HEALTH POINTS STUDY-GUIDE and RECOMMENDATIONS

1. According to the WHO (World Health Organization) Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely  the absence of disease or infirmity.

2. Exercise with moderation (30’-75’/ 3-5 times a wk.).

3. Eat less but more often (5 small to medium meals a day).

4. Drink plenty of water (8-10 8 oz. glasses daily).

5. Get enough sleep (8-10 hr. per night).

6. Getting in shape will not be as hard if we avoid two very common mistakes: introducing more calories than the ones we burn and neglecting our body needs by undereating or disregarding proper recovery times.

7. By eating every 2-4 hours we prevent our body from going into starvation mode.  This simple strategy will lock body fat production, as well as increasing our metabolism and enhancing our activity level.

8. Over two-thirds of our body weight is made of water. On average we lose about a half-gallon of water per day through activity, excretion and breathing (even more with exercise or hot weather). 

9. Even moderate exercise increases our metabolic rate (calorie burning) 3 to 8 times for hours after the exercise.  This residual effect of exercise, not exercise itself, is the greatest benefit for fat burning.

10. The best exercises for burning fat are those which can be done continuously and involve the most muscle groups (especially the large muscles of the hips and legs).  The more muscles used the more fat we will burn.  Exercises that involve movement for brief spurts followed by rest (even though they may be strenuous) use sugar – not fat – as their primary fuel source.

11. Our fat burning zone, “target heart rate”, is between 60% and 90% of our MHR (maximum heart rate).

12. We can calculate our MHR by subtracting our age from 220.

13. Twenty minutes to one hour (according to our fitness level) of continuous exercise, is generally considered the duration to get fat-burning benefits and increase the growth of fat burning enzymes in our muscles.

14. A frequency of at least three times per week, with no more than 2 days of rest between exercises sessions (in order not to lose conditioning) will promote fat loss.

15. Studies in the laboratory and epidemiological observations have shown improved immune function and fewer URIs  (Upper Respiratory Infections) in athletes as compared to their couch-potato counterparts. This is especially true in older athletes and it appears that regular and moderate exercise can help attenuate the age related decline in immune function.

16. Experts agree that exercise is one of the best remedies for stress. When you exercise, you produce endorphins, substances with a similar chemical structure to morphine and formed within the body to relieve pain and induce feelings of well-being and relaxation. 

17. Stretching is useful for both injury prevention and injury treatment. If done properly, it increases flexibility. The reason is that a muscle/tendon group with a greater range of motion will be less likely to experience tears. Additionally, increased flexibility of the neck, shoulders and upper back may improve respiratory function.

18. Eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day provides a variety of health benefits. Fruits and vegetable are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber and other nutrients and contain hundreds of phytochemicals. Along with physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight, eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day promotes good health and reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

19. When the body is positioned correctly there is minimal strain on the muscles, ligaments, bones, and joints, your internal organs are not compressed, blood vessels are not pressed, nerves are not irritated, and you are at less risk for backache. This allows your body to function at it's best.

20. “The Breakout Principle” refers to a mind-body impulse that severs prior mental patterns and—even in times of great stress or emotional trauma—opens an inner door to a host of personal benefits, including: stress-reduction, greater mental acuity, enhanced creativity, increased productivity, maximal athletic performance, spiritual development.

One of the best ways to do so is by getting carried away by mindless repetition.  Focus on nothing but the present and a solution may drift into your mind.

Some activities have been found to work well as breakout triggers.  They can be musical (listening to, playing or singing your favorite music), cultural (viewing a painting or sculpture, reading or listening to poetry or a speech), water-related (taking a long shower, soaking in a bath or hot tub, sitting or floating in a pool, lake or ocean), athletic (walking, jogging, bicycling, skating), repetitive movements activities (needlepoint, knitting, conscious breathing, slowly beating a drum), nature-related (sitting in a garden, gazing at mountains or the sea, walking in the woods, fishing), housework-related (gardening, folding laundry), animal-related (petting a calm animal, watching fish in an aquarium), spiritual (prayer, meditation), altruistic (becoming involved in some significant way with helping others).