About Charles
Based in Morristown, NJ, Charles Licastro is a highly successful home improvement specialist who values family and community above all else. He grew up learning about all aspects of building and masonry from not only his family but those within the industry that he knew from his neighborhood. Charles continued the family legacy of top-notch work and founded a thriving home improvement industry that has been serving his community for over four decades.
As a man who is more involved than most in his community, it comes as no surprise that Charles Licastro is deeply involved in causes that may affect those around him. He frequently makes donations to the Make a Wish Foundation and the ALS Foundation as well as causes such as cystic fibrosis. However, Mr. Licastro is especially committed to heart and lung health after a personal scare with cancer.
Recently, Charles Licastro went to his doctor for a routine visit and was referred to a specialist who ultimately diagnosed him with lung cancer. Charles was blown away and deeply affected as he had never smoked. He sought a second opinion only to discover he, in fact, did not have lung cancer at all. This brush with the possibility of cancer or even death led him to become an advocate for early detection, prevention, and treatment of the disease.
Charles Licastro is passionate about educating people on the risks of lung cancer and other diseases. After losing his sister, Maria, Charles also became more aware of the impact people’s decisions have on their health. Maria was a longtime smoker, which drastically increased her risk for contracting lung cancer. After her diagnosis, Maria denied that she had cancer, causing valuable time to be wasted. By the time she came around, it was too late. Maria passed away at the age of 51.
Charles does not want another person to experience what his family went through. It is important to him that people exposed to cigarettes (either by smoking or living around smokers) or radon speak with their doctor about their risk of cancer. Charles is also of the mindset that people should be checked out if they have any suspicion that their health is faltering. When something doesn’t seem right, book an appointment, even if it seems unnecessary. It is better to be overly precautious than to find out too late.
Due to this experience, Charles Licastro remains committed to living a healthier lifestyle and is fortunate enough to work in the home improvement industry where he is active on a near-daily basis. His grandchildren are a strong motivator for staying healthy and energetic enough to keep up with them and watch them grow. Throughout his health journey, his family was his support and motivation, and they continue to assist him in his endeavors to help others battle health issues and raise awareness for causes that deserve more attention and funding.
Growing up in a community of masons and construction industry experts inspired Charles Licastro to use the knowledge he had amassed throughout his young adult life to pursue a career in home improvement. He founded his own company and expanded from his small operation in his family’s house to a small shop to a large showroom today. After over 44 years of operating his business, Charles Licastro continues the family tradition and enjoys every second spent helping others by improving their homes. In his spare time, Charles Licastro spends time with his wife, two children, and two grandchildren. They all share a love of travel and frequent their family home on the Jersey Shore and vacation every summer together in Florida, where Charles loves to boat, fish, and just spend time in the great outdoors.
Why Exercising For Your Heart Is More Important Than Your Weight
The primary focus for many when they start to exercise is to lose weight, but working out is much more than that. Your heart benefits the most. You don’t need to go to the gym for hours on end, instead start small. While at work, take the stairs rather than the elevator, or park your car at the back of the parking lot. Making small changes like this in your life is going to be easier than forcing yourself to go to the gym for a full hour.
Benefits?
Through physical activity, you reduce your stress, blood pressure and lower your risk for diabetes and even some types of cancers. With all these added benefits you should be working not just to lose a few pounds, but instead to increase the longevity of your life and happiness.
How Do I get Started?
The first step to exercising is just starting. Motivate yourself by thinking of the benefits, such as weight loss and muscle gain. You can also start by working out in small doses. By doing this, you aren’t forcing your body to commit to a schedule that it hasn’t completed before. Set realistic expectations to how long you are going to train as well as increase the amount the more you exercise. You want to reach 30 minutes of workout on a daily basis. Consider asking a friend to join you. When you have someone keeping you accountable for your workouts you are more likely to stick with the routine.
The easiest activity that you can start is walking. The only thing required to start doing this is a good pair of shoes. You can also download a phone app that will keep track of how far you traveled and have you competing with friends around the world for distance. As you continue to workout, consider joining a sport, or classes. Swimming is a great workout that uses all the muscles in your body.
If you are too busy to take a class, remember that both stair climbing and gardening are considered strenuous exercises and are easy to add into your day. Your week should consist of 150 minutes of moderate exercise. An easy way to tell if you are doing this is any activity that makes you warmer or makes your heart beat faster.
While working out is a great first start to becoming heart-healthy, keep in mind that you should be careful of specific conditions that you experience. Should you begin to become dizzy, have trouble breathing or pressure in the upper part of your body or chest, stop and seek medical help. If you experience soreness for a day or two, know that it will fade as your body gets used to working out.
Working out is a fundamental part of staying healthy. Don’t let a lack of exercise stop you from being the best that you can be.
