Health Essentials
Basic tips to help you reach your fitness goals
Low-impact exercise
Many nutrition enthusiasts will swear that eating appropriately is the key to great health. Die-hard exercise addicts will tell you to concentrate on exercising and nutrition can take a back seat. My position is clear on these: we need 100 per cent nutrition and exercise. In simple language, do the best you can in both. Don’t try to get smart or creative and cook up figures such as 60 per cent nutrition and 40 per cent exercise; that is simply an academic endeavour not worth your time.
Over the years, I have come to realise that weight or strength training is probably the king of fitness, and interval training (walking, using a treadmill, etc.) will trounce long hours of same-pace cardiovascular exercise using the same equipment or processes. It only goes to confirm that variety is the spice of life.
1. You may need to talk to a doctor before exercising
a. In general, walking, which in my opinion is the greatest medicine, may not require a doctor’s consent for most people, but remember to vary your pace.
b. It is, however, prudent that those greater than 35 years of age on medication or those with a significant medical condition such as high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis and asthma see a doctor who may recommend some modifications to their exercise programme.
2. Best time to exercise
a. Just like the commercial “Any time is an ideal time”, you may choose to exercise at any time of the day: morning, afternoon or evening. A few 24-hour gyms exist in some countries, and that implies some people may hit the gym at 2am? Your body will adjust to whatever time of day works for you. Pick a suitable time and get going. In some instances, such as an inability to sleep, a fitness therapist or health professional will like to take advantage of the dip in core temperature four to six hours after exercising. This dip in temperature induces sleepiness, so we may recommend exercising late in the afternoon to help your sleep. This dip in temperature is what makes you feel sleepy at work close to noon when you exercise early in the morning.
3. Duration of exercise
a. There is really no hard-and-fast rule here. The aim is to start with less than 20 minutes and then gradually increase the duration as well as the intensity. If we need to lose weight, we may need to work out longer. It is recommended that we accumulate at least 150 minutes of exercise in a week, which works out to about 30 minutes five days a week. This is great for the heart. Over the next few months, we will learn how interval training may help us to gain the same benefits in less time or how increasing the intensity of your workout could mean spending less time exercising. There is great news for the “busy”: you can gain similar benefits to someone who exercises for 30 minutes at a time by doing three sets of 10 minutes each spread over the day. That eliminates one EXERCISE EXCUSE!
4. Place of hydration in exercising
a. NEVER underestimate the power of exercise to dehydrate you. It is essential that you drink water before, during and after exercising. In most cases, plain water may be adequate, but for those who exercise vigorously for over an hour, you may need more than plain water to keep you going. This is not an endorsement to only drink water when we exercise. Water is an ESSENTIAL drink, often even before you feel thirsty.
5. No Pain, No Gain Is Insane
a. We hear it all the time in gyms, under trees and wherever people with bulging biceps exercise – NO PAIN! NO GAIN! Dear friend, you will feel some discomfort, especially when you start exercising, but if the pain is intense, STOP and ask for help. If the pain persists after a few days, please see a doctor.
6. Warm up and Cool down
a. It is crucial that you warm up for 3–10 minutes before you increase the intensity of your exercise. Warming up increases the heart rate to support your exercise and prepares the muscles for more vigorous exercise. Cooling down will also bring the body to a near-normal state.
b. Skipping the warm-up part can sometimes have lethal consequences. Make it a point to include these two in your schedule.
7. A Complete Exercise Programme
a. To have maximum benefit from exercise, you will need to fall into the “TRINITY” –- cardiovascular exercise (cycling, walking, swimming, etc.), strength training (weight lifting, using resistance bands) and flexibility training (stretching, yoga). Years ago, yoga was couched in “mystery” but now its benefits for fitness are undeniable.
b. In recent years, balance training has jumped into the fray of exercises; it aims to strengthen our core to prevent falls as we age. If you have the benefit of corrective exercise, then you are in luck because it can help you overcome physical challenges and optimise your exercise programme.
c. There is really no strict order for exercising. Cardio before weights or the alternative is not necessary. We will reap the benefits regardless of the order. Order becomes important only when we have certain goals. Someone training for endurance may need cardiovascular exercise first, whereas someone focusing on weight loss may need to switch the order.
8. Increasing Weights in Strength training
a. Take it easy in the beginning and gradually increase your weight. For those of you who will not have the services of a professional, ONLY increase your weights if you can do 12 repetitions of an exercise with good form.
b. Remember, exercising with the wrong form or posture may harm you. It is important that YOU DO NO HARM IN YOUR QUEST FOR FITNESS.
9. Vigorous versus Moderate Intensity Exercise
a. Surely we are able to reduce the duration of our exercise by increasing the intensity. You may walk for one hour but only run for 30 minutes to gain the same cardiovascular benefits, but be careful; you may be putting a strain on another part of the body.
b. You may have come across the fact that mild to moderate exercise improves our immunity and can reduce the frequency of illnesses such as the common cold, whereas extreme exercise may actually cause the opposite.
10. Spot Reduction; fact or myth?
a. Those of us with “pot bellies” know the drill. You walk into a gym and ask how long it will take to trim the belly you have grown lovingly (that rounded belly is an indicator of impending wahala). Some people swear that they can perform out-of-the box exercises and drink certain concoctions to target fat in specific areas.
b. As far as current knowledge can confidently confirm, “spot reduction” is a myth. You will not be able to target specific parts of your body for fat loss; you will need to exercise and eat appropriately to lose fat in the whole body.
Staying fit has never been easy, but the benefits are so amazing that we should all do everything possible to embrace fitness.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Mobissel
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “Safety like Charity begins at home; make sure you get adequate sleep, exercise, eat right, have your eyesight checked and your numbers in the right place. Ensure your home is also safe, then and only then can you easily translate SAFETY to the workplace and everywhere else.” – Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
References:
1. webmd.com
2. Cobba’s First Law of Exercising – “Do No Harm”
3. Nutrition: The Complete Guide – Ryan Berardi, PhD, Ryan Andrews, MS/MA, RD
Health Essentials
Do you want to be happy?
Don’t we all dream of a life that is filled with laughter? That may be a reason for chasing big bucks, which like the Golden Fleece eludes the majority of us.
Financial Wellness is extremely important but there are other factors that make us happy and healthy and eventually wealthy.
I will introduce a few everyday activities that are guaranteed to make you happy if you continue practising them.
You definitely do not need to live in Finland to experience happiness even though many people agree that is the “headquarters” of happiness.
1. Wake-Up Ritual
a. Say to yourself that today will be a beautiful day or a great day!
b. Ask God what He has in store for you. Use me Lord (if not a Christian what you believe in will be useful as well.
c. Remind yourself of your purpose in life and get out of bed.
d. Do Not grab your phone as the first thing for the day.
2. Pray
a. Talking to God has a way of calming our nerves. It brings about unexplained peace and when we add praise and worship then the floodgates open. That is how to win battles against unhappiness.
3. Smile
a. Definitely floods your body with feel good hormones and insulates you from stress.
b. Smiling is infectious so the more you smile the better and you set off a smiling OR happiness domino effect.
4. Meditate
a. Extremely good for your brain and an easy way to start is to do deep-breathing and just focus on your “breath” excluding all others. That is what some will prefer to call mindfulness. Being in the moment has immense benefits. Things you never knew existed suddenly spring up.
5. Exercise
a. That wonder drug that trumps virtually all others. Like smiling it does pour out feel good hormones. Strength training even goes an extra mile causing our muscles to act as “pharmacies” that pour out life-changing signals every time they contract.
6. Be kind to yourself & to others
a. We are often too harsh on ourselves. Give yourself a break. Self-care is the real deal!!
b. Being harsh to others has no benefits.
7. Spend some time doing nothing!
a. We need to re-set from time to time. Spend about 10 minutes a day doing absolutely nothing. There is happiness and innovation in “idling”. Do not abuse idling though.
8. Spend time with loved ones.
a. This is another powerful happiness “hack”. You have to make time and be intentional about this; talk on phone, send messages, arrange to meet for a drink or meal. Social Wellness ranks very high on the happiness index and it’s fairly easy to plug into it.
b. While spending time together remember that your choice of food and drinks also impacts on how happy or sad or anxious you may feel.
9. Indulge in a hobby.
a. Our bodies and brain love variety. Do you have a hobby? Get one
10. Write in your gratitude diary.
a. That is all it takes – keep doing it regularly.
11. Get a pet.
This list is not exhaustive but definitely a good start. Share your happiness hacks with me via email and together we can keep the world smiling and happy.
At the end of each day ask yourself if you did better than the previous day. That is all it takes. Doing better than the previous day for 365 days, for 5 years, 10 years… How amazing that will be!!!
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Medics Clinic
(dressel@healthessentialsgh. com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “There is no magic formula to being happy but making a conscious effort to be happy goes a long way.” – Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials
Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer
May 17 is World Hypertension Day and please do not panic. This is not a stress-filled day that aims at increasing your blood pressure but rather it’s a day set aside to increase awareness of a serial yet silent killer. That is exactly what Hypertension it; its killing the young and old at an alarming rate yet in most instances people with high blood pressure may feel absolutely well.
The theme for this year is “Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer”
Do these when you take your blood pressure since the accuracy of the reading matters:
• If you have been walking or running rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes
• No caffeinated drinks or alcohol two or three hours before checking blood pressure
• Sit (sometime you may need to stand or lay in bed) comfortably with your back rested/supported and your arm for the cuff resting on a table of firm surface
• Have your feet flat on the floor and not legs crossed
• Ensure the cuff is the right size for your arm
• If using an electronic monitor ensure battery is working well
• If clothing covering arm is thick remove
• Loosen your neck-tie or belt if uncomfortable
• If you are not conversant with checking blood pressure, get the appropriate training
Global statistics show that only 50 per cent of those with hypertension are actually aware and that awareness in some areas may be as low as 10 per cent while awareness may exceed 75 per cent in a few areas.
The bitter truth is some people do not have enough information about the condition, a significant number do not have easy access to measuring their blood pressure and a few stubborn ones think it is better not to know if something is going wrong.
What do we need to understand about our blood pressure numbers? There are ALWAYS two numbers in a blood pressure reading such as 120/80mmHg. The top figure represents the force of the blood against the artery (blood vessel) walls as your heart beats and the lower value represents the force on the walls in between beats or while the heart rests. Both numbers are important.
Essentially when your blood pressure is higher than it should normally be all organs in the body are exposed to elevated pressures since arteries supply blood to every part of the body. These sustained high pressures will be causing harm gradually every minute of the day.
Prevention of high blood pressure is based mainly on adopting the appropriate lifestyle, while having regular medical check-ups to pick up conditions that can may lead to hypertension if not tackled early. Management of hypertension on the other hand requires a three-pronged attack in most situations;
• Lifestyle modifications
• Regular medical checks to pick up other conditions that be worsen our hypertension or general wellbeing
• Use of appropriate physician prescribed medication
Age and our genes may have a way of increasing our blood pressure or predisposing us to hypertension, but since we have no control over the choice of our family and years rolling by, it may be worth focusing on the above three that we can control to a large extent.
Lifestyle Modification
• Exercise adequately
• Do not smoke
• Limit or avoid alcohol
• Aim at fat (weight) loss
• Manage stress appropriately
• If you have sleep apnoea (intermittent snoring during sleep and feeling tired and sleepy on waking up) seek medical intervention
• Adopt the DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) diet; low sodium (salt), increased potassium from fruits and vegetables, low or no saturated fats and increased fibre.
• Control conditions such as diabetes, cholesterol challenges and kidney disease.
Exercise need not be rushing to the gym to sweat out only, but taking walks, gardening, cleaning your home, using the stairs and many others. Exercise increases heart function and lowers blood pressure but there is a little hitch: the benefits of exercise on blood pressure do not last beyond 72 hours.
In short frequency is the watch word. Do not be a once a week or once a month exercise fan. The effect of exercise on the heart does not rely on past glory so if you were an athlete years ago but you have now become one with your sofa, I am sorry to disappoint you but you need to get moving NOW!
All types of exercises will benefit you and lower your blood pressure but a word of caution here;
• When your blood pressure is not controlled DO NOT lift weights above your head
• Do not overdo exercises of the upper body but lower body exercises such s squatting will enhance lowering of your blood pressure.
• Breathe properly especially while you train with weights; breathe out during the exertion phase as you lift a weight and breathe in while you relax.
• Of course brisk walking, swimming, use of the treadmill and other exercises that target heart function are also a must
When all is said and done, you can never know our blood pressure without measuring or checking it. Take a few minutes to check your blood pressure and ensure at least one other person checks their blood pressure before the end of the month.
Associations, companies and all identifiable groups should ensure they check their blood pressure and go an extra mile and as a corporate social responsibility help to check the blood pressure of hundreds or even thousands of people. You will be saving lives.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Mobissel
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
