Mar 08 2020

Heart Health and Body Structure

I am sure you have heard a lot about heart health. Everything from diet, hydration, stress management, and even sleep affects your heart. There a lot of excellent points to follow, but have you ever thought about heart health and the structure of your body.

The structure of the body is usually talked about or thought about posture, movement, or pain. And all this is true. The better your structure, the better your position, the better you move, and the less pain you will have. But the structure of your body is fundamental to the health of your organs too. Your organs (viscera) all have a place that they are supposed to be within the body. They all have “rooms” formed by fascia (connective tissue). If the structure of your body is out of balance and your fascia is unhealthy, then space (room) holding your organs is compromised, and they cannot function optimally. It’s as if I were to ask you to perform a task but then bind your arms and legs to limit your movement. It’s going to be difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish.

Now to use your heart as an example. For it to be healthy and function optimally, the heart should sit properly on your diaphragm, and the pericardium (heart skin) should provide enough room and be able to connect correctly to the neck and sternum.

In this image (above), the pericardium (green) connects to the sternum (breast bone), C6, C7 and T1 vertebrae (neck), and the diaphragm for support. If any of those connections are tight or “out of place,” then it will twist, compress, or pull the pericardium and cause the heart to not work well.

Take a typical posture that you can see everywhere now. It’s called forward head posture. And just as the name implies, your head is forward to your shoulders. This is usually seen with a rounded back (kyphosis) and a collapsed sternum. So take the picture of the heart above and place it in this poor chap. Let’s start at the top. When your head is forward, and you have kyphosis, it pulls your neck forward and causes those vertebrae to slide forward. It also creates those connections at the sternum to slack. And 9.99999999 times out of 10, this posture will also cause your diaphragm to be jumbled (technical name) and so the floor that the heart sits on is crooked and compressed.

So now, your poor little heart is all twisted and compressed and sitting in the wrong place, and you are asking it to work optimally. Also, your posture is now reducing your lung volume, which reduces the amount of oxygen your body (including your heart) is getting. And now extrapolate that strain and think about the effects when you are exerting yourself. Talk about putting your body (and heart) in a position NOT to succeed.

If this represents your condition, the good news is that your current situation is not a death sentence because most of what I am talking about is soft tissue. This means you can do something about it if you don’t wait too long. Some exercises can open your neck and pull those vertebrae back into it’s intended position, and correct your kyphosis.

If your goal is longevity and vitality, then get on a workout treatment program that works on your body from all different angles, including your posture and structure. The benefits to your entire being are numerous… because it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

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Jan 15 2020

Don’t Just Set Resolutions, Choose Who You Want To Be

I understand your pain. Growth is HARD. You’ve been carrying around this voice that keeps telling you what you could be doing to reach your full potential. It says you are so much more than what your lifestyle says you are. There’s this deep groaning in your gut that is saying go HARDER.

We don’t listen to this voice often because it’s calling us to step out into somewhere new. Humans don’t like “new places” because there could be predators lurking about to destroy us. These predators come in all shapes and sizes. They could look like a group of fit young students laughing at you because you’re overweight and trying to get in shape. You decide not to go to the gym anymore, meanwhile you paid one visit with your new membership. It’s the physical pain of dealing with sore muscles after getting into a workout routine. Perhaps it’s the $100,000 student debt that you’re going to get as you pursue your dream of becoming a teacher. It’s important to recognize these monsters that are standing in front of you and understand that you don’t have to be afraid any longer. Take courage and begin your journey.

Step 1: Vision

Who is this person that you long to be?

Why do you want to live this way?

Does he/she walk with confidence?

Do they smile everyday knowing that they have meaning in this world?

Do they know that they are loved?

Are there things in your life you don’t want anymore?

Are there things that you don’t have in your life that you know you want?

What does he/she look like today? Tomorrow? Next year? Five years from now? Ten years from now?

Cast the vision of you in your fullest potential. Be specific. Set small goals to achieve every day, week, month, and year that is going to get you there. They could be as simple as reading a chapter a day, or read 12 books this year, or go to the gym 3 times this week.

Step 2: Focus

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” – Proverbs 23:7

Your most powerful weapons in producing positive growth are your heart, and your mind. It’s your responsibility as a conscious human being to monitor your thoughts and self-talk and to protect and feed good dialogue within. What does your inner dialogue sound like? Are your thoughts always of shame? Doubt? Guilt? Do you hear negative put downs all day? Are you always telling yourself you are not good enough? If this is what your self-talk sounds like it’s time to set an anchor of who you truly are in your heart and mind. This is the spiritual side of war. I recommend reading books that work on your mindset, taking time to pray/meditate and find things in life to be thankful for, meditating on good thoughts like “you are loved” and surrounding yourself with people who add value to your life instead of cut you down. The main point here is to believe whole heartedly that you are deeply loved from above and were created with a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. Out of this place of belief you will begin to live as so.

Step 3: Perseverance

When the going gets tough, KEEP ON GOING. Nothing of value will ever come easy. It’s your perspective within the little moments, tasks, and jobs, that will decide how much joy you experience, even in the toughest of days. Remember who you are, and why you live the way you do to get through the growing pains. Be thankful for those reasons, be thankful that you have the courage to be where you are because this is who you are. You are a well-reasoned, capable, and endearing human being that has the ability to change the world if you believe you can. This is truly who you are.

It’s time to set some goals, get spiritually healthy, and show up for the dirty work every day with a heart of faith and gratitude. You owe it to yourself and to the world; it’s who you were created to be. You are not the only one that experiences fear. You are not the only one that longs to overcome your shortcomings and live in your full potential. Take the first step forward and if you fall, laugh off the dust and try again. Give yourself grace, but not too much grace. You are an overcomer and were created to overcome the laziness, overeating, and whatever other bad habits are holding you back from living in your full potential. It’s time to silence them once and for all. Believe.

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Nov 04 2019

The Time To Start Taking Yourself Is Always NOW

We all interpret happiness through our own experiences. It can look completely different from one person to another. There is a common activity that can profoundly affect the level of every human’s level of happiness. This activity is called exercise.

Exercise produces euphoric chemicals and hormones in the human brain like endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. Not only does exercise heighten our “feel good” chemical experiences, it also lowers our stress chemicals like cortisol, and adrenaline.

The holidays are just up the street. This is the time of year that separates those who are serious and those who are not. Those who are serious about their workout routines commonly share enjoyment in their active lifestyle. I’m writing this article to share with you 3 things that will help you maintain a successful workout routine all year round and enjoy it.

Motivation

Start with finding your why. Having a superseding motivational factor will be powerful on the days you don’t feel like pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and doing what you know you need to do. Always reflect on your why. I recommend writing it down and reading it every day. Remind yourself why it is so important for you to show up today.

Reward

Hard work itself can be rewarding, but its still hard work. Discover what satiates you. Maybe it’s an evening at your favorite restaurant or a trip to your favorite clothing store. When you work hard and achieve your goals, give yourself a break and let your body and brain know it’s done a good job. You will be more likely to return refreshed for another week of progressive workout.

Repeat

Don’t give up. Remember your why, be diligent in your reward system. This is very important in sustaining an enjoyable workout routine.

Those who enjoy their lifestyle are serious about their routines. Do you want to feel the best you’ve ever felt? performed the best you’ve ever performed? then what are you waiting for. Ride into the new year with a passionate momentum. Everybody knows that waiting until after the new year to begin a routine is just an excuse to procrastinate. Take this time before the holidays to start or recommit yourself to a workout routine. If you have any questions about getting started or how to improve your workout routine, I am always available to help.

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Sep 23 2019

Want To Age Better? Read This.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a pill you could take to keep your youth throughout the entirety of your life? Imagine being able to eat whatever you want, relaxing 95% of the time, and not having to afford the deteriorating results of this complacent behavior. For those who understand the vitality of activity and being proactive in your health conscious behaviors, this is nothing less than a pipe dream. Who says living a healthy life means living a boring life? 1 in 3 children are physically active every day. Less than 5% of adults in America take part in 30 minutes of physical activity each day. These stats can be shocking considering our bodies were designed to move, build, and grow under stress. A lack of physical activity is a major cause of premature death, premature aging, liver disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, stroke, cognitive dysfunction, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, and many more life threatening diseases.

Given these shocking facts you should ask yourself; Why should I exercise? And how should I exercise? Hopefully these questions can draw out a meaningful motivation, and a passionate means to do so. What do you love to do? Finding activities that you love to do will be the promise of consistency and longevity in your exercise programs. When you discover how you will be exercising, it’s important to be aware of the proper way to execute the movements your body will be making. If your movements are not correct, you can actually do more damage to your body than healthy growth. A spike in the well being of your body, brain and spirit will testify to the goodness of a well-implemented exercise program.

What are the keys to staying young, healthy, strong, and vibrant? Every child, adult, and senior should make these routines and programs an enjoyable part of their life.

1. Stretching Routine

We stretch to become holistically balanced. This means that all our muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, fluids, etc, are doing their job. Training your body to stay balanced and strong starts with a stretching program that aligns your myofascial chains to stay in proper tension. Having the proper tension and compression in your body will result in great posture, awareness of your body, strength, and efficient movements.

2. Strengthening Program

Your body has thousands of components that work together to complete even the smallest tasks. Every day the world puts your body to the ultimate challenge. To become strong, you must make sure that these thousands of components are “doing their job” through a proper exercise program. And you must build strength in the 7 foundation movements. The 7 foundation movements are squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, bending, twisting, and gate. All the different machines at the gym are slight variations of these movements.

Take some time to research some simple stretching, and strength building exercises. Is there a sport that you’ve always wanted to get involved in? What about local walking clubs or community exercising groups? Be intentional with your physical activity. Do you want to be healthier, stronger, or more vibrant? It will never be easier to start, than starting today.

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Aug 31 2019

Training For An Enjoyable Ski Season

I know… you may think that this blog is a little on the early side considering we’re days away from labor day, but If you’re like me then your body has felt the consequences of an unprepared ski season launch. It’s never too early to begin preparing for the upcoming ski season. If you love skiing as much as I do, you are going to want your body to be functional when you get up on those slopes. You may have waited several seasons to enjoy the thrill of tearing through some fresh powder, the last thing you want to do is to get injured at the beginning of the season. I wrote this blog to help you understand the key components to a good preseason warm up that will help you avoid pain & injury, and prepare for an enjoyable and successful season. Consider these components as you engage in a preseason training program.

1. Muscle Solicitation

Lots of muscle solicitation means having all your muscle fibers “turned on”. Your quads, back, and abs are core muscle groups that are used in skiing. Focus on these muscle groups as you train. Your brain will be able to recognize that these fibers are turned on and it will know that it can use them.

2. Static Holding

Along with all the movement in skiing, there’s also lots of “holding your body” in place. If your body is not prepared to endure the demanding static holding that keeps you upright and agile then you can be sure that you will feel the pain in your muscles after a long day on the slopes.

3. Body Balance

You want the forces in your body to transfer properly. If the forces in your body are not dissipating as they should then you will experience knee pain, and back pain. A good stretching program will help your balance.

4. Joint Spacing

A good stretching program will also open the spaces in your joints. Open spacing in your joints will enhance the communication, awareness, and performance of the fine motor movements that your joints are responsible for.

Be proactive in your preseason preparations. Stop procrastinating and start working at your training program now. Your body will thank you for the lack of injuries, and you will thank your body for an improved performance. This may seem elementary but it will be the difference between a short, painful, grueling season, and a long, enjoyable, and successful season. Start having fun as soon as you get out on those slopes. I hope you have found this helpful. Good luck.

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Heart Health and Body Structure

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