This upcoming month we’ll be focusing on the wonders of the digestive system. Keep up the great habit of personal tracking for your exercises. When we meet I’ll introduce the new round of excercises to do but until then the exercises to practice are below.
I’m super exciting to be meeting up with all you this next week! I’ve been enjoying seeing all the progress you’re making and especially your thoughtful ideas and responses in class. So keep up the great work!
Homework
1- Watch the videos below and take notes to answer the questions about how the human digestive process works.
Questions to answer from the video above:
1- What is peristalsis and what exact does it do? How can you improve it?
2- What is the purpose of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter? What are some possible problems that happen if it’s not working properly? Explain what you can do to prevent those problems?
3- Look up on the internet and list out some of the most important digestive enzymes. Describe what those digestive enzymes specifically do. Come prepared to share your answers with the class.
4- What is the pH of stomach acid? How do you think stomach acid helps you have a strong immune system? Research that topic and come prepared to share with the class your discoveries about how stomach acid can influence a strong immune system.
5- What is the benefit of the “good” type of mucous in the stomach? How is it possible to have “too much” stomach acid? Research that and come prepared to share your findings with us at class.
6- What types of foods break down quicker vs slower in the stomach when digestion it occuring?
7- Read this article here and then answer…What roles does the pancreas play when digesting food exiting out of the stomach?
8- What do villi do inside your small intestine?
9- How long is the small intestine? Read this here.
10- What is the purpose of the large intestine? How many hours does it take usually for food to move through the large intestine? How long is it? Read up on it here.
11- What is the purpose of the appendix? How can the appendix become infected sometimes? What can you do to keep your appendix healthy? Read more here.
12- How long does it take all in all for food to travel from your mouth when you eat to the time it leaves you?
13- What causes your feces to stink?
14- Watch this video on gut bacteria:
15- What other types of microbes besides good/bad bacteria are found in the gut?
16- What might happen to someone’s gut if born c-section in birth compared to naturally?
17- Explain what the “Gut-Brain Axis” is and what it does? How can it affect your thinking, energy, sleeping, fighting disease, etc?
18- What is Dysbiosis? And what causes it? What can you do to avoid dysbiosis?
19- What are pro-biotics? What are some possible pro-biotic foods that increase the levels of “good microbes” in your gut?
20- What is the Greek meaning of the words Anti-biotic and Pro-biotic mean? Read here.
21- What are “pre-biotics”? What pre-biotic foods are great to eat? What do pre-biotic foods do in your body?
Exercises to do from Nov 11th to Nov 20th
Strength: How many Pull-ups can you do in a row. Assisted pull-ups can be done if you can’t quite yet do a full pull-up on your own yet by pushing off with your legs off the ground then pulling up. If you don’t have a pull up bar you can use one at a local park, tree branch, or using a straight strong stick-bar hung across two chairs to pull up from underneath instead of pulling straight up on a bar like this:
Balance: Bounce starting with your right foot on a straight line on the floor to the end of the line and then turn around bouncing the other direction on your left foot. Use masking tape for example to map out a straight line for 10 feet or thereabouts. How many jumps back and forth on the line can you do, alternating from right to left feet, back and forth on the straight line, before falling off the line?
Flexibility: How long can you squat all the way down and keep that pose while keeping both arms pointed straight up in the air? If it’s too easy add weight in your hands while squatting all the way to the floor then hold and time how long with how much weight.
Cardio: Track how far you can walk backwards around your neighborhood or indoor track. If you want a greater challenge do it with a weighted vest or weight added in your backpack while walking backwards. Track how far with how much weight.
Here are the exercises for the next 2 weeks from Oct 25th to Nov 6th
Strength: Chair Dips – count how many you can do in a row.
Balance: One-leg balance ball toss with partner (if possible). Track how long you can properly balance while tossing a basketball or something similar size to another person who is also balancing on one foot. You could use the wall if it’s impossible to partner with someone on this.
Flexibility: Timed belly breathing for 2 minutes then increase to 5 minutes as soon as you are able to. Be sure to focus on proper breathing technique placing one hand flat on your chest and the other hand on your belly. Focus breathing in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds and breath out slowly for 8 seconds. Repeat for 2 minutes to begin with to practice. Set a goal to increase the timed breathing to 5 minutes or more if you desire. Record in your journal how you feel BEFORE and AFTER each breathing session.
Cardio: 5 rounds of 30 second timed sprints running in place. Record your resting heart rate BEFORE each round by checking your pulse by feeling the carotid artery on either side of your neck, using your index and middle fingers, applying gentle pressure just below your jawbone, next to your windpipe. Count how many beats you feel for 6 seconds and then multiply that number by 10. Example: 6 beats in 6 seconds X 10=60 which is your resting heart rate.
Now start sprinting in place as fast as you can. Pay attention to your body. Don’t overdo it but push it hard as you can for 30 seconds timed. Count how many times your right or left knee lifts up to count reps.
Example, every time your right knee lifts up that’s one rep. Only start the next round AFTER your heart beat goes back down to your resting rate. Doing this helps strengthen your heart. Take note of how long it takes for your heart rate to go back to resting. For example my resting heart rate is 72 beats per second. I then sprint for 30 seconds and then time myself how long it takes for my heart rate to go back to 72.
Any questions or help let me know! You guys are awesome 🙂
