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Talk to Your Doctor Before Becoming Sedentary

  • Posted on July 2, 2009 at 9:30 pm

You hear it all the time, “Be sure to get permission from your doctor before you begin an exercise program”. But how often do you hear, “Be sure to talk to your doctor before becoming sedentary?”

A sedentary life is defined as being physically inactive both at work and at home and failing to participate in a proper exercise program for at least 20 continuous minutes at least three times a week. If you plan on living a life like this here are some hazards to your health you should be aware of:

You more than double your risk of getting diabetes. Vigorous physical activity helps prevent insulin resistance, the underlying cause of adult onset diabetes. A recent study showed that for every 2 hours a person watched TV daily (a dangerous sedentary pursuit), their risk of diabetes increased 14%.

You increase your risk of cancer. Sedentary or inactive people are 30 – 40% more likely to develop cancer. One study showed a 40% decrease in cancer mortality in high-fit persons compared to low-fit persons.

A sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke. It is no surprise to anyone that couch potatoes have the highest risk of a heart attack. Exercise strengthens the heart and its pipes and keeps them in good health protecting them from disease.

Lack of physical activity accelerates muscle tissue loss in adults and eventually adequate strength to function properly is also lost. This leads to disability and dependence on others. The best way to stay out of the nursing home in the future is to get regular strength training exercise now!

Inactivity weakens your bones. Just like muscles, bones require regular weight bearing exercise to maintain their mineral content and strength. Every year we get older (past age 25), the bones grow a little weaker and this process is much faster in inactive persons. Strength training is the best exercise for bone health.

Inactive people are more likely to become depressed. Physical activity is a good mood elevator. Staying strong and fit is good for your mental health as well as your physical health.

Your immune system is likely to be weakened. People who get regular vigorous physical activity have the best functioning immune system. It is this system that combats diseases such as cancer and illnesses such as the flu and colds.

A no exercise lifestyle makes you more likely to gain excess body fat. Studies show that exercising three times per week cuts the risk of obesity by 24%. In our current society, if you don’t exercise, you are highly likely to become overweight joining two-thirds of the population now also considered overweight, which leads to a host of other health problems.

After reading all of the hazards of an inactive lifestyle and if you are still considering being sedentary this year, be sure to make an appointment with your physician. You are embarking on a very dangerous journey and you will need medical clearance before you begin. Ask your doctor if it is safe for you to proceed. If it isn’t, you could consider getting started on a proper exercise program that includes strength training exercise and you may get a whole new outlook on life.

Do you want to discover the secret to rejuvenating your body and improving the quality of your life? Download my free ebook “I’ve Found the Fountain of Youth- Let Me Show You Too!” here: Physical Wellness For Free Fitness Report here Fitness Weight Loss Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who coaches clients to look and feel younger.

Article Source: Talk to Your Doctor Before Becoming Sedentary

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What Are the Best Treatments For Panic Attacks

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 10:12 pm

Panic attacks can hit you anytime, anywhere. Suddenly, you are swamped by symptoms such as rapid heart pounding, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, etc. You are overwhelmed by fear and you feel like you are going to die right then and there. Left untreated, sufferers can develop unhealthy and irrational fear that may cause them to avoid normal daily activities or social events. But panic attack is one of the most treatable condition, and with the proper treatment, you can reduce or completely eliminate panic attacks and regain control of your life.

As mentioned previously, most panic attack sufferers will develop certain level of irrational fear and avoidance. For example, they may have a panic attack when they are in a crowded area and they start to develop a phobia toward social gatherings. Even if you do not develop these phobias, panic attack sufferers will display a common symptom – the persistent fear of having another panic attack.

This fear of having another panic attacks is the main culprit and source of all your problems. Thus, the best treatments for panic attacks should be targeted at eliminating this fear and it can be done with cognitive and behavioral therapies.

For example, sufferers may have this nagging worry that their panic attacks cause them to “go crazy” or worse, induce a heart attack. The “cognitive” aspect would come into play here as it can help sufferers to replace those thoughts will a more positive and realistic way of viewing panic attacks.

The “behavioral” aspect would focus more on exposure to the physical sensations of a panic attack and learning the appropriate coping method. With each exposure, sufferers become less afraid of these internal bodily sensations and feel a greater sense of control over their panic reaction.

Fortunately, this type of treatment is largely informational and you can even do them on your own.

Learn more about Anxiety/Panic Disorder Treatment now and eliminate your panic attacks permanently!

Article Source: What Are the Best Treatments For Panic Attacks

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Self Help For Panic Attacks – Tips to Overcome Your Panic Attacks

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 10:12 pm

Panic Attacks can be characterized by a sudden onset of uncomfortable and terrifying symptoms coupled with thoughts that something bad is about to happen. The most common symptoms of panic attacks can include: rapid heartbeat, dizziness, difficulty in breathing, etc. The very first panic attack can occur anytime, anywhere and subsequent attacks can be equally unpredictable. Left untreated, sufferers can become traumatized by their experiences and may develop certain level of fear and phobia. They may hesitate to venture into public and become easily agitated and nervous.

In order to overcome your panic attacks you need to understand what is going on with your body. Many panic attack sufferers are dead convinced that something is wrong with them and they are going to die. This is false! Panic attacks will NEVER cause you to die or cause you to develop some unknown physical illness. This is the most important fact that you have to understand as a full recovery would not be possible if you still believe that something bad is happening to you. You need to stop pin-pointing a reason and cause for your symptoms – because there is none – there is only panic attack.

One way to deal with panic attacks is to try and focus on positive, rationale thoughts. Thoughts like “I feel like fainting”, “I am having a heart attack”, “I am going to lose control” does not help at all. Instead, they will only serve to worsen the panic symptoms. Put a stop to these thoughts and replace them with positive, rationale thoughts such as “These feelings are uncomfortable, but they won’t last forever”, “It is not a heart attack, it is just panic attack, I will be fine”, etc.

Do not be disheartened if you are finding it difficult to concentrate on these calming thoughts. This is a form of mental conditioning; as you keep practicing and trying, your brain with eventually accept these positive statements and you will find it easier to calm down.

Learn how you can Stop Panic Attacks Naturally and regain control of your life now!

Article Source: Self Help For Panic Attacks – Tips to Overcome Your Panic Attacks

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How to Stop Panic Attacks by Remembering They Cannot Harm You

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 7:36 pm

How to stop panic attacks sounds easy enough when you hear or read what folks tell you. But in reality, during a panic attack, it’s very hard to re-order your thoughts to stop the attack. During panic attacks, you are so overpowered by physical and emotional stress and anxiety that it’s very difficult to organise your mind and do the things that you have been taught.

The first thing to remember is that panic attacks in themselves cannot harm you: your life is not in danger. The symptoms you are experiencing are your body’s way of reacting, in the way it knows how, to ‘perceived’ threats to it. But these threats are all in your head, they aren’t real.

In other words, the tightness in your chest and throat, the rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, the feeling that you are having a heart attack, etc. are you body’s natural reactions to the illogical, irrational fear and vulnerability that you are experiencing.

The trigger for it could have been the stress of going for a job interview, making a presentation, being stuck in traffic, in a lift, and many other situations. The stress of this on top of an already anxious condition can help trigger a panic attack due to the release of adrenaline into your bloodstream. And this can happen many hours after the event.

So how to stop panic attacks under these circumstances? It sounds easier than it actually is — I know, I’ve been there — but you must try very hard to do the following…

1. Be confident and think positively: “I know my life is not in danger and I know for sure that these symptoms will go away very shortly”.

2. Breath deeply and steadily: Controlled breathing can help to calm you down and reduce your heart rate. It’s also a good idea to exhale for slightly longer than you inhale. This pattern may help you relax more quickly.

3. If you have had a panic attack previously you may be able to recognise the first signs. Depending on location and circumstances etc., stop what you are doing, walk away, focus on something completely different, relax. Remember, think positively and control your breathing as above.

However, none of the above can actually get rid of your underlying general anxiety. They are purely coping techniques to help you through a panic attack and hopefully shorten it. They cannot prevent further panic attacks and certainly cannot cure your general anxiety.

Did you know that a critical factor in recurrent panic attacks is the actual fear of another panic attack? You need to face this fear head on and defeat it. If not it can be very difficult, if not impossible, to cure your general anxiety.

Would you like to get more information on how to stop panic attacks in the future using a simple, proven drug-free technique? Then go now to http://eliminatepanicattacks.blogspot.com and prepare to get your old confident self back.

Article Source: How to Stop Panic Attacks by Remembering They Cannot Harm You

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