Saturday, January 23, 2010

One more reason to stretch

About a month ago I posted on importance of stretching not from a muscle flexibility standpoint, but from activating the proprioceptive system standpoint.

I wanted to point to another research article can-touching-your-toes-test-your-arteries?.  This makes simple sense, remember when we stretch we are stretching everything - not just muscles.  The arteries run through our arms, legs and trunk so if we stretch we are keeping them more flexible as well.  We have known for a long time that if the arteries get stiff, it can lead to heart problems.

Here is another study proving the importance of stretching for many reasons beyond our once simple view of thinking it makes the muscles more flexible.  Let me know some of your favorite stretches...

Friday, January 15, 2010

Basic changes can make Better Life

As you know if you have been following my blog that I talk about basic core principles for improved health.  Read another story, Better Life, of how basic changes in diet and exercise changed this person's life around.  It does not have to crazy methods or the latest fades, just basic principles.

You may want to check out a web site http://www.bluezones.com/, if you haven't already.  Check out this video clip it is about 20 minutes long.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Exercise and Farming

Growing up in the Midwest my entire life, I have an appreciation for farming.  While I have never lived on a farm or really did any work on a farm, you still can’t help learn a little about farming as it is a cornerstone to Midwest living.  The last 15+ as a physical therapist I have come to appreciate some large similarities between health through exercise and farming.  Let me paint some correlating similarities.

Farmers have to understand patience and sticking with a time tested traditions of growing crops.  Some things can’t be rushed or forced when it comes to having a successful harvest and many things need to be repeated year after year to ensure that success.  Farmers understand there are certain tasks that need to be done during every season and proper planning throughout the year are important to ensure a bountiful fall harvest.  And most definitely there is going to be some hard work and effort required during it all and no immediate results from all of this.

Come spring the seeds are planted. Then the fertilizer (nutrition) and water need to be added properly throughout the season to ensure the plants to grow well.  We need the right amount and kinds of food and water in our systems to help us grow properly.  If we have too much or too little of either it can cause problems.  Soil samples are taken regularly to ensure the right combination is getting received by the plants.  We need to monitor and test our diet and water intake regularly to ensure we are getting the proper amount.  With all this work initially we see no results.  The field looks the same for many weeks even though the seeds have been planted.  I am sure this is how many of us feel with our exercise program.  We put in a lot of work and want results and often do not see anything right away.

But just as the farmer knows with having faith in this proven system if you plant the seeds and prepare everything properly, the plants will come.  We have to have that same faith in our exercise program.  We can’t quit, we need to have faith the process.  After awhile out of the ground pokes out a blade, and the farmer has proof the system works.  After awhile you will see some small changes, you have a little more energy, your clothes fit a little better and your spouse or co-worker might ask “Have you lost some weight?”  While we live in a society of instant gratification, we have to realize that health through proper exercise and nutrition will not give us instant gratification.  The system just doesn’t work that way.  There is no magic pill and you can’t lose the weight (in a healthy way) in 3 days by drinking a magic shake.  Let’s face it magic is all about an illusion, it is not real.
Our exercise program, just like farming has to be judged over weeks and months, not days.  It takes about 9 months for a baby to fully form in the womb, not a few weeks.  A baby takes about a year to gain the strength and coordination to be able to walk, not a month or two.  On the farm you reap what you sow. Just as in exercise, if you are diligent and consistent you will see results.

During the summer as a farmer you will the results as the plants grow and grow.  But you need to make sure the weeds don’t also grow and choke out your valuable crops.  Once we are seeing results we need to make sure we don’t get any bad habits (the weeds) or get away from what is working.  If you do this you will enjoy a wonderful fall and an amazing harvest.  But just as with farming it doesn’t stop after that, you have to do it all over again the next year.  Also just like in farming most farmers will change up their crops every now and then to make sure they don’t deplete the soil of its nutrients.  We need to every now and then change up our exercise routine to make sure we continually have successful outcomes.

So if you are looking to start exercising for the New Year, remember the principles of the farm to help you have success.  Also check this article out for more info on why sometimes that New Year’s resolution doesn’t stick
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Photo from biopowerlanka.com

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Exercise - don't ever stop!!!

Just wanted to pass on a posting by Medical News Today - Don't let Arthritis put the Kibosh on all Exercise.  To often we have pain, injury or disease and think we should not exercise at all.  Sometimes this may be even mentioned to us by a healthcare provider, which makes me cringe a little.  These are things that mean we need to be careful about our exercise but not stop our exercise.  We need to pay even more attention to exercising then ever before.


Remember the definition of exercise is a controlled, repeated form of physical activity and movement intended to keep a person fit and healthy.  I think some people and even physicians to often think of exercise is pilling on the weights on the barbell and running a few miles.  We need to be smart a realize the exercise is medicine.  It needs to be dosed properly just like medication.  If you have pain, injury or a disease such as Arthritis, seek the help of health professional, like a physical therapist that help you make sure you are doing the right kind of exercises.


Just getting a sheet of exercises given to you by a health care provider or picking some exercises of the internet is almost as scary is going into the medicine cabinet and just grabbing a few pills and throwing them down if you don't feel good.


Don't stop exercising - just exercise a little smarter and with some help from someone if needed.

Friday, January 1, 2010

De-Railed - 5 Critical Lessons

Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership (NelsonFree)
There are 5 critical lessons that Tim Irwin summarizes in DERAILED to make sure we can stay on track and not get derailed.  I think being the first of the New Year is a great time to look at ourselves and make sure we are using these lessons to stay on track with many things in life such as our health and exerciser programs.

  1. Character trumps competence
  2. Arrogance is the mother of all derailers
  3. Lack of self-/other-awareness is a common denominator of all derailments
  4. We are always who we are...especially under stress
  5. Derailment is not inevitable, but without attention to development, it is probable
We are only as good as our character.  Character is the aggregate of features and traits that forms the individual nature of ourselves.  We may need a repair or change of our inner traits to make sure they are leading us in the path to good health.

The largest failure of character is arrogance.  We need to be continually aware of any sign of this toxic trait in our character.  Continually look at your health and your exercise habits to make sure you are not thinking you have all the answers and have it completely under control.  It is okay and you should use experts to help you with your health and exercise programs.

It is important to continually monitor our habits to maintain self awareness.  You need to have regular medical physicals, dental exams and I think a functional movement screen.  Also do a food diary to monitor what and how much you eat.

We are who we are, if we want the maximum from our external healthy body we need to make sure that our internal mind and spirit are also healthy.  I continually work with patient's that have external physical injuries that are deeply tied to their internal mental and spiritual injuries that have never been rehabilitated.

Derailment of our health may sometimes appear to happen almost instantaneously, but usually is due to a series of choices over time that lead us to derailment.  We need to pay attention to our development by being continually alert and self-aware and make a life long commitment to learn, grow and prepare.  We have to be discipled daily to maintain good health habits to reduce risk of derailment.