By: Lana E. Woody
There is something to be said about physical activity. This subject is very near and dear to me. Over the years I have done many different types of exercise. From yoga, walking, running, exercise videos, swimming, hiking, climbing mountains, karate, and kung fu, I have tried a little bit of it all. I’ve climbed a mountain in Alaska, a volcano in Maui, and the Stations Of The Cross in Italy. I used to push myself to be able to go up a hill on my bike or run up a hill without stopping. Determination to do it always allowed me to reach my goal, eventually. Some took longer than others. One in particular took me 20 years to achieve, but, hey, I can cross it off my list.
At one time I was so addicted to exercise that I can honestly say I exercised too much; I was too hard on myself. When I saw just a little bit of fat, I thought it was the end of the world. I mean it’s kind of funny looking back on how we can make such a big deal out of silly things. Yet I have studied a lot of different forms of exercise and can tell you it is good for you to exercise at least a little every day, or as often as you can. People have said to me, “Well, I can’t exercise; I have chronic pain…or this or that.” Well, I do too; in fact, exercise is one of the ways I keep myself from being so stiff and in so much pain. There are times I wake up hurting and not wanting to do anything; then I work out for 15-20 minutes and I feel so much better. When the kids where younger, I would hit the road walking as soon as they where on the bus, if I had to go to work that day. The walk would get me motivated and my heart pumping.
Being in the service industry because I needed to work, there where times I would be so tired and think, “Oh, my God, I don’t want to do this.” But I’d get to work, and just force myself to start working. An hour later, in the middle of a rush, I would realize I didn’t feel bad anymore. My endorphins would be flowing; it is just magical and highly addictive when everything flows just right. Hard to do, and hard to walk away from. I call it being addicted to the rush; however, I learned how healthy putting ourselves in that state can be. It forces our bodies out of its sedentary state, and makes it function the way it was designed to. Of course, not everyone should try to be a server, but there are other ways to get that reaction in our bodies that is beneficial. Interval training and cardio are awesome for eliciting a response in our bodies that helps it forget that it hurts and feels bad. It’s great for our heart and our brains too because we increase blood flow, heart rate, and oxygen intake all at the same time.
There are so many health benefits to exercise, stretching, and yoga. Yoga is one of my favorites. It helps me calm my mind, eases my pain, and I like to push myself to see what I can do. Something I’ve found is that you should really be careful how much you work out without stretching. Lactic acid will really kick your butt. Ask us about supplements like L-Glutamine and MSM+C that help with lactic acid. We have this revolutionary technology called the vibe machine that you can get a one-hour workout in as little as 10 minutes a day. The vibe machine allows you to engage 95 percent of your muscle fibers as opposed to 20% you get from lifting weights. You should also try to eat healthy and take vitamins because it can catch up to you as soon as you stop working out. Proper nutrition and vitamins go hand in hand with living a healthy lifestyle. We have MSM+C to help with rebuilding our bodies and muscles at a cellular level, some great protein building products, and weight-loss supplements that will go great with any exercise routine you pick out. Working out is just part of the equation. We have to keep moving, and put good things into our bodies for it to work right.
We are here to help with your New Year’s resolutions, and wishing you a happy new year from Herbs and More. Simply go by Herbs & More in Athens or NHC Herb Shop in Killen or call 800-745-4408. To learn even more go http://www.nhcherbs.com and listen to Roy’s radio programs or listen live Monday – Friday at 9:00 a.m. on WBTG in Sheffield and at noon on WKAC in Athens.
Your Friend in Health,
Lana E. Woody
