Get Moving!

Aerobic exercise: Top 10 reasons to get physical

Regardless of age, weight or athletic ability, aerobic exercise is good for you. See why — then prepare yourself to get moving!

By Mayo Clinic staff

At least 30 minutes of daily aerobic activity — such as walking, bicycling or swimming — can help you live longer and healthier. See how aerobic exercise affects your heart, lungs and blood flow. Then get motivated to reap the rewards!

How your body responds to aerobic exercise

During aerobic activity, you repeatedly move large muscles in your arms, legs and hips. You'll notice your body's responses quickly.

You'll breathe faster and more deeply. This maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. Your heart will beat faster, which increases blood flow to your muscles and back to your lungs. Your small blood vessels (capillaries) will widen to deliver more oxygen to your muscles and carry away waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Your body will even release endorphins, natural painkillers that promote an increased sense of well-being.

Aerobic activity can help you:

1. Keep excess pounds at bay. Combined with a healthy diet, aerobic exercise helps you lose weight — and keep it off.
2. Increase your stamina. Aerobic exercise may make you tired in the short term. But over the long term, you'll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.
3. Ward off viral illnesses. Aerobic exercise activates your immune system. This leaves you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu.
4. Reduce health risks. Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and certain types of cancer. Weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as walking, reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
5. Manage chronic conditions. Aerobic exercise helps lower high blood pressure and control blood sugar. If you've had a heart attack, aerobic exercise helps prevent subsequent attacks.
6. Strengthen your heart. A stronger heart doesn't need to beat as fast. A stronger heart also pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of your body.
7. Keep your arteries clear. Aerobic exercise boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol. The potential result? Less buildup of plaques in your arteries.
8. Boost your mood. Aerobic exercise can ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety and promote relaxation.
9. Stay active and independent as you get older. Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older. Aerobic exercise also keeps your mind sharp. At least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week seems to reduce cognitive decline in older adults.
10. Live longer. People who participate in regular aerobic exercise appear to live longer than those who don't exercise regularly.

Start slowly

Aerobic activity is safe for most people, but sometimes it's important to get a doctor's OK first — especially if you have a chronic health condition. When you're ready to begin exercising, start slowly. You might walk five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the evening. The next day, add a few minutes to each walking session. Pick up the pace a bit, too. Soon, you could be walking briskly for at least 30 minutes a day — and reaping all the benefits of regular aerobic activity.

Other options might include cross-country skiing, aerobic dancing, swimming, stair climbing, bicycling, jogging, elliptical training or rowing. If you have a condition that limits your ability to participate in aerobic activities, ask your doctor about alternatives. If you have arthritis, for example, aquatic exercises may give you the benefits of aerobic activity without stressing your joints

VItamins

Experts cut through the hype about the health benefits of vitamin supplements.

By Richard Sine
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

There are enough myths around vitamins to make an ancient Greek blush, and it's easy to see why.

We all know that vitamins and minerals are essential to good health -- it says so right there on the cereal box. And we live in the more-is-better era of Hummers, Big Gulps, and McMansions. Which raises the obvious question: if taking 100% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of, say, vitamin C is good enough to keep us going through the day, then why shouldn't taking 1,000% be enough to melt our fat, cure our blues, and let us leap tall buildings in a single bound?

Meanwhile, the $19 billion-a-year dietary supplement industry continually reminds us that we can get our vitamins from a pill. Which invites yet another question: Why should we bother choking down bushels of brussels sprouts when we could get the same effect by sprinkling supplement shavings over our Boston cream pie?

If life were only that easy. The broad consensus from nutrition experts -- or at least the ones who aren't buying Hummers with the proceeds from supplement sales -- is that while vitamins are indeed essential, big doses are usually pointless and can even be harmful. And no pill is likely to ever adequately substitute for a healthy diet.

side note

I'm really pump up! As I opened my eye's this morning, I thought about the importance of centering my thoughts for the day before I get out of bed. Not mulling over all the task to do, but... well, just centering myself. I kind of felt like a freak as I laid there Smiling - yes, making myself just smile! Well, I blogged about it so I should DO IT. Then I just decided to repeat over and over again, Thank you Lord... nothing specifically came to mind to thank him for, just... saying "Thank you" feeding my soul with words of gratitude. Then again, practicing what I'm saying to do, I put on my Work Out clothes and started the Day. When I kept fiddling around (unconsciously avoiding my exercise bike) I then recognized and admitted I was avoiding it by keeping busy. I then, again practiced what I've said. Stood Still, Looked up and took a deep breath and Said to the Lord, "Unto thee oHHHHHH Lord!". Then I walked in to the room and ... again felt the lack of desire to get on the bike.... then said, "oh, I'll put on the TV and that will help me do this for at least 5 minutes". See, again what is that about when we avoid what we know we should do? As I wrote that, it occurred to me, "we are conditioned to only do that which brings us IMMEDIATE pleasure". A confirmation that taking care of our bodies properly is a "spiritual battle". Yet, I believe that if I persist to do what I know is right, Say what I know is right and Live what I know is right.....I will hunger after those things that are right because it'll just be a part of me to do so. oh, by the way.... as usual the 5 minutes turned in to 15 then I stretch for another 10! yawhooeeee

That's what I have to say about that!

Day 6- Satisfied

Psalm 63

³ Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

⁵ My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you

Day 6

Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

It's Day SIX

Please don't loose sight that the 21 day journey we are on to Health and Wellness is a Balance of Spirit, Mind and Body!

If you are experiencing fatigue and lack of energy... then Think about

1. Your Spirit: Do you need Healing? Spiritual healing! Ask God to open your eye's if you are harboring unforgiveness? Have you forgiven others? Have you forgiven YOURSELF?

2. Your Mind: Do you need healing in your thought life? Ask God to reveal to you how you respond (thoughts) to situations.... are you using positive words are your thoughts faith based?

3. Your Body: Do you need healing in your body? What is in your control and what is in the hands of the Lord? Take responsibility to do what YOU can do towards healing your body.

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Spiritual: Lord, Renew my strength in desire to take care of YOUR temple, ME. Place a song in my heart. Fill my heart with your joy. Open my eyes to see the world through you. May my thoughts be directed towards you first. I will MAKE time

(15 minutes) to be with you today. Honor my journey to Health and Wellness by giving me your strength and joy. AMEN

Mental: Today I will make only positive statements! I will exercise my brain by reading for 15 minutes

Physical: I will MAKE time to exercise today for 15 minutes.

I will choose healthy food choices. I will make my pitcher of water kissed by a lemon with a splash of Cayenne pepper and DRINK it all by Dinner time.

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Now, I will put on my exercise clothes and take responsibility to take care of ME (the Temple of the Lord) He needs us at our best to do His work! He will give me the strength that I need to accomplish this task.

If I lack the desire then I will: STOP, Look up and take a deep breath and CONFESS HIS WORD! He's there for you (remember: It is a spiritual battle when we don't do what we know we should do).

Beauty tip today:

Kate Moss offers beauty tips - dunking your head in ice and cucumber

Want to get a supermodel glow? Then shove your head in a bucket of ice and cucumber. According to Kate Moss it's the best way of restoring a youthful complexion.

She tells us: "Get some ice, put it in the sink, put some cucumber in there too and stick your head in it. Apparently, it's an old-school thing that Joan Crawford used to do.

It really wakes you up."

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Ok, Now did you laugh! Ahhhh laughing! Proverbs 17: 22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains one's strength.

My Tip: A person who can laugh is truly beautiful.

SALUTE!