Hello and welcome to the inaugural edition of Wellness Wednesday in which I will be addressing health, fitness and wellness issues. I used to have a blog that I devoted solely to this topic, but my attention span is short and I need to vary my writing topics!
Today's topic: Exercising with asthma. This issue was raised by
LillyShayStyle, whose husband has asthma but wants to get in shape this summer.
The most important thing to remember about this topic is this:
See your doctor! Get your asthma under control! I cannot stress this enough. Asthma is a serious health condition and while it can be controlled, monitored and lived with, it is not to be taken lightly. If you're on a daily controller medication, make sure you're taking it appropriately. If you have an inhaler, be sure you have it with you when you're exercising. So see your doctor and discuss exercising with her/him. You should actually consult a physician before you begin an exercise program no matter who you are, just to be sure you're healthy enough for the activity. OK, I'll get off my soap box now.
Cardiovascular: Warm up: A warm-up before you begin your more intense work out is essential for anyone, but especially those with breathing issues, including asthma. This means starting off slowly to allow your body to acclimate to the activity. Walk before you run or jog, cycle at a slow tempo before revving up those hills. Five to ten minutes of warm-up will let your heart and lungs adjust to the larger demands being made on them.
Environment: Pollution and air quality affect everyone when they exercise because their lungs are pulling in a larger volume of them as your breathing becomes more rapid. People with asthma should avoid exercising when there is heavy pollution. To avoid pollution, you can exercise indoors, away from roads and in the early morning. For those with asthma, exercising in the cold is also problematic and should be avoided.
Activities: Swimming can be a very beneficial exercise for those with asthma. Swimming is great exercise and perfect for summer. If you can't swim, check your local pools or Y for lessons. Not only can you get in shape, but it's a great skill to have.
Intensity: If you have asthma, you need to monitor your intensity. You may need to curtail your intensity, working at a more moderate level. You want to keep your intensity below the point of breathing difficulty. If your breathing becomes labored, slow down and let your breathing return to normal.
Cool down: When you've completed your workout, don't just stop cold. Make a five minute cool down during which you lower your intensity part of your routine.
Start slow: If you've just begun exercising, start off with 15-20 minutes of cardiovascular work. This goes for everyone, not just those with asthma.
Strength:Strength training is important for everyone, and especially for people who are trying to lose weight. Muscle torches fat even when you're sleeping, so the more you have, the more weight you'll lose. Start off with a full body work out that works all your muscle groups. It is very important to perform strength exercises with proper form and I highly recommend getting a routine from a Personal Trainer in your area. Many gyms offer one time consultations with a trainer for free or a very reasonable fee. This is invaluable as they will be able to assess your current fitness level and provide you with an appropriate work out for that level. They can also correct your form to prevent injury and maximize results.
Okay, that's it for this week! Next week: Fitting exercise into packed schedules and healthy snacks.
Have a great and well day!
The not-so-fine print:
All the information presented on Wanderlust Bling is for educational and resource purposes only. It is there to help you make informed decisions about fitness training. It is NOT a substitute for or an addition to any advice given to you by your physician.
On Sunday I ran the Eugene Half Marathon while K ran the Marathon. It was great fun. Okay, it was fun for awhile and character building the rest of the time. I ran the exact same pace I did for the last half I ran last November. While it may look like that means no progress, it actually means I was in better shape, as this time I was still battling a chest cold. My legs were killing me yesterday and I was hobbling around like an old lady. Every time I got up I screamed like a warrior going into battle, since my quads felt like they were going to explode with each exertion. Good times!
I'm quite happy with my layout. It's been a cramped few days as I've had the tables set up in the middle of the living room so I could make sure I liked how it was set up and to make sure I had all the signage I needed. Here I'll take more tomorrow once I have it set up under my new blue canopy.
Oh, and a side note: it is REALLY hard to photograph large pieces of metal. I had a hard time getting the texture I worked so hard on to show up, as you'll see from the photo, which shows no texture whatsoever. You'll just have to take my word on it - there's a fun, buttery texture from a lot of sanding and some baking soda paste applied with a toothbrush. The two white stones are moonstones, and the center purple stone is a lovely amethyst. I can't wait to attach it to something so I can wear it!
This ring is the reason I have a thing for vintage basket settings in the first place. There's no casting and recasting here. This ring has been handed down in my family for many years, and will continue to be. It's also white gold, and the stone is very tiny and hand cut, rather than precision laser cut, so it has fewer facets than a modern stone. But I adore the setting. That's the extent of my pretty ring collection!
I got my Easter package from my parents in the mail today. Yes, I'm 31 and my mother sends me Easter packages, what of it? ;-) Easter eggs are always fun to get in my family, because my dad draws little pictures on them that are relevant to our lives. One year we got Vantom on an egg. When we bought our house we got eggs with pictures of us gardening. This year: A white motorhome and a green car! So cute! Thanks, Dad!
Have a great day!
We also each had a baggie full of supplies to use during class. There are three tiny sizes of saw blades that break on a whim, some solder, three grits of sand paper and a sheet each of brass and copper metal. You can see outline of what I cut from the copper piece.
When I got home I felt like a little kid showing my work to my mommy, except I was showing it to my husband. This feeling was reinforced by the fact that my star was all lopsided, um, I mean primitive. My wedding ring was all twisted when I took this photo, so now those of you who don't know me in person can see the lovely ring K had made for me! Pretty, huh? Okay, it's not the best photo of the ring. Maybe tomorrow I'll use my new found photography skills and tell you the rather long story of my ring and my family ring as well. They're both lovely and will make you vintage jewelry folks go batty. ;-) 
This pillow features a vintage Burmese flag and other vintage fabrics. I simply love the peacock on the front of this, and I wish I could smell the lavender inside! Mireio has tons of lovely items in her shop - it's a nice shop to virtually poke around in.
I feel very unqualified to discuss painting, but this really grabs me. The bright orange is so striking and the little crack so intriguing that I just can't help but look at it, even on a computer screen. Maria's DaWanda shop had a great variety of artwork, including ACEOs and other very affordable works. Definitely worth checking out.
A minute or two later and you can put the tofu in the tortilla, fold it in half and have a yummy meal.
I think it takes five minutes start to finish. Super yummy!
Here's my entry for this week's Thursday Sweet Treat:
This past week I heard of the Japanese art of Kumihimo. I no longer remember where I heard of it, but when I Googled it, I found a website called Primitive Originals that sells every type of tool for this craft that you might need, including the portable Kumi Loom (tm) which is much preferable for me to the large wooden marudai would be.
Here's the first piece I made with my Kumi Loom and the practice yarn that comes with the kit. Not something I'd use for a jewelry project, obviously, but it's definitely a fun, easy technique with plenty of room for variations and creativity. 
I've already incorporated the technique into my jewelry, making a necklace cord for this week's Thursday Sweet Treat piece. I'm very happy with the results, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what I've done with my new toy.
that out, I still wound up with a medal, albeit for fourth. I did manage to sprint ahead of someone at the finish line, which is always fun. Not that my sprint affected my age group ranking, since the girl I got ahead of was 16 and I'm, well, not.
Next up is this gorgeous necklace from Shiny Adornments on ArtFire. The Shara Necklace would be a lovely and unique bridal piece. The cluster is just stunning and you can see a single pearl is attached to the clasp. I love that kind of detail. 
Last but not least, The Jewelry Shop at ArtFire has this stunning Reconstructed Vintage Garnet And Glass Necklace. This necklace is so regal and it hangs so uniquely. It has a Crown Jewel feel to it that would make anyone feel like royalty.
It was fun watching him bake while I sat on the couch drinking wine and watching What Not to Wear. Yes, this is what I did on my birthday and I loved it!
Point State Park. It was a great, easy hike and we got to see a lot of fun ocean views. We spent a lot of time on Agate Beach, enjoying the surf and searching for sea stones. There are a lot of agates on the beach (duh!) but I'm not sure if I got any or not. I should get better at identifying stones, since I plan on getting a Dremel and making jewelry out of fun stones I find!
Marina has tons of other fun items in her shop, and her models look so happy and cozy!
