There are no magic pills, but there are “magic” practices. These are practices some people do not want to apply, but these practices actually have a wide range of benefits. One magic practice is increasing your consumption of good fiber sources such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products. Such a practice may contribute to good weight loss, preventing cancer, and preventing a number of other conditions including the less known condition of diverticulosis.
Some people have the hereditary disadvantage of being predisposed to one or more of these conditions. However as Professor Clifford (a past mentor of mine) said, “Heredity and genes load the gun, but your habits pull the trigger.”
So, let’s take one small step at a time. Whatever amount of fruits and vegetables you currently consume per day, add one or two more servings per day. To simply estimate, the size of your fist would be a serving. One medium-sized apple is a serving. A medium-sized orange is a serving.
If you find the information I provide useful, feel free to follow updated info about life, training the mind & body, and other SpirFit info at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpirFit/141881909215772
Copyright: © 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.com and SpirFit.org
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Can Exercise Really Help With Cancer?
by Liz Davies
Being diagnosed with cancer can be one of the worst moments in anyone's life. Thoughts of death are automatic. Once the initial shock is over, then it's on to the arduous battle. For so long people were told to save all of their energy so they provide their body with enough endurance to fight. Now, studies have found that exercise actually aids in the combat of cancer.
Research shows that those who exercise during treatments fare better in beating their cancer. Physicians agree that the patients who are more active seem not only physically stronger but also mentally. Because exercise creates a stronger body, that body is able to withstand treatments better.
This isn't to say that patients should get out and train for a marathon. An American College of Sports Medicine panel set new guidelines for the amount of exercise for cancer patients, as well as survivors. They've found that the same amount as everyone else, about 150 minutes a week, is beneficial. The only difference is the intensity of the workout. Aerobic exercise, stretching and resistance training are all recommended.
Through exercise, patients experience less fatigue. Aerobic exercise helps get the heart pumping. That keeps the red blood cell levels up, reducing the need for medication (when taken can cause even more fatigue.) Working out also helps with maintaining muscle and bone mass. So often, treatments affect this, and exercise helps combat it. Add in the mental benefits of feeling better and having another focus other than the disease, and that caps an already impressive list of reasons showing the helpfulness of exercise for cancer patients.
Though there are plenty of reasons why they should exercise, the hardest part is finding the motivation to actually do it. There's nothing more difficult than finding the motivation after a particularly hard chemo session. This is where a support group comes in handy. Friends and family understand them the best and know how to give that little nudge to get them going. There are also exercise support groups within some hospitals and YMCAs and trainers that specialize in training cancer patients and survivors. Most cancers have their own groups, including even rare cancers such as pericardial mesothelioma. Another step may be to set a goal or task to reach. Whether it's to be able to walk in a three day event or just to be able to put a shirt on without pain, the level is never too big or too small.
A cancer diagnosis isn't a death sentence. By undergoing the treatments and practical exercise, a person can come out stronger than when they started, both mentally and physically. The best thing a person can do for themselves is to help their body fight. They will have a more successful battle if they exercise.
Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She became particularly interested in ways cancer patients can cope with the side-effects of their treatment after her mother became an oncology nurse for lung cancer.
Being diagnosed with cancer can be one of the worst moments in anyone's life. Thoughts of death are automatic. Once the initial shock is over, then it's on to the arduous battle. For so long people were told to save all of their energy so they provide their body with enough endurance to fight. Now, studies have found that exercise actually aids in the combat of cancer.
Research shows that those who exercise during treatments fare better in beating their cancer. Physicians agree that the patients who are more active seem not only physically stronger but also mentally. Because exercise creates a stronger body, that body is able to withstand treatments better.
This isn't to say that patients should get out and train for a marathon. An American College of Sports Medicine panel set new guidelines for the amount of exercise for cancer patients, as well as survivors. They've found that the same amount as everyone else, about 150 minutes a week, is beneficial. The only difference is the intensity of the workout. Aerobic exercise, stretching and resistance training are all recommended.
Through exercise, patients experience less fatigue. Aerobic exercise helps get the heart pumping. That keeps the red blood cell levels up, reducing the need for medication (when taken can cause even more fatigue.) Working out also helps with maintaining muscle and bone mass. So often, treatments affect this, and exercise helps combat it. Add in the mental benefits of feeling better and having another focus other than the disease, and that caps an already impressive list of reasons showing the helpfulness of exercise for cancer patients.
Though there are plenty of reasons why they should exercise, the hardest part is finding the motivation to actually do it. There's nothing more difficult than finding the motivation after a particularly hard chemo session. This is where a support group comes in handy. Friends and family understand them the best and know how to give that little nudge to get them going. There are also exercise support groups within some hospitals and YMCAs and trainers that specialize in training cancer patients and survivors. Most cancers have their own groups, including even rare cancers such as pericardial mesothelioma. Another step may be to set a goal or task to reach. Whether it's to be able to walk in a three day event or just to be able to put a shirt on without pain, the level is never too big or too small.
A cancer diagnosis isn't a death sentence. By undergoing the treatments and practical exercise, a person can come out stronger than when they started, both mentally and physically. The best thing a person can do for themselves is to help their body fight. They will have a more successful battle if they exercise.
Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She became particularly interested in ways cancer patients can cope with the side-effects of their treatment after her mother became an oncology nurse for lung cancer.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Prevent From All Going Downhill
Even if your main focus is to "lose weight", a huge part of your focus must also be in preventing injuries, preventing the development of chronic pain, and preventing re-aggravation of past injuries. These problems can prevent you from the simplest physical activities and throw you off-track perpetually. As a result of being thrown off, you could enter a negative spiral of incremental weight gain and various possible chronic conditions. Therefore, being conscious of prevention of injuries, pains, and problems is important for long-lasting weight-loss and fitness.
I had a client in the past, Jane, who was borderline obese in her late 60’s when I first trained her. She had a lower back condition and chronic knee problems. (She was cleared by her doctor to start exercising again, but she still have pains.) Merely walking was painful for her knees and her lower back. Walking up and down the stairs were painful for her. According to her, she used to be in great shape years ago. However, Jane began having injuries from improper training and postural distortions over a long period of time. She then stopped exercising which paradoxically further contributed to her pains and physical problems. (There may have been other contributors to her physical problems also. When she decided to exercise again, she hired personal trainers who were not knowledgeable about injury prevention and postural distortions (as many personal trainers are not, unfortunately). She went through about three trainers before me. They trained this overweight woman in her sixties with chronic knee and back problems as if they’re training a twenty-something athlete. Consequently, their inappropriate training contributed to the worsening of Jane's physical ailments. Despite having quick weight loss, it didn’t last because her back and knee problems were exacerbated from the rigorous exercises with no emphasis on correction and rehabilitation (and other necessary precautions were not taken). As a result, she entered this negative spiral of incremental pain and weight gain.
As her knee problems and back pains became worse, she had to discontinue her training. Jane would probably have been better off not having those previous personal trainers who probably focused more on marketing their services than the long term well-being of the client. Jane's body was a mess by the time I saw her for the first time. At that point, she was in this catch-22 where she needed more physical activity than anyone because of her weight. However, most exercises would exacerbate the pre-existing damage in her knees and lower back which would result in immobilizing her and cause further weight gain in the long run.
Although this is one of the worst cases that I’ve seen, it is not uncommon for one to enter a similar negative spiral. To prevent from getting into the same predicament, you must focus on prevention such as proper warm-up and stretch, strengthening your core, and training with all the necessary components such as cardio, flexibility, strength, prioception, and neuromuscular control.
I had a client in the past, Jane, who was borderline obese in her late 60’s when I first trained her. She had a lower back condition and chronic knee problems. (She was cleared by her doctor to start exercising again, but she still have pains.) Merely walking was painful for her knees and her lower back. Walking up and down the stairs were painful for her. According to her, she used to be in great shape years ago. However, Jane began having injuries from improper training and postural distortions over a long period of time. She then stopped exercising which paradoxically further contributed to her pains and physical problems. (There may have been other contributors to her physical problems also. When she decided to exercise again, she hired personal trainers who were not knowledgeable about injury prevention and postural distortions (as many personal trainers are not, unfortunately). She went through about three trainers before me. They trained this overweight woman in her sixties with chronic knee and back problems as if they’re training a twenty-something athlete. Consequently, their inappropriate training contributed to the worsening of Jane's physical ailments. Despite having quick weight loss, it didn’t last because her back and knee problems were exacerbated from the rigorous exercises with no emphasis on correction and rehabilitation (and other necessary precautions were not taken). As a result, she entered this negative spiral of incremental pain and weight gain.
As her knee problems and back pains became worse, she had to discontinue her training. Jane would probably have been better off not having those previous personal trainers who probably focused more on marketing their services than the long term well-being of the client. Jane's body was a mess by the time I saw her for the first time. At that point, she was in this catch-22 where she needed more physical activity than anyone because of her weight. However, most exercises would exacerbate the pre-existing damage in her knees and lower back which would result in immobilizing her and cause further weight gain in the long run.
Although this is one of the worst cases that I’ve seen, it is not uncommon for one to enter a similar negative spiral. To prevent from getting into the same predicament, you must focus on prevention such as proper warm-up and stretch, strengthening your core, and training with all the necessary components such as cardio, flexibility, strength, prioception, and neuromuscular control.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
New Updates on Useful Information
If you want to get new updates immediately whenever I put up useful information, feel free to:
1. "Like" the new Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpirFit/141881909215772
2. "Follow" at http://twitter.com/amadeoconstanzo
1. "Like" the new Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpirFit/141881909215772
2. "Follow" at http://twitter.com/amadeoconstanzo
Friday, July 22, 2011
How To Drink More Water to Increase Metabolism and Improve Your Skin
Certain habits together can increase your metabolism, or your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate.) There are at least eight habits to increase your RMR. I want to emphasize one of them today – aim to drink three liters of water per day, especially in this heat. Remember, it’s not all or nothing. If you can’t drink three liters, just get as close to that amount as possible. Here are some suggestions to increase your water intake.
● Drink at least one glass of water when you wake up. (I drink at least a glass after my morning coffee or tea, because I know coffee or tea makes us lose water.)
● Drink at least a glass of water before and/or during a meal. (Also, the more water you drink before and during a meal, the less you will be able to eat and still feel full.)
● Have a gallon bottle of water around, at least at home. I know I’ve been drinking at least half a gallon of water per day this past month because I finish at least half a gallon-bottle per day at home, and this is only at home.
● Carry at least one water bottle around, 24 fl. Oz or larger. Obviously, carrying a gallon water bottle is unrealistic. Refill your water bottle whenever you have a chance throughout the day.
● Look for different ways throughout the day to get additional water. For example, when I buy tea or coffee at Starbucks, I always request for an additional cup of hot water. When I am at work at the college and I buy coffee, I keep the cup throughout the day because I am refilling it with water throughout the day (in addition to my water bottle).
Drinking enough water in hot days is especially important to prevent certain medical problems associated with heat. Also, I feel that if I don’t drink at least half a gallon of water daily in the summer, I get this fatigue probably associated with dehydration. The advantages of drinking enough water are: increasing your metabolism, filling you up at meals while allowing you to eat less, improved circulation, cleansing the system (especially the kidneys), preventing fatigue in some cases, improving your skin tone by hydrating the skin, helping the body cool itself,…
● Drink at least one glass of water when you wake up. (I drink at least a glass after my morning coffee or tea, because I know coffee or tea makes us lose water.)
● Drink at least a glass of water before and/or during a meal. (Also, the more water you drink before and during a meal, the less you will be able to eat and still feel full.)
● Have a gallon bottle of water around, at least at home. I know I’ve been drinking at least half a gallon of water per day this past month because I finish at least half a gallon-bottle per day at home, and this is only at home.
● Carry at least one water bottle around, 24 fl. Oz or larger. Obviously, carrying a gallon water bottle is unrealistic. Refill your water bottle whenever you have a chance throughout the day.
● Look for different ways throughout the day to get additional water. For example, when I buy tea or coffee at Starbucks, I always request for an additional cup of hot water. When I am at work at the college and I buy coffee, I keep the cup throughout the day because I am refilling it with water throughout the day (in addition to my water bottle).
Drinking enough water in hot days is especially important to prevent certain medical problems associated with heat. Also, I feel that if I don’t drink at least half a gallon of water daily in the summer, I get this fatigue probably associated with dehydration. The advantages of drinking enough water are: increasing your metabolism, filling you up at meals while allowing you to eat less, improved circulation, cleansing the system (especially the kidneys), preventing fatigue in some cases, improving your skin tone by hydrating the skin, helping the body cool itself,…
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Information from Dr. Daniel Amen
I am incorporating material from the Daniel Plan because it is consistent with what I teach and is science-based.
Action
The action you need today is simply to watch the video at
http://saddleback.com/blogs/thedanielplan/pastor-rick-interviews-dr-daniel-amen/
You don’t have to take notes, as I will in the future be addressing the important and relevant points in the video.
Since you probably know by now my emphasis on the importance of starting with the mind and spirit in reaching your goals for your physical body, you should not be surprised that I am pointing you to this video of Dr. Daniel Amen, a neurologist (a brain expert) being interviewed by Reverend Dr. Rick Warren, a highly recognized spiritual expert.
Action
The action you need today is simply to watch the video at
http://saddleback.com/blogs/thedanielplan/pastor-rick-interviews-dr-daniel-amen/
You don’t have to take notes, as I will in the future be addressing the important and relevant points in the video.
Since you probably know by now my emphasis on the importance of starting with the mind and spirit in reaching your goals for your physical body, you should not be surprised that I am pointing you to this video of Dr. Daniel Amen, a neurologist (a brain expert) being interviewed by Reverend Dr. Rick Warren, a highly recognized spiritual expert.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Do You Really Want to Lose Weight?
Focusing on losing weight is very counterproductive. How many people have you known who've focused on losing weight and they did lose weight for a short period of time (using fad diets, starvation, or other quick methods) only to gain the weight back in the long term. In many of these cases, they end up heavier (and in worse shape) than they were before they set out to lose weight. If you are one of these people, it is time for a paradigm shift. How many times are you going fail using the same approach before trying a different approach? It's time to stop approaching it with different fad diets, quick-fix pills, starvation, and other short-term-gain methods. It has been said that approaching something the same way again and again while expecting a different result is mere insanity. It is time for a new focus or a new approach as I am offering here, as seemingly unconventional as it may be.
It begins with your mind. The first step is to put your mind on the right focus. What is the right focus? That depends on what it is that you want and this is exactly where we begin. Get out a notepad and write down what you want. If you write that you want to lose weight (as most of my clients do), your should also write why you want to lose weight. In most cases, my clients realized that losing weight is not really what they ultimately want. Here are some common examples from my clients:
1. "I want to lose weight because I want to look slim and look attractive…"
2. "I want to lose weight because I am afraid for my health. I am overweight and I have a family history of diabetes and coronary disease. There have been deaths in my family from these diseases…"
3. "I want to lose weight because I want to be a better basketball player…"
Example 1 represents many of my clients where they want to look slim and attractive. In these cases, it is best to first focus on increasing the body's metabolism (measured by BMR). The second focus would be decreasing the size of the waist (as measured by waist-to-hip-ratio). It has been supported in psychological studies that individuals with slimmer waists (regardless of weight) are perceived by most people as being more attractive. Also, people with smaller waists are less likely to get diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases that could kill you. The third focus is decreasing the body-fat percentage. The last focus is overall weight. It is last because just "losing weight" does not differentiate between the types of weight you are losing. For example, you should not lose bone and muscle weight but you definitely should lose fat weight.
Priority of Focus
1. Increasing metabolism (BMR or RMR)
2. Slimming down the waist (waist-to-hip-ratio)
3. Decreasing body fat percentage
4. Overall weight
As you can see here, I am not really discouraging people from losing weight, but I am teaching you that overall weight usually should be the last focus. First, you have to clearly know what you want. Most people who say they want to lose weight actually have a different root desire, such as wanting to look more attractive. In that case as you can see from the above "priority of focus" list, it is more effective in the long term to focus first on increasing your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate or the rate your body burns calories.)
I will be teaching you how to increase your RMR in future blogs. For now, be sure to take 10 minutes or so today to write down all the reasons why you want to "lose weight", or slim down. If you really want this, taking 10 minutes to do this should be no problem. (If you can't take 10 minutes to do this, then your problem is that you don't want it enough. In that case, no program anywhere will be able to help you. This is another common reason why many fail again and again. Failure starts with the mind, but success also starts with the mind.)
Assignment
So let's do this. Take out a notebook or pull up a word document on your computer (whichever you prefer):
(1) Write down your physical goal(s) whether it is losing weight, gaining weight, or any other goal.
(2) Explain why that's your goal. For example, if it's losing weight, write down all the reasons why you want to lose weight. Generally, the more you come up with, the better.
(3) Visualize how you will be and how you will look when you achieve 100% (or even 50% of) what you aim for. Imagine also how you will feel. Write them down. Describe how you will be, how you will look, and how you will feel.
If you already keep a daily diary, you could write in there. No one needs to see it. It's only for you and for programing your own mind. (If you don't program your own mind, someone else will, such as companies and advertisers.) Once you have it written down, you should review it often so that you could keep these in mind during your SpirFit walk. I will teach you about SpirFit walk, or SMP walk, in upcoming blogs.
Feel free to choose the “Subscribe” options near the upper right side of this page. It’s free.
Copyright: © 2008, 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.com and SpirFit.org
Shu Chan 陳樹中 University of California, UC Davis, Brooklyn Tech
Terence Chan LIU Long Island University lose weight why write journal
It begins with your mind. The first step is to put your mind on the right focus. What is the right focus? That depends on what it is that you want and this is exactly where we begin. Get out a notepad and write down what you want. If you write that you want to lose weight (as most of my clients do), your should also write why you want to lose weight. In most cases, my clients realized that losing weight is not really what they ultimately want. Here are some common examples from my clients:
1. "I want to lose weight because I want to look slim and look attractive…"
2. "I want to lose weight because I am afraid for my health. I am overweight and I have a family history of diabetes and coronary disease. There have been deaths in my family from these diseases…"
3. "I want to lose weight because I want to be a better basketball player…"
Example 1 represents many of my clients where they want to look slim and attractive. In these cases, it is best to first focus on increasing the body's metabolism (measured by BMR). The second focus would be decreasing the size of the waist (as measured by waist-to-hip-ratio). It has been supported in psychological studies that individuals with slimmer waists (regardless of weight) are perceived by most people as being more attractive. Also, people with smaller waists are less likely to get diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases that could kill you. The third focus is decreasing the body-fat percentage. The last focus is overall weight. It is last because just "losing weight" does not differentiate between the types of weight you are losing. For example, you should not lose bone and muscle weight but you definitely should lose fat weight.
Priority of Focus
1. Increasing metabolism (BMR or RMR)
2. Slimming down the waist (waist-to-hip-ratio)
3. Decreasing body fat percentage
4. Overall weight
As you can see here, I am not really discouraging people from losing weight, but I am teaching you that overall weight usually should be the last focus. First, you have to clearly know what you want. Most people who say they want to lose weight actually have a different root desire, such as wanting to look more attractive. In that case as you can see from the above "priority of focus" list, it is more effective in the long term to focus first on increasing your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate or the rate your body burns calories.)
I will be teaching you how to increase your RMR in future blogs. For now, be sure to take 10 minutes or so today to write down all the reasons why you want to "lose weight", or slim down. If you really want this, taking 10 minutes to do this should be no problem. (If you can't take 10 minutes to do this, then your problem is that you don't want it enough. In that case, no program anywhere will be able to help you. This is another common reason why many fail again and again. Failure starts with the mind, but success also starts with the mind.)
Assignment
So let's do this. Take out a notebook or pull up a word document on your computer (whichever you prefer):
(1) Write down your physical goal(s) whether it is losing weight, gaining weight, or any other goal.
(2) Explain why that's your goal. For example, if it's losing weight, write down all the reasons why you want to lose weight. Generally, the more you come up with, the better.
(3) Visualize how you will be and how you will look when you achieve 100% (or even 50% of) what you aim for. Imagine also how you will feel. Write them down. Describe how you will be, how you will look, and how you will feel.
If you already keep a daily diary, you could write in there. No one needs to see it. It's only for you and for programing your own mind. (If you don't program your own mind, someone else will, such as companies and advertisers.) Once you have it written down, you should review it often so that you could keep these in mind during your SpirFit walk. I will teach you about SpirFit walk, or SMP walk, in upcoming blogs.
Feel free to choose the “Subscribe” options near the upper right side of this page. It’s free.
Copyright: © 2008, 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.com and SpirFit.org
Shu Chan 陳樹中 University of California, UC Davis, Brooklyn Tech
Terence Chan LIU Long Island University lose weight why write journal
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