Fitness For Older Women - 10 Years Younger With Strength Training

Title:Fitness For Older Women - 10 Years Younger With Strength TrainingWord Count:859Summary:Fitness for women is not the sole domain of the body conscious or the 20 somethings. Discoverhow the changes within a group of post menopausal women following a training program ledthem to activities their children were doing - including rollerblading and raft tripping throughthe Grand Canyon.Keywords:fitness for older women, fitness for women, fitnessArticle Body:Strength training has a lot of advantages for women, and particularly for women aged 35 to 40and older. By the age of 40, women generally begin to lose bone density and muscle mass. Onestudy at Tufts University, designed by the author of 'Strong Women Stay Young', MiriamNelson PH.D, found that instead of losing bone density and muscle mass, the women were 15 to20 years younger after one year of weight training. They gained bone density, and their strengthtests matched women who were in their 30's and 40's.These women didn't diet, but they did end up looking slimmer. Some lost 1 or 2 dress sizes, andthey all replaced fat with muscle. Because muscle weighs more than fat, this is the reason theylooked slimmer, though the scales may not have changed much.The women in this study were all post menopausal, and some of their ages were in the 50's and60's. They made some remarkable changes in their lives as they got stronger. One womandescribed going rollerblading with her children. Another went canoeing with her husband. Morethan any pills or potions, strength training gave these women back a youthfulness some didn'teven have to that degree in the first place.The women in this study used leg weights and free hand weights that were adjustible in theirstrength training program. They started at a level they were able to - even if this was the lightestweights available. They didn't buy lots of expensive equipment or home gyms, and many ofthese can be bought second hand with a little research locally. As they developed their strength,they invested in heavier weights.

For the strap on ankle weights, they started with 1 to 3 kilograms in each cuff. The suggestedankle cuffs hold up to 10 kilograms each. The dumbells they used for their arms were adjustable,and they started with 1 or 2 kilograms. The only other equipment they needed was a chair,somewhere to store the weights, and a towel. Because you're working out in your own homeyou don't need to buy expensive or flashy gym clothes, or worry about feeling the odd one out.The workout itself is in the book, Stong Women Stay Young. It covers a range of basicexercises that don't take up too much time, which is suggested you do twice a week. Eachsession takes about 40 minutes including warming up and cooling down.Tips for women working out with weights at home* Make sure the area you're working in doesn't have rugs, electrical cords, toys and other itemsthat you can trip over* Keep your pets and young children away from this area whilst you're working out* If you're using a chair when you do exercises, make sure it's on a carpet that won't slidearound. If you don't have carpet, put the chair against the wall so it stays stable* If you have problems with your back, you'll need to be careful when you're carrying your freeweights around. Take a few trips to carry things if you have to move them in or out of a storagearea. And make sure you lift them properly by bending your knees and moving slowly.* It helps to keep the weights you're not currently using in their container. That way they can'tbe knocked off by curious children.* If you're using leg weights, don't walk around with them on. It could affect your balance. Andif you trip on something, you are more likely to injure yourself than normal* Keep the telephone off the hook, and the cellphone off. That way if someone rings you won'tbe interrupted* Make sure you have some drinking water nearby in case you get thirsty.* Don't drink any alcohol, even a little bit, less than a couple of hours before you exercise* Try and make sure you haven't just eaten a meal before you work out. But by the same token,make sure you're not starving! If you're really hungry, you could become light headed or dizzywhen you work out.* Don't forget to warm up!* If you're using weights, try doing them in front of a mirror so you can check your posture.You'll get more out of the exercise, and work the right muscles. Sometimes our posturebecomes so habitual we don't realize it's not quite right until we see it* If you're using weights, a good posture means you're chin is down slightly, so that it's alignedwith your neck. Your neck is in line with your spine, shoulders are straight and not stiff, back isstraight, and your knees are not locked or bent. Your pelvis should be tucked under a little* When using weights, do the lifts slowly. This really works the muscles instead of letting themotion do the work for you.* Make sure you pause for a count between lifting the weight up, and lowering it* Don't hold your breath whilst you're lifting wights. Given that we're contracting muscles,sometimes we unconsciously hold our breaths at the same time. Remember to breath, but don'tgo the other extreme and hyperventilate!References: Miriam Nelson and Sarah Wernick, Strong Women Stay Young (Lothian)

Title:Kids with Asthma - Help Them Stay HealthyWord Count:665Summary:Childhood breathing problems can be stressful and frightening for parents. After all, you wantyour child to be able to play just like every other child. You don't want him or her to have tolive in a bubble or struggle to breathe.Unfortunately, breathing problems--usually related to asthma and allergies--are becoming moreand more common in Western countries. Experts are still exploring why this is so. But thebottom line is, if you're a parent of a young child, there's a good chance you'll have to deal withasthma at some point in time.Keywords:asthma,breathing,children,parent,coadArticle Body:Childhood breathing problems can be stressful and frightening for parents. After all, you wantyour child to be able to play just like every other child. You don't want him or her to have tolive in a bubble or struggle to breathe.Unfortunately, breathing problems--usually related to asthma and allergies--are becoming moreand more common in Western countries. Experts are still exploring why this is so. But thebottom line is, if you're a parent of a young child, there's a good chance you'll have to deal withasthma at some point in time.So what is a parent to do? Just give up and accept that your child will never be \"normal\"? Ofcourse not! The good news is, there are quite a few positive actions you can take that will go along way towards helping your child live a happy, active life.Here are three main steps you can take to help keep your child with asthma healthy...Step 1: First, you need to understand asthma.Knowledge is power, and knowing what actions to take start with understanding what's goingon in your child's body. Asthma is a chronic breathing problem that interferes with your child'sability to get air in and out of his or her lungs.When your child has asthma, the airways often become red, swollen and irritated. This meansthe passages become narrower, which makes it harder for the air to flow in and out. Also, theairways overreact by producing large amounts of mucus, which can clog the airways further.This causes symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.There is no cure for asthma, but there are many medicines and treatments that can keep it undercontrol. Some children do grow out of asthma over time as well.

Step 2: Get a handle on your child's asthma triggers.It's a well-known fact that asthma symptoms are set off--or triggered--by certain environmentalsubstances. For unknown reasons, your child's body \"sees\" these triggers as threats, even thoughmost people are not bothered by them. The lungs then overreact by triggering an asthma attack.The most common asthma triggers in children are pollen, dust, molds, food allergies, pet dander,and even colds. Scents and cigarette smoke can also set off an asthma attack.As a parent, you will be able to notice the things that trigger your child's asthma symptoms.Make note of the patterns, and then do your best to help your child avoid those triggers as muchas possible.Step 3: Play an active role in your child's health care.Children who have asthma do need medical care. It's important to consult with your pediatricianor an asthma specialist and get your child on a treatment program that will help control orprevent his or her symptoms.The doctor may prescribe the treatment, but it will be up to you to carry it out. It is essential tofollow the plan laid out for your child to the letter. Skipping doses of medicine or nebulizertreatments--even on good days--will lead to health problems sooner or later... probably sooner.So, talk with your health care professional. Ask questions until you are sure you understandexactly what is going on and what to do for your child. Ask your child's doctor to help you fillout an \"Asthma Action Plan\" that guides you when to take emergency action during asthmaattacks or when an attack is building.Lastly, keep your child's doctor informed about what is working or not working. Report whenyour child's symptoms change. The doctor will not know when to update the plan of treatmentunless you keep him or her informed.So, in summary, parents are in the best position to help their children with asthma stay healthyand live active lives like other kids. All it takes is a healthy dose of knowledge, goodobservation skills, active communication with the care team, and a generous helping of love.Title:We Cannot Do Without A Health Insurance PlanWord Count:441Summary:Health is an asset of ours and that is how it should be treated. Nothing less than the utmost carewould do for it. A health insurance plan would help you a great deal in this regard.

Keywords:Health Insurance,Health Insurance plan,Affordable health insuranceArticle Body:Health insurance plan is a plan which is taken by the individuals either for themselves or fortheir children, wife or any other relative of his individually or all in one with a family healthinsurance plan.抯Health insurance in today world has become an absolute necessity. These days many peopleare falling prey to the worsening living conditions. It is difficult to arrange the total cost of theincident when it occurs because of two reasons firstly a big amount is hard to arrange on a shortnotice. Secondly it may be out of your reach.Health insurance plan is now days easily available to the people who are looking for them withso many organizations looking to cater as many people as possible you are sure to get a dealbest suited to your requirements.People who do not have a health insurance plan in place already can get the health insuranceplan availed and you can choose one among the following which suits you the best. The planoptions available to you are:?Fee for service insurance - this is a traditional type of health insurance plan in this plan whatthe insured person needs to do is to pay some amount by him and some amount is done by theinsurers. These cover the costs like hospital visits and the visit to the doctors.?Managed care plans also known as preferred provider organization or health managementorganization in this you pay monthly premiums on a regular basis and when the need comes andyou use the service you pay the minimal costs known as the co pay costs usually rangingbetween ?0 ??5. This method is cheaper than the other options.?COBRA this is a federal option provided by the government to the people living in USA withthis you can cover your other needs as well if the need be.People can choose their plan with any of these scheme they can also take the advice of thebroker which will further help them in getting a plan perfectly appropriate. The broker can helpyou decide in choosing a policy like a guaranteed renewable or a non cancelable one.People with pre existing conditions which include things like illness before moving on with thecontract find it difficult to get health insurance plans. However they can get other services liketemporary coverage, HIPAA or state requirements.Health insurance plan is something that a person cannot do without these days, it is an absolutemust. You never know what might happen next moment so if you are still without a healthinsurance plan you should definitely reconsider your position.