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Health Articles Nutrition and Depression by Jaklina Trajcevska Depression is a real illness which affects so many people. In fact, many people will, at some stage in their life feel the effects of some form of depression. Depression usually occurs when there is a chemical imbalance in the brain. The imbalance occurs with serotonin - an important neurotransmitter, which helps to transfer messages throughout the structures of the brain's nerve cells. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that controls how we feel - happy or sad. If the levels of serotonin are awry, depression can result. Anti-depressants work by regulating the amount of serotonin, to keep the brain functioning properly and keep depression at bay. The advice below may be a means to assist those with mild to moderate depression, who are not already taking medication, but it can be an adjunct to conventional treatment, for those taking medication. Please consult your medical practitioner if you would like to try any of the following (as it may interfere with your medication - either anti-depressants or other medication). Vitamin B6 Vitamin B6 is another useful nutrient and is the precursor to tryptophan - this means your body needs to have enough Vitamin B6 in order to make tryptophan (which is an essential amino acids - meaning the body cannot manufacture it and it is necessary to be taken in from foods ingested). Vitamin B6 can be taken in the form of a supplement or through foods high in vitamin B6, such as: yellowfin tuna, beef liver, potato, fortified cereals, banana, chicken breast. Tryptophan There are some foods which actually help the body make "happy hormones" - these foods are: low fat meat (chicken / turkey especially), milk and other low fat dairy, eggs. The happy hormone is tryptophan, an essential amino acids which helps to regulate levels of serotonin in the brain and has the effect of making a person feel happier. Exercise Study after study has shown that moderate and regular exercise will help with mild to moderate depression to the same level as medication. The only hard thing to do is to actually get up and do the exercise, which is hard if you feel even a little down. Just try to do it and you will soon start to feel a little better with each session. Avoid Refined Sugar to Regulate Blood Sugar Levels If your sugar levels are erratic from high intakes of highly refined and sugary foods, this will wreak havoc on your emotional stability. Foods that contain high levels of sugar (or are highly refined carbohydrates) make your blood sugar levels go too high very quickly and then drop again very quickly. This is not good for healthy individuals, but worse if you have any type of mental or physical affliction, due to the detrimental effects of the sugar fluctuations. It is well known that not having stable and consistent sugar levels is not beneficial in many ways and can make a person feel anxious and nervous (low sugar levels), while high sugar levels can create artificial euphoria and feeling like one is "drunk". Keeping your sugar levels consistent, by eating wholesome, healthy foods, with a little, low fat, good quality protein at each meal, will really go a long way to ensuring your depression is not exacerbated. Always eat breakfast - have some cereal, milk and fruit, or eggs and fruit. Try to make sure you eat some healthy snacks in between your main meals (good snacks are some crispbread with some hommous or some low fat cheese and tomatoes or some nuts and fresh fruit). Routine Get a regular routine going - try to do the same things at the same time - this will help you by ensuring your life is stable and consistent. Have Medical Tests There are several health conditions that can have depression as a symptom - so you should ensure that you have had a full medical check up to rule out any of those conditions. For more information about health and nutrition, visit: www.vitalhealthzone.com Jaklina Trajcevska is the creator of http://www.vitalhealthzone.com, an informational web site which aims to educate people about nutrition and health. Jaklina Trajcevska is passionate about nutrition and health and has a BSc degree. Here is a progression to follow for developing your push up power.
Exercise prescriptions for bone growth stimulation* Programs designed to stimulate bone growth, also known as bone mineral density (BMS), will incorporate the following characteristics:
*Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning Baechle, T. R., Earle, R. W. Human Kinetics 2001 Please take note of the recommended intensity (load) levels-all are above 80% 1RM. In order to grow healthy bones the muscles have to be stressed and soup cans just don’t cut it here. Bone Strengthening Summary: Here is a brief table that lists the Surgeon Generals recommendations for helping build and maintain your bone mineral density:
Strength
Training at Home with Osteoporosis $19.95 Another option to consider is becoming a member of the Explosivelyfit Strength Training video question and answer program. If you are just beginning your journey toward stronger bones and a stronger body then here are a few tips to start you off on the right track. You will find out how to lift safely and become stronger in the process. Do you have strength training questions that you'd like to have answered? Would you benefit from seeing video explanations of exercises that you are unsure of how to perform? If so then sign up for the Explosivelyfit Strength Training Video Questions and Answers Training Program. There's even a chat room set up if you want immediate answers to your training questions. The one time set up fee is $5.00 and then after that it's $2.15 each month. For this you'll get full access to the valuable information on the page and be able to actually see how to do the exercises you ask me about. 2CheckOut.com Inc. (Ohio, USA) is an authorized retailer for
goods and services provided by Explosivelyfit.com. Women's
Health Articles Here
are some other excellent woman's health information sites. The Internet's Premier Site for Women's Fitness with Brad Schoenfeld, CSCS, CPT.
Check it out. You won't be disappointed with the guidance he provides. http://www.vitalhealthzone.com/index.html Vital Health Zone will help you discover how better to take care of yourself, from the inside and out. You will learn all about nutrition, food, exercise, diet and how everything is tied together to make you whole. Vital Health Zone aims to inform you about the best ways to stay healthy, through the foods you eat, the supplements you take and the lifestyle you lead. The major keys to good bone health Danny M. O'Dell *Exercise plays a highly beneficial role in maintaining bone integrity and preventing fractures by increasing the strength of the bones. *Bone mineral density is directly related to long term physical activity via load bearing, impact exercise regimens. *The loss of bone mineral density weakens the bones and makes them susceptible to a fracture. *The sites most frequently fractured are in the hip, spine and wrist. Summary: Take care of your health by exercising, eating right and having yearly full physical exams. Osteoporosis and Diet by Glenn Cardwell Every day your bones are in a constant state of flux - some bone is manufactured and some bone is broken down as your bones are modeled and remodeled. Early in life, more bone is made than is broken down, hence bones get bigger and stronger. Bone mass increases rapidly from puberty and peaks when people reach their thirties. Later in life the trend tends to be the opposite - more bone gets broken down than is formed so bones become weaker. If this happens too quickly, osteoporosis (brittle & weak bones) occurs, making them more likely to break as a result of a fall or minor injury. Although osteoporosis is mainly seen in older women, it also occurs in men. During a lifetime women lose up to 50% of their bone mass and men 20-30%. The key to long-term bone strength is to ensure maximum bone mass during adolescence and as a young adult, then to do everything possible to minimize bone loss with age. Nutrients & Bones Although activity will help minimize bone loss, you should also ensure an adequate calcium and vitamin D intake. The research suggests that a high calcium intake will slow the rate of bone loss and reduce the chance of bone fractures. A diet low in calcium has been implicated in the cause of osteoporosis. About 70% of our calcium comes from the dairy foods milk, cheese and yogurt. Around 20% of all the calcium we eat is absorbed from our digestive system. And yes, you can easily absorb the calcium from milk. Vitamin D is required for the normal absorption of calcium from the intestine. Around 15-30 minutes of sunlight daily helps the body produce enough vitamin D. Good food sources of vitamin D include oily fish (eg tuna, sardines, mackerel), cod liver oil, liver, eggs, cheese and margarine. Summary: Strength training and exercise will minimize bone loss and improve bone strength. Adequate dietary calcium helps protect against brittle bones. How
much calcium do you need each day? Boys 8-11
800 mg Getting more calcium into your day *Add yogurt
or milk to soup. Calcium
in foods Skim milk
375 Yogurt Calcium
(mg) per 200g Cheese Calcium
(mg) per 30g Dairy desserts
Calcium per serve Other
foods Calcium per serve Fats
& oils Calcium per serve Balance
test chart
Reference
and chart adaptation: Reader's Digest Tai Chi for every body. Osteoporosis: The risk factors Some risk factors are under your control whereas others are not. Here is a brief list for your consideration. 1. Gender-of
the ten million people with osteoporosis in the United States
80% of these are women. Particularly affected, and at increased
risk for the disease, are Caucasian and Asian women. Adaptation of Bone to Exercise By Danny M. O’Dell, MA.CSCS*D Background information-briefly stated Bone is considered a connective tissue that when stressed, deforms and adapts as a result of the load. To meet the strain imposed upon the external structure caused by the bending, compressive, torsional loads and the muscular contractions at the tendinous insertion point’s osteoblasts migrate to the surface of the bone. At the point of the strain, immediate modeling of the bone begins. Proteins form a matrix between the bone cells. This causes the bone to become denser due to the calcification process occurring during the growth response to the load. The new growth occurs on the outside of the bone to allow the manufacture of new cells to continue in the limited space with in the bone itself. This outer layer is commonly known as the periosteum. Adaptations take place at different rates in the axial skeleton (skull/cranium, vertebral, ribs, and sternum) and the appendicular skeleton (shoulder, hips, pelvis and the long bones of the upper and lower body-essentially the arms and legs). This is due to the differences in the bone types- trabecular (spongy) and cortical (compact) bone. The stimulus for new bone formations. Minimal essential strain (MES) refers to the threshold amount of stress applied to the structure which is necessary to elicit growth of new bone material. A force exceeding MES is required to signal the osteoblasts to move toward the periosteum and begin this transformation. MES is thought to be 1/10 of the breaking force needed to fracture the bone. Training effects have a positive relationship to bone density just as sedentary living habits play a role in the loss of bone density. Training to increase bone formation Programs designed to stimulate bone growth, also known as bone mineral density (BMS), will incorporate the following characteristics: 1. Specificity
of loading Specificity of loading will see the exercise patterns emphasizing specific areas in need of assistance. New or unusual forces in varying angles of stress will enable your bones to adapt to the greater intensities. Military presses, bench presses, upright shoulder shrugs, push ups, chin ups, plus other similar exercises would help develop stronger upper body bones. Lower body exercises selections would be along the lines of these types of movement patterns: squats, calf raises, dead lifts, and straight leg dead lifts. Exercise selection promotes osteogenic stimuli (factors that stimulate new bone formation) and will exhibit these characteristics: Compound exercise muscle movements consisting of multi joint, structural loading and varying force vectors. Such exercises are the squat, dead lift, military press and the bench press along with the Olympic style moves. Progressive
overload Variations of exercise selections The body adapts quickly to imposed loads per the SAID (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Loads) principle. In order to prevent accommodation the exercises need to be varied on a periodic basis. There are many individual differences in the same exercise. As an example the squat has at least seventy variations! And these variations do not include any machine versions. Mechanical load consists of the following: Magnitude of force Magnitude of the load density or the intensity of the load will generally be above eighty to ninety percent one to ten repetition maximum in order to see improvements in the tissue response. Speed of force development The rate or speed of loading means how fast the force is being applied to move the load in a concentric muscle contraction (force applied against a weight with the muscles shortening). Think speed during the lift. The direction of forces Varying the direction and pattern of movement will stress the bone and the attaching musculature. Full range of motion in all exercises ensures to a certain extent that the forces are applied as required. Volume of force applied The first three mentioned above are primarily responsible for bone mineral improvements. Typically the repetitions do not need to exceed thirty to thirty five to see improvements IF the load is within the correct intensity zone (80%-90% 1-10RM). Exercise prescriptions for bone growth stimulation* 1. Volume
10 reps for 3-6 sets Summary: The greater the magnitude or intensity, the higher and faster the power output, and the direction of force all contribute to the successful laying down of new bone growth. Exercise suggestions Before engaging in any new exercise program consult with your primary health care provider. To increase
your lean body mass, add strength and power, follow these guidelines
for the suggested group of exercises: Warm up
for 5-8 minutes
Falling results from a variety of sources. The elimination of as many of these as possible will help reduce your chances of taking a tumble. Keep in mind the older we all get the more dangerous a fall can be, especially one that breaks a hip. A few of the ways to help lower the risk of falling can be summed up into a few words-exercise to stay strong, remove the hazards in your home and regularly consult with your doctor about the medications you are taking. Exercise by its very nature will help prevent a fall by making your body stronger and better balanced. When you lose your balance the power in your body has to be sufficient to immediately regain your equilibrium and set you back on the right path. Strength training is designed to make you stronger and this, coupled with the ABC’s of agility, balance and coordination will enable you to protect yourself to a higher degree than without these attributes. Your home is a prime site of accident hazards that may be eliminated by simply taking the time to look it over and removing them. Start by getting rid of, or putting up all the things that you can trip over; this includes the small rugs that are notorious for slipping out from under you. If you have extension cords in the home make certain they are picked up and out of the way to prevent stumbling on them. In the kitchen place rubber backed rugs near the sink and when water or other stuff gets on the floor clean it up promptly to eliminate that potential accident source. Say away
from the old step stools most of us at one time had in our homes.
In your bathroom have grab bars installed around the tub, shower
and if need be the toilet. While you’re at it put a no
slip surface in the tub and shower area and install adequate
lighting so you aren’t groping around in the dark dim
light. A nightlight in the bathroom is a good idea as well.
Wear good shoes with non-slip soles and make sure you have handrails on all of the stairs in your home. Keep your stairs in good repair and don’t set junk on the steps-keep them clear at all times; they are for walking on, not storage space. The next time you see your doctor take in all of the medicines, herbs, vitamins and other supplements you take in each day. Some of these may interact negatively with one another and just be setting you up for a fall. Medications that treat blood pressure or muscle soreness (relaxants or sedatives) can cause dizziness and subsequent loss of balance. Finally have your vision checked out to make certain you aren’t contending with glaucoma or cataracts. Both can limit your vision, which increases your chance of falling. Falls occur from medications, hearing problems, lack of muscle strength, coordination difficulties and from conditions that affect balance and the reflex systems of the organism. These basic
precautions will go a long way in helping to make your home
more fall proof. Coordination and Fall Prevention The premise is development and continued training of coordination and strength will help prevent falls from occurring. Coordination is made up of many aspects, all of which contribute to the safe and efficient execution of daily tasks and sport participation. An oft-used definition describes coordination as the ability to successfully accomplish movement patterns that require the interrelated cooperation of various parts of the body to complete. These movements are completed with a minimum of effort and without tension or mental mistakes while doing so. A properly constructed coordination training program will involve continual learning and subsequent perfecting of the basics which will follow a well thought out plan of attack. Consideration must be given to the following attributes of the program. Continuous
variation of the movement patterns, meaning inclusion of the
acts of balancing, throwing, catching, jumping, and marching Combinations of strength, strength speed, and endurance integrated within the coordination training will use the repetitive methods of achieving success in the development of coordination abilities. By using various methods during practice the body increases its repertoire of skills. A very basic but productive coordination program is a combination of balance, quick controlled movements, mirroring another’s hand, arm and leg motions or executing familiar exercises in new positions. Other additions to the routine which are phased in on an irregular basis will be adding extra moves to an already mastered technique or exercise or doing them in different conditions such as on a balance pad or with perturbations via personal contact or elastic bands. Of course each of these suggestions needs to be carefully evaluated by the individual or the individual and their doctor if osteoporosis is an issue. Broken bones derived from an exercise are not conducive to good bone health!
Coordination training has its roots in diversified movements, versatility and large global, expansive and expressive movements. The more exercises and movements that are mastered the better prepared the body will be to learn more complicated ones in the future. In order to vary the training, incorporate these twelve features into the program. Not all at once though. Explanations and examples follow. 1. Direction
of movement changes Direction of movement changes Once a move is mastered it becomes second nature to repeat. Enlarging upon this natural pattern then becomes the training goal. For example when doing dumbbell curls it is easy to move both up and down at the same time or to do alternate arms but try moving one up for one repetition while simultaneously moving the other up for two repetitions. Change the starting positions Every exercise has a start, middle and finish position. A regular squat begins by standing upright with the bar on the back. And it normally ends the same way. Now start it in the down position. You will experience new challenges. Change the finishing positions As mentioned before all exercises have the three elements of start, middle and finish. In the previous example we started at the bottom of the lift. Now finish at the bottom instead of in the standing position. Utilize larger ranges of movements In some exercises the movements are very small compared to the larger gross movements of the body. The barbell curl can be made into a much greater range simply by ending with the elbows held high at shoulder level. Fluctuate the pace of movement Cadence counting is a reminder to keep smooth and on track with the exercise. The use of a metronome is a handy device for altering these patterns. Set one up for 30 beats per minute and keep up with it. Next set it for 50 beats and repeat the exercise or have your trainer or partner count in an off cadence manner as you exercise. The eccentric motion can be at a count of 1,2,3,4 where as the concentric is 1, 2. The next count could be at 1, 2 with the eccentric and the concentric also at 1, 2. The point is to disrupt the natural flow and force the body to accommodate to the new speed changes. Place time limitations on the movements This is similar to the preceding but in this case the exercise is executed an exact number of repetitions during a precise amount of time. Jumping up and landing ninety degrees from the starting position four times in fifteen seconds. Sticking the landing and in the correct ending position with each repetition.
Additional moves added into an already mastered exercise develop the coordination process by adaptation of an altered motor control sequence. Jumping up and down while moving one arm up and the other down, or kicking the legs outward as you move your arms to the sides are examples of such added moves. Add additional tasks to the exercise This is a commonly used tactic for trainers on a limited time line. In the military press you could add shoulder shrugs top and bottom as the extra movements Environmental condition changes This implies adding extra weight to the athlete, altering the height of an obstacle that must be jumped, doing the exercises in water, in a very limited space or with distractions surrounding the athlete such as noise, crowded conditions in water. Practice coordination in an environmentally disturbed state Do the exercises while blindfolded, with added perturbations using tubing, elastic bands or partner disturbances to the balance practice positions. One example out of hundreds will be while standing heel-to-toe have a partner gently tug or push various parts of your body as you remain balanced and continuing on with the exercise. Changing responses to various cues for exercises that require a reaction to a signal In this case we are making the body adapt to external cues before performing a maneuver. For instance, a light could signal a squat whereas an audio signal would mean a jump squat was to be performed or both signals at the same time could mean a twisting jump squat where the athlete jumps up and turns a specific number of degrees before landing. Performing another movement requiring coordination that upsets the balance and coordination of the previous move. For example, spinning in a circle and then standing on one foot, doing a rolling forward somersault and then standing heel to toe immediately thereafter. Each of the preceding examples are parts of a coordination training program; but simply practicing coordination is not enough to prevent falls from happening. It seems as though some falls are inevitable. Those that aren’t are the ones we are working on fixing at this juncture. Coordination without strength is an oxymoron; the two are mutually supportive and must be included in any sensible program. Strength and coordination A well coordinated
person implies adequate strength to maneuver the body in such
a fashion as to move gracefully with the utmost of efficiency
while doing so. Adding extra weight to the body increases the
demands made upon the coordination processes within the organism
particularly if the balance properties are being challenged
to any degree. Acute Hormonal Responses to Varying Protocols in Men and Women A recent study by William J. Kraemer and associates showed the hormonal response benefits of three separate types of maximum heavy resistance training protocols. This group examined the response effects from the bench press, sit up and bilateral leg extensions exercises based upon percentages of the maximal ten repetition, five set scheme with a two minute rest between each set. The three exercise program variances were: Heavy maximal
10 repetition maximal (10 RM) loads of five sets of ten repetitions
with a two minute rest in between the sets. The results were pretty clear after the study was finished as to which protocol released the greatest amount of growth hormones. There was a significant increase in the serum growth hormone after the heavy maximal ten rep/five sets were completed. And, this was true in both men and women, but more so for the men than the women. Serum testosterone significantly increased in the men, but not the women and only while engaging in the heavy maximal sessions. Since these two substances are critical to long-term adaptations of strength and power this study may help in the long-term process of inducing greater muscle hypertrophy and maximal strength development. Adapting the heavy loading hypertrophic type of exercise sessions appears to foster growth in the muscle mass for men if they use the heavy maximal load for ten reps and five sets with the suggested two-minute rest in between sets. These hormonal responses seem to be related to the amount of muscle mass activated in the exercises. Using the submaximal and the explosive maximal loads did not elicit increases in the release of these hormones, as it was not strenuous enough to the organism. Neural control and the achievement of higher rates of force development are fostered, at least in the men, with the explosive maximal loads. Whereas in the women the responses after exercising with explosive maximal weights did not seem to be that clear cut. For women it would seem best to train with the explosive maximal and the heavier maximal loads. The Myth of Spot Reduction Exercises Spot reducing exercises do not work and if your trainer is pushing you to do hundreds of sit ups in the effort to tighten up your abdominal muscles and in turn reduce the circumference then find another one. In a study performed by people doing over 5000 sit ups in a twenty seven day period it was found that size changes in the adipose cells of the abdomen were similar to the size changes in the glutes and the subscapular regions. The training did accomplish one thing; it reduced the size of the adipose cells in all three locations not just the stomach. If weight reduction is your goal then add in strength training and cut back on the endless cardio sessions. Muscle burns more calories per hour which at the end of the day means more expenditure of energy and better utilization of the caloric intake. This adds up to consistent weight loss if followed correctly. Incontinence affects over 25 million men and women, young and old, in our country alone. 85 percent of which are women. Imagine what these figures are world wide. About one in four women over 39 has had at least one episode of incontinence during their life time. You may be wondering why this is even being talked about in this format. The simple answer is because it is affecting more of your trainees than you may realize, so the more you know about the subject the better equipped you are to deal with the problem. Recall the one in four who are trying to manage this condition; you can bet they are working out in your gym. Do you just stand by or offer a potential solution to these people? They may be unwilling to discuss this ongoing condition with you-especially if you are a male and they are a female, unless you have built up a close trusting rapport. Many who suffer from this condition are too embarrassed to discuss it with their health care provider. They view this as an inevitable consequence of aging and wear protective pads or under garments to control the results. If this is left untreated then rashes, infections, emotional stresses, and a lower self image may be encountered by the individual. Incontinence may be an off shoot of a still unidentified disease such as diabetes, an unrecognized stroke, nerve disease or multiple sclerosis. A urinary tract infection, vaginal infection or irritation and constipation can also cause incontinence to occur. However there are other causes. Just as likely are weak muscles in the pelvic floor or an overactive bladder muscle. These can be trained to hold the urine for longer periods. Urinary sphincters control the actions of the bladder. These sphincters close off the bladder outlet to prevent the escape of fluids. As the bladder fills there is an increasing urge to empty it. Once the nerves sense the bladder is full a signal is sent to the brain. It is now becomes a choice of whether to go or hold. Often times this is neither a choice nor a controllable function, and incontinence results. If your
trainee is leaking urine when they laugh, cough, sneeze, lift
heavy or do any sort of jumping exercise then perhaps stress
incontinence exists. On the other hand and complicating the
treatment options somewhat are stretched pelvic floor muscles
that commonly result from having a child or bring inactive.
Notice I did not say completely give these foods and drinks up, instead I am suggesting that you just moderate ingesting them and see what happens with your bladder control. However, it may be reasonable on your part to actually stop taking some of them if an adjustment makes a difference. The ability to control the bladder release is a treatable condition. A few of the options include: Behavioral techniques
Since I am not a doctor the medication, devices and surgery will not be discussed in this document. I will provide viable options for your trainee to try as you urge them to contact their primary health care provider for further information regarding various other courses of action in regards to this condition. Behavior techniques are usually the first to be considered as they fit well with other protocols of treatment and can still be continued throughout other treatment choices. These behavioral options have no side affects and can be done at home any time you want and, more importantly, are non-invasive. Strengthening the pelvic floor musculature The most common of the recommended exercises are the Kegel’s named after Dr. Arnold Kegel back in 1948. He described these for women following childbirth who were experiencing difficulty in controlling their bladder releases. The exercise was designed to increase the tonus of the muscle in the pelvic floor. Pelvic floor muscle specific exercises There are two types of contractions that have to be done in order to make the muscles work as intended. One is described as a fast contraction and is meant to stop the flow quickly. The second is a more prolonged effort and is designed to build up the muscles endurance and their ability to support the over head organs that rest on them. The fast contraction exercise may be done by first getting into a comfortable position such as in a chair or on the bed with your legs either bent or outstretched and close together for the first few times. Realistically these can be done anywhere but if you are just starting out then the fastest way to learning how to do them is if you are comfortable to begin with and can easily find the target muscles. Beginning fast contraction exercises. Relax by taking a few deep breaths and relaxing all of your muscles. During this stage it is important to actually exercise the pelvic floor muscles and this is not done by tightening up the abdominal, buttocks or leg muscles. Instead these have to be kept loose. For instance if you put your hand on your abdominal area, i.e. your belly, you should not feel it move at all as you tighten up the pelvic floor muscles. To find the right ones try stopping the flow of urine the next time you are voluntarily voiding your bladder. Once you are able to do this then you have located the right muscles and now need to keep at it on a consistent basis. After you are able to squeeze the right ones do so quickly for a second or so and then let off just as fast. Release the contraction for a second and then hit it again. Do as many as you can to begin with. Your goal is to build up to least one set of five repetitions of these several times a day to start out. After you are able to do these five times in a row it’s time to add more sets and reps. You will have to be the guide on this one. Beginning long contractions Once you have the short contractions mastered it is time to move onto the long hold contractions. These exercises will help build up the pelvic floor muscle endurance which then helps to hold the organs above in place so there is not the unrelenting pressure on the bladder. In this instance the squeeze is done much more slowly, deliberate, and steady, for longer periods with each repetition. Remember to contract only the pelvic floor and not the abdominal's, back, buttocks or legs. Work on tightening these muscles for up to ten seconds at a stretch. In between each rep, rest for an equal amount of time. In this case, ten seconds before beginning a subsequent repetition. Work up to a total of twenty repetitions several times a day. Variations and combinations of the short and long contractions Work on combining the fast and long contracting exercises by quickly squeezing then releasing, followed immediately by a slow contraction that is built up in stages of tightness during the way to full contraction in other words several isometric stages of the long hold contraction. In each of the foregoing exercises it is important that you do not hold your breath as you do them. Training the pelvic floor muscles is like any other muscle training program, it takes persistence and regularity to see results. Do them throughout the day and just before taking part in activities that cause the problem in the first place. This has improved control in 40-75% of the women doing them according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The keys are consistency in sticking to the program and accuracy in identification of and then exercising the correct muscles while doing these exercises. These non invasive exercises are not a panacea for this condition, but they have been shown to be 50-80% effective in improving urinary control over a three week to six month period. Practicing bladder control There are
two common ways of approaching this training; timed voiding
and controlled voiding. Vibration loading has been successfully used in the astronaut program to help prevent bone loss and to enhance recovery from sprains and tendonitis in normal and athletic individuals. Recent research has centered on the use of whole body vibrations to increase bone integrity, balance and muscular strength. This research has demonstrated that whole body vibrations in the 25-40 Hz ranges improves explosive power in those who are physically active. Additional findings have shown this type of training to be beneficial to older adults with balance problems and for increased bone formation in postmenopausal women. How it works: A platform generates vibration which is then transferred to the body and the muscles, causing them to contract in a reflex. This also stimulates circulation tremendously. Tendons are stretched, and even deep-lying muscles such as the pelvic floor muscles, the muscles around the spinal column and in the face are reinforced by this reflex activation. Without using additional weights, and without having to put any additional strain on the body, the experts at Power-Plate have developed several training schedules enabling everyone to improve their looks, health and general well-being. Anyone can use the Power-Plate, whether top athletes, untrained, elderly or overweight. Technical information supplied by power plate usa. I can't seem to get the link to work so am removing it. If you want to look at the machine just cut and paste the name. Contraindications This list of contraindications is not absolute. If one of the conditions listed below applies to you we strongly advise that you consult with your physician before using the Power Plate.
Research is still being conducted on the effects of vibration on certain medical conditions. This list may soon be reduced. Practical experience indicates that there are a number of cases where it is beneficial to integrate Power Plate training into ones treatment. This should always be done under the supervision of a doctor, physician or trained professional.
Bone Health Exercise Recommendations 20086
The intensity level of all these exertions has to be in the moderate to high ranges in order to engage the bone loading force mechanisms leading to high quality rebuilding of these tissues. The resistance training level of intensity will be in the 80-85% areas for the majority of the selected movements. The selected exercises are those that involve the major muscle groups that focus on the shoulders, chest, upper back and the legs front and rear. Repetitions will be in the 6-8 range for two to four sets with two to three minutes rest between sets. These
exercise sessions need to be at least as frequent as 3-5 times
per week for the weight bearing endurance activities and 2-3
times per week for the resistance ones in order to elicit a
positive effect on the skeletal structure. Often times a person thinks long and hard before beginning a strength program. Along the way these questions invariably arise:
Women generally ask how do I flatten my stomach, get rid of the flab on the backs of my arms or strengthen my bones. Men are asking how to get a six pack and want to know how to bench press more weight. These questions can be answered by a certified and competent trainer. Notice I did not say just a certified trainer but a competent one as well. A certification from a recognized source such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association implies the trainer has demonstrated superior knowledge, is competent to coach and is well up to the training task. Competency and results are the ‘proof in the pudding’ as the saying goes. A needs
analysis from each participant starts out the process in helping
to identify health issues, goals, and previous exercise experience.
Properly
designed exercise protocols start with a dynamic warm up; not
static stretching. Static stretching, as seen with many runners
standing on one leg while pulling the other up towards the buttocks,
is NOT the way to begin an exercise session. Static stretches
relax the joints and the nervous system. This is exactly the
opposite desired outcome of a strength program. Dynamic warm ups, on the other hand, involve moving the body and its limbs around the joints range of motion, getting the pulse up and raising the respiration rates in preparation for the resistance exercises. Skipping rope is an excellent way to start because it helps develop coordination and endurance with the use of minimal equipment. A beginning
routine is made up of large muscle group exercises featuring
balanced applications of sets and repetitions for both agonist
and antagonist groups. After a movement specific warm up where
each exercise is performed ten to twelve times do eight to ten
repetitions for two to four sets. A set is one group of eight
to ten repetitions. Not all exercises will be performed each session but these are the essential ten and form the foundations of any strength program. Consult with your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine.
Explosivelyfit
Strength Training introduces three new Osteoporosis and Strength
training books dealing with Women's health: Strength Training with Osteoporosis specifically addresses the issue of regaining lost strength and diminished bone health by placing load and impact on the skeletal structure of the body through exercise. It is a well known fact that resistance training and weight training in particular have a high correlation to increased health of the bones due to the demands placed upon them during such exercise. This is a perfect companion to the literature provided by your doctor once the disease has been identified. Fall Prevention and Osteoporosis Preventing
falls decreases your risk of suffering from a bone fracture.
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