What has Tae Kwon Do Got to Do With Your Health?Written by Emily Clark
A lot, if you value your physical health!Tae Kwon Do is Korean Karate. It means The Way of Hand and Foot (punching and kicking). There are basically four sections to art: Toning, Sparring, Forms and Self Defense. It is a well rounded exercise program that encompasses muscle toning, stretching and flexibility, increasing strength and stamina through aerobic sparring and mental challenges through becoming proficient at patterns or forms. Most classes start out with warm-ups. These exercises are calisthenics such as push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, trunk rotations, squat kicks and various leg stretches. For certain you will tighten your abs and strengthen your arms just from performing warm-up exercises. Before you know it, you’ll be doing fifty knuckle or triangle push-ups at rapid-fire pace and will be able to lean up against a wall and have someone lift your leg up so that your toes touch wall behind your ear. Tae Kwon Do will definitely help you to become or to stay limber. Sparring is fighting in a controlled environment. It’s not street fighting and all participants wear protective gear: helmet, gloves, shin guards and feet guards, called kicks. Usually you will spar in three minute rounds. It’s basically kick boxing. Then a minute rest; switch partners, then spar again and repeat. You will get extremely hot and sweaty. Jab, punch, upper cut, side kick, reverse punch, round house, hammer fist, bob and weave and repeat. It’s an excellent aerobic exercise.
| | 3 Effective Ways of Avoiding Food Poising this Summer Written by Emily Clark
Are you looking forward to a wonderful summer? Beaches, warm weather and of course - BBQ's. Along with relaxing atmosphere and ease of preparing a BBQ dinner or picnic for friends and family come some well known risks. You are likely aware that e.coli and salmonella can cause symptoms that range from mild discomfort to life threatening emergencies. But why is this more common during summertime meals and how can you protect your loved ones without ruining your summer? During summer when we are picnicking or having a BBQ we are not preparing a meal with usual amenities we have in house - sink, oven, fridge. Because of this we are more likely to forget to wash hands, store food properly or even grab a clean plate to serve food. Here are some ways you can protect yourself from summertime dining outdoors: SEPARATE From grocery store, to cart, to fridge, to table - keep meats and other food separated. Always wrap meats even when thawing to prevent juices from dripping onto other foods, especially produce. Produce has been identified as a culprit in some food poisoning cases. WASH Wash hands, cutting boards, dishes and food. Always wash your hands before and after preparing foods. Never serve cooked meat on same plate or tray that you had it on when raw - make sure resident BBQ expert is given a clean plate to place finished product on. Also thoroughly clean knives and cutting boards. Ideally you should use a separate cutting board for bread and produce and another for meat products. Wash produce in cold water and scrub thick skinned foods like cantaloupe as bacteria can come in contact with flesh of fruit when being cut.
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