Of course, he was talking about “just showing up” at the gym, or wherever you do your exercise routine.  But you can’t argue with the pure logic.  Just show up.

I’m sure you’ve heard the quote that “90% of success is just showing up.”  Same goes here.  Whatever your health goals are, however impossible they might seem to you right now, you can achieve them if you consistently show up and do your routine.

The key to success is consistency.  Working your routine day in and day out.  Logging the miles, doing the reps, putting in the time.  That’s how you lose 50 pounds.  That’s how you improve your cardio and lower your blood pressure.  That’s how you do 100 push-ups.

This is so simple, yet so powerful.  And the neat thing is that it works on pretty much anything.  Want to get your degree?  Just show up at the library every day and hit the books.  Want to dramatically improve your marriage?  Just turn off the TV and show up in the bedroom a little early every night.  Want to succeed in just about anything?  Figure out where you need to be and what you need to do – and then just show up day after day.  Bit by bit, step by step you’ll get what you’re looking for.

But you’ve got to be consistent.  You’ve got to stick with it until you reach what you’re working towards.  That’s critical.  It’s also my biggest problem.

I’ve been in great shape so many times in my life it isn’t funny.  If I don’t consistently keep up my exercise routines, my body quickly slides back into “couch potato” mode and actually starts craving ice cream, soda, and chips.  Before I know it, my pants don’t fit anymore.

Exercise is not something you do once and then you’re good for the rest of your life.  Exercise is like brushing your teeth.  You have to do it consistently for the rest of your life.

Same usually goes for everything else.  You don’t just get your degree and then stop learning.  You don’t build a great relationship with someone and then just kick back.  Why not?  Because it all falls apart if you don’t constantly keep working, improving, strengthening, expanding.

So make a commitment to your health goals.  Promise yourself that you’re going to do whatever it takes to get yourself in the shape you want to be in.  Figure out exactly how you want to get there, whether it’s by doing Yoga or Cardio or whatever.  And then just show up.  Like Tony says, if your exercise routine is on DVD, just keep hitting “play.”  Then tomorrow, hit “play” again, then the next day, and so on.

Just keep showing up.  Keep that phrase in your mind and it will help keep you on track.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S. Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.” This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: exercise, cardio, endurance, p90x, tony horton,  consistency, goals, health, weight loss, diet, strength, success

You might be interested in the following items from Amazon.com:

P90X: Tony Horton’s 90-Day Extreme Home Fitness Workout DVD Program

• Get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated
• Muscle Confusion technique accelerates the results process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so your body never plateaus
• Collection of 12 highly diverse and intense DVD workouts
• Also includes comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options
• Personal trainer Tony Horton will keep you engaged every step of the way

Tired of ineffective workouts that sound great but produce less-than-optimal results? Turn to the P90X Extreme Home Fitness system, a bundle of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days. Hosted by personal trainer Tony Horton, the series of DVDs will help you get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated. The secret behind the P90X system is an advanced training technique called “muscle confusion,” which accelerates the fitness process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so that your body never plateaus and you never get bored. The more you confuse the muscle, the harder your body has to work to keep up. And the more variety you put into your workout, the better and faster your results will be. By breaking old routines and opening new doors, secondary and tertiary muscles are constantly being activated and developed.

In addition to the 12 DVD workouts, the P90X comes with a comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options, a detailed fitness guide packed with valuable information on how to get the most from your program, a How to Bring It DVD that provides a quick overview of the system, a calendar to track your progress, online peer support, and much more.

The DVD Workouts
Each of the 12 highly diverse and intense DVD workouts focuses on either a specific set of muscle groups or a unique training technique.

• Workout One: Chest & Back. This superset chest-and-back-blasting workout emphasizes two classic upper-body exercises–push-ups and pull-ups–to build strength and develop shape. The combination of these two push and pull movements will help you burn loads of calories while simultaneously attacking, strengthening, and developing multiple muscle groups.
• Workout Two: Plyometrics. Get ready to go airborne. Offering more 30 explosive jumping moves, this intense cardio routine will keep you in the air most of the time. Plyometrics, also known as jump training, has been proven to dramatically improve athletic performance. If your sport involves a ring, rink, field, court, or track, this training will give you the edge. Just be prepared to “bring it” for a full hour when you leap into this workout, because there is no letting up.
• Workout Three: Shoulders & Arms. Nothing rounds out the perfect physique like a pair of well-defined arms and shoulders, and with its potent combination of pressing, curling, and fly movements, this routine will leave you feeling stronger and looking sexier. Whether you want to build muscle mass or just slim and tighten what you’ve already got, these targeted shoulder and arm exercises will give you the results you want.
• Workout Four: Yoga X. Yoga is a vital part of any fitness regimen, and is an absolute must for an extreme program like P90X. This routine combines strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, and breath work to enhance your physique and calm your mind. Yoga X will leave you feeling energized, invigorated, and maybe even a little enlightened.
• Workout Five: Legs & Back. Get ready to squat, lunge, and pull for a total-body workout like no other. While the main focus of this workout lies in strengthening and developing the leg muscles (quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves), there are also a handful of great pull-up exercises to give your legs a quick breather while you work the upper body.
• Workout Six: Kenpo X. Kenpo X was created to give P90X users a high-intensity cardiovascular workout packed with lots of punching and kicking combinations to improve balance, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. During this workout you’ll learn some of the most effective ways to defend yourself, while at the same time getting your body in peak condition.
• Workout Seven: X Stretch. Stretching is the one thing that will help you achieve a higher level of athleticism over a longer period of time. The X Stretch routine is an integral part of the program, as it helps prevent injuries and avoid plateaus. The extensive full-body stretches that make up this routine use disciplines from Kenpo karate, hatha yoga, and various sports to ensure that your body is fully prepared to meet all P90X challenges head-on.
• Workout Eight: Core Synergistics. Each and every exercise in the Core Synergistics workout recruits multiple muscle groups to build and support the core (lumbar spine and trunk muscles), while at the same time conditioning your body from head to toe. Loaded with a variety of fun, unique, and challenging exercises, this routine will get you moving in all directions to maximize your P90X results.
• Workout Nine: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps. Packed with an array of moves that target both large and small muscles, this workout will do wonders for your upper body. In just one full sequence you’ll get a healthy dose of presses, flys, and extensions to push you to the brink. The results will be a stronger, leaner, and highly defined upper torso that will leave you looking awesome, with or without a shirt.
• Workout 10: Back & Biceps. With a host of curls and pull-ups, this routine will make it fun to flex those powerful biceps. But don’t worry, ladies–by using lighter weight, you can focus on toning and tightening these showcase arm muscles without adding the size that most guys covet. Additionally, this workout also provides some great back definition that everyone can appreciate. Regardless of your goals, you will achieve them in dramatic fashion if you dig in and max out your reps.
• Workout 11: Cardio X. This low-impact cardio routine can be used in a variety of ways to meet your P90X goals. Use it in addition to your standard P90X workload when you want to burn some extra calories, or as a substitute if your body needs a break from the program’s high-impact workouts. Whatever your reason for using Cardio X, you’ll find it a fun, full-throttle, fat-burning workout that will leave you feeling lean and mean.
• Workout 12: Ab Ripper X. The combination and sequence of movements in this unique workout taps into not only abdominal strength, but true core strength as well. Master these 11 highly effective exercises and you will achieve vital abdominal muscle strength to benefit your overall health and physical performance. You’ll also develop that highly coveted six-pack as you take Ab Ripper X to full throttle. It’s extreme work that’s better than any machine in any club.

P90X Fitness Guide
This is your road map and your plan of attack for using P90X. Learn guidelines for getting started and essential tips for how to make the most of the program. The fitness guide provides you tips to reduce your chance of injury; a fit test; recommended supplements and equipment; detailed instructions for stretching, warming up, and performing exercises; and guidelines to help you select which P90X phase to complete, whether Classic, Doubles, or Lean.

The Nutrition Plan
Following the P90X nutrition plan is just as vital to your overall success as any of the extreme workouts in this program. Specifically designed to work in tandem with the P90X workout routines, this three-phase eating plan recommends the perfect combination of foods to satisfy your body’s energy needs every step of the way. P90X is not about quick fixes or miracle diets. It’s about selecting the healthy foods that you want to eat, and determining the portion amounts that will provide your body with the right amount of fuel to excel during exercise. The P90X nutrition plan offers three phases. Phase 1 is the Fat Shredder, a high-protein-based diet designed to help you strengthen your muscles while simultaneously and rapidly shedding fat from your body. Phase 2 is the Energy Booster, a balanced mix of carbohydrates and proteins with a lower amount of fat to achieve additional energy for performance. And Phase 3 is the Endurance Maximizer, an athletic diet of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and lower fat, with the emphasis on more carbohydrates. You’ll need this combination of foods as fuel to get the most out of your final few weeks and truly be in the best shape of your life.

Tools to Keep You Motivated

• P90X Calendar to set your workout goals, track your progress, and stay motivated.
• Free Online Support Tools for access to fitness experts, peer support, and motivation.

What’s in the Box?
12 DVD workouts, nutrition plan, fitness guide How to Bring It DVD, a calendar to track your progress

List Price: $ 150.00

Price: $ 139.80

P90X Plus: The Next Level for P90X Grads-5 New Extreme Workouts on 4 DVDs

• 5 Workouts on 4 DVDs: (1) Interval X Plus; (2) Kenpo Cardio Plus; (3) Upper Plus; (4) Total Body Plus; (5) Abs/Core Plus.
• P90X Plus workouts are for YOU, if you have achieved a respectable level of fitness and YOU HAVE COMPLETED P90X.
• Fitness Guide with fully customized workout schedules showing you how to incorporate your new P90X Plus workouts into your complete system.

If you love P90X® and you’re saying, “Give me more,” or, “I need a challenge”-then here it is, the P90X Plus Series. Tony amps up the Muscle Confusion with BRAND-NEW MOVES and never-before-seen workouts all set to hot music created exclusively for P90X Plus by Jason Scheff, lead singer of the band Chicago! The NEW P90X Plus will break through plateaus with intense new cardio, muscle chiseling, and ab/core-ripping moves to ramp up your results. Adding these new advanced workouts into your P90X rotation will literally TAKE YOUR WORKOUT TO THE NEXT LEVEL and create workout combinations beyond your imagination. Trust me, it doesn’t get better than this . . .If you love P90X and you’re looking for a new challenge, the P90X Plus Series is for you. Professional trainer Tony Horton amps up the Muscle Confusion with brand new moves and never-before-seen workouts–all set to hot music created exclusively for P90X. The P90X Plus will break through plateaus with intense new cardio, muscle chiseling, and ab/core-ripping moves to ramp up your results.

The P90X Plus Series is for you, if you have achieved a respectable level of fitness and you have completed P90X. It will enhance any athletic performance and is the perfect tool to quickly build on your fitness accomplishments while getting you ripped beyond belief.

Five Extreme Workouts on Four DVDs:

• Interval X Plus: A lot more effective than standard cardio, Interval X Plus propels your heart rate up and down with 3 speeds: recovery, medium, and full-out, creating the most dramatic change in the shortest period of time. (40 minutes)

• Kenpo Cardio Plus: This advanced-level Kenpo, with new moves, will shred the most stubborn layer of fat with an all-out self-defense workout that builds stamina, balance, and agility.



• Upper Plus: This monster upper-body workout will defy the plateau phenomenon by blasting all the muscles from the hips on up: chest, back, biceps, triceps, and shoulders, in a complete synergistic P90X way. After this one, you won’t be able to pick up a ping pong paddle for a couple hours. (45 minutes)

• Total Body Plus: By adding new synergistic moves, your muscles get pumped, then recuperate in stages until you’ve got nothing left. An unprecedented total-body phenomenon. (45 minutes)

• Abs/Core Plus: This advanced new ab/core workout adds 4 different positions (hanging, sitting, standing, and plank positions) to intensify your ab work and shred your midsection even faster. Is a ten-pack even possible? You’ll find out. (20 minutes)

Bonus Materials Include:

• Fitness Guide with fully customized workout schedules showing you how to incorporate your new P90X Plus workouts into your complete P90X training system

• Downloadable worksheets to record your reps and sets and track your progress.

• 24/7 online access to chats with Tony Horton and an amazing online community that will cheer you on.

• DVD extras–Tony’s Trainer Tracks with detailed professional tips on every move to help you achieve perfect form and even better results.

List Price: $ 55.00

Price: $ 69.79

Related posts:

1. Review of P90X Fitness Program
2. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 6
3. Let’s Get Serious

Unfortunately, snoring is not something to kid about.  It can lead to serious health issues if not addressed, and I’m not just talking about your spouse wanting to smother you with a pillow.

I’m happy to report that I had a pretty significant snoring problem that was affecting my blood pressure.  You can find how I solved it by reading some of my other posts.

On this week’s Fitness Roundup, I wanted to provide some links to other blogs so you can get some ideas of how others have tackled this problem as well.

Related articles by Zemanta

• How To Stop Snoring (howcast.com)
• Can you be short of breath while sleeping (respiratorytherapycave.blogspot.com)
• A Beginner’s Guide to Snoring (drsharma.ca)
• Stop Snoring Using natural Methods (stepbysteptips.com)
• Heavy Snoring Linked To Potentially Life-Threatening Conditions (prweb.com)

Lastly, here’s a CNBC segment on an anti-snore spray that I wasn’t aware of:

CNBC program reports of the most effective way of stopping snoring with Ysnore (ysnore@singapore.com). A natural way of effective stopping the cause of snoring with natural homoepathic ingredient of ginger and yam. Applied through a nasal spray and nose drops. This stop snore remedy gives you a good night sleep. Really works for snorer.

Related posts:

1. Fastest Way to Stop Snoring
2. Review of PureSleep Antisnore Device
3. Does PureSleep Really Work?

Every year, around 800,000 Americans have a stroke with about 145,000 of them not surviving.  Even when a person does survive, their lives are forever changed, sometimes radically.  Those changes can range from little to no physical damage to significant and debilitating impairments including speech and mobility loss.

There are two main categories of risk factors:  those that are genetic and those that are a result of your lifestyle.  The first you’re born with and can’t do much about.  The second category on the other hand, is totally within your control…

Many of the lifestyle risk factors you already know.  They include the standard “watch what you eat and exercise more” that has become the main health prescription that all of us need to do more of.  But there’s more, much more.

First of all, don’t dismiss the “exercise and diet” as just more of the same pop-culture advice that’s on every health ad and exercise commercial.  If you’re going to focus on anything at all, this should be the thing you work on the most.  Nothing else provides the same level of health benefits – nothing.

Second, take a look at your lifestyle habits.  Do you regularly skimp on your sleep by staying up late or having to get up early?  Whether you’re missing sleep because of essential reasons (taking care of a sick child, for example) or for trivial ones (watching a late-night movie on AMC), the end result is the same – you don’t get the rest your body needs to rebuild and maintain its health.

If you drink more than one glass of wine, beer, or drink per day, you’re putting your body at risk of a stroke.  Smoking doubles the risk of stroke.  Now’s the time to cut back on these habits that are reducing your life and work on building new ones that will add to the time you have on this Earth.

Another lifestyle habit is your diet, the types of food you eat.  Reduce salty and fatty foods in your diet and you’ll lower your risk of stroke.  I don’t even have to mention reducing portion sizes, do I?

Lastly, you can manage your risk of stroke by taking control of your medical check-ups.  Get checked out on a regular basis, especially if you fall into a high risk group (being over 55, being male, being African-American, Hispanic, or Asian/Pacific Islander, or having a family history of stroke).  Many of the medical factors that can lead to stroke, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, can be successfully treated IF they’re identified in time – and the only way to do that is to get yourself checked out on a regular basis.

Having a stroke can radically change your life.  All those plans you had for dream vacations, travel, retirement, and so on can quickly go out the window.  The good news is that you have control over many of the risk factors that can lead to stroke, as well as to many other health problems.

The question is, what will you do with that control?

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer

Technorati Tags: heart, stroke, exercise, balanced health, risk factors, heart attack, brain damage, blood pressure, diabetes, fitness

Related posts:

1. What you Can Do to Prevent a Stroke
2. Is it a Stroke? Find out FAST.
3. Knowing the Symptoms of a Stroke Can Help Save a Life

There had to be a way to reduce my blood pressure naturally.  It turns out there is.  It’s a biofeedback device called the RESPeRATE that helps you lower your blood pressure through “therapeutic” or deep breathing.  According to their literature, it’s “the first medical device clinically proven to lower blood pressure.”

WARNING: if you are currently under treatment for high blood pressure, make sure to talk to your doctor before making ANY changes to your treatment program, including using devices such as this one.

What RESPeRATE Is

So what exactly is a “biofeedback” device?  A biofeedback device is a device containing some sort of sensor that displays (or feeds back) the biological response you’re trying to regulate.  For example, if you’re trying to learn how to relax and lower your heart beat, you can wear a heartbeat monitor in order to see what kind of progress you’re making.  The heartbeat monitor measures your biological response (your heartbeat) and feeds that information back to you so you can take the appropriate action.

Similarly, the RESPeRATE device is designed to help you learn how to lower your blood pressure through structured, therapeutic deep breathing – the same type of deep breathing practiced in meditation and yoga (needless to say, if you already practice meditation or yoga, then this device is probably not for you).

This type of deep breathing causes the muscles surrounding the small blood vessels in your body to relax allowing the blood vessels to slightly dilate.  Blood is allowed to flow more freely lowering your blood pressure.  The effect is small but these effects accumulate over time so the more you use the device, the better results you get.

The goal is to spend at least 10 minutes each session doing “therapeutic breathing”  – breathing slowly, deeply, and naturally at a rate of less than 10 breaths per minute.  The RESPeRATE device helps get you there and tracks your progress as well.

What It Does

Using the RESPeRATE device requires that you sit comfortably, put on a set of headphones and position a sensor across your chest via an elastic strap.  When started, the device begins to play specially designed music through the headsets that helps to pace your breathing (play clip for an example) while at the same time, the chest sensor monitors your breathing rate, which then shows up on the display.

The display also contains a person with an arrow pointing in when you’re supposed to be breathing in, and pointing out when you’re supposed to be breathing out (see picture at right).  Cute, but no big deal, right? Well, here’s the really neat part.

The microprocessor-controlled device determines your current breathing rate and then adjusts the pace of the music so that it’s a little bit lower than your actual breathing rate.  The result is that you naturally start breathing a little slower as you follow the music.

Once you reach the lower rate, the device lowers the pace yet again, and continues doing so until your breathing reaches a stable rate.  If your breath speeds up for any reason, the music also speeds up until it matches your breathing rate — and then it begins to slow down again leading your breathing rate back down with it.  This is what they mean by “pacing” and it’s what makes RESPeRATE so unique.  It’s like having someone right there gently leading you forward.

How It Works

The RESPeRATE comes with a control/display unit, a set of headphones (or ear buds, depending on the model you purchase), and a sensor that attaches to your chest through the use of an elastic band.  The control unit is battery operated and requires 4 AA batteries.

To use it, place the sensor across your chest by adjusting the elastic strap so that it’s either on your upper chest, or slightly above your abdomen.  The sensor measures the movement of your chest as you breathe in and out so the best place for it is going to depend on whether you’re a “chest breather” or an “abdominal breather.”

Next, put on the headphones and turn on the control unit.  That’s it.  The control unit will go through a “breathing recognition phase” where it confirms that it’s properly sensing your breathing rate.  Once it’s determined that it can read your breathing rate (ie: the sensor is properly placed), the music begins to play.

The special music has two distinct “guiding” tones, a high tone indicating when you should inhale and a low tone indicating when you should exhale.  There are also voice prompts (which can be turned off) to guide you as well.  You can hear an example of this by playing the audio clip that’s part of this review.

Your goal for each session is to spend at least 10 minutes in the “therapeutic breathing zone” of 10 breaths per minute or less.  The control unit will automatically track the amount of time you spend in the therapeutic zone.

The unit’s “Performance Statistics” mode can also tell you how many minutes you spent in the therapeutic zone during the last session, during the last 7 days, as well as the average value over the past 60 days.  It will also track your beginning breathing rate as well as your final breathing rate making it easy to see your progress.

The control unit is battery operated (uses 4 AA batteries) and made of plastic.  The controls are easy to understand and use.  The RESPeRATE device is compact and very portable making it a perfect item to take with you anywhere you go.

How Effective Is It

But does the device really reduce blood pressure?  The RESPeRATE is FDA-approved and their website contains numerous medical studies as well as doctor and client testimonials that prove that the device does indeed work.  However, I’ve found that there’s a caveat that you need to know about before you run out and get one.

First of all, if you already meditate or do Yoga, then you are probably already getting the benefits of therapeutic breathing and getting a RESPeRATE won’t make much sense.  I was a little disappointed to find that my resting breathing rate starts out in the therapeutic zone (I usually start the session at around 7 BPM and end the session around 4 BPM).  Although the sessions are extremely relaxing (and I still continue to use it for that reason), I actually haven’t seen much impact on my blood pressure.  But that’s just me.

If you DON’T already meditate or do Yoga (which is probably most people), the device may be worth trying. I also suspect that the people who will benefit the most are those whos blood pressure is caused, at least in part, by nervousness, worry, stress, or tension.  Since this is a biofeedback device, there are no physical side-effects or chemical interactions you have to worry about.

WARNING: if you are currently under treatment for high blood pressure, make sure to talk to your doctor before making ANY changes to your treatment program, including using devices such as this one.

What It Costs

The RESPeRATE device comes in two models: the RESPeRATE and the RESPeRATE Ultra.  As far as I can tell, the only difference is that the Ultra is a little more compact.  Both work the same and have the same features.

The RESPeRATE device retails for $299.95 and the RESPeRATE Ultra for $349.99 and comes with a full 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

Yeah, I know.  Ouch!  What makes it worse is that Medicare and most insurance programs do not cover the cost of the device.  However, the manufacturer occasionally offers rebates (they’re currently offering a $65 rebate until Dec 31, 2008) so make sure to check their website before purchasing.

So at this price, why would anyone want to buy one?  Well, for one, it’s documented to work.  Surely your good health is worth at least 300 bucks – at least that was my rationale for getting one (I purchased the basic model).

Note that there are other alternatives out there that can accomplish the same thing.  For example, you can sign up for a Yoga or meditation class (and spend $300 along the way). Another alternative is music CD’s with a “breathing track” such as the ones you can get from Breatheasy at www.control-your-blood-pressure.com ($67 plus SH).

However, only the RESPeRATE is FDA-cleared and has been clinically tested to work.  Also, only the RESPeRATE is microprocessor-controlled to adjust to your currently breathing rate and then to guide it lower.  It’s a true biofeedback device.

WARNING: if you are currently under treatment for high blood pressure, make sure to talk to your doctor before making ANY changes to your treatment program, including using devices such as this one.

Where To Get It

The RESPeRATE device is available direct from the manufacturer at www.resperate.com as well as from major drugstores such as CVS and Walgreens (see the website for a complete list of outlets).

My Recommendation & Ratings

My recommendation is that if you suffer from high blood pressure, especially if it’s related to stress or tension, then you need to try this device (please see the multiple warnings about discussing this with your doctor if you’re already on a treatment program).  The device is fully guaranteed, it’s portable, constructed of quality materials, and it works.

I highly recommend giving it a try.  Here’s how I would rate it overall:

Disclosure

InterCure (the manufacturer of RESPeRATE) does not have an affiliate program so I am not making any money or getting any kind of compensation from this review.  I purchased the RESPeRATE basic model (at full retail) for my own use and have found it works as advertised.

Although it didn’t lower my blood pressure (I already had a low breathing rate because of my meditation practice and martial arts background) I still regularly use the device.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: blood pressure, heart, resperate, breathing, yoga, breath, biofeedback

You might also be interested in the following items from Amazon.com:

RESPeRATE Ultra Blood Pressure Lowering Device, One User

• Small, portable computerized unit with interactive tutorial
• Includes breathing sensor, ear buds and 4 AA Batteries
• User Manual
• Memory to help you track your progress
• Carry case and detachable sensor belt

RESPeRATE Ultra Blood Pressure Lowering Device
Lower blood pressure natu

Untitled Document .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; } ul.indent { list-style: inside disc; text-indent: 20px; } Introducing RESPeRATE Ultra, our smartest device ever. All the power of the original RESPeRATE in just half the size. Featuring a large, enhanced display, fewer buttons and simple menus, this

Rating: (out of 12 reviews)

List Price: $ 299.95

Price: $ 298.95

Related posts:

1. Review of PureSleep Antisnore Device
2. Coping with High Blood Pressure
3. Does PureSleep Really Work?

Backgound

First, a little background on my particular situation.  I’m a 56 year old male that tries to live a healthy and fit lifestyle.   The only time I go to the doctor is when I’m actually sick, which is not that often.   However, the last time I went to the dentist, they mentioned that my blood pressure was a little high.  Sure enough, it was.

About a year ago, I also began to snore at night.  Most of the time it was no big deal but occasionally, my wife told me it was so bad that it kept her awake.  The real scare was when she told me that on several occasions, she had woken up afraid that I had actually stopped breathing.   She said that just about the time she was going to try to wake me, I would start breathing again – the beginning signs of sleep apnea.

After reading that sleep apnea can be a cause high blood pressure, I decided to take action.  First step, stop the snoring and then see if my blood pressure came down.

The Results

After being alerted that my blood pressure was “a little high,” I purchased one of those home testing kits from the local drugstore and began keeping track of my pressure.   Each reading was taken at the same time (first thing in the morning) in a seated position.

The first two columns (days 1 through 18) were baseline measurements, taken while I was waiting for the PureSleep device to arrive in the mail.  As you can see, the average of these readings was 127/90, right inside the hypertension danger zone (“normal” pressure should be below 80 for the lower reading).

On day 19, the PureSleep device arrived and I started using it.   According to my wife, the snoring stopped almost immediately.  I also started waking up feeling rested and more energized.   But did it help reduce my blood pressure?

The last two columns (days 19 through 33) show the results of sleeping with the PureSleep device in place.  After using the device for about two weeks, my average blood pressure has dropped to 118/85.  That’s a drop of 5 points on the Diastolic reading (the bottom number) – a definite step in the right direction!

My Conclusion

My conclusion is pretty obvious – the PureSleep device works.  First, it stopped my snoring by pulling my jaw forward and preventing the soft tissue on the back of my throat to vibrate, which is what creates the snoring noise.   Significantly reducing or completely eliminating the amount of snoring has given me a number of other benefits including:

1. I no longer wake up several times during the night in “mid-snore” feeling like I’m choking.   As a result, I get a full night of sleep and wake up feeling rested and refreshed.
2. My wife gets a full night’s sleep as well since she doesn’t have to spend most of the night trying to get me to roll over and stop snoring.
3. My heart is apparently also getting a full night of rest since my blood pressure appears to be coming down.

In short, the device is working for me and I’d recommend it to anyone with similar problems.

There are some drawbacks, however.  First is the price.   I mentioned this in my review (see Reviews section) but I can’t help bringing it back up and thinking about it every time I see a $2 mouth piece at the sporting goods aisle of the local Walmart.

Second, wearing it does take some getting used to.  Even after using it for more than 2 weeks, my jaw still feels sore some mornings and my teeth are sometimes sensitive and feel like they’ve been moved back and forth.  This gets less and less noticeable as your mouth gets used to the device.

Third, when you sleep with the device, your mouth tends to stay open for most of the night.  This created a nice pool of drool on my pillow the first couple of nights.  This does tend to go away as you get used to wearing it.

Lastly, since the device is actually a mouthpiece, it traps saliva so you’ll more than likely wake up with a case of morning breath that will drop a horse.  This also means that you have to take extra care to keep the device clean and dry when not in use.

Despite these minor drawbacks, I’d still highly recommend the device because it works.

Where to get the PureSleep Device

As far as I know, the PureSleep device is only available direct through their website at www.PureSleep.com.   I haven’t checked but you can probably also get comparable devices prescribed through your dentist.

Finally, I purchased the PureSleep device for my own use and do not receive any kind of compensation or benefit from the manufacturer (so I can’t quit my day job).

Snoring is more than a minor nuisance.  It’s a problem that can lead to more serious health problems such as sleep apnea and hypertension.   If you can’t get a good nights sleep due to snoring, you owe it to yourself to check out this device.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: blood pressure, hypertension, puresleep, sleep, snoring, snore, rest

You might also be interested in the following alternatives from Amazon.com:

Stop Snoring Mouth Piece – Anti Snore Device Sleep Apnea Cessation Aid

• Clinically proven to help 95% of snoring sufferers
• Each individually molded to guarantee a comfortable lasting fit
• Recommended by dentist and doctors
• Features a convenient opening to allow constant air circulation
• Also includes a storage case & easy step-by-step instructions

Snore-Ex’s anti snoring mouthpiece is an oral appliance also referred to as a Mandibular Advancement Device. The simple custom-fit mouthpiece positions and holds the jaw, opening airways for maximum airflow, thus reducing or eliminating snoring vibrations. More specifically, it provides a forward-positioning for the tongue, which is connected to the lower jaw. This increases airflow and minimizes the most common snoring cause – soft palette vibrations in the rear of the mouth. This is for adults

Rating: (out of 225 reviews)

List Price: $ 65.99

Price:

The SnoreWizard

• Comfortable to use
• Immediate Results, Stop snoring fast
• Easy cleaning, immerse in hot water
• No Boiling and No Fitting Required

Easy to fit, easy to wear and non-intrusive. Designed to treat snoring and sleep apnea. Get the satisfaction of a good nights sleep with 94% success rate. An economical low cost solution which lasts up to 9 months.

Rating: (out of 75 reviews)

List Price: $ 79.95

Price:

Related posts:

1. Review of PureSleep Antisnore Device
2. Coping with High Blood Pressure
3. The Sauna and Russian Roulette

However, things started getting worse.   I obviously wasn’t sleeping well and was waking up repeatedly during the night and getting up in the morning feeling like I hadn’t slept at all.  Things went from bad to worse when my wife said that there were a couple of times that she had woken up with a start because I had actually stopped breathing.  She worried I was developing sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a condition that if left untreated, can increase the load on the heart causing high blood pressure and increasing the chance of a heart attack.   Since I had recently been told by my dentist that my blood pressure seemed a little high, the pieces started to fall into place – and I didn’t like the picture they were painting.  It was time to look for answers and one of the solutions I found was the PureSleep system.

What It Is

As a person gets older, the chances that they’ll start snoring increases, especially for men.  The reason is because the soft tissue at the back of the throat basically begins to sag.  As we sleep, this soft tissue relaxes to the point that it begins to vibrate creating what we call a snore.  This tissue can also block the airway causing obstructive sleep apnea.

PureSleep is a plastic mouthpiece that moves your lower jaw upward helping to clear the airway.   The result is little to no snoring and a reduced chance of sleep apnea.  Finally, a night of restful sleep!

What It Claims

According to some of the literature that accompanied the product, PureSleep claims to be 80-90% effective in stopping snoring.  It also claims to be an “FDA-cleared prescription dental device” available without a prescription or a visit to a dentist.

This device is not for you if you’ve been diagnosed with central sleep apnea (as opposed to obstructive sleep apnea), have some sort of chronic respiratory disorder (like asthma or emphysema), have dental problems (loose teeth or gum disease), have TMD (a disease of the jaw joint), or if you have full dentures (partials are OK).

How It Works

The PureSleep uses a technique called “mandibular repositioning,” which is a fancy way of saying that it moves, or repositions, your lower jaw (the mandibula) in order to clear your airway.

You can try this yourself by laying on your back for a couple of minutes.  If you’re like me, after a while you’ll start to feel like phlem is beginning to collect at the back of your throat.  You might even have to “clear your throat” a couple of times in order to keep your airway clear.  This feeling is actually the soft tissue at the back of your throat relaxing, and then sagging, to the point that it begins to block your airway.

Now, once you feel it getting harder to take a breath, instead of “clearing your throat,” try moving your lower jaw forward.  You should feel your airway clear almost immediately.  The only problem is holding your jaw in this position because once you fall asleep, your jaw drops back down restricting the airway again.  That’s where the PureSleep device comes in.

The device is made up of an upper, as well as a lower, mouthpiece that are designed to snap together.  However, before you snap them together, you move the lower one to a point that will move your lower jaw forward.  This is an important first step and cannot be changed later so make sure you do it correctly.

Next, you need to custom fit the PureSleep to your mouth.   To do this, you put the device in a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds, let it cool for 10 seconds, and then put it into your mouth and bite down hard while holding your lower jaw as far forward as  you can.

The device is constructed of both rigid (the outer part) as well as soft plastic (the inner part).  The hot water softens the inner part to the point that it creates an imprint of your teeth in the plastic.  It also locks in the position of the lower piece so it’s important that you had it positioned far enough forward in the first place.

Finally, you trim away any of the soft plactic that might have oozed out to the side.   If the fit still isn’t comfortable, you can repeat the boiling water process 2-3 more times (it took me 3 times to get mine right).  HOWEVER, note that each time you do this, the amount of soft plastic that lines the inside of the mouthpiece get’s thinner and thinner so there’s a limit to how many times you can heat the device.

Once you’re done, the device should fit snugly, but still comfortably, in your mouth without putting undue pressure on your teeth or gums.  It should also be pulling your lower jaw forward.

How Effective It Is

You do have to get used to wearing the device at night.   Until you do, you’ll probably find yourself waking up and pulling it out after a couple of hours.  That’s OK.  Just try to leave it in longer and longer each night.  It shouldn’t bother you at all after 3 or 4 nights.

Once you get used to wearing it, you’ll be surprised how effective the device is.  I’ve finally been able to sleep through the entire night.  Obviously, I also feel a lot more rested in the morning.

What It Costs

OK, here’s the bad news.  On their website, the PureSleep system sells for $59.90 plus a $7.95 shipping charge. The PureSleep company claims that this price is much less than what it would cost if you went to your dentist and had it prescribed.   That’s probably true but it really didn’t make me feel any better.

So basically, I paid a total of $67.85 for a piece of plastic!!   However, the device DOES work and once I got over the shock, I justified it by asking myself exactly how much a good nights sleep and lower blood pressure is actually worth.

PureSleep stands behind their product with a full 30-day money back, 100% satisfaction guarantee.

My Recommendation & Rating

My recommendation is that if you suffer from snoring to the point that you or your partner can’t get a good night’s sleep, then you need to get one of these things.   Sure, the price is a little steep but it’s fully guaranteed, is constructed of quality materials, and it works.

I highly recommend it.   Here’s how I would rate it overall:

Where To Get It

The PureSleep system is only available through their website at www.PureSleep.com.  Your dentist probably has access to similar (but probably more expensive) products.

Disclosure

PureSleep does not have an affiliate program so I am not making any money or getting any kind of compensation from this review.   I purchased the product for my own use and have found it works as advertised.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: snoring, sleep apnea, puresleep, rest, throat, snore, restful sleep, blood pressure

Although I recommend the PureSleep, you might also be interested in the following alternatives from Amazon.com:

Stop Snoring Mouth Piece – Anti Snore Device Sleep Apnea Cessation Aid

• Clinically proven to help 95% of snoring sufferers
• Each individually molded to guarantee a comfortable lasting fit
• Recommended by dentist and doctors
• Features a convenient opening to allow constant air circulation
• Also includes a storage case & easy step-by-step instructions

Snore-Ex’s anti snoring mouthpiece is an oral appliance also referred to as a Mandibular Advancement Device. The simple custom-fit mouthpiece positions and holds the jaw, opening airways for maximum airflow, thus reducing or eliminating snoring vibrations. More specifically, it provides a forward-positioning for the tongue, which is connected to the lower jaw. This increases airflow and minimizes the most common snoring cause – soft palette vibrations in the rear of the mouth. This is for adults

Rating: (out of 225 reviews)

List Price: $ 65.99

Price:

The SnoreWizard

• Comfortable to use
• Immediate Results, Stop snoring fast
• Easy cleaning, immerse in hot water
• No Boiling and No Fitting Required

Easy to fit, easy to wear and non-intrusive. Designed to treat snoring and sleep apnea. Get the satisfaction of a good nights sleep with 94% success rate. An economical low cost solution which lasts up to 9 months.

Rating: (out of 75 reviews)

List Price: $ 79.95

Price:

No related posts.

This time however, as the Dental Hygienist was writing down the results in my folder, she said, “Hmm, your blood pressure seems a little high.” I was reading 120/88 – the first stages of hypertension. Needless to say, it got my attention.

What is High Blood Pressure?

Your circulatory system is basically your body’s plumbing system and your heart is the pump that powers it. When your heart “beats,” the heart muscle contracts pushes blood through the arteries creating a set amount of pressure against the artery walls. The amount of pressure that the heart creates when it beats is called the Systolic pressure. When the heart relaxes in between beats, the pressure drops. This is called Diastolic pressure.

Your blood pressure is usually reported as the systolic pressure over the diastolic. Since the systolic pressure is created when the heart beats, it makes sense that the systolic pressure would be the higher of the two. However, both numbers are important.

Although your blood pressure changes throughout the day depending on factors such as your activity and stress level, to name a few, if it stays elevated, it’s called high blood pressure, or Hypertension.

For most adults, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have determined the following categories of blood pressure:

How Serious is High Blood Pressure?

It’s estimated that high blood pressure affects more than 65 million Americans, or about 1 out of every 3 adults. High blood pressure is an indication that your heart is working too hard. The high pressure also put a strain on the arteries and organs downstream. If uncontrolled, high blood pressure can eventually lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke, or blindness.

Who’s Most at Risk?

High blood pressure is most common in those over 55 years of age. It’s also common in African Americans, where it tends to develop at a younger age and affect a larger percentage of the population than Whites.

Non-medical Ways to Reduce It

High blood pressure can be managed to a large extent by the following means, listed in the order of biggest impact:

1. Weight management. Just losing 10 pounds can reduce your blood pressure by 4-6 points.
2. Exercise. Try to stay physically active during most of the week.
3. Watch your diet. Maintain a healthy, and low salt (sodium), diet. Check out the DASH diet from the US Department of Health and Human Services.
4. Drink in moderation. If you drink, don’t overdo it.

Note that if your blood pressure is already elevated, your doctor may prescribe medication to control it. It’s important to understand that any kind of medication is not a substitute for the above. Whether you take blood pressure medication or not, you should still watch your weight, exercise, eat right, and drink in moderation.

What I’m Doing

So here’s my problem. I’m not really overweight and I already exercise several times a week. I don’t smoke, and I don’t drink. So what’s left? Lose some weight and eat healthier. Although I’m not overweight, everyone nowadays can afford to lose 10 or more pounds. I don’t binge on junk food but again, everyone can make better food choices. So those are my two goals for the next 6 months.

I’ve also bought a new gadget called the “Resperate.” It’s a computer controlled gizmo that teaches you how to lower your breathing rate, and thereby lower your blood pressure. You put on a pair of headphones and listen to some special music, breathing in to the high notes and breathing out to the low notes, while the machine monitors your actual breathing rate. Once your breathing is in sync with the machine, it slows the music down trying to get your actual breathing rate to slow down as well.

It’s kind of neat how it works. I just got it so I can’t endorse it yet or say how effective it is. You can read more about it at their website at www.resperate.com.

To Get More Information

For more information on blood pressure, see the publication “Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure” from the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy

Technorati Tags: blood pressure, hypertension, heart, DASH, diet, health, resperate

Related posts:

1. What you Can Do to Prevent a Stroke
2. The Sauna and Russian Roulette

The other day, as I was cooling off after coming out of the sauna, I saw someone do something that brought the game of Russian Roulette to mind – something anyone over 50 should keep in mind.

What I saw was a guy about my age (50+) come out of the wet sauna sweating profusely and immediately go jump into the cold pool. His head broke the surface, he shook it once or twice, and said, “Man, that felt great!” My thought was, “Man, what a dumb thing to do!” Here’s why.

First of all, my field of study in college was engineering so I tend to think of everything in terms of pipes, connections, and mechanical systems – including the human body. When you sit in a wet (or dry) sauna, your body reacts to the elevated temperature by trying to keep itself cool. The first indication of this, of course, is that you begin to sweat.

In a dry environment like a dry sauna, the sweat on the surface of your skin evaporates removing heat from the skin and helping to keep it cool. In an effort to remove heat that is beginning to build up in your body’s core, your blood vessels dilate (expand) in order to get more blood moving near the surface of the skin so that the heat it’s carrying it can be removed through evaporation. This movement of blood near the surface of the skin is what makes people appear flushed or red-faced when they get too hot.

Now, since your blood vessels have dilated, your blood pressure drops. In order to maintain your blood pressure more or less constant, your heart rate increases. And that’s the condition of most of us sitting in a sauna: sweating pouring out of us, face flushed, heart rate elevated, and feeling very relaxed due to the increased blood flow.

OK, here’s where things can get dangerous, especially if you’re over 50, and why I thought what my friend did was like playing Russian Roulette. If you begin to cool the body down too fast, like jumping into a pool for example, the dilated blood vessels that are near the surface of the skin begin to contract very rapidly.

Since your heart rate is already elevated, constricting the blood vessels sends your blood pressure through the roof. This is like putting a kink in a garden hose when you’re watering the lawn. Actually, this is what gives you that invigorating jolt. However, if you have a weak spot anywhere in your circulatory system or if you’re over 50 and your blood vessels aren’t as pliable and elastic as they used to be, you risk rupturing a blood vessel. If that blood vessel happens to be in your brain, well, you get the picture.

So how can you enjoy a sauna without playing Russian Roulette at the same time? Here are a couple of tips:

1. Drink plenty of water before you enter the sauna. Many people risk dehydration by not drinking enough water or by trying to stay in the sauna too long.

2. Bring a water bottle in with you and use as needed. Take frequent drinks in addition to pouring some of the water over your head or onto your face if you get too hot.

3. Spend no more than 10-15 minutes in the sauna. This is a rule of thumb only but use some common sense. Spending too much time in a sauna doesn’t really do you any good health-wise and can quickly drive your body into heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke.

4. If you begin to feel light headed or faint, get out or ask for help immediately. It goes without saying that you should never use a sauna alone.

5. Never sleep or nap in a sauna. I know it’s really relaxing in there but if you fall asleep, you might wake up knocking on the Pearly Gates. Your sleeping body can go from relaxed to overheated to heat stroke to a coma before you know it.

6. Cool down slowly. After reading this post, it should be obvious why. You need to give your heart a chance to slow back down and your blood pressure to return to normal.

In my opinion, there’s nothing that feels better than a good steam bath after a hard workout. These tips should ensure that you enjoy using the sauna – without the Russian Roulette.

Hiram

The Balanced Health Guy

Technorati Tags: russian roulette, sauna, heart rate, blood flow, blood pressure, steam room, cool down, health

No related posts.

1. Monitor Your Blood Pressure. Your blood pressure is one of the most critical stroke risk factors. Fortunately, it’s one of the most easily controlled. However, you do have to work at it. Start by having it checked and evaluated by your doctor. Do not skip this step. Although anyone with a simple monitor can tell you what your blood pressure is, only a doctor can tell you what it means and what the ideal range should be for a person with your body type, age, and lifestyle. Once your doctor has discussed this with you, monitor your pressure on a regular basis with any of the home monitors that are readily available.
2. Curb Those Unhealthy Habits. Make a concentrated effort to curb those unhealthy habits that can adversely affect your blood pressure. These include smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, and drinking caffeinated beverages. All of these unhealthy habits narrow your arteries making the formation of a clot more likely and increasing your blood pressure. If you don’t have the willpower to cut them out completely, then reduce them by 25% for a month. The following month, reduce them by another 25% and so on.
3. Eat Healthy. Your diet is an important stroke risk factor. Make sure yours is healthy by reducing the amount of salt in your diet as well as by eliminating high cholesterol-producing foods.
4. Exercise More. Sorry, but every plan for good health seems to end in “exercise more.” There’s no way around it. Exercise will help keep your weight in check, increase muscle tone and strength, and help lower your blood pressure. So quit complaining about it and just do it.

A stroke can radically alter your independent lifestyle. Many people never completely recover. Don’t be one of them. “Stroke-proof” yourself as much as possible by following these four simple steps.

To your good health!

Hiram

Technorati Tags: balanced health, stroke, exercise, diet, heart, health

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