“Cardiovascular disease kills more people each year than Covid at its worst. We know how to prevent it. We just need the political will.”
Excerpt from the article:
“First, some basics. In the first two years of the pandemic, Covid killed nearly 900,000 people in the U.S. In those same years, heart attacks and strokes killed more than 1.6 million. Globally, Covid killed more than 10 million people in the first two years of the pandemic; in the same two years, cardiovascular disease killed more than 35 million. The three leading drivers of heart attacks and strokes—accounting for around two-thirds of the global total—are tobacco use, hypertension and air pollution, and all three are preventable.”
consult with your physician, nutritionist, chiropractor or other healthcare professional regularly
have your posture checked
exercise and stretch regularly
perform non-specific symmetrical exercises (engage both left & right, top & bottom)
inspect footwear for uneven wear patterns
evaluate poor lifestyle habits and adjust
review career choices if necessary
have an outlet for your stress and emotional ups & downs
evaluate alcohol and drug consumption
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Control the body with the mind. Manage the mind by disciplining the body, through physical activity. Learn to be more active, eat healthier, sleep better, stress less – these are the key components to maintaining a strong mind, body, immune system, and outlook on life.
I am currently offering wellness lectures and classes for group, small group & private instruction in Wekiva, Longwood and Winter Park.
We all know what stress is, but how does it manifest and what can we do to manage it?
If we are to grow a garden, do we try to nourish the seeds in a healthy, safe and nutritional environment? Or do we just plant the seeds in sand in a mostly dark place where no one checks to see how they are sprouting? Well, metaphorically, this is how our nation cultivates our youth with little or no education in health, nutrition, fitness, stress management and accountability. No wonder why teenage depression and suicide has skyrocketed in the last few years. And no wonder our nation is a nation of overweight children soon to be obese and sickly adults. We need to move past the politics and cultural correctness of not addressing the American diet and lifestyle choices of being the root causes of obesity that lead to disease and health issues in our country.
For children and adolescents aged 2-19 years in 2017-2018:
The prevalence of obesity was 19.3% and affected about 14.4 million children and adolescents.
Obesity prevalence was 13.4% among 2- to 5-year-olds, 20.3% among 6- to 11-year-olds, and 21.2% among 12- to 19-year-olds. Childhood obesity is also more common among certain populations.
Obesity prevalence was 25.6% among Hispanic children, 24.2% among non-Hispanic Black children, 16.1% among non-Hispanic White children, and 8.7% among non-Hispanic Asian children.
Credit: Derek Thompson, The Atlantic; data from the CDC.
Anxiety and depression affects many children
7.1% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 4.4 million) have diagnosed anxiety.
3.2% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 1.9 million) have diagnosed depression.
Anxiety and depression have increased over time
“Ever having been diagnosed with either anxiety or depression” among children aged 6-17 years increased from 5.4% in 2003 to 8% in 2007 and to 8.4% in 2011–2012.
“Ever having been diagnosed with anxiety” among children aged 6-17 years increased from 5.5% in 2007 to 6.4% in 2011–2012.
“Ever having been diagnosed with depression” among children aged 6-17 years did not change between 2007 (4.7%) and 2011–2012 (4.9%).
In years past, recess and physical education (PE) were part of the school day from kindergarten through elementary school. High school students had PE every school day until graduation. Regular exercise has been known and proven to help manage stress and maintain better health and mental well being. Currently, many schools require only 1 credit of PE over 4 years of high school and often offer it as an online course. Today if students are not involved in school or extracurricular sports, few make the time or commitment to stay physically active. Unhealthy kids quickly turn into unhealthy adults. The health of our people is directly affecting the safety of our nation. For the sake of our youth and ultimately our country, put PE and maybe health education back into the school system, as a priority and not just a minimal requirement.
I can help. I have almost 40 years worth of experience in practicing and teaching others to take control of their health and well-being. For more information, contact Jim Moltzan at 407-234-0119 or www.MindAndBodyExercises.com
In the words of Dr. Jerome Adams from 2020, the former surgeon general of the United States, “You know what will make you and your community healthier but still, you choose not to do it.” He goes on to state that 7 out of 10 of 18-24-year olds are ineligible for military service due to the following:
they cannot pass the physical
cannot meet educational requirements
have a criminal history
In years past, recess and physical education were part of the school day from kindergarten through elementary school. High school students had PE every school day until graduation. Today if students are not involved in school or extracurricular sports, few make the time or commitment to stay physically active. Unhealthy kids quickly turn into unhealthy adults. The health of our people is directly affecting the safety of our nation.
Ask an average citizen in the US if their health and their family’s is a priority and the response will be something like, “Of course our health is my top priority and we have the healthiest country in the world!” No, not true for both statements based upon data from seemingly reputable data outlets. The Bloomberg Global Health Index for 2020, ranked the US #35 in the world for overall quality of health but ranks #1 for healthcare spending. The US spends more than $3.4 trillion annually on health care, more than any other country. Made obvious from the data is that investing more money in healthcare, does not necessarily make a country or the person healthier. Money does not change our health. We need to improve life expectancy and other indicators of health with better education along with a change in mindset. If someone has great healthcare coverage but eats junk food every day, does not exercise regularly and has a negative outlook, they will probably experience health issues sooner than later.
As a nation, we eat an extremely high amount of low-quality junk food and then sit for hours per day. We hope to efficiently digest low quality food that will eventually often cause illnesses and even death. More than 36.3% of youth aged 2-19 eat fast food on a given day.This is complicated even more so with the sedentary lifestyle and laissez-faire attitude towards individuals accepting responsibility for their own health. Americans meeting the CDC guideline for aerobic and muscle strengthening exercises is only 23.2% as of 2018.These factors help contribute to the increase of obesity over the last 60 years. Obesity is a key factor in many health issues based on data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other reputable sources. In 2017–2018, the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity in adults was 42.4%. Stats for kids (not shown) are just as appalling. These numbers are truly pathetic. Further issues to discuss would be how many manage their nutrition by monitoring their intake of sugar, salt, trans fat, alcohol, and other consumables? What about managing stress and emotional health? The US economy needs our citizens to support the fast-food industry and consequently gives the health care industry an overabundance of its own customers. It seems as if the US wants its people to be healthy enough to work, but not too healthy as to put the fast-food and healthcare providers out of business. This is our reality that many choose to deny.
The leading causes of death in the US are all very much influenced by our diet, our sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise and excessive sitting. Also contributing is our attitude towards managing stress or lack thereof. Thinking that more is always better or if we are not stressed, we are not doing enough. Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and respiratory issues are all leading causes of death by far. Each of these ailments can be much less if we made it a priority to do so.
Another health issue is our obsession with following the news and the mental stress that can develop from it. Media in the US, love it or hate it, usually focuses mostly on reporting politics, crime and mostly the negative aspects of our society. The phrase “If it bleeds it leads” shows America’s fascination with negative news. This year so far has been mostly the tragedy of Covid19. The media, the government, the entertainment industry and healthcare leaders fail to promote personal responsibility for the individuals’ own actions relative to diet, exercise and lifestyle, and how that can affect on a much broader level the health of our nation. Instead the strong focus is mostly upon wearing masks and social distancing as a way to make an unhealthy nation, somehow immune to disease and illnesses that affect most those that have multiple health issues to begin with. Please understand that even typically well and health conscious people do get sick also. Athletes and health enthusiasts can get sick too. However, people that are active usually recover faster though.
We need to honestly look at the root causes for our health issues, instead of looking to politics or others to blame for our own personal accountability. Blaming others will not make us healthier. We are where we are, because of our choices. I love pizza but I should not be eating it every day of the week. Soda or sugary drinks with every meal? Some TV viewing is fine but 4-7 hours a day is a bit much no? Sitting for 8 or more hours a day negatively affects our metabolic health. We need to own our individual health and well-being.
Our actions support the data that we do not truly put exercise, nutrition and stress as high priorities deserving more action than mere conversation. Healthy living and habits are a choice and a mindset that we as Americans as a whole, fail terribly at practicing. It does not need to be this way. There are things that can move us forward to become a healthier nation.
The 5 Pillars of Health
Eating healthier can be achieved by managing less intake of junk foods, sugar, and salt, as well as reasonable amounts of alcohol. More fruit and vegetables are healthier snacks that have many nutritional rewards. Become more active by getting up and off the couch, stepping away from the PC, TV, smartphone, and other electronic addictions. Better sleep is a major immune system booster and can be earned by being more active during the day. Relieve stress through exercise, meditation, or breathing deeper and more deliberately, or take more breaks from the news and social media. Be nice to others because what you put out, you receive back. Basically, get moving more, eat healthier foods, sleep better, stress less and be a nicer person. Enjoy life but know your limits and take all things in moderation.
Fryar, Cheryl, et al. Fast Food Intake Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2015–2018, NCHS Data Brief No. 375, August 2020, www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db375.htm
Hales, Craig, et al. Prevalence of Obesity and Severe Obesity Among Adults: United States, 2017–2018, NCHS Data Brief No. 360, February 2020. www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db360.htm
Chakra is a Sanskrit word that means “wheel.” Chakras and Dimensions are the same thing. Sometimes they will be referred to as the “Seven Dantians.” Coming from traditional Indian medicine, there exist 7 energy centers within the human body. These points are considered the focal points for the reception and transmission of energies. Some believe believe the chakras interact with the body’s ductless endocrine glands and lymphatic system by feeding in positive energies and disposing of unwanted negative energies. Each chakra in your spinal column is believed to influence or direct bodily functions near its region of the spine.
Chakras are energy systems associated with different parts of the body that relay information in the form of energy. It is believed that a chakra is a wheel of energy that spins around its own axis and can spin fast or slowly. These chakras are like spirals of energy, each one relating to the others. A chakra will spin in relation to the energy level of your system, thus understanding your chakras and keeping them in balance can help with all kinds of health and emotional problems.
You can think of chakras as invisible, rechargeable batteries.
Imagine a vertical power current like a fluorescent tube that runs up and down the spine, from the top of the head to the base of the spine. Think of this as your main source of energy. The seven major chakras are in the center of the body and are aligned with this vertical “power line.”
They regulate the flow of energy throughout the electrical network (Meridians) that runs through the physical body. The body’s electrical system resembles the wiring in a house. It allows electrical current to be sent to every part, and is ready for use when needed.
Sometimes chakras become blocked because of stress, emotional or physical problems. If the body’s “energy system” cannot flow freely it islikely that problems will occur. The consequence of irregular energy flow may result in physical illness and discomfort or a sense of being mentally and emotionally out of balance. Blocked energy in our Seven Chakras can often lead to illness so it’s important to understand what each Chakra represents and what we can do to keep this energy flowing freely.
The universe contains an infinite amount of dimensions of existence. There are seven that are part of the “human experience.” There are infinite dimensions above our “7th Dimension” and infinite dimensions below our “1st Dimension.” We can concern ourselves with seven, however it is important to understand that just as the universe keeps expanding, so do the dimensions. You could even say that there are “infinity + 1” dimensions. That statement points to the ever-expanding universe.
Heaven and Earth
Man literally stands in between heaven and earth. Heaven begins at your crown chakra – 1/infinity of an inch above your bahui point. Earth begins at the bottom of your foot (K1). If we look at the “energetic body” we just look at the head, midsection and torso. In other words everything but the arms and legs.
Reference:
Leone M., Campbell J., Moltzan J., (2019), Journey Around the Sun
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My goal is to present an education that brings awareness to these time-proven methods. With an intent to de-mystify and simplify explanations, hopefully more people can come to realize that we are all accountable for our own well-being.
Thai massage seems to work heavily with the physical concept of myofascial release, that can be seen in Rolfing and other massage methods that have evolved over the last few centuries. However, Thai massage appears to have originated thousands of years ago. Also, I see Thai massage as a more mutually engaging type of practice where both the patient and practitioner seem to both be engaged in the goal of better health and well-being for both.
L0027324 Siamese Manuscript, Pressure Massage Manual.
Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images
images@wellcome.ac.ukhttp://wellcomeimages.org
A guide to pressure points for use in ‘Thai Yoga Massage’.
Diagram: human figure showing pressure points.
circa 1850 Published: –
Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Thai massage has deep roots in its origins in Buddhism and yoga. Very similar to TCM concepts of energy flow throughout the body by way of the meridians or sens. The yoga concepts of chakras do align with the Chinese meridian system of TCM. Direct pressure on key points (acupoints) are preferred over kneading of the skin, fascia and muscles. Thai massage is composed of foundation concepts of meditation, postures or stances, rhythmic rocking, and other touch/pressure techniques. Meditation appears to be a very strong component, where the practitioner is actively involved in the present moment. By being engaged with the patient on the 3 levels of mind, body and spirit they are able to help the patient through applying loving kindness or “metta” to their patient.
Thai massage has deep roots in its origins in yoga from Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha developing it over 2500 years ago. This method of healthcare does appear to me to embody the concept of balancing the mind, body and spirit where if one aspect is out of harmony with the others, disease, illness and suffering will manifest. As with any of these time proven practices that have been passed on for thousands of years, there must be something here regardless of Western allopathic Medicine’s resistance of recognizing the benefits of these mind, body and spiritual methods of healthcare and well-being.
It is my understanding from many of the modern Western massage practitioners that I have visited, that they often feel exhausted not just after the individual sessions but accumulatively over the time of their career. I found this more prevalent when the massage therapist themselves did not practice taking care of themselves to replenish the energy that they put out during the massage treatments. Those that I have met that cared to share, told me that it was essential for them to practice something like yoga, tai chi, qigong, meditation as well as good nutrition to stay balanced, as far as energy conservation goes. I have learned that we can not give out freely, that which we do not already have an abundance of with out some level of detriment to all involved.
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My goal is to present an education that brings awareness to these time-proven methods. With an intent to de-mystify and simplify explanations, hopefully more people can come to realize that we are all accountable for our own well-being.
United Martial Arts Association 