CORRECT YOUR IMBALANCES TO IMPROVE YOUR GAME

by Paula Allia
PT, DHSc, MTC, OCS

The weather is starting to change soon. If you haven’t already done so it is time to explore the everyday use of your body. Whether you start your day exercising or you merely get up, make coffee and read the paper, you need to think about the postures used for that chosen task. YOU WANT YOUR BODY TO LAST! If you minimize the wear and tear on the body you will have a better chance of functioning longer without further destruction.

Next year is 2017 and time is flying! It is time to look in the mirror and see if you are doing everything you can to be healthy. Do you eat right? Do you incorporate exercise into your daily routine? How about your sleeping habits? All of these things are important to your overall health!

Time to get moving! Posture yourself for success in 2017. You could be a lucky one that has good genes but most are not and genes are not a guarantee that you will live a healthy life. Exercise is positive for the body. For example, regular weight bearing exercises help to strengthen the bones. This is of course, pertinent to the protection of the organs and needed for all physical activity. This is taken for granted until someone gets diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis. This country consumes more calcium supplements than anywhere in the world yet we all know someone who has these issues. Why is that? Perhaps it is the combinations of food and certain habits that end up leaching the calcium from your bones and between weight bearing exercise and diet you could reverse this problem. Prevention is even better!

There have been many theories that exercise can improve overall health. Improving lung strength may help get more oxygen to the tissues. Increasing blood flow during exercise can keep the blood flowing better and possibly help enhance healing in the body.

Are you aware that exercise can possibly help to enhance your immune system? By now, everyone knows of someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. One of the most advanced treatments of cancer now is to work to get the body’s own immune system stronger so that it can fight the cancer cells. What if we can change the outcomes of all disease by strengthening our immune system. Would you exercise more to help yourself?

Well, it is time to help yourself. Look at including weight bearing activities, strength and endurance training and educate yourself if you have health issues so you are doing the right form needed for you.

The best exercise program is one that includes aerobic exercise such as walking, biking, and jogging. Aerobics work of using the body’s carbohydrates and fats to exercise. The goal is to use your body’s fat as fuel which can give you tons of energy. Your blood gets pumping, your lungs pull in oxygen and dispense it to your body. When your blood is pumping, all nutrients get transported around so make sure you are eating the foods that fuel and foods that heal the cells that take the brunt of what we do to them.

Weight bearing activities are important to stimulate the bones and keep them strong. Different weight bearing activities change where bone is layed down depending upon the stimulation to the osseous system. These activities can be as simple as weight shifting, one legged stances and balance, to plyometrics depending upon the conditions of your bones.

Overall strength training to the body can help but it is important for your heart not to hold your breath. Lifting your own body weight is indeed strength training but not enough unless you do multiple repetitions. This is where endurance training then comes into play.

Your body needs to have the strength to perform the tasks that you want to participate in. Once having the strength, endurance with more repetitions lets you participate longer. When you have both strength and endurance, balance and stamina can improve further in your chosen activities.

Improving your health and wellness can be simple. It is not only looking good but feeling good too! Gear up for 2017 and get a jump start on how you can make a positive impact on yourself no matter what level you are on.

Here’s to Your Health!

Fitness Together
335 14th Ave South
Naples, FL 34102
239.263.9348
FitnessTogether.com/Naples