Page 3 - Healthbeat March 2015

fast fitness MORE THAN JUST STRENGTH
THESE EXERCISES CAN HELP MAKE EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES A LITTLE EASIER
WITH AMY JACOBSEN, CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER
When we exercise, we usually focus on how much we can lift or how long we can run. We squat, push, pull and lift in the gym — but how does that translate to our everyday activities? We play sports, move to a new house, pick up five grocery bags out of the back of the car, change a tire — we use our large and smaller muscle groups in every activity we do. Think of exercise as not only an outlet for stress or to lose weight, but also as a means to make everyday life and activities easier to navigate.
Here is a great twice-a-week workout that can help:
on call
Q: What are panic attacks? How
do I tell the difference between a panic attack and a heart attack?
Because the symptoms of a panic
attack are so severe and similar to those of a heart attack, it’s important to seek medical attention if you are experiencing the symptoms, which include chest pain, short- ness of breath, nausea, dizziness, numbness, trembling, chills and fear of insanity or death.
Patients with panic attacks can develop agoraphobia — anxiety about and avoidance of situations where help may not be available or it may be difficult to leave the situation in the event of developing paniclike symptoms. If you have recurrent, unexpected panic attacks, are persistently concerned about having them again, worry about their implications or change your behavior significantly afterward, then you may have panic disorder — a chronic problem with panic attacks.
Antidepressants, along with cognitive be- havioral therapy, which is used to help patients change the way they react in certain situations, can help control the frequency and severity of panic attacks. Recognition and treatment of related issues, such as agoraphobia or depres- sion, are also critical. Infrequent panic attacks can occur with other anxiety disorders, so it’s important to be properly diagnosed.
• Walking lunges (15 reps each leg):
Perform standard lunges, alternating legs. This will strengthen both legs and help increase your balance, which is good for functional activities.
• Weight pickup and lift (15 reps):
Choose a weight (or a medicine ball or a big bag of dog food). Place the object on the floor. Squat down, keeping your
back straight and heels touching the floor, and pick up the object. If it is light enough to lift over your head, try that as part of this exercise; if
it is too heavy, just lift it off the ground and put it back down.
• Weighted ax choppers (10
reps each side): Standing with
your feet shoulder width apart
and holding one weight with
both hands, imagine a diagonal
line that extends from above
your right shoulder to below the
left side of your waist. Move the weight up to the right, with your arms straight and as one unit, drawing that diagonal line; squat simultaneously down just past your left hip (similar to the motion used for chopping wood). Repeat, moving from left to right.
• External shoulder rotation (15 reps each arm): You will need a resistance
band attached to a fixed position. Stand with your body sideways to the attached side of the band. Using the arm farthest away from the attachment, grasp the
band handle with your elbow at a 90-degree angle, and lock your
upper arm to your torso. Pull your hand across your body, rotate
it outward, and then return to the starting position. Turn and
repeat with the opposite hand. This exercise will help keep
your rotator cuffs strong for everyday activities.
• Cobra to downward
dog (15 reps): Begin by lying on the floor on your stomach with your
toes turned under. Place your hands on either side of your chest, and lift your upper
body while keeping your hips and legs on the ground (cobra
position); then push your hips upward to an inverted V position.
Push your heels toward the floor and your chest toward your knees
(downward dog position). Return to the cobra position. Hold each
position for five seconds, breathing rhythmically.
Add these exercises to your regular exercise regimen, and see how
even the little things such as carrying the groceries or throwing a football with your kids can become easier.
SHASHANK KRALETI, M.D.
FAMILY MEDICINE • UAMS
I understand that measles is mak- ing a comeback. How dangerous is measles?
In 2000, national health authorities declared that measles had been elim-
inated in the United States because of a highly effective vaccine and a strong public health program that led to most children being vac- cinated.
According to the Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention, 178 cases in 17 states have been reported so far in 2015. Measles has returned because of more international travel and more U.S. children not getting vaccinated.
The disease’s symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and red watery eyes. After the first few days, tiny white spots may be pres- ent in a patient’s mouth. Next, a rash breaks out starting at the hairline and can spread to other areas of the body. Fever may get as high as 104. Typically, the fever and rash fade after a few days. Complications are most likely in children who are younger than 5 and adults who are older than 20. One or two of every 1,000 children to contract measles will die from the disease.
Amy Jacobsen is an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer and an Aerobics and Fitness Association of America-certified group exercise instructor, and manager of Little Rock’s Downtown Athletic Club. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in kinesiology and has nearly two decades of experience as a personal trainer.
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