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The Secret to Good Health
The Secret to Good Health
By Bharat Bhatia My Background in Fitness and Nutrition I have a lot of experience with exercise and nutrition. Prior to seventh grade, I used to be obese, but I started taking martial arts classes shortly after I became a teenager. Martial arts taught me the joy of movement. I was 30% body fat in sixth grade, which is very obese. In eight grade, I was 17% body fat, which is average for a 14 year old male. From ninth grade to twelfth grade, I participated in cross-country and track. I also studied a little bit about nutrition because I felt the need to optimize my athletic performance. Although I did not participate in cross-country and track in college, I swam and engaged in martial arts. I have also rock-climbed in college. I did not study nutrition and fitness in depth until my junior year of college. Ever since my junior year of college, I have read numerous books about exercise and nutrition from several different perspectives. I have read well-established sources such as books by the American College of Sports Medicine and American Dietetic Association as well as newer sources such as "The Okinawa Diet." During my junior year of college, I have taught indoor studio cycling classes, and I became a certified personal trainer, although I did find a job as a personal trainer until my senior year of college. I would like to enlighten people with my knowledge of health and fitness. The Obesity Epidemic Most people in this world have barely enough food to satisfy their nutritional needs and must expend a lot of energy obtain that food. Malnourishment is common problem in such nations. Most Americans do very little physical work and have an overabundance of food. While lack of nutrition leads to starvation and lower life expectancy, consuming excessively high quantities of nutrients causes chronic problem such as cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and heart disease. Although many Americans have unhealthy dietary habits, they also nearly idolize slender models. Millions of Americans follow questionable dietary advice to become thin. I will the flaws of some of these fad diets. During the 1980s and 1990s, doctors told Americans to consume a low-fat diet. Many food manufacturers created low fat and fat free alternatives to foods such as ice cream to satisfy the demand for reduced dietary fat. However, Americans still gained weight because they increased their intake of refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white bread, and other refined carbohydrates. Dr. Atkins and other authors suggested that carbohydrates are the real cause of obesity while fat has absolutely no affect in causing obesity. Although many people initially lost weight on the Atkins low-carbohydrate diet, most gained the weight back and became even more obese while also suffering high blood pressure and high cholesterol, thus increasing risk of cancer and heart disease. The Atkins diet is unhealthy for several reasons. As I stated earlier, it is high in saturated fats and cholesterol, which clog the arteries. Glucose is the body's main source of fuel, thus insufficient carbohydrates lowers energy levels. To compensate for the lowered glucose, the body must convert protein into glucose, which is a very inefficient process. The body cannot turn fat into glucose, and it cannot burn fat without utilizing glucose. On low-carbohydrate diets, the body uses protein as a fuel source rather than to build and repair bodily tissues such as muscle. Carbohydrates are also necessary because they bind with water molecules. Most people who consume a low-carbohydrate diet lose weight from muscle and water rather than from fat. In other words, although they are losing weight, they are increasing percent body fat. The human body cannot tolerate water and glucose deficiency for very long, thus most people on the Atkins' diet and other low-carbohydrate diets revert to their normal dietary habits. Luckily, they regain much of the weight from water and muscle, but they also gain after re-incorporating carbohydrates with the fat that they consume on the Atkins diet. In addition, Atkins' dieters who formerly exercise do less exercise after adhering to the Atkins' diet because their bodies experience so much fatigue and dizziness from low glucose levels. The truth is that both carbohydrates and fat contribute to obesity. Both nutrients are essential, but too much of either or both leads to obesity, especially without physical activity. The low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets failed because they ignored the fact that both nutrients have Calories. The body uses Calories for every process that occurs in the body. However, unused energy is stored as body fat. Our physically active human ancestors used this feature to survive famines, but most Americans have an overabundance of food and engage in very little physical movement. Calorie reduction is important to lose weight. Sedentary Americans should consume about 1400-1600 Calories per day while moderately active Americans should consume about 1800-2000 Calories per day. Moderate physical activity is thirty to forty minutes of exercise at about 60-75% of maximal heart rate, which is the intensity of light to moderate jogging. Highly active Americans should consume even more Calories depending on their duration and intensity of exercise. Other Dietary Problems Excessive protein intake is another health problem in the United States. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that sedentary individuals consume 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per kilogram body weight while physically active individuals consume 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram body weight. This would be approximately 50 grams of protein per day for a 110-pound individual. However, most Americans consume a diet high in animal products and accumulate much more than the recommended guideline for protein. Excessive protein intake causes the body to remove calcium from the bones and into the bloodstream. This is because the bloodstream has too high a concentration of amino acids, thus causing the blood to be too acidic. A high-fat diet also diminishes calcium absorption. The American Dietetic Association recommends consume twenty to thirty percent of Calories from fat, but most Americans consume forty percent of Calories from fat. Caloric balance is not the only important dietary habit. Americans should consume less refined foods. It may like a burden to keep up with all of the different amounts of necessary nutrients that the body needs. However, a diet that is high in vegetables, fruits, and beans; moderate in whole grains, nuts, and seeds; and low in animal products reduces the need to worry about such precise guidelines. I have read extensively about nutritional research, and I have concluded that the healthiest diets are those that humans have consumed for thousands of years. Rather than give new information about healthy dietary habits, scientific research seems to reinforce the health benefits of the diet that humans consumed during ancient times. No two cultures in the world have the same diet, but there are general principles that most humans have followed for most of human history. Most cultures subsist on a diet consisting mostly of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates come from whole grains and vegetables. Most societies in the world also get their sugar mostly from fruit rather than table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other processed sweeteners. Such societies also consume a limited amount of animal fat from milk, meat, and other animal products. In other nations, people do not inject hormones in their cattle, and they do not subject their cattle to confined conditions that reduce physical activity. Animal products from other nations are much healthier than factory-farmed milk and meat in the US. Dietary Controversies Fish and other seafood are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which send cholesterol from the body's cells to the liver to be broken down. Flaxseeds are also great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The Mediterraneans and East Asians (especially Okinawans) consume a diet with moderate amounts of fish and live longer than the rest of the world. Although it is likely that seafood contributes to their longevity, it is possible that they live so long despite their consumption of seafood and not because of it. Recently, I have looked at the food labels of fish in various grocery stores and noticed that one serving of fish usually contained 18% to 30% of the USRDA recommendation for cholesterol. Eighteen percent fat is not that high, but most of the fish approached 30% of the USRDA recommendation for cholesterol, which is quite high. In addition, the meat, egg, and dairy industry have a lot of control over the USRDA. The human body does not need dietary cholesterol; it produces all of the cholesterol that is necessary. Not only are people unaware that seafood is high in cholesterol, but many people do not know that seafood increases the risk of mercury poisoning. Mercury is a neurotoxin that causes brain damage. The connection between brain damage and mercury poisoning from fish was discovered in Japan. In the Mediterranean and East Asia, other dietary choices may have more to do with the people's longevity than fish consumption. In Okinawa, people consume fish about three times per week and not on a daily basis. Okinawans are generally lactose-intolerant and refrain from dairy milk after infancy. Interestingly, Okinawans have lower rates of osteoporosis than Americans do. In addition, the American Dietetic Association states that vegetarians and vegans have lower rates of osteoporosis than people who consume dairy milk and other animal products. Vegetables are also rich in anti-oxidants, which prevent oxygen from forming dangerous compounds, thus lowering the risk of cancer and heart disease. Soy and other beans are rich in protein, iron, calcium, and complex carbohydrates. The Okinawans also consume seaweed, which is rich in iron, calcium, and vitamin B12. The Mediterraneans consume more fish and meat than Okinawans. Although they consume more fish than Americans do, it is likely that other factors play a greater role than fish consumption. Mediterraneans consume less red meat than Americans do, but the main dietary reason for their longevity is that they consume relatively large amounts of mono-unsaturated fats from olives and other vegetables. They also consume large quantities of whole grains and chickpeas. Rice and beans are staples in the diet of many Mediterranean nations. Of course, I cannot refute that fish contribute to their long lives. However, whole grains, beans, and vegetables probably have more to do with the longevity of Mediterraneans than fish consumption does. Although whole grains have protein, folic acid, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and other nutrients, they are not necessarily a vital food group. Humans did not consume grains until the agricultural revolution. James Watson, the Nobel Prize-winner for discovering the double helix, states that it is nearly impossible to avoid genetically modified food because even grains are crossbreed grasses. Humans breed grass several thousands of years ago to make wheat and other grains; it does not come straight from nature. One of the main reasons that the USRDA and other dietary authorities recommend 6-11 servings of grain is that the grain industry has the strongest lobby in the USRDA. The grain industry is even more powerful than the meat and dairy industry. In fact, America feeds most of its grain to farm animals that produce meat and dairy milk. The US also sells a lot of its grain to other nations at low costs, or they donate it. The reason why America gives so much grain for low prices or free to cattle and people of other nations is to keep the price of American from being too low. Grains are the easiest way to feed large amounts of people, but that is not because they are the most important food group. Grains are simply the cheapest foods to produce in large quantities, which is necessary during wars or during times of food shortages. I am not suggesting that fish and grains are unhealthy. However, they have an undeserved reputation of being necessary. Just as white bread and table sugar are refined carbohydrates, grains are refined vegetables. Vegetables, except for potatoes, are healthier sources of carbohydrates than grains. I would not recommend giving up grains because vegetables are very low in protein and total Calories although beans and chickpeas are high in complex carbohydrates. I do not abstain from grains, but I usually consume three or less servings of grains per day and get most of my carbohydrates from vegetables and beans. I recommend that Americans limit but not eliminate grain consumption. Likewise, I do not recommend giving up animal products because very few plants have sufficient amounts of vitamin B12. Although there are plant sources of vitamin B12, most Americans do not have the extensive knowledge or dedication to consume an all-plant diet. A Plant-Based Diet The truth is that vitamin B12 neither comes from plants or animals but rather from bacteria. Herbivorous animals get vitamin B12 from bacteria that are absorbed in their liver. Plants sometimes absorb vitamin B12 from bacteria that are absorbed in soil or from manure, but they are still usually poor sources of vitamin B12. I recommend that people who abstain from animal products consume vitamin B12 in supplemented form. Although fortified soymilk and cereals as well as multivitamins come to mind, you can also get vitamin B12 from bacteria supplements. You can buy pro-biotics, which are healthy bacteria in capsules. If you prefer to avoid capsules and consume bacteria in a more natural form, you can buy yeast at almost any grocery store. Many athletes consume a plant-based diet. Carl Lewis, the Olympic gold medalist, and Dave Scott, the five-time winner of the Ironman Triathlon, consumed vegan diets during their peak years. Bill Pearl, the most successful bodybuilder in history, eliminated meat and fish from his diet and still won Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia contests. He participated in professional body building competitions during his mid-fifties while Arnold Schwarzenegger stopped participating in such competitions before reaching his forties. Arnold Schwarzenegger could not maintain his professional level of fitness training while acting in movies and participating in politics. However, he still engaged in a large amount of weightlifting and consumed a similar diet while acting in movies. Many people do not realize that he suffered from heart problems and muscle tumors during training. This is actually common in bodybuilders. Bill Pearl had a very high cholesterol level prior to abstaining from meat and fish. Although steroids were the main cause for Arnold Schwarzenegger's health problems, his high consumption of animal protein also contributed to such his physical ailments. Anthropological evidence suggests that a primarily plant-based diet is natural for the human body. Humans are physiologically and genetically very similar to chimps, apes, gorillas, monkeys, and other primates. Primates consume an omnivorous diet but they get most of their nutrients from plants. Humans share 98% of the same DNA as chimps and about close to the same genetic similarity as other primates. Although I do not consider this a legitimate reason to avoid animal products, I still feel that animal products should not be a regular part of the human diet. In addition to our genetic similarity to primates, our bodies do not have the necessary features to consume large quantities of animal products. Although we have incisors to chew meat, they may be for nuts and other hard foods. Humans do not have claws like other flesh-eating animals, thus humans did not eat flesh until developing sharp tools and discovering fire. The Australopithecus ramidus, the first species of humans, was an herbivore and lived 5 million years ago. The Homo habilis, who arose 4.5 million years ago, is the first species of humans that consumed meat. However, they did not hunt but rather scavenged for dead animals that other animals hunted or partially ate. The Homo erectus first started hunting about 2 million years ago. The Homo erectus is the first species with a body frame that is similar to modern humans, or Homo sapiens sapiens. Although the first humans did not hunt, perhaps modern humans evolved from species that require some animal flesh. Nonetheless, most of these species still consumed very small quantities of animal flesh. In 1978, to researchers named Hamilton and Busse did research on 21 species of primates. They found that animal consumption is inversely proportional to size. In other words, smaller primates consume more meat while larger primates consume very little meat. The smallest primate weighed 65 g as an adult and consumed a diet of 70% animal matter. However, the adult gorilla is the largest primate at 126 kg and consumes a diet of 1%-2% animal matter. The adult orangutan, who weighs an average of 58 kg, also consumes a diet of 1-2% animal matter. Most adult humans weight roughly as much or slightly more than orangutans, suggesting that the natural human diet is approximately 1-2% animal matter. However, despite our similarity to primates, these facts cannot be used to confirm the optimal human diet. Unlike primates, humans are much very much separated from the natural world, and the most natural diet does not necessarily mean the same thing as the healthiest diet. The human digestive system is quite similar but not exactly like the digestive system of herbivores. Humans have a trunk that is one-tenth the length of their bowels. Herbivores have a trunk that is one-fifteenth the length of their bowels. Carnivores have trunk that are one-third the length of their bowels. The stomach is in the trunk. Carnivores need a large trunk in proportion to their bowels because flesh requires more effort to digest than plants. Herbivores have a smaller trunk to bowel ratio because plants are not as difficult to digest. Humans have a digestive tract similar to primates, who are omnivorous. However, most primates mostly consume raw fruits and vegetables (such as leaves); they only scavenge for animal flesh or hunt small mammals occasionally. Humans did not consume eggs until the agricultural revolution. Like other mammals, humans consume dairy milk during infancy and early childhood, but we did not consume milk past infancy and from another species until the agricultural revolution. Prior to the agricultural revolution, humans only consumed milk from their mothers, and they only consumed milk during infancy and early childhood. Although the human body seems to lack the mechanisms for consuming animal products without equipment, this does not necessarily mean that humans are naturally herbivores. Even chimps, which many people think are herbivores, occasionally kill small mammals and scavenge for food. In addition, many primates consume insects, which do not require cooking or claws. Unlike humans, many primates eat their own feces; feces contain vitamin B12, but the human digestive system does not have the mechanical and biochemical attributes to digest feces. Prior to the agricultural revolution, humans were not able to produce very large quantities of food, so perhaps they needed to start consuming animal products to sustain themselves. Maybe humans evolved to hunt and eat meat because of the spread of glaciers during the Ice Age, which destroyed a lot of plant life. Because we do not have any recorded history of the human diet, we cannot be sure why humans evolved to consume animal products. Although we have fossilized feces, these fossils are small in amount, and they only tell what diets humans consumed and not which diets were optimal for health. Regardless of the evolution of humans and their diets, it is best to limit consumption of animal products. It is possible for humans to eliminate animal foods from their diet, but it is best that vegans supplement their vitamin B12 with multi-vitamins, fortified foods, and bacteria from yeast or pro-biotics. A Natural Diet Industrialized nations have a higher life expectancy than developing nations. It is true that people in developing nations consume a more natural diet than Americans, Europeans, the Japanese, and other people in industrialized nations. People in agricultural and hunter-gatherer societies do not die sooner because they consume a less nutritious diet. They die sooner primarily because the sanitation and healthcare system in such nations are poor compared to American and European standards. In addition, dictators who control the food supplies and cause famines rule many of these nations. People in such nations suffer from tribal warfare, civil war, outbreaks of viruses and parasitic insects, and other problems. However, the diet in such nations is much healthier than the diet in most industrialized nations. Interestingly, the longest-living people in the world are Okinawans, who are mostly farmers. Okinawa is the poorest province of Japan, and few Okinawans have modern conveniences such as air conditioning and refrigeration. However, they consume a diet high in vegetables (7-13 servings per day) and low in animal products (three servings of fish per week and virtually no meat, eggs, and dairy products). Vegetables not only have a low Caloric-density (i.e. less Calories per given mass of food), but they also have anti-oxidants, which are substances that bind to oxygen to prevent oxygen from binding to other substances that form dangerous compounds; such compounds increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other chronic health problems. It is best to consume a diet consisting mostly of raw foods. The process of cooking usually reduces nutritional content because it causes chemical reactions that alter some of the nutrients, although there are a few nutrients like lycopene in tomatoes that absorb more easily after cooking. I do not recommend abstaining from cooked foods, but it is best to have as much raw food as possible to maximize nutritional intake. Although most people, are used to eating beans cooked, you can actually eat raw bean sprouts. The Culture of the American Diet Unfortunately, an unhealthy diet is very much a part of American culture. We eat cakes during birthday parties and weddings. During adolescence and adulthood, we celebrate many events with beer. For lunch breaks, we go to fast food restaurants and gorge on burgers and other junk food. When we go out and eat with friends or family, we usually eat unhealthy foods such as steaks while drinking sodas or alcoholic beverages. Teachers reward good behavior and attentiveness with candy. Although there is nothing wrong with occasionally consuming junk food, most Americans consume junk food everyday. Although unhealthy eating can be difficult to avoid, there are healthy alternatives to satisfy such cravings. Instead of candy and ice cream, strawberries and other fruits are healthier desserts. I have made a pie in which I made the crust from walnuts chopped in a blender while making the filling from raw kiwi, strawberries, and mangoes. Many of my friends say that this pie tasted great. Not only is this pie free from the saturated fat and refined sugar from traditional pies, but it is uncooked. Although I do not recommend eliminating cooked foods from a diet, cooking slightly reduces nutritional content of foods, especially protein. Instead of red meat, fish is a healthier alternative. Beans, chickpeas, and soy products are also healthy sources of protein. I make a very tasty curry made from soy yogurt, tomato sauce, spices (curry powder, garlic, paprika, lemon pepper), and vegetables (mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, and carrots). I sometimes add tofu or beans to the curry. This curry is healthy and delicious. When eating salads, humus is a healthier alternative to salad dressing, which is usually high in saturated fat. Physical Activity Nutrition is only half the battle. We need to increase our levels of physical activity. Most agencies such as the American College of Sports Medicine and Center for Disease Control recommend twenty to thirty minutes of physical activity three to five days per week. I cannot blame them because it would be unrealistic to ask most Americans to do more. However, even this recommendation is inadequate. I would recommend that Americans gradually increase their level of physical activity to approximately one hour per day. It is okay to do more than one hour on some days and less than an hour on other days. Although rest is necessary, light walking or other physical movement is necessary to reduce muscle soreness. In addition, the nervous system needs some stimulation to maintain strength in the muscles, lungs, and heart. Unless an individual experiences an emergency health problem requiring bed rest, total inactivity in an entire day weakens the body. Although most Americans know the importance of physical activity, very few people feel motivated to be physically active. Even as a personal trainer and fitness expert, I relapse into physical inactivity from time to time. The greatest motivating factor to stay physically active is to engage in enjoyable physical activities. Many people play sports such as basketball or ultimate Frisbee for enjoyment, although they increase physical fitness in the process. Many athletes participate in sports such as football and basketball for competition, yet most athletes are very physically fit. People dance at parties and clubs for enjoyment, but dancing is also a wonderful physical activity. My twin brother and I enjoy martial arts training. I have incorporated martial arts training with many of my clients when personal training. One activity I like is shadowboxing, which involves holding dumbbells in each hand while pretending to box somebody. Recently, I came-up with some goofy exercises. One workout involves playing solo volleyball with three balloons. To clarify, I use three balloons and hit them in the air; the goal is to keep them in the air and away from the ground. Twenty minutes of this activity with three balloons is exhausting, but is very enjoyable. For lower-functioning individuals, one or two balloons may be more appropriate. I also recently started jumping like a child, bunny rabbit, or monkey. I have two rice bags filled with a total of forty-five pounds together. Sometimes I may jump while holding the bags, although I only do this for a minute at a time. Another idea is to incorporate physical activity in daily routines. For example, when cooking, I may jump or practice martial arts while waiting for the food to cook. Other people may prefer walking, jogging in place, dancing, or some other activity. It is a good idea to do a little bit of physical activity whenever one is experiencing down time or waiting for something, even if the wait is brief. At the end of the day, this physical activity can add up. Although many people consider me very fit, I am probably less fit than most of the world's population. I barely do an hour of exercise per day and sometimes do two hours of physical activity, although I usually exercise at 75-85% of my maximum heart rate. Nonetheless, I engage in less physical activity than most people in the world do. Farmers in Africa, India, China, Southeast Asia, and Latin America spend ten to twelve hours each day to obtain food and water. They have to walk everywhere because they do not have automobiles. Because they do not have television or videogames, they usually engage in physically active leisure activities such as dancing or sports. Although people in such nations live shorter lives than most Americans and Europeans, it is not because of the long hours of physical activity. Oppressive rulers, civil and tribal wars, artificial famines, inadequate healthcare, and poor sanitation are the main reasons that these people live shorter lives than people do in industrialized nations. Okinawa does not suffer from oppressive leadership or massive violence, and it has a healthcare system that integrates western medicine and traditional Okinawan medicine. Okinawans still engage in roughly the same amount of physical activity as people in other agricultural societies. Their balance between modern healthcare and traditional lifestyle is probably why they live longer than the rest of the world. Armenia, Cuba, and Greece are some other third world nations that have a higher life expectancy and lower infant mortality rate than the US. It is not realistic for most Americans to engage in so much physical activity, but we can gradually approach a level of physical activity close to our agricultural counterparts. We can engage in numerous short bursts of physical activity during idle time such as when we are waiting for something. We can also reduce our participation in watching television and other sedentary activities and replace them with more active leisure choices. In addition, we can exercise while watching television or cooking. Ultra-marathon runners and Ironman Triathlon participants usually have occupations similar to most Americans, yet they spend several hours training each day. This is a healthy level of physical activity as long as we approach it gradually. However, it is dangerous to engage in such high levels of physical activity quickly. Because such training may be dull and monotonous for most people, I recommend that individuals engage in physically activities that they view as more enjoyable. I would never train for an Ironman Triathlon or ultra-marathon, but I would like to engage in such a level of exercise by doing activities like martial arts, balloon ball, dancing, and jumping like a monkey or rabbit. The Mind-Body Connection A healthy mind is another important aspect of good health. Some people smoke, consume an unhealthy diet, and engage in very little physical activity yet still live until the age of 100 or older. There are very few centenarians with unhealthy lifestyles, but such "unhealthy centenarians" still exist. This is because both the mind and lifestyle habits affect physiological health. The nervous system regulates every organ of the body, thus the though process affects physiologic functions. Nearly eighty percent of all doctor's visits are related to stress. Mental stress directly affects the onset of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, anxiety, depression, and numerous other diseases, although other factors also play a role. A healthy mind reduce blood pressure, secretion of stress hormones such as cortical, and respiration rate. A healthy mind also strengthens the immune system by increasing activity of immunoglobulin, T cells, and B cells, which are the "soldiers" of the immune system. This lowers the risk of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, ulcers, and other conditions. However, the immune system's cells also fight against the flu, tuberculosis, AIDS, and other infectious diseases. Working Wellness Bad health is a drain on the economy as well as the body. Each year, corporations spend hundreds of billions of dollars on Medicaid, Medicare, and other health insurance plans. Such health insurance plans cover heart disease, cancer, back problems, depression, anxiety, osteoporosis, arthritis, and several other health problems. In 1978, American corporations lost $19.4 billion in production because of premature coronary death; they paid an additional $15 billion for employee sick leaves. In 1989, absenteeism from depression cost employers $17 billion. In 1993, employers spent approximately $700 billion to replace employees who quit before reaching the official retirement age because of coronary heart disease. Of course, the corporations are not the only people with the financial burden. The victims of the diseases and their families sometimes have to pay out of their pockets. In addition, the corporations make their revenue from customers, thus the money that corporations use to pay for health insurance comes from employees of other agencies. In the end, employees and employers pay for the burden of chronic mental and physical health problems. Corporate fitness and wellness programs are emerging to prevent the expenses of compensation leave and health insurance. The Canada Life Assurance Company and the North American Life Assurance Company found that after instituting on-site exercise programs for managers, productivity increased three percent and a twenty-two percent reduction in absenteeism. In the US, Control Data reduced health care costs by fifty-percent for employees that were not in corporate fitness programs. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are wellness programs that treat mental health. Some corporations are starting EAPs and have found that they save a lot of money in the process. The Kimberly-Clark Corporation reduced on-the-job accidents by seventy percent after instituting an EAP. General Motors states that instituting an EAP reduced their expenditures on employee sickness and accidents by sixty percent. The success of EAPs may be why eighty percent of Fortune 500 companies have established EAPs within the last five to seven years. Not everyone works for a company that has the resources to establish an Employee Assistance Program. There are simple things that people of all socio-economic statuses can do to reduce stress and increase mental health. Slow, deep breathing from the diaphragm is a very effective way to calm the mind and body. The diaphragm is just above the abdomen. It is best to breathe through the diaphragm and have expand the abdomen while breathing in while bring the abdomen back in when breathing out. To simplify, think of a balloon. As you breathe air into it, it expands. Likewise, expand your abdomen as you breathe air into your body. As you let air out of the balloon, it shrinks. Likewise, as you breathe air out of your body, your abdomen should retract. Although most people can practice breathing exercises to reduce stress, changing the thought process is difficult. Life is very hectic and stressful. However, we can still regulate our thought process. Despite our stressful lifestyles, we all are lucky to have our family and friends. Simply taking time to be mindful of our blessings has great psychological and physiological benefits. It is good to thank people and smile as much as possible. These few things take up very little time but have drastic health benefits. We can also try to look at the bright side of situations and even find humor in stress. I hope that this essay is beneficial. To summarize, eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains and low in animal products and refined carbohydrates followed by plenty of physical exercise is essential. The easiest way to be physically active is to participate in enjoyable activities. A healthy mindset is another important aspect of good health. If we eat healthier, exercise more, and think more positively, we will reduce a many physical ailments and save billions of dollars each year. Most importantly, we will live happier and longer lives. Works Cited Balady, Gary; Berra, Kathy; Godling, Lawrence A; Gordon, Neil F, Mahler, Donald A; Myers, Jonathan N; and Sheldahl, Lois M (2000). ACSM's Guidelines For Exercise Testing and Prescription. American College of Sports Medicine: pp. 4, 5, 63, 151, 153 O' Hara Ph.D, Valerie (1995). Wellness 9 to 5: Managing Stress at Work. MJF Books, New York: pp. 178, 198, 206 Duyff, Roberta Larson (1998). The American Dietetic Association's Complete Food & Nutrition Guide. Chronimed Publishing: pp. 2, 4, 8, 23, 27, 35-39, 42-44, 145, 559-561, 563, 565 Humphries, Bronwen (1994). "The Diet of Early Humans: What did our first ancestors eat?" <http://www.ivu.org/history/early/ancestors.html> Lewis, Carl. "Carl Lewis on Being Vegan." Excerpt from Carl Lewis' introduction to Very Vegetarian. <http://www.earthsave.org/lifestyle/carllewis.htm> Saul, Bradley (2005). "Vegan Athletes Flex Their Muscles." Medical News Today. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=26480&nfid=rssfeeds> Suzuki MD, Makato; Willcox MD, Bradley; and Willcox Ph.D, Craig. "The Okinawa Centenarian Study." <http://okinawaprogram.com/study.html> Weis, Dennis B. "Bill Pearl's Super Nutrition Seminar." http://www.dennisbweis.com/Articles/...trategies.html |
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Thank you for your article. As we all know , vegan is not enough, exercise is probably the fountain of youth. Or at least essential to better living in later years. I 'vet seen this a lot in the retirees in Florida. While I don't believe in eating meat, the advice the author gives is good. Just eat lot of fresh veggies, legumes, and exercise and you are 90% there. Seaweed btw has huge quantities of minerals. It is an acquired taste i admit. Thanks. That's the purpose of the group, how to live a healthy lightly. buzzgun wrote: > The Secret to Good Health > By Bharat Bhatia > > My Background in Fitness and Nutrition > > I have a lot of experience with exercise and nutrition. Prior to > seventh grade, I used to be obese, but I started taking martial arts > classes shortly after I became a teenager. Martial arts taught me the > joy of movement. I was 30% body fat in sixth grade, which is very > obese. In eight grade, I was 17% body fat, which is average for a 14 > year old male. From ninth grade to twelfth grade, I participated in > cross-country and track. I also studied a little bit about nutrition > because I felt the need to optimize my athletic performance. Although > I did not participate in cross-country and track in college, I swam and > engaged in martial arts. I have also rock-climbed in college. > I did not study nutrition and fitness in depth until my junior year of > college. Ever since my junior year of college, I have read numerous > books about exercise and nutrition from several different perspectives. > I have read well-established sources such as books by the American > College of Sports Medicine and American Dietetic Association as well as > newer sources such as "The Okinawa Diet." During my junior year of > college, I have taught indoor studio cycling classes, and I became a > certified personal trainer, although I did find a job as a personal > trainer until my senior year of college. I would like to enlighten > people with my knowledge of health and fitness. > The Obesity Epidemic > Most people in this world have barely enough food to satisfy their > nutritional needs and must expend a lot of energy obtain that food. > Malnourishment is common problem in such nations. Most Americans do > very little physical work and have an overabundance of food. While > lack of nutrition leads to starvation and lower life expectancy, > consuming excessively high quantities of nutrients causes chronic > problem such as cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and heart > disease. Although many Americans have unhealthy dietary habits, they > also nearly idolize slender models. Millions of Americans follow > questionable dietary advice to become thin. I will the flaws of some > of these fad diets. > During the 1980s and 1990s, doctors told Americans to consume a > low-fat diet. Many food manufacturers created low fat and fat free > alternatives to foods such as ice cream to satisfy the demand for > reduced dietary fat. However, Americans still gained weight because > they increased their intake of refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, > white bread, and other refined carbohydrates. Dr. Atkins and other > authors suggested that carbohydrates are the real cause of obesity > while fat has absolutely no affect in causing obesity. Although many > people initially lost weight on the Atkins low-carbohydrate diet, most > gained the weight back and became even more obese while also suffering > high blood pressure and high cholesterol, thus increasing risk of > cancer and heart disease. The Atkins diet is unhealthy for several > reasons. As I stated earlier, it is high in saturated fats and > cholesterol, which clog the arteries. Glucose is the body's main > source of fuel, thus insufficient carbohydrates lowers energy levels. > To compensate for the lowered glucose, the body must convert protein > into glucose, which is a very inefficient process. The body cannot > turn fat into glucose, and it cannot burn fat without utilizing > glucose. On low-carbohydrate diets, the body uses protein as a fuel > source rather than to build and repair bodily tissues such as muscle. > Carbohydrates are also necessary because they bind with water > molecules. Most people who consume a low-carbohydrate diet lose weight > from muscle and water rather than from fat. In other words, although > they are losing weight, they are increasing percent body fat. The > human body cannot tolerate water and glucose deficiency for very long, > thus most people on the Atkins' diet and other low-carbohydrate diets > revert to their normal dietary habits. Luckily, they regain much of > the weight from water and muscle, but they also gain after > re-incorporating carbohydrates with the fat that they consume on the > Atkins diet. In addition, Atkins' dieters who formerly exercise do > less exercise after adhering to the Atkins' diet because their bodies > experience so much fatigue and dizziness from low glucose levels. > The truth is that both carbohydrates and fat contribute to obesity. > Both nutrients are essential, but too much of either or both leads to > obesity, especially without physical activity. The low-fat and > low-carbohydrate diets failed because they ignored the fact that both > nutrients have Calories. The body uses Calories for every process that > occurs in the body. However, unused energy is stored as body fat. Our > physically active human ancestors used this feature to survive famines, > but most Americans have an overabundance of food and engage in very > little physical movement. Calorie reduction is important to lose > weight. Sedentary Americans should consume about 1400-1600 Calories > per day while moderately active Americans should consume about > 1800-2000 Calories per day. Moderate physical activity is thirty to > forty minutes of exercise at about 60-75% of maximal heart rate, which > is the intensity of light to moderate jogging. Highly active Americans > should consume even more Calories depending on their duration and > intensity of exercise. > Other Dietary Problems > Excessive protein intake is another health problem in the United > States. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that > sedentary individuals consume 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per kilogram > body weight while physically active individuals consume 1.5 grams of > protein per kilogram body weight. This would be approximately 50 grams > of protein per day for a 110-pound individual. However, most Americans > consume a diet high in animal products and accumulate much more than > the recommended guideline for protein. Excessive protein intake causes > the body to remove calcium from the bones and into the bloodstream. > This is because the bloodstream has too high a concentration of amino > acids, thus causing the blood to be too acidic. A high-fat diet also > diminishes calcium absorption. The American Dietetic Association > recommends consume twenty to thirty percent of Calories from fat, but > most Americans consume forty percent of Calories from fat. > Caloric balance is not the only important dietary habit. Americans > should consume less refined foods. It may like a burden to keep up > with all of the different amounts of necessary nutrients that the body > needs. However, a diet that is high in vegetables, fruits, and beans; > moderate in whole grains, nuts, and seeds; and low in animal products > reduces the need to worry about such precise guidelines. I have read > extensively about nutritional research, and I have concluded that the > healthiest diets are those that humans have consumed for thousands of > years. Rather than give new information about healthy dietary habits, > scientific research seems to reinforce the health benefits of the diet > that humans consumed during ancient times. No two cultures in the > world have the same diet, but there are general principles that most > humans have followed for most of human history. Most cultures subsist > on a diet consisting mostly of complex carbohydrates. Complex > carbohydrates come from whole grains and vegetables. Most societies in > the world also get their sugar mostly from fruit rather than table > sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other processed sweeteners. Such > societies also consume a limited amount of animal fat from milk, meat, > and other animal products. In other nations, people do not inject > hormones in their cattle, and they do not subject their cattle to > confined conditions that reduce physical activity. Animal products > from other nations are much healthier than factory-farmed milk and meat > in the US. > Dietary Controversies > Fish and other seafood are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which > send cholesterol from the body's cells to the liver to be broken down. > Flaxseeds are also great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The > Mediterraneans and East Asians (especially Okinawans) consume a diet > with moderate amounts of fish and live longer than the rest of the > world. Although it is likely that seafood contributes to their > longevity, it is possible that they live so long despite their > consumption of seafood and not because of it. Recently, I have looked > at the food labels of fish in various grocery stores and noticed that > one serving of fish usually contained 18% to 30% of the USRDA > recommendation for cholesterol. Eighteen percent fat is not that high, > but most of the fish approached 30% of the USRDA recommendation for > cholesterol, which is quite high. In addition, the meat, egg, and > dairy industry have a lot of control over the USRDA. The human body > does not need dietary cholesterol; it produces all of the cholesterol > that is necessary. Not only are people unaware that seafood is high in > cholesterol, but many people do not know that seafood increases the > risk of mercury poisoning. Mercury is a neurotoxin that causes brain > damage. The connection between brain damage and mercury poisoning from > fish was discovered in Japan. > In the Mediterranean and East Asia, other dietary choices may have more > to do with the people's longevity than fish consumption. In Okinawa, > people consume fish about three times per week and not on a daily > basis. Okinawans are generally lactose-intolerant and refrain from > dairy milk after infancy. Interestingly, Okinawans have lower rates of > osteoporosis than Americans do. In addition, the American Dietetic > Association states that vegetarians and vegans have lower rates of > osteoporosis than people who consume dairy milk and other animal > products. Vegetables are also rich in anti-oxidants, which prevent > oxygen from forming dangerous compounds, thus lowering the risk of > cancer and heart disease. Soy and other beans are rich in protein, > iron, calcium, and complex carbohydrates. The Okinawans also consume > seaweed, which is rich in iron, calcium, and vitamin B12. > The Mediterraneans consume more fish and meat than Okinawans. Although > they consume more fish than Americans do, it is likely that other > factors play a greater role than fish consumption. Mediterraneans > consume less red meat than Americans do, but the main dietary reason > for their longevity is that they consume relatively large amounts of > mono-unsaturated fats from olives and other vegetables. They also > consume large quantities of whole grains and chickpeas. Rice and beans > are staples in the diet of many Mediterranean nations. Of course, I > cannot refute that fish contribute to their long lives. However, whole > grains, beans, and vegetables probably have more to do with the > longevity of Mediterraneans than fish consumption does. > Although whole grains have protein, folic acid, complex carbohydrates, > fiber, and other nutrients, they are not necessarily a vital food > group. Humans did not consume grains until the agricultural > revolution. James Watson, the Nobel Prize-winner for discovering the > double helix, states that it is nearly impossible to avoid genetically > modified food because even grains are crossbreed grasses. Humans breed > grass several thousands of years ago to make wheat and other grains; it > does not come straight from nature. One of the main reasons that the > USRDA and other dietary authorities recommend 6-11 servings of grain is > that the grain industry has the strongest lobby in the USRDA. The > grain industry is even more powerful than the meat and dairy industry. > In fact, America feeds most of its grain to farm animals that produce > meat and dairy milk. The US also sells a lot of its grain to other > nations at low costs, or they donate it. The reason why America gives > so much grain for low prices or free to cattle and people of other > nations is to keep the price of American from being too low. Grains > are the easiest way to feed large amounts of people, but that is not > because they are the most important food group. Grains are simply the > cheapest foods to produce in large quantities, which is necessary > during wars or during times of food shortages. > I am not suggesting that fish and grains are unhealthy. However, they > have an undeserved reputation of being necessary. Just as white bread > and table sugar are refined carbohydrates, grains are refined > vegetables. Vegetables, except for potatoes, are healthier sources of > carbohydrates than grains. I would not recommend giving up grains > because vegetables are very low in protein and total Calories although > beans and chickpeas are high in complex carbohydrates. I do not > abstain from grains, but I usually consume three or less servings of > grains per day and get most of my carbohydrates from vegetables and > beans. I recommend that Americans limit but not eliminate grain > consumption. Likewise, I do not recommend giving up animal products > because very few plants have sufficient amounts of vitamin B12. > Although there are plant sources of vitamin B12, most Americans do not > have the extensive knowledge or dedication to consume an all-plant > diet. > A > Plant-Based Diet > The truth is that vitamin B12 neither comes from plants or animals but > rather from bacteria. Herbivorous animals get vitamin B12 from > bacteria that are absorbed in their liver. Plants sometimes absorb > vitamin B12 from bacteria that are absorbed in soil or from manure, but > they are still usually poor sources of vitamin B12. I recommend that > people who abstain from animal products consume vitamin B12 in > supplemented form. Although fortified soymilk and cereals as well as > multivitamins come to mind, you can also get vitamin B12 from bacteria > supplements. You can buy pro-biotics, which are healthy bacteria in > capsules. If you prefer to avoid capsules and consume bacteria in a > more natural form, you can buy yeast at almost any grocery store. > Many athletes consume a plant-based diet. Carl Lewis, the Olympic gold > medalist, and Dave Scott, the five-time winner of the Ironman > Triathlon, consumed vegan diets during their peak years. Bill Pearl, > the most successful bodybuilder in history, eliminated meat and fish > from his diet and still won Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia contests. He > participated in professional body building competitions during his > mid-fifties while Arnold Schwarzenegger stopped participating in such > competitions before reaching his forties. Arnold Schwarzenegger could > not maintain his professional level of fitness training while acting in > movies and participating in politics. However, he still engaged in a > large amount of weightlifting and consumed a similar diet while acting > in movies. Many people do not realize that he suffered from heart > problems and muscle tumors during training. This is actually common in > bodybuilders. Bill Pearl had a very high cholesterol level prior to > abstaining from meat and fish. Although steroids were the main cause > for Arnold Schwarzenegger's health problems, his high consumption of > animal protein also contributed to such his physical ailments. > Anthropological evidence suggests that a primarily plant-based diet is > natural for the human body. Humans are physiologically and genetically > very similar to chimps, apes, gorillas, monkeys, and other primates. > Primates consume an omnivorous diet but they get most of their > nutrients from plants. Humans share 98% of the same DNA as chimps and > about close to the same genetic similarity as other primates. Although > I do not consider this a legitimate reason to avoid animal products, I > still feel that animal products should not be a regular part of the > human diet. In addition to our genetic similarity to primates, our > bodies do not have the necessary features to consume large quantities > of animal products. Although we have incisors to chew meat, they may > be for nuts and other hard foods. Humans do not have claws like other > flesh-eating animals, thus humans did not eat flesh until developing > sharp tools and discovering fire. > The Australopithecus ramidus, the first species of humans, was an > herbivore and lived 5 million years ago. The Homo habilis, who arose > 4.5 million years ago, is the first species of humans that consumed > meat. However, they did not hunt but rather scavenged for dead animals > that other animals hunted or partially ate. The Homo erectus first > started hunting about 2 million years ago. The Homo erectus is the > first species with a body frame that is similar to modern humans, or > Homo sapiens sapiens. Although the first humans did not hunt, perhaps > modern humans evolved from species that require some animal flesh. > Nonetheless, most of these species still consumed very small quantities > of animal flesh. > In 1978, to researchers named Hamilton and Busse did research on 21 > species of primates. They found that animal consumption is inversely > proportional to size. In other words, smaller primates consume more > meat while larger primates consume very little meat. The smallest > primate weighed 65 g as an adult and consumed a diet of 70% animal > matter. However, the adult gorilla is the largest primate at 126 kg > and consumes a diet of 1%-2% animal matter. The adult orangutan, who > weighs an average of 58 kg, also consumes a diet of 1-2% animal matter. > Most adult humans weight roughly as much or slightly more than > orangutans, suggesting that the natural human diet is approximately > 1-2% animal matter. However, despite our similarity to primates, these > facts cannot be used to confirm the optimal human diet. Unlike > primates, humans are much very much separated from the natural world, > and the most natural diet does not necessarily mean the same thing as > the healthiest diet. > The human digestive system is quite similar but not exactly like the > digestive system of herbivores. Humans have a trunk that is one-tenth > the length of their bowels. Herbivores have a trunk that is > one-fifteenth the length of their bowels. Carnivores have trunk that > are one-third the length of their bowels. The stomach is in the trunk. > Carnivores need a large trunk in proportion to their bowels because > flesh requires more effort to digest than plants. Herbivores have a > smaller trunk to bowel ratio because plants are not as difficult to > digest. Humans have a digestive tract similar to primates, who are > omnivorous. However, most primates mostly consume raw fruits and > vegetables (such as leaves); they only scavenge for animal flesh or > hunt small mammals occasionally. > Humans did not consume eggs until the agricultural revolution. Like > other mammals, humans consume dairy milk during infancy and early > childhood, but we did not consume milk past infancy and from another > species until the agricultural revolution. Prior to the agricultural > revolution, humans only consumed milk from their mothers, and they only > consumed milk during infancy and early childhood. > Although the human body seems to lack the mechanisms for consuming > animal products without equipment, this does not necessarily mean that > humans are naturally herbivores. Even chimps, which many people think > are herbivores, occasionally kill small mammals and scavenge for food. > In addition, many primates consume insects, which do not require > cooking or claws. Unlike humans, many primates eat their own feces; > feces contain vitamin B12, but the human digestive system does not have > the mechanical and biochemical attributes to digest feces. Prior to > the agricultural revolution, humans were not able to produce very large > quantities of food, so perhaps they needed to start consuming animal > products to sustain themselves. Maybe humans evolved to hunt and eat > meat because of the spread of glaciers during the Ice Age, which > destroyed a lot of plant life. Because we do not have any recorded > history of the human diet, we cannot be sure why humans evolved to > consume animal products. Although we have fossilized feces, these > fossils are small in amount, and they only tell what diets humans > consumed and not which diets were optimal for health. > Regardless of the evolution of humans and their diets, it is best to > limit consumption of animal products. It is possible for humans to > eliminate animal foods from their diet, but it is best that vegans > supplement their vitamin B12 with multi-vitamins, fortified foods, and > bacteria from yeast or pro-biotics. > A Natural Diet > Industrialized nations have a higher life expectancy than developing > nations. It is true that people in developing nations consume a more > natural diet than Americans, Europeans, the Japanese, and other people > in industrialized nations. People in agricultural and hunter-gatherer > societies do not die sooner because they consume a less nutritious > diet. They die sooner primarily because the sanitation and healthcare > system in such nations are poor compared to American and European > standards. In addition, dictators who control the food supplies and > cause famines rule many of these nations. People in such nations > suffer from tribal warfare, civil war, outbreaks of viruses and > parasitic insects, and other problems. However, the diet in such > nations is much healthier than the diet in most industrialized nations. > Interestingly, the longest-living people in the world are Okinawans, > who are mostly farmers. Okinawa is the poorest province of Japan, and > few Okinawans have modern conveniences such as air conditioning and > refrigeration. However, they consume a diet high in vegetables (7-13 > servings per day) and low in animal products (three servings of fish > per week and virtually no meat, eggs, and dairy products). Vegetables > not only have a low Caloric-density (i.e. less Calories per given mass > of food), but they also have anti-oxidants, which are substances that > bind to oxygen to prevent oxygen from binding to other substances that > form dangerous compounds; such compounds increase the risk of cancer, > heart disease, and other chronic health problems. > It is best to consume a diet consisting mostly of raw foods. The > process of cooking usually reduces nutritional content because it > causes chemical reactions that alter some of the nutrients, although > there are a few nutrients like lycopene in tomatoes that absorb more > easily after cooking. I do not recommend abstaining from cooked > foods, but it is best to have as much raw food as possible to maximize > nutritional intake. Although most people, are used to eating beans > cooked, you can actually eat raw bean sprouts. > The Culture of the American Diet > Unfortunately, an unhealthy diet is very much a part of American > culture. We eat cakes during birthday parties and weddings. During > adolescence and adulthood, we celebrate many events with beer. For > lunch breaks, we go to fast food restaurants and gorge on burgers and > other junk food. When we go out and eat with friends or family, we > usually eat unhealthy foods such as steaks while drinking sodas or > alcoholic beverages. Teachers reward good behavior and attentiveness > with candy. Although there is nothing wrong with occasionally > consuming junk food, most Americans consume junk food everyday. > Although unhealthy eating can be difficult to avoid, there are healthy > alternatives to satisfy such cravings. Instead of candy and ice cream, > strawberries and other fruits are healthier desserts. I have made a > pie in which I made the crust from walnuts chopped in a blender while > making the filling from raw kiwi, strawberries, and mangoes. Many of > my friends say that this pie tasted great. Not only is this pie free > from the saturated fat and refined sugar from traditional pies, but it > is uncooked. Although I do not recommend eliminating cooked foods from > a diet, cooking slightly reduces nutritional content of foods, > especially protein. Instead of red meat, fish is a healthier > alternative. Beans, chickpeas, and soy products are also healthy > sources of protein. I make a very tasty curry made from soy yogurt, > tomato sauce, spices (curry powder, garlic, paprika, lemon pepper), and > vegetables (mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, and > carrots). I sometimes add tofu or beans to the curry. This curry is > healthy and delicious. When eating salads, humus is a healthier > alternative to salad dressing, which is usually high in saturated fat. > > Physical Activity > Nutrition is only half the battle. We need to increase our levels of > physical activity. Most agencies such as the American College of > Sports Medicine and Center for Disease Control recommend twenty to > thirty minutes of physical activity three to five days per week. I > cannot blame them because it would be unrealistic to ask most Americans > to do more. However, even this recommendation is inadequate. I would > recommend that Americans gradually increase their level of physical > activity to approximately one hour per day. It is okay to do more than > one hour on some days and less than an hour on other days. Although > rest is necessary, light walking or other physical movement is > necessary to reduce muscle soreness. In addition, the nervous system > needs some stimulation to maintain strength in the muscles, lungs, and > heart. Unless an individual experiences an emergency health problem > requiring bed rest, total inactivity in an entire day weakens the body. > Although most Americans know the importance of physical activity, very > few people feel motivated to be physically active. Even as a personal > trainer and fitness expert, I relapse into physical inactivity from > time to time. The greatest motivating factor to stay physically active > is to engage in enjoyable physical activities. Many people play sports > such as basketball or ultimate Frisbee for enjoyment, although they > increase physical fitness in the process. Many athletes participate in > sports such as football and basketball for competition, yet most > athletes are very physically fit. People dance at parties and clubs > for enjoyment, but dancing is also a wonderful physical activity. My > twin brother and I enjoy martial arts training. I have incorporated > martial arts training with many of my clients when personal training. > One activity I like is shadowboxing, which involves holding dumbbells > in each hand while pretending to box somebody. Recently, I came-up > with some goofy exercises. One workout involves playing solo > volleyball with three balloons. To clarify, I use three balloons and > hit them in the air; the goal is to keep them in the air and away from > the ground. Twenty minutes of this activity with three balloons is > exhausting, but is very enjoyable. For lower-functioning individuals, > one or two balloons may be more appropriate. I also recently started > jumping like a child, bunny rabbit, or monkey. I have two rice bags > filled with a total of forty-five pounds together. Sometimes I may > jump while holding the bags, although I only do this for a minute at a > time. Another idea is to incorporate physical activity in daily > routines. For example, when cooking, I may jump or practice martial > arts while waiting for the food to cook. Other people may prefer > walking, jogging in place, dancing, or some other activity. It is a > good idea to do a little bit of physical activity whenever one is > experiencing down time or waiting for something, even if the wait is > brief. At the end of the day, this physical activity can add up. > Although many people consider me very fit, I am probably less fit than > most of the world's population. I barely do an hour of exercise per > day and sometimes do two hours of physical activity, although I usually > exercise at 75-85% of my maximum heart rate. Nonetheless, I engage in > less physical activity than most people in the world do. Farmers in > Africa, India, China, Southeast Asia, and Latin America spend ten to > twelve hours each day to obtain food and water. They have to walk > everywhere because they do not have automobiles. Because they do not > have television or videogames, they usually engage in physically active > leisure activities such as dancing or sports. Although people in such > nations live shorter lives than most Americans and Europeans, it is not > because of the long hours of physical activity. Oppressive rulers, > civil and tribal wars, artificial famines, inadequate healthcare, and > poor sanitation are the main reasons that these people live shorter > lives than people do in industrialized nations. Okinawa does not > suffer from oppressive leadership or massive violence, and it has a > healthcare system that integrates western medicine and traditional > Okinawan medicine. Okinawans still engage in roughly the same amount > of physical activity as people in other agricultural societies. Their > balance between modern healthcare and traditional lifestyle is probably > why they live longer than the rest of the world. Armenia, Cuba, and > Greece are some other third world nations that have a higher life > expectancy and lower infant mortality rate than the US. > It is not realistic for most Americans to engage in so much physical > activity, but we can gradually approach a level of physical activity > close to our agricultural counterparts. We can engage in numerous > short bursts of physical activity during idle time such as when we are > waiting for something. We can also reduce our participation in > watching television and other sedentary activities and replace them > with more active leisure choices. In addition, we can exercise while > watching television or cooking. Ultra-marathon runners and Ironman > Triathlon participants usually have occupations similar to most > Americans, yet they spend several hours training each day. This is a > healthy level of physical activity as long as we approach it gradually. > However, it is dangerous to engage in such high levels of physical > activity quickly. Because such training may be dull and monotonous for > most people, I recommend that individuals engage in physically > activities that they view as more enjoyable. I would never train for > an Ironman Triathlon or ultra-marathon, but I would like to engage in > such a level of exercise by doing activities like martial arts, balloon > ball, dancing, and jumping like a monkey or rabbit. > The Mind-Body Connection > A healthy mind is another important aspect of good health. > Some people smoke, consume an unhealthy diet, and engage in very little > physical activity yet still live until the age of 100 or older. There > are very few centenarians with unhealthy lifestyles, but such > "unhealthy centenarians" still exist. This is because both the > mind and lifestyle habits affect physiological health. The nervous > system regulates every organ of the body, thus the though process > affects physiologic functions. Nearly eighty percent of all doctor's > visits are related to stress. Mental stress directly affects the onset > of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, anxiety, depression, and > numerous other diseases, although other factors also play a role. A > healthy mind reduce blood pressure, secretion of stress hormones such > as cortical, and respiration rate. A healthy mind also strengthens the > immune system by increasing activity of immunoglobulin, T cells, and B > cells, which are the "soldiers" of the immune system. This lowers > the risk of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, ulcers, and other > conditions. However, the immune system's cells also fight against > the flu, tuberculosis, AIDS, and other infectious diseases. > Working Wellness > Bad health is a drain on the economy as well as the body. Each year, > corporations spend hundreds of billions of dollars on Medicaid, > Medicare, and other health insurance plans. Such health insurance > plans cover heart disease, cancer, back problems, depression, anxiety, > osteoporosis, arthritis, and several other health problems. In 1978, > American corporations lost $19.4 billion in production because of > premature coronary death; they paid an additional $15 billion for > employee sick leaves. In 1989, absenteeism from depression cost > employers $17 billion. In 1993, employers spent approximately $700 > billion to replace employees who quit before reaching the official > retirement age because of coronary heart disease. Of course, the > corporations are not the only people with the financial burden. The > victims of the diseases and their families sometimes have to pay out of > their pockets. In addition, the corporations make their revenue from > customers, thus the money that corporations use to pay for health > insurance comes from employees of other agencies. In the end, > employees and employers pay for the burden of chronic mental and > physical health problems. > Corporate fitness and wellness programs are emerging to prevent the > expenses of compensation leave and health insurance. The Canada Life > Assurance Company and the North American Life Assurance Company found > that after instituting on-site exercise programs for managers, > productivity increased three percent and a twenty-two percent reduction > in absenteeism. In the US, Control Data reduced health care costs by > fifty-percent for employees that were not in corporate fitness > programs. > Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are wellness programs that treat > mental health. Some corporations are starting EAPs and have found that > they save a lot of money in the process. The Kimberly-Clark > Corporation reduced on-the-job accidents by seventy percent after > instituting an EAP. General Motors states that instituting an EAP > reduced their expenditures on employee sickness and accidents by sixty > percent. The success of EAPs may be why eighty percent of Fortune 500 > companies have established EAPs within the last five to seven years. > Not everyone works for a company that has the resources to establish > an Employee Assistance Program. There are simple things that people of > all socio-economic statuses can do to reduce stress and increase mental > health. Slow, deep breathing from the diaphragm is a very effective > way to calm the mind and body. The diaphragm is just above the > abdomen. It is best to breathe through the diaphragm and have expand > the abdomen while breathing in while bring the abdomen back in when > breathing out. To simplify, think of a balloon. As you breathe air > into it, it expands. Likewise, expand your abdomen as you breathe air > into your body. As you let air out of the balloon, it shrinks. > Likewise, as you breathe air out of your body, your abdomen should > retract. > Although most people can practice breathing exercises to reduce > stress, changing the thought process is difficult. Life is very hectic > and stressful. However, we can still regulate our thought process. > Despite our stressful lifestyles, we all are lucky to have our family > and friends. Simply taking time to be mindful of our blessings has > great psychological and physiological benefits. It is good to thank > people and smile as much as possible. These few things take up very > little time but have drastic health benefits. We can also try to look > at the bright side of situations and even find humor in stress. > I hope that this essay is beneficial. To summarize, eating a diet > rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains and low in animal > products and refined carbohydrates followed by plenty of physical > exercise is essential. The easiest way to be physically active is to > participate in enjoyable activities. A healthy mindset is another > important aspect of good health. If we eat healthier, exercise more, > and think more positively, we will reduce a many physical ailments and > save billions of dollars each year. Most importantly, we will live > happier and longer lives. > > > > > > > > > Works Cited > Balady, Gary; Berra, Kathy; Godling, Lawrence A; Gordon, Neil F, > Mahler, Donald A; > Myers, Jonathan N; and Sheldahl, Lois M (2000). ACSM's Guidelines > For > Exercise Testing and Prescription. American College of Sports > Medicine: > pp. 4, 5, 63, 151, 153 > > O' Hara Ph.D, Valerie (1995). Wellness 9 to 5: Managing Stress at > Work. MJF Books, > New York: pp. 178, 198, 206 > > Duyff, Roberta Larson (1998). The American Dietetic Association's > Complete Food & > Nutrition Guide. Chronimed Publishing: pp. 2, 4, 8, 23, 27, 35-39, > 42-44, 145, > 559-561, 563, 565 > > Humphries, Bronwen (1994). "The Diet of Early Humans: What did our > first ancestors > eat?" <http://www.ivu.org/history/early/ancestors.html> > > Lewis, Carl. "Carl Lewis on Being Vegan." Excerpt from Carl > Lewis' introduction to > Very Vegetarian. <http://www.earthsave.org/lifestyle/carllewis.htm> > > Saul, Bradley (2005). "Vegan Athletes Flex Their Muscles." > Medical News Today. > <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=26480&nfid=rssfeeds> > > Suzuki MD, Makato; Willcox MD, Bradley; and Willcox Ph.D, Craig. > "The Okinawa > Centenarian Study." <http://okinawaprogram.com/study.html> > > Weis, Dennis B. "Bill Pearl's Super Nutrition Seminar." > http://www.dennisbweis.com/Articles/...trategies.html > |
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