Alvin H. Danenberg, DDS • Nutritional Periodontist
April 13, 2015

 

 

Sometime ago I wrote about the 4 pillars of health. I compared them to the legs of a dining room chair. Those pillars are:

• Nutrient-dense foods

• Stress reduction

• Restorative sleep

• Efficient exercise

 

If any one of these pillars is compromised, then overall health would be in danger – just as if one leg of the chair were broken, the chair would be unstable. What happens on a cellular level eventually affects your entire body. Your mouth is intimately and intricately affected by your overall health.

 

There is significant research that shows (1) how specific methods of exercise are extremely effective in creating the healthiest results and (2) how these benefits might be obtained in the shortest amount of exercise-time.

 

Here is the way I exercise on a weekly basis to get the most from my workout. For your information, I am 68 years old. Based on your physical well-being, you might choose other exercise programs that would be better suited for you.

 

Brief and Intense Strength Training:

Strength training builds muscle strength and improves hormone efficiency that allows your body to function optimally. I do four simple movements that take as little as 10-20 minutes a couple of times a week to gain maximum benefit. These basic movements are: pull-ups, pushups, squats, and planks.

 

I do these four movements twice a week in the privacy and comfort of my home. The only equipment that is necessary is a pull-up bar. I purchased one online and attached it to the doorframe of my bedroom. Here is a source that reviews various doorframe pull-up bars. You also could look up “portable free-standing pull up bars” online to view various manufacturers and models, which could be set up anywhere.

 

Mark Sisson has created four YouTube videos that demonstrate these movements in a progressive manner from beginner to advanced. Here are links to them:

Pull-up. Pushup. Squats. Plank.

 

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):

HIIT is the ultimate beneficial exercise for your heart, your muscles, your hormones, and your weight. You could perform this once a week for 10-20 minutes in total. You would start with a warm up of 1-2 minutes. Each cycle might consist of (1) 7-30 seconds of all-out-to-exhaustion pedaling on a recumbent bike or sprinting outside, and (2) rest for about 90 seconds to regain your normal breath. This cycle should be repeated for 2-8 cycles. Then, finish with a 1-2 minute cool down.

 

I use a Nordic Track Classic Pro Skier. It is a cross-country ski machine that is set up in my spare bedroom. Usually I use it once a week for 4-6 cycles depending how I feel that day. I warm up by skiing at a slow pace for 2 minutes. Then, I “ski” at the fastest speed my arms and legs can muster for 25 seconds, which puts me out-of-breath and in an anaerobic state.  Then I rest by skiing gently for 90 seconds. That completes one cycle, which I will repeat until done.

 

Dr. Mercola has created a video that demonstrates HIIT using a recumbent bike.

 

Aerobic Exercise

My goal is to exercise about two hours a week doing exercise that will raise my heart rate between 55% to 75% of my maximum heart rate. At that level of effort, I can carry on a conversation while exercising. If I were unable to carry on a conversation, I probably would be in the anaerobic zone of exercising, and that is not where I want to be for this routine. My personal aerobic exercise is riding my Trikke outdoors. It’s great exercise and great fun for me. I try to ride my Trikke (model T78 Deluxe) about 2 or 3 times a week for about 40 minutes. I find the best time of day is just after the sun rises – peaceful and beautiful.

 

 

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