Archive for the ‘Health And Fitness’ Category

Any Helpful Information Related to Diabetes

Posted by admin On October - 29 - 2011ADD COMMENTS

Having so much knowledge in ay kinds of field will be really helpful for us, for example the knowledge related to our health. Of course, all people want to be healthy without any diseases. However, there are so many kinds of diseases that are possibly experienced, including the diabetes. From the diabetes resource page, we will be able to get so many kinds of helpful information related to diabetes. As we know that all people have the possibilities in experiencing this disease. There, we can find so many kinds of needed information related to diabetes.

It is the reliable diabetes resource where all people are able to find so much information related to diabetes. There, we will find so many kinds of information related to diabetes, such as the cause of diabetes, the prevention, types of diabetes, and many others. Of course all of them will be really helpful for us and all people who suffer and who want to prevent this disease.

So, actually what is diabetes? From the resource, diabetes is actually a disease that is caused by the high level of the blood sugar. It will give the bad effect to our health. In many cases it can affect and cause complications that will be something worst if we do not know how to maintain our health.

bet

What is Sports Nutrition?

Sports nutrition plays a huge part in gaining the best sporting performance. If you play hockey, golf, football, tennis or whatever your chosen sport is, having the right nutritional balance is essential. There are many nutrients that can be got by eating the correct foods. Having the correct balance of vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates are essential part of having the proper nutrition health regime.

Try not to get nutrition and sports nutrition mixed up though as both are different. Being an athlete and participating in sports will require more nutrients as a way of keeping the energy levels up to ensure the athlete remains as peak fitness throughout there activities. Being an athlete is more strenuous on the body and that is the main reason why they will require more nutrients that the regular nutrition dieting advice.

During their sporting activities athletes will tend to lose a lot of fluids, everyone has heard of dehydration, which is one of the largest problems faced during sports. Losing fluids will cause you to tire much quicker than normal which will have a negative impact on sporting performance.

The reason why there are professional athlete is that they get paid to perform at their maximum on a daily basis. To do this it is essential that the body gets proper nutrition. It is vital to drink enough water, have a balanced diet by eating the proper foods and also get the proper nutritional intake that your body will need. Different sports will cause the body to require different nutrients. Nearly all professional athletes have a sports nutritionist who help in provide the correct diet for their sporting nutritional needs. Doing so will enable your body to consumes energy efficiently and will aid in overall performance.

In order to make the most of your sporting talents it is essential to have more power, endurance and strength. Only by getting the proper sports nutrition can this be done.

Having a balanced diet is essential and should be based on several different factors. Such as, the type of sports that you are participating in, age, physical condition and body size.

It is always best to consult with a doctor when changing your diet instead of just deciding one for yourself. To go one step further getting a sports nutritionist will help in giving you the correct diet that will suit your body and help in providing the perfect diet to complement your sport.

When exercising it is vital to remember that a lot of fluids will be lost. When you are working out in the gym, doing weights, running, it is easy to forget the fluid loss that you body is experiencing. That is probably the main reason why water is one of the most important parts of sports nutrition.

It makes up about sixty percent of your body weight and is involved in almost all of your bodily processes.

Your body cannot produce and store water, this is the main reason why it is important to replace all fluids that are lost during exercise. If you don’t then dehydration will have a huge part in damaging your athletic abilities. Taking part in sports will require you to consume much more water than eight glasses daily.

Carbohydrates are the most important fuel source. It provides a minimum of sixty to a maximum of seventy percent of our calories. Carbohydrates are found on almost all of the food you consume. Food rich in carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, pastas, breads, cereals, rice and many more that are too many to mention.

The body converts all starches and sugars in carbohydrates to glucose. The main provider of energy in the body is glucose. That is why an active lifestyle requires more carbohydrates than usual. The body will also store glucose in the liver and muscles that will give your body a energy reserve. If this reserve is not used during sports then it will be more likely to turn into fat. The larger your carbohydrate intake the more energy you will have during sports. If your intake is to high it will have a negative effect as you will begin to increase in fat. Other energy sources include proteins and fats.

Foods that help in providing the most amount of protein would be, eggs, nuts, poultry, fish, meat, beans and dairy products. Proteins will supply about 15 to 20 percent of your daily calorie allowance. The main uses of proteins are in tissue and muscle building.

How Sports Can Help Your Child With ADHD

Posted by admin On September - 22 - 2010ADD COMMENTS




When a child has ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, they find themselves doing or not being able to do the following: keeping focused, having an impulsive behavior, speaking out of turn, or not playing well with others.

Of course, you want your child to be able to do things like their peers. One thing that they can get involved in is sports. However, not all sports are made for those that have the disorder. Some of these sports require a person’s total focus on the game at hand. Other sports, such as golf, require that there is silence while the person hits the ball. Noise only serves to break their concentration.

One of the sports they can play is soccer. Soccer is a team sport, and they would need to learn how to play well with others. Playing soccer would be a good challenge for the child to do just that. If the child is hyperactive, this would also help them get rid of any extra energy. They also don’t have to be concerned with so much focus. Participating in track is another one they can do. With this, they will also burn off extra energy. They do not have to focus much with this.

Hockey is a quick paced game and they have to be active because they’re constantly moving on the ice. Since it requires so much movement, they don’t have time to make a lot of noise. If they are constantly frustrated, karate would be a good choice to let off some of that steam. Karate also helps them to be disciplined and have order in their life.

Parents and guardians will have to work with their child to determine which sports are good for them. They need to have a sport that will connect with them personally. It may not happen overnight, but you have to keep plugging in until you find that match. Sports can play an important part in their lives. In addition to getting rid of the energy from hyperactivity, it also serves as an outlet that they can use to channel their frustration.

If you’re not sure of which way to go with this, consult a physician that specializes in this type of disorder. They will be able to help you determine what sports can help them focus and improve their behavior. These activities can also help them with their self-esteem, as they can look forward to being a positive aspect in society.

Sports Massage – Pre-Event

Posted by admin On February - 26 - 2010ADD COMMENTS





Massage before an event can be an integral component of the pre-event preparation for many athletes. Pre-event massage can create a state of readiness in the muscles and tissues so that the athlete’s performance can be optimized. Whilst some therapists consider that a pre-event massage can take place up to 48 hours before an event, most Sports Massage therapists judge that, strictly speaking a pre-event massage is one given just before the time an athlete is scheduled to compete (ideally 15-45 minutes before the event). This article will concentrate on massage immediately prior to the event.

A question that is often posed is should the pre-event massage happen before or after the athlete warms up. To answer this one needs to understand the physiological effects of a warm-up: to increase heart rate, body temperature and respiratory rate; and to prepare the body’s nervous system. Hence a pre-event massage done after the warm-up would defeat it’s purpose and you would not want the athlete’s heart rate, body temperature and respiratory rate to drop during the massage.

In general a pre-event massage should assist in increasing the circulation of blood to the muscles to allow the muscles to be flushed and oxygenated. Tight muscles may be relaxed so that joints can be moved through their range of motion. Emphasis should be placed on the muscles used during the activity so improve performance and also reduce the chance of injuries. The athlete can use the time to focus on their event, to relax or complete their mental preparation. At the end of the massage, the athlete should feel great!

More specifically before giving a pre-event massage, the therapist should ask several key questions which relate back to the article “Sports Massage – An Introduction”(1)
namely what techniques should be used and what is the intent.

These question include:

- what type of event is the athlete competing in? Are lightening quick reactions required as a pre-event massage given too close to the event may dull reaction times?

- does the athlete’s sports permit the use of oils or lotions during the pre-event massage?

- is the athlete required to be “loose” prior to the event (eg boxing) or relaxed (bowling)?

The massage should generally be done at a moderate pace, non-specific, relatively light, warming and short in duration (no more than around 15-20 minutes). It certainly does not have to be a complete routine. As with most massage treatments, it is preferable to be conservative – too little is better than too much. The massage must not be painful or include high impact techniques such as deep cross-fibre frictions or deep muscle therapy. The techniques most commonly used are general Swedish techniques (petrissage, vibration or percussion), compression, jostling, broadening strokes and general frictions.

It is important to note that no two individuals respond to massage in quite the same way and this can present a problem to the therapist seeing an athlete for the first time for a pre-event massage or in the last couple of days before an event. For example, two days before an event the massage can be deep so that the athlete can obtain the maximum recuperative benefit from the pre-event taper. However the depth required to address specific problem areas will vary considerably between athletes. An athlete should see how they respond to a massage in the last 48 hours/pre-event at a competition (or simulated training session) that is non-critical. So please don’t leave it until the day before the City to Surf or your big event to have your first massage!

(1) “Sports Massage – An Introduction”. Richard Lane.

innerwestmassage.com.au/sports_massage_introduction.php

Sports Massage And Its Benefits

Posted by admin On June - 14 - 2008ADD COMMENTS





There are a number of different massage forms and sports massage is a form more geared towards the athlete. It helps to prepare the athlete for physical activity and also assists in the prevention of injuries. In fact a number of athletes have attributed massage for their performances and longevity.

When a professional athlete tears a muscle or similar, it makes news. But anyone who plays sport can be injured and the most vulnerable are children and adolescents, middle-aged athletes and women. Anyone playing sports should do some stretching and warm up exercised. Its amazing how many people know they should but just don’t for various reasons. These people may be lucky and nothing happens but when it does it’s big time resulting in pain and quite some time on the sidelines.

Some tips for preventing injury are:

- avoid bending knees past 90 degrees when doing half knee bends.

- if jumping, land with your knees bent.

- Do warm-up exercises not just before vigorous exercises, but also less vigorous exercises like golf.

- Don’t overdo it.

- Do warm-up stretches before activities and give yourself a good massage as this will increase circulation as well as loosen any tight muscles.

- Cool down following vigorous sport by walking or jogging for five minutes so your pulse comes down gradually.

- Make sure that you wear proper fitting shoes, which provide stability and shock absorption.

Whenever you exercise heavily small amounts of swelling occur in the muscle because of tiny tears. Therefore, massage after your event will help reduce the swelling, loosen tired, stiff muscles, help maintain flexibility, promotes circulation and thus more oxygen to the muscle and helps to remove waste such as lactic acid. Massage will help speed up recovery time and alleviates any soreness.

Conditions, which in general respond well with massage, are: muscle pain and stiffness, strains, sprains, repetitive strain injuries, sore spots and muscle tension. It should be noted that even though massage will help certain sports injuries to heal one should also seek medical advice as some injuries may need to be immobilized. Sports massage is safe and effective and if performed correctly should have no side effects

Sports Massage – Post-Event

Posted by admin On September - 27 - 2007ADD COMMENTS





The purpose of a massage after a major event is simply to aid the athlete to recover from the activity. This is achieved by reducing post-exercise soreness, re-establishing full range of motion and enhancing blood flow to tight muscles. The length of recovery time from strenuous competition can be dramatically reduced with a good post-event massage. Studies have found that correctly applied massage in the first two hours after activity can be critical for reducing the effect of delayed onset muscle soreness (1). Although they could not detect any change in measured physiological variables, post-event massage did lower the intensity of delayed onset muscle soreness. Post-event massage can also be employed after (heavy) training sessions as well as competition.

The primary goal of post-event massage is very similar to that of pre-event massage (2), namely promotion of circulation and to lengthen tight muscles. However, the difference is that the muscles are now in a state of congestion and fatigue following maximal effort and performance. Therefore the objective is to increase the athlete’s rate of recovery by decreasing soreness and fatigue, speeding up the removal of metabolic by-products and relieving the increased tone of the muscles. Please note that the delayed onset muscle soreness is not caused by lactic acid build-up as is commonly espoused. Current research suggests that the delayed soreness may be caused by

- microtrauma of the muscle fibres

- a micro-tearing of the fascia

- the pain-ischemia-pain cycle resulting from overuse, oedema and inflammation or

- a combination of all of these.

A post-event massage is typically administered for around 10 to 15 minutes. Even 5 minutes on the legs after a City to Surf type event is beneficial. It is certainly not a full-body massage. For example, a typical post-event leg routine might consist of:

- compressive effleurage to calm the nervous system

- compression for spreading muscle fibres and also enhancing blood flow

- petrissage for easing muscle tension and

- compressive effleurage as a finishing stroke to soothe.

Depending upon the circumstances, the therapist may consider that some gentle therapeutic stretching may be appropriate.

When performing post-event massage, the massage therapist is much more likely to encounter athletes that require first aid. During the massage the therapist should watch for cuts, scrapes, blisters, bruises and mild strains and sprains. However, it should be noted that, depending on the training of the therapist, providing first aid is generally not within the scope of practice for massage therapy. When a sports massage therapist suspects that an athlete has a problem, they should seek the help of a qualified medical staff member at the event.

Although most athletes carry out a warm-down routine after training sessions, they often fail to do so after competition because of exhaustion, elation or even disappointment. An effective post-event massage can help an athlete feel better immediately following a competition. Along with a big psychological lift, it can allow the athlete to recover mor quickly. Almost all athletes look forward to seeing massage therapists at an event because they know that they will enjoy a well-deserved post-event massage.