Exercise, Nutrition and Stress Management

Landmark Associates Private Limited has downloaded from top fitness sites on the Internet to bring you this paper for your benefit.

Consult your Doctor before you begin an Exercise Program

Heart disease is today increasingly prevalent. In most south Asian countries the main factors for heart disease are obesity, increased lipids, diabetes, hypertension, increased insulin resistance, modern life style and stress.

The major risk factors that contribute to heart disease are smoking, lack of physical activity, bad nutrition, excess of alcohol, stress and obesity. Exercise [Physical activity], yoga, diet control and stress management has been found to be extremely beneficial in the prevention of heart disease.

Physical Activity:

Exercise has both short term and long term benefits. Results of physical activity are far reaching – It increases myocardial viability and collateral circulation, improves in myocardial oxygen consumption, reduces heart rate, reduces obesity, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. It induces better appetite and sleep. It reduces insulin resistance, increases insulin sensibility and increases HDL cholesterol, reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lowers total cholesterol and triglycerides.

 

Aerobic Exercise:

Aerobic activity, which is long in duration yet low in intensity is important. Aerobic activities include Walking, Cycling, Elliptical cross training, Jogging, Rowing, Swimming and Aerobic classes.

The benefits of Aerobic exercise are cardiovascular improvement, control of body fat, increased resistance to fatigue, stamina and improvement of endurance, toned muscles and lean body mass, decreased tension and better sleep, improves mood, reduces depression and anxiety.

Important User Guidelines to Incorporate During Exercise:

Always exercise within your target heart rate zone. The targeted heart rate zone depends on your present physical condition and age. To determine your targeted heart rate zone a] first reduce your age from 220, b] from the figure 220 minus age the lower heart rate must be from 55% of that figure and the maximum upper heart rate must not exceed 85% of that figure.

The targeted heart rate zone differs as per age and your doctor’s recommendation. The maximum benefit of exercise recommended is when you exercise from 60 to 80% of your targeted heart rate.

Duration / Frequency of Exercise:

20 minutes of continuous exercise improves your cardiovascular system, improves your stamina and endurance, 24 minutes in addition to the benefits noted also relieves you of stress. As weight loss begins after 24 minutes for an effective weight loss program the recommended time is 48 minutes of continuous exercise.

  

Warm up & Cool down:

Warm Up:

To be safe on an aerobic program always warm up by gradually increasing your speed or resistance. The purpose of warming up is to increase your heart rate slightly and gradually. By warming up the benefit is a] it raises your core body temperature, b] it increases the blood flow {oxygen} to your muscles preparing your body for the more vigorous physical activity to follow. Also your muscles and tendons will be more flexible for stretching after mild movement has raised your internal body temperature.

 

Cool down:

After you had reached and maintained your training heart rate level in your exercise it is important to recover gently. The cool down reduction in speed and intensity serves two purposes it reduces your pulse rate and it returns the blood to your heart in sufficient quantities to rid the muscles of lactic acid {a chemical result of muscular fatigue}.

If you do not warm up or cool down or if you stop suddenly in an exercise program the blood will pool in your legs instead of returning to your heart. This results at times Dizziness, Nausea and a ‘worn out’ feeling. Warm up and cool down are usually a minimum of 3 minutes for warm up and 3 minutes for cool down. All cool downs should be followed by stretching of the muscles to avoid soreness and tightness.

Exercise and Time:

  • 20 minutes continuous to improve your heart

  • 24 minutes continuous to additionally relieve stress

  • 48 minutes continuous for an effective weight loss program

Remember Time is the most important factor and not the resistance level or speed for long term benefit. Always exercise within your target heart rate zone.

Benefit of Cycling: Cycling is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise. Working out on a stationary bike improves heart fitness, tones muscles and burns fat. Cycling offers conditioning benefits for your lower body. Upright Cycles with moving handlebars are what you should use as with this you could work your upper body, especially the back and shoulders.

Upright Cycling: Using a stationary cycle provides the users with a thorough low-impact workout that creates less stress on your joints as compared to running. Moreover if you are overweight or if you are suffering from orthopedic problems that are aggravated by weight-bearing exercises cycling is the best option.

Recumbent Cycling: In addition to the benefits of upright cycling the recumbent cycle has the added advantage of strengthening and toning the gluteus, quadriceps and hamstring muscles [butt, front and back of thighs]. As the lumbar is supported with the seat pad it is advisable for users with back problems to use the recumbent cycle. Recumbent cycles create less strain on the knees.

Elliptical cross training: Total body exercise movement of the upper and lower body. Low impact exercise without stressing the ankle and knee joints the elliptical is a good machine for cardiovascular and endurance exercise with the added advantage of exercising the upper body. Major muscle groups exercised are the gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, oblique, deltoids and arms. Excellent for building stamina and endurance for the toning of total body.

Treadmill: Walking is an effective exercise to promote cardiovascular benefit. Running benefits you to build stamina and endurance. There is no targeted weight loss as in cycling, walking tones the whole body and strengthens your legs while improving your cardiovascular system.

Nutrition:

Food contents can be divided into Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fat.

Carbohydrates are as a source of energy and if not used for energy will be converted into fat. Yet carbohydrates when stored forms only 1% of body weight.

Proteins are for energy, building up of muscles, for hormones, enzymes and antibodies.

Fats are for energy and cholesterol and if not used or burned are deposited as fat. Saturated fat is found in butter, ghee and cream. Mono saturated fats are found in olive and other oils. Polyunsaturated fats found in linolic acid are very important as it preserves the function of the innermost layer of blood vessels of the heart coronary arteries. Vitamin C and E are advised to be taken, as they are antioxidants that protect oxidization of unsaturated fats.

  

It is best you consult a Nutritionist for effective weight control and importantly diet control if you are a cardiac patient.

Tips for Healthy Eating / Dietary Control:

  • Make your breakfast the largest meal and your dinner the lightest meal of the day

  • Eat your salad before your meal and have fresh fruits

  • Be a nibbler, not a gourmet. Also don’t starve yourself and then overeat subsequently

  • Before cooking remove all fats from meats and the skin from chicken

  • Avoid sieving wheat and millet flours as this reduces the nutrients and fibre

  • Repeated heating of oils should be avoided, Avoid deep-frying and prefer stemmed foods

  • Cook more on non-stick vessels as they cut down on the use of cooking oil

  • Don’t overuse salt; dine at least two hours before you go to bed

  • Prefer buttermilk, skimmed milk to whole milk and avoid milk cream and condensed milk

  • Prefer fresh juices without sugar and limit coffee, tea and cola

  • Eat the egg white and fish, limited chicken and avoid egg yolk, shrimps and meat

  • Eat more yellow, orange and green vegetables and fruits as they add life to your heart

  • As age advances eat less and exercise more

Stress Management:

 

Modern life is fast, stressful and highly competitive. Stress is today the major cause of illness and has been documented as one of the major causes to a range of disorders such as Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Coronary Heart Disease, Bronchial Asthma, Peptic Ulcers, Pain conditions, Migraine and other psychosomatic illnesses and geriatric conditions. Stress can be physical, social or emotional. Stress causes the heart to beat faster, the blood pressure to go up, the muscles to become tense and the arteries to go into spasms.

Stress eludes definition and is highly individual. Stress may be acute [due to unexpected events], chronic [bereavement, divorce] or intermittent [conflicts]. Stress management is the core ingredient. In any type of management towards stress related disorders. Yoga, Aerobic exercise and Massage have proven effective to control stress.

Yoga is an ancient Indian culture and way of life that is claimed to endow perfect physical, mental and spiritual health. By practising yoga you are reported to develop a stable autonomic equilibrium, Reduce anxiety, develop and improve stress tolerance, improve body flexibility, physical and mental efficiency.

Meditation – TM [Transcendental Meditation] has been proved to produce an overall reduction of stress. Also recent studies have suggested the effectiveness of the TM program in reversing the aging process. Anyway meditation makes you a better person as it helps you to relax, concentrate, be considerate and stay contented.

Massage: Relief from pain is as good as a cure for certain conditions such as arthritis. Massage chairs are an effective way to relax your body and improve the circulatory system. More important the feeling of goodness of massage is an effective way to relieve and reduce stress.

Resistance exercise/ Strength training: The benefits of strength training are the Strengthening of your bones, reshaping your body, increasing your metabolism and improving your posture. Resistance exercises are a suitable form of improving physical capabilities and of managing weight. Strength training and endurance exercises improve muscle tone. The different methods available to improve muscular strength, endurance and muscle tone are independent workstations, single station gyms, freeweights and abdominal crunches.

Conclusion:

Healthier lifestyle combined with diet control, stress management and exercise would benefit you to lead a life with total happiness and good health.

Warning:

if a person develops angina, perspiration, giddiness or other symptoms he or she must stop physical activity and consult their physician without delay.

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LANDMARK ASSOCIATES PRIVATE LIMITED Established in 1990, the company is headed by its joint managing directors Mr. Susheel Bhalla and Mr. Anil Bhalla are today India’s renowned importers and Distributors of the world’s most reliable and completed range of health fitness and Gym equipments. Equipment with proven technology, ultimate reliability and performance that offer the user complete satisfaction. With excellent after sales back up and support the company offers solutions to your every need whether it is for a single machine or for a complete facility.