Exercise - VITAL for treating Type 2 Diabetes

It's not that we didn't know this before, but it's now been established such that the American Diabetes Association and the American College of Sports Medicine have issued brand new guidelines and recommendations for exercise.

Please note that what is to follow benefits not only people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes, but also anyone who desires to be healthy, particularly if you are a victim of the Metabolic Syndrome.

These are the key points from the latest guidance, as published in the December 2010  issues of 'Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise', and 'Diabetes Care' journals:

• Regular physical activity can prevent type 2 diabetes, improve glucose control, positively affect blood fat levels, blood pressure, improve cardiovascular disease and improve mortality.
  
  
• These improvements are because of the short and long term benefits of exercise on insulin activity.
  
  
• Most of these benefits are accomplished with a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises.
  
  
• The expert panel recommend at least 150 minutes of AEROBIC exercise each week, spread out over a minimum of 3 days, with no more than 2 consecutive days between physical activity.
  
  
• RESISTANCE TRAINING should  ALSO be done at least 2ce a week - ideally 3 x per week - every other day. See below for examples of resistance exercises that anyone can do..If you're just starting out, get a personal trainer to guide you to make sure you don't injure yourself, until you get the moves right.
  
  
• Using a pedometer regularly is a good idea as it helps you quantify your progress when you set a measurable goal eg to walk 10000 steps per day. Also, a study found that people who used a pedometer increased their physical activity by 27% over their baseline.
  
  
• You must exercise regularly to get the full benefits of it.
  
  
• Exercise improves your insulin activity for 2-72 hours after the exercise. It's got to be moderate to vigorous exercise to be of benefit.
  
  
• If you lead a sedentary life, you need a pre-exercise assessment if you plan to do exercise more than brisk walking. Visit your doctor and ask them to arrange this.
  
  
• If you are at high risk of cardiovascular disease (get your doctor to confirm this), and you have no symptoms, you may benefit from having an Exercise Stress ECG done before you commence your improved exercise program.
  
• Works best also if you're part of a support system of one or more people...

About Those Resistance Exercises...

Here's the link to a post I wrote, with pictures of 6 simple resistance training exercises you can do every other day...
Strength Training Blog Post

As For Aerobic Exercises...

Examples include:

• Walking
• Climbing up and down your stairs at home
• Cross trainer
• Treadmill
• Swimming
• Running
• Sports eg tennis, basketball, football, martial arts...

There are others of course. The point is you've got to pick one you enjoy and can stick to. Then do it for up to 150 minutes per week (break it down to say 30 minutes per day) - and add resistance training every other day to the mix.

Getting Started...First, choose your preferred aerobic activity or activities

• Break it down into baby steps.
  
• If you've been sedentary, don't expect to be able to easily exercise for 30 minutes each day from day 1.
  
• Start with 5 minutes of aerobic activity each day. This will get you into the habit of doing something each day. Setting aside a regular time to do it each day, works best for some people.
  
• When you've done 5 minutes exercise each day for 1 week, upgrade to 10 minutes each day.
   
• Do this for 2 weeks.
  
• Upgrade to 15 minutes each day
  
• Add in resistance training every other day: aim to go through the 6 exercises I mention in the article at least once every other day.
  
• Stick with 15 minutes aerobics daily and resistance training every other day - for 3 weeks
  
• After 3 weeks, upgrade your aerobics time to 20 minutes daily
  
• Stick with this for 4 weeks
  
• After 4 weeks, upgrade to 25 minutes of aerobic activity daily
  
• Do this for 2 weeks
  
• After 2 weeks, upgrade to 30 minutes of aerobic activity daily
  
• CONGRATULATIONS!!!!  You've just completed a 12-week jumpstart to a regular exercise program that has been proven to improve your blood sugar, blood pressure, reduce LDL cholesterol and improve quality of life overall!
  
• By now regular exercise should be a habit for you. You can't remember or imagine what your life was like without it.
  
• Now hook up that pedometer and let's see how many steps your 30 minutes get you. If you're not walking 10000 steps in your 30 minutes you'll need to gradually increase until you do.

Here's wishing you a fit, healthy and happy life!

Blessings to ya.

The Tongue: Your Untapped Resource for Success

Your level of success really depends for a start, on what you believe you are capable of achieving.

Your self image determines your level of performance in any given area of your life.

 It determines the type of person you are, the way you behave, the way you speak and think.

Today I'd like to share with you a powerful concept that can seriously boost your self-image, if you choose to believe it.

The inspiration for this concept is none other than the Holy Bible, in my opinion 'The' ultimate Success Manual, from which all other publications derive their messages (though they either deny this - for what ever reason - or they refuse to acknowledge it...some do, though, give credit to Whom it is due).

Right from the first chapter of the first book in the Bible, we are told that 'God made man in His own image, after His own likeness'.

This means that you, dear reader, whether or not you accept this, were made in the image of God almighty, creator of the universe and all that exists. If this is the case, it means that you too can operate the way He operates. The amazing thing is that this principle applies to believers and non-believers alike (just like all of God's laws and principles apply to everyone equally- take the law of Gravity for instance - God put it in place, and it applies to His children as much as it applies to those who aren't His children...).

For the purpose of today's blog message, I wish to draw your attention to one particular resource that you - God's image and likeness - have right now, but are most likely either under-using or not using at all.

It's your tongue. Powerful little organ inside your mouth. There's lots I could write about this organ but today's post is about the power of the spoken word, which your tongue helps you articulate.

The spoken word has phenomenal creative power: whether you believe this or not, your words are either creating or destroying in your life right now.

The wisest and richest man who ever lived, King Solomon, understood this principle well, which was why he wrote that 'death and life are in the power of the tongue...'

The same way the entire universe was created can be summed up in these words:
"And God said...and it was so".

Dear reader, this is what's happening in your life right now.
Because you've been made in God's image, you are saying...and it is being so.

If you wish to know what you're speaking into your life, just take a look at the results and circumstances in your life.

Do you wish to see joy, love, peace, abundance, health, etc, in your life?

Then change the words you are speaking on a daily basis.
Your (choice of) words is an outward reflection of your (choice of) thoughts. Similarly, your words can direct your thoughts. And we all know that your (choice of) thoughts determines your behaviour, which in turn determines the results you achieve in your life.

This is what the practice of affirmation is meant to do for you - train you to think differently so that you speak differently, which gets you in the mental and emotional state to act differently so that you can achieve different results.

If you have a mental image of the life you desire, make sure your words line up with that vision - whether or not things outwardly look that way. Creation always starts within first before it manifests on the outside. However creation won't happen if your thoughts (mental image), words and actions don't line up.

When God showed up on Earth in human form (Jesus Christ), here's one thing He said: "...if you believe that the things you say shall come to pass, you shall have whatsoever you say".

This from the One who made you. Don't ever think the human race was created without a 'User's manual', folks.  It says it right there in the book - you shall have whatsoever you say. If you don't have something, it could be that you don't believe you could have it, but it could also be because you've not said it should be so.

He actually then went on to say that "whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe you receive it, and you shall have them." So if you don't have the things you desire, now you know why.

You've gotta change what you're saying, folks. Don't give in to the temptation to say negative things about your future, or even about your present situation. If you do, you will attract (create) more of the same.

What you say, forces you to focus on what you're saying. What you focus expands. What do you want to expand in your life?

Ill health? Lack? Debt? Disease? Misery? Are these the things you want more of? I didn't think so either. Then speak health, abundance, freedom, joy.

PLEASE NOTE:  

Don't ignore the bad stuff if it exists in your life - but don't talk about it all the time: speak of it only in the context of doing something about it, then get on with the good stuff. Remember, if you ignore the weeds in the garden, they'll take over the land. So don't ignore them - get rid of them and move on with the process of planting, nurturing and harvesting your crop.

Think about that! And make it a fantastic day, dear reader!

PLEASE ALSO NOTE:

This message is about life success principle - which applies to every human being on earth equally, it has nothing to do with your soul or your eternal salvation. For that you can visit my Christian blog - Success-thru-Christ. 

For what does it profit a man or woman or child even, to gain the whole world and lose their soul? 

So get your priorities right, cos success here on earth is good but worth nothing if you lose it all once you leave here...