Dish-Houston

BY DISH CONTRIBUTOR SAMIR BECIC: 

               Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

                Who doesn’t remember these words from the Star Trek TV and movie franchise, a favorite show to countless millions of viewers and fans around the world? I definitely remember them, and I happily watched every single episode.  Naturally, something I noticed as a health “fanatic” was the Vulcan way of living.  In the show, Vulcans are classified as a highly intelligent, extra-terrestrial humanoid species, with a more robust appearance than an ordinary human.  To me, it was interesting that in writing this mythos, Gene Roddenberry chose to demonstrate the direct correlation between strength and intellect in the Vulcan race; an ideal coincidentally, held in high regard by the ancient Greeks. Being fascinated with the fictional Vulcan way of living, and their healthy life philosophies, I began researching available data, in the hope of extracting singular enlightenment for the human race.

Vulcan Diet

Vulcans prefer a vegetarian diet and would eat meat on a very rare occasion, if nothing else is available or for specific needs.  They choose water over other options and will drink alcohol only for celebratory purposes, because they don’t want alcohol to affect their logical faculties.  To Vulcans, consuming chocolate makes them inebriated, so they minimize their intake of it.

Vulcan Meditation

Vulcans live lives of strict self-control through extensive meditation practices.  While Vulcans are exceptionally emotional, they developed a meditation technique that calms them down and allows them to solve problems in a logical manner; this is one of the best ways to find logical solutions instead of emotional conflict.  Vulcans meditate on a daily basis to keep their center and calm. Put simply, their motto is “live long and prosper”…

Vulcan Training

Although generally philosophical and non-violent in nature, the Vulcans nonetheless developed martial arts techniques for their hand-to-hand combat.  Martial Arts are a highly ritualistic practice similar to the philosophy of Kung-Fu or Karate.  The majority of Vulcans are skilled in self-defense, and particularly known for their neck pinch that renders victims instantly unconscious.  Overall, Vulcans are physically stronger and more skilled in combat than their human counterparts.

                In the Star Trek narrative, Vulcans have become more advanced and evolved than humans, a necessary transition implemented to overcome their past behaviors, which might have been worse than that of humans. Consequently, they evolved because they chose intellect, healthy lifestyle, and mental balance (and even honing their combat and military skills).  Through this evolution, they have achieved a more fulfilled and longer lifespan; ranging between 100-200 years.

I wrote this article in an attempt to motivate millions of Star Trek fans around our own planet to live more like Vulcans. To harness the wisdom of our favorite characters like Spock and T’Pol!  Even if the Vulcans are fictional people, they still represent an ideal society, one replete with enlightenment, honor and tremendous skills, all of which we desire.  By following a similar philosophy, and finding an equilibrium between physical fitness, healthy nutrition, and mental balance, we can all benefit and improve our own society.

A special thanks to visionary Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek Franchise, for developing such a rich storyline and an avant-garde society.

BY DISH CONTRIBUTOR SAMIR BECIC:

DISH'S own Health and Fitness Guru Samir Becic sat down with his client and one of Houston's favorite television news anchors Dominque Sachse. Here are her perspectives on health, wellness, Houston and how she maintains her gorgeous figure! After all, she is one of Houston's most beautiful!

SB:   Houston is the fattest city in America, how do you think it got to be the fattest city?

DS:           Dining out in Houston is considered a pastime!  We have the most wonderful restaurants here, and our portions are Texas-sized.  Also, there are fast food restaurants practically on every corner. In tough economic times, for many, that's considered the only choice.

SB:    How do you think we can help Houston become one of the fittest cities in America instead of the fattest?

DS:          It starts with education on nutrition and exercise.  If people saw food as a drug, then it might alter their choices.  It's been proven that through drastic dietary changes, along with increasing exercise, you can reverse diabetes, which is plaguing our youth in record numbers now.  Food has the potential to heal, and it has the potential to harm, depending on how we use it.   Also, human beings were designed to move.  Our lifestyles are counterintuitive to the way we're made.  It's imperative that we do something to work our heart muscle, so that it can continue to work for us.

SB:    Over the course of your career, you have been supporting and promoting healthy lifestyle, in your opinion, what are the most important steps someone should take to becoming healthier?   

DS:        I've always believed that diet is 90% of the equation.  We have so many wonderful resources at our fingertips now when it comes to learning about nutrition.  The internet is a vastly useful tool to research and gain a basic understanding of optimal nutrition.  I've learned over the years that when I eliminate the "whites" from my diet, I look and feel my best.  That includes white bread, sugar, flour and dairy.  I find these foods have an addictive quality to them.  If you eat them, you want and crave more.  For me, it seems to take about 7 days to lose that craving once you cut them from your diet.  After that, you're home free..  Alongside nutritional adjustments, a regular fitness routine that's both attainable and challenging are a must.  The simplest thing is to walk out your front door and go for a jog or power walk with some sprints.  It doesn't cost you a thing and gets you out and breathing some fresh air.

SB:    What is your weekly workout routine?  What do you eat on a daily basis?

SB:    Is it difficult for a career woman to have a healthy lifestyle?  How do you work around it?

SB:    What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to healthy lifestyle?

SB:    Name some of your favorite exercises.

DS:         I like using my own body weight for strength training.  I'll do moves with Samir where I'm pushing or pulling him across the room.  The plank position is one of the best core moves around, and of course there's the good, old fashioned push up.  Again, you don't have to have a gym membership to get fit, just the knowledge of what to do and the desire to do it.

SB:    I know that your husband, Nick works out and is also in great shape, how important do you feel being active as a couple is to a marriage?

DS:         I believe it's critical to have a life partner who's like minded when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. Nick and I compliment each other well.  When we met, he exercised religiously, but his diet wasn't ideal.  My diet was clean, but I would let my fatigue get in the way of exercising.  So now, he eats better, and I move more.  We motivate each other to do our best because we want to be around for each other and our children for a long time to come.

BY DISH CONTRIBUTOR SAMIR BECIC:

             In the 21^st Century, the health and medical industry is going to have a reawakening. As time progresses, the correlation between fitness, media, politics and religion is becoming blatantly apparent.

            The more we understand how society works, the more obvious the parallels between these areas begin to intersect, affect each other and their functions in society.  The way that fitness impacts the health and medical industry is greatly influenced by politics and agendas marketed through the media.  Considering that 60-70% of known illnesses can be managed, controlled, or completely avoided with fitness, healthy nutrition and spiritual balance, we still need to convince politicians to support this idealism through any means available to them, and motivate the media to spread the message. 

Even though we are witnessing influence from politics and media on the health and medical industry of today, it is not revolutionary enough.  I would personally like this influence to be in spreading the message of healthy lifestyle and its impact on the masses.  Considering that we are the most obese country in the world, and statistics are showing that by 2015 over 75% of Americans will be overweight- the right message from politics and media can be a breaking point in a positive direction towards a healthier and fitter America.  More media personalities need to be aware of how healthier lifestyle can have a positive impact on American society and how their influence as ambassadors for healthy living can be crucial in changing this nation towards being a leader in health and fitness.

Political leaders can be one of the building blocks towards attaining healthy lifestyle in mainstream America.  Their influence in making the laws and their presence in media can be imperative towards exciting the masses into changing their nutrition for the better and being more physically active.  Coupled with corporations, politicians can produce the necessary financial means to support the media in starting to become more proactive in providing the exposure needed to make wide-ranging changes towards a healthier U.S.  Through having a healthier workforce, corporations will also see great added benefits to supporting the new health and fitness movement.

            Based on statistics, such as for every $1 spent on wellness initiatives, corporations can save as high as $10, we can conclude that healthy employees benefit the employer.  Conversely, we can conclude that the money that corporations spend on employees’ unhealthy lifestyle is so high that it can determine the future existence of the company and standing of the employees’ job security.  On the other hand, if the company did not have such astronomical health costs, that money could be used for improving the quality of the workplace, more benefits for the employees, and possible higher income.  The new emergence in the corporate world is the Religious non-profit sector such as the “Super Churches” that have enormous influence on its followers- which is a substantial portion of the population.

            The Mega-Churches of today hold a strong influence on the general opinion of mainstream America.  Followers look for daily guidance from pastors and heads of ministries on the best way to live their lives and raise their families.  It is enormously important to provide the churches with the correct knowledge on fitness and proper nutrition so they can influence and better their members lives.  I am glad that some mega-churches are currently trying to do this and are already having very respectable results in the field.  One of these churches is Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, which continuously provides their members with educational materials, programs, and motivation to live healthier and fitter for themselves and their families.  It also helps that Joel Osteen himself is a very fit man, that in addition to his spiritual guidance, he also inspires people to live healthier lives.  I see that several national churches are following Lakewood’s admirable example, and I truly believe that even more will follow suit.

            With this being said, it becomes apparent that all the segments of society need to be rearhwakened and re-educated in terms of what “truly” makes a population healthy.  To achieve this, we need all the factors mentioned above to work in a synergetic manner to accomplish the greater good in terms of health and fitness on a national level.  In the past, there were too many quick-fixes, like short-lived diets and “magic” weight-loss pills that didn’t work- the proof is in in 11% obesity rate increase over the past decade.  With proper education in fitness and healthy nutrition- a.k.a. Healthy Lifestyle- we can change the significance of what health means to the United States citizens.  The Health and Fitness Revolution will change the public opinion towards long-term healthy lifestyle instead of short-lived trends.

By DISH Contributor Samir Becic:

Since the beginning of time, humanity has depended on fitness.  “Survival of the fittest” was especially crucial throughout history and the evolution and humankind.

Throughout the prehistoric ages, man used his body as a tool for hunting and gathering and survival.  Today, although man is no longer driven to fitness in order to sustain life in the primitive sense, the modern man uses fitness to encompass health and well-being.   It is important to understand the evolution of health and fitness to mankind throughout the ages to fully comprehend its fundamental necessity in today’s society and the foundation to the modern fitness movement.

                From the time of the primitive man until about 2500 B.C. fitness was used as a necessary tool for hunting and gathering.  As time progressed towards the birth of Jesus, fitness was not solely used for sustainability but became necessary in order to maintain the biggest empires in the world, through military strength.

            Some of the biggest ancient empires in the world, including: Persian empire, Macedonian empire, and Roman empire were built on an extremely fitness oriented mentality.  Physical fitness was of the number one importance to ensure the strength and longevity of their empires.  It is of no surprise that all of them collapsed because of deterioration of physical fitness with the birth of extravagant lifestyles.

            The Greek-Macedonian Empire is still today regarded as one of the fittest empires to date.  In Greece, the Spartans were and still are viewed as the personification of extreme fitness.  Because of this, the Spartan army was one of the deadliest armies the world has ever known.

            By contrast, the Chinese and Indian empires used fitness not only for military purposes but also for health.  Their political and philosophical leaders, including Confucius were encouraging people to partake in exercise in order to prevent certain diseases like heart disease and diabetes. They discovered that through yoga and martial arts, they not only became fitter, but also healthier- this was the crucial breakthrough in the history of mankind.  For the first time, fitness became a known to cure many physical ailments.

            During the Renaissance period, an intellectual expansion occurred, so did a curriculum of physical fitness and fitness philosophy. Many intellectual thinkers of the time, such as John Locke, Martin Luther, and Richard Mulcaster maintained the positive correlation between fitness and intellect.

            After the Renaissance came the National period in Europe, which was marked by the first modern fitness movement of gymnastics.  This came at a time when nationalism was prevalent in Europe which inspired many gymnastic experts to develop their own programs.

-         Germany: Johann Guts Muths and Friedrich Jahn believed that through gymnastic programs, Germans could be fitter and more resilient against foreign invasion.

-         Sweden: Per Henrik Ling developed gymnastic programs for educational, military, and medical use.

-         Denmark: Frank Nachtegall spread gymnastic programs throughout the school systems.

-         England: Archibald Maclaren spread the benefits of fitness and regular exercise to breed a healthier and stronger youth.

-         America: based its methods on the popular European training styles of the time.  Benjamin Franklin was a strong proponent of maintain regular exercise for health purposes.

The industrialization period in the U.S. and Europe was marked by a more sedentary lifestyle and an increase in deaths due to the increase of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Type II Diabetes.  This was a significantly important as proof that physical inactivity was strongly correlated with an increase of diseases and illnesses.

In the early 20^th Century, we noticed a new movement in gymnastics and general fitness throughout the western world.  Western world leaders urged and encouraged their citizens to be physically active for the purpose of national security and the health of their nations.

During the roaring Twenties comfort and fun was put ahead of exercise and fitness became viewed as less important.  Soon after that, the Great Depression hit, and fitness continued to be less emphasized than the growing financial crisis.  Therefore, a general lack of health became a growing trend during this time period. 

With this being said, we can clearly see throughout history that there is a correlation between lack of physical fitness and economical decline. 

The Modern fitness movement, as we know it today, evolved from the military competition between the nations during WWII and the cold war.  It was becoming clear that men were not physically fit to serve their countries in military service during the draft.  The people that developed the new fitness movement were visionaries such as Jack Lalanne, who is regarded as the father of American Fitness. Presidents like John F. Kennedy were strong believer in fitness for health, emphasizing fitness as the “basis for all other forms of excellence.”

Being in the health and fitness industry my entire life, and working for the biggest fitness corporation in the world at the time, I witnessed major changes in how people view fitness and healthy lifestyle today versus 15 years ago.  The Health and Fitness Revolution is happening and healthy lifestyle will be a major force and grow to epic proportions in the health industry of tomorrow.

In the 21^st Century, fitness, proper nutrition and spiritual balance will be the basic fundamental of healthy living and will make a major impact on how we view the health industry. In the next 10 to 20 years, these components will become even more significant and will change how fitness and healthy lifestyle is viewed in the health and medical industry.  There is a famous Latin saying “historia est magistra vitae” which suggests that history is life’s teacher.  Holding this true, we should acknowledge that economical prosperity and national security are dependent on the physical health of a nations’ population and that with physical activity, healthy nutrition, and spiritual balance we can manage, control, or completely avoid 60-70 % of known illnesses.

*This article is based on the research of the University of New Mexico by Lance C. Dalleck, M.S. and Len Kravitz, Ph.D.