Energy production at the cellular level - Another astounding creation by an awesome God!

The past several weeks I have been studying for another certification for personal training.  As I studied the physiology of the human body (as I have many times before), I was struck by the intricacy in the way our bodies were created and wanted to share a little with you.   

Consider the way our cells use our food to create energy for our bodies.  First our body breaks the food down into nutrients that the cell can easily break down:  glucose, fatty acids and amino acids.  The respiratory and cardiovascular systems of the body work together to bring oxygen to the cellular level where a tiny sub-cellular structure called the mitochondria is working to break down the glucose, fatty acids and amino acids to produce ATP, the main source of energy for the body. 

In normal everyday life and during low to moderately intense exercise, the cells use oxygen to break down the nutrients and produce ATP.  The cells are able to produce ATP at a steady rate with the only waste product being carbon dioxide, which the body is able to easily rid from the cells.  However, in the event that the body is no longer able to keep up with the oxygen demands of the cell to create ATP in this way, the cell simply shifts to making ATP without oxygen.  When ATP is produced without oxygen, the process creates a bi-product called lactic acid.  Lactic acid builds up in the muscles and causes the feeling of fatigue in the muscles which tells our bodies to slow down or stop the activity so that the body can go back to creating energy using oxygen to break down the nutrients.

At the same time as studying for this exam, I am also studying the book of Genesis and how God created the world.  I can not stop thinking about how intricately God created us and how well it all seems to work!  I find it shocking that anyone could believe that this all happened by chance!  The many systems of the body work hand in hand to help the cells produce energy seamlessly.  That is nothing short of a miracle to me and I know that only the holy God of the Bible, our Creator could be responsible! 

Massage: An Antidote for Stress

Too much stress can have a negative effect on our lives. Stress can accumulate over time and lead to chronic muscle tension, anxiety and depression. In fact, many health conditions in our modern world are either directly related to or aggravated by stress.

Massage therapy offers a drug-free, non-invasive approach to the over stressed mind and body. Massage helps restore balance and bring the body back to normal by triggering the relaxation response, bringing the body back to normal function. The heart rate slows, breathing becomes deeper, the muscle relax and circulation and digestion improve.

Massage also provides relief from chronic muscular tension, back and neck pain, headaches and trigger points caused by stress. Recent research has also confirmed that massage for relaxation reduces anxiety and increases feelings of well-being. In addition, because massage creates a sensory pleasurable experience, it can contribute to healthy immune function and general well being.

Massage can benefit anyone!  It provides relief to all ages and all walks of life. From infants to seniors, the amateur to the competitive athlete, the homemaker to the top business executive...we all have stress!  What better way to relieve stress than to take time to breathe and allow your body to relax.  Give massage a try. Your body (and mind) will thank you for it

Quick Upper Body Workout – My favorite

1.Incline Push-ups (hands on a bench)

2.Dumbbell bench press (heavy weights): 12-15 reps

3.Dumbbell chest fly (medium weights): 12-15 reps

4.Dumbbell Pull-over (single heavy weight): 12-15 reps

5.Dumbbell Skull crusher (single heavy weight): 12-15 reps

6.Bent Over Row (heavy weights): 15 Reps

7.Shoulder Burners (light-medium weights) – 1 set (10-12 reps) of each exercise back to back: bent arm lateral raise, external rotation at 90^o, shoulder press