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| The
3 Components of a Healthy Lifestyle |
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Eat
Right, Work Out, Sleep Better
The Three Components of a Healthy Lifestyle
(ARA)
- In today's fast-paced world, moving at full speed
isn't an option, it's a way of life. Finding the
energy to keep up has led many Americans to improve
their diets and increase their activity and exercise.
Yet many people are missing the third vital component
to a healthy lifestyle -- a good night's sleep.
"Committing
to improving overall health requires ambition, focus
and knowledge," says women's health researcher
Joan Shaver, Ph.D., RN, professor and dean of the
College of Nursing at the University of Illinois
at Chicago. "We should think of a healthy lifestyle
as a triangle, with the three points of proper nutrition,
exercise and sleep. If we fail to fulfill any one
of these points, we are missing the potential for
optimum health." Good
nutrition and exercise The
requirements of eating a balanced diet will vary
from individual to individual, but it is vital that
all major food groups are included. Many of today's
diets may help improve weight loss, but often leave
the body begging for vitamins and other essential
nutrients. Eating a diet full of fruits, vegetables,
breads, and fibers will help to give the body more
energy for exercise and taking on the events of
a busy day. "Getting
in shape" means exercising at least three days
a week for 30 minutes or more -- not necessarily
all at once. Exercise doesn't have to be boring
or rigorous -- it can be as simple and fun as a
morning walk or an evening bike ride. In fact, yard
work is considered a great workout and long summer
days allow for plenty of time outside. Since exercise
will raise the body's temperature and heart rate,
be sure to complete exercise at least three hours
before bedtime to allow the mind and body to wind
down. Better
sleep According
to Dr. Shaver, several lifestyle factors must be
considered to benefit from a better night's sleep.
First, evaluate the sleep environment -- ensure
that your room is cool, dim and quiet. Reserve the
bedroom for sleep -- avoid bringing work to bed
or watching television in the bedroom. Next,
allow enough time for sleep -- on average, the National
Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends eight hours for
adults. But, in the 2002 NSF "Sleep in America"
poll, 39 percent of respondents said they were sleeping
less than seven hours at night on weekdays. And
most only slept 7.5 hours on the weekends. Finally,
ensure that each sleep partner is comfortable by
finding a mattress that meets individual needs.
According to the NSF, 91 percent of people say their
sleep surface is important in helping them get a
deep, restful night's sleep. And 89 percent of those
surveyed in 2002 agree that a better quality mattress
provides a better night's sleep. One
alternative to traditional innerspring mattresses
is The Sleep Number Bed by Select Comfort. It allows
individuals to adjust the bed to their ideal level
of personal comfort -- their Sleep Number. A Sleep
Number is a number between zero and 100 that represents
each individual's ideal setting for mattress firmness,
comfort and support. With dual-adjustable air chambers,
sleep partners can independently adjust the firmness
on their side of the Sleep Number bed without disrupting
their partner's desired comfort level. Kevin
Garnett, professional basketball player for the
Minnesota Timberwolves, has recognized the importance
of sleep on his overall performance as a professional
athlete and has taken personal sleep comfort to
a new level. In 2001, the 6-foot, 11-inch forward
ordered a custom-made 9-foot by 9-foot, dual-adjustable
Sleep Number bed from Select Comfort. "The
Sleep Number bed has helped me sleep through the
night when my muscles ache after a hard workout,"
says Garnett. "With a regular mattress you
have to adjust your body to the bed. The Sleep Number
bed allows you to adjust the bed to your body."
In
studies conducted at Stanford University and Duke
University, participants fell asleep faster and
experienced better quality, more restorative sleep
on the Sleep Number bed than on a traditional innerspring
mattress. Stanford University researchers also found
that 87 percent of those who slept on the Sleep
Number bed experienced a greater percentage of REM
sleep with fewer disturbances. The Sleep Number
bed also provides more proper spinal alignment and
93 percent of participants reported back pain relief.
For
more information about these or other sleep facts,
visit www.selectcomfort.com. To find out more about
the Sleep Number bed, call (800) 535-BEDS. Courtesy
of ARA Content
more:
> fitmoves.com >>> |
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Sidekick Foundation |
"Many
studies show that martial arts training improves mental,
physical and spiritual health. Our purpose is to bring
those health-giving programs to various at-risk groups,
such as "at-risk" children, people with disabilities
and the elderly. In addition, the Foundation funds studies
to show the effectiveness of martial arts programs to
address the needs of different groups." more
"Sidekick
Foundation":  |
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| 26-April,1957
Sensei Gichin Funakoshi was passed away by age of 88th.
Source
JKA: >>> |
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American
karate pioneer, champion, and instructor. Lewis gew
up on a farm in Knightdale, N.C. As a teenage he took
up body building and wrestling. During his tournament
fighting career, Lewis amassed more than 30 major titles.
>>>
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Cardio Kick |
The
crossover between Martial Arts and Aerobics.
A workout that combines aerobics, cardiovascular and body
toning while learning self-defense tactics. Improve strength,
muscle tone, endurance. Reduce body fat and stress levels.
This is
is an intense, revolutionary training program for men
and women. Tired of bench classes, stair masters and tread
mills? How about a workout that accomplishes better
results
and at the same time you learn Martial Arts techniques?
While you are getting into shape firming, toning, losing
body fat and increasing endurance, you will learn basic
Martial Arts techniques (kicking and punching) that could
be used to protect yourself and loved ones. Wouldn't it
be great to learn something useful while getting into
shape at the same time? more:
>>> |
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Peace in the Midst of Chaos
It's easy for us to get caught up in our busy world with our minds racing from thought to thought. This rapid-fire of thinking causes stress, and unless we occasionally slow ourselves down and take a moment to rest, we will continue to jump from thought to thought until we are mentally exhausted.
One technique to slow down and rest our minds is to interrupt our busy thinking by taking a moment to focus on something of grace and beauty. If we look for it, we can almost always find grace and beauty in the midst of the most chaotic day. Here’s a meditation that will help you see how this is done.
Close your eyes and imagine yourself asleep. An alarm goes off, and you are late for an appointment. So you jump up and rush to get ready. As you hurriedly get dressed, you take a deep breath and focus on a cat asleep in the next room. A moment later, you are in your car stopped at a traffic light. You feel stressed. So you look around, take deep breath, and focus on how peacefully the clouds move across the sky. Now imagine that you have arrived at your appointment -- a little late, but not bad. You have to wait to be seen. As you sit there, you begin to get nervous. You look around, take a deep breath and focus on a plant blowing gracefully by an air vent.
You can almost always find something of grace and peace in the midst of an extremely busy day. At times when your mind is randomly racing from thought to thought, you can interrupt this stressful thinking and enjoy a peaceful moment of meditation when you need it the most. by Jay Tyler © 2001 Meditation Monthly more: >>> |
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