Your Health MOT Guide For 2019
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Being Human, you are meant to move. Moving is one of the important and essential things for good health. As simple as it can be put, the human body needs to move, as part of an active lifestyle or exercise regime. Regular movement is shown to be linked with the function and biological processes within the body. There can be many ways to move the body and with each different type of exercise, comes different benefits. Within the body, there are 12 main systems that, well, allow humans to be humans. There are more systems within the body but here are some that are generally affected by exercise and movement.
- Skeleton
- Circulatory System
- Digestive System
- Endocrine System
- Muscular System
- Integumentary System
- Nervous System
- Respiratory System
- Urinary Excretory System
All Exercise Will Follow A Type Of Movement
When your body moves, depending on the activity that is being done, parts of your body will be using energy. Although everyday activities such as walking and some busy days like collecting the groceries can burn a few calories it is not enough to get joints and ligaments warmed and loosened.
External movement of limbs and the body is all dependent on ligaments, muscles, and joints, and the exercise requires the ability to use them continuously for a period of time and under capable stresses. Joints are designed by evolution and how our ancestors had lived through many thousands of years adapting to different environments. Some joints, like the shoulder joints, can move around in all directions but still has a few restrictions with twist rotation. Other joints, like the Elbow, have a hinge-type movement and move forward and back. Internal movement is dependent on the contraction of smooth muscles. To utilize the movement of the body and move freely and easily requires movement in every plane and in various intensities as part of an active lifestyle.
Please Consult A Medical Professional If You Require Information Based On An Individual And Personal Level.
Here are some movements of the body that ALL Exercises will inevitably be based around focusing on.
- Lateral movements – Bending and moving side-to-side.
- North to south movement or cephalic to caudal movement – bouncing, rebounding and jumping on surfaces. High Impact.
- Flexion and Extension – Increasing or decreasing the angle of a joint. E.g. When standing, move to start bending down to pick something up from the floor, the knees must flex decreasing the angle between the thigh and the calves.
- Shaking movements – Movements performed during exercise or activities that result in one to shake their body or a specific part of the body. Dancing and Shaking helps to decrease stagnation in areas of the body.
- Passive movement – Movement is without any additional load or weight added to the body. Normal Walking etc.
- Resistance movement – The use of external forces like carrying a package or lifting weights, this is to increase muscular strength and bone density.
- Aerobic movement – This is a movement that increases heart rate and increases oxygen demand which conditions the cardiovascular system. Aerobic movement can be done with various activities including speed walking, fartlek training, running, biking, swimming, tennis, etc.
Along with exercise and regular ‘Check-ups’ with your Doctor or Health Assessments, you can keep looking after yourself by taking note of any signs and symptoms that can be an underlying problem. Keep yourself looking sharp by staying on top of the following health maintenance.
Eyes And Ears
The white part of your eyes should be, white, not yellow or bloodshot and, while the odd floater and twitch are not unusual. Opticians Appointments every year are part and parcel of keeping your peripherals in good working order. Any obvious inflammation in or around the eye needs to be checked by your GP.
It’s a good idea to have a hearing test at least once when you turn into an adult. Later Tests can be taken if symptoms develop. Many high-street opticians offer Hearing Tests as a service alongside Eyes. You should also report any suspected loss of hearing to your GP. If you do require an aid, enjoy every single minute of life with this hearing device and be sure to keep your devices maintained from blockages and battery maintenance.
Skin
Being the largest organ, your skin needs care and attention as well.
Developing cracks at the corner of your mouth can be from a lack of vitamin B2 and excessive bruising may be a sign of low vitamin C intake and other nutrients that affect blood clotting.
Hair
Having Dry and Brittle hair can be a result of harsh maintenance and hair products but it could also indicate a less-than-adequate diet. A low intake of iron may result in mundane hair and hair loss, leading to thinning. Temporary hair loss in patches is a symptom of alopecia. Constant and increased hair loss can be one of the symptoms of poor thyroid function, which will need to be checked by your GP.
Nails
Healthy nails should be strong and look on the slightly pink side. More pale colores or concave nails could be from a lack of iron. Yellow thickening can be a fungal infection and If nails change in color, shape or texture or they have inflammation around the nails, it might be time to see the doctor.
Digestion
Ideally, bowel movements should not be a problem. If you experience a little wind and bloating, nausea or reflux at times, such symptoms could because your digestive system isn’t functioning optimally. Again, it is best to see your doctor to rule out anything serious If symptoms persist. In the vast majority of cases, bowel problems are down to a dietary issue that a registered dietitian can help with. Always see your GP if you have any bleeding, unexplained weight loss, extreme tiredness always, a pain or lump in your tummy, or a change in bowel habits, lasting three weeks or more.
Lumps
It is important for everyone to search for abnormalities and lumps on the body. Checking around the body to feel for anything unusual; for changes to shape or texture; and report anything unusual with your GP. Men are advised to check for testicular lumps and have checked with their doctor over prostate problems. Women are advised to check for breast lumps and follow up with cervical checks at the doctors. These aren’t the only lumps to be aware of and any new lump, bump or growth should be checked by your doctor. Most will be benign and nothing to worry about but it’s wise to be vigilant with your health and always know what is normal so you can report any changes.
If There Is An Exercise You Like To Do Because Of A Specific Benefit, Share It To The World In The Comments!