Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is responsible for numerous deaths in the U.S. and other countries around the world. It is not the same as a heart attack. A heart attack normally occurs when advanced atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries) slowly starves the heart causing irreversible damage. The heart finally cannot function properly and stops. Sudden cardiac death occurs when the electrical impulses that control heart function become erratic...more
Myocardial infarction is a technical term used to describe an irreversible injury to heart muscle. It is normally used as a synonym for a heart attack and will be so used in this essay. Myocardial infarction is normally related to progressive atherosclerosis (blockage of the arteries.) Essentially the heart is slowly starved of oxygen and stops functioning properly causing irreparable damage and even death. It is no surprise that much of the...more
I recently heard of an older couple that eats salmon every day for breakfast. To my finicky palate that does not sound as appetizing as waffles. Why do they do it? They argue that salmon is the most perfect food on the planet, full of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. They do it because they plan on living a long time.Most of us know that fish makes for a healthier dinner than steak. It is lower in bad cholesterol and a few other things. But numerous studies support the hypothesis that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil have positive effects on a whole list of chronic disorders. Among these are high triglycerides, arthritis, Chrohn's disease, cancer, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, coronary artery disease and the neural development of children. To say it would be difficult to cover all these topics in a single essay is an understatement. But here are a few examples.Japanese women have a much lower risk of breast cancer than do their American counterparts. However, Japanese women who move to America and adopt its dietary patterns have an equal risk of contracting breast cancer as American women within one generation. Women living in Japan have a high ratio of omega-3 fatty acids...more
Most Americans wish that they weighed less than they do. Two-thirds of us are overweight. At the same time, there are literally hundreds of weight loss programs--each one promising that it will help you finally lose those extra pounds. Some of them work--and you are able to lose weight. But most people gain back the weight they lost--and more--when...more
Everyone is pressed for time these days. It does not have to mean that fitness can't be a part of your life. In as little as 10 minutes a day, you can begin to make positive changes to your body.People often have an all or nothing idea about exercise. They feel that if they can't fit in an hour of exercise that they will do nothing...more
My Amazing Mother - "The Arthritis Lady"From the age of 11 to age 53 my mother avoided holding hands; they were painful to the touch, so puffed up, sore and hot!!! Raising four children she, of course, had to hold our hands. She tried so hard not to let us know how painful it was but, we knew she was in constant pain.I always felt bad for my Mom and Dad because holding hands was something they missed. It was hard for her to knit or crochet, which she loved to do.Walking, bending or standing for any period of time was so painful for her. We learned as small children, my brothers and I, to do what ever we could to help around the house.She went to over thirteen "Arthritis" specialists, which were of little or no help. She was prescribed many different drugs and went through all kinds of treatments for her arthritis.She was in so much pain that she tried anything and everything to find relief. She was so desperate to find something that would stop her pain that she: Went to over 13 physicians, ("Arthritis Specialists") She took Codeine, Darvon, Sprays and "Gold Treatments" She was placed in traction with a large weight to stretch her body, was tied to the bed and couldn't move for a...more
One of the fundamental principles of exercise prescription, specifically resistance training, is the principle of exercise order. Which exercises do I do first? Which do I do last? Does exercise order really matter? From personal observations in...more
Today in our modern age we have just about every supplement possible. Every vitamin from a-z can be found in supplement form. Along with vitamins, herbal capsules and high concentrated of other things such as bee pollen and folic acid are common....more
Where am I running? What am I looking for? It seems like a funny idea and yet I, like many others, am running towards a utopia that I will never find. Sometimes I think that human beings are designed this way, programmed in constant search of a...more
Of all the forms of stress in today's world, computer stress is the one that is on the rise the fastest. Computers are wonderful machines, but they can also stress out workers by their sometimes confusing demands, their constant presence and their...more
One of the hardest forms of stress to avoid is workplace stress. After all, you need to go to work and there are plenty of things to worry about once you get there. However, that does not mean that workplace stress is unavoidable. Just like other...more
An increasing problem in today's world is environmental stress. This is a type of stress caused by increasing pollution in air we breathe, the water we drink, and even in the sounds we hear. Though environmental stress seems to be simply a physical...more