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Health Tips

Approximately 115,000 cardiovascular deaths could be avoided each year if people did not smoke cigarettes. Studies suggest that the smoker who quits, cuts his/her elevated risk of coronary artery disease in half only 1 year after quitting.

People should not take mega-doses of vitamins and minerals. For some nutrients, a dose of 5 times the RDA taken over several months may create problems.

Physical activity is an unplanned movement performed during daily activity where as exercise is planned, structured and a repetitive movement to improve or maintain one or more components of physical activity.

Spot reduction, the targeted removal of fat in a specific area, is a common myth that may people are unaware of. The loss of fat occurs due to more calories being burned then consumed. In short you can do as many crunches or sit-ups as you want but not lose your "spare tire"; you have to burn calories by other means. Fat loss occurs evenly throughout the body.

The overload principle is often not incorporated in strength workouts. The overload principle is where the muscles are strained by a near maximal load. It shows that high reps and low weight can be counter productive towards strength and muscular size.

When a person stops exercising, up to 50% of what was gained is lost within 2 months.

Body Fat Percentage Classifications

  • Excessively lean - women =<8%, men =<5%
  • Lean high performance - women = 8-17%, men = 5-9%
  • Healthy - women = 18-25%, men = 10-20%
  • Moderately over fat - women = 26-32%, men = 21-25%
  • Obese - women =<32%, men =>25%

Karvonen Target Heart Rate Formula

  • 220-age = Max Heart Rate (MHR)
  • Max Heart Rate - Resting Heart Rate = Heart Rate Reserve
  • Heart Rate Reserve x .6 = __ + Resting Heart Rate = Beats Per Minute OR
  • Heart Rate Reserve x .75 = __ + Resting Heart Rate = Beats Per Minute
** Resting Heart rate - you should take your pulse for 1 minute when you have been laying still for 30 minutes
** The beats per minute you get from C and D are your target heart rate threshold on which your heart rate should stay in between during exercise

Up to 80% of people will experience lower back pain, and approximately 15% of Americans will be disabled by "lower back pain" in their lifetime.

Within 10 years of quitting smoking, a person's risk of death from coronary heart disease is reduced to a level equal to that of someone who has never smoked.

Moderation concerning alcohol consumption is defined as 1 drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men
1 drink =

  • 12 ounces of regular beer OR
  • 5 ounces of wine OR
  • 1.5 ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits

15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure between 10 AM - 4 PM generates between 2,000 - 5,000 IU of vitamin D, which meets the daily recommendation

Controllable Factors that contribute to high blood pressure:

  • Sedentary or inactive lifestyle. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days.
  • Heavy alcohol consumption. Heavy and regular use of alcohol can increase blood pressure dramatically.
  • Sodium (salt) sensitivity and/or heavy sodium consumption
  • Obesity and overweight. Studies have shown that changes in body weight over time and skinfold thickness are related to changes in blood pressure levels.
  • Stress

How can I tell if I have high blood pressure?

  • High blood pressure (also called Hypertension) has no symptoms. That's why it's called a "silent killer".
  • A single elevated blood pressure reading doesn't mean you have high blood pressure.
  • The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked by a doctor or other qualified health professional.
  • Optimal blood pressure with respect to cardiovascular risk is less than 120/80 mm Hg.

The goal of flexibility training is to achieve strength intertwined with flexibility that can allow better control of their movements

150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week lowers depression as effectively as Prozac or behavioral therapy