Exercise is Medicine® (EIM), a global health initiative managed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), encourages primary care physicians and other health care providers to include physical activity when designing treatment plans and to refer patients to evidence-based exercise programs and qualified exercise professionals, especially those with the EIM credential.
EIM is committed to the belief that physical activity promotes optimal health, is integral in the prevention and treatment of many medical conditions, and should be regularly assessed and included as part of health care.
Worldwide, it is estimated that physical inactivity causes:
6% of the global burden of disease from coronary heart disease;
7% of Type II Diabetes; and
10% of breast and colon cancer cases.
Inactivity also causes 9% of premature mortality, or more than 5.3 million of the 57 million deaths that occurred worldwide in 2008. On the other hand, regular physical activity:
reduces mortality and the risk of recurrent breast cancer by approximately 50%.
reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease
lowers the risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer-specific specific mortality in adults with higher levels of muscle strength
leads to higher academic performance in children and adults
Despite these health concerns of being physically inactive:
More than half of U.S. adults (56%) do not meet the recommendations for sufficient physical activity set forth by the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,
U.S. adolescents and adults spend almost eight hours a day in sedentary behaviors, and
As much as 36% of adults engaged in no leisure-time PA at all.
Work sites have the potential to influence a great number of adults – many of whom spend the majority of their day sitting. In fact, our working environment is becoming increasingly more sedentary. Since 1950, 30% of Americans worked in high-activity occupations. By 2000, only 22% worked in high-activity occupations. Conversely, the percent of people working in low-activity occupations rose from 23 to 41%. Combined with the added life pressures (i.e. financial responsibilities, family issues) working professionals are finding that regular physical activity outside of the workplace is low on their priority list and often head home at the end of a long day instead of the gym.
Decreasing physical activity leads to reduced workforce output (presenteeism), greater absenteeism (due to illness), and lower physical functionality. Work sites are increasingly becoming more aware of these direct and indirect costs of inactivity, and are seeking out innovative strategies such as bike to work programs, work site wellness initiatives, as well as standing and/or treadmill desk stations.What is the role of EIM in the work setting?
EIM seeks to support these new and innovative work site wellness programs and concepts by providing an additional level of infrastructure to promote physical activity to employees. Many large employers have onsite health care professionals to provide yearly physicals and acute health services for their employees. EIM calls upon work site health care professionals to:
Assess the physical activity levels of all patients that they see
Provide information and education on the importance of regular physical activity
Give a basic exercise prescription (as appropriate)
Refer employees to existing programs or fitness facilities located at the worksite
Maintain close communication with onsite exercise professionals about the activity levels of inactive employees
Inspired by videos we’ve just shared in the AsiaFitnessToday TV Channel, we delve into movement exercises required to prepare for your weekend at the snowfields. Depending on the individual’s weight and height, leisurely snowboarding can help burn from 200 to 600 calories per hour for an adult under 90KGs. Go competitive and you could be burning triple of that! What this also means, is that your body will be undergoing intense workout while snowboarding, and ideally, a solid 4-6 weeks of preparation should get your ready for that spurt.
Muscles used while snowboarding
Firstly, let’s understand the types of muscles you’ll be using while snowboarding. Naturally strong muscles will help you last longer on the slopes. You’ll be using your quadriceps, calves and ankles for snowboarding. Your back will be at test too. Prior to a ski trip, it’s advisable to undergo some weight training to strengthen your hamstrings, thighs and arm muscles as well as strengthening your core. Some people head to cycling gyms to prepare their leg muscles. Here are some essential workouts to help in your preparation:
1. Up and down jump squats
Squat down in position, then jump for the skies with arms wide open then land with your knees bent. Do this to help build power thighs for tackling big jumps.
2. Core strengthening exercises
Let’s work the obliques and abs area, since you’ll be using a lot of that area while navigating the snow. The medicine ball rotational throw is one of the most effective ones. Stand away from a wall with your shoulders facing the wall. Allow for about 2-3 feet. Hold a medicine ball, then twist your torso to throw the ball against the wall. Catch it when it comes back to you and repeat. To avoid injury, make sure you’re mentally and physically ready before throwing the ball. Be mindful, take your time, and strengthen your core (abs) muscles just as you’re about to throw.
3. Stationary Cycling
Riding helps to build endurance in your legs and stamina overall.
AsiaFitnessToday highly recommends working with a certified fitness trainer and keep safety first when working out.
Origin of snowboarding
Australian Darren Powell defied the laws of kinetic energy in 1999 when he recorded a top speed of 202 kilometers per hour at Les Arcs Resort, France. What a lot of people may not know, is that snowboarding was initially two skis strapped together by an engineer called Poppen in Michigan, USA. He attached a string to steer and it was called snufing – a combination of skiing and surfing.
Family bonding time at the snowfields
In a WhatsApp interview, Sydney-based business owner/restaurateur Madeleine Cheah shares that her family enjoys leisurely skiing, long walks and hikes as they work hard throughout the year in the hospitality industry. Vacations like these bring her family together and offers a nice respite from running their busy restaurants and cafes in Australia. Despite nursing a back injury and her husband his painful knees, both are determined to kick their heels back and enjoy the beautiful powdery snowfields of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, surrounded by France, Italy and Switzerland. Lying at the base of Mont Blanc, the highest summits in the Alps, this area is renowned for its skiing.
Thanks to the Luongs – Madeleine, Hieu, Andy and Matthew for these amazing photos and videos from their recent skiing and snowboarding vacation to Chamonix Mont Blanc!
There’s no other way to describe this project than pure love. We believe, it is from that space, of wanting to share the beautiful sounds to depict our human species, that both filmmaker Yann Arthus-Bertrand and music composer Armand Amar have produced this magnificent film. Although released back in 2015, the film isn’t dated at all, nor is the music.
This also links us to Asia Fitness Today’s research and interest in the topic; Humans, Rhythm and Movement. Movement is essential to human evolution and a key element in survival.
Intrigued and curious, we visited their official website: http://www.human-themovie.org to discover more about the film. And it was a delightful treasure trove that we delved into!
We also selected this Making Of Interviews, video to share, just to show the magnitude of work, number of hours put into realising this project.
Since a young boy, film director Yann Arthus-Bertrand had used a camera to document his observations and accompany his writings. The turning point, was at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 when Yann embarked upon a major photographic project about the state of the world and its inhabitants. It was titled Earth From Above and the book sold more than three million copies. Years later, Yann created the GoodPlanet Foundation and the non-profit organization has been investing in educating people about the environment and the fight against climate change. He was appointed United Nations Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador in 2009 and that year, he made his first feature-length film, HOME, about the state of the planet. This movie was seen by almost 600 million spectators around the world.
“I am one man among seven billion others. For the past 40 years, I have been photographing our planet and its human diversity, and I have the feeling that humanity is not making any progress. We can’t always manage to live together.
Why is that?
I didn’t look for an answer in statistics or analysis, but in man himself.”
Yann Arthus-Bertrand
“It is too late to be a pessimist. Taking action builds happiness!”
Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Regardless of our condition or situation, every single one of us can play a role and contribute to a fairer and more harmonious society. Whether we are male, female, young, old, married, divorced, single, orphan, poor, rich, disabled, our opportunities to act are endless. Whether it is through associative work or simple actions, there are many simple gestures to take and stories to live to help us fulfil ourselves and build tomorrow’s humanity.
Enjoy watching HUMAN, the movie.
This article has been edited for Asia Fitness Today from the official website.
KL Car Free Morning is one of the activities that are changing the landscape of the capital city of Malaysia. Held from 7.00am to 9.00am every first and third Sunday of the month, roads in the highly busy Golden Triangle area within the city are closed for KL-ites to reclaim the streets. It’s not uncommon to see bicycles, handcycles, people running, skateboards, rollerskates, rollerblades and walkers hit town from the start/finish line at Dataran DBKL (near Dataran Merdeka).
Total route is 7-kilometre. Title sponsor is OCBC Bank and in the spirit of its annual event OCBC Cycle, 140 bicycles are available for people to use free of charge. The event will turn five years old next year, as it was launched in 22 September 2013 by Multigreen Events and is supported by Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
Mark your calendars for healthy weekend and participate in the Go Green KL Car-Free Morning. It’s a BIG LIVELY Sunday morning you don’t want to miss! Together, let’s support the Go Green campaign.
Participants are responsible for their own safety and participate at their own risk. Please take care of each other’s safety.
I’m sure you’ve heard fitness trainers saying this – engage your core, engage your core! Your “core” refers to the muscles that surround your midsection, the part that runs from the top of our pelvic bone to the top of your stomach, wrapping around to your lower back. Basically it’s your trunk area.
Why does your “core” need to be strong? It needs to be not only strong, but also flexible and coordinated to help you in every action and movement. The core area helps us flex, extend, side-bend and rotate your trunk in all directions, as well as keep the trunk stable. Along with your hips and lower back, the abdominal muscles is crucial in keeping our centre strong so that we can use our arms and legs powerfully without hurting your spine.
Why is core engagement important?
A strong core is important in maintaining good physical health. Remember, your core is the building block for your entire body’s posture and overall movement. Once you have strong core muscles, you can improve your balance, coordination and stability, as well as reduce any risk of lower back pain and injury.
Besides athletes and sportsmen, elderly persons can also greatly benefit from having a strong core.
Building the exercise routine
Incorporate practicing core engagement exercises so you can also build endurance around your other muscles. A very simple tip, is to ensure holding a good posture at all times. This simple practice naturally engages your core! So when you’re standing, your spine is more or less in its natural curve. Once you’re used to it, it will become second nature and standing with a relaxed core will actually feel weird.
Six packs equal a strong core?
Let’s start with aspiring towards a lean physique…without a six pack. Most people with six packs are truly inspiring and disciplined; keeping an extremely strict exercise regime and maintaining a planned nutritional schedule and intake. Often pictures of athletes or models parading their six packs are taken during their peak conditions where they have activated both their transverse and rectus abdominus. They don’t usually look like that all year round. In truth, this kind of lifestyle is not realistic for ordinary people like us who do not have 6-8 hours to exercise every day. Abdominal definition is, in many cases, a side effect of being strong and healthy. In other words, strengthen your Transverse Abdominus.
What’s the Tranverse Abdominus?
Transverse Abdominus, or TVA, is the deepest layer of abdominal muscles. It covers our whole torso from ribs to pelvis and from front to back. The TVA muscles are set horizontally like a weight belt or corset and it does not move your pelvis or spine. It helps with your breathing and also helps stabilise your spine, in addition to forceful exhaling of air from the lungs and compress the internal organs.
Why is the TVA so important as a core muscle?
The TVA helps stabilise your spine and is one of the main muscles that helps stabilise the lumbar spine, which is the bottom part of the spine. You can tell you have a weak TVA when you have lower back pain.
When you strengthen your TVA, you not only strengthen your back, which is important for many other activities such as lifting stuff, sitting, walking and many more activities that involve limb movements.
When your TVA is weak your abdominal wall will bulge outwards and your pelvis may rotate and your may increase the risk of a curvature of the spine. In other words, strengthen your core to decrease the risk to your spine. It also helps you to trim your stomach area.
How do you build on the TVA as a core muscle then?
There’s no one magical exercise routine, but a combination of movements that engage the core in a way that works so much better than crunches and sit-ups.
Planks are well known for “working” the core, but some other exercises include pull-ups, jumping, spinning, and rolling.
These movements have one thing in common – and that is, none of them are “isolation” exercises. Basically, in order to do those movements, you need to use your abdominals to maintain your posture and stability throughout the motion.
Core engagement exercise tips
Engage your core while seated
A lot of us sit for long periods of time either at the office or while driving. For this very reason, practising and engaging your core is especially important as you sit down or get up from your chair or car seat.
Step 1: Sit up straight in your chair, with your shoulders over your hips, then let your back relax back against the backrest.
Step 2: Sit up into your original position again and feel that light sense of tension in your abs needed to hold yourself up. It should not be much. Just a light, but deep, engagement. This is the level of engagement you want to have while you walk, run or do any movement throughout your day.
Abdominal Vacuum
Step 1: Sit up tall on a chair. Straighten your spine and place your feet flat on the floor.
Step 2: Draw your bellybutton in toward your spine, engaging your core muscles. Do not hold your breath; instead breathe deeply and evenly.
Step 3: Contract your abdominals or pulse the muscles in and out until your muscles fatigue.
You can practice the abdominal vacuum exercise throughout the day while you are sitting on a chair.
Engage your core – AsiaFitnessToday.com
Abdominal Hold
Step 1: Sit on the edge of a chair with a straight spine and your feet flat on the floor.
Step 2: Place your palms flat on the seat of the chair, curling your fingers around the edge of the seat.
Step 3: Engage your core muscles by drawing your bellybutton in toward your spine. Press down with your hands and draw your knees toward your chest, lifting your feet two to four inches off the floor.
Repeat this exercise as many times as you can during a one-minute interval.
How about other times when we are not sitting or exercising?
Keep your core engaged lightly and gently during any and all movement: when you first get out of bed (with a gentle stretch), while walking, getting into and out of your car, at the office at your desk, and most definitely while you run or walk or do any kind of fitness activity, standing in line, cooking dinner, even while brushing your teeth.
When you focus your mind on your core several times a day, you are in touch with a deeper part of yourself, in the present moment.
Reminding ourselves to keep our core engaged
Make it a game…how many muscles can you engage in any movement if your core is engaged. Feel the difference in how you move when your core is or is not consciously employed. How about setting an alarm on your phone, with a ring tone that is unique to remind yourself to engage your core?
Revisiting the benefits of breathing right
You might not think about something that happens so automatically as breathing, but it can make all the difference in your workout – especially when doing stomach exercises. Breathing out at the right time tightens your ab muscles and engages your core, so you get more out of your workout. Proper breathing technique can also give you more stamina while on the exercise mat. When exerting yourself, it can seem like a natural reaction to hold your breath. Don’t do this! Keep breathing otherwise you could get dizzy and faint.
Proper Technique
Improper breathing techniques could interfere or delay your ability to get the most out of your ab workout. To get the most oxygen from your lungs to your muscles, it’s important that you draw air deep into your lungs. This is accomplished using a technique known as abdominal breathing.
Abdominal breathing helps you fill your belly with air to get the optimal amount of oxygen into your body. If you’re only pulling air into your chest, you may not get the oxygen you need during a workout.
Ok, some people will say that they breathe with their lungs. This is okay as long as you can feel your abdominal muscles move.
The problem arises when you use your upper chest to breath as this more often than not causes or makes chest pain worse.
Chest breathing are shallow and rapid or fast breaths. This is a stress response and can lead to hyperventilation, which is bad for those with stress and anxiety. You can use abdominal breathing to control your nervous system and encourage your body to relax. When your body is relaxed, it brings a range of health benefits.
Take a quick at the last issue of Running Malaysia where we touched on Breathing. Proper breathing helps you to lose weight as well. So when you’re strengthening your core, don’t forget to breathe.
Credit: Article compiled by Nikki Yeo – Co-founder AsiaFitnessToday.com and ACE-certified Fitness Trainer.
NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — On Sunday, September 10th adidas and Wanderlust broke the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Title for Most people doing yoga in pairs at the Wanderlust 108 Brooklyn event in Prospect Park. Led by yoga instructors Elena Brower and Lauren Imparato, over 2500 people participated in the record breaking attempt that lasted approximately 10 minutes. The partner flow included three poses — Thick Tree, Supported Chair and Supported Seat Twist.
adidas and Wanderlust Break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Title for Most People Doing Yoga in Pairs – Sept 10, 2017
adidas and Wanderlust Break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Title for Most People Doing Yoga in Pairs – Sept 10, 2017
“The partnership with Wanderlust allows us to create new and exciting opportunities. Breaking a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title was a unique way for us to bring people together and celebrate the largest Wanderlust event in the world,” said Alison Stewart, Senior Director for adidas Women’s.
adidas and Wanderlust share a vision of holistic, high-touch experiences that create community around sport and mindful living. Wanderlust’s transformative events attract some of the world’s most versatile and committed fitness and healthy-lifestyle devotees, including trainers, instructors and attendees. A Wanderlust 108 is full day celebration in support of the mindful movement, featuring a triathlon of three intentional activities in a local park: a 5K run, an outdoor yoga flow class and a guided meditation.
“Wanderlust’s mission is to help people to find their true north, and part of that is making yoga, meditation and mindfulness practice something that’s accessible, attainable, community-focused and fun. The idea of getting grounded while also setting a world record with a friend was immediately appealing, and we’re thrilled to be working with adidas and Guinness to make it happen,” said Sean Hoess, co-CEO of Wanderlust.
For additional images and information, please refer to the media contacts above. For more information about Wanderlust events please visit www.wanderlust.com. To shop the adidas x Wanderlust Co-Branded apparel collection please visit www.adidas.com.
About the adidas Group adidas is a global leader in the sporting goods industry. A designer and developer of athletic and lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories, adidas has the mission to be the best sports brand in the world. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany and Portland, Ore., adidas employs more than 60,000 people across the globe and generated sales of EUR19 billion in 2016.
About Wanderlust: Wanderlust Holdings, LLC is a global yoga lifestyle company founded in 2009. Our mission is to help you find your true north — to live a healthy and inspired live. Wanderlust’s events encompass Wanderlust Festival, the largest multi-day yoga and music festivals in the world and Wanderlust 108, a one-day “mindful triathlon” taking place in urban parks across the world. In 2012, we opened the first Wanderlust Yoga studio, a re-imagination of the yoga studio experience and began offering Wanderlust Teacher Training, a yoga teacher-training program inspired by the Wanderlust festival experience. In 2015, we launched Wanderlust TV, a media platform connecting viewers with inspirational teachers and wellness experts and Wanderlust Hollywood, a 10,000 square foot center in Los Angeles, CA offering yoga and meditation classes, a world-class organic restaurant, and a full-featured performance venue.
Understanding the differences between men and women in long distance running
It’s a fact. Men and women simply have different morphology. Most runners will have a training plan to clock in the distance in order to achieve their goal of be it a 5km or an ultra marathon. While we are determined to cross the finish line with our personal best time, it would help to get to know your body better so you can reach the maximum potential of your given anatomy. In order to optimise your training and improve your performance, I’ve compiled a few differences that will create a better understanding of the differences between men and women.
Physiological gender differences & implications for training and performance
Before boys and girls hit puberty, their body structures are similar in terms of body weight, height, length of their legs and upper-arm circumference. During puberty, development occurs and boys will start to develop larger shoulders while girls start to develop larger and wider hips. Due to the smaller shoulder size of women, this poses a disadvantage for women to develop upper-body strength, limiting their body strength on the upper-body in comparison to men throughout adulthood. Women’s narrow shoulders compared to men’sare also generally shorter and women are naturally born with larger pelvis width-to-height ratio and shoulder-to-hip ratio than men.
“We some times hear the term pear-shaped being used to describe a woman’s shape, but the basic truth thata woman has wider hipsis specifically for the purpose of child bearing. Notice that most professional female runners tend to have smaller and narrower hips, so it’s their natural born physique that also aids them towards excelling in distance running”.
The Q Angle (or Quadriceps Angle)
The anatomical and biomechanical features are disparate between men and women. Women have a larger pelvis because they are designed to carry the child. This larger pelvis combined to a shorter femur lead to a different Q angle at which the quadriceps muscle – from the pointiest position of the pelvis, scientifically known as the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine – meets the kneecap (or patella), compared to the line connecting the ligament attaching the patella to the shin. The angle between these two lines forms the Q angle.
Males have a Q angle between 8 and 15 degrees while females have a Q angle between 12 and 19 degrees.
SOURCE:PHYSIOPEDIA,Q ANGLE
How does this difference influence the running?
Women, as they have a broader angle, are more subjected to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries while exerting themselves. The Q-angle dissimilarity refers to a difference of knee alignment as well. In short, men are anatomically better designed than women for running. The space for ACL movement is more limited by women than in men, putting the ACL in a critical position as it can easily get pinched and lead to rupture of the ligament, especially while stretching or twisting. However, when you practise how to train properly, you will lower the risks of getting injuredmale or female.
In summary,
A larger Q-angle puts women at a mechanical disadvantage when running.
Wider hips and a large Q-angle put the femur at an angle when the foot is on the ground.
Elite female runnershave narrower hips, which closely resemble male runners. Research has also shown that the hip width of very good female runners is similar to that of both athletic and even non-athletic males.
Women’s anatomy also affects their stride mechanics. Research has shown that female runners take shorter strides than male runners when running at the same speed. Although it’s interesting that the combination of stride rate and stride length differs between female and male runners, it’s not completely clear why women take shorter strides.
Obvious reason is that women are generally shorter than men and have shorter legs, hence the shorter strides. (misconception among runners)
Research has also shown that taller runners don’t take longer strides than shorter runners. Stride length is more a product of hip extension and how much force your muscles produce as you push off the ground.
Therefore, something else must cause female runners to take shorter strides than male runners when running at the same speed
Differences in body weight and body composition
Muscular differences
Muscle mass is on average 35% of the total mass of a man against 28% in women. Moreover, women have more “fat” than men. The fat of a woman averaged 20% against 13% in a man.
Women have a smaller muscle than men
Women can’t produce much muscle as much as men
Men are able to sprint faster than women
Knowing that muscle activity is the cause of energy expenditure during exercise, and the woman has less ability to produce energy and therefore less strength and endurance.
Cardio muscular distinctions
The heart
The heart is a cardio muscular muscle that enables oxygen through blood stream to be pumped to your muscles.The female heart is smaller. While it weighs 118 grams on average in women, men’s hearts weighin at about 178 grams on average. Training improves the heart skills in both women and men. This enhancement is however limited in women.
Maximum Heart Rate is the maximum number of beats the heart can achieve in the space of a minute. This value is unique to each individual and it also changes with age and gender.
The Maximum Heart Rate is thus higher in women than in men. On average, a woman will reach 174 beats per minute against 169 beats per minute. Women’s hearts beat faster because the volume of blood ejected by the heart is lower than men’s.
However, a smaller heart doesn’t mean men are better at running marathon. Even though you first impressions turn into men’s advantages, women are still in the run!
VO2max: maximal oxygen consumption
Femaleshave less blood than males. This could be explained first by the period women experience every month, but that isn’t the only factor. The blood plays an important role while running. Indeed, the vital oxygen you need to make your muscles work is transported through blood.
VO2max is the maximum capacity to store, transport and use oxygen during aerobic exercise. In other words, this is the maximum volume of oxygen consumed during exercise. Your muscles and oxygen are necessary to produce the required energy for training. The more your VO2 max is, the more your body is able to use oxygen to produce energy.
The VO2max on average for male is45-50 ml/min/kg and 35-40 ml /min/kg for women.
Men have an average of 13.6 to 17.5 grams of haemoglobin per decalitre in their blood. Women have 12.0 to 15.5 grams per decalitre.
Women therefore have less capacity to store and transport oxygen, a difference that translates both during tests of strength or resistance during endurance events.
A more advantageous metabolism in women
Carbohydrate (or glucose) is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. These stores represent the prime source of energy but they are limited. Indeed, the muscles can store about 400 grams of glycogen and the liver 100 grams.
After running out of this energy, a runners’bodywill seek another source of energy through the fat. You store fat all over your body, especially beneath the skin and around internal organs. An important note is that proteins are generally not used as the main resource of energy, except in extreme circumstances.
Men will use glycogen as the energy used while running whereas women can easily usefat and less carbohydrate at a given intensity of exercise. Men will need to recharge their hydrocarbon stocks to fuel their running capacity. It takes about 30 minutes to hydrocarbon/sugar to reach your bloodstream.
As a conclusion, women need to approach their training and racing differently than men to optimise their unique characteristics.
More than that, hormones in both males and females differ in amounts and in the effect that they have in the body. Indeed, for women, the best time to run is during the Follicular Phase, which is during your sixth to 15th day after your period. The differences occur in muscles and metabolism as well.
Being aware of these differences means is also a way to realise that your needs are different, that is why tailoring your diet and your training is necessary.
Women, you may be physiologically weaker, but you are still champions J
Alissa Laurent, a Canadian runnerwon the Canadian Death Race in 2015 and ended 90 minutes before the second winner, a man.
In short, women are scientifically better distance runners than men. So go ahead and with safe and consistent training, you can outrun the boys!
Pregnant ladies shouldn’t exercise because it could affect the baby’s health.
Is that a fallacy or just a cultural belief? So should pregnant women just restor lay down all day?!There’s been no evidence to say that women should stay still while carrying a child. Scientific progress has allowed us to better understand the human anatomy and in fact, there’s more evidence to show that remaining active is good for your health and your baby’s health as well.
Whether you are an athlete or not, it is fine to partake in sport while pregnant as long as you take some precautions. Your running distance will depend on your sports background.
First on the precautions list – before starting or keeping on exercising, it is highly recommended to checkwith your doctorbefore you proceed with any activities.
I’m pregnant…
A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. So a common practise is to divide it into three trimesters:
During the first trimester your body doesn’t considerably change. The weight you gain isn’t too high so you won’t experience backaches… yet. However, you may experience other symptoms that are part and parcel of the usual “pregnancy pack” such as extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting, food cravings or aversions, mood swings, constipation, frequent urination, and other unpleasant side effects. These may affect your daily schedule.
When pregnant, your body may also suffer from a lack of vital nutrients. That is why many advocate additional prenatal vitamins to supplement your body’s needs.
What kind of vitamins?
Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B-type vitamin that helps from preventing neural tube defects.Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. They happen in the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. That is why if you intend to be pregnant or if you are, make sure you have the daily right amount of acid folic.Youneed at least 400mcg/day before conceiving and600mcg/day during pregnancy according to USA standards.
Iron is important because it is a necessary component for the production of haemoglobin, which enables the transportation of oxygen in your body. But beyond this primary function, it is essential throughout the 9 months.
For you: During pregnancy, your body works more intensely and many organs (uterus and kidneys in particular) are working at full capacity. This increased activity requires more blood volume.
For your baby: Iron is essential not only to ensure proper development of the baby, but also for pregnancy-related organs such as the placenta or the umbilical cord. If iron stores are missing, you run the risk of giving birth to a premature or a low weightbaby.
Vitamin Ccombined with a daily intake of iron increase the absorption of the latter.
Fibre and fluids: During pregnancy, hormones cause a slowing of the digestive system. Fibre and liquids like water will lower the risks of constipation. Remember that being well hydrated is important for your health and your baby’s health. Dehydration can decrease the blood flow to the uterus, which may lead to premature contractions.
Vitamin D and Calcium: Your needs in Vitamin D and calcium will increase, as they are necessary to the development of the baby. Otherwise the baby might draw on your stores living you in short supply. A recent study has shown that vitamin D rate by the mom influences the baby’s strength later in life.
The first trimester is when the baby’s major organs are forming, and overheating’s a real issue. If a woman’s core temperature gets too high, it could cause problems with the baby. So during hot weather, better run early morning hours or in the evening when it is cooler.
During the second trimester&third trimester,the recommendations for the first trimester remain to be followed. What you can add to your schedule is Kegel exercises. Certainly, pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, aging, being overweight and so on, can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder, small intestine and rectum.Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles to help you prevent or control urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor problems.
Indeed, the weight of the baby, or childbirth later on has probably weakened your pelvic floor muscles. That is why Kegels are not only important during pregnancy but throughout your life after having a baby.
How to do Kegel exercises
To get started:
Find the right muscles.To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream. If you succeed, you’ve got the right muscles. Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles you can do the exercises in any position, although you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first.
Perfect your technique.Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for five seconds, and then relax for five seconds. Try it four or five times in a row. Work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions.
Maintain your focus.For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.
Repeat three times a day.Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.
Don’t make a habit of using Kegel exercises to start and stop your urine stream. Doing Kegel exercises while emptying your bladder can actually lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder — which increases the risk of a urinary tract infection.
During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, you can carry on running. However, consider running shorterdistancesand decrease in the duration and intensity as your due date approaches. You can slow down your running for lower impact activities like swimming and walking.
Postural changes – Muscles imbalances
Your body will experience many changes while pregnant. Indeed, your hips have probably tilted forward (Lower CrossedSyndrome – LCS, also know as distal or pelvic crossed syndrome) and your shoulders are probably rounded (Upper Crossed Syndrome – UCS, also known as proximal or shoulder girdle crossed syndrome).
This misalignment is the source of pain you might be suffering. Indeed, certain muscles becoming tightened, while other muscles become lengthened and inhibited in order to stabilize the body, and to adaptto the growing foetus and uterus.
Returning to sport after giving birth takes time and it’s always a good idea to see your good doctor before engaging in any form of sport.
After childbirth, like any major operation or hospitalisation, it’s advisable to rest, get plenty of sleep and simply recuperate. This includes NO heavy lifting nor intensive movement of the body especially in first three to six weeks. You can, however, work on your pelvic-floor exercises and walk. Take it easy; and allow your body the chance to recover.
Once past the 6-week postnatal check-up, you can then consider starting with low impact exercises.
By the 16th week, most women have been able to resume their previous sport activities. Listen to your body as you might feel tired due to the lack of sleep, breastfeeding.
Run during the coolest hours of the daylight, early mornings or in the evening, as your body temperature gets higher while pregnant.
Don’t run a marathon while pregnant. You could put your health and the baby’s health in danger.
Never run to the point of exhaustion or breathlessness. If you feel tired, don’t push yourself, and just take a break.
Wear a heart rate monitor to help limit excessive speed and effort.
As your due date approaches, slow down your running for lower impact activities like swimming and walking.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, while you can still run when pregnant, take some precautions and listen to your body. If you are not sure, discuss it with your doctor.
Running while pregnant is good; it improves your sleep quality, prevents you from gaining excessive weight, lessens back pains, and reduces delivery complications and time spent in labour. However, don’t exceed your capacity and don’t raise the bar too high.
Rose Otto profile
Rose Otto essential oil is made by extracting Rosa damascena, and researchers have uncovered that it contains several therapeutic compounds known to promote healing in the body.Rose otto, also called attar of roses, is extracted using gentle steam distillation and produces a sticky, pale yellow or olive green oil with a rich and spicy floral scent.
Photo Credit OlgaMiltsova/iStock/Getty Images
Rose Oil Benefits
1. Skin Care
-anti ageing, skin elasticity, mature skin
-mend broken capillaries
-cold sores
-dry skin
-eczema, sensitive skin
-rejuvenation of cells
-scars, wrinkles
-toning, lightening of blemishes
-acne
2. Endocrine System
-menstrual disorder
-PMT
-menopause
-uterine
-libido
Rose oil is very beneficial in curing Eczema, Stress, and Menstrual Problems. It serves like a tonic for the liver, heart, stomach and uterus. For coping with emotional problems, rose essential oil is the best remedy. It is of great use in boosting the circulation of blood in the body.
How to use Rose oil on your face
-Apply one to two drops to face, neck, and décolletage. Follow with the moisturizer of your choice.
How to use Rose oil on your skin or in your diffuser
-Apply one drop directly to skin imperfections twice daily. Rose oils benefits the limbic system when used aromatically. Consider massaging a small amount over the heart daily, inhaling from the hands afterward.
-Diffuse in the morning to promote energy and vitality or as desired, inhale from cupped hands, or massage a diluted drop (or less) into the reflex points of the feet daily for peace and relaxation.
How to use Rose oil for inhalation
-Filling a large bowl with near-boiling water, then place-in 3 to 5 drops of rose oil into the bowl. As the rose oil heats in the water, it will release vapors that can be inhaled to treat your lungs and throat. Rose oil has been used for centuries to treat asthma, coughs, congestion and fever.
How to use Rose oil in your bath
-Filling your bath, water to reach a warm temperature then place-in a few drops of rose oil to your bath water. It’s calming but gently uplifting and it helps with anxiety or nervous tension. Rose oil supports all skin types, so even those with dry, sensitive skin will benefit from its restorative effects.
Overview
Rose oil is used to improve your body’s circulation and boost the immune
system. In aromatherapy, it is used as a natural sedative and to help ease
depression. It’s also used in massage therapy, as it can help soothe muscles
and smooth skin, while it’s sweet scent aids in relaxation. If rose oil interests you
either for aromatherapy or as a treatment, there are several ways you can make
good use of it.
