Bring It Home

Jeff Angel

Jeff’s Healthy Tips

Reduce Your Stress Levels

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The end of summer is soon to be here and school has started up again. My oldest is 8 and going to a new school this year. My youngest is 4 and is also attending a new school. Max, my oldest, is in 3rd grade now. His little brother, Will, is going to school 5 days a week for full days plus after care hours. My wife works full-time and I own my own business. All this adds up to STRESS (some good and some bad)!

The beginning of the school year always stresses me out. I try not to let it get to me, but sometimes the stress can get the best of me and just wear me down. I’m sure many of you have the same issues going on right now, and many of you probably have more stress than I have. I have learned over the years some different ways of coping with stress that have helped me to be a little more relaxed and ready to deal with life’s ever changing moments. Now remember, I’m just a personal trainer with a college education. I have never claimed to be a doctor nor will I ever. The following recommendations are techniques that work for me and just might work for you.

Take care of yourself. Your body will not function properly without proper nurishment, the right amount of sleep, and taking time to relax. Make sure you are eating healthy foods, getting 8 hours of sleep, and finding small moments in the day to reflect on good times in your life.

Boost your energy levels with daily exercise. Aerobic exercise and strength training are excellent ways to increase your energy levels and reduce stress in your life. Scientific studies have shown this to be true. Be sure to vary your exercise modes from day to day. This will help to keep you from being bored and will be sure to help you relax and have good nights sleep.

Sleep is most important in reducing stress. Studies have shown that getting 7 to 8 hours of good sleep is essential to decreasing the harmful effects of stress. You’ll find yourself more energetic and willing to take on new challenges.

Resolve anxious moments. When under stressful events, take the time to use relaxation techniques. Try to use imagery, deep breathing, postive thinking, or just simply walking for a few minutes.

Stess can be extremely harmful to our bodies and minds. I hope these four techniques can help to reduce some of the stress in your life. They work for me, especially the exercise and healthy eating. If you do feel your stress levels are high and these techniques do not work for you, please contact your doctor and get professional help.

5 Best Supplements to Improve Your Health

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As a professional personal trainer who has been in the health/fitness world for over 15 years, I’ve seen magical supplements come and go. Supplement producers and distributors claim that their product is the best and that everyone in the world needs it in order to live longer, be stronger, improve one’s health, and improve your sex life. I learned in my college nurtrition courses that if you consume a well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegtables, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates that you do not need to supplement your diet with multi-vitamins, protein powders, or energy drinks. However, over these past 15 years, I quickly found out that very few people have a perfect diet that provides adequate amounts of all vitamins and minerals required for optimal health. Now, I am not a supplement salesman, however I do encourage my clients to consume a few supplements that may help to improve their health when combined with proper eating habits, a balanced diet, and plenty of exercise.

The following 5 supplements are recommended for men and women by health professsionals around the world. I do not give any brand names because, again, I am not a supplement salesman. Also, you will find research out there that does not support the consumption of these supplements due to lack of evidence in improving health. However, you will find research that does support the consumption of these supplements with plenty of evidence that shows improvements in health. If you are interested in taking any supplements, always look to your doctor for guidance. A doctor may be able to offer more information and recommend the best brands in this multi-billion dollar industry. Remember, these are the top 5 for men and women. There certainly are other important specific supplements such as calcium, iron, and boron. However, these are more gender specific supplements. I will discuss the importance of these in future blogs.

For men and women:

• Multivitamin – A daily multivitamin taken with a meal may benefit most peoople. Multivitamins vary when it comes to nutrient contents. So choose one that offers the nutrients you need most. For example, if you have a family  history of eye disease, you may want to choose a multivitamin with lutein or if  prostate cancer is a concern, choose a multivitamin with boron.

• Fish Oil – Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil may help to fight against heart disease. Omega-3s are linked to higher levels of HDL cholesterol (that’s the good one), improved metabolism, and better nutrient absorption. Be sure to choose high-quality supplements with high levels of DHA and EPA.

• Vitamin D3 – Sufficient levels of  vitamin D are essential for maintaining good health. Low vitamin D has been  linked to several types of cancer, weight gain, depression, poor nutrient absorption, and low bone density. Vitamin D3 is the most bioavailable form (most readily available for absorption in the body). The sun’s rays, when absorbed by the skin, convert to D3 in the body; however most Americans do not get enough  sun year round.

• Coenzyme Q10 – CoQ10 is known as an anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is often related to weight gain, arthritis, headaches, and heart disease. Daily doses of 100 mcg of CoQ10 have been shown to improve many of these conditions. To be better digested, be sure to choose a soft gel over the powder capsule.

• Folic Acid (Folate) – Most people are familiar with the  importance of folate for women during pregnancy to decrease the risk of children born with disorders of the brain and spinal cord. However, folate has a number of health benefits for men and women of all ages. Folate is an essential B-vitamin that has been proven to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Folic acid may also improve arterial blood flow which helps to lower the risk of hypertension and heart disease.

 

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

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Aerobic conditioning, also called cardiorespiratory or cardiovascular fitness, is a good measure of the heart’s ability to pump oxygenated blood throughout the muscles. Oxygenated blood carries the nutrients the body needs to function effectively. A healthy heart can pump great volumes of oxygenated blood with each beat and will have a high level of cardiovascular fitness.

Heart disease is directly associated with the cardiorespiratory and cardiovascular systems. One of the primary signs of heart and lung diseases include becoming winded with mild exertion. Individuals with heart or lung disease often become fatigued when performing day to day tasks that most of us take for granted. Aerobic exercise can help increase the body’s utilization of oxygenated blood pumping throughout the body, thus making our bodies stronger and more efficient performing everyday activities.

Aerobic exercise can be as simple as walking or taking the stairs up to your office, or can be as strenuous as running a marathon or participating in a triathlon. The key point is to be healthy enough to do the activities you want to do.

Cardiovascular exercise should be done at least 3 days per week for minimal positive aerobic enhancement and reduction of body fat stores. For maximum results, intermediate and advanced trainees should be doing 5-6 days of cardiovascular conditioning per week, for a minimum of 30 minutes and not more than 60 minutes. Exercise modes include any activity (walking, jogging, inline skating, swimming, biking, etc.) that will get your heart rate up into your target heart rate zone.

Benefits Of Aerobic Conditioning:

  1. Improves blood pressure
  2. Decreases risk of developing colon cancer
  3. Reduced insulin needs
  4. Decreases risk of cardiovascular disease
  5. Lower mortality rates at all ages from all diseases
  6. Decreases serum triglycerides
  7. Helps to reduce body fat
  8. Increases HDLs (the good cholesterol)
  9. Improved glucose tolerance
  10. Decreases LDLs (the bad cholesterol)
  11. Enhances performance of work and recreational activities
  12. Relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety

Push-Ups Increase Strength and Endurance

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The Push-Up. It is such a basic movement for the human body to do, however, one of the best exercises to perform in order to increase muscular strength and endurance, 2 of the 11 components of physical fitness. A basic push-up involves several muscle groups: upper and lower pectorals (chest), all 3 heads of the deltoids (shoulders), triceps (the back of the upper arm), rhomboids and teres major and minor (smaller muscles in the upper back), and the core. When done properly, the push-up can increase muscle mass, improve one’s posture, and increase stamina during daily activities and recreational sports.

The basic push-up is great for beginner and intermediate fitness enthusiasts. However, for those of you that can pump out 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions with ease, it is time to progress by making the basic push-up more challenging. More advanced push-ups can be done by incorporating the use of medicine balls, fit-balls, BOSU, aerobics step, or leg movements. Utilizing equipment not traditionally used in a standard push-up will not only make your upper body stronger, it will increase muscular strength and endurance throughout your entire body, especially the core.

Our latest YouTube video will give you examples of the most basic push-up and gradually progress you to more advanced push-ups using a fit-ball and BOSU. If you can master a fit-ball push-up on your toes with a pike for 3 sets of 15 repetitions, then you are certainly advanced in your training and ready to move on to even more challenging exercises. These I will save for another video.

So if you want a challenge, check out the “Push-Up” video on my YouTube channel. Choose three of the push-ups presented. Try to do 3 sets of 15 reps for each push-up you choose. Give about 45-60 seconds rest between each set. Don’t be disappointed if you can’t reach this goal. It takes time and a lot of determination to master these advanced push-ups. Just keep trying every week and your strength and endurance will improve. Stay motivated, GOOD LUCK!

11 Components of Physical Fitness in Action

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Ladies, being physically fit is not just about looking good in a bikini or having a tight backside or not having fat dangling from your arms when waving. Gentlemen, being physically fit is not about how much weight you can bench press, how big your biceps are or weather you have a four pack or a six pack for abs. Believe me, this is all good stuff.  However, everyone should consider all aspects of physical fitness in order to be defined as a physically fit individual.

There are 11 components of physical fitness. If you are not incorporating all components of physical fitness into your daily exercise program, then you are not doing enough to improve your fitness level and overall health.

The 11 Components of Physical  Fitness include:

  1. Agility
  2. Balance
  3. Body Composition
  4. Cardiovascular Endurance
  5. Coordination
  6. Flexibility
  7. Muscular Endurance
  8. Muscular Strength
  9. Power
  10. Reaction Time
  11. Speed

All 11 components of fitness are present in everyone’s daily lives. You just may not realize it. For instance, you use agility when walking quickly through a crowd during Christmas shopping at the mall. Muscular strength and endurance is being used when unloading a carload of groceries from Costco. Your reaction time is being challenged every day you drive your car to work or drive the kids to school. Your body composition is stagnating every time you choose not to go for a long walk outside and instead sit on the couch watching Real Housewives or your favorite sports team.

Trying to incorporate 10 of the 11 components into one workout may seem impossible.  (I say 10 because while body composition is impacted by exercise it is not an actionable part of a work-out). But, take some time and consider a training session that utilizes an exercise step or BOSU, some dumbbells, a medicine ball, and your body.  You will find you can incorporate the 10 components into one workout.

I’m not going to bore you with written details as how to set up a circuit of exercises that mix in all the components of physical fitness. The best way to do this is by showing you. My YouTube videos demonstrate some of the best, most efficient ways to include a number of exercises that will challenge you in all areas of physical fitness. These videos are just demonstrations that may educate you and hopefully make you sweat a bit.

Knowing all 11 components of physical fitness will help you to be stronger, leaner, and will increase your fitness level at any age. These components should not be forgotten when heading off to the gym or when heading out for an evening walk. You may find yourself doing an extra push-up or picking up your pace and starting into a light jog. Enjoy your training and have fun!

Risk Factors of Heart Disease and Stroke

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Heart Disease and stroke are directly related to certain factors in life. The following risk factors can be changed through diet and exercise and lifestyle changes. heart

Common risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke that can be controlled or treated include high LDL cholesterol levels, low HDL cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, smoking, type II diabetes, physical inactivity, and being overweight or obese.

Cholesterol

High levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol contribute to the development of atherosclerosis as the cholesterol is deposited in artery walls, increasing the buildup of plaque. Low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol raise stroke risk because HDL cholesterol carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver where it is removed from the body. Cholesterol levels should be checked annually.

Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, 140/90 mm Hg or higher, causes the heart to work harder than normal. Both the heart and arteries are then more prone to injury. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, CHF (coronary heart failure), atherosclerosis and kidney failure. High blood pressure damages the inner lining of the blood vessels, which promotes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Over time the arteries become narrowed, hardened and less elastic, contributing even more to the high blood pressure.

African Americans are more likely to suffer from hypertension; for instance, 80 percent of African Americans over 65 have high blood pressure. As a result, they have a greater rate of nonfatal stroke, fatal stroke, heart disease death and endstage kidney disease.

High blood pressure also increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke by weakening blood vessels. Also increasing hemorrhagic risk are arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and aneurysms, which are both vascular diseases that can be affected by high blood pressure.

Smoking

For smokers, the risk of developing coronary heart disease is two to four times higher than for nonsmokers. Smoking is also a significant risk factor for stroke. Exposure to other people’s smoke increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, even for nonsmokers. The nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke damage the cardiovascular system in many ways.

Nicotine causes a short-term increase in blood pressure, heart rate and the flow of blood from the heart. It also causes the arteries to narrow. Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry. This, combined with the nicotine effects, creates an imbalance between the demand for oxygen by the cells and the amount of oxygen the blood can supply. Toxic products in cigarette smoke can damage the arterial wall, contributing to atherosclerosis. Smoking can make blood platelets stickier, which means clots are more likely to form.

Diabetes

Type II diabetes seriously increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In fact, up to 75 percent of people with diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease, and their heart disease death rates are about two to four times higher than for adults without diabetes. Even when glucose levels are under control, diabetes increases your risk. If blood sugar is not well controlled, the risks are even greater. In addition, diabetes causes nerve damage that can make the pain of heart attacks harder to diagnose.

Physical Activity

A physically inactive lifestyle is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. Physical activity can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes and weight, as well as help lower blood pressure in some people.

People who have excess body fat, especially if a lot of it is in the waist area, are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors. Excess weight increases the heart’s work. It also raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and lowers “good” cholesterol levels. It can also make type II diabetes more likely to develop.

If you or a loved one has one or more of the mentioned risk factors, action should be taken. It is never too late to change your lifestyle and improve upon your health.

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