Archive for March, 2008

Overview of Metabolism and 3 Ways to Speed Up, Increase or Boost Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Having a basic understanding of metabolism is a key component to improving your fitness. The food you eat and how it is digested to provide the energy and building blocks required by your body is done through the process of metabolism.

Metabolism is a conglomeration of infinite chemical reactions taking place in your body’s cells that are continuously converting the food you eat into the energy that powers everything you do. This process began when your dad’s sperm fertilized your mom’s egg, and will continue until your last breath, or so.

Certain proteins control this chemical reaction of metabolism. And each chemical reaction is coordinated with all of your body’s functions in order to keep your cells healthy and working properly.

When you eat something, enzymes in your digestive system breaks down:

  • fats into fatty acids
  • carbohydrates into sugar
  • proteins into amino acids

After this breakdown, these molecular compounds are absorbed into your blood for transportation to the cells. The site of energy metabolism.

Depending on the current needs of your body, this energy is released for immediate use or stored in body tissues, especially in the:

  • liver
  • muscles
  • adipose tissue

The process of metabolism is a balancing of anabolism and catabolism, which are occurring in your body all the time. Anabolism is all about building and storing:

  • maintaining body tissue
  • supporting growth of new cells
  • storing energy for use in the future

Catabolism is all about energy production required for all activity in the cells by breaking down large molecules, usually carbohydrates and fats, to release energy. This energy release provides:

  • warmth
  • fuels anabolism
  • muscle contraction for movement

As these larger molecules are broken down, the released waste products are removed via your:

  • skin
  • lungs
  • kidneys
  • intestines

How your body controls the buildup and breakdown of metabolism is hormones released from:

  • thyroid gland ~ produces & releases thyroxine, regulates speed of chemical reactions
  • pancreas ~ secretes various hormones (insulin for one) which dictates which activity takes place

Metabolism is a complicated chemical process, however most think of it in terms weight gain, loss and calories burned. And the number of calories you burn is determined by:

  • how much you move
  • your basal metabolic rate
  • your body’s amount of fat & muscle

So, if you want to increase, speed up or boost your metabolism the big 3 ways to do it are:

  1. move more
  2. less body fat/more muscle
  3. increase your basal metabolism rate (BMR)

The first two shouldn’t need much explanation. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) deserves a bit of discussion.

Your BMR is a measure of the rate at which a your body “burns” calories while at rest. It can play a role in a tendency to gain weight. Lower basal metabolism bodies will tend to gain more body fat over time.

To a certain extent, your basal metabolic rate is inherited. And sometimes affected by health problems. But exercising more will not only burn more calories, the result of becoming more physically fit will increase your BMR as well. Since BMR is altered by body composition, the more muscle and less fat will almost always increase your BMR.

Best way for boosting or increasing your metabolism is to “get moving”!

Tendinitis Cause of Elbow Pain and Weakness for Tennis and Golfers Elbow Treatment

Many reasons can cause your elbow to hurt, one of the most common being tendinitis. Tendinitis in your elbow is an inflammation or injury to your tendons that attach muscle to bone.

Well known forms of elbow tendinitis are tennis elbow, golfers elbow or little league elbow. However, other overuses of your elbow can result in a similar type tendinitis.

Tennis elbow is usually caused by a poor backhand technique or using a too small racquet’s grip. Signs of tennis elbow include:

  • wrist weakness
  • outside elbow pain
  • wrist extension pain
  • finger pain against resistance
  • tenderness around the bone on the outside of your elbow.

Treatment for tennis elbow involves:

  • ice
  • rest
  • elbow brace
  • gentle stretching
  • strengthening exercises

To prevent future elbow pain caused by tendinitis you need to:

  • proper strength training
  • warm-up adequately in advance
  • gradual return to full level activity
  • make technical corrections to your stroke

Golfer’s elbow, or little league elbow, is experiencing pain on the inside of your elbow. Symptoms are:

  • wrist weakness
  • inside elbow pain
  • inside elbow pain with use of a strong grip

Treatment and prevention for this type of elbow tendinitis is the same as it is for tennis elbow.

Other causes for your elbow pain may be:

  • strains
  • sprains
  • bursitis
  • arthritis
  • fractures
  • dislocations

Treatment for these will depend on which is causing your pain in the elbow.

Repetitive Stress Cause for Ganglion Cysts Treatment of Sac Filled Pain

A ganglion cyst can occur as a result of repetitive stress. It is like a sac filled with thick, sticky, clear, colorless, jellylike substance. These cysts build up on top of a joint or tendon, oftentimes on the wrist. Its consistency may be hard or cushiony. A ganglion cyst may show up suddenly or build up over time. It can get smaller or larger, and in some cases disappear all together.

You may not feel pain from a ganglion cyst, and only know its there because you can see it. Or you may feel a continuous aching pain, made worse with repetitive movement.

Since nearly half of all ganglion cysts disappear on their own, watch and wait is usually the initial course of treatment. A wrist brace may help relieve your symptoms while you give it the opportunity to resolve itself.

However, in severe cases, aspiration, using a needle to remove the cyst’s contents, or surgery may be necessary.

No reason to let your fitness regime suffer, brace it and go.

Meditation for Mindful Relaxation, Chronic Disease Health and Fitness

The practice of meditation is believed to create a state of improved physical relaxation, mental calmness, and total body balance. All this in the interest of improving fitness, health and wellness.

In this new age, meditation is also being used to help combat various chronic diseases and health problems, such as:

  • stress
  • anxiety
  • insomnia
  • depression
  • chronic pain
  • physical/emotional symptoms associated with chronic illnesses ~ heart disease, cancer

Meditation that is used as a type of mind-body medicine, focuses on the interactions of the brain, mind, body and behavior, with the intent to use the mind to affect physical functioning in its promotion of health and fitness.

During meditation, your attention is focused on a single subject, with the goal of suspending all other thoughts that would otherwise occupy your mind. This has been shown to induce some changes in the body, notably the autonomic nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system regulates heartbeat, sweating, breathing, and digestion, as well as other. And all this regulating is done automatically.

Most types of meditation have four elements in common:

  • quiet location
  • focus of attention ~ mantra, an object or breathing
  • specific posture ~ sitting, lying down, standing, walking, in other positions
  • open attitude ~ letting distractions come and go naturally without stopping to think about them

Mindfulness Meditation and Transcendental Meditation (TM) techniques are two common approaches to meditation.

Mindfulness meditation originated in Buddhism and is based on the concept of being mindful, or having an increased awareness and total acceptance of the present. This is seen as helping by learning to experience thoughts and emotions with increased balance and acceptance.

TM originated in the Vedic tradition in India and it uses a mantra (repeating word, sound, or phrase) to prevent distracting thoughts from entering the mind. Thus allowing the mind to settle into a quieter state and the body into deep rest state, ultimately leading to a state of relaxed alertness.

Meditation is a fantastic compliment to any fitness regime ~ maintain calm focus on movement (exercise) task without mental distraction.

Skin Gland Sweating and Causes for Excessive (Hyperhidrosis) Sweats or No (Anhidrosis) Sweat

Sweat is a salty liquid that your skin glands produce for the sole purpose of cooling your body. Under normal gland sweating conditions, you will generally experience sweats under your arms, on your feet and in the palms of your hands.

Sweating a lot is normal when:

  • it’s hot
  • during menopause
  • when you exercise
  • when you are anxious
  • when you have a fever

However, sweating too much is a condition called hyperhidrosis. This condition might be caused by:

  • thyroid disorder
  • low blood sugar
  • another health problem
  • nervous system disorder

Sweating too little, anhidrosis, can cause your body to overheat creating a life-threatening situation. Causes of anhidrosis are:

  • burns
  • dehydration
  • nerve disorders
  • some skin disorders

When your sweat mixes with bacteria, which is naturally present on your skin, it has the potential to cause a stinky smell. Bathing regularly helps control the production of this offensive odor.

Do yourself, and others, a favor by jumping in the shower after every fitness workout for a sweaty bacteria odor wash off.

Causes for Ankle Joint Pain and Stiffness by Sprains, Fractures and Arthritis

Ankle sprains and fractures are common sports injuries, or a result of inattentive walking. Missing a curb or small rock in your path can put an end to your mobility, at least temporarily.

Your ankle joint consists of your ankle bone and two lower leg bones. Ligaments stabilize and support this joint in the connection of these bones to each other. Surrounding muscles and tendons give the joint its movement.

A sprain is an injury to the ligaments, and complete joint healing may take anywhere from a few weeks to months. R.I.C.E. method for healing should be applied as soon as possible.

A fracture is a break in a bone, and you should seek medical attention if you experience:

  • suspect you broke a bone
  • non-weight bearing sharp pain
  • your ankle joint doesn’t appears right
  • hearing popping and difficulty moving the joint

You can also injure your ankle joint’s:

  • cartilage ~ which cushions this joints
  • tendons ~ which join muscles to bone

Additional acute or chronic causes for ankle pain and stiffness are:

  • gout
  • infection
  • osteoarthritis
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • pseudogout ~ similar to gout, except calcium deposits are the cause for the pain, redness, and swelling

If your ankle is unstable, especially during standing or walking, you will need to offer it some support. ACE bandage, ankle brace or use of a cane are good methods to assist with your ankle’s instability.

Take walking and running precautions to keep your ankle joint fit for your mobility.

R.I.C.E. Method for Healing Joint Sprains, Strains and Pulls

Here are the four steps (R.I.C.E.) to follow right after injury occurs and continue for at least 48 hours:

  • Rest ~ immobilize and keep weight bearing to injured area at a minimum
  • Ice ~ 20 minutes, four to eight times a day.
  • Compression ~ even pressure on injured area to minimize swelling.
  • Elevation ~ injured area at a level above your heart to minimize swelling.

After the first 48 hours, heat application may offer additional relief.

Protect the area from further injury by using a brace or support during rehabilitation wherever possible.

Cause for Bruising and Bruise Treatment to Minimize the Black and Blue

Bruises are a common sports injury. They occur when a blow breaks small blood vessels, which leak out into tissue under your skin, leaving a black and blue mark.

Bruises can be painful and the area may swell. Also, muscles and bones can be bruised.

Typically, bruises look reddish at the start, turn bluish-purple and then, in their final stage, turn greenish-yellow. Most bruising lasts a couple of weeks, but in some cases it can take months for a bruised skin area to return to normal.

The best treatment to minimize bruising and aid in healing is to ice and elevate the area above your heart immediately after receiving a blow.

If you are bruising for no apparent reason or your bruise appears infected, then bring it to the attention of your physician.

Cause for Pain in the Heel and Heel Pain Treatment

Painful heel problems are common, and usually result from too much force on your heel bone and the surrounding tissue. The typical type of forces that may be causing your pain in the heel are:

Some heel pain creators involve tissue inflammation and bone structure, such as:

A disease may the genesis of your problems in the heel area, like rheumatoid arthritis or gout.

Basic treatment for heel issues include:

  • rest
  • taping
  • exercise
  • special shoes
  • heel pads, gel pads
  • pain, anti-inflammatory medication

Surgery is rarely required.

Your fitness regime may require some heel adjustments, but keep the rest of your body moving. Much can be done without the bottom of a foot.

What is Chondromalacia and Its Rough Cartilage Cause of Dull Pain on Inclines Treatment

Chondromalacia, or chondromalacia patellae, occurs when your articular cartilage of the kneecap softens. It is seen most often in young adults and can be caused by injury, overuse, misalignment of the patella, or muscle weakness.

What happens is that instead of your knee cap gliding smoothly across the lower end of your thigh bone, it rubs against it. As such, the repetitive rubbing roughens up the cartilage underneath.

Chondromalacia damage may range from a slightly abnormal surface to a cartilage surface that has been worn to the bone. Chondromalacia related to injury occurs when a blow to the knee cap tears off either a small piece of cartilage or a large fragment containing a piece of bone.

The most frequent symptom is a dull pain around or under the knee cap that worsens when walking down or up inclines, like stairs or a hill, or when the knee bears weight as it straightens.

Chondromalacia is common in runners, but is also seen in skiers, cyclists, and soccer players. With this problem, it is those inclines that may bring you up short with pain.

Chondromalacia exercise treatment includes performing low-impact exercises that strengthen the muscles in the inner part of the quadriceps. Swimming, riding a stationary bicycle, and using a cross-country ski machine are good exercises for this condition. Electrical stimulation may also be used to strengthen the muscles.

Osteochondral grafting and autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is being used to replace the injured cartilage with either transplanted healthy cartilage from another part of your body or growing cartilage from your cartilage cells.

Anther surgical chondromalacia cartilage treatment is arthroscopic surgery, which smooths the cartilage surface and “washes out” any cartilage fragments in the kneecap area.

In severe cases, corrective surgery by adjusting the angle of your kneecap to relieve the friction or repositioning any out of aligned parts.

Arthritis Cause of Knee Pain, Stiffness and Swelling Inflammation for Treatment

There are many different conditions that could potentially be affecting your knee in some way. The two most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritisis a form of arthritis that most often causes painful knee conditions. Osteoarthritis results from either a worn out knee cartilage, a joint injury or being overweight.

It occurs with aging and typically begins around 50 or older. Osteoarthritis developing in someone younger is usually a result of a previous knee injury or an inherited form of the disease.

The general symptoms of arthritis is a painful and stiff knee. Treatment options include use of aspirin or acetaminophen for pain management. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, or in some cases corticosone injections directly into the knee joint, for inflammation management.

Another treatment option some report knee pain relief caused by osteoarthritis is use of the nutritional supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate.

Rheumatoid Arthritis generally affects people at a younger age than osteoarthritis, and this form of arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Essentially your immune system attacks itself.

The main site of rheumatoid arthritis immune system’s attack on your knee is its membrane that lines the knee joint (synovium). The result of this attack is inflammation, which can lead to destruction of the cartilage, bone, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Gout and lupus are two other rheumatic diseases that may be causing your pain in the knee.

The symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or other inflammatory conditions is swelling, red, and hot to the touch around your knee joint. If rheumatoid arthritis is the cause of your knee pain, proper diagnosis and treatment need to be pursued, so visit your health care provider right away.

Infectious Arthritis is a form of arthritis that is caused by infectious agents, such as bacteria or viruses. Immediate medical attention is vital to treat your infection in an effort to minimize damage to your joints, particularly if fever is present.

With osteo or rhuematoid types of arthritis, you may benefit from exercises to strengthen the muscles that support the knee and weight loss, if needed, to relieve excess stress on the joints.

If arthritis causes serious damage to your knee or your pain and loss of use of the knee from arthritis is disabling, joint surgery is an option to be considered. Newer surgical procedures include resurfacing or replacing only what’s damaged and leaves the rest of the joint intact.

Go get your cause for knee pain diagnosed in order to be fully informed as to all your treatment options. Take the painful guess work out of one of your primary joint movers.

Chronic Knee Pain and Common Causes of Pain, Stiffness and Swelling Inflammation and Exercise Relief

Have you been experiencing some knee pain and wondering what to do about? See a doctor or do you wait and see? Well, it depends on what is causing your chronic pain in the knee.

Some types of knee sprains, strains or tears take a long time to heal. However, there are other numerous diseases and injuries that can be affecting your knee. These are some of the most common causes of knee pain, stiffness and swelling inflammation:

  • arthritis
  • tendon injury
  • meniscal injury
  • Plica syndrome
  • chondromalacia
  • cruciate ligament injury
  • iliotibial band syndrome
  • Osgood-Schlatter disease
  • osteochondritis dissecans
  • medial & lateral collateral ligament injury

Sometimes a knee injury happens over time, all of a sudden or another joint problem throws your knee alignment off causing pain, swelling and inflammation.

Ideally, everyone should perform these three types of exercise regularly for injury prevention or injury rehabilitation:

  • range-of-motion to help maintain normal joint movement & relieve stiffness
  • strengthening to help keep or increase muscle strength around the injured joint for support & protection
  • aerobic or endurance to improve function of the heart and circulation, weight control for reducing joint pressure, helps reduce inflammation

If you are experiencing knee pain you should choose gentle exercises such as swimming, aquatic exercise or walking. And now that you know some of the possible causes for your chronic knee pain, a diagnosis sounds like your best next step.

Exercise Activity Heat Muscle Cramps and Sweat Cause of Rash

Heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms, usually cramping the abdomen, arms, or legs muscles. If you sweat profusely during strenuous exercise or activity, then you are more liable to experience heat muscle cramps.

Your exercise or activity sweating depletes your body of salt and moisture. A low salt level in the muscles causes those “pull you right out of bed” painful cramps. When any of your muscles go into a heat cramp:

  • Drink clear juice or a sports beverage
  • Stop all activity and relax in a cool place
  • Your cramps don’t subside within 1 hour, seek medical assistance
  • Lay off your strenuous activity for a bit, continuing may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke

If you have heart problems or on a low-sodium diet, discuss your heat muscle cramping with your doctor.

Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by your sweating during hot, humid weather. It appears as a red cluster of pimples or small blisters. Your neck, upper chest, groin, under the breasts and elbow creases are the areas these sweaty heat rashes most often appear.

The best treatment is by keeping your “rashy” area dry, powdered for comfort and take steps to provide the skin rash surface a cooler, less humid environment.

Heat rashes can occur at any age, but most common often seen in young children.

Life Threatening Signs of Heat Stroke and Symptoms for Medical Emergency

The most serious and life-threatening heat illness is heat stroke. Exercising in hot and humid conditions can cause you body to become overheated resulting in its inability to control its own temperature. This lost control occurs when your body temperature rapidly increases and sweating mechanism fails, giving rise to its inability to cool itself down.

If your body (or any body) temperature rises to 106°F, or more, in the short span of about 10 to 15 minutes, this stroke of heat can cause death or permanent disability without emergency medical treatment.

Warning signs for a heat stroke do vary, but some of the following are more common:

  • nausea
  • dizziness
  • confusion
  • unconsciousness
  • rapid, strong pulse
  • throbbing headache
  • red, hot, dry skin (no sweating)
  • extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)

If you experience these signs, or witness them in somebody else, you are dealing with a life-threatening medical emergency situation. Get medical assistance as soon as possible, and in the meantime, begin cooling the overheated body down by any means possible.

Some examples of body cooling actions that are often possible in various situations:

  • remove clothing
  • no alcohol to drink
  • fan or blow air across the skin
  • getheat stroked body into the shade
  • continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F
  • use whatever means available to cool body ~ shower, tub of cool water, cool water spray, cool water sponging

Needs repeating, any body who is confused with red hot dry skin, a rapid pulse and positioned in a hot environment, may be experiencing a heat stroke. And this body is in desperate need of immediate medical attention.

Whenever it is hot and humid take it a bit easier during your fitness regime.

Heavy Sweating, Paleness and Feeling Faint Signs of Heat Exhaustion and Its Cool, Moist Skin

Heat exhaustion is a heat illness, usually developing after exposure to high temperatures coupled with an inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids.

Higher incidences of heat exhaustion are found in the elderly, high blood pressure sufferers, and those individuals working or exercising in hot, humid environments.

Heat exhaustion’s warning signs are:

  • fainting
  • paleness
  • tiredness
  • weakness
  • dizziness
  • headache
  • muscle cramps
  • heavy sweating
  • nausea or vomiting

When experiencing heat exhaustion, your skin may be cool and moist, pulse rate fast and weak, and breathing rate fast and shallow.

If you do not take the necessary steps to overcome your heat exhaustion, it can progress into heat stroke. Some steps you can take to assist your body in cooling:

  • drink cool fluids
  • take a cool shower/ bath
  • pat your body down with a damp clothe
  • move into an air-conditioned environment
  • take off your clothes, replace with lighter weight ones

Seek medical attention should your heat exhaustion symptoms get worse or drag on for more than one hour.

Overview of Extreme Heat Illness Heatstroke, Exhaustion, Cramps and Rash

Sweating is your body’s way for cooling itself. During extremely hot weather coupled with high humidity, sweating may not be enough to cool your body. In this condition, its temperature could rapidly rise to dangerously high levels that results in you experiencing a heat illness, aka hyperthermia.

When the air is humid (air with high water content), your body’s natural sweat evaporation cooling system markedly decreases. This decrease causes a corresponding reduction in your ability to release your body systems natural production of heat. And a very high body temperature can damage your brain or other vital organs.

Most heat illnesses occur from exercising or staying in a hot, humid environment for too long. Heat-related illnesses include:

  • Heat exhaustion is an illness that precedes heatstroke
  • Heat rash is a result of skin irritation from excessive sweating
  • Heat cramps are your muscles pains or spasms that occur during heavy exercise
  • Heat stroke is a life-threatening illness in which body temperature may rise above 106° F in minutes

Some common sense approaches to help prevent heat illness’ rapid rise in body temperature are:

  • pace yourself
  • drink plenty fluids
  • replenish salt and minerals via your diet
  • limit time in the sun’s heat or hot environments
  • wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing
  • wear a wide-brimmed hat to shade and keep your head cool

Other conditions that can limit your body’s ability to regulate temperature include:

  • fever
  • alcohol
  • old age
  • obesity
  • sunburn
  • dehydration
  • heart disease
  • mental illness
  • babies age 0-4
  • poor circulation

The risk for heat-related illness may increase with the use of the following drugs:

  • psychotropics ~ haloperidol, chlorpromazine
  • diuretics (water pills) ~ affect fluid balance in the body
  • Parkinson’s disease medications ~ can inhibit perspiration
  • tranquilizers such as phenothiazines, butyrophenones, thiozanthenes

And promote a fit cool body by wearing temperature appropriate clothing.

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