Exercise doesn’t have to stop in the winter. It can actually help your body burn more fat because of the lower temperatures. But, if you have certain conditions like asthma, you might want to be more careful about how you approach your winter workouts.
Asthma sufferers deal with respiratory problems that can compromise their ability to breathe freely. Many conditions can trigger asthma attacks and cold weather is one of them. When the weather gets cold, it can constrict the blood vessels in an effort to maintain warmth.
In asthma sufferers this can bring about a host of symptoms. When exposed to cold dry air they may experience wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest and coughing spells. This can happen before exercise (if not properly warmed up) or after a particularly long and exhausting workout.
If you are alone, this can be a dangerous situation. Without proper medical attention, an asthma attack can turn very bad.
Here are some tips for those asthmatics who exercise in the winter to help keep them safe.
* Work out with a friend: If an asthma attack does occur, you will need attention. Someone with you can assist for faster treatment.
* Use your inhalers: Before you go out in the cold air, use your inhaler to open up respiratory passages for freer breathing.
* Stay hydrated: One trigger for an attack could be lack of moisture in your body. Drink plenty of water and electrolyte drinks before you go out in the air and while you are exercising. It keeps your airways moisturized. Dryness can lead to coughing.
* Wear a scarf or a mask: Introducing cold air into your lungs can be a shock. Wearing a scarf over your mouth can keep your breath from chilling up as you inhale the outside air. The mask will warm the air coming into your lungs and keep an asthma attack at bay.
* Exercise indoors: The air indoors is warmer and you can exercise without increasing the threat of asthma attacks. Even so, keep your asthma under control for strenuous sessions like basketball games, high impact aerobics and kickboxing.
* Use the pool: Swimming is a good overall exercise. It is easy on the joints and works just about every muscle group in the body. Swimming laps can increase circulation and lung capacity. For asthmatics it works best if the pool is heated.
* Layer your clothing: If you do go outside, stay as warm as you can. Cover all extremities to prevent the body from losing heat at those points.
Even with well-controlled asthma, exercising in winter can be dangerous. Take all precautions that can you to get the best out of your workouts and your lungs.
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Discover Real Foods That Are Essential In The Battle Against Aging
When it comes to fighting the signs of aging, the solution doesn’t always lie across the pharmacy counter or in the doctor’s office. Some of the best ways to grow old gracefully can be found right in your very own kitchen.
Most of the nutrients that the body needs everyday to survive are found in the foods that we eat. Unfortunately, many of us are not making the proper food choices to keep our bodies, and skin, healthy. Making a few changes to our diet can make a big difference in how we feel and look.
Antioxidants save the day
When talking about foods to eat we’re mainly talking about the general category of antioxidants in food. How does adding foods rich in antioxidants to your diet help your skin?
The body takes on a lot of stresses in a day. One byproduct of this stress, or cellular activity, is free radicals. Free radicals are unstable substances that lack an electron so they steal it from healthy cells throughout the body. This can lead to signs of aging, disease, and pain over time. Antioxidants are natural substances that are designed to neutralize the effects of free radicals. Eating foods that contain antioxidants will lower the free radical count in your body and lessen the damage they can do.
So, what should we be eating to improve our overall health and youthful appearance? Let’s take a look at some of the foods that contain nutrients essential to fighting off the aging process:
Berries
The mighty blueberry shines in this group, but other berries like blackberries, cranberries, and raspberries all play a part in neutralizing free radicals that damage your skin. You’ll notice a theme in these berries; they all are very colorful. Stick to dark colored berries for the best nutritional punch. Berries actually help the body make collagen, the substance that supports and plumps the skin, so adding a good portion of berries to your diet every day is a smart thing to do to battle wrinkles. Berries are also loaded with Vitamins C, E, and riboflavin, as well as being a good source of fiber.
Green Tea
Another powerhouse in the fight against free radicals, green tea has become the go-to beverage for everything from losing weight to lowering blood pressure. Green tea is known to have anti-inflammatory properties as well as antioxidants. Not only does drinking green tea improve your overall health, but many skin creams now contain green tea extract which allows you to rub it right into your skin. Green tea is also believed to help prevent some skin cancers caused by the sun’s damaging rays. Drinking green tea daily gives you a good source of Vitamins C, D, K, and riboflavin, calcium, and iron
Nuts
You need plenty of good fatty acids to help prevent skin dryness. Adding nuts to your daily diet will provide not only healthy fatty acids, but also Vitamins A, E, riboflavin, zinc, and selenium. The Brazil nut is an especially excellent source of selenium, which helps with the skin’s elasticity by producing glutathione which neutralizes free radicals in the body; the same free radicals that are destroying our skin’s collagen and elastin. Eat a variety of nuts, including almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and pine nuts, every day to add good fatty acids to your diet along with a host of essential vitamins and minerals.
Avocados
At first glance, you may think you should stay away from avocados because they appear to be high in fat. But, most of the fat is monounsaturated and is considered a healthy fat. Avocados are rich in omega-9 fat, a powerful skin plumper which also improves dry skin, as well as Vitamin C and Vitamin E, which act together to form a strong anti-aging team. Vitamin B6 is another free radical warrior and is essential to your skin’s youthful look and healthy overall condition. Just one small avocado gives you enough B6 to meet your daily requirement.
Carrots
This may not often make the top of the skin-health list, but there are good reasons it should. Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene. What is beta-carotene? Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A inside the body. Vitamin A is crucial for skin cell health. You may have a Vitamin A deficiency if your skin is dry. If you have light skin, eating carrots can also provide a slight SPF sun protection. Carrots also are a good source of Vitamin C which fights free radicals and promotes the creation of collagen in the skin.
Sweet Potatoes
Another overlooked powerhouse in the battle against aging skin is sweet potatoes. Not only do these spuds deliver a healthy dose of beta-carotene and Vitamin C, but sweet potatoes also contain Vitamin E. What’s important about the combination of these two vitamins is that they work together. Vitamin E helps regenerate Vitamin C in the body, which maximizes the effectiveness of Vitamin C. This one-two punch becomes a very effective antioxidant and offers topnotch skin protection.
Whole Grains
Vitamins A, C, and E have taken center stage in the battle against aging skin, but there’s another player in town that’s just as important; that’s the B complex group. Eating breads and cereals that are made with whole grains, as opposed to refined grains, provide B complex vitamins which are essential for healthy skin. The B Vitamins are necessary for the growth of new cells which replace the dull, dead cells. This group of vitamins also helps protect skin against stress. A shortage of B Vitamins in your diet could result in dry, rough skin; even cracking and peeling.
Cold water fish
This group of fish includes salmon, sardines, mackerel, and fresh tuna. These may seem like a fatty bunch of fish, but the fat is the healthy kind containing omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are responsible for healthy cell membranes. These stronger cell membranes are more able to keep water in which keeps the skin cells hydrated; and hydrated cells will give us skin that is supple and younger looking. Salmon is also another source that’s high in selenium, which we know helps the body in its ongoing battle against skin damaging free radicals.
All the wrinkle reducing potions in the world won’t help if you aren’t giving your skin a fighting chance from within. Start your anti-aging battle with a healthy diet filled with nutrient rich foods. These simple, and delicious, foods are some of the easiest things you can choose to fight the effects of aging.
Water
Ionized Alkaline Water is consider good water to drink. Want more information. Want to be enlightened check out this 9 minute video:
Want more information, send me an e-mail at Arlan@muratasensei.com
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Winter is the time of year when nature hibernates. It is cleansing itself to start again in the spring. We can take a page from that book by staying healthier this winter.
It’s the one time of year that you don’t have to worry about swimsuits or wearing shorts. You can cover up with sweatshirts and long pants and it is very acceptable. No one will see you properly until the spring so you can eat what you want, right? Wrong!
It is easy for the metabolism to slow down in the winter because we slow down. When you eat but don’t get a lot of activity, your metabolism adjusts. It’s like when you deprive yourself of food on a restrictive diet. The body holds onto stored fat because it doesn’t know where its next meal is coming from.
You don’t want that to happen to you this winter. Instead, find ways to boost your metabolism and stay healthy.
There is a catch-22 here. During the winter we celebrate many holidays that center on food. It is easy to get caught up in high-fat meals, calorie-laden desserts and sitting in front of the television.
Instead, try to incorporate healthy fats into your diet this winter. If you are health conscious, you might be saying why fats at all. Well, fats are a part of the make-up of the body right down to the cells. The body needs certain fats to create cellular membranes, produce certain hormones and also cushion the organs from injury.
Many of the healthy fats that we need can’t be produced in the body. They have to be obtained from food. These good fats are not what we usually see stored in our bodies. Most of that comes when we consume too many fats and do not expend enough energy to use them. They get stored and added to our body fat.
So, what are the healthy fats that the body needs? One that we always hear about is omega-3 fatty acids. They are instrumental in heart health and cellular repair. You can get them from supplements but it is better when they come from food.
Food Sources
Start with seafood and fish. Meat contains fats but there are more saturated fats and omega-6s which are not as healthy as omega-3s. Try salmon, mackerel, crab, shrimp, and other fishes.
Vegetables are also a good source of omega-3s. Opt for soybeans and leafy greens like cabbage and kale. Combining vegetables like these with fish will also boost your intake of healthier fats.
Oils are another excellent source. Consider flaxseed oil, walnut oil, soybean and corn oil. The seeds used to make these oils are also good to consume. You can add them to salads, and as add-ins for side dishes.
Fat is important but in the right ways and amounts. Without them, the body couldn’t produce hormones and maintain cellular integrity.
“The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d druther not.” Mark Twain.
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The first thing most people notice is your skin. Is it healthy, shiny, beautiful or dull, lifeless and muted? Vitamin E can increase the suppleness of your skin. Keep reading to find out more.
What Is Vitamin E?
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important to the body. Because it is friendly to fat it can enter cells and work there. It contains components that enhance the immune system. This is what makes it an antioxidant.
In the body, antioxidants fight the effects of free radicals (by-products of cellular metabolism). Free radicals lead to signs of aging, cancers and other detrimental effects on the body. But, this is not the only source of free radicals. They enter the body through air pollution, smoking, UV radiation, toxins and stress. Vitamin E can help protect the body from free radical damage from outside sources.
What else does vitamin E do? It can help with anemia, sunburn, rheumatoid arthritis and increased immune function in older people.
So what does this mean for the skin? As an antioxidant it can help create a protective barrier on the skin to keep away the effects of the sun, pollution and other external sources.
Many lotions, creams and make-up contain vitamin E. This may help the skin to absorb more vitamin E and thus toughen it up for whatever may come against it. Vitamin E comes in two forms, an alcohol form and an acetate form. The alcohol form is more potent in protecting the skin.
Sources of Vitamin E
Not only do creams and other beauty products provide the skin with vitamin E, but it also comes from food sources. In fact, food sources are the best because they work from the inside out. The recommended daily allowance is only 15 mg, but we donít usually even get that much.
* Cereal: Look for cereals that are fortified. Read the label to see if they contain vitamin E. This includes oatmeal and cream of wheat.
* Nuts: While nuts are high in fat it is the healthier fats that the body needs for cellular function. Try hazelnuts to get a daily dose of vitamin E. Oils made from these nuts and even seeds (like sunflower seeds) are also a healthy source of vitamin E. Donít forget peanut butter.
* Vegetable oils: Add them to recipes or use them to sautÈ veggies to get some vitamin E into your system.
* Leafy greens: They contain not only vitamin E but also A, C, K and beta-carotene. They are antioxidant powerhouses that are great for increasing the health and appearance of your skin.
* Tomatoes: These are rich in antioxidant lycopene but also vitamin E. Try making fresh tomato paste or eating tomato soup.
Vitamin E helps protect the skin, using it as a moisture barrier but also giving it a protective barrier from outside damage from sun, pollution and chemicals.
How About Beauty Water Produced By Enagic’s Water Technology Machine?
Acidic Water with a 5.5pH helps tone and refresh the skin after a hot bath or shower and also works to close the pores after washing your face. This is the beauty water that you pay $100 at the department stores that have a smell added to the water. Your skin has a 5.5pH, which is how the beauty water works.
Your wellness friend,
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You Were Given A Miraculous Body That Heals Itself
Pogo says, I have met the enemy and he is me.
Do you feed you mind and body poisons that are killing you?
Your body is an amazing creation of God. It never makes mistakes in the signals that it sends you to heal itself and survive.
What do you do when your body tells you it is tired? How about when it is hungry and Thirsty? The signals are there for you to listen to and stop killing yourself.
Victoria Boutenko, Author of “12 Steps To Raw Foods” tell the story of her two children. Her son, who was diabetic, craved for mangos and blueberries. He consumed all that he was given. Her daughter, who had asthma, craved for figs and olives, which she ate nonstop. She consulted and visited, Dr. Bernard Jensen, world famous clinical nutritionist. She asked him what should her son do for his diabetes and her daughter do for her asthma. After consulting with his notes and books, he told her that her son needed to eat mangos and blueberries. Her daughter needed to eat figs and olives. Is this an AHA moment?
What happens when you accidentally stick you right hand in hot water? Do you pull your left hand out? No, your body reacts immediately and pulls your right hand out of the hot water. Thinks about other situations where your body is put in harms way.
Dr. F. Batmanghelidj in his book, “Water Cures, Drug Kills” tells about body crisis signals that tells the body it is dehydrated. The newly understood regional thirst signals are: heartburn, rheumatoid join pain, back pain, migraine headache, colitis pain, fibromyalgic pains, and anginal pain.
Your wellness friend,
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The cooler weather is almost upon us. Some people are glad that it is not so hot, but the winter brings with it its own set of precautions for your health. Keep reading to learn how to stay heart healthy in the winter months.
You would think that because you are not out in the blazing hot sun that you could rest easier with matters of the heart, but not so. In fact, the incidence of heart attacks seems to go up during the winter. Why is this?
First of all let’s look at cold weather. Just like the bears, we get slower, inside and out. The body temperature under normal conditions is a balmy 98.6 degrees. It has to work harder during the winter to maintain that core temperature.
To that end, the blood vessels constrict to preserve heat. If you are someone with a history of heart problems, constricted blood vessels is the last thing you need. Because the opening in the vessels (lumen) is smaller, it will take more force to push the blood through, leading to a rise in blood pressure.
Combine all of that with outdoor activity in the winter, and you are looking at conditions that could be ripe for a heart attack. Shoveling snow is hard strenuous work that can lead to signs of a heart attack in certain people.
So, what can you do about it?
* Eat a sensible diet – Most of us tend towards not eating well when it gets cold, but there are benefits to it. For one, a good diet can lower your blood pressure, cholesterol and weight. Combine this with exercise and your heart could be in the clear.
* Warm up – The body will have a harder time maintaining body temperature if you just get out of bed and throw on your coat before heading out the door. If you are going to be outside shoveling snow or playing a winter sport, spend time indoors warming up. Jog in place or jump some rope. Once you are limbered up, be sure to perform some dynamic stretching to get the body going. Them, head outdoors for play or chores.
* Dress warmly – You don’t have to be wrapped up like a mummy. Layer your clothing so you don’t feel heavy but you are well protected from the elements.
* Consult a doctor – This is true for everyone but especially if you have lived a life on the couch. Going from sedentary to fully active shoveling snow can be a deadly shock to the system. Ask if it is okay for you to do such heavy lifting.
* Take breaks – Don’t shovel snow for three hours and fall into the house panting. A regular break every thirty minutes gives the body time to rest and you time to get warm.
You might look forward to the winter months but will your heart? The tips above can help you to keep it protected when it gets cold.
Your wellness friend,
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In winter we look for fare that will stick to the ribs and keep us full throughout the day. Instead of reaching for processed or fast food items, take a look at the winter garden. There are tons of good items there that will not only satisfy your tummy but keep you healthy as well.
Vegetables are a healthy source of carbohydrates and vitamins and minerals. During the winter, you can get crafty with these vegetables in foods like soups and chowders. But before you do that you need to know which vegetables you are going to be working with.
Cruciferous vegetables are indeed winter veggies. You can enjoy an abundance of broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. All of the crunch helps you to chew more and eat less. They also make good substitutes in certain recipes.
An example would be mashed potatoes. If you are trying to cut down on white potatoes, mash up cooked cauliflower and add some sour cream to get the consistency of mashed potatoes but with a healthier twist.
These hearty veggies especially broccoli is labeled a super food. This means that in itself it contains all the nutrients and minerals that you need. Now you won’t be eating broccoli all day but you will get a healthy dose of everything when you eat it. It is also instrumental in lowering your risk of certain cancers, boosting the immune system and increasing antioxidants.
Root vegetables are also popular in winter. These include carrots, celery, potatoes, onions, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, rutabagas and the like. They require longer cooking times to break them down and soften them but it is well worth it because of the flavors they impart.
Some of these you may have heard of but haven’t worked with before. The winter is the best time to experiment with new flavors and recipes. Here are a few examples of recipes that you can use to help you get the taste of these winter vegetables.
Cream soups – One thing about cream as opposed to broth soups is that they are thicker and stick to you longer for a full feeling. Try using a food processor to blend some cooked squash and potatoes or chopped up broccoli. Add some chopped chives, green onions and other spices along with fat free sour cream to add flavor.
Stir fry – This is a great way to steam and sauté vegetables with very little oil. Water chestnuts, celery, onions and carrots can be used to create an Asian stir fry. Slice them thin or julienne them so that they cook faster. Add seafood, lean poultry or lean beef to round out the meal.
Salads – There are plenty of winter greens that can be used to make flavorful salads. Top with winter citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines and also use pears. The fruit adds flavor without the need to drench your creation in salad dressing.
Winter doesn’t have to be boring food wise. Try those winter vegetables to create new dishes your family will love.
Your wellness friend,
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“Dehydration Dis-eases and Diseases” Excerpts from F Batmanghelidj, MD’s book, Water Cures: Drugs Kill
“Persistent unintentional dehydration leaves its damaging impact in the fourth dimension of time. Caught in time, these conditions can be reversible, as you will read in the letters that follow. The human body manifests its water shortage by four categories of conditions: perceptive feelings; drought-management programs; crisis calls; and complication of persistent dehydration.
Perceptive feelings of water shortage include: tiredness that is not the result of strenuous effort, such as feeling first thing in the morning that you do not wish to get out of bed. Anxiety, agitation, shortness of temper, depression, sleep disorders, craving for soda, alcohol, and even hard drugs and agoraphobia are some of the way the brain reflects its water-conservation and water-regulation problems.
The drought- and resource-management programs are: constipation, allergies, asthma, hypertension, type2 diabetes and the autoimmune diseases.
Crisis calls: The newly understood regional thirst signals are: heartburn, rheumatoid join pain, back pain, migraine headache, colitis pain, fibromyalgic pains, and anginal pain.
Complications of persistent dehydration are very extensive and include: obesity, hemorrhoids, cholesterol plaques, and arterial diseases, and type 1 diabetes, as well as serious neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, neuritis, phlebitis, lymphomas, cancers, and many more”…
For more information including testimonial letters go to F Batmanghelidj, MD’s book, “Water Cures: Drugs Kill” available through Amazon.com
“Wellness Is Your Choice”
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This is What Our Colon Looks Like With Degenerative Disease.
We are bombarded daily with toxins from out environment (the air we breath, the homes we live in, the cars we drive, radiation, etc.), stress and the foods & beverages we consume.
Bodily eliminations are how the body heals itself. There are multiple channels that the body uses to remove or store toxins away from our vital organs: our colon, kidneys, liver, lungs, lymphatic system, skin and stomach. The body will encapsulate the toxins and store them around our belly, hips and thighs as an addition method of keeping us alive.
Toxins are eliminated in bowel movements, urination, sweat and breath.
How can we help our bodies remove these toxins?
Diet, fresh fruits and vegetables about 85% and 15% or less proteins from animals. Ideally eat raw vegan diet
Drink ionize alkaline water, 8 or more daily
Breathing inhaling deeply brings oxygen into our bodies and exhaling expel toxins
Sweating opens the pores and allows the toxins to be released
Movement (exercise) 30 minutes 3-5 times per week helps our bodies remove toxins more efficiently.
Decrease stress by meditation and relaxation
Natural bowel movements 1-3 times per day, eat sweet potatoes…
According to Kyle Grimshaw-Jones ND, RT…”bodily eliminations must be supported consciously by people wishing to heal patterns of physical distortion…. Failure to understand this can sabotage the clinical aims of bodywork. If a person suppresses bodily eliminations, and continues bodily intoxication, then chronic holding patterns, postural distortions, movement restrictions, and myofascial restrictions, will persist, or be recreated.”
Want more info, email me at Arlan@muratasensei.com and keep visting this wellness blog.
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