Becoming aware and preventing heart disease

What takes the over 18 million people each year from this earth? It’s known as the silent killer. Yes, it’s heart disease and it’s the number one killer in all the world.

Would you believe that heart problems can begin during childhood? The only prevention to heart disease is living healthy from an early age and you should learn at home.

I’ve compiled a list of the things that you need to look out for so you can become aware and not have to be surprised by that horrible thing called a heart attack.

Here we introduce the term 'metabolic risk factors'. According to experts, the number of metabolic risk factors will determine a person's risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque deposits, as well as Type 2 diabetes.

Experts say that there are a number of risk factors when it comes to being at risk for heart disease. These factors are categorized under the term ‘metabolic risk factors’.

Here are five metabolic risk factors:

1. Obesity in your Abdomen
2. Bad cholestoral, also described as High LDL
3. Good cholestoral, also described as Low HDL
4. Increased Blood Pressure
5. Increased Blood Glucose

According to those who study these risk factors, the more factors you have at risk the more likely it is that you will develop heart issues. By becoming aware of these risks now you will be able to learn how to increase your chances of having a healthy heart.

All of these risks can be assessed through a thorough blood test except for the abdominal obesity. This one must be measured physically by your waist size. Below is a list values that are healthy and ones that you want to follow.
• Your bad cholesterol should be less than 3.3 mmol/L

• Your total cholesterol should be less than 5.2 mmol/L

• Your Body Mass Index needs to be between 18.5 and 25

• The Triglycerides should be less than 1.7 mmol/L

• Your good cholesterol should be more than 1.3 mmol/L for women and more than 1.02 mmol/L for men

• Your Waist girth should be less than 35 inches for women and less than 40 inches for men

• Your Body Mass Index needs to be between 18.5 and 25

•Your  Blood glucose should be 3.8 to 6.1 mmol/L before eating and less than 7.8 mmol/L two hours after you eat

• Your Blood pressure should be less than 130 / 80

• Here are some tips you can use to make sure you are on the right track to having a healthy heart.

• Do not smoke. Smoking cigarettes can and will make changes of having a heart attack increase.

• Exercise is considered to be one of the best things you can do. Experts suggest doing at least 30 minutes to 1 hour of exercise every day.

• Diet it also very important. Eat things like fiber to lower your cholesterol. Stay away from fats and sugars no matter how hard it may be. Consume more fruits and vegetables as well as beans and nuts.

• Keep your weight down and never allow your BMI to go over 30.

You now hopefully have a little more knowledge which can help you in taking the first steps to becoming aware and taking responsibility for your health.

Disclaimer: As always, consult your physician before taking on any new diets or exercises. This article is meant to inform and in no way tries to give medical advice.

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Getting rid of that belly

Losing your stomach can be one of the hardest things you do, especially if you have waiting awhile and have created a large amount of fat. If you have decided that it's time to lose that belly then you are going to want to find out what is going to work best for you.

Alot may depend on the type of metabolism you have. Some poeple's metabolism has a higher rest rate than do others. Some people burn fat without even exercising. But if you are reading this article I'm guessing you are not one of the lucky ones that his happens to.  If you are like many people you can increase weight simply by drinking water, a frustrating things I know but there is some hope.

If your metabolism is one that is difficult and you gain weight easily and thus cannot take it off easily then you may want o look at an extreme cariovascular work out. This should consist of aerobics like running, biking or swimming. If you have a slow and stubborn metabolisim then this may not be the best approach for you.

Having excess weight can sometimes make breathing difficult when doing small activities like climbing the stairs, getting tired easily and an overall sluggish feeling. So if you are looking to have a killer body and a washboard stomachh then you are going to want to chose exercises that are not too difficult or extreme. The reason being is that you don't want o get into a program that's going to be to hard to keep up with. If you choose something like this and are not able to reach your goals then you may become frustrated and quit altogether. This is not what you want so we must make sure you choose exercises that are comfortable while also being effective. The last thing you want is to have to force yourself to work out. Working out should be fun to a certain extent and you should enjoy the exercises you are doing. With this type of approach you are sure to be successful in losing that stomach.

It is a myth that sit-ups will help people with oversized stomaches obtain the washboard stomaches they are hoping for. The sit-up is a sculpting exercise and not a fat burning one so don't get caught up in buying some ab workout if you want to lose your stomach because it won't happen.

So if sit-ups are not going to do it then what? Well you want to burn fat and the easiest way to burn fat is to not take in more calories than you burn. You can do this by watching what you eat and performing exercises like running, jogging and weight lifting. The key is to get your body to burn fat. A really good exercise for this is squats. Now you may thing this sounds kind of funny but in actuality it's true. Your largest muscles are your legs so if you exhaust your legs you are going to be burning more fat. Anything that allows you to exhaust your body as a whole is going to be your best bet. Also by exercising consistantly you will alter your metabolism and it will begin to work faster which will help in losing fat and making your stomach go down.

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Fitness secrets for those over 40

You're 40 and it's really time to start paying close attention to your health. I'm sure you have heard yourself say that your knees hurt when ou climb stairs or you are out of shape. You may even have been  high cholestorol, or you could have high blood presure, diabetes or heart problems.

Well it's not too late to start impoving your health and to fight off those diseases that can plague you by starting to be aware of what you eat and to start exercising regularly. You should look into fitness programs that will strengthen your muscles, increase your physical fitness, support your joints and decrease any pain that you may experience. It's a sad fact that 60% of peopel in America are are not getting enough activity which amounts to more stress associated diseases such as heart disease, high blood presure, increased cholestorol and diabetes.

However, going to the gym may not be exactly where you should have to start. There are many other things you can be doing that will help your overal health. You can start walking briskly in your local mall or around your neigborhood, exercise on a bouncy ball, use the treadmill, go on bike rides with your children or even play the wii fit. Just as long as you are subjecting your body to frequent physical activities.

If you've waited this long to get fit be forwarned that it's not goign to be easy to get into a habit of eating better and exercises. That means you have to cut out the junk food and start adding vegetales, whole grains and fruit to your daily diet. If this is too difficult for you then you may want to look into hiring a nutritionist or even joining a program like ediets.com which has helped millions of people. What's nice about that is you have an instant support group that you can share your experiences with.

So how much fruits and vegetables should you have? Well, it is recommended to have at least 5-7 servings a day of both fruits like apples bananas and oranges and vegetables. It's also very important for you to be drinking 8-10 glases of water a day. Also you need to work on decreases your white flour consumpution. Breads and pastas are to be kept at a minimum. Don't forget to exercise as this will increase your goal of becoming healthy and fit.

If you do choose to start a fitness program you want to make sure it consists of weight training and cardiovascular training. Some good exercises are running, swimming and bicycling. You can always mix it up and make it fun by inviting friends to work out with you. This will help you remain on track and give you someone to compete against if you choose to do so.

If you do choose to use a strength training program you want to make sure that you don't do strength training without a break in between. What that means is if you do strength training on aWednesday then you don't want do it again until Friday. This allows you body the adequate amount of time to recover. I recommend strength training as it can help your joints as well as reduce your body fat quicker.

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Lose weight with the Wii Fit

I never thought I would be saying this but I'm going to encourage you and your kids to start playing video games. Yes that's right video games can make you thin. You think I'm crazy don't you? Well, I'm not talking about any video games. I'm not talking about the games that you sit around with a controller in your hand and stare aimlessly at the television. I'm talking about a very new and exciting game called the wii and it's game the wii fit.

The WiiFit is a new game that operates on the Nintendo Wii gaming platform. If you don't know what that is you should check it out on youtube because it's pretty amazing. The Wii is unlike any other game and it's not a game that you just sit around and stare and the T.V. with a controller in your hand. It's a game that encourages you to interact with the game. Take the WiiFit for instance. This unique technology actually uses games to help you get fit. It comes with a balance board that you stand on and it measures your BMI and your weight. It then will keep track of how much weight you are losing and all you have to do is participate in the games. Some of the games are skiing, soccer goalie, hoola hoop, jogging and more. They also have included your traditional yoga and strength training exercises. The WiiFit really is a fun way to lose weight and it's fun for thd whole family.

The Advantage: Lots of folks say Wii has encouraged them to try things they'd have never tried without it. These games are easy to play and you can stay at home. The WiiFit can actually inspire folks to try the real thing after playing the game. Games are fun. To play a game you are more likely to get up from your easy chair that to go out to work out.

The WiiFit has many advantages that have helped it become one of the top selling games today. With the WiiFit you can exercise in the comfort of your own home, you can have fun while exercising and even get the entire family involved. It also gets you motivated and you will soon have the feeling of doing non-WiiFit exercises. It's one of the greatest things to come along to help you and your family get fit and healthy.

If there is a downside to the WiiFit it's that it doesn't have a real person training you. It's simulated and although it does a good job it can never replace a real person. Someone that is in poor physical shape should consult a doctor when using the WiiFit. The WiiFit may also not be enough all by itself to enable you to lose all the weight you want but it's a start.

So if you are looking to have some fun while losing a little weight and getting back in to the swing of exercise I really encourage you to try the WiiFit.

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The Health Benefits of Stretching

Benefits of Stretching
The body was built to be flexible.  You must be able to flex and extend to something you dropped on the ground. You should be capable of zipping the back of your  dress on your own. It is essential for you to be able to reach that book you've been wanting to read at the top shelf.

These are easy activities. Nothing impressive about them, you simply stretched out a little. Nonetheless, whenever there are difficulties performing such simple motions, then you have to extend your boundaries.

What Is Stretching?

Stretching is merely the act of allowing your body to extend fully. This activity requires straightening out or extending the limb structure.

How do you perform the stretching routine?

Stretching is somewhat simple. As brought up in the begining of this article, it is part of normal activities. It can be performed by anyone, no matter your age.

However the extent of which you can flex and stretch differs. As a person ages their muscles tighten up. The range of joint motions can be reduced. This could very easily hinder an on-the-go lifestyle. That is why as the individual grows older, flexing and bending may become more limited. This is how come stretching on a regular basis, as part of a workout program is really important.

You can do simple stretches everyday. These stretches can be integrated into your lifestyle and daily routines. It does not demand a great deal of your time.

Stretching exercises may also be performed while working-out. Actually, stretching represents an all-important piece of any training or athletic activity. Stretching exercises should be practiced first prior to anything else. Stretching your body and limbs prepares you for more rigorous activities.

Most athletes perform the site and reach exercise, wherein they position along the ground, extend their legs and reaching the tip of their foot with the tip of their fingers. Actually,many fitness trainers actually ask their athletes to stretch before playing sports.

The ideal length of time for stretching is best when done for 10 minutes. This will establish enough opportunity for the body to move and flex the muscles, thus developing it for more complex and strenuous movements.

Experts nonetheless would disagree with stretching beyond 10 minutes. By extending the exercise to 30 minutes or more will already fatigue the body. This won't be encouraging if one is gearing up for a game.

What Are the Benefits of Stretching?

1. Increasing Your Range of Movement
   When you consistantly do the stretching exercises, the length of the muscles and tendons are further expanded. This will assist in maximizing the range of your movement. Thus, the limbs and joints are able to move, in plenty of time before an injury can occur.
2. Enhacing Your Ability to Perform Skills
   When you possess an ample range of movement, the further you are able to perform several more things. For instance, you will be able to jump high without experiencing any pain when you land. This will also assist you in beginning a new sport or allowing you to be better in the sport you are in. By stretching you can have a more active lifestyle.
3. Preventing Injury
   Stretching helps prevent injury to muscles, joints and tendons. Well flexed tendons and muscles are considered to be in good working condition. This will help in a speedy recovery and reduced soreness. The muscles of the body are able to consume more draining and stringent movements with less chance of becoming injured.
4. Decreasing Muscle Tension
   If the muscles are granted their daily exercises and stretching, there is less potential that they will contract. This will unquestionably free you of any muscle pain or problems.
5. Energy Enhancement
   Being capable of moving more will allow you to have much more energy. Stretching can further heighten your consciousness, as if recognizing that you have a body that has the ability of performing several other things. Since you are becoming more impelled to be active instead of sulking in the corner.
6. Reducing Your Cholesterol
   Research has shown that executing extended stretching exercises, such as yoga, will help keep down the cholesterol in the body. This of course of action should be made with a healthy diet. This may prevent and even reverse the hardening of the arteries, enabling you to avert coronary diseases.

Integrating stretching into your daily lifestyle. It produces benefits that you can not afford to deny. It also does not demand a great deal. It can make up your regular activities, flexing and bending every so often. After all, your fitness represents everything so in order to do what works to keep the body in the best physical shape.

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Choosing the perfect fitness product for your home

So you want to be fit eh? Well let’s look at some home fitness products that are available and see what we can come up with. Keep in mind that you want to purchase something based on your needs and not simply the hype of the infomercial. If you don’t then you’ll end up like so many others with machines that just sit around your house collecting dust or better yet, become clothing racks.

When thinking about buying an exercise system you want to consider a number of factors with the main one being your budget. Once you find the equipment that is right for you then you need to do some shopping around. I would strongly consider checking out ebay and craiglist for some smoking deals.

Let’s consider what your getting this home gym for. What is the area that causes you the most problems. Is it your belly or is it your thighs? Do you just want to be stronger or are you looking to simply lost fat? These are some things that you need to consider before starting or even looking into buying something. Once you decide the reason you need this machine you can now think about your budget.

How much do you really want to spend on this? I can tell you that prices range anywhere from $50 dollar  to several thousand dollars. Like I said at the beginning you should check out second hand places if you are looking to save some money. Most people buy fitness equipment and then hardly use it so you are surely to get something like new for much less.

The next thing you want to think about is space. How much space do you have and where are you going to put this thing? You may want something that you don’t have room for so you better get that sorted out first. Some fitness equipment can fold up and slide under your bed and others must stay put together at all times. If you don’t have a dedicated room or even garage for this then you are going to be limited to looking at equipment that is small and can fold down. I would recommend the Total Gym. It’s a great piece of equipment and is easy to set up and also folds down and can be placed under your bed or in your closet. If this seems to much you can always purchase a membership at your local gym. Either way I hope this helps you be more informed about making that very important decision about what method to use when choosing your own home fitness equipment.

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Switching from Barbells to Dumbbells

I’ve always worked out with barbells and have felt very happy to lift so much weight. But a friend of mine recently convinced me to dump the barbells and focus soley on dumbbells. I thought to myself that he must be crazy. Dumbbells are for your arms, they are for shaping and toning but not for building lean muscle mass like I was after. But boy was I ever wrong. After just a few workouts I came to realize that working out with dumbbells is much more challenging then working out with barbells. Sure I can’t lift the same amount as I could with the barbell but I sure can feel the different in the way my muscles are being challenged, which only means that I’m headed for some big time gains. When you can challenge your muscles you are going to get some thickness on those muscles.

Here are five reasons that I feel you should be making the switch from barbells to dumbbells.

1. By using dumbbells you are not going to hit that plateau that so many of us struggle with. The reason for this is you can use dumbbells in a multitude of ways, thus causing your muscles to not become bored and to continue to grow. You will continue to see results which will help keep you motivated.
2. You may not believe this but you can actually do full body workouts with dumbbells. Most people think dumbbells are just for the arms but that is simply not true. You can execute all the exercises that you do with the barbell and because you are using a dumbbell you have to be even more precise to keep them even. This requires great strength and concentration.
3. Dumbbells give you a broader range of motion. For example with a barbell while you are doing chest presses you can only go down so far. But with a dumbbell you can go down so much further and really stretch those muscles. By doing this you are ensuring that your muscles will get stronger because of the muscle fiber that is being used to perform this exercise.
4. Balance is a very important part of becoming stronger and there is not better way to improve you balance than by using dumbbells. Dumbbells force you to keep your body stable while doing exercises. This ensures that all your muscles are being worked equally.
5. The fifth reason that I believe dumbbells are a great alternative is because they are very practical. You don’t need a big space to store them and they don’t cost that much either. You can also use them just about anywhere. This gives you some variety which helps keep you motivated when working out.

I really think dumbbells will be a great workout for most people. I’ve even seen some dumbbells that you don’t even have to change the weights. All you do is adjust them by turning a knob and you are set to go. So get yourself some dumbbells and see what I’m talking about.

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