Health

Everyone knows about the three Bs in music: Brahms, Beethoven and Bach. In my next three articles I will present three equally influential (and enjoyable!) Bs that are easy and fun to incorporate into daily living to dramatically improve your health and body. This is the second in a 3-part series. Read “3 Bs for a Better Body Part I” here.

Oh, how marvelous are our General Conference weekends! It almost feels that we are in another world for these precious two days, and it’s a little bit hard (and sad) to come back down to earth and regular living. The words and very presence of the General Authorities bounce our spirits to a new height. Their talks increase and invigorate our desire to improve ourselves and the limited time we have here upon the earth as they are literally food for thought and inspiration to take action for another six months. They remind and instruct us of our great mortal and eternal potential!

If the spirit whispered to you during conference (as it did to me) that taking better care of your precious (and only) body should be a higher priority over the next six months, here’s an easy way to literally BOUNCE into fitness in a very short time each day.

Weight management has been the story of my life both personally and professionally for over 40 years, but this one slipped me by until a recent conference call with a lymphologist who educated me on the importance of bouncing on a quality rebounder (sometimes called a mini-tramp) to cleanse, restore and literally rebuild the body. It is fun, it makes you smile and it will change your life! You can see my chart at the bottom for a list of 30 powerful benefits for absolutely every person of every age and ability.

Here’s how it works:

The Detoxification Effect of Rebounding

Physiologically speaking, the lymphatic system of the human body is the metabolic garbage can of the body. It rids you of toxins such as dead and cancerous cells, nitrogenous wastes, fat, infectious viruses, heavy metals, and other assorted junk cast off by the cells. The movement performed in rebounding provides the stimulus for a free-flowing system that drains away these potential poisons.

Unlike the arterial system, the lymphatic system does not have its own pump. It has no heart muscle to move the fluid around through its lymph vessels. There are just three ways to activate the flow of lymph away from the tissues it serves and back into the main pulmonary circulation. Lymphatic flow requires muscular contraction from exercise and movement, gravitational pressure, and internal massage to the valves of lymph ducts.

The lymphatic system is like a series of sacks combined to form a one way channel for liquids. When the body moves vertically the sack’s valves open allowing the fluid to flow from one sack to the next. “The lymphatic system has three interrelated functions. It is responsible for the removal of interstitial (waste) fluid from tissues. It absorbs and transports fatty acids and fats as chyle (mixed fats) to the circulatory system. The last function of the lymphatic system is the transport of immune cells to and from the lymph nodes,” according to Wikipedia.

Rebounding supplies all three methods of removing waste products from the cells and from the body. Then arterial blood enters the capillaries in order to furnish the cells with fresh tissue fluid containing food and oxygen. The bouncing motion effectively moves and recycles the lymph and the entire blood supply through the circulatory system many times during the course of the rebounding session.

Rebounding is a lymphatic exercise. It has the same effect on your body as jumping rope, but without any jarring effect to the ankles, knees, and lower back that comes from hitting the ground. Better than rope jumping, however, the lymphatic channels get put under hydraulic pressure to move fluids containing waste products of metabolism around and out of the body through the left subclavian vein.

Albert Einstein’s new theory of gravity, published in 1911, finds that the human body can’t tell the difference between gravity, acceleration and deceleration. That means, as you bounce up and down you increase and decrease the gravity on your entire body, which exercises your body. Bouncing is also a motion which is aligned with gravity, so you get a more efficient exercise than running.

“NASA studies have shown that rebounders provide a 68% more efficient exercise than jogging or treadmills, and they’re safer.” says Irene Zaff, a retired nurse, avid rebounder and entrepreneur who has been selling rebounders for over two years.

“A rebounder is a great way to strengthen your legs and core. Mini trampolines are gentle on your bones and joints while they work your muscles. Also, a rebounder workout is so effective as a cardiovascular routine that you’ll immediately notice the benefits.”

Rebounding Helps Build Bone Density

Osteoporosis is a big reality for me. Genetically I am predisposed to this condition, and it’s not a happy prognosis. Studies have shown that just 10 minutes rebounding a day builds bone density. In addition to heredity, many people lose bone density (osteoporosis) due to poor diet, polluted environment and unhealthy lifestyle. With rebounding we have a simple drug free, toxic calcium free, dairy free, safe alternative to support a healthy nutrient dense diet and healthy lifestyle. Of course, everyone benefits from stronger more flexible bones. While other exercises build bone density, the advantage of rebounding is the low impact, anti gravity effects and thus less stress on the joints.

Information Is Widely Available

You may have other health issues that rebounding will immediately address. A quick Google search with the keywords “rebound” and your particular interest will provide a wealth of information.

There are also several books available about rebounding. I contacted the LDS author of one of these books, “Looking Good, Feeling Great” by Karol Truman. She is now in her 70’s and was a pioneer in promoting and providing quality rebounders in the early 1980’s as the industry was getting started. She and her husband have been rebounding since then and are in excellent health. (A link to her book and several others are below.)

The Trumans’ experience in selling rebounders for many years documents the benefits for all ages, but especially seniors who need increased mobility. Enthusiastically her voice brightened as she shared one story after another of how bouncing had changed people’s health and lives.

Rebounders Help Seniors and Youths

One of their customers bought it for his 90 year old mother who had become immobile. For a short 10-minute session each day his mother sat on the side of her bed, with her feet resting on the rebounder. Then he himself stood on the rebounder and bounced lightly, causing his mother’s legs to gently bounce up and down. Within a matter of several weeks her mobility was greatly enhanced, allowing her to stand (with a bar) and rebound on her own. Over the next several months she become increasingly mobile and continued rebounding.

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Five years later the local newspaper did a story on this woman who at age 95, had greatly reversed her bleak condition of five years earlier.

It is easy to imagine the two of them having a very good time, laughing and smiling during their daily “bouncing” sessions. What a great way to spend time with a senior loved one!

She shared another story of a struggling teen that was not doing well at all in school. He came home from school each day and “just for fun” watched an after school family sitcom while rebounding for 30 minutes to de-stress. Within a matter of several months, his school work and outlook were markedly improved.

“Coincidence?” says Karol. “Maybe so, but there are studies that prove how rebounding literally changes every cell in the entire body! Even brain cells!”

Karol elaborated on how “youthen-ing” rebounding is for even facial muscles, and how it literally massages all organs and systems. “It’s even more beneficial,” she says, “to take the rebounder outside and do it with the sun shining on you as rebounding in the sunshine will increase your absorption of Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D sufficiency, along with diet and exercise, has emerged as one of the most important preventive factors in human health

My 90-Day Health Boost Challenge

Have I been rebounding since learning about it several years ago? Unfortunately, no. It felt like “just one more thing ….”

However, there’s been a spiritual prompting and desire to “do more” for both myself and those who read my articles. My studies over the past several weeks on rebounding have generated a determination to experience it personally, and share my experience. General Conference increased this.

October 1, 2012, the last quarter of 2012, marked the beginning of a personal “90-Day Health Boost” with both deep breathing (see my last article HERE) and rebounding, alternatives to traditional stationary and weight exercises, to share here at Meridian next January. I am particularly interested in learning about and trying exercise strategies for housebound and bed-bound individuals. Of course appearance matters, but what is even more important is vitality, energy, and prevention of health conditions that occur with aging.

If you’d like to join me in this challenge, I welcome your input! Links for the programs I am following are below.

So, here’s to health with BREATHING (the first article in this series), and BOUNCING, the first two of my 3 Bs. My next article will discuss some surprising thoughts on BREAKFAST with some recipes I hope you’ll enjoy.

LINKS

Deep Breathing

www.oxycise.com (I am love-love-loving the distressing benefits of this for 15 minutes each day! I also have high hopes for some toning and tightening as age 58 means that gravity is taking a toll ….

Rebounders: I have just invested in the Urban rebounder that you can see at www.urbanrebounder.com I found mine on Craigslist, brand new for $50. (It sells online for $99.95) I am surely not in the rebounding business. Sister Truman says, “Buy one that is gym quality! Not a child’s toy.

BOOKS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HEALTHY REBOUNDING

LDS Author Karol Truman “Looking Good Feeling Great“

More Books: www.needakrebounder.com/Rebounding-Books

Rebounders Review: www.healthytrampolines.com

Carolyn Allen has been providing weight loss inspiration since 1999 both online and in community venues in the Washington, D.C. area. Her favorite food is steamed broccoli (lots of it!) with a little butter and lemon-pepper. Her book, 60 seconds to Weight Loss Success, is available for free through the first of week of September from her website, www.MyMiracleTea.com or at Amazon.com Learn more about her herbal health tonic and colon cleanse at www.MyMiracleTea.com

 

HELPS FIGHT FATIGUE: Rebounding tones the glandular system to increase the output of the thyroid gland. The pituitary and the adrenals- that help to restore energy. STRENGTHENS THE HEART: Rebounding strengthens the heart. Increasing the G-force will cause greater contraction. The involved muscles work harder and get stronger. NOURISHES THE HEART: By strengthening the heart muscle, rebounding allows the resting heart to beat less often. Each beat becomes more powerful and sends out a greater surge of blood around the body to nourish its 60 trillion cells. IMPROVES CIRCULATION: Rebounding encourages collateral circulation-the formation of new branch blood vessels that distribute blood to the heart. This is helpful when there is a lack of nutrition to the tissues as a result of impairment of the main blood flow. REDUCES BLOOD PRESURE: Rebounding boosts muscles tine in the middle arterial muscles which acts as a buffer during high stress periods. AIDS MUCSLE TRAINING: Muscle training from rebounding also helps return blood pressure to normal levels quicker after acute stress. LOWERS CHOLESTEROL: Rebounding has proven to help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. FIGHTS HEART DISEASE: Rebounding holds off the incidence of cardiovascular disease. BOOSTS RED BLOOD CELLS: Rebounding increases the functional activity of the red bone marrow of the production of red blood cells. The red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to the tissues of the body and also help remove carbon dioxide in them. FACILITATES OXYGEN: Rebounding establishes a better equilibrium between the oxygen required by the tissues and the oxygen made available. CIRCULATES OXYGEN: Rebounding circulates more oxygen to the tissues-and where there is oxygen there cannot be disease. INCREASE RESPIRATION: Rebounding increases the capacity for respiration. Breathing is controlled by changes it the volume of the chest cavity brought about mainly by the muscular movements of the diaphragm. Repeated rebounding exercise accomplishes more muscular movements of the diaphragm with the consequent chest expansion. AIDS MUSCLE PERFORMANCE: Rebounding helps fluid move easily within the body, thus helping muscle performance and lightening the load required of the heart. AIDS LYMPHATIC CIRCULATION: Rebounding helps the Lymph fluids circulate throughout the entire body-which acts as your body’s internal vacuum cleaner. PROMOTES BODY GROWTH: Growth of the long bones is especially stimulated by rebounding due to the stimulating effect of the pituitary gland, which produces a growth hormone.

STIMULATES METABOLISM: Rebounding provides for a better absorption of nutrients from food intake and conditions all of the body’s systems to handle energy more efficiently. ENHANCES DIGESTION AND ELIMINATION PROCESS: The gentle bounce exercise of rebounding has been exceedingly effective in returning natural, regular bowel movements to chronically constipated individuals. AIDS ENDURANCE: Rebounding expands the capacity for fuel storage, resulting in extra endurance. REDUCES OBESITY: rebounding diminishes body fat, improves body tone, improves muscle tone, improves the efficiency with which the body burns carbohydrates, and lowers pulse rate and blood pressure. BUILDS ALKALINE RESERVE: Rebounding provides an addition to the alkaline reserve of the body which may be of significance in an emergency requiring prolonged effort. AIDS PEAK CELL FUNCTION: Rebounding helps the body attain absolute potential of the cells through chemical function. EASES MENSTRUAL DISCOMFORT: Rebounding curtails the occurrence of fatigue and menstrual discomfort. IMPROVES COORDINATION: Rebounding improves coordination through the transmission of more impulses and responsiveness of the muscle fibers. AIDS IN MUSCLE TONE: Rebounding affords a feeling of muscular vigor from increased muscle tone. Healthy muscles are important to our sense of well-being, our grace, our coordination, and our energy. BUILDS STRENGTH RESERVE: Rebounding supplies a reserve of bodily strength and physical efficiency. DELIVERS MUSCLE PAIN RELIEF: Rebounding offers relief from neck and back pain, from headaches and from other pains caused by the lack of use of the various joints and muscles of the body. MAINTAIN PEAK BRAIN FUNCTION AT ANY AGE: Rebounding results in better mental performance, with keener learning processes. BRINGS ON BETTER SLEEP: Even very light, gentle rebounding allows for better and easier relaxation and sleep. MINIMIZES THE NUMBER OF COLDS: Rebounding helps keep the entire body with all of its variable systems in tune and minimizes the number of colds, allergies, digestive disturbances and abdominal problems. STOPS PREMATURE AGING: rebounding can actually reverse, prevent, or diminish the hardening of the arteries. By conquering the ultimate pathology, you will keep your mind alert, skin smooth, skeleton flexible, libido intact, kidneys functioning, blood circulation, liver detoxifying, enzyme systems alive, hold memory intact, and avoid all systems of the aging process.