MY SCHOOL by Dr .Nilesh Gopal das Joshi (beginner reading books for adults .txt) 📕

in the resting state). The energy expenditure due tophysical activity during sleep would, of course, besmall.

Meaning and Concept

Physical activity is defined s any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that result in energy expenditure. Examples include doing housework, carrying buckets or laundry, walking upstairs. Physical activity is positively correlated with overall fitness of an individual. The energy expenditure can be measured in kilocalories. Physical activity can range between light, moderate and vigorous types of activity. For example, doing the household chore of washing dishes would be considered a light physical activity, whereas scrubbing the floor on your hand and knees with a hearty effort would be a vigorous activity.

Exercise is any improvement that is planned and done purposely to maintain or improve physical fitness. Examples of this type of movement include running, yoga, spinning and cycling. Performing regular exercise can improve aerobic capacity, muscle strength and bone strength and exercise is also positively correlated with overall fitness of an individual.

Exercise is the key to sound health. Sound health aids physical fitness. Therefore, we must take regular exercise in order to keep fit and healthy. Exercise provides adequate quantity of oxygen and enables different organs of human body to function properly. It promotes the circulation of blood to all parts of the body. Some points may be noted in this connection:

Exercise develops muscular systems in body. Muscles can also be kept in tone. Toxic products are eliminated from the bloodstream. Exercise peps up metabolism. Exercise is a brain stimulant. Exercise keeps the nervous system in order. Exercise helps in the proper functioning of the organs in human body. It also makes them strong. Exercise brings joy to man. Exercise is a natural thing for man and helps in the fullest development of man’s personality.

But, an important thing to remember is that exercise should be done in the open air and regularly. There should be no break in doing exercises. Proper care should be taken to perform only graduated exercise. It should be started with a minimum practice, and then slowly increased. It should not be done to the extent that one becomes tired or fatigued. Moreover, consideration of age should always be kept in mind while doing exercise. We should do exercise for our own sake in order to keep our body in perfect condition. Every man/woman must be a judge of how much exercise he/she needs. There cannot be any hard and fast rules to regulate it. But it is better one plays some outdoor game regularly, for a game gives both physical exercise and pleasure.

RELAXATION

Rest and relaxation is another way to keep our body in perfect order. There should always be reasonable limits to the amount of work one does. Relaxation means ceasing to make any effort or doing any activity. Absence of activity helps in the relaxation of muscles. It is a natural process in man, just as breathing is. But relaxation should not be confused with sitting idle. On the other hand, it means loosening the drive-chain on human mechanism. Relaxation helps us to know the method of preserving our energy. It prepares man for more effective activity. Relaxation keeps a man ever young and energetic.

How to Relax

Body’s slant position is the best way to relax. The body should be made to lie in a slanting position with head lower than the feet with the spine straightened and the back flattened in this position. All sorts of accumulated congestion in the bloodstream and tissues is released thereby. There is more free circulation and flow of blood in the body. Every organ in the body gets rest in this way.

Stomach-lift

Another way to relax effectively is the stomach-lift. When the body is in slanted position, the stomach-lift can be done by drawing the stomach in and, then after sometime, by drawing it out. This process may be repeated a number of times. It enhances longevity of life.

Avoiding Addiction to Smoking and Alcohol

Excessive smoking hinders digestion and respiration. Nicotine deposited by cigarettes has an ill-effect on one’s appetite. Smoking irritates the lungs and the throat. It causes irregularity of heart-beat, enhances pulse rate and increases blood pressure. Excessive smoking may also bring an attack of angina. It also leads to insufficient sleep and even nervousness. Therefore, excessive smoking should be avoided.

Alcohol consumes vitamin B, because it is a carbohydrate. So, when a person takes alcohol, the metabolic process that ensues take away vitamin B from the body and thus causes deficiency of this vitamin The body is thus weakened. Addiction to other intoxicants such as opium is also very harmful to health. So, we should avoid it at any cost. Similarly, sleeping pills are also bad for health.

EXERCISE AND SAFE HEART RATE

A linear relationship exists between intensity and heart rate. As exercise intensity increases, so does the heart rate. Exercise directly affects the activity, function and health of your heart. In the short term, our heart rate increases in proportion to our level of exertion as you exercise. Regular aerobic exercise strengthens our heart over time. As our cardiovascular fitness improves, the level of heart rate increase necessary during strenuous physical activity diminishes.

Maximum Heart Rate

Maximum heart rate (MHR) is the highest heart rate cardiovascular system can effectively cope with during physical activity. A simple way to calculate MHR is to subtract one’s age from 220. However, certain medications and physical factors can cause the MHR to be higher or lower.

Intensity Level and Heart Rate

During low intensity exercises, the heart beats well below its maximum rate. As exercise intensity increases, the heart rate moves closer to its maximum rate.Low-intensity exercises raise the heart rate to 40 to 50 percent of an individual’s MHR. Moderate-intensity exercises increases the heart rate to 50 to 70 percent of the MHR, while vigorous-intensity exercises elevate the heart rate to 70 to 80 percent of the MHR.

Target Heart Rate Zone

The target heart rate zone is the optimum level to exercise and reap the maximum cardiovascular and weight-loss benefits without overworking the heart. To determine your target heart rate, you need to know your MHR and the intensity level of your workout.

It is recommended that you exercise within 55 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate for at least 20 to 30 minutes to get the best results from aerobic exercise. The MHR (roughly calculated as 220 minus your age) is the upper limit of what your cardiovascular system can handle during physical activity.

The basic way to calculate your maximum heart rate is to subtract your age from 220. For example, if you're 45 years old, subtract 45 from 220 to get a maximumheart rate of 175. This is the maximum number of times your heart should beat per minute during exercise.

Basal Metabolic Rate

BMR is the minimum caloric requirement to sustain life at rest in a day. It is the amount of calorie required to maintain life at rest per day. It is the energy required for functioning the vital organs like heart, lungs, liver, kidney, skin etc. BMR is calculated by oxygen uptake. It is an indirect method of assessing the BMR through oxygen consumption. BMR is determined by genetic and environment factors.

Factors determining BMR are:

Age Body weight Surface area of the body Posture Heredity Sex Activity Body temperature Fat percentage Diet Mental conditions

Calculating BMR

There are two methods for calculating the Basal Metabolic Rate. They are indirect calorimetry and equation method.

Indirect Calorimetry

This is the accurate method of calculating the BMR. A specially designed laboratory is used for assessing the oxygen intake of the individuals for calculating the BMR.

Equation method

This is the formula method for calculating the BMR. Values of height, weight, age and sex of the individual have to be taken for assessing the BMR. Separate formulae are used for men and women.

EXERCISE

Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, including increasing growth and development, preventing aging, strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, and also enjoyment. Frequent and regular exercise boosts the immune system and helps prevent several diseases. It may also help prevent stress and depression, increase quality of sleep and help promote or maintin positive self-esteem, improve mental health, maintain steady digestion. Physical exercise may help decrease some of the effects of childhood and adult obesity. Aside from the health advantages,these benefits may include different social rewards for staying active while enjoying the environment of one’s culture. Many individuals choose to exercise publicly outdoors where they can congregate in groups, socialize and appreciate life.

The term "exercise" has been used interchangeably with "physical activity”, and, in fact, both

have a number of common elements. For example, both physical activity and exerciseinvolve any bodily movement produced byskeletal muscles that expends energy, are measuredby kilocalories ranging continuously from low tohigh, and are positively correlated with physical

fitness as the intensity, duration, and frequency ofmovements increase. Exercise, however, is not

synonymous with physical activity: it is a subcategoryof physical activity. Exercise is physical activitythat is planned, structured, repetitive, and purposivein the sense that improvement or maintenanceof one or more components of physicalfitness is an objective.

Exercise, then, is a subset of physical activity andmay constitute all or part of each category of dailyactivity except sleep. However, it is more likely tobe an important part of some categories of physical activity than of others. For example, virtuallyall conditioning and many sports activities areperformed to improve or maintain components ofphysical fitness. In such instances they are planned,structured, and, more often than not, repetitive.Activities such as occupational, household, andmany daily tasks are typically performed in themost efficient manner possible. These physical activitiesare done with little regard to physical fitnessand are often structured with conservation ofenergy expenditure as a goal.

Principles of exercise

There are certain fundamental principles regarding exercise. One should be aware of these basic concepts in order to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise programme. The personalized programme should be designed to reflect these principles in such a manner that the goals can be accomplished.

These are some basic principles of exercise, and knowing them may help to set up and manipulate different components of the workout.

Frequency

Adequate frequency of exercise should be ensured as per the requirement. ( 3 to 4 days for health related physical fitness, 4 to 6 days for managing diseases and performance related physical fitness).

Intensity

Intensity of the workout may be as per the specific goal. (60% - 85% for health related physical fitness and 75%-100% for performance related physical fitness).

Volume (duration)

Duration of the programme may be fixed as per the requirement. (30-60 minutes for health related physical fitness and 60 minutes and above for performance related physical fitness).

Load

Load should be increased progressively. (Staircase method).

Maintenance and continuity

To maintain physical fitness, continuity is very essential.

Personalized training

Personal differences like age, sex, ailments etc. have to be taken into consideration.

Climate

Workout should be planned as per the climatic conditions.

Technical expertise

Physical exercises should be practiced under the supervision of a professional expert.

 

 

Chapter: 26 HYPOKINETIC DISEASES- Part 1

HYPOKINETIC DISEASES- Part 1

A disease brought on, at least in part, by sufficient movement and exercise.  Hypokinesis has been identified as an independent risk factor for the origin and progression of several widespread chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and lower back pain.

Obesity

Obesity means having too much body fat.  It is not the same as being overweight, which means weighing too much.  A person may be overweight from extra muscle or water, as well as from having too much