disorders, and in extreme cases even death.

The reason that a lack of sleep affects a person in this way is that the brain needs this time of unconsciousness to rest and the body needs this time of inactivity to store up energy for the next day.  Every moment of every day the brain is busy taking in information from our senses and then evaluating and judging that information to decide on a course of action.  This means from the smallest breeze touching our skin to every single thing we see and hear.  A lack of sleep means the brain is going to be overloaded with information and stress as it can never shut off that conscious part of the mind.

The body too needs this period of inactivity in order to repair and renew itself.  A chronic lack of sleep can mean that muscles and organs do not get the necessary time and attention for cells to be repaired and impurities to be cleansed away.  Persons who suffer from a chronic lack of sleep often have problems with all of their organs and muscles - the skin is not repaired properly and the muscles cannot fix the small tears and other damage they suffer through everyday use.  When a person is asleep, however, the body naturally goes to work sending blood, nutrients, and healing oxygen to the muscles and organs and they in turn will use this for repair work rather than for physical activity.

Anyone suffering from a consistent lack of sleep would do well to speak to a doctor if they cannot fix the problem on their own.  Sometimes snoring or sleep apnea may require medical intervention.  Physical pain that interferes with sleep may also need medical attention if it is the symptom of a much more serious problem.  There's really no reason that anyone should suffer from a consistent lack of sleep; there are many simple remedies and techniques that one can use and many things that a doctor can do to help.


Severe Problems Caused by a Lack of Sleep

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Sunday, October 23, 2011

Check Engine Light and Car Maintenance

!9# Check Engine Light and Car Maintenance

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Is your "Check Engine" or "Service Engine Soon" light on? If so, you may need to "service your engine soon," but how can you know for sure what is wrong without taking it to a dealership and getting charged for a diagnostic test. The car still runs fine, so what's the big deal.

There are a wide range of things that can trigger the unwanted light. It can be anything from a misfiring cylinder due to a bad spark plug, to a bad O2 sensor, to an air fuel ratio outside the optimal parameters. There is an easy and cheap way to check. In our area of georgia, I have found that most of the Autozones carry the OBD1 and OBD2 diagnostic computers which can scan for trouble codes. They offer this as a free service to their customers, which can save the to I have seen charged for the same thing.

Once these error codes are received from your computer, you have a clue as to what the problem is. You can now do a simple google search to see what the codes mean specifically for your vehicle. In a lot of cases, it will tell you exactly the faulty component, such as which O2 sensor or cylinder is failing. You can now purchase the parts you need and save time and money on the repairs and service.

Beginning in the 1990's most cars began coming equipped with on board diagnostics, or OBD codes. Also called trouble codes, these codes help diagnosis problems your vehicle is having, sometimes before they are bad enough for you to be stuck on the side of the road. If the warnings are acted upon, you can save yourself in the long run. There are two different types of on board diagnostics depending on the make and year of your vehicle. OBD 1 cars were produced up to '95 and OBD2 runs from '95/'96 and up. Check your vehicle owners manual to know for sure.

When your check engine or service engine soon light come on, be sure to go and have the codes read. Don't wait for your car to stop running before you take it in for repairs, because the cost of waiting is usually higher.

To check your trouble codes, you can visit one of my favorite sites for trouble code information located at the code database. Here you can find all the codes for all makes and models sorted by year and code. Armed with the right info, maintenance and service are a breeze for any vehicle.

Hopefully you have some useful information to use when you encounter the dreaded check engine light. Stay up to date on the maintenance and service and your car should return the favor by being reliable.


Check Engine Light and Car Maintenance

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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Fall Asleep Easier, Sleep Deeper, and Watch Your Body Fat Disappear

!9# Fall Asleep Easier, Sleep Deeper, and Watch Your Body Fat Disappear

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I want to take a step away today from my normal discussions about various training techniques or nutrition ideas, and look at another vitally important aspect in your life that plays an important role in your success with your fitness goals. And that aspect is...

How well do you sleep?

I've noticed that one of the challenges for many people in their fitness endeavors is getting enough quality sleep each night. In case you didn't already know, the quality and quantity of your sleep each night is VERY important to maintaining an optimal hormonal balance within your body and keeping your metabolism as high as possible. Obviously, this all translates into a leaner you, if you are sleeping well regularly.

On the other hand, if you never seem to get enough sleep, or don't sleep well enough to give your body the rest and recuperation it needs, you can count on the fact that this lack of sleep is making you fatter! That's right, the lack of quality sleep creates a fat-storing hormonal mess inside your body. The fact is, the stats show that most people don't get enough sleep regularly, and also don't sleep as soundly as they should.

Aside from sleeping disorders, most people simply don't get enough sleep because they have a hard time shutting down their minds at night, which leaves them lying there in bed tossing and turning with thoughts about the stresses of their daily lives shooting through their heads. Does this happen to you?

This has actually been a problem for me personally, but I've started to gain control of this with a few secrets I've learned, and now I can usually fall asleep pretty fast each night. Here are some of the tricks I've used to fall asleep easier each night. Some of these you've probably heard before, but others may be new ideas for you.

1. Try not to exercise intensely within about 2 hours or so of your normal bedtime. However, getting regular daily exercise at any other time of the day will help tire you out so that you can fall asleep easier once bed time comes.

2. Don't try to go to sleep hungry. Contrary to popular belief, just because you eat after 6 or 7 pm does not mean it's going to be instantly deposited as blubbery body fat. As a matter of fact, a lot of very lean people that I know eat small meals right before they go to bed each night. A light healthy snack 30-90 minutes before you hit the pillows will help satisfy your hunger and help you fall asleep easier.

3. Avoid stimulants like caffeine any time after late-afternoon.

4. Try chamomile tea and/or mint tea an hour or two before bed time. These generally have a relaxing effect and can help you calm down at night. I recently found a tea product called "bed time tea", which combines chamomile and mint in the tea bags. I add in just a little touch of raw honey too and this combo really seems to relax me.

5. Try ground nutmeg in capsules an hour or two before bed. Nutmeg is supposed to also have a calming effect on the body. What I've done is buy a couple rounds of whole nutmeg and use a strong coffee grinder to grind them into powder. Then I fill empty capsules with the nutmeg and take a couple each night. Two whole nutmeg rounds will fill a couple dozen capsules, so I store them in a ziplock in the fridge. I'm not totally sure if this helps or not, but it certainly can't hurt, and nutmeg is at least a good source of antioxidants too!

6. Try to clear your mind of daily stresses and things you need to do. This has been my biggest obstacle to overcome in order to fall asleep at night. One thing that helps is to use a note pad to write down what I need to do the next day. That helps me clear my mind and reassure that I won't forget anything, so that I can relax. Instead of thinking about my day, or what I need to do tomorrow, I simply wipe my mind clean, and think about a relaxing place that I enjoy, like a tropical beach, or lying on a hammock in the breeze somewhere. If I can keep my mind on something relaxing like this, and not my daily worries, I fall asleep like a champ!

I know there are many other strategies that people use to help fall asleep, but I figured I'd just give you a few of the tricks that have helped me out with conquering this. Whatever you do, please try to keep it natural... taking sleep aid drugs will almost always have adverse side effects.

So do yourself a favor and pull the plug on the late-night talk shows or late-night Seinfeld re-runs (although that Kramer does crack me up!), and try to get to sleep a little earlier from now on. Clear your mind, relax, and enjoy some good quality sleep that will keep your body leaner and have you feeling more energy filled during each day. Good luck!


Fall Asleep Easier, Sleep Deeper, and Watch Your Body Fat Disappear

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