Asthma and Exercise.
Everyone should engage in some sort of aerobic activity to keep their heart and lungs healthy, and muscles toned and strong. Even people with asthma benefit from regular exercise; it helps to increase lung capacity therefore allowing the lungs to function more efficiently. Many times the fear of an asthma attack keeps asthmatics from participating in activities that they enjoy. Asthma and exercise may seem like fire and water to some, but there are ways to make these two very compatible. Many professional athletes suffer from asthma and allergies, but they have found a way to manage their symptoms effectively so that they can perform at their fullest potential. There are many good asthma and allergy medications on the market today, some available over-the-counter and some by prescription only that can greatly reduce the onset of asthma symptoms during exercise.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), physical and emotional well-being can be improved through regular exercise, which can also help to manage asthma symptoms. Here are a few asthma and exercise facts that can help people get active and stay active by learning these simple interventions. Not all types of exercise will provoke asthma symptoms, and before beginning any type of exercise program, an asthma and allergy specialist or health care practitioner should be consulted. Asthma and exercise can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, a tight feeling in the chest, or coughing, all of which can develop into a full blown asthma attack if not treated immediately. By using a short or long acting bronchodilator prior to exercising, asthma symptoms can be controlled or even prevented completely. Other medications such as decongestants and antihistamines, either oral or inhaled, are also effective in controlling asthma and exercise.
Other important asthma and exercise facts include not exercising in cold or windy weather, or when pollen counts are high. These factors can aggravate asthma and allergy symptoms, which can lead to a more severe attack. Asthma and exercise routines can be tailored to each individual’s specific needs, and some activities are better tolerated than others. For more information on asthma and exercise visit the Medem Medical Library at www.medem.com or a number of other online sources that have great suggestions on how to stay active and benefit from regular exercise while controlling asthma and allergy symptoms. Asthma does not have to equal sedentary lifestyle, in fact, this type of approach does
Get a Total Body Workout in Just 45 Minutes
If you want to look like a Hollywood star you need to get a personal trainer and spend a couple of hours or more in the gym at least five times per week. You will also need to hire your own personal diet chef who will cook three low-calorie meals a day for you. If you are not rich there is still hope with the following total body workout.
Finding the time in our modern day hectic schedules for a total body workout seems impossible. That is why I recommend the following regimen where you can get a total body workout in just 45 minutes a day, four days a week (if possible).
The secret to burning fat and building lean muscle is to surprise the muscle itself. If you do the same exercise routine all the time then you are probably not getting the results you are looking for. If you really want to look your best and don’t have a lot of time or money, you need to check out the following five steps:
1. If you go to a typical gym that has lots of machines in it, then head to the nearest chest press machine and do three sets of 15 reps at low weight. Low weight for men is different than for women so just test it until you get it right. You need to feel the burn. Take very little time between sets. Go quickly to another machine, this time for abs and do 3 sets of 15 again at low weight. Again spend as little time as possible recovering. Don’t talk to friends or other people working out as that is just a waste of time. Do another set of curls on the curls machine. One more machine should do it and your 45 minutes are up. If you are not sweating then you took too long between sets.
2. Take one day off. The day after that you don’t go to the gym but instead find a steep hill to walk or hike. Hike up and down the hill hard and fast (you can run if you are able) for 45 minutes. By the end of the total body workout hike you should be sweating. The next day you should feel it in your calves.
3. Next day you do not take off. Instead you go back to the gym. Instead of doing the machines this time you will go straight to the dumbbell area. Take a low weight dumbbell in each hand and do curls while standing. Then sit on a bench with a back support and do military press. Again, very little recovery time, high reps and low weight give you the best total body workout in the quickest time. Sit at the bench and lay down with the dumbbells in either hand and do chest flys. This is where you extend the arms out and raise them up while lying on the bench with your back flat.
4. Next day you relax. After that you go back to step number 1 above. You can mix up the machines if you feel that you are not getting results. The trick is to fool your muscle memory and break down muscle tissue. This will result in a total body workout.
5 No total body workout would be complete without some diet advice. If you really want your body to respond as efficiently as possible to the total body workout then you have to change your eating habits. Two easy quick tips are: cut out oil, butter, and sugar, and have six small meals (one third the size of a normal meal) spread out throughout the day but nothing but water after 6 p.m.
Follow these steps for three weeks straight and you will see dramatic results.