Children (0-12 year olds)
The importance of crawling
The cross crawl is the correct form of crawling. The baby needs to
move both extremities opposite of each other. This allows the motor nerve
impulses, which begin on one side of the brain, and cross over the brain stem
to supply the motor activity to the opposite extremity. This uses both the
right and left sides of the brain and enhances neurological coordination.
Get your kids outside as much as possible!
It is the best way for them to get exercise. Playing with siblings and friends outside makes it fun and creative. Encourage jump roping. Kids’ endurance is extensive compared to adults. Encourage activities such as jump roping for as long as possible as they age.
Music and the connection to math abilities late
in life
Babies are more attracted to sounds that are melodic and rhythmic
and have bold tones. When babies get a bit older, they make noise with anything
they can get their hands on: pans, pianos, clapping hands, etc. This love for
music and rhythm is an innate drive within us to find patterns and rhythms.
Training the brain to detect rhythms and patterns is transferred over into math
as they enter school-age. Research shows that students who participate in
musical activities perform better in math later in life.
Teens (13-20)
* Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Don’t skip it *
Staying active is important!
This is the time period when
children get involved in more competitive team sports and activities. Allowing
children to lead sedentary lifestyles (sitting inside watching TV or playing
video/computer games) teaches them that it is ok to stay sedentary and not take
an initiative in caring for their health and fitness.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are caused by an external mechanical
force and are either “closed” or “penetrating” (opens skull). Concussions are a
type of closed traumatic brain injury and are the most common form of TBI among
teens. You can only protect kids and teens from TBI so much but they do occur.
It is very important if your child
suffers a TBI to seek medical help and do everything possible to prevent a
second one. After a TBI, you will never be 100% but you can get as close as
possible. Multiple TBI’s can be very serious if not deadly! Pulling your child
out of a favorite sport after a TBI can be a “dream killer” for them but it can
save their life.
Diet Soda
Diet soda, especially in females, leeches magnesium and calcium
from the bones and can initiate the beginning of chronic migraines and low bone
density. In addition, the human body does not recognize the artificial
sweeteners used in diet sodas as a sugar. Because of this, these sweeteners are
not broken down properly and are stored in the body. Over time, these storages
contribute to weight gain not loss.
20’s +
30’s
* Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Don’t skip it *
Pre-workout and post-workout nutrition
It is important to have a balanced exercise program incorporating strength training, cardio, stretching, and proper nutrition. A large part of taking control of your body weight and fitness is
timing your eating habits with your exercise.
Pre-workout: It is fact that your body needs
glycogen (the stored form of glucose in your body) in order to burn fat. If no
glycogen is present, your body will burn muscle for energy. Therefore, it is
important to eat some sort of carbohydrate (bananas, Ezekiel bread, apples, and
berries are great option) within 2 hours of the start of your workout.
40’s + 50’s
* Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Don’t skip it *
Keep your muscle!
Similar to your 20’s + 30’s, it is very important to maintain a
balance of strength training, cardio exercise, stretching, and nutrition.
Muscle burns fat. Therefore, it is important to constantly be doing exercises
that increase strength, simply so you don’t lose it. A slower metabolism is
tightly linked to loss of muscle mass.
Lower Impact Exercises
Be aware of your knees and joints! Repetitive
high impact exercise (i.e. running) can irritate and injure knees, hips, and
other joints.
60’s +
* Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Don’t skip it *
Staying Active
It is very important to stay active, even if it does not feel as
easy as it once did. Daily walks, pool aquatics, and low impact weight training
are good activities to keep up. Try exercises that are seated rather than
standing if balance is difficult. Keeping a sedentary lifestyle is one of the
worst things you can do for your health. Talk to your health care provider or a
personal trainer for some great ideas that would compliment your abilities
well.
Be a constant learner
Daily Sudoku puzzles, mind games, and crossword puzzles are great
for keeping the mind sharp. Research has linked these fun activities with a
decrease in Alzheimer’s occurrences. The brain is a true example of the phrase,
“if you don’t use it, you lose it”. These games reinforce the brain’s logical
thought processes, enhance problem solving abilities, improve concentration,
and boosts mental sharpness.