Pilates, is nothing without its equipment, from the simple mat
to the complicated trapeze, Pilates Equipment is very integral
to the program itself. Pilate equipment is what produces the
resistance that your muscles overcome, and these resistances are
what make your core strong. Here is an overview of the basic
Pilates Equipment

Reformer.

The reformer is probably the most popular Pilates Equipment; it
is used by a lot of Pilates practitioners, and can be seen on
almost every Pilates Studio in the world. It is basically a
sliding carriage that has foot bars, jump boards, leg and arm
pulleys. These features allow the exerciser to work on different
parts of the body with the same machine.

There are two types of reformers, spring reformers and gravity
reformers. A spring Pilates equipment reformer, makes use of
springs for resistance, it is usually used while lying on the
back and pulling with your arms or pushing with your legs. The
Gravity reformer has the same concept of push and pull, but
instead of springs, it makes use of the person’s own weight. The
person is diagonal in position in order for the gravity to pull
down on him/her, creating the resistance needed for the exercise.

Cadillac

The second type of Pilates equipment is the Cadillac or the
trapeze table. This Pilates equipment looks like a cage, without
the bars though, just the frames, and attached along the bars
are springs, straps, and extra bars that are used for several
types of exercises. For example, for the legs, you can lie down
facing the opposite direction of the strap that you are going to
use, and then putting the strap around your leg, you pull it
down, and the resistance goes through your thighs and calves.
Another way to use a Cadillac is to sit down, this time facing
the strap that you are to use, and then holding the strap in
your hands pull on it while simultaneously lying down, then sit
back up again, this works on your abdomen.

Wunda Chair

One other Pilates equipment is the Wunda chair, which looks like
a bench only slightly higher; it has two bars on each side with
spring attached to it. One exercise that can be done is to push
on the bars while standing or sitting on the bench, or standing
or sitting on the floor.

Mats

Pilates has a series of mat exercises that improve certain parts
of the body, therefore, the Pilates Mat, is definitely a must
have Pilates equipment. Mat exercises are usually taught as to
groups. These exercises focus mostly on the trunk and hip, to
strengthen then, and on the spine and hips again for
flexibility. The mat, is probably the least expensive of Pilates
equipment, and it is also the most limited, the amt is basically
for back protection and doesn’t offer any form of resistance for
the user, but still mat exercises are very good ones, especially
for those on a budget.

These are only few of the most common exercise equipment that
you may see in a Pilates studio, there are however, other
equipment that you might be able to use at home, like barrels,
Pilates balls, and Pilates rings, these are however, not part of
the original Pilates equipment that Joseph Pilates designed
initially, but rather a derivation and application of the
different Pilates techniques from other types of exercises.

Dhauti is a shuddhikriya which means the act of cleaning. It
specifically cleans the stomach. Since it is one of the main
organ in the human body and the health of the human being
dependent on the condition of the stomach, hence it becomes very
important for you to clean your stomach. Dhauti is the useful
activity for this cleansing.

Dhauti is of three types:

* Vamana-dhauti: This is the easiest of all the three types. In
this process you have to drink about six glasses of water and
then vomit it out by putting the index and the middle fingers in
the mouth till uvula. You throw up the water, which brings along
with it, the impurities in the stomach.

* Danda-dhauti: Repeat the above process but instead of
inserting the fingers, you insert a rubber tube of about three
feet in length and the width slightly more than the lead pencil.
It is gulped down slowly so that one end of the tube reaches the
stomach while the other end is held outside the mouth. Bend the
trunk forward and this siphoning action will bring out the water
from the stomach. When all the water is thrown out, bring out
the rubber tube. Before using the tube, clean and disinfect it
by inserting it in boiling water for a few minutes. It is
difficult for a lot of people to insert the tube without
vomiting because the throat is sensitive to the touch stimuli.
For them, it is advisable to go for the vamana-dhauti since it
is the simpler of the two. The advantage of danda-dhauti is that
there is no spasm of the stomach wall and the water is thrown
out very smoothly.

* Vastra-dhauti: This is the most difficult but useful dhauti.
Here a strip of fine muslin cloth of about three inches in width
and twenty feet in length is taken. It is washed and disinfected
by dipping it in boiling water for some time and rolled up. Hold
one end of it between the two fingers and insert it into the
mouth. Gulp it down slowly. Stop gulping when only six inches of
the cloth remain outside the mouth. Take care to ensure that you
do not let the other end go into the mouth. Churn the abdomen by
Nauli with the cloth inside the stomach. Now remove the strip
slowly by pulling out the other end of the cloth. This dhauti
cleanses the stomach by rubbing itself against the inner lining
of the stomach wall and removing all the impurities from the
stomach.

Dhauti has a great therapeutic value. You can use it as a part
of yogic treatment of disorders like acidity and asthma.

For those of you who are not familiar with the name, a Swiss Ball is a large plastic exercise ball that is used for a variety of fitness workouts. They are generally preferred by people who are looking to put strengthen their core muscles while improving their balance.

Let’s clear something up. You may also be familiar with gym balls, sports balls, fitness balls, therapy balls, yoga balls or body balls. These are all different names for these exercise balls and just go to show how many different types of workout you can use them with.

The main advantage of the exercise ball, and the reason so many different types of workout can be used with them, is that they can provide instability and a loss of balance to a huge number of simple exercises. Imagine a very simple exercise on a hard surface or mat. Now imagine doing them while sitting or leaning on an exercise ball. You will constantly have to maintain your balance and make small adjustments to your position. This utilises a host of smaller and less utilised muscles that usually never get any exercise at all. Over time these muscles will get a lot stronger and you will notice real improvements in strength.

Exercise balls are used a lot as parts of therapy programs and to treat lower back pains, precisely for this reason. They can help you to develop better control and strength in your back and stomach. They can also increase you flexibility and back mobility so that if you find it difficult to move sometimes, they can be of great help in your exercise routines. You should also notice increased strength in your abdominal muscles. This is part of the reason that the balls are becoming so popular with women. As more and more women are working on their stomachs, they are switching to any type of routine that will improve their results in this single area.

If you fancy a very simple exercise, then you can even use a Swiss ball instead of a chair. Because the ball is constantly moving, it forces you to engage some back and abdominal muscles constantly so that you are not just sitting there, but are getting a good workout while you do it.

As a kid, you hear a lot of things about acne. Everybody has
their opinion on what causes it or how to stop it. My nana
insisted that it came from a teenager having premarital sex. My
papa said she was crazy. Everybody knew that acne was the result
of eating too many sweets. My mamma didn’t care who was right or
wrong as long as I didn’t make her a grandma before I was
married and all of the Cannoli was eaten.

My family joked a lot about acne at my expense, but the reality
is that most people really don’t understand what acne is and
where it comes from. Everyone knows the myths about acne, but
few know the truth.

Acne is the result of natural oil that your body produces
becoming clogged in your pores. Once the pores or hair follicles
are clogged, bacteria starts building up and mixes with the oil.
This leads to the bumps, zits, pimples, blackheads, and
whiteheads that we commonly refer to as acne.

Doctors know that this is the process by which acne takes place.
>From this information, they have developed several treatment
options to help clear up acne over a period of time. However, no
one knows for sure how to prevent acne or completely stop it
from occurring in the first place. Because of this, there are
countless myths and old wives tales floating around.

I have heard it all and you probably have to. Acne comes from
eating too much chocolate. If you have a huge zit, you obviously
haven’t been drinking enough water. Pimples are simply a matter
of cleanliness. If you wash your face more, then you won’t have
bumps. Of course, my favorite myth is the one that says since
acne occurs most often during the teenage years. It is a sign
that teenagers are having premarital sex.

Hysterical right? I know. The truth is that these are myths and
not scientific facts. Yes, if you change your diet, your acne
may subside for a while. Sure, if you reduce your stress level
and drink more water, you may see an improvement in the
condition of your skin. However, what works for one may not work
for another.

That is why it is so important to talk with your dermatologist
about what treatment options and preventive steps can be taken
based off of your unique skin composition. By understanding what
acne is and what habits trigger acne in your skin, you can put
an end to the myths and start regaining control over your
appearance and self esteem.

Since an injury causes loss on both fronts, one on the body
issue which needs time to repair and recoup and two on the time
loss which could have been put to better use for training and
betterment. It is very similar to a financial loss, one you lose
the money, second you spend more time to make it up. Serious
sportsmen fear injuries more than anything else.

Some hard facts:

- Over 25,000 Americans sprain their ankles daily - 1 out of
every 17 athletes suffer sports injury while playing the sport.
- More than 50% of these injuries are preventable.

There are a few preventive measures that could be taken to
prevent sports injuries, but most sportspersons do not practice
them. These measures are not yet popular. Some techniques to
prevent sports injuries are:

1. Good warm up: A good and gradual warm up would help increase
the body temperature gradually, increasing the circulation and
oxygen supply to the muscles. It prepares the body and the mind
together for hectic physical activity that may follow. 2. Good
cool down: Like a good warm up, a good cool down in immensely
important to bring down the body temperature. It prevents
pooling of blood in excessively used muscles and limbs and
prevents build up of toxic matter like lactic acid in the
muscles. It relaxes the muscles and your body entirely fighting
away the stiffening and tightening.

However a good magical procedure to prevent sports injury by 50%
is stretching. By making stretching a consistent part of a
sportsman’s exercise regimen, you could prevent major injuries.
Stretching is a simple process of relaxing your body and most
sportsmen tend to put it away as it is too simple and hence
ineffective. This is a gross error in judgment, as stretching is
vital to any exercise regimen, sportsmen or not.

Stretching improves flexibility and flexible muscles are prone
to much lesser injuries. The benefits of stretching are yet to
be realized by most sportsmen and coaches. Those who have
already incorporated stretching are getting invaluable results
from it by staying injury free.

How Stretching Works?

Stretching increases the length of tendons and muscles,
resulting in increase of “range of movement”. This implies that
muscles and tendons can stretch a little further before injury
inflicts them.

Lets us suppose the muscles of your neck are stiff and your
ability to look around or turn your head is limited. While
participating in your favorite sport, if you neck has to go
beyond its normal range of movement, it would result in muscle
tear or strain. If you do regular stretching of your neck
muscles, its range of movement would improve and you might not
be prone to such injuries in the future because your neck now
has a better range of movement.

Stretching promotes recovery and prevents soreness. Stretching
also makes sure that your muscles and tendons are in good
working shape. Stretching in short conditions your muscles and
conditioned muscles are prone to fewer injuries because they can
handle more stress of sports and exercise.

There is certainly more to stretching than commonly believed.
All the best for an injury free life.

Sport encourages the integration of the whole organism because it is necessary to think as we move and plan ahead. In performing each movement in response to the run of play, we use mechanisms that nature evolved for the purpose of survival in a hostile world. Sport is today’s equivalent of the hunting, fighting and avoidance of predators that kept our ancestors alive. The skills developed in our past are essential in today’s sport; accuracy, speed, strength and intelligence are all requirements for success.

We have come to believe that the stronger a muscle the better, without a thought to what we actually do with a stronger muscle. I am not advocating we should do nothing, or that all exercise is harmful. The important issue is why we exercise and what is it we hope to achieve? If we want to get fit, ask the question - fit for what? When did you last review your objectives for devoting so much time and effort to its pursuit?

To help achieve optimum performance it is useful to understand the physiology involved so you do not misuse your body. All movement, even of the smallest part, involves the total organism yet many exercise systems fail to recognise the integral nature of human function. Exercises have always been designed to achieve specific improvements for one part of the body in the belief it will benefit the athlete for the particular demands of their sport. My view is that the concentration on individual parts whilst performing these exercises destroys the unity of the organism necessary for good movement.

Getting into shape usually involves a trip to the local gymnasium with its staggering array of equipment. A combination of technology and clever marketing has transformed the dull exercise machine into an essential piece of equipment capable of ‘achieving miracles’. Today’s machines have made it possible to work individual muscles in isolation - the first-time gym user will often joke they ache in muscles they did not know existed. Unfortunately, in the rush to develop the ultimate range of equipment, I believe a vital factor in human development and movement has been overlooked. That is, no single movement involves either an individual or isolated set of muscles! Machines that work a muscle whilst immobilising or supporting part of the body, encourage ‘unnatural’ actions never to be repeated outside the gymnasium, sports scientist Dr Mel Siff wrote: -

“….it is well known in physiology that the body knows of actions, not muscles, so that it is inappropriate to place any intentional stress on individual muscles rather than on the desired motor patterns.”

Even the harmless looking treadmill does not replicate natural activity. Running on a moving surface employs a different combination of muscles when compared with road running. Chuck Wolf, the director of sport science and human performance for the U.S.A. Triathlon National Training Center in Florida acknowledges this problem with the exercise machine saying,

“… our love of machines has caused us to lose sight of the way the body functions. Machines are ideal for multiple repetitions of the same movement patterns along a single plane. Unfortunately, that’s not how we move.”

Too much emphasis is placed on muscle and hence exercises to improve strength at the cost of neglecting the systems that control them. Complex machines are able to analyse the strength of individual muscles in specific movements. However, these machines do not measure the body during natural activity. Problems are then identified with the suspect muscle and exercises prescribed to correct the condition. But what causes the weakness initially? Why is a muscle weak or too tight? A muscle can only do what it is told to do and as we do not have the ability to directly control a muscle we cannot be certain of what we are actually telling it to do. The ‘offending’ muscle is only performing its function as directed by the controlling mechanisms for which we ultimately carry the responsibility. When the police stop a speeding motorist they prosecute the driver not the car!

This is not to say that gymnasiums are harmful - far from it! It is how we approach the use of a gym’s equipment that is vital. They do offer an opportunity to develop body awareness and strength but the temptation is to focus on the specific muscle being exercised whilst ignoring how the whole body can be used. For example, it is common to see people gritting teeth, straining neck muscles and arching their back when using machines to work the biceps. All this unnecessary action is not going to help build the biceps but it will develop poor muscular habits that will affect other activities. If used with the total body in mind these exercises will develop every other muscle appropriately as they are needed to stabilise the frame. So rather than looking to build the abs, biceps and quads separately, be aware of their involvement on every machine.

More recently other gadgets have started to appear on the market that promise to improve balance and proprioception (our ability to sense the position, location and movement of the body and its parts). But do these devices really help to improve performance in your sport? Or do you just acquire a new skill such as balancing on a swiss-ball that may be fun but does nothing to help your game? Bill Hartman, sports scientist and golf coach, writes

“So what can you do to improve your golf-specific balance? Play golf. There is not a gadget or exercise which will improve your golf-specific balance like playing golf. Why? Because nothing can duplicate the demands of playing golf other than playing golf. I know, it sounds silly doesn’t it. If you look at other athletes in any sport from martial arts to gymnastics to hockey, you’ll find that they simply perform their sporting skills over and over to acquire their amazing balance skills. They don’t rely on silly, useless gadgets. If you were a tightrope walker, would you practice on a wooden beam or stand on a stability ball. Of course not, because it would not duplicate the demands of tightrope walking. The rope has its own “feel” and sway that nothing else but a tightrope can duplicate. So if you want to improve your golf-specific balance, play golf.”

So perhaps to get the best from the gymnasium we should take our time to use the machines with total awareness of the actions involved (avoiding distractions such as the gym TV or listen to music ). And perhaps ask whether the action encouraged by the machine is a ‘natural’ one. Will I ever be hanging at an angle where I need to perform a sit-up? It may strengthen the abdominals for that movement, but do I need it? How will it benefit my body as a whole?

For further information visit http://www.artofperformance.co.uk

Roy Palmer is a teacher of The Alexander Technique and has studied performance enhancement in sport for the last 10 years. In 2001 he published a book called ‘The Performance Paradox: Challenging the conventional methods of sports training and exercise’ and is currently working on a new project about The Zone. More information about his unique approach to training can be found at www.fitness-programs-for-life.com

At some point or another you and your children will be faced
with death.

It’s important that you teach your children that death is merely
an aspect of life, and help them become comfortable with the
topic.

One of the best things you can do to prepare your children for
the prospect of a death is to talk about it with them ahead of
time.

Your approach to the subject may vary a little depending on your
spiritual beliefs. Some cultures actually embrace the subject of
death and see it as an opportunity for re-birth and new life.

It is important that you consider your spiritual and emotional
beliefs about death and come to fully embrace them before
approaching the topic with your children.

This will help you facilitate a more impacting and clear cut
conversation when the time arises to talk about death and dying.
Here are some suggestions for broaching the topic with your
children:

Talk With Your Children About the Cycle of Life - Consider
discussing death with them at a time that you can naturally
incorporate it into part of your conversation. Consider for
example when the leaves change colors in the fall, and then die
off only to grow back in the spring. Remember to keep things
light and easy initially, offering your children ample
opportunities to ask questions.

Acknowledge Your Own Feelings - In order for your children to
accept death you must first come to terms with it. Children are
very sensitive and likely to pick up on your emotional cues
about death and dying, thus if you are uncomfortable with the
subject they are likely to be too. Take some time to examine
your own feelings and become comfortable with the subject before
broaching it with your children.

Be Open and Honest About Feelings - Many parents have a natural
instinct to shield their children from the grief associated with
death, but this can actually be damaging. It is important that
you allow your children to understand that death can be sad, and
let them know that you are sad if it happens. It is important
that children learn to express themselves openly and honesty and
learn how to release their emotions when necessary.

Remember when teaching children about death and dying that their
initial reactions may be very different from what you would
expect.

Rather than focusing on the spiritual or emotional aspects of
death they may want to know more about the technicalities, such
as how someone is buried and where they go.

Remember that this is perfectly normal. Address each question
honestly and age appropriately when they surface, and your
children will come to have a healthy understanding of the death
and dying process.

If you are like me, then you will probably know that using free
weights and machines is the fastest and most efficient way there
is to improve your metabolism and strength but for many reasons
these may not be convenient or readily accessible to you.

You may also have no access to a commercial gym, home gym or are
on business trip, but there can be a solution, a
strength-training workout without the need of expensive machines.

As with any exercise, whether you are using your own body
weight, machines or free weights, if the resistance doesn’t
increase, your muscles won’t be worked to their maximum capacity
and the stimulus these fibres need to grow will be missing.

Exercises done correctly will build the lean muscle and increase
your metabolism in the same way as performing exercises at a
gymnasium, but without the time constraints and associated
costs.

These exercises can be easily done in a bedroom, hotel room, a
park, school yard, ceiling rafters in a garage or in a doorway
and all you have to do is use your imagination. There will
always be a way to add more resistance to your workouts.

Please remember: It doesn’t matter where you are working out -
at home, a hotel, or a park - always warm up properly before
beginning your session, and cool down and stretch when you are
finished.

Leg Exercises

Squats -

They build muscle in the thighs, shape the buttocks and improve
endurance. Position your feet about 13 to 17 inches apart or at
shoulder width, keeping the back straight and your head up. If
you want you can use something that will give you some support,
i.e. a desk, bookcase, sink etc.

Now squat down to where the tops of the thighs are parallel to
the floor, hold for a second and then stand up, but don’t bounce
at the bottom of the movement, use a nice fluid motion. Always
exhale your breath as you stand up.

Lunges -

Stand straight in correct posture; now stand with one leg
forward and one leg back. Keeping your abdominal muscles tight
and chest up, lower your upper body down, bending your leg
(don’t step out too far).

You should have about one to two feet between your feet at this
stage, the further forward you step, and the more your gluteus
and hamstring muscles will have to work.

Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you
come down and stop where your feel comfortable (try not to let
your back come forward) then push directly back up. Do all your
reps on one leg then switch legs and do all your reps on the
other leg.

Back Exercises

Chin-ups -

Chin-ups are a great upper body workout, particularly targeting
your biceps, deltoid and lat muscles. Use a doorway chin-up bar,
ceiling rafters in a garage or grab the moulding of your door
frame, position your hands with an under hand grip and hang down
stretching the lats, slowly raise your body until your chin
reaches the bar level.

Pause a moment before slowly lowering yourself back to the
starting position. Don’t swing or use momentum to get your body
to the top, just use the target muscles. Doorway chinning bars
remove from the doorway when you are not using them and can be
put up and taken down in seconds.

Bent Over Row -

Take up a position with your right hand and right knee braced on
a sturdy bed or some other flat surface that will provide a good
support. Now pick up a dumbbell or something heavy that you can
hold onto with your left hand.

Visualize your arms as hooks and slowly bring the dumbbell or
object up to the side of your chest, keeping your back straight,
then lower the weight back down to arms length, no lower, on
extremes, safe form only please.

Concentrate on your back muscles. Reverse the whole procedure
and do the exercise now with your right arm.

Chest Exercises

Push-Up -

The push up is used for building chest, shoulders and arms. Lie
face down on the floor with your hands about shoulder width
apart and keeping your palms turned slightly inward. Now push-up
until your arms are straight, lower and repeat for repetitions.

To make it more difficult elevate your feet. Try placing the
toes of your feet on a stable, elevated surface such as a bench,
chair or a stair.

Straightening your body, position your hands on the floor at
shoulder width, lower your body until your chest touches the
floor at the bottom, and then return to the starting position in
a nice fluid motion.

Dips -

This exercise can be done between two sturdy chairs or other
surfaces that provide stability. The dip is another great upper
body exercise. It’s a compound movement as well and involves
working all the muscles that the push up works.

Keep your head up and body as vertical as possible. For the
beginning of the movement, start at the top (arms fully
extended) and lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel
to the seat of the chairs, hold and then push up to the top of
the movement until your arms are fully extended again.

Keep looking straight ahead and don’t bounce at the bottom of
the movement.

Adding Weight

Although the simple weight of your own body is enough resistance
to provide an effective workout we need progressive overload
(added resistance) to become stronger.

So all we need to do is add some weight wherever we can find
some. Because there are no metal plates and fancy machines to
use it doesn’t matter because the body doesn’t care where it is
as long as it’s receiving resistance of some kind.

You can use heavy books clasped in your hands. You can buy some
cheap weighted dumbbells or ankle weights. A weighted vest will
also allow you to add resistance for both chin-ups and push-ups.

Try to buy one that will let you remove and add weight as you
see fit. Also a backpack filled with books can be perfect for
most of the exercises and is a cheap alternative.

How about a couple of buckets and fill them with a certain level
of water? As you get stronger fill them with more water. This is
perfect because depending on the exercise, all you need to do is
to increase or decrease the amount of water in the buckets for
the required amount of resistance.

To wrap things up we know that using free weights and machines
are the fastest and most efficient way there is to gain lean
muscle and strength, but by performing the exercises in this
article you’ll find that they will provide you with the same
benefits as going to a gymnasium but without the ongoing costs
and time constraints.

Copyright 2006 John Perry

Physical fitness; I am sure this term means different things to
different people. It conjers up memories of junior high gym
class and specific tests or drills we did to determine our
fitness level.

Many years later, I am still amazed at how many different ways
fitness is measured. To some, it is the ability to run long
distances. For others, it is the ability to do “x” amount of one
task and finish an obstacle course under a certain time.

For most it is simply the way you look. This, combined with good
muscle tone and perhaps even the way you carry yourself,
represent good fit qualities.

For me, physical fitness represents one of the three aspects of
fitness. I think it involves efficient movement patterns to
allow the body to be successful. I feel it should be measured
individually, yet have a common basis for measurement.

Every individual needs to compare themselves to themselves;
measure their achievements to their past experiences. Now, I
think it is great to learn from successful people around us and
try to achieve results similar to other trailblazers in a
particular area of interest.

However, “you vs. you” ought to be the motto.

I feel we, as a society, spend too much time comparing ourselves
and our successes to someone else. Whether it is the money they
make, the house they live in, the car they drive, the amount of
happiness in their life or how fit or in shape they are.

More time ought to be spent doing things that feed on our
individual passions and seeing in what direction that leads us.
Worrying about another’s achievements or aspirations could lead
us in directions we were never meant to go and therefore could
stifle potential success and happiness.

What are you excited about? How do you want to look and feel?
How do you measure success? Fitness?

Once you figure this out you will have your measuring stick.

What is the basis for fitness? This needs to be an exercise
program that allows you to be successful - mentally, physically
and financially.

Programs that improve your energy levels, muscle and joint
strength, balance and overall flexibility are a must. This will
allow you to move better, be more productive and prevent
potential injuries and orthopedic problems.

Early in our development, we move properly; the body and brain
communicate well and questions concerning orthopedic problems or
fitness levels are, for the most part, a non-issue.

As we “mature,” we begin to develop poor movement habits,
postures and compensations due to communication changes between
body and brain. This is usually the result of daily work duties,
hobbies, eating habits and bad advice or other learned
information.

Many exercise programs just enhance these bad habits and lead to
sub-par and unwanted levels of fitness. Many begin to blame old
age, lack of time and genetics as the culprits.

In reality, it is ignorance… that’s right, ignorance.

Before you email me and call me bad names, ignorance is simply a
lack of knowledge. The biggest problem I see with clients’
physical fitness level is their lack of knowledge.

People just need to be reminded of how to move properly again,
like when we were younger. I would like to “tweak” the Beach
Boy’s hit song and say “wouldn’t it be nice if we were younger-
then we would move so much better.” This would mostly be because
we would be moving efficiently, not just because our body is
“newer and fresher.”

Re-setting the nervous system is done by moving in three planes
of motion, (i.e. multiple directions), and working groups of
muscles (muscle synergies) vs. isolated muscles. It is also
important to work on balance, (one leg, reaching with arms or
legs outside of balance comfort zone and exercising on different
surfaces) as well as working through your available muscle and
joint range of motion.

Full-body, multi-plane exercise routines will stimulate the
brain for improved movement patterns, posture and injury
prevention.

I cannot finish this article without mentioning the benefit of
weight loss with this type of routine. Increasing energy and
metabolism (due to nervous system stimulation and improved
muscle mass and strength) will aid the weight loss enhancement.

Proper fueling or nutrition will, of course, help with weight
loss and ideal weight maintenance. This is best achieved with
portion control (portions size of fist per item) and protein to
carbohydrate ratios (2.5 grams of carbs for every gram of
protein).

Keep sweets, fats and oils to a minimum.

Your body will operate in proportion to how you train it and how
you feed it; therefore, why not teach it to look, feel and
perform how you want it to… take control of your physical
fitness.

“The people who get on in this world are the people who get up
and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find
them, make them.” -George Bernard Shaw

While some have to fight the battle of the bulge for mere
shallow reasons, there are those who do all the dieting and
exercising to reduce their cholesterol levels just to stay
alive. And while cholesterol is an important component of the
membranes of cells, playing an important part in maintaining
brain synapses as well as in the immune system, it is also the
largest cause of heart attack and stroke.

While it is great that most people who are suffering from high
levels of cholesterol go to their dieticians to have their daily
eating habits tweaked by following a strict meal plan in order
to help them lower their cholesterol levels (hopefully back to
normal levels), some people have really gone overboard, but if
you feel compelled to lower your cholestorol, consult with your
doctor, most doctors are fine with prescribing cholesterol
reducing drugs.

When coupled with a healthy diet and regular exercise, the drugs
can make quite a difference in your cholesterol levels, at least
enough that your levels can be considered safe.

There are four kinds of cholesterol reducing drugs:

1. Bile acid

Sequesterants are cholesterol reducing drugs that aim to bind
with the bile that is being produced by one’s liver. The bile
helps out in our digestion as well as in the absorption of fats
from the intestine. This cholesterol reducing drug blocks out
the digestion of fats from the bile to help prevent the
formation of cholesterol. Various cholesterol reducing drugs in
this category are the following:

- Colestipol - Colestid - Coleseyalam - Welchol - Cholestyramine
- Questran

2. Statins

Popularly known as statins, the HMG-CoA inhibitors are
cholesterol reducing drugs that prevent the enzyme called
3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-conenzyme, a reductase, from
converting fat into cholesterol. This cholesterol reducing drug
is seen as the most effective one in the market today and does
some added good to one’s body as 2003 reports claim that people
with heart failure but no coronary artery diseases receive great
benefits from this in as early as 14 weeks.

Popular drugs from this cholesterol reducing drug group include:

- Simvastatin - Zocor - Cerivastatin - Baycol - Fluvastatin -
Lescol - Lovastatin - Mevacor - Prevastatin - Pravachol -
Atorvastatin - Lipitor

3. Fibric Acid

The cholesterol reducing drug called fibric acid and its
derivaties are less effective than the statins when in comes to
lowering one’s cholesterol level.

Popular drugs under this kind of cholesterol reducing drugs are:

- Clofibrate - Atormid-S - Gemfibrozil - Lopid - Fenofribrate -
Tricor

4. Niacin

Niacin, or vitamin B-3, also is effective in lowering
cholesterol levels. Although the normal vitamin dose of niacin
is only set at 20 mg for each day, the dose required to reduce
cholesterol levels is at least 500 mg each day. Niacin helps
reduce cholesterol by inhibiting very low density lipoprotein
(VLDL) secretion in the bloodstream.