What are the core muscles and why you should exercise them?

We see the term “core muscles” mentioned when reading articles about running, yoga, posture and even back pain. But what exactly are these “core” muscles and why are they so important?

The core is made up of several muscle groups that are responsible for stabilizing and moving other parts of the body. It’s the link between our lower and upper body segments. Strengthening the core muscles provides a host of benefits which range from better stability and improved posture to lower risk of spine related problems. Before you can start working on your core muscles, however, you need to know exactly what they are.

Abdominal muscles (or abs as some people call them) are often referred to as the main core muscle group. These muscles are comprised of a few smaller muscle groups and play a key role in supporting the trunk, holding body organs and allowing your body to move. You may not realize this, but every single movement you make utilizes one or more of the abdominal muscles in some way. There are many ways to exercise your abdominal muscles and these range from using ab belts (you can find ab belt reviews by clicking here) to various exercises with the Swiss ball.

The deeper abdominal muscles join together with back muscles to hold your spine in place. This is why you hear people saying that core muscle exercises are great for back problems and posture – they help strengthen your abs and back muscles. If your core muscles become weak, the spine can move out of its perfect position, causing pain and injury. That’s because the spine itself has no muscles to hold it.

Back muscles, especially lower back and deep muscles that attach to the spine are also very important. They play a similar role to abs in a sense that they help coordinate body movement, support posture and maintain stability.

And the final group of muscles that make up the core is located in the hips area. There are a total of 29 muscles that attach to the core and are responsible for stabilizing our movements when our feet are on solid ground.

Always remember to choose muscle exercises carefully in order to avoid injury.

What are Panic Attacks?

A panic attack can happen at any time and there’s practically no way to predict them. It’s really difficult to describe what a person feels during a panic attack, but the closest definition would probably be an overwhelming feeling of fear & anxiety accompanied by shortage of breathe, increased heart rate and, in some cases, even confusion.

Panic attacks are a very terrifying experience and sometimes the person suffering from one might feel like they’re losing their mind or dying. This condition is sometimes confused for a heart attack. This is due to the fact that an attack can happen at any time, even while you’re sleeping or relaxing on the beach.

Panic attacks happen in both perfectly healthy and unhealthy individuals. In some cases they can accompany other health disorders, such as depression or social phobia. However, in most cases people who experience panic attacks are perfectly healthy overall. These episodes are triggered by specific situations which can be really hard to pin point. Regrettably, panic attacks do tend to reoccur, especially when the person is faced with the same situation again.

Some of the most common signs of a panic attack are shortness of breath, increased heart rate, shaking, feeling detached from your surroundings, dizziness, cold flashes, excessive sweating and light-headedness.

If you have a family history of panic attacks or panic disorders, or are under constant stress and feel anxious, there are a few things you should avoid. Coffee or any caffeinated substances tend to make anxiety worse and can provoke a panic attack. Smoking has similar affects to caffeine on those who are naturally stressed and anxious about a lot of things.

Exercise and yoga are great natural ways to treat panic disorders and avoid panic attacks from reoccurring. If you’re constantly under a lot of stress, try to find the time to go on a 20-30 minute walk every evening. Or enrol in a yoga class 2-3 times a week.

What Foods are Safe to Eat Before Sleep?

We all crave a little bed time snack from time to time. Many people believe that eating right before bed is unhealthy and can even cause them to put on weight – which is why they choose to go to bed hungry. I’d like to note right now that these common beliefs aren’t always true. Let’s look into which foods are safe to eat before bed and why.

The main worry that many people have when they think about eating before sleep is that it’ll make them gain weight faster. This isn’t true – you are only going to put on weight if you consume more calories than needed.  So, if you like to over eat, it doesn’t matter whether you do it in the morning or late at night, the outcome is going to be the same. If you’re feeling truly hungry right before bed, a small snack will not make you gain weight.

It’s advisable to avoid fatty foods right before bed. Your body continues operating while you sleep, and thus it needs energy to keep going. If you go to bed hungry, you are going to be waking up tired and exhausted, wondering what happened.

Some good foods to eat before bed are: cottage cheese, natural peanut butter, fish, low-fat cheese, vegetables and chicken. If you have problems with falling asleep, look into foods that promote serotonin production: cereal with low-fat milk, vanilla ice-cream, a glass of skimmed milk and low-fat yoghurt.

There are certain food and drinks that should never be consumed right before bedtime. These include any products with high caffeine content (such as coffee, chocolate, tea and soda drinks) as well as alcohol.

Another important thing to remember when choosing a night time snack is not to over eat. Overeating almost always causes indigestion and sleeplessness. Try not to drink too much water right before bed. A half cup of cold water is good, because it will help keep your body hydrated overnight.