BEST WORKOUT FOR PEOPLE OVER 40

BEST WORKOUT FOR PEOPLE OVER 40

As we get older, we start to lose vitamins and minerals and our health deteriorates. Our bones become smaller, weaker and more prone to serious injuries. We start to lose our strength and our cardiovascular health begins its downward spiral.

Our skin begins to lose some of its natural elasticity and starts to sag. Instead of waiting for all kinds of diseases, we can choose to fight back. We can choose to exercise. A few of the hundreds of benefits of weightlifting and exercising include the prevention of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, psychological effects and many more.

Studies show that 13.5 million people have coronary heart disease, 1.5 million people have heart attacks per year, 8 million people have onset diabetes, 100,000 people are diagnosed with colon cancer each year, 250,000 people suffer from hip fractures per year, 50 million people have high blood pressure and over 60 million people are overweight. All this can be prevented with regular exercise and a good diet. Come on, what have you got to lose.

The older you get, the weaker your body becomes. An adult over age 40 should start to experience a decrease in muscle size, strength and recovery time. Bones becomes increasingly more fragile and more prone for injury. Testosterone levels begin to decrease and the ability to build quality muscle decreases greatly. Joints begin to ache after a hard day’s work. However, there is an easy way to slow this aging process down. Simply follow a good diet with a good routine and you can slow down this decay on your body.

THE WORKOUT:

Do 5 minutes of light cardio before workouts to get the blood flowing through the body. Do 30 minute of moderate intensity cardio after workouts. Be sure to stretch before and after workouts. Allow 2-to-3 minute rest periods between each set.

CHEST / TRICEPS DAYS:

• Chair Upper Body Stretch: Sit on the edge of a chair, gripping the back of it. Straighten your arms, keeping your back straight, and let your upper body pull you forward so you feel a stretch.

            Chair Upper Body Stretch. 

• Doorway Chest Stretch: Face perpendicular at the end of a wall and place the inside of bent arm on the surface of wall. Turn the body away from the positioned arm. You should feel a nice stretch on your chest. Hold for ten seconds.
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•                                                  Doorway Stretch. 

• Overhead Tricep Stretch: Raise you right arm in the air and drop your hands and forearms towards your neck. With the left hand, push your right elbow back until you feel a nice stretch on your triceps. Hold for ten seconds.

                                               Overhead Tricep Stretch. 

BACK / BICEPS DAYS:

• Middle Back Stretch: Stand so your feet are shoulder width apart and your hands are on your hips. Twist at your waist until you feel a stretch. Hold for 10-to-15 seconds, then twist to the other side.

 

Middle Back Stretch. 

• Standing Torso Reach: Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart and facing forward. Place your right hand on your right hip and reach you left arm over your head to bend your torso until you feel a stretch through your sides. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat for your other side.

  

Standing Torso Reach. 

• Standing Bicep Stretch: Clasp hands behind the back with palms facing together. Straighten and rotate arms so that the palms are facing downward. Raise the arm away from the body. Hold this stretch for approximately 10 seconds and repeat with the other arm.

 

Standing Bicep Stretch. 

SHOULDER / TRAPS DAYS:

• Side Wrist Pull: This stretch works best standing. Cross your left arm over the midline of your body and hold the left wrist in your right hand down at the level of your hips. Start the stretch with a bent left arm. Slowly straighten, pull, and lift it up to shoulder height, as pictured. Feel this stretch originate in your back, not your shoulders, and don't pull too hard on the shoulder joints. Switch sides.

  


Side Wrist Pull. 

• Hands Interlocked Over Head: Interlock your fingers above your head, palms facing upward, and push your hands farther above your head until you feel a stretch in your shoulders.

 

Hands Interlocked Over Head. 

• Rear Deltoid Stretch: Position arms across the neck. With the other hand, push the elbow toward the neck area. You should feel a nice stretch on your posterior deltoids. If you don't feel it, push the wrist instead of the elbow for greater leverage. Hold the stretch for ten seconds and repeat with the other arm.

  

Rear Deltoid Stretch. 

• Trapezius Stretch: On your hands and knees, pull your belly and round your spine completely - lower back, shoulders and neck (let your head drop). Hold for 15 seconds.

 

Trapezius Stretch. 

Healthy Foods That Help Slow Aging

Healthy Foods That Help Slow Aging

Salmon.  It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation.  The best choice is wild-caught salmon. Herring, mackerel, and sardines are also loaded with omega-3s.

Walnuts. These nuts are another plentiful source of omega-3s and other healthful compounds, including vitamin e, which is a powerful immune booster.

Onions. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant that prevents harmful enzymes from triggering inflammation. Onions also contain sulfur compounds that bolster the immune system. Other good sources of quercetin include apples, broccoli, red wine, red grapes, grape juice, and tea.

Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are rich in carotenoids, a type of antioxidant known for boosting immunity and preventing inflammation. Not a sweet-potato kind of guy or gal? Try chomping down on other orange, red, yellow, or green fruits and veggies like carrots, yellow squash, peppers, and mangoes.

Spinach. Spinach also has carotenoids, not to mention immune-boosting vitamin E. Any green leafy vegetable is powerful for immune support.

Garlic. Like onions, garlic is rich in sulfur compounds that boost the activity of immune cells. Garlic is also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.

Pineapple. Bromelain, found in pineapple, is an enzyme that decreases inflammation and confers some immune-enhancing effects. Pineapple is also an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamin C.

Ginger. Fresh ginger root acts as an anti-inflammatory. It works by dampening the action of inflammation-promoting enzymes in the body.

Any and all vegetables. Besides the veggies I mentioned above, I want to emphasize the importance of all vegetables for circulatory health. Vegetables, which many people now refer to as “plant foods,” contain phytonutrients—protective disease-fighting substances in foods. some of these may help the body produce nitric oxide, which is a vasodilator and can help reduce blood pressure.

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF WATER MELON

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF WATERMELON

Despite popular belief that watermelon is made up of only water and sugar, watermelon is actually considered a nutrient dense food, a food that provides a high amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for a low amount of calories.

Consuming fruits and vegetables of all kinds has long been associated with a reduced risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions. Many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant foods like watermelon decreases the risk of obesity and overall mortality, diabetes, heart disease and promotes a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy, overall lower weight. Along with cantaloupe and honeydew, watermelons are a member of the botanical family Cucurbitaceae

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BENEFITS OF WATERMELON:

Asthma prevention: The risks for developing asthma are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients. One of these nutrients is vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables including watermelon.

Blood pressure:  A study published by the American Journal of Hypertension found that watermelon extract supplementation reduced ankle blood pressure, brachial blood pressure and carotid wave reflection in obese middle-aged adults with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension and that watermelon extract improved arterial function.

Cancer:   As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C as well as other antioxidants, watermelon can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. Lycopene intake has been linked with a decreased risk of prostate cancer prevention in several studies.

Digestion and regularity:  Watermelon, because of its water and fiber content, helps to prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

Hydration: Made up of 92% water and full of important electrolytes, watermelon is a great snack to have on hand during the hot months to prevent dehydration.

Inflammation: Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in watermelon that aids our bodies in sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation.

Muscle soreness: Watermelon and watermelon juice have been shown to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery time following exercise in athletes. Researchers believe this is likely do to the amino acid L-citrulline contained in watermelon.

Skin: Watermelon is also great for your skin because it contains vitamin A, a nutrient required for sebum production that keeps hair moisturized. Vitamin A is also necessary for the growth of all bodily tissues, including skin and hair.

Adequate intake of vitamin C (one cup of watermelon provides 21% of daily needs) is also needed for the building and maintenance of collagen, which provides structure to skin and hair. Watermelon also contributes to overall hydration, which is vital for having healthy looking skin and hair.

EAT A CARROT TODAY

EAT  A CARROT TODAY

Carrots are one of the most widely used and enjoyed vegetables in the world, partly because they grow relatively easily, and are very versatile in a number of dishes and cultural cuisines. Carrots are scientifically classified as Daucus carota, and it is categorized as a root vegetable. It is typically orange in color, but purple, white, yellow, and red carrots are out there, just not as common. The taproot of the carrot is the part of the vegetable most commonly eaten, although the greens are still beneficial in salads and other forms.

1.         Prevention of Heart Disease: In a study meant to reveal the therapeutic value of carrots,  it was revealed that cholesterol level drops by an average of 11 percent if seven ounces of raw carrots per day are taken for three weeks.High cholesterol is a major factor for heart disease. Since regular consumption of carrots reduces cholesterol levels, it is a good idea to consume a healthy dose of carrots, in order to prevent heart-related problems.

2.         Blood Pressure: Next time you start getting riled up about something and your blood begins to boil, eat a carrot! Carrots are rich sources of potassium, which is a vasodilator and can relax the tension in your blood vessels and arteries, thereby increasing blood flow and circulation, boosting organ function throughout the body, and reducing the stress on the cardiovascular system. High blood pressure is also directly linked to atherosclerosis, strokes, and heart attacks, so this is yet another heart-healthy aspect of carrots! The coumarin found in carrots also has been linked to reducing hypertension and protecting your heart health!

3.         Digestion: Carrots, like most vegetables, have significant amounts of dietary fiber in those orange roots, and fiber is one of the most important elements in maintaining good digestive health. Fiber adds bulk to stool, which helps it to pass smoothly through the digestive.Altogether, this reduces the severity of conditions like constipation, and protects your colon and stomach from various serious illnesses, including colorectal cancer. Another study shows that women who ate raw carrots were five to eight times less likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not eat carrots.

4.         Macular Degeneration: This is a common eye disease of the elderly that impairs the function of the macula. Research has found that people who ate the most amount of beta-carotene had a forty percent lower risk of macular degeneration compared with those who consumed the least. Beta-carotene can also split itself via an enzymatic reaction to form provitamin A, which is often associated with antioxidant capacity in relation to vision. Therefore, carrots are an all-around vision booster.

5.         Improves Eyesight: Deficiency of vitamin A can cause some difficulty seeing in dim light. Since carrots are rich in vitamin A, it is good for improving eyesight and preventing conditions like night blindness from developing as we age.

6.         Stroke: Eating a carrot every day reduces the risk of stroke by 68%. Many studies have strengthened the belief in the “carrot effect” on the brain. Studies conducted on stroke patients revealed that those with highest levels of beta carotene had the highest survival rate.

7.         Diabetes: Carrots are good for blood sugar regulation due to the presence of carotenoids in this delicious vegetable. Carotenoids inversely affect insulin resistance and thus lower blood sugar, thereby helping diabetic patients live a normal, healthy life. They also regulate the amount of insulin and glucose that is being used and metabolized by the body, providing a more even and healthy fluctuation for diabetic patients.

Carrots have antiseptic qualities and can therefore be used as laxatives, vermicides and as a remedy for liver conditions. Carrot oil is good for dry skin because it makes the skin softer, smoother and firmer. Furthermore, carrot juice improves stomach and gastrointestinal health.

Thus, carrots, as raw fruits, juice or in cooked form, are always a good choice for your health!