Rx Exercise

Dr. Danforth & Master Sang Kim

www.sangkimtkd.com

Children are our future.  Master Kim teaches students to listen to their parents and teachers.  Children will live up to our expectations but not if they don't know what we expect.  They will also rebel against those they don't respect.  Children must respect their elders, parents and teachers so they can learn from them the skills necessary to function and succeed in society.  If we have low expectations we will have no results, if we have medium expectations we will have low results but if we have high expectations we will have high results. Master Kim and his instructors have the highest expectations for all students.  Those students that continue go on to be masters in life.

Tae Kwon Do is not just for children or young people.  It is much more than exercise.  As we grow older, our habits often change.  We spend more time at work and less time at play.  This trend can lead to an increasingly sedentary life-style.  The more sedentary you become, the less energy you can generate.  Less energy means the loss of efficiency in your biological systems.  Over the years, the more inefficient you become, the more demands your body places on itself, leading to a downward spiral of deteriorating health.

    But this does not have to be the case.  You can keep your body functioning properly through good nutrition, good sleeping habits and regular exercise.  You gain energy through sensible eating habits,  expand your energy through physical activity, and restore your energy during resting periods.  When you eat sensibly you feel energetic. When you increase your activity level, your metabolism increases, burning more calories from food eaten and fat stored.  In fact, an active metabolism continues to burn calories even while resting,  if you consistently work out. In addition to an enhanced metabolism, regular exercise lowers your blood pressure, slows your respiratory rate, improves your mood, relieves insomnia, enhances your flexibility and strength, and increases the flow of oxygen throughout your body.  With all of these benefits, you can't afford not to exercise.

    Being fit is natural: The human body is built for movement.  It is a biomechanical device made to move.  So when it stops moving, it deteriorates.  In terms of physical fitness, mid-life is an important stage of life that provides an opportunity to look back and forward.  It is a time of realization that, after running the race for four decades, aging is inevitable and you are not going to get any younger.  Ongoing deterioration of the body begins to take place.

    Movement is like medicine as the body ages. It is the only unifying bond between your body and your mind.  It creates changes in your personality.  Until you start to move your body in new ways,  such as those in martial arts, you don't know very much about your body.  When you begin to move, it reveals the weaknesses of your body.  It creates an urgency within you to do something about them.

Since life is movement and movement is life, the more you move the more your desire to live.  Movement is the central secret to a fulfilling life experience.  More movement means more life.  Less movement means diminished life.  The secret is simple.  Be more active.  You don't have to be a great athlete.  enjoy your martial arts training and other physical pursuits.  By focusing on the enjoyment of the movements rather than competition or stick goals,  you can maintain a positive attitude and stay motivated.

Ideally, to keep your body in shape for martial arts, you should have regular chiropractic care to make sure all the joints in the body are moving and not degenerating and you should do a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.  Master Kim teaches excellent stretching exercises to warm up and increase your flexibility.  Warming up is more necessary than ever in avoiding injuries as your body ages.

        Six Steps to a Healthier Body

1. ADJUST YOUR SPINE - Free the nerves in the spine that go to all the muscles, tissues and organs

2. EAT RIGHT AND MAINTAIN OPTIMAL WEIGHT- Restrict consumption of fried foods, grains ( cereal, bread, pasta, sweets) high density carbohydrates, eat lean meats, add good fat to each meal or snack such as almonds, peanuts, avocado, olives. (To learn more see Rx Zone- the key to balancing the Hormones) eat sensibly.

3. BE ACTIVE - Exercise lowers the blood pressure.

4. DEVELOP HEALTHY HABITS:  Drink more water, limit alcohol consumption, don't smoke or use tobacco.

5. RELEASE STRESS:  Engage in hobbies that involve mind and body activities.

6. THINK YOUNG:  Cultivate the right attitude toward aging.

LONGEVITY: We want to live a long and healthy life.

    Life-style affects your life span.  Those who live healthy, stay youthful and get happier as they get older.  They have a more assertive and positive mental disposition.  The following are some observations of the characteristics of those who live to be 90 or more:

1. They live an unhurried pace of life.

2. They are optimistic and positive thinkers.

3. They stay close to nature.                                                                       

4. They drink sufficient water daily.

5. They are active.

6. They have very moderate eating habits.

7. They have meaningful pursuits throughout their lives.

8. They avoid distress, fear, anxiety, depression, alienation.

9. They enjoy physical challenges and excitement.

10. They have valuable support.

11. They are honest.

12. They foster honest relationships.

13. They stay interested in life.

14. They choose their own course.

15. They are givers.

16. They respond creatively to changes.

17. They have high levels of adaptability and flexibility.

18. They feel comfortable with themselves.

19. They enjoy time alone rather than see it as loneliness.

20. They appreciate their uniqueness.

                    DEVELOP THESE QUALITIES IN YOURSELF BY:

• Identifying your weaknesses/shortcomings.

• Practicing perceiving situations positively.

• Viewing problems as challenges rather than obstacles.

• Starting or maintaining a fitness program

• Developing coping skills.

• Determining your priorities.

• learning how to adapt.

• Welcoming changes rather than resisting them.

• Taking breaks regularly.

• Avoiding judgments.

• Cultivating healthy relationships.

• Setting a variety of short-term goals.

• Spending time outdoors enjoying nature.

• Practicing being alone without feeling lonely.

• Sharing your time or talents with others.

• Celebrating your individuality.

• Pursuing creative opportunities.

Chiropractic and Tae Kwon Do  Benefits after 40

Many of the physiologic changes that occur with aging were formerly thought to be due to the aging process itself.  However, routine exercise and chiropractic care is now known to have the following benefits that counteract the aging process:

• Reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout the body.

• Keeps weight under control.

• Improves blood cholesterol levels.

• Prevents and manages high blood pressure.

•  Prevents bone loss.

• boosts energy levels.

• Helps you manage stress.

• Releases tension.

• Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well: A Stanford School of Medicine study shows that thirty to forty minutes exercise sessions four times a week can result in an extra hour of sleep a night and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep by half.

• Improves self-image and self-esteem.

• Counters anxiety and depression.  Increases enthusiasm and optimism.

• In creases muscle strength, giving greater capacity for other physical activities.

• Provides a way to share an activity with family and friends. (Especially martial arts!)

• Helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging and maintains quality of life and independence longer. (The number one cause of people needing to go to a nursing home is degenerative disc and joint disease which can be slowed, stopped and some cases even reversed with proper Chiropractic care followed by proper exercise and stretching).

• Slows down physiologic decline.

• Reduces the desire to smoke

• Prevents chronic and degenerative conditions.

• Prevents diabetes:  Exercise increases the sensitivity to insulin, induces weight loss, and improves glucose tolerance.  Moderate physical activity may prevent non-insulin dependent diabetes, especially in those at high risk due to body weight, history of hypertension, or a parental history of diabetes.

• Prevents osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and arteriosclerosis.

• Improves balance and coordination, which can reduce the likelihood of falling related injuries.

Warning: as with all exercise life-style changes, you should consult a doctor before beginning these activities.

As a Doctor concerned for my patients health, I work with each patient to get them safely as possible to levels of activities that will provide the most benefit for the rest of their lives.  This is offered to patients only.

Recommended Reading list:

The OmegaZone by /Dr. Berry Sears

A Week in the Zone by /Dr. Berry Sears

Martial Arts After 40 /by Sang H. Kim