Bates Method – Part 1

My top exericse, is very underrated, it is walking, I love it. Here is why. 1. Walking is good for everyone.  Doctors agree  including the elderly, morbidy obese, arhritic and pregnant women.  Walking is gentle enough for most people who have these conditions and the activity can help ease the pain of chronic illness. 2. Walking is free  and easy - no expensive gym fees and no equipment needed! 3. Walking is linked to lower rates of obesity.  People who walk to work are less likely to be obese, 30 minutes walking a day burns 150 calories..  A 2015 study found that even walking just 20 minutes a day can reduce your risk of premature death by 30%. 4. Walking prevents diabetes as it helps regulates blood sugar levels, which in turn keeps insulin levels low at diabetes at day.  A 15 minute walk after a meal is all that is need to help regulate blood sugar levels. 5. Walking is good for year heart. A 2013 study found that walkers who cover the same mileage as runners enjoy comparable reductions in high blood pressure, high cholesterol and coronary heart disease. While it took twice as long for walkers to cover the distance, walking may be a more sustainable and accessible activity than running for most people, especially those who are new to exercise. 6. Walking helps you get a good nights sleep.  Travel experts adivse when you arrive at a new city on the day you arrive to walk around.  The reason is that you expose your body to sunlight and saying outside until it grows dark helps you to recalibarte the hormone melatonin to your new time zone.  As melatonin rises so does feelings of sleepiness. 7. Walking improves your mood protecting you from both anxiety and depression.   Moving your body is a well-known way to release endorphins, a set of feel-good chemicals that dull pain receptors in the brain, sedate you and even give you feelings of happiness and euphoria. That’s why exercise in general, and walking in particular, is recommended to help improve symptoms of mild to moderate depression. A 2005 study found that walking briskly for 35 minutes five times a week, or 60 minutes three times a week, had a significant influence on mild to moderate depression symptoms. References 2015 Study see >> https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/552048/Brisk-20-minute-walk-each-day-could-reduce-risk-early-death 2013 Study see >> http://time.com/3668654/exercise-obesity-walking-premature-death/ Exercise for depression study see >> https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/for-depression-prescribing-exercise-before-medication/284587/  and the 2005 study see >> https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression  

When I worked in an office, this was the time of the year when everyone either got the office cold or sometimes even worse flu, so I wanted to share something that can reduce your chance of getting one. Garlic has been used for centuries as both a food ingredient and a medicine.  Garlic contains compounds that help the immune system fight germs and has show promise as a treatment for preventing colds and the flu.  Studies have shown that garlic reduces the risk of becoming sick in the first place, as well as how long you stay sick.  It can also reduce the severity of symptoms. One study gave 146 healthy volunteers either garlic supplements or a placebo for three months. The garlic group had a 63% lower risk of getting a cold, and their colds were also 70% shorter.  Another study found that colds were on average 61% shorter for subjects who ate 2.56 grams of aged garlic extract per day, compared to a placebo group. Their colds were also less severe. If you often get sick with a cold or flu, eating garlic can help reduce your symptoms or prevent your illness entirely. However, a review of the evidence found that many of the studies investigating the effects of garlic on the common cold were of poor quality. Reference https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25961060 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11238820 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22280901 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11697022 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22280901

What is a foam rolling? A foam roller readily available from the likes of TK Maxx is a tool for self massage.  Foam rolling is basically a cheap and easy way of keeping your muscles flexible. How do you foam roll? You place the foam roller under the area you’re targeting and use a gentle, flowing backwards and forwards motion to apply pressure to the area. How does it work? You know how if you visit us for a massage, we apply pressure to release the knots in your muscles.  You use the same principle with a foam roller except you use your body weight to apply pressure. Are there any downside to foam rolling? While I fully recommend foam rolling it will never replace the precision and experience of a massage therapist.  It can be difficult to target small areas with a foam roller so a spikey ball is a better alternative. How often should you foam roll? The simple answer is as much as you can.  When exercising a foam roller should be used both before and after exercise for best results.  Please try to remember foam rolling isn’t a chore it’s a therapy you will gain benefits from it!