Running Shoes For Plodders

I have to admit it. I’ve been off running again for a while. Not from choice, mind you. Between traveling, health issues and the weather, I just haven’t been getting out like I used to  Talking of weather – has … Continue reading →

Is Your Running Form Causing Injuries?

I recently found an interesting article entitled “Does Foot Form Explain Running Injuries?” Heel Striking or Forefoot Striking? The author quotes a study carried out at Harvard University comparing injury rates between different types of runners. As you probably know, … Continue reading →

4 Tips For Health

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4 Tips For Better Health

winterThe winter has finally almost gone, according to the calendar, so now we can start enjoying the health we have nurtured over those cold months. If, like me, you still have the sniffles from a lingering cold, you’re ready for it!

So let’s take a look at how to preserve and improve our health.

1. Vitamins

Yes, we do need them. Even the American Medical Association, who for years said we could get all the vitamins we need from our food, accepts that a multivitamin, at least, is necessary for all of us. The question is – which vitamins should we take?

For years, I took Centrum, until I learned four facts:

  • There are better vitamins around
  • As we grow older we need more vitamins
  • It’s never too soon to start adding vitamins and other supplements to our diet
  • Everybody needs a good multivitamin, but apart from that our needs are different

My staple now is One-Per-Day tablets, which supply far more of the essential nutrients than the Centrum I used to take. I also supplement with other vitamins and minerals according to my own needs.


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2. Exercise

In North America, especially, we don’t exercise enough. We have created an environment where walking for our normal daily activities is discouraged. We drive instead of walking or cycling and ride elevators instead of climbing stairs. Any activity is good, but I choose to run and work out at home with free weights.

As I grow older, I am reducing my running and replacing it with walking, but I still look forward to running more in the warmer months. I remember the joy it gave me when I was younger and faster, and attempt to recapture as much of that as I can!

3. WaterWater

Stay hydrated with at least eight glasses of water per day. You can add a slice of lemon or some electrolyte drops to enhance it of you find it difficult to consume that much. And, please, stay away from sodas: as well as being dehydrating, they are either too sugary or have toxic artificial sweeteners.

I keep a large bottle of water on the desk in my office, and drink from it whenever I feel thirsty. That way, even when I’m not exercising, I stay hydrated.

4. Attitude

More than anything else, our attitude to life controls our health. If you are gloomy, fearful or pessimistic, your health suffers accordingly.

Build an “attitude of gratitude.”  Try starting and ending each day by finding all the things in your life you can be grateful for, and just see how much better you feel!

And don’t carry grudges. For some of us, forgiving others feels like weakness, but hating someone is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die!  Forgiving someone is a gift for you, not the person forgiven.

Summary

So those are the four tips: exercise, supplement, drink and be merry!  Yes, there are plenty of other things you can do to improve your health, but with those four you’re off to a great start.

Enjoy good health!

Resources

For Vitamins, I use Life Extension Products

If you enjoy running, you might like my Facebook page at Half Marathon Training Schedule, and I get my gear from Road Runner Sports.

You can read about the weight training program I use at 7 Minutes 2 Fitness.

Alan Jenkin

Author
Alan Jenkin has posted to several blogs for a number of years. His subjects include health and fitness, running, personal development and internet marketing. He lives in Texas and has a vacation home in the Caribbean, where his hobbies include boating and scuba diving. He is married to best-selling author Billie Willmon Jenkin.

Increase Productivity With These 3 Tips

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Is lack of productivity is holding you back from the success you desire? Most of us have that feeling from time to time because we frequently find that we are not achieving as much as we know we can. Something is holding us back.

7 Minutes Or Less To Improved Memory

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7 Minutes Or Less To Improved Memory

A recent study shows immediate benefits in improved memory after short bursts of exercise for both healthy and cognitive-impaired persons.

Brief Exercise Immediately Enhances Memory: Results Apply to Older Adults Both With and Without Cognitive Deficits” is the title of a recent article in Science Daily. This long-titled article summarized results of a study carried out at UC Irvine’s Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory. The scientists there found that a short burst of moderate exercise improved the memory of both normal adults and those with mild cognitive impairment.

The Study

Stationary bikeThe details of the study were that the subjects, ranging from 50 to 85 years old, were shown images, such as nature scenes and pictures of animals, and then exercised for six minutes on a stationary bicycle at 70 percent of their maximum capacity. (Yes, less than the 7 minutes we spend on our workouts!) One hour later, they were given a surprise test to see how well they recalled the pictures they had seen.

Results showed

a striking enhancement of memory by exercise in both the healthy and cognitively impaired adults, compared with subjects who did not ride the bike.

Mechanism

The researchers postulate that the improved memory may be due to the release of norepinephrine. A biomarker for norepinephrine activity in the brain (salivary alpha amylase) significantly increased after exercise, especially in subjects with memory impairment.

The study indicates that short bursts of moderate exercise may be an effective alternative to treatment with drugs.

Summary

Previous studies have generally focused on long-term effects of exercise, so it’s exciting to see that brief exercise, such as our 7 minute workout, can actually show immediate benefits. The benefits in muscular strength, of course, take time, but you can actually get an immediate memory benefit. Since memory starts to decline relatively early in life (depending on the individual), this means that most of us can get this instant gratification!

Yet another reason to enjoy the 7 minute workout Feeling Good