More than 50 percent of Americans could have diabetes or prediabetes by 2020

Many people notice a sensitivity to food. They get cranky, irritable, some get headaches, and many other symptoms when they haven't eaten. Sometimes this type of thing gets extreme, and is made worse by eating foods that are quick sugars (also known as high on the glycemic index). Obesity coupled with food sensitivity are known precursors to diabetes. A correct diet, exercise and healthy body weight are easy ways to prevent the perils of type 2 diabetes. Which includes insulin shots, poor eyesight, poor circulation, need to inject insulin, dialysis, and eventually amputation or death. I strongly urge you to seek advice and help from fitness experts to make sure you're not part of the 1 in 2 that has this disease!

Being sick and working out

With the rain coming and upcoming winter holidays I wanted to remind everyone when to stop pushing yourself in a go-go-go society. If you are sick and it is below your neck, ie throat,lungs, or stomach don't work out! If it is congestion sometimes the air being forced through the airways helps to loosen it, as well as get the blood pumping and flushing out toxins.
Here are some at home remedies to try if you find yourself in an extreme congestion
1. saline rinses (netti pot, non drug sprays, etc)
2. steam rooms/hot shower 2x-3x a day
3. hot tea
4. spicy foods
5. maintain proper hydration
6. multi-vitamin
7. ecchinacea

Exercise helps relieve Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can be debilitating. It changes who you are and how you live your normal daily life. While this is an increasing disease, its important to rememeber that it happens to whole people. A person is always going to be a unit comprised of many interacting interdependent systems. While something like chronic pain may be an affliction from a specific injury- you can't just take the part of the body away without looking at the bigger picture. This article found on yahoo describes some things that help chronic pain sufferers and as usual- Exercise is listed. Doctors strongly recommend exercise for many ailments, and despite being in pain, some form of exercise will aid in the relief by making the WHOLE body function better as a unit. Read the article for more ways to relieve chronic pain. And as always- consult your physician and fitness professional before embarking on any fitness program.

Enthusiasm- or lack thereof

Have you ever heard of FLOW? as in "ya man, it just flowed" or "go with the flow"? Sometimes when things are right- it just flows. But what's going on when it doesn't? Why is it that we drag our feet and just aren't enthusiastic about our workouts?
Obviously there are more complicated reasons, and some very straightforward. However, motivation and enthusiasm are two things you have despite your physical status. A lot of how and why we accomplish things is determined by our belief in our own abilities to do it. If a person thinks something is too hard, and they maybe aren't strong enough- this makes them anxious and unhappy. By making an activity do-able or simply by *thinking* we can do it, we can just flow. By creating a positive enjoyable experience, this rewards our new habits.
Caution- Despite any amount of newly found enthusiasm, keep your workouts at an attainable and realistic level. I see people all the time who are SUPER enthusiastic and want to workout 7 days a week and lose their 50lbs in 1 month because they are just that movitated and hardworking. This isn't realistic and is setting them up for failure. By the end of the first two weeks the muscles haven't appropriately recovered and now overuse injuries are looming. This is why speaking to your doctor or fitness profressional is so essential to starting a new program. Rememebr when I said enthusiasm and motivation are seperate of your physical status? Your body is only able to adjust and adapt at certain levels. Whether it can do more or less then you're giving it is entirely dependent on your personal optimal level of stimulation. keep the motivation up, find inspiration and take it slow to keep it fun!