What's the Mick's up?

After having written 100 posts, it seems time to revisit the mission of this Mick's up Life, lest we lose focus. (It's also a great opportunity to introduce new readers to the info that can be found in a Mick's up Life.)

So, I welcome you to join us on the path to a Mick's up Life! (Click on the links throughout, for fun adventures into the variety of Mick's up topics.)

Why did I bring my family on this ride?

Because the results of our new lifestyle got my hubby pain-free and all of us medicine-free, we feel we have to share what knowledge we have on the subject. Too many people suffer!  Since Jay-hubby has first-hand experience with FMS, we both know it is a disease people are in desperate need of getting out from under.  We see Fibromyalgia so commonly diagnosed these days, but that doesn't mean doctors know what to do about it. There really are no answers for it, and those victims in the midst of it are at the end of their rope, feeling like nobody understands, nobody cares, and like there's no end.  We want them to know that's not the way it has to be!

Just saying you need to eat healthy and exercise isn't getting us anywhere.  There are many versions of healthy living, but from what I have seen, they all fall short... except one... the one we were blessed to find 2+ years ago... the lifestyle we chose.  The one that saved us is the one which follows what are called the 5 Essentials of Maximized Living.  The info I gleaned while working in a Max Liv office covers all the bases, and bringing that information into every day life for readers is my mission, in order to encourage individuals and families to make healthy decisions for the long term.

So many people have said to us, in their own way, "Yes, we're so happy it helped you... but that's you... and I'm me.  I don't have the same reasons you do for changing the way I live, so I'll just keep doing what I've been doing, since I'm healthy enough, and I'll stay in my little comfort zone."

I'm sorry to hear that.  I really am!  Do I spread this information for my own benefit?  No! Why would I?  Why would I do this, other than to open people's eyes to improve their own lives?  Every person is precious, created by the One True God, and deserves to live life to the fullest.  Isn't that reason enough?

OK.  Fine.  For those of you who think I must have some selfish reason for writing, I'll go ahead and admit it.  I want everyone around me to be healthy... so they can be productive... and happy.  It will make my world... and the future world of my kidderz... much nicer and safer.  There.  I said it.  Selfish of me, isn't it?

Well, I'm not sorry... and sharing this Mick's up Life of ours is one way for us to get the word out and try to get the world a little bit healthier.

Where do we start? Inflammation and toxicity are two of the biggest enemies we all have, causing sicknesses (even minor ones), pain, and chronic disease.  Just a few simple tweeks in our daily living, and we can keep them at bay.  With this guide to a Mick's up Life, find some of the "whys" for handling stress, improving the nervous system, saying "yes" to some surprising foods and "no" to others, increasing exercise, and decreasing toxins.

I'm no expert.  I'm simply a mom, who found what works and what doesn't... and instead of making you do the research and trial-and-error, I want to give you a head start.  As they say, "Why reinvent the wheel?"

This is good for me and my family, too!  We constantly need it in front of us, so we don't forget why we do what we do.  Of course, the painful joints, stuffy sinuses, and grumpy attitudes we encounter in the days following a splurge with sugar and/or wheat are cruel reminders... but it would be nice to save ourselves the suffering.  So, we are reading right along with you, in order to keep us on the right path. 

Thanks for taking this journey with us!  I hope you find it's well worth the trip.

"I instruct you in the way of wisdom

    and lead you along straight paths."

Proverbs 4:11 (NIV)

~

It’s a Mick's of Toxins

With all this talk of toxins, you may be wondering, “Where do we find toxins and why are they everywhere?”

It’s crazy.  I never used to worry about this stuff.  I thought only "extremists" got hung up on avoiding everything “normal.”  I had no desire to be part of that life.

Then I started thinking beyond myself.

It finally hit me.  Why do I want to be selfish and not change my lifestyle to make a healthier family?  Why do I want to curse my children and my husband with unhealthy living, just so I don’t have to go out of my comfort zone?

I love my family more than that!

So, I took a deep breath, and dove in.

I really dove in!  I chose to stop buying anything now considered “junk food” by the new definition.  All recipes were altered to follow guidelines I was given, and really yummy new recipes jumped to the top of the list of favorites.  The kitchen got emptied of its toxic items:  food and hardware.  Ingredient lists were read on EVERYTHING, and the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room were filled with new healthy choices.

Shopping and cooking took a bit longer in those first days (and months).  OK, more than a bit… but it had become a decision as serious as life or death.  Do I want to make things easier on me, at the risk of filling my  husband with toxins, killing him slowly, and possibly leading him into a life of torture with such illnesses as Alzheimer’s Disease?  Do I want to teach my children to live in such a way that would increase their risks of suffering from heart disease or cancer?

Simply, the answer to all of that is, “NO!”

I still don’t consider us extremists or nutcases.  We simply look at ingredients of all things we purchase, and do our best to minimize the toxins we allow into our home and our bodies.
What kinds of things do we look for, and what can we normal, ordinary, every-day families do about it? 

The Toxic Top 10 is a great reference, for example:

• Cleaning/Personal Care Products:  When considering ingredients, if you can’t eat it, don’t use it.
  
• Pesticides and Herbicides:  Follow the list of Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen
  
• Meats/Protein:  There are so many hormones and antibiotics injected into our food sources these days, and there are many harmful effects.  We look for grass-fed beef, raw-milk products, free-range poultry and eggs, and we avoid pork.  A great source is:  Beyond Organic
  
• Preservatives/Additives/Rancid Fats/etc.
  • Neurotoxins/Excitotoxins: We do not consume any product with any artificial/chemical sweetener, such as sucralose/splenda, aspartame, saccharin, ace-k, neotame, nor with MSG (see next bullet).
    
  • MSG: There are many products with this in it. Many of you already know the effects MSG can have on a body, because you’re already suffering from such things as headaches. Other MSG-containing ingredients to look out for are yeast extract, torula yeast, autolyzed or hydrolyzed vegetable proteins.  Mike Adams has a book to help you look for the things to avoid in the grocery store. Pick up a copy of Grocery Warning System to fill your grocery cart with healing foods, and stop being one of the 95% of Americans who fill their carts with ingredients known to cause cancer!
    
  • Sugar:  We stay away from buying foods with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and we go so far as to stay away from even natural ones (to keep inflammation down as much as possible), such as evaporated cane juice, rice syrup, barley malt, honey, and agave nectar (although we sometimes splurge with allowing agave-sweetened foods or honey).  We can choose alternatives for our Sweeteners.
    
  • Rancid Fats/Oils:  Mark’s Daily Apple touches on what to avoid.
  
  
• Pots and Pans:  We threw out our Teflon and other unsafe non-stick kitchen items.
  
• Environment/Biotoxins/Molds:  Check around your house, and keep it as safe as possible.  Fight off toxins with a detox for your body, like the one my family uses:  Daily Detox
  
• Medicines:  Stay away!  Find alternatives, when possible!  Incorporate 5 simple steps to healthy living, to reduce inflammation and toxicity, and to get your brain’s messages throughout your entire body, and to have healthy cells that can function properly.  Then your body can begin to heal, and  you can eventually get off your meds.  (My husband and I did!  Yay!)

Some extra links for more research:
The Stinky Facts About Smelling Good
Propylene Glycol
Fluoride Alert
Natural News:  Chemicals
Natural News:  Organic Foods
Natural News:  Ingredients
Natural News:  Products to Watch
Grocery Warning System
Dr. Russell Blaylock:  Excitotoxins
SLS
Journal of the American College of Toxicology:  SLS
Other Chemicals to Avoid

“Give the people these instructions,

so that no one may be open to blame.

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives,

and especially for their own household,

has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

1 Timothy 5:7-9 (NIV)

~

FMS in the Mick’s?

I need to be totally honest with you.  I do not truly know what it is like to have brain fog.  I cannot say I fully understand.  However, I have had to deal with it second-hand.  It is difficult enough to watch someone trying to function in life while in a fog.  I can’t imagine the stress of being in that fog.  I am sorry that those of you with brain fog have to deal with it.  Please realize, though, that I am writing this blog to try to help you know you don’t have to live with it.  There is a way out of the fog!

Today’s topic is related to brain fog.  One of the symptoms of FMS is brain fog.
I’ve seen hope glimmering in my husband’s eyes, as he sees the fog lifting… and as he feels his quality of life improving dramatically, after dealing with FMS for years.  Yes, he’s a guy and he was diagnosed with FMS, even though the statistics say it’s a 7:1 ratio of women to men with FMS. (CDC)

What is FMS?
FMS = Fibromyalgia Syndrome = difficult to diagnose = frustrating for those with it, because of comments like, “It’s all in your head.”

How is FMS diagnosed?
“To receive a diagnosis of FM, the patient must meet the following diagnostic criteria:

• Widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for a minimum duration of three months
• Tenderness or pain in at least 11 of the 18 specified tender points when pressure is applied”

Progress has been made by Dr. Bruce Gillis to give hope to FMS sufferers that doctors can determine that their symptoms are not just in their heads.  He has developed a blood test that is 95% accurate in detecting fibromyalgia.  It looks at cytokines in the blood.  What do cytokines do?  “The simple answer is that cytokines are small protein molecules released by nerve and immune cells that send signals to other cells in the body to do things like alter cell functions and increase/decrease the regulate of genes.  In the case of fibromyalgia, these messengers cause the central nervous system to create the widespread body pain characteristic of fibromyalgia as well as other physiological, hormonal and behavioral changes.”  These cytokines are related to inflammation in the body.

Toxicity and inflammation are two major factors involved in the pain of FMS.  Once they are decreased, there is a definite decrease in symptoms.  My husband is living proof.

Not only is decreasing toxins and inflammation a great start to combating FMS, but so are improving nutrition and focusing on spinal care.  After all, didn’t God give you a system in the body that will heal itself, if the stuff that isn’t supposed to be there will just get out of the way and let it do its job?!

The Fibromyalgia Fact Sheet even lists chiropractic as one of the alternatives to help improve an FMS victim’s quality of life, since “increasing attention is being devoted to the central nervous system as the underlying mechanism of FMS.”  Take note: ”Increasing rest, pacing activities, reducing stress, practicing relaxation and improving nutrition can help minimize symptoms and improve quality of life.” (National Fibromyalgia Association)

Again, we’re back to focusing on 5 simple items to change your quality of life:  attitude, spine/nerve system health, nutrition, exercise, and toxins.

Maybe this week, as we're spotlighting toxicity, we need to look at what we’re putting in our bodies, and make sure it’s not toxic.  If we’ve had a history of taking medications, having vaccinations, living with mercury fillings in our teeth, cleaning with chemicals, eating unhealthy fats and sugars, and living in toxic environments, then we should figure out a way to rid our bodies of the toxins we’re continually taking in and the toxins already stored there.  Find a detox something like Daily Detox and allow your body to function like it’s supposed to!

FMS is serious business, and it needs to be addressed.  I’ve witnessed the depression that accompanies FMS, and I can believe the suicide rates are higher among FMS sufferers. (CDC)  Please, please, please do not give up hope!

Yes, granted, there are medications out there.  Doctors don’t know what else to do, so they help to mask some of the symptoms with pain medications and others.  However, after a while, the body can adapt and then the symptoms will increase again, even with the medications.  Plus, the medications are increasing the toxicity of the body.

So, why not try something else?  What can it hurt?  If you need more information, go back through this Mick’s up Life, and read up on the 5 things I’ve emphasized for living as a healthy family.  Think about it:  You’ve tried everything else.  Why not this?  Then you can give all the glory to the God who made you in such a way that your body can heal itself!  Just think of it!  Amazing!

“But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
may your salvation, God, protect me.

I will praise God’s name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving. “

Psalm 69:29-30 (NIV)

 

~

Mick’s in a Fog

Have you felt like you’re not as sharp as you used to be?  Do you feel fatigued?  Are you wondering why you’re in slow-motion, while the world is moving faster than ever?

You might be dealing with Brain Fog. 

Some of the symptoms of Brain Fog are (Brain Fog is Real and is a Common Symptom - by Lisa Cruz): 

• Lack of focus
  
• Forgetfulness
  
• Loss of mental acuity
  
• Decreased mental stamina
  
• Decrease in creativity
  
• Confusion
  
• Lack of spatial awareness
  
• Absentmindedness or spaciness
  
• Decreased attention span
  
• Decreased short term memory
  
• Difficulty finding words

What can cause it?

Dr. Lawrence Wilson defines Brain Fog as “feelings of mental confusion or lack of mental clarity.” (BRAIN FOG by Lawrence Wilson, MD)  He goes on to say nutrition and lifestyle are the beginning of the solution to the problem of Brain Fog, which has many causes.

Toxicity is one of the main causes.  We are bombarded by toxins every day, everywhere we turn.  Heavy metal toxicity not only causes Brain Fog, but it can also produce other chronic conditions such as Autism, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression, Multiple Sclerosis, and a host of other serious disorders.

What can you do about it?

Getting regular chiropractic care to keep the signal passages clear from the brain to the rest of the body… getting exercise to increase oxygen… getting the right nutrients in your body… and getting away from toxins as much as possible… if all working together, will help to clear up brain fog.  (Again, it’s the simple lifestyle of incorporating the idea of 5 Essentials for healthy living.)

The way my family has decided to deal with toxins in the body is with a product called Daily Detox.  I am not advertising.  I don’t get any kick-backs by telling you about it.  There are other products out there, and maybe there are even some very similar to it, but I’m just letting you know what I found out about this one.  It’s not a periodic cleanse.  It’s not a fad.  It’s not a fast.  The product has recently changed a little bit, with the inclusion of a new manufacturer, however the idea of it is that it includes a vitamin B complex and a glutathione enhancer (the most powerful antioxidant naturally produced in the body) to give your body’s natural detoxing system a boost (using such ingredients as milk thistle).   With this detox system, the toxins are drawn from the cells… and as a side note, proper nutrition allows for healthy cell walls to have a more efficient process of getting bad things out and good things in.  So it’s a cleanse at the cellular level.  It also has activated carbon, which acts as a magnet, drawing toxins to it.  Then, since the body cannot process it, the carbon and the toxins are totally eliminated from the body.
When toxins are eliminated, your body can start to heal, and your thinking can become clearer.

Depending on the toxicity and acidity levels of the body, the healing process will happen at different rates for different people.  It’s a process, so be patient.  If you’re really serious about healing, be sure to improve everything together:  attitude, nutrition, exercise, spine/nerve system care, while working on decreasing toxicity.

I’ve seen it happen!  I’ve witnessed Brain Fog clear up!  It is possible!  My husband can testify to it!

There is a light at the end of the tunnel.  The fog can lift!

“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober,
set your hope on the grace to be brought to you
when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”
1 Peter 1:13 (NIV)

~

It’s a Mick’s up with Cancer Information

It seems everywhere we turn we are reminded it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  I think it’s a great tribute to all those who have suffered because of this and other cancers.  It is my guess that those people do not wish the same suffering on anyone else, and so we, as their loved ones, should take it seriously enough to be taking all possible precautions to be cancer-free. 

Here are some stats: "Breast cancer death rates have declined steadily since 1990.  The drop has been larger among women under 50 (3.2% per year) than among women over 50 (2.0% per year).
 An estimated 230,480 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2011.  Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, after skin cancer. Breast cancer accounts for nearly 1 in 3 cancers diagnosed in women." (Learn About Cancer)

As you find out, when you take the quiz on Breast Cancer Myths Debunked: you are not doomed to cancer from genetics; you should keep a healthy weight; signs of cancer are not always obvious; alcohol intake increases your risks; sweating helps your body detox; breastfeeding decreases your risks.  I highlighted these particular statements, because they emphasize where I’m headed with this week’s toxicity topic. We determined in Mick's Max Workout that you are not doomed to being out of shape.  Well, take heart: you are not doomed to cancer, either.  Don’t give up, even if you have a family history of cancer.  There is hope!  Do what you can to take precautions.  Since we’re addressing minimizing toxins this week , the last of the 5 Essentials my family follows, it’s a great time to tie it all in with awareness. 

Thankfully, I have not had to deal with anything so serious in my life at this point.  The closest I got personally was when a lump was detected a few years ago.  I wasn’t yet 40 years old, but I was sent for a mammogram and the results caused enough concern to send me for an ultrasound.  I’m thankful it didn’t get further than that.  The test determined it is a cyst.  Even though my husband and I had prepared ourselves for the worst, we were ever-so-thankful for that good news.  Now, he and I are doing what we can to avoid another scare, as well as pass the lifestyle on to our kidderz.

I think it’s important to take precautions, but I have my reasons for not liking the idea of regular mammograms.  There are some debates about the safety and the necessity of mammograms, which gives more attention to alternative techniques, such as Digital Tomosynthesis.  Most of us will be relieved to hear the recommended age to begin regular mammograms is now 50 years old, and then only every-other year.  You can read more at:  Science Daily, Can Tomosynthesis Find Breast Cancer Better Than Mammography, Healthy Body Daily

“Perhaps most troublesome is that mammograms aren't lifesaving for all women, though many people assume they are.  Statistics vary, but at best, they only reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer by up to 20%.  ‘We've made it sound like every cancer can be found early and cured, and that's not true,’ says Susan Love, MD.  Mammograms miss many cancers, particularly the fast-growing, aggressive ones that are most likely to strike women under age 50.  ‘Mammograms are best at finding the slow-growing, low-grade cancers, not the worst ones,’ she says.” (Lauren Gelman of Prevention)

Early detection is a wonderful thing. Don’t get me wrong.  This Spring, early detection allowed my mother-in-law to begin addressing decisions to change her lifestyle (improving her exercise and already-healthy diet) to combat the cancer cells in her body before it was too late, and now she is on the road to healing.  We plan on having her around for a very long time!
 
"’The most important thing young women can do right now to reduce their risk of breast cancer down the road is to develop healthy lifestyle habits, such as limiting their alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy weight, and adding exercise to their routine,’ says Susan Brown, RN, director of health education at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.” (Beth Howard of Prevention)

A Maximized Living Webinar coming up this month of October will cover the following topics:

• Breast Cancer Statistics Today
  
• What the Government is doing to address the epidemic
  
• Where is all the research money going?
  
• The difference between early detection/treatment and prevention. What does cure mean?
  
• The facts about breast cancer causes
  
• What you can do to prevent breast cancer and raise awareness!

Also, hear how companies offering bad nutrition choices, which can lead to cancer, are jumping on the bandwagon of breast cancer awareness:  Susan G Komen for the Cure Isn't Curing Anything

Mick’s sum up:
We should all be responsible enough to take precautions, when it comes to taking care of our body.  Some ways to try to avoid cancer are exercising, healthy eating, and keeping toxins low.  Mick's in the Oxygen last week explained Exercise = oxygen = healthy cells!  Later posts will discuss the nutrition and toxins.  What better reason to be on the road to a healthier lifestyle than for your family!?!  What’s stopping you?!

Take care of the body God gave you…

and then you can take care of the family God gave you!

“Well done, good and faithful servant!

You have been faithful with a few things;

I will put you in charge of many things.

Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

Mick’s up Making You the Lean, Mean, Fat-burning Machine

Let’s hear it for HGH!  Let’s hear it for Testosterone!
 
Wait…  why are we cheering for testosterone?  We ladies are really confused.  Why do we want testosterone for us?

“Many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts want to increase the levels of this hormone within their body due to the muscle building and fat burning effects it has on the body.” (Muscle Legion)

The answer is in a question:  Do you want to be a lean, mean, fat-burning machine?

If you have been putting into practice this week’s tips on exercise, then a lean, mean, fat-burning machine is what you’ll be… and testosterone is helping you get there!  Weird, isn’t it?

“Ever wonder how, why, and where the flat stomach, thin thighs, and slim hips of your youth disappeared beneath a blanket of fat?  There are a number of metabolic mechanisms known to influence body composition outcome.  Lean and fat mass are remarkably dependent upon two hormones.  Age-induced decreases of human Growth Hormone[hGH] and Testosterone increase adipose tissue storage rate in both the abdomen and hips.” (Dr. Bill Misner Ph.D. – American Fitness Professionals & Associates)

As testosterone levels decrease, "there are signs of aging such as a decrease in muscle mass and muscle strength, cognitive decline, a decrease in bone mass, and an increase in (abdominal) fat mass.”  A study showed that with an increase in testosterone, there was an increase in lean body mass and a decrease in fat mass.  (Medscape Medical News 2008)

Which would we rather be:  looking younger and leaner with less fat, or looking older and less fit?

We know why we want shorter exercise routines, but why do we want lean muscle?  "Any form of exercise that promotes lean muscle tissue would be beneficial, as having more lean muscle tissue promotes strength, vitality and a faster metabolism. Short intense bursts of exercise have proven to build more lean muscle than long aerobic/endurance workouts lasting for more than 25 minutes." (Natural News)

Maximized Living’s 5 Essentials of healthy living layout how and why to have a lean body.  “Exercise allows your body to take in higher levels of oxygen and creates lean muscle that keeps both your body and mind healthy.  Studies have shown that exercise consistently matches or exceeds the benefits of antidepressants.  This is your opportunity to decrease fat and increase lean muscle tissue.”

The Fat Burning Effect of Muscle chart shows “every pound of new muscle you add to your body will burn about 60 calories per day.” 

Dr. Al Sears teaches that his PACE exercise technique “trains your body to store energy in your muscles instead of storing it as fat, making you lean, and keeping you that way.”

As we mentioned earlier this week, long-duration exercise causes an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, and that “tears down muscle tissue and decreases testosterone.” (Michael Greeves)

Maximized Living describes their Essential #4 of Maximized Oxygen and Lean Muscle, when relating to high-intensity workouts like their MaxT3:  “This exercise system elicits a very unique hormonal response in the body and ultimately it is your hormones that influence your metabolism.  This type of exercise is called “metabolic conditioning.”  Metabolic conditioning is characterized by short bursts of high intensity exercise.  Therefore, in just minutes a day you can build muscle and burn fat like never before. ”

So, keep up the short bursts of exercise to keep the cells healthy with oxygen (NO EXCUSES!), and to look younger and to burn the fat!  Are you convinced yet that it is simple?  Have a great weekend getting started!

PS~Ladies, if you're afraid of muscles or developing a build like a guy, read these articles:
But I Don't Want Muscles! - Part 1
But I Don't Want Muscles! - Part 2

I’m excited for an upcoming post that will explain how good fats,

such as coconut oil,

can also help with your metabolism to get you the lean-muscle-look we’re going for. 

Stay tuned!

Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age?
Daniel 1:10 (NIV)

~

Mick’s Max Workout

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly going to be bursting with exercise, after reading all this research that’s explaining how we can look younger with just a few simple minutes every-other day! It seems almost crazy not to! Come on, moms!  Come on, dads!  Come on, seniors!  (Ha!  Gotcha with that one… whether you’re a senior in school or a senior in life and wisdom.)

So, what’s your excuse?  You mean you still have one?!

We’ve already covered the time factor, the age thing, and the injury issue.  What’s left?!

Ah… maybe it’s space.  I can truly understand that!  I’m not going to let you get away with it, though.

Our fun family of four lives in a <1200-square-foot townhouse.  Thankfully, it’s 2-story, so we can feel spread out to get away from each other once in a while.  The biggest problem with it, though, is that we moved here from an apartment that was bigger, after we had moved from a house that was a LOT bigger.  That means the furniture that moved with us now seems bigger than it did originally.

  My hubby was nice enough to
demonstrate our tiny workout space. 
I'm not even in it yet! 

Where we exercise, when not outside, is in our living room, which also acts as the music room and the office.  The 234-square-foot living room is actually only 36 square feet (with one diagonal strip of 12 feet) of floor space in between all the furniture and fixings… that’s only 6 feet by 6 feet!  The awesome part is:  I share the workout space with my 6’4” hubby!  That’s awesome, because it means he’s exercising with me!  Oh, and I forgot to mention there’s a ceiling fan in the center of this workout space, which makes it even more limited, especially for him, since the ceiling is not very high to begin with.  We can do it, though!  Our best fitness equipment investment, I’d have to say, is the chin-up bar.  There is an amazing workout waiting on that little piece of metal… and it doesn’t take up any floor space!  (When the kidderz join us for a workout, we get creative, or just move the workout outside… whatever it takes… but no excuses!)

So… I ask again:  What’s your excuse?

Oh… now you’re thinking how confusing it is for you to come up with a variety of exercises on your own.  First of all, nobody said you have to have a variety.  However, if you still insist, let me mention  a workout I was introduced to this past Spring.  It’s the MaxT3 workout by Maximized Living.  It incorporates 12 minutes of intense exercise in a DVD set, so you can follow the coach, Dr. Fred Roberto.  That way, you don’t have to plan out a routine for yourself.  Do be aware, though, they use some fitness equipment in these workouts, but they are simple enough to substitute with household items if necessary and are inexpensive enough to grab at a nearby department store.

If you’re curious, the T3 is explained by By Dr. Shane Taffe and Dr. Ben Lerner this way:  “You can get serious exercise and fitness quickly by manipulating the Time, Tempo, and Type of exercise you do.  It’s our T3 principle.  If you lower Time, you have to increase the intensity by increasing Tempo (going at a faster pace).  You do this safely and efficiently by choosing Types of exercise that allow you to use the most muscle groups in their most natural ranges efficiently.”

With short, high-intensity workouts, you are Hitting All Of Your Oxygen Systems And All Of Your Muscle Groups.  “We’re looking to influence oxygen (O2) and lean muscle here. To do so means utilizing the multiple energy systems that work with and without O2 while you exercise, as well as working all three types of muscle fibers.” (Maximized Living)  Remember the reason we want to exercise is to make healthy cells with increased oxygen. (Mick’s in the Oxygen)  Tomorrow’s post will cover the lean muscle aspect of these awesome exercise techniques.

Not only is it music to our ears… but also... shorter workouts are overall more beneficial for our health. (Mick’s up Exercising)  Different “tempos” in your exercise routine affect your muscles differently, because of the different muscle fibers and how they react.  One study tells us:  “high-intensity intermittent training in humans may alter the proportion of fibers… and in consequence that fiber type composition is not determined solely by genetic factors.” (European Journal of Applied Physiology)   This means you are not doomed to being out of shape!  "The results indicate that the number of fibres activated from the start increase gradually in response to increased exercise intensity. " (NCBI)  For more science behind this, here are some links for research:  MaxT3: Complete Fitness System, Muscle Fiber Types, Muscle Types and Sprinting vs Endurance Training, Metabolic Conditioning

Have we covered everything?  If not, leave me a comment, and we’ll cover that, too.  Oh!… and don’t forget to take the poll at the top of the left margin!  Thanks for enjoying another Mick’s up Life!

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last,
but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;
I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave
so that after I have preached to others,
I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (NIV)

Keep up the training:  both physical and spiritual!
Don’t be disqualified!

~

Mick’s in the Age Factor

With all the fun gadgets at their fingertips, it continually gets more difficult to get the kidderz up and moving, but we want to teach them good habits for a lifetime of health, don’t we?  Let’s not curse our children into a sedentary life of dis-ease.  Let’s figure out ways to incorporate exercise into our  lives AND theirs.  Let’s set a good example. 

It’s hard to believe, but kidderz have shorter attention spans for structured exercise than we adults do.  So, what better way to find a fitness routine that works for the family than to look into short-duration exercise.  The benefits are mentioned in Mick's up Exercising.  One of the forms of short-duration exercise is P.A.C.E., developed by Dr. Al Sears.  He says of one of his patients, “after she dropped 30 pounds of fat and shed over 25 inches, her whole family joined in.  Now they all do P.A.C.E. together. ” (Power for Healthy Living)

Yes, you can truthfully say kids get incidental exercise throughout the day, but when they get a healthy dose of exercise, it’s not only good for them… we also reap some added benefits: “Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, kids who are physically fit sleep better and are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges — from running to catch a bus to studying for a test.” (Kids' Health)

Not only do we benefit from exercise when the kidderz benefit, but we can be like kids again ourselves!  “Exercise is one of the most natural ways to ensure release of more HGH.  However, it is regular and intense workouts that work better in place of longer workouts.” (Articlesbase)

Why do we want the HGH?  What is HGH?

HGH: “[Human] Growth Hormone and testosterone are effective and you’re supposed to make them yourself – and you will if you apply the power of short duration, high output exercise.  While studies show that ultimately, low intensity exercise does nothing for hormones – and can even produce bad hormones – short duration, high intensity can literally take years and pounds off your body.  The impact of exercise and the damaging effects of aging could be greatly reduced if you learn how to use exercise to induce a “good” hormone response.  Doing this type of exercise, you’ll also see fat that was hard to dislodge, begin to go quicker. Studies have shown that when you crank up the intensity for a short period to the point where you can feel the burn, growth hormone is released in such a way that better regulates fatty acid through your metabolism.  Again – exercise is natural, safe, and has NO SIDE-EFFECTS.  It’s the TRUTH!” (Maximized Living)

HGH = Human Growth Hormone = promotes organ growth and is an important regulator of fuel metabolism in both health and disease (The Endocrine Society) = looking younger!

Remember my reference to the magical age of 30 in Mick's in Oxygen?  Check this out: “The production of HGH slows down after the age of 30, and this is supposed to be the main cause of aging.” (Articlesbase)  You want to look younger, don't you?

Whatever your age, exercise is important.  So, get moving... fast... and take your family with you!  Remember... It doesn't have to take long.  You'll even have time for a board game and sitting at the table to eat together.  You can start a new tradition!  Mix it up!  Have fun!

Ladies:
On Friday, we’ll look at why we want testosterone.  Have no fear!

Get empowered!  Here’s a head start on more research and a couple of fun links to share with your kidderz*:

Be a kid again!

Kaboose*
Anti-Aging
Healthier Talk
Maximized Living
Tiny Body Clocks
Why Exercise is Cool*
Healthy Aging Review
Exercise for Children - Medline Plus
A Family Culture of Maximized Living
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
HGH and Exercise - Increase HGH with Exercise


I definitely do not encourage use of any type of drugs.  There are sites out there promoting HGH supplements.  The best way to boost your HGH is naturally through exercise.  There are special cases, but those are for doctors to advise.  Get a 2nd and 3rd and 4th opinion!  Don’t forget:  See what a chiropractor would say.  They are doctors, too!

“Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.“

Isaiah 40:30-31 (NIV)

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Mick's up Exercising

“Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry.”  Jeremiah 2:25 (NIV)

Try some sprints!

If you could choose a way… any way, any amount of time… to be in the best shape of your life, other than sitting and doing nothing, what would it be? 

When you think of exercise, what comes to mind?  Do you imagine long aerobic classes, or hours in the gym, or maybe marathon runs?  If so, I have good news:  The long-duration exercise might actually be detrimental to your health!  Now, that’s what you want to hear, isn’t it?  Let's face us:  We parents and busy people don't have time for exercising like that.  Right?!  Well, that's good... really!

“…Short bursts of intense exercise… do not push the body into a 'stress' mode due to overtraining or exercising too much.  Exercise is a form of stress.  [Don’t we know that’s right?!] In the right measure it is a healthy stress as it engages the body into adaption to stress which leads to fitness.  But too much physical stress is counterproductive as the adrenal glands (the glands that deal with energy production and survival) start to produce too much stress hormones release -- mainly cortisol which literally eats away existing muscle tissue and makes the body store fat for energy.” - Natural News article: "Long Duration or Short Burst Exercising - Deciding Which Is Best for Health and Fat Loss"

When I got into jogging in the Spring of 2010, starting out walking and adding in a little jogging (NIKE coaching for Walk to Run), I incorporated sprinting into my routine.  That is when I started noticing a difference in my waistline and the scale.  Soon after that, I was introduced to Surge Training.  THAT is when the BIG differences started showing.  Do you want to know the best thing about it?  The time commitment is ridiculous!  What I mean to say is:  it is ridiculously and insanely small!

It sure is a lot easier to get started in an exercise routine, when you’re told to only exercise for 20 seconds at a time, isn’t it?!  (Beginners can even start at 10 seconds, if they need to! How awesome is that?!)  When you add it all together, at 20 seconds per burst, you’re only doing actual exercise for 3 minutes each day, which at 4 days per week totals only 12 minutes of exercise each week!  Outrageous!  Tremendous!  Awesome!  You can do that!  No matter what your life looks like, you can do that!

You’re now wondering, “Is that enough to do me any good, though?“  Read on!

There were studies done to show that short bursts of exercise are just as beneficial, and actually even healthier, than long-duration exercise.  You might have heard of the short-duration exercise referred to as any of the following:  supra-aerobics (beyond aerobics), interval training, HIIT (high intensity interval training), tabata, PACE (Progressively Accelerating Cardiopulmonary Exertion), surge training, or burst training.

What is Burst Training?
”Burst training involves exercising at 90%-100% of your maximum effort for 30-60 seconds in order to burn your body’s stored sugar (glycogen), followed by 30-60 seconds of low impact for recovery. This causes your body to burn fat for the next 36 hours to replace your body’s vital energy (glycogen) stores.  You only need to do 4-6 sets of 30-60 second bursts 3 times a week to see marked changes and improvements. More is not always better – make sure you have days of rest.”

Professor Gibala, of the health department of McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, said: "We thought there would be benefits but we did not expect them to be this obvious.  It shows how effective short intense exercise can be." - The Telegraph article "Six minutes of exercise a week 'is as good as six hours'"

“What this study showed is that in terms of overall health and fitness, the group that did just the two-minute workout produced the same muscle fitness results.  In addition, this group also showed improved muscle enzymes which are essential for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.  Yet, the interesting correlation was that this group showed the same benefits of cardiovascular fitness as did the group who exercised for 10 times as long (20 minutes).” - Natural News article: "Long Duration or Short Burst Exercising - Deciding Which Is Best for Health and Fat Loss"

Maximized Living lays out a great routine for Surge Training.  This "20 seconds on / 20 seconds off and rest 2 minutes (done 3 times in a row)" is what I started with and continued for my first 9 months of Surge Training, and I began seeing great results very early on.  You can mix in things like sprints (one of my favorites!) and jumping jacks.  You can mix it up and use different muscle groups for each set, such as push-ups, pull-ups, and shoulder presses for upper body; bicycles and shin slaps for core; split squats, lunges, squat thrusts, and jumping knee tucks for lower body.  The exercises can target any fitness level, as well as accommodate any injuries.

As Dr. Ben Lerner says in his article "The Rising: Part 1" – “Surge works for any ‘body’ as you’re going all out for you – your body and body type.  Since it can be done in as little as 12 minutes a week, nothing about this is intimidating.”

I like how Dr. Ryan Sousley puts it in "Is Your Treadmill Killing You?"  “The beauty of surge training is that you don’t need any equipment or a degree in exercise physiology to get started. All you need is your body weight and a watch.”

“So PACE and intense burst interval training all add the benefit of more fitness in less time, as long as there is always high intensity and it lasts for 17 minutes or less.  The wonderful thing about doing PACE or short intense training is that it is so exhilarating and completely takes your mind off other things at that moment of intensity.  The short burst of intensity releases adrenaline and endorphins all of which create a feeling of aliveness.  Now surely that's exercise worth turning up for -- something that's relatively easy to include in our regular routine, three or four times a week.” - Teya Skae in "Long Duration or Short Burst Exercising - Deciding Which Is Best for Health and Fat Loss"

I will touch more on the subject of the impact of short-duration exercise on muscles in Friday’s post.  Think about it.  Which would you rather be:  a muscle-burning, fat-storing machine, or a fat-burning, muscle-building machine?  Look at the picture comparison of a long-distance runner versus a sprinter.  The science tells us which is healthier.  Our daily calendars tell us which is feasible.  Our ambition tells us which is attainable!
 
 
More research information about short-duration exercise:
IDEA Heatlh & Fitness Association:  Short-Burst Training
MSNBC: "Get fit, faster, with short-burst training"
Shaping Concepts Personal Training Studios
Dr. Jeremy Webster's Complete Health
Dustin Maher - Fit Moms for Life
How to Rebuild Your Lungs
Videos Search Results
BodyBuilding.com
Pompa Wellness
Shave Magazine

“I instruct you in the way of wisdom
   and lead you along straight paths.
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
   when you run, you will not stumble.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.”
Proverbs 4:11-13 (NIV)

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