Quick Facts: Take a Breather, Work Out.

Regular exercise is one of the best ways to combat daily stress. This is well-worth repeating; regular exercise is one of the best ways to combat daily stress.

Researchers at the University of Texas in Houston, asked 135 college students to fill out questionnaires assessing their daily stress loads along with moods, physical activity routines and overall health.

Those who exercised less often experienced 37 percent more physical symptoms of stress. During periods of high stress, 21 percent were more anxious than those who exercised more frequently.

Exercise, it seems, offered students a temporary breather from their problems. A workout can offer a period of rejuvenation before returning to the pressures of daily stress according to the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

Lead researcher Dr. Cindy L. Carmack said, "Minor, everyday stress contributes to the development and exacerbation of physical and mental health problems. However, people experiencing minor stress develop different degrees of symptoms, depending on their level of physical activity."

For a snack, try munching on pistachios when feeling stressed out. Researchers at Penn State University say eating one and a half ounces daily can lower blood pressure and reduce the workload on the heart during emotional or physical stress.

Get Out and Enjoy Some Vitamin D

For those of you who visit the gym frequently it can become stale and even seem like a chore sometimes. It is very easy to take exercise outdoors and get a full body workout along with some much needed fresh air and vitamin D. Whether in your neighborhood, a park, or the beach, adding variety and choice to your workout makes it more fun. By switching out of a normal routine your body is forced to test new limits and increase its level of fitness. Here are 10 exercises that can be done in any outdoor setting:

1. Lunges- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart then step forward, landing with the heel first. The knee should be exactly at 90 degrees and directly over the toes. Return to starting position by driving upward forward with the front leg.
   
   
2. Push Ups- Place hands on the floor just beyond shoulder width apart. Keep back straight, knees straight and parallel to the floor. Slowly lower body and then return to the start position by explosively pressing upward and exhaling. Beginner? Go down to knees but be sure to maintain a straight back. For a challenge place hands in a diamond shape, or elevate feet on a bench.
   


3. Squats- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms straight out with thumbs up. Slowly lower buttocks, as if you were going to sit back into a seat. Be sure the knees do not go past the toes. Firmly press-up to starting position while exhaling.
   


4. Step Ups- Find a bench, rock, or something with slight elevation for this exercise. Keeping a straight back and head up, step onto the raised surface with one leg then step down; repeat on the other leg, alternating back and forth.
5. Sprints or Intervals- While jogging insert a 50 to 100 yard sprint every three to five minutes. If walking break into a 200 yard jog every three minutes. This principle can be applied to many other activities including biking and swimming, by pumping up the intensity for short periods of time throughout the routine. Keep a consistency in the length of sprint.

(Note: The Journal of Applied Physiology reported students that applied this technique over a two-week period, increased their strength, aerobic endurance, and their ability to exercise efficiently with just a small amount of interval training to their routine.)

6. Stairs or Uphill- If stairs are available; keep back straight while quickly alternating feet on each step going up and do the same going down. If there is a hill, keep steps close together and raise knees as if briskly moving up stairs, then down.

7. Jumping Rope- This is a simple and fun way to get some cardio and calf work done. Whether jumping quick or alternative feet, go at your own pace. Maintain it for at least 45 seconds to one minute. Take minute breaks between sets. Keep abs tight and back straight. No rope? Use arm motions simulating one and create a pace.

8. Dips- Use a bench, chair, or elevated surface. Keep head looking forward, place arms on bench, extended supporting weight with feet out in front. Slowly lower until your upper arms are parallel to the surface, hold in lower position before pushing back up until arms are fully extended again.

9. Standing Rows- Find a tree, column or pole and loop a towel around it. While standing tall and stiff, have your feet close to the pole and lean back gripping the ends of the towel. Slowly row up with both arms while exhaling. Keep back arched and row using back and arms.

10. Sports/Games- Get some friends together and organize a game of basketball, soccer, frisbee, football, or another activity. The competition will add to the fun while getting some great cardio in.

Remember it is key to warm-up, cool down and stretch every time you workout. Other great outdoor activities can be found in any town or city; marathons, triathlons, recreational sports, and fitness in the park events take place quite often. Go online and look for your cities list of fitness events. Get involved, get outdoors and get fit!

Quick Facts: Love Your Heart!

Did you know heart disease is the number one killer of women over the age of 25 in America today?

The facts don't lie, according to the American Heart Association, one woman dies from a heart attack or stroke every minute in the US. Heart Disease claims twice as many women's lives as all forms of cancer combined, including breast cancer.

Sixty percent (that's over half!) of women who die suddenly from coronary heart disease had NO previous symptoms.

To maintain a healthy heart the AHA recommends vigorously daily activity. Get your heart pumping at 50 to 75 percent of its maximum heart rate for at least 30 minutes, three to five times a week. Hit the road for a run, climb the hills for a hike or dive in for a swim and prove that you love your heart!

Don't know how to find your target heart rate?
The Mayo Clinic website provides a target heart rate calculator, making it easy to find yours!

Exercise: If Not for Your Waist, Do it for Your Health

Fitness is often a daunting subject for some, for others it is a way of life. The fact is even a small amount of effort can prove to have lifelong benefits.

The National Health Survey reported that 40% of adults are completely inactive. The Surgeon General’s Report said that 60% of adults are not meeting the recommended amount of physical activity, and 25% are inactive. A 2006 Health Study by the National Center for Health Statistics showed 62% of women over the age of 20 are overweight. There are many ways to stay active and get the physical fitness you need to maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle.

Even with a busy schedule 30 minutes a day has been shown to significantly improve health and decrease the likelihood of disease. Several studies at Duke University Medical Center have found that people who did only a half-hour of moderate exercise such as brisk walking, five to six days a week had even more increased benefits over those who worked out longer and more vigorously.

Aerobic activity or Cardio Respiratory activity is a very beneficial way to meet the fitness requirements no matter age or build. Six simple and effective activities that the book Walking for Fitness recommends are:

• Walking


• Running


• Swimming
  
• Biking


• Land aerobics


• Water aerobics

Each of these activities, when done regularly have been proven to improve health by:

• Strengthening the heart, bones and tendons


• Creating muscular endurance


• Improving body weight


• Reducing stress


• Building confidence


• Lowering body fat
  
• Increasing life expectancy


• Reducing risk of health problems associated with obesity and inactivity such as
  o Diabetes
  o High cholesterol
  o Heart attack
  o Stroke
  o High blood pressure*

*(Note: Roughly one third of American adults who have high blood pressure are not aware of it, according to a survey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Normal blood pressure is 120 over 80.)

Humans are aerobic organisms, meaning the need for oxygen to live. (Quick anatomy lesson: when the body inhale and exhale, oxygen comes in through the lungs and enters the blood stream; blood flows through the body in cells, cells run the heart.)

Being inactive reduces the ability for oxygen to flow through the body. The flow of blood in an inactive body gets use to only using a small amount of oxygen; therefore a sudden increase in oxygen (becoming winded) can result in a heart attack.

By engaging in moderate or intense activity is key in order to increase oxygen intake. This makes the respiratory and circulatory system have to work harder, improving the heart and lung function.

"The FITT Principle" is a set of rules designed for the general population as a guideline to help increase one’s fitness level. By increasing any or all of the elements listed below, improvements in body shape and health are increased also.
- Frequency: how often you work out
- Intensity: how hard you work during activity
- Time: how long you exercise
- Type: the type of activity you are doing

Applying this principle to your exercise program will result in many benefits in your health and your waist. Everyone is different, find what motivates you and activities that you enjoy and go for it!