Every five years or so there seems to be a new fad diet that becomes the craze. Low-carbohydrate diets currently hold that spot. The popularity of fad diets is their ability to assist the individual with quick weight loss. Some people who want to lose weight are so desperate that they will try anything. Many of these diets do result in weight loss. The problem is that they may cause rebound affects in the form of more weight gain or worse, cause you to develop a health issue or to become vitamin deficient.
The problems that can occur when you are on a fad diet can range from mild to severe. Mild symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, and headaches. Severe symptoms that you may develop from a fad diet include heart disease, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides. What further complicates the issue is that most people will not know they have a problem until the condition progresses to a dangerous level. This is one of the reasons any diet modifications should first be discussed with a medical doctor.
Of course, the best method for weight loss is to lessen the number of calories consumed and increase the number of calories burned so that no more than two pounds per week are lost. This method takes time and people who want to lose a significant amount of weight may become impatient. There may be the possibility that your weight gain is associated with some health condition. There is good news for people in this situation.
The reason many people aren't successful on fad diets is because the diets are typically not good sources of long-term nutrition. Your body will crave the nutrients that it is missing. Unless you are on a restrictive diet advised by your doctor, it is best to avoid diets that limit a particular food group. A diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grain, as well as fats is the best way to lose weight. These foods are low in calories and are also beneficial in keeping your body healthy. A multivitamin that contains high amounts of chromium and calcium may assist you with losing weight. These two elements help your body metabolize fat, which is necessary for weight loss. As with fad diets, you should consult with your doctor before taking a multivitamin with high doses of these elements.
To check out the supplement we take daily and highly recommend, be sure to check out http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/what-we-use.html
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Childhood Stutter
A stutter normally starts for people in childhood and is often referred to as a childhood stutter. This is often very worrying for parents and the child and it is difficult to know where to seek help for the person who has the stutter.
There are many types of stutter. Family and friends may not even be aware that a person they know has a stutter. That is because the person is able to hide the stutter, by using word avoidance or word substitution.
Other people are unable to do this and have what they would consider an openely more severe stutter.
A stutter would normally occur more when a person is:
under pressure
when tired
meeting new people
speaking in an uncomfortable situation
asking questions, for example asking for directions
introducing people
Stuttering can also be known in some areas as stammering.
Stutter therapy:
People who have a stutter have different options when seeking therapy. They can go to a speech therapist or speech pathologist. Alternatively they can attend a speech course. These courses can be on a group basis or on a one to one basis.
I personally prefer and advise one to one stutter courses as I believe every person who has a stutter is an individual and has their own individual type stutter.
There are many types of stutter. Family and friends may not even be aware that a person they know has a stutter. That is because the person is able to hide the stutter, by using word avoidance or word substitution.
Other people are unable to do this and have what they would consider an openely more severe stutter.
A stutter would normally occur more when a person is:
under pressure
when tired
meeting new people
speaking in an uncomfortable situation
asking questions, for example asking for directions
introducing people
Stuttering can also be known in some areas as stammering.
Stutter therapy:
People who have a stutter have different options when seeking therapy. They can go to a speech therapist or speech pathologist. Alternatively they can attend a speech course. These courses can be on a group basis or on a one to one basis.
I personally prefer and advise one to one stutter courses as I believe every person who has a stutter is an individual and has their own individual type stutter.
Can Headaches Be Caused by Sitting at a Computer?
Has it ever occurred to you that while you are happily typing away on your computer for hours on end you are actually creating a problem in your neck that can lead to chronic migraine headaches or tension headaches? If you suffer from migraine headaches or tension headaches it may be something you should investigate.
When a person with migraine headaches or tension headaches visits a chiropractor
for their pain what does the chiropractor typically do for that patient? The usual treatment for most headache patients is to manipulate, or adjust, the neck. Chiropractors teach us that most headaches come from neck problems, and that by adjusting or manipulating the neck tension and migraine headaches can be relieved or cured.
Over 80% of headache patients that receive chiropractic treatment show improvement that ranges from slight improvement up to complete elimination of their headache pain. If this is the case then it seems logical that the majority of migraine
headaches or tension headaches originate from spinal (neck) problems. It also seems logical that if we knew what was causing these neck problems, and eliminated what was causing them, we could also eliminate the headaches, both migraine and tension.
As a chiropractor for 25 years I have treated many patients with migraine headaches and tension headaches. After examining thousands of patients I discovered that as many as 95% who were experiencing headaches had one thing in common, a reversed cervical (neck) curve. From the side view a normal neck should have a slight curve in it. But in my experience as a chiropractor I estimate that approximately 95% of my patients with headaches had either a lessening of that curve, no curve at all, or a curve that was completely reversed. When these “poor neck curvatures” were treated with chiropractic adjustments most showed great improvement.
Chiropractors know that headaches can be caused by “poor neck posture,” so the next question becomes “can sitting at a computer cause poor neck posture?” If the answer is yes, then it’s obvious that sitting at a computer can and does cause headaches.
People usually develop poor neck curvatures because of poor posture habits. Anything a person does that places their head in a position forward to their body will lessen or reverse their normal neck curve. And poor neck curvatures DO cause headaches. Chiropractors have been teaching this for decades.
The types of activities that can lead to poor neck posture include sitting at a computer for extended periods of time, reading with the head bent forward, sitting while slouching in a chair or on a couch, sleeping with the head or neck in odd positions, or any other activity that places the head in a position forward to the body. So, to answer our original question, yes, headaches can be caused by sitting at a computer. Sitting at a computer can cause an abnormal neck curvature to develop which can cause headaches.
Good posture can surely prevent the development of poor neck posture, which would seem to be the best remedy, but what can be done if the lessening or reversal of the neck curve has already been developed? Obviously, chiropractic treatment is an option that could be considered. But there are many other alternative treatments for tension or migraine headaches.
Most people just take a pain pill. But are pain pills the best approach? They surely are in some cases, but there are many other headache treatment options that don’t require the use of potentially harmful drugs. All drugs have side effects, some of which can end up being worse than the headaches themselves. Before treating your health problems with drugs it is wise to seek the advice of a health professional.
There are many natural remedies for migraine headaches or tension headaches. These include stress and tension reduction, ice therapy (used at the base of the skull), eliminating food triggers, getting the proper amount of rest, biofeedback, headache pillows or cushions, exercise and many others. Some of these may help relieve headaches, both migraine and tension, and could be investigated further.
When a person with migraine headaches or tension headaches visits a chiropractor
for their pain what does the chiropractor typically do for that patient? The usual treatment for most headache patients is to manipulate, or adjust, the neck. Chiropractors teach us that most headaches come from neck problems, and that by adjusting or manipulating the neck tension and migraine headaches can be relieved or cured.
Over 80% of headache patients that receive chiropractic treatment show improvement that ranges from slight improvement up to complete elimination of their headache pain. If this is the case then it seems logical that the majority of migraine
headaches or tension headaches originate from spinal (neck) problems. It also seems logical that if we knew what was causing these neck problems, and eliminated what was causing them, we could also eliminate the headaches, both migraine and tension.
As a chiropractor for 25 years I have treated many patients with migraine headaches and tension headaches. After examining thousands of patients I discovered that as many as 95% who were experiencing headaches had one thing in common, a reversed cervical (neck) curve. From the side view a normal neck should have a slight curve in it. But in my experience as a chiropractor I estimate that approximately 95% of my patients with headaches had either a lessening of that curve, no curve at all, or a curve that was completely reversed. When these “poor neck curvatures” were treated with chiropractic adjustments most showed great improvement.
Chiropractors know that headaches can be caused by “poor neck posture,” so the next question becomes “can sitting at a computer cause poor neck posture?” If the answer is yes, then it’s obvious that sitting at a computer can and does cause headaches.
People usually develop poor neck curvatures because of poor posture habits. Anything a person does that places their head in a position forward to their body will lessen or reverse their normal neck curve. And poor neck curvatures DO cause headaches. Chiropractors have been teaching this for decades.
The types of activities that can lead to poor neck posture include sitting at a computer for extended periods of time, reading with the head bent forward, sitting while slouching in a chair or on a couch, sleeping with the head or neck in odd positions, or any other activity that places the head in a position forward to the body. So, to answer our original question, yes, headaches can be caused by sitting at a computer. Sitting at a computer can cause an abnormal neck curvature to develop which can cause headaches.
Good posture can surely prevent the development of poor neck posture, which would seem to be the best remedy, but what can be done if the lessening or reversal of the neck curve has already been developed? Obviously, chiropractic treatment is an option that could be considered. But there are many other alternative treatments for tension or migraine headaches.
Most people just take a pain pill. But are pain pills the best approach? They surely are in some cases, but there are many other headache treatment options that don’t require the use of potentially harmful drugs. All drugs have side effects, some of which can end up being worse than the headaches themselves. Before treating your health problems with drugs it is wise to seek the advice of a health professional.
There are many natural remedies for migraine headaches or tension headaches. These include stress and tension reduction, ice therapy (used at the base of the skull), eliminating food triggers, getting the proper amount of rest, biofeedback, headache pillows or cushions, exercise and many others. Some of these may help relieve headaches, both migraine and tension, and could be investigated further.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Get Some Exercise
Once you have been diagnosed with diabetes, the first thing you here from your doctor is to “get some exercise”. Pretty soon everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and pointing out to you just how important it is to “get some exercise”. I know, I suffer Type 2 diabetes, but I have learnt how to control the disease, and getting exercise is an important part of that control. At first you think how can I possibly exercise, it was probably this mindset, and lack of exercise, that brought on the disease. You are probably well overweight, a major contributor to the disease, and the feelings of apprehension set in, how can I possibly exercise.
While you may be thinking “that’s easier said than done”, you may be surprised to learn that exercise isn’t necessarily about “no pain – no gain”. Regular physical activity can become an enjoyable part of your day with long term benefits to your diabetes and your overall health. You will even lose weight. It is as important to a diabetic as is giving up smoking. Regular physical activity is certainly worth the effort with the following benefits.
For the person with diabetes
Improves the body’s response to insulin.
Can therefore lower glucose levels.
Lowers blood pressure and improves cholesterol levels.
Reduces the risk of heart disease.
Lose Weight.
Other benefits and positives
Reduces stress and tension.
Increases energy levels
Strengthens bone structure.
Improves mental outlook.
Increases fitness levels.
Improves sleeping habits
It is recommended that you aim to spend at least 30 minutes a day doing some form of moderate intensity physical activity. Moderate intensity physical activity means you will notice your heart rate increase, and you may have a light sweat. If you are not breathing more quickly than usual, it is not helping. If on the other hand you are gasping and unable to talk, you are overdoing it. If you are trying to lose weight, 30 minutes may not be enough, but it is an excellent place to start. Also, read everything you can on the subject of diabetes information and I can suggest http://www.health4diabetes.com is a great resource.
My form of activity was walking and playing tennis and golf. Initially I started on flat walks of 25 – 30 minutes, and then once fit boosted it to about 45 minutes walking more quickly, and “took to the hills”. I am lucky to have both flat and hill sectors in my neighbourhood. I have lost 8 Kg (17.5lb), feel fit and strong, and currently have the diabetes under control. I know I can’t cure the disease, but I can live with it and not have to suffer.
While you may be thinking “that’s easier said than done”, you may be surprised to learn that exercise isn’t necessarily about “no pain – no gain”. Regular physical activity can become an enjoyable part of your day with long term benefits to your diabetes and your overall health. You will even lose weight. It is as important to a diabetic as is giving up smoking. Regular physical activity is certainly worth the effort with the following benefits.
For the person with diabetes
Improves the body’s response to insulin.
Can therefore lower glucose levels.
Lowers blood pressure and improves cholesterol levels.
Reduces the risk of heart disease.
Lose Weight.
Other benefits and positives
Reduces stress and tension.
Increases energy levels
Strengthens bone structure.
Improves mental outlook.
Increases fitness levels.
Improves sleeping habits
It is recommended that you aim to spend at least 30 minutes a day doing some form of moderate intensity physical activity. Moderate intensity physical activity means you will notice your heart rate increase, and you may have a light sweat. If you are not breathing more quickly than usual, it is not helping. If on the other hand you are gasping and unable to talk, you are overdoing it. If you are trying to lose weight, 30 minutes may not be enough, but it is an excellent place to start. Also, read everything you can on the subject of diabetes information and I can suggest http://www.health4diabetes.com is a great resource.
My form of activity was walking and playing tennis and golf. Initially I started on flat walks of 25 – 30 minutes, and then once fit boosted it to about 45 minutes walking more quickly, and “took to the hills”. I am lucky to have both flat and hill sectors in my neighbourhood. I have lost 8 Kg (17.5lb), feel fit and strong, and currently have the diabetes under control. I know I can’t cure the disease, but I can live with it and not have to suffer.
Get Back On Track With a Personal Fitness Trainer
One of the most honest assessments for most of us is that we're procrastinators. We'll delay and wait for as long as possible especially if what needs done are lifestyle changes. Take for example the need for more exercise.
We're a nation of people that sign up at the local health clubs, buy all the expensive equipment then proceed to go round and round the parking lot looking for a close spot so we don't have to walk so far. Come on, you know that's true! Who hasn't seen people at all stores traveling the equivalent of several miles looking for that just right close parking spot.
One thing that seems to work however is to obtain the services of a personal fitness trainer. Fitness trainers typically will be found in almost every gym but can be located by simply calling a cardiologist. Many highly qualified and skilled lifestyle people are associated with cardiologist. Cardiology by the way is the heart doctor, which is what we'll all be needing if the snack foods aren't replaced with healthier foods. LOL
A fitness trainer will create a health and exercise plan that will then be monitored for progress. By having someone holding us accountable, the potential for success is greatly increased.
While we're on the subject of success, we should also practice what we preach and enforce the same type of healthy choice lifestyle on the rest of the family. After all, didn't someone once say that misery lover company. :o)
Seriously, here are a few ideas that can help get all of us and our families back into some shape other than "round"
1 Explain the difference between healthy and not so healthy food choices but DO NOT NAG. The idea is to make better choices most of the time not be perfect!
2 Prepare healthy meals. Quit the burger and taco runs and calling that dinner. One of the biggest problems with our diets isn't that we eat to much but that it's the wrong kind of foods. And those wrong kind of foods are in most cases sold by corporate conglomerates looking for profits not a healthy customer.
3. Never use food as a reward. If food is a big part of some outing, (popcorn at the theater) start to change that behavior by having other, more healthy snacks available. Our family would buy candy and oil laden popcorn at the movies and still do but in much smaller quantities. We lower the amount of the bad foods by bringing in bags of those small baby carrots to munch on. It's now preferred by many of the kids and are considered a movie snack!
4. When you can walk to do something, do it. Don't just get into the car to go a couple of blocks.
A personal fitness trainer can go a long way to helping with ideas like these. Interview trainers and look for one that's not interested in changing your world overnight. The best personal trainer is one who sees the progress and works to see those little successes turn into major lifestyles changes.
We're a nation of people that sign up at the local health clubs, buy all the expensive equipment then proceed to go round and round the parking lot looking for a close spot so we don't have to walk so far. Come on, you know that's true! Who hasn't seen people at all stores traveling the equivalent of several miles looking for that just right close parking spot.
One thing that seems to work however is to obtain the services of a personal fitness trainer. Fitness trainers typically will be found in almost every gym but can be located by simply calling a cardiologist. Many highly qualified and skilled lifestyle people are associated with cardiologist. Cardiology by the way is the heart doctor, which is what we'll all be needing if the snack foods aren't replaced with healthier foods. LOL
A fitness trainer will create a health and exercise plan that will then be monitored for progress. By having someone holding us accountable, the potential for success is greatly increased.
While we're on the subject of success, we should also practice what we preach and enforce the same type of healthy choice lifestyle on the rest of the family. After all, didn't someone once say that misery lover company. :o)
Seriously, here are a few ideas that can help get all of us and our families back into some shape other than "round"
1 Explain the difference between healthy and not so healthy food choices but DO NOT NAG. The idea is to make better choices most of the time not be perfect!
2 Prepare healthy meals. Quit the burger and taco runs and calling that dinner. One of the biggest problems with our diets isn't that we eat to much but that it's the wrong kind of foods. And those wrong kind of foods are in most cases sold by corporate conglomerates looking for profits not a healthy customer.
3. Never use food as a reward. If food is a big part of some outing, (popcorn at the theater) start to change that behavior by having other, more healthy snacks available. Our family would buy candy and oil laden popcorn at the movies and still do but in much smaller quantities. We lower the amount of the bad foods by bringing in bags of those small baby carrots to munch on. It's now preferred by many of the kids and are considered a movie snack!
4. When you can walk to do something, do it. Don't just get into the car to go a couple of blocks.
A personal fitness trainer can go a long way to helping with ideas like these. Interview trainers and look for one that's not interested in changing your world overnight. The best personal trainer is one who sees the progress and works to see those little successes turn into major lifestyles changes.
Exercise in Minutes - Exercise for People with No Time to Spare
You can’t count the benefits of exercising. They are just too numerous. They help control weight, help weight loss, improve your attitude and generally make you feel better. The experts are now telling us that just thirty minutes a day of moving will improve your health.
While I must accept the opinions of so many experts, I still find setting aside the time is a problem in my busy life. If you experience the same problem, you might try some of these ideas to get you going:
1. When you go to the mall or grocery store, don’t park next to the front door of the store. Leave your car as far from the store as you can. This will give you more of a walk in an effortless way.
2. When the weather suits you, go outside and clean the yard. Just bending and stretching to pick up leaves and trash will burn calories.
3. Try taking the dog for a walk. Your dog will enjoy this very much and keep you moving.
4. At work, perhaps you can walk at lunch time. I’ve found that some of my office staff are willing to walk some days with me. This makes the time go faster and yet, I’ve exercised during the daylight hours.
I’m sure you can find many more reasons and ideas to help motivate you in the right direction. I find that walking in the sunshine helps improve my mood and that I will just make the time when the sun is out. Find your reason to help yourself.
While I must accept the opinions of so many experts, I still find setting aside the time is a problem in my busy life. If you experience the same problem, you might try some of these ideas to get you going:
1. When you go to the mall or grocery store, don’t park next to the front door of the store. Leave your car as far from the store as you can. This will give you more of a walk in an effortless way.
2. When the weather suits you, go outside and clean the yard. Just bending and stretching to pick up leaves and trash will burn calories.
3. Try taking the dog for a walk. Your dog will enjoy this very much and keep you moving.
4. At work, perhaps you can walk at lunch time. I’ve found that some of my office staff are willing to walk some days with me. This makes the time go faster and yet, I’ve exercised during the daylight hours.
I’m sure you can find many more reasons and ideas to help motivate you in the right direction. I find that walking in the sunshine helps improve my mood and that I will just make the time when the sun is out. Find your reason to help yourself.
Exercise Bikes Are Not What They Used To Be
Do you remember the days when exercise bikes were just bikes held up off of the ground? When exercise bikes were no more complicated than your regular everyday outdoor bike? It seems like a million years ago but in fact it was just yesterday. In an amazingly short amount of time exercise bikes have changed the way we exercise and they way that we stay in tip top shape.
Gone are the exercise bikes that are like outdoor bikes, not we have spinning machines and exercise bikes with TVs on them. We have exercise bikes that will take us up hills and down them to add some spice to our workouts and exercise bikes that will monitor your heart rate and your breathing. It is truly amazing just how much these amazing fitness machines have changed over the last few years. And the best part is that all of these changes to the exercise bikes of today mean that you get a better, more personalized workout each and every tie that you get onto on.
What makes exercise bikes so great and so popular is that they offer so much variety but you never have to leave the house. Many people do not like going to a public gym to exercise in front of all kinds of people. It makes you uncomfortable, who wants others to see them sweating? I know I don’t. And when you have home exercise bikes you never have to take this kind of thing into consideration, you can do all of your exercising in the privacy of your own home.
That is not the only plus to exercise bikes though, there is more. If you had a regular bike, what would you do when it snowed or it was raining really hard? It is not safe to ride a bike outdoors in that kind of weather. Not only could you slip and fall off, but others driving could have a hard time seeing you. This can lead to all kinds of dangerous situations but when you have your own exercise bikes indoors, you can exercise at any time of the day r night, in any weather with perfect safety. Safety should always come first and with these kinds of exercise bikes it always does.
When it comes to choosing the exercise bikes that are right for you, it will take some serious shopping around. You need to take into consideration why you are looking for indoor exercise bikes. Is it to burn fat? To promote good heart health? Better circulation? These types of considerations will affect the kind of exercise bikes that you should be looking at. Since there are so many add ons and extras that you can get these days you need to make sure that you are looking at the exercise bikes that have what you need.
For example, if you want to work on your heart health then you need to look at the exercise bikes that will have heart monitors and perhaps some more of those kinds of add ons.
Gone are the exercise bikes that are like outdoor bikes, not we have spinning machines and exercise bikes with TVs on them. We have exercise bikes that will take us up hills and down them to add some spice to our workouts and exercise bikes that will monitor your heart rate and your breathing. It is truly amazing just how much these amazing fitness machines have changed over the last few years. And the best part is that all of these changes to the exercise bikes of today mean that you get a better, more personalized workout each and every tie that you get onto on.
What makes exercise bikes so great and so popular is that they offer so much variety but you never have to leave the house. Many people do not like going to a public gym to exercise in front of all kinds of people. It makes you uncomfortable, who wants others to see them sweating? I know I don’t. And when you have home exercise bikes you never have to take this kind of thing into consideration, you can do all of your exercising in the privacy of your own home.
That is not the only plus to exercise bikes though, there is more. If you had a regular bike, what would you do when it snowed or it was raining really hard? It is not safe to ride a bike outdoors in that kind of weather. Not only could you slip and fall off, but others driving could have a hard time seeing you. This can lead to all kinds of dangerous situations but when you have your own exercise bikes indoors, you can exercise at any time of the day r night, in any weather with perfect safety. Safety should always come first and with these kinds of exercise bikes it always does.
When it comes to choosing the exercise bikes that are right for you, it will take some serious shopping around. You need to take into consideration why you are looking for indoor exercise bikes. Is it to burn fat? To promote good heart health? Better circulation? These types of considerations will affect the kind of exercise bikes that you should be looking at. Since there are so many add ons and extras that you can get these days you need to make sure that you are looking at the exercise bikes that have what you need.
For example, if you want to work on your heart health then you need to look at the exercise bikes that will have heart monitors and perhaps some more of those kinds of add ons.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Don't Forget to Drink Your Fruits and Veggies
Remember the scene at the dinner table when you were a child? Negotiating with your parents on how many bites of peas and carrots you had to take in order to leave the table was most likely a constant struggle.
Unfortunately, people don't always grow out of this negative attitude toward fruits and vegetables. Studies show that the average American consumer eats only three servings of fruits and vegetables a day. When compared to the recommended five to nine servings a day, it's apparent that many of us have a long way to go.
The effort is worth it, though. Studies by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Academy of Sciences suggest that the nutritional goodness of fruits and vegetables, along with a diet that is low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, may decrease the risk of developing certain diseases.
To help their patients get the necessary nutrients, some doctors recommend "green drinks." These powdered drink mixes are a natural source of vitamins and minerals. To many people, however, the drinks also have a strong, unbearable taste and an unpalatable texture.
Would you stick with a nutritious drink if you had to hold your nose while consuming it?
To get the health benefits found in green drinks without the unappetizing taste and texture, I recommend Earth's Promise from Enzymatic Therapy. With a combination of 20 vitamin-rich ingredients, one glass of Earth's Promise provides the essential nutrients your body needs to enhance energy, support digestion and boost the immune system. It also is high in fiber. In fact, drinking one glass provides you with more fiber than you would get from eating a bowl of oatmeal.
Earth's Promise comes in three flavors - Strawberry-Kiwi, Elderberry and Peppermint-Tea - making it easier to support a healthy lifestyle. In addition, it is laboratory-tested for purity, safety and performance and meets the highest manufacturing standards.
Unfortunately, people don't always grow out of this negative attitude toward fruits and vegetables. Studies show that the average American consumer eats only three servings of fruits and vegetables a day. When compared to the recommended five to nine servings a day, it's apparent that many of us have a long way to go.
The effort is worth it, though. Studies by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Academy of Sciences suggest that the nutritional goodness of fruits and vegetables, along with a diet that is low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, may decrease the risk of developing certain diseases.
To help their patients get the necessary nutrients, some doctors recommend "green drinks." These powdered drink mixes are a natural source of vitamins and minerals. To many people, however, the drinks also have a strong, unbearable taste and an unpalatable texture.
Would you stick with a nutritious drink if you had to hold your nose while consuming it?
To get the health benefits found in green drinks without the unappetizing taste and texture, I recommend Earth's Promise from Enzymatic Therapy. With a combination of 20 vitamin-rich ingredients, one glass of Earth's Promise provides the essential nutrients your body needs to enhance energy, support digestion and boost the immune system. It also is high in fiber. In fact, drinking one glass provides you with more fiber than you would get from eating a bowl of oatmeal.
Earth's Promise comes in three flavors - Strawberry-Kiwi, Elderberry and Peppermint-Tea - making it easier to support a healthy lifestyle. In addition, it is laboratory-tested for purity, safety and performance and meets the highest manufacturing standards.
Does the Protien Diet Work?
Of course, when it comes to healthy eating, there are plenty of alternative diets that people want to claim are healthier than the traditional calorie counting method. They are usually motivated by a desire to sell a book or a food range, but some people swear by these methods.
The most famous diet lately has been the Atkins diet and its many copycats: the South Beach diet, GI, and the rest. These are basically high-protein diets that tell you carbohydrate (‘carbs’) are evil, and you should cut right down on them or even cut them out of your diet completely. While nutritionists are incredulous that anyone would seriously consider cutting an entire food group out of their diets, the books have sold in the millions.
The dirty little secret of protein diets is that they do help you lose weight, but only in the short term. They do this by causing you to give yourself a disease called ketosis, caused by lack of carbohydrate, that makes you lose weight, feel bad and have terrible breath. As soon as you go off the diet and back to your old ways, however, you will simply put all your weight back on again.
It is a similar situation with many other diets, including weight loss milkshakes, which rarely contain anything resembling a balanced meal. Instead, they flood your body with protein and little else, forcing it to burn fat – but again, the effect quickly wears off if you stop using the shakes.
A cynic might say that they’re not really trying to help you lose weight or eat healthily, so much as they are trying to keep you on their dodgy diets forever. If you want to eat healthily, stick to balance – no matter what anyone tells you, that’s never going to change.
The most famous diet lately has been the Atkins diet and its many copycats: the South Beach diet, GI, and the rest. These are basically high-protein diets that tell you carbohydrate (‘carbs’) are evil, and you should cut right down on them or even cut them out of your diet completely. While nutritionists are incredulous that anyone would seriously consider cutting an entire food group out of their diets, the books have sold in the millions.
The dirty little secret of protein diets is that they do help you lose weight, but only in the short term. They do this by causing you to give yourself a disease called ketosis, caused by lack of carbohydrate, that makes you lose weight, feel bad and have terrible breath. As soon as you go off the diet and back to your old ways, however, you will simply put all your weight back on again.
It is a similar situation with many other diets, including weight loss milkshakes, which rarely contain anything resembling a balanced meal. Instead, they flood your body with protein and little else, forcing it to burn fat – but again, the effect quickly wears off if you stop using the shakes.
A cynic might say that they’re not really trying to help you lose weight or eat healthily, so much as they are trying to keep you on their dodgy diets forever. If you want to eat healthily, stick to balance – no matter what anyone tells you, that’s never going to change.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Do The Trick With Low Carb Foods
You can hardly turn your head these days without seeing new studies that have been done that show the importance of cutting carbs out of your diet. New diet plans are coming out all the time that claim to have the perfect combinations of foods that will magically allow you to lose all of your extra weight without lifting a finger or sacficing any of the tastes you love so much. Eating low carb foods sounds so boring and hard, but it doesn't have to.
As a registered dietician, it is my job and my joy to work with people in finding healthy food plans that are the best for them in achieving their health goals. I love sitting down with a client and discussing with them why they have made the decision to see me. Because you see, people have to get to a certain level of desperation and desire to change before they will go out of their way and make room in their tight budgets to see a dietician. I love hearing people talk about their struggles with weight and with making healthy eating choices. So many people desire to hear the truth about things like low carb foods but they have been so mis-informed by media.
Out of all the things people ask me, the questions I get most have to do with the truth about low carb foods and about switching to a low carb diet. People want to know whether or not it is an effective way to live, and if so, how they can do it without making their meals boring and bland. I love having this discussion about low carb foods because I happen to be a carb lover that has re-adjusted my eating habits in the past few years.
I tell all my clients that an important key to any health or eating program is balance. I tell them that this is why it is unrealistic and even harmful to think that we are doing good for our bodies by eliminated all carbs or all of anything from our diets. The purpose of low carb foods, which can be great, is to still enjoy the tastes and the health benefits (yes, benefits) of carbs while keeping them under control and trying to maintain your health and weight in the process.
Find some good information and read up about the truth about low carb foods if you don't have the time or money to make an appointment with a dietician. Your health is worth it. Be proactive and learn the truth.
As a registered dietician, it is my job and my joy to work with people in finding healthy food plans that are the best for them in achieving their health goals. I love sitting down with a client and discussing with them why they have made the decision to see me. Because you see, people have to get to a certain level of desperation and desire to change before they will go out of their way and make room in their tight budgets to see a dietician. I love hearing people talk about their struggles with weight and with making healthy eating choices. So many people desire to hear the truth about things like low carb foods but they have been so mis-informed by media.
Out of all the things people ask me, the questions I get most have to do with the truth about low carb foods and about switching to a low carb diet. People want to know whether or not it is an effective way to live, and if so, how they can do it without making their meals boring and bland. I love having this discussion about low carb foods because I happen to be a carb lover that has re-adjusted my eating habits in the past few years.
I tell all my clients that an important key to any health or eating program is balance. I tell them that this is why it is unrealistic and even harmful to think that we are doing good for our bodies by eliminated all carbs or all of anything from our diets. The purpose of low carb foods, which can be great, is to still enjoy the tastes and the health benefits (yes, benefits) of carbs while keeping them under control and trying to maintain your health and weight in the process.
Find some good information and read up about the truth about low carb foods if you don't have the time or money to make an appointment with a dietician. Your health is worth it. Be proactive and learn the truth.
Do We Need Eight Glasses of Water a Day?
Do you know where the idea of drinking eight glasses of water per day came from? Neither does anyone else.
Yet many nutritionists, weight-loss experts and general health gurus claim we must drink that much every day.
I certainly tried to do it. I would drink coffee in the morning, then maybe force down a glass of water. By the time I had sweet tea with lunch, I was not thirsty but would try to choke down two more glasses of water in the afternoon.
By the time I had a glass of wine and more tea for supper, I was full - and facing five more glasses of water! I just could not do it day in and day out.
I know many of you can, and I'm proud of you. But for the rest of us who wallow in guilt, there is good news.
Before I get to that, let me reinforce the necessity of good hydration. Drinking water in adequate amounts is necessary for maintaining the organ systems. In a resting state, this is easy and can be done in many ways. But in times of vigorous physical activity or in high temperatures, consumption must be increased and maintained to keep the body's core temperature from rising dangerously and to prevent dehydration.
Yet research has shown recently that there is no supporting evidence to back the popular notion that eight glasses of water a day is essential to good health. Studies have been duplicated where normal adults of both genders were compared, showing no difference in hydration status.
We are not walking around in a dehydrated state as some would have us believe.
We should drink water when thirsty. It's still the best indicator, and this signal is delivered from our brains when we have lost between 1 percent and 2 percent of our body's water. This amount is not dangerous.
Scientific studies also prove that there is no extra benefit to the skin by drinking more water. Nor is there supporting evidence that it significantly curbs appetite.
Nature intended for us to obtain much of our water from the food we eat. Fruits and vegetables are 80 percent to 90 percent water. Meat contains a fair amount, and even dry bread and cheese are about 35 percent water.
Caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and soda do not necessarily contribute to dehydration. Caffeine does cause a loss of water, but only a fraction of what you are adding by drinking the beverage itself.
If you like to drink eight glass of water a day, that's fine. But don't feel guilty if you choose not to walk around with a bottle like everyone else. Instead, eat balanced meals and follow your thirst mechanism.
Dr. W. David Varner Jr. is a general surgeon and medical consultant for Aflac. - NU
Yet many nutritionists, weight-loss experts and general health gurus claim we must drink that much every day.
I certainly tried to do it. I would drink coffee in the morning, then maybe force down a glass of water. By the time I had sweet tea with lunch, I was not thirsty but would try to choke down two more glasses of water in the afternoon.
By the time I had a glass of wine and more tea for supper, I was full - and facing five more glasses of water! I just could not do it day in and day out.
I know many of you can, and I'm proud of you. But for the rest of us who wallow in guilt, there is good news.
Before I get to that, let me reinforce the necessity of good hydration. Drinking water in adequate amounts is necessary for maintaining the organ systems. In a resting state, this is easy and can be done in many ways. But in times of vigorous physical activity or in high temperatures, consumption must be increased and maintained to keep the body's core temperature from rising dangerously and to prevent dehydration.
Yet research has shown recently that there is no supporting evidence to back the popular notion that eight glasses of water a day is essential to good health. Studies have been duplicated where normal adults of both genders were compared, showing no difference in hydration status.
We are not walking around in a dehydrated state as some would have us believe.
We should drink water when thirsty. It's still the best indicator, and this signal is delivered from our brains when we have lost between 1 percent and 2 percent of our body's water. This amount is not dangerous.
Scientific studies also prove that there is no extra benefit to the skin by drinking more water. Nor is there supporting evidence that it significantly curbs appetite.
Nature intended for us to obtain much of our water from the food we eat. Fruits and vegetables are 80 percent to 90 percent water. Meat contains a fair amount, and even dry bread and cheese are about 35 percent water.
Caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and soda do not necessarily contribute to dehydration. Caffeine does cause a loss of water, but only a fraction of what you are adding by drinking the beverage itself.
If you like to drink eight glass of water a day, that's fine. But don't feel guilty if you choose not to walk around with a bottle like everyone else. Instead, eat balanced meals and follow your thirst mechanism.
Dr. W. David Varner Jr. is a general surgeon and medical consultant for Aflac. - NU
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes
One of the most undemanding and the most workable ways to knock over blood sugar amount, eliminate the dangers of "cardiovascular disease," and perk up health and welfare in general is exercise.
In spite of that, in today's inactive world where almost every indispensable job can be carried out online, from the ergonomic chair in front of a computer, or with a streaming line of messages from a fax machine, exercising can be a hard argument to win over.
The Weight of Exercise
Everyone should exercise, yet the health experts tells us that only 30% of the United States population gets the recommended thirty minutes of daily physical activity, and 25% are not active at all. In fact, inactivity is thought to be one of the key reasons for the surge of type 2 diabetes in the U.S., because inactivity and obesity promote insulin resistance.
The good news is that it is never too late to get moving, and exercise is one of the easiest ways to start controlling your diabetes. For people with type 2 diabetes in particular, exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, lower the risk of heart disease, and promote weight loss.
Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is on the rise. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes every year increased by 48% between 1980 and 1994. Nearly all the new cases are Type 2 Diabetes, or adult-onset, the kind that moves in around middle age. Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include increased thirst, appetite, and need to urinate; feeling tired, edgy, or sick to the stomach; blurred vision; tingling or loss of feeling in the hands.
The causes of type 2 diabetes are complex and not completely understood, although research is uncovering new clues at a rapid pace.
However, it has already been proven that one of the reasons for the boom in type 2 diabetes is the widening of waistbands and the trend toward a more deskbound and inactive lifestyle in the United States and other developed countries. In America, the shift has been striking; in the 1990s alone, obesity increased by 61% and diagnosed diabetes by 49%.
For this reason, health experts encourage those who already have type 2 diabetes to start employing the wonders that exercise can do for them. Without exercise, people have the tendency to become obese. Once they are obese, they have bigger chances of accumulating type 2 diabetes.
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that over 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are clinically overweight. Therefore, it is high time that people, whether inflicted with type 2 diabetes or not, should start doing those jumping and stretching activities.
Getting Started
The first order of business with any exercise plan, especially if you are a "dyed-in-the-wool" sluggish, is to consult with your health care provider. If you have cardiac risk factors, the health care provider may want to perform a stress test to establish a safe level of exercise for you.
Certain diabetic complications will also dictate what type of exercise program you can take on. Activities like weightlifting, jogging, or high-impact aerobics can possibly pose a risk for people with diabetic retinopathy due to the risk for further blood vessel damage and possible retinal detachment.
If you are already active in sports or work out regularly, it will still benefit you to discuss your regular routine with your doctor. If you are taking insulin, you may need to take special precautions to prevent hypoglycemia during your workout.
Start Slow
For those who have type 2 diabetes, your exercise routine can be as simple as a brisk nightly neighborhood walk. If you have not been very active before now, start slowly and work your way up. Walk the dog or get out in the yard and rake. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park in the back of the lot and walk. Every little bit does work, in fact, it really helps a lot.
As little as 15 to 30 minutes of daily, heart-pumping exercise can make a big difference in your blood glucose control and your risk of developing diabetic complications. One of the easiest and least expensive ways of getting moving is to start a walking program. All you need is a good pair of well-fitting, supportive shoes and a direction to head in.
Indeed, you do not have to waste too many expenses on costly "health club memberships," or the most up-to-date health device to start pumping those fats out. What you need is the willingness and the determination to start exercising to a healthier, type 2 diabetes-free life.
The results would be the sweetest rewards from the effort that you have exerted.
In spite of that, in today's inactive world where almost every indispensable job can be carried out online, from the ergonomic chair in front of a computer, or with a streaming line of messages from a fax machine, exercising can be a hard argument to win over.
The Weight of Exercise
Everyone should exercise, yet the health experts tells us that only 30% of the United States population gets the recommended thirty minutes of daily physical activity, and 25% are not active at all. In fact, inactivity is thought to be one of the key reasons for the surge of type 2 diabetes in the U.S., because inactivity and obesity promote insulin resistance.
The good news is that it is never too late to get moving, and exercise is one of the easiest ways to start controlling your diabetes. For people with type 2 diabetes in particular, exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, lower the risk of heart disease, and promote weight loss.
Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is on the rise. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes every year increased by 48% between 1980 and 1994. Nearly all the new cases are Type 2 Diabetes, or adult-onset, the kind that moves in around middle age. Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include increased thirst, appetite, and need to urinate; feeling tired, edgy, or sick to the stomach; blurred vision; tingling or loss of feeling in the hands.
The causes of type 2 diabetes are complex and not completely understood, although research is uncovering new clues at a rapid pace.
However, it has already been proven that one of the reasons for the boom in type 2 diabetes is the widening of waistbands and the trend toward a more deskbound and inactive lifestyle in the United States and other developed countries. In America, the shift has been striking; in the 1990s alone, obesity increased by 61% and diagnosed diabetes by 49%.
For this reason, health experts encourage those who already have type 2 diabetes to start employing the wonders that exercise can do for them. Without exercise, people have the tendency to become obese. Once they are obese, they have bigger chances of accumulating type 2 diabetes.
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that over 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are clinically overweight. Therefore, it is high time that people, whether inflicted with type 2 diabetes or not, should start doing those jumping and stretching activities.
Getting Started
The first order of business with any exercise plan, especially if you are a "dyed-in-the-wool" sluggish, is to consult with your health care provider. If you have cardiac risk factors, the health care provider may want to perform a stress test to establish a safe level of exercise for you.
Certain diabetic complications will also dictate what type of exercise program you can take on. Activities like weightlifting, jogging, or high-impact aerobics can possibly pose a risk for people with diabetic retinopathy due to the risk for further blood vessel damage and possible retinal detachment.
If you are already active in sports or work out regularly, it will still benefit you to discuss your regular routine with your doctor. If you are taking insulin, you may need to take special precautions to prevent hypoglycemia during your workout.
Start Slow
For those who have type 2 diabetes, your exercise routine can be as simple as a brisk nightly neighborhood walk. If you have not been very active before now, start slowly and work your way up. Walk the dog or get out in the yard and rake. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park in the back of the lot and walk. Every little bit does work, in fact, it really helps a lot.
As little as 15 to 30 minutes of daily, heart-pumping exercise can make a big difference in your blood glucose control and your risk of developing diabetic complications. One of the easiest and least expensive ways of getting moving is to start a walking program. All you need is a good pair of well-fitting, supportive shoes and a direction to head in.
Indeed, you do not have to waste too many expenses on costly "health club memberships," or the most up-to-date health device to start pumping those fats out. What you need is the willingness and the determination to start exercising to a healthier, type 2 diabetes-free life.
The results would be the sweetest rewards from the effort that you have exerted.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Bodybuilding Nutrition And Balance
Many inexperienced (sometimes even experienced!) gym regulars believe that muscles grow while lifting weights. However lifting weights forms only a small fraction of the muscle building process. Muscle development takes place at night during deep sleep when the body synthesizes new cells with nutrients from our diet. Therefore nutrition forms a very important part of a bodybuilding program.
The body utilizes nutrients in food to perform daily metabolic and what's commonly referred to as the "wear and tear processes". With bodybuilding, additional strain is put on the body to make new muscle tissues. Therefore the nutrient requirements also shoots up to stay with the demand.
The best bodybuilding nutrition comes from a balanced intake of carbohydrates, adequate protein, vitamins, minerals, fats and large amounts of water. So if you are serious about getting lean and ripped it’s time to say goodbye to mayo burgers, colas and other synthetic foods. Adopt eating habits imbibing fruits, whole grains, milk, eggs and fresh farm products.
How much protein do you need?
Your growing muscles need amino acids to create new tissues. The amino acids are provided by protein in diet. There is a lot of debate on the exact quantity of protein required in bodybuilding. The caution to maintain is that extreme amounts of protein in the diet can cause gastric and renal complications. Recent studies have suggested that a protein intake of 1 to 1.4 grams per unit of body weight is adequate to sustain the bodybuilding process. This means that the protein requirement of a 70 kg individual should be around 70 to 98 grams. To give an estimate of the amount involved consider the following: A 100 gm chicken breast has 22 grams of protein, a glass of milk has 8 grams,an egg approximately 5 grams and a slice bread 3 grams.
A word of caution against the tide of bodybuilding supplements in markets. Many times you come across advertisements proclaiming, ‘Gain 20 pounds of muscle in 3 months flat!’. Stay clear of these money hungry advertisers. Building lean muscle takes time and effort. Making use of synthetic products which alter body’s natural mechanism would offset what should be your real purpose in bodybuilding which is to keep the body fit and healthy.
Lastly in bodybuilding it’s not, ‘the more the better’. Rather it is ‘the more precise the better’. Don’t over exert, eat balanced food and include plenty of rest. With everything good in life, patience, commitment, and balance will guarantee your success. With these tips in mind you are all set to pump iron!
The body utilizes nutrients in food to perform daily metabolic and what's commonly referred to as the "wear and tear processes". With bodybuilding, additional strain is put on the body to make new muscle tissues. Therefore the nutrient requirements also shoots up to stay with the demand.
The best bodybuilding nutrition comes from a balanced intake of carbohydrates, adequate protein, vitamins, minerals, fats and large amounts of water. So if you are serious about getting lean and ripped it’s time to say goodbye to mayo burgers, colas and other synthetic foods. Adopt eating habits imbibing fruits, whole grains, milk, eggs and fresh farm products.
How much protein do you need?
Your growing muscles need amino acids to create new tissues. The amino acids are provided by protein in diet. There is a lot of debate on the exact quantity of protein required in bodybuilding. The caution to maintain is that extreme amounts of protein in the diet can cause gastric and renal complications. Recent studies have suggested that a protein intake of 1 to 1.4 grams per unit of body weight is adequate to sustain the bodybuilding process. This means that the protein requirement of a 70 kg individual should be around 70 to 98 grams. To give an estimate of the amount involved consider the following: A 100 gm chicken breast has 22 grams of protein, a glass of milk has 8 grams,an egg approximately 5 grams and a slice bread 3 grams.
A word of caution against the tide of bodybuilding supplements in markets. Many times you come across advertisements proclaiming, ‘Gain 20 pounds of muscle in 3 months flat!’. Stay clear of these money hungry advertisers. Building lean muscle takes time and effort. Making use of synthetic products which alter body’s natural mechanism would offset what should be your real purpose in bodybuilding which is to keep the body fit and healthy.
Lastly in bodybuilding it’s not, ‘the more the better’. Rather it is ‘the more precise the better’. Don’t over exert, eat balanced food and include plenty of rest. With everything good in life, patience, commitment, and balance will guarantee your success. With these tips in mind you are all set to pump iron!
Protein is an essential nutrient, and is vital to your health. It is used to build muscles, skin, hair and nails. However, many people put their health at risk by eating too much protein.
The typical American diet already provides plenty of protein and there is no point in adding any more, unlike fat cells, there is no place in the body to store protein so the excess is eliminated or is seen as fat rather than muscle.
So what you need to do is to consume just enough protein to allow your muscles to be healthy, perform work and grow. But how much is just enough?
You only use protein for about 15% of your energy use, the majority of energy comes from fats and carbohydrates. Exercising doesn’t necessarily mean that you require more protein but more carbohydrates to stop your body breaking down protein and using that for energy.
Try to make sure that 70% of your protein comes from sources such as meat, fish, eggs or poultry. The complete protein provided by these foods combines with incomplete protein consumed from other food sources. So your body makes the best of all the protein that you consume.
If you are consuming too much protein, you are probably consuming too many calories over your maintenance levels and this will show as an increase in your body fat levels. And with the advent of the latest fad high protein diets, not enough carbohydrates are being consumed so the protein is converted to glucose and not converted into muscle growth.
What is needed for muscle growth is not more protein but high intensity strength training with the required amount of time for rest and recovery between sessions. Because that major bodybuilding star you saw in the latest magazine requires 300 grams of protein a day doesn't mean that you have to. What he won't tell you is that taking Steroids is behind his muscle gains and not his diet.
High intensity strength training and not food stimulates muscle growth.
Consuming excessive amounts of protein is not only bad for your liver and kidneys but also promotes vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It is also linked to osteoporosis and some forms of cancer.
One way to overcome the need to eat large quantities of protein is to increase the consumption of protein in stages until a maximum efficiency point is reached and then to drastically reduce it again. This obliges the body to over-compensate by increasing the efficiency for the absorption of protein into the body.
An example of a Protein Loading diet is found below.
Week One
Breakfast: Poached egg on toast, cereal with fruit and milk.
Snack: Fruit and protein shake.
Lunch: Chicken, potato, and vegetables. Fresh fruit salad.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, and biscuits with cheese.
Dinner: Fish any style, rice, vegetables, whole meal bread and fruit salad.
Week Two
Breakfast: Two poached eggs on toast, cereal with fruit salad and milk.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.
Lunch: Chicken with potatoes and vegetables (any style)
Snack: Nuts, fruit, biscuits with cheese.
Dinner: Roast Beef with vegetables, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Week Three
Breakfast: Three eggs any style on toast, cereal with fruit and milk.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, and protein shake.
Lunch: Turkey with potatoes and vegetables, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.
Dinner: ½ Chicken, potatoes, veggies, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Before Bed: Protein shake.
Week Four
Breakfast: Four eggs any style on toast, cereal with fruit and milk.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.
Lunch: Spaghetti with meat sauce, potatoes, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.
Dinner: Roast Pork, potatoes, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Before Bed: Protein shake.
After week four of this protein loading diet, move from the max intake of protein to the lowest. So in the fifth week go back to week one menu, in the sixth week, week two menu and so on.
This protein loading diet provides a balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates and combined with high intensity strength training will be very effective in increasing muscular bodyweight without the need to ingest large quantities of protein.
The typical American diet already provides plenty of protein and there is no point in adding any more, unlike fat cells, there is no place in the body to store protein so the excess is eliminated or is seen as fat rather than muscle.
So what you need to do is to consume just enough protein to allow your muscles to be healthy, perform work and grow. But how much is just enough?
You only use protein for about 15% of your energy use, the majority of energy comes from fats and carbohydrates. Exercising doesn’t necessarily mean that you require more protein but more carbohydrates to stop your body breaking down protein and using that for energy.
Try to make sure that 70% of your protein comes from sources such as meat, fish, eggs or poultry. The complete protein provided by these foods combines with incomplete protein consumed from other food sources. So your body makes the best of all the protein that you consume.
If you are consuming too much protein, you are probably consuming too many calories over your maintenance levels and this will show as an increase in your body fat levels. And with the advent of the latest fad high protein diets, not enough carbohydrates are being consumed so the protein is converted to glucose and not converted into muscle growth.
What is needed for muscle growth is not more protein but high intensity strength training with the required amount of time for rest and recovery between sessions. Because that major bodybuilding star you saw in the latest magazine requires 300 grams of protein a day doesn't mean that you have to. What he won't tell you is that taking Steroids is behind his muscle gains and not his diet.
High intensity strength training and not food stimulates muscle growth.
Consuming excessive amounts of protein is not only bad for your liver and kidneys but also promotes vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It is also linked to osteoporosis and some forms of cancer.
One way to overcome the need to eat large quantities of protein is to increase the consumption of protein in stages until a maximum efficiency point is reached and then to drastically reduce it again. This obliges the body to over-compensate by increasing the efficiency for the absorption of protein into the body.
An example of a Protein Loading diet is found below.
Week One
Breakfast: Poached egg on toast, cereal with fruit and milk.
Snack: Fruit and protein shake.
Lunch: Chicken, potato, and vegetables. Fresh fruit salad.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, and biscuits with cheese.
Dinner: Fish any style, rice, vegetables, whole meal bread and fruit salad.
Week Two
Breakfast: Two poached eggs on toast, cereal with fruit salad and milk.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.
Lunch: Chicken with potatoes and vegetables (any style)
Snack: Nuts, fruit, biscuits with cheese.
Dinner: Roast Beef with vegetables, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Week Three
Breakfast: Three eggs any style on toast, cereal with fruit and milk.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, and protein shake.
Lunch: Turkey with potatoes and vegetables, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.
Dinner: ½ Chicken, potatoes, veggies, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Before Bed: Protein shake.
Week Four
Breakfast: Four eggs any style on toast, cereal with fruit and milk.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.
Lunch: Spaghetti with meat sauce, potatoes, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.
Dinner: Roast Pork, potatoes, brown rice, whole meal bread.
Before Bed: Protein shake.
After week four of this protein loading diet, move from the max intake of protein to the lowest. So in the fifth week go back to week one menu, in the sixth week, week two menu and so on.
This protein loading diet provides a balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates and combined with high intensity strength training will be very effective in increasing muscular bodyweight without the need to ingest large quantities of protein.
Berry Good
Long before winter comes, black bears in the forest spend all their time eating everything they can sink their teeth into. During the summer, bears eat and eat and eat, trying to get as fat as they possibly can, and when the weather turns cold, they look for a place to curl up and then they sleep the winter away.
Now, the habits of bears might not seem like something you should try to follow. After all, doctors are always warning us humans that we shouldn’t overeat, and that we shouldn’t spend all of our time lying around, doing nothing.
But there is one part of the black bear’s habits that you should actually try to imitate, because it would be good for your health.
Black bears eat a lot of berries, of many different varieties, such as raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.
Berries contain natural sugars and wonderful flavors. Unlike many other foods that are really good for you, but which don’t taste good, berries taste great.
And unlike many foods that taste great but which aren’t good for you, berries are among the most health friendly foods you can eat.
It’s only been within the last decade that scientists have started to pay a lot of attention to the health benefits of berries. And what researchers are learning about the health benefits of berries has a lot of exciting potential for human diets.
One of the first major experiments on the health benefits of berries took place at Tufts University about ten years ago.
Researchers were working with a group of aging rats. They fed them diets of various foods to see what the effects would be. Among the foods they tested were strawberries, blueberries, and spinach.
Now these rats were fairly old in terms of “rat years”. In fact, their age was equivalent to humans about 70 years old.
The foods the scientists tested were all very high in beneficial antioxidants, so the scientists wanted to see if any of these foods would boost the physical and mental capabilities of these aging rats.
The researchers found that while several of these foods seemed to offer some antioxidant protection, the rats that had been fed blueberries were the only ones that actually improved in their abilities.
In fact, the rats which had been fed blueberries were able to perform like much younger rats!
This was a very exciting find, and the scientists then wanted to find what it was in the blueberries that produced this very beneficial effect.
It turns out that the chemicals responsible for making these aging rats act mentally younger and perkier were the pigments in the skin of the blueberries.
The compounds that give ripe berries their beautiful colors are the very substances that have such strong anti-oxidant powers. And antioxidants are compounds that help repair some of the damage that happens to our body cells every day.
Scientists have discovered that the darker the berry, the more health benefits it has! Eating two thirds of a cup of blueberries will give you as much anti-oxidant protection as five servings of apples or squash.
The dark pigments in these berries seem to offer protection against cardiovascular disease, degenerative eye disease such as cataracts, and may offer some help in preventing some cancers, and bladder infections.
If the exciting results of the rat studies turn out to also hold true for humans, it may mean that compounds in these dark berries may help protect brain cells from the degenerative diseases of aging.
You can get this fantastic antioxidant protection whether you eat your berries fresh, frozen, or dried.
You can eat berries raw, add them to your favorite cereals, or make a smoothie drink with various berries, fruits, milk and yoghurt. Get creative and find ways to mix berries into your favorite recipes.
In North America, blueberries are available fresh or frozen year round. If you can’t get fresh berries, dried berries are also filled with very concentrated levels of the valuable antioxidants.
If you live in a place where blueberries are not easily available, look for other fruits and berries that have very dark red or dark purple colors.
Foods such as pomegranates, bilberries, cherries, black raspberries, saskatoons or serviceberries also have high levels of these very beneficial dark pigments. These foods offer benefits similar to the benefits of blueberries.
So, think about incorporating at least one habit of bears into your lifestyle – and make berries a frequent part of your diet!
Now, the habits of bears might not seem like something you should try to follow. After all, doctors are always warning us humans that we shouldn’t overeat, and that we shouldn’t spend all of our time lying around, doing nothing.
But there is one part of the black bear’s habits that you should actually try to imitate, because it would be good for your health.
Black bears eat a lot of berries, of many different varieties, such as raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.
Berries contain natural sugars and wonderful flavors. Unlike many other foods that are really good for you, but which don’t taste good, berries taste great.
And unlike many foods that taste great but which aren’t good for you, berries are among the most health friendly foods you can eat.
It’s only been within the last decade that scientists have started to pay a lot of attention to the health benefits of berries. And what researchers are learning about the health benefits of berries has a lot of exciting potential for human diets.
One of the first major experiments on the health benefits of berries took place at Tufts University about ten years ago.
Researchers were working with a group of aging rats. They fed them diets of various foods to see what the effects would be. Among the foods they tested were strawberries, blueberries, and spinach.
Now these rats were fairly old in terms of “rat years”. In fact, their age was equivalent to humans about 70 years old.
The foods the scientists tested were all very high in beneficial antioxidants, so the scientists wanted to see if any of these foods would boost the physical and mental capabilities of these aging rats.
The researchers found that while several of these foods seemed to offer some antioxidant protection, the rats that had been fed blueberries were the only ones that actually improved in their abilities.
In fact, the rats which had been fed blueberries were able to perform like much younger rats!
This was a very exciting find, and the scientists then wanted to find what it was in the blueberries that produced this very beneficial effect.
It turns out that the chemicals responsible for making these aging rats act mentally younger and perkier were the pigments in the skin of the blueberries.
The compounds that give ripe berries their beautiful colors are the very substances that have such strong anti-oxidant powers. And antioxidants are compounds that help repair some of the damage that happens to our body cells every day.
Scientists have discovered that the darker the berry, the more health benefits it has! Eating two thirds of a cup of blueberries will give you as much anti-oxidant protection as five servings of apples or squash.
The dark pigments in these berries seem to offer protection against cardiovascular disease, degenerative eye disease such as cataracts, and may offer some help in preventing some cancers, and bladder infections.
If the exciting results of the rat studies turn out to also hold true for humans, it may mean that compounds in these dark berries may help protect brain cells from the degenerative diseases of aging.
You can get this fantastic antioxidant protection whether you eat your berries fresh, frozen, or dried.
You can eat berries raw, add them to your favorite cereals, or make a smoothie drink with various berries, fruits, milk and yoghurt. Get creative and find ways to mix berries into your favorite recipes.
In North America, blueberries are available fresh or frozen year round. If you can’t get fresh berries, dried berries are also filled with very concentrated levels of the valuable antioxidants.
If you live in a place where blueberries are not easily available, look for other fruits and berries that have very dark red or dark purple colors.
Foods such as pomegranates, bilberries, cherries, black raspberries, saskatoons or serviceberries also have high levels of these very beneficial dark pigments. These foods offer benefits similar to the benefits of blueberries.
So, think about incorporating at least one habit of bears into your lifestyle – and make berries a frequent part of your diet!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Do I Really Need Colonic Irrigation?
Colonic irrigation is lauded by its advocates as providing relief from a number of complaints, while improving also the general health and well-being of the irrigation patient. Many mainstream medical professionals, however, as opposed to the alternative practitioners who usually provide the colonic irrigations, remain less than enthused by the treatment, and claim that the procedure merely provides an expensive version of a detox that the body is more than capable of performing by itself. So is the cost of colonic irrigation really justified, or would the consumer be better off with a store bought laxative?
The difference, perhaps, between the colonic irrigation and the laxative is that the first is said to be conducive to maintaining health, while the second is usually only taken as a quick fix when something is clearly wrong with our digestives systems. Not purporting to offer anything other than the most immediate and minimal sort of detox, a laxative makes no lofty health claims for itself. Supporters of colonic irrigations, however, claim that the procedure can be helpful in alleviating the symptoms of a variety of different conditions, from chronic fatigue to arthritis. Those patients enduring the daily difficulties associated with such conditions would most readily agree the cost of colonic irrigation to be cheap at half the price if the procedure did indeed bring some respite, and while scientific evidence is lacking in the support of this, the anecdotal affirmation brought to the table by those who have found relief after a colonic irrigation detox cannot easily be ignored.
So what do colonic irrigations actually involve? The procedure is, in the grand scheme of things, a relatively simple one – large amounts of water are introduced into the rectum by the use of a tube and syringe, and removed again after a period of time. The colon, literally, experiences an irrigation, which is thought to remove any fecal build up that exists in the colonic area that might be causing symptoms for the patient because of the seepage of toxins into his or her body. Just as the effectiveness of the treatment is doubted by mainstream medical professionals, so is the problem the colonic irrigation is designed to cure – doctors claim that the material found in our intestines is not damaging to us at all.
For many people, the purpose of a detox is to remove material that might not be forthcoming of its own accord, in which case a laxative – at a cost of just a couple of dollars a pack – would seem to be just the thing. But for those patients who have found relief from a variety of symptoms in its aftermath, the cost of a colonic irrigation would seem to be well worth it. Those with an extra seventy to eighty dollars to spend might just like to find out for themselves.
The difference, perhaps, between the colonic irrigation and the laxative is that the first is said to be conducive to maintaining health, while the second is usually only taken as a quick fix when something is clearly wrong with our digestives systems. Not purporting to offer anything other than the most immediate and minimal sort of detox, a laxative makes no lofty health claims for itself. Supporters of colonic irrigations, however, claim that the procedure can be helpful in alleviating the symptoms of a variety of different conditions, from chronic fatigue to arthritis. Those patients enduring the daily difficulties associated with such conditions would most readily agree the cost of colonic irrigation to be cheap at half the price if the procedure did indeed bring some respite, and while scientific evidence is lacking in the support of this, the anecdotal affirmation brought to the table by those who have found relief after a colonic irrigation detox cannot easily be ignored.
So what do colonic irrigations actually involve? The procedure is, in the grand scheme of things, a relatively simple one – large amounts of water are introduced into the rectum by the use of a tube and syringe, and removed again after a period of time. The colon, literally, experiences an irrigation, which is thought to remove any fecal build up that exists in the colonic area that might be causing symptoms for the patient because of the seepage of toxins into his or her body. Just as the effectiveness of the treatment is doubted by mainstream medical professionals, so is the problem the colonic irrigation is designed to cure – doctors claim that the material found in our intestines is not damaging to us at all.
For many people, the purpose of a detox is to remove material that might not be forthcoming of its own accord, in which case a laxative – at a cost of just a couple of dollars a pack – would seem to be just the thing. But for those patients who have found relief from a variety of symptoms in its aftermath, the cost of a colonic irrigation would seem to be well worth it. Those with an extra seventy to eighty dollars to spend might just like to find out for themselves.
Cure for the Common Cold: Learn Natural Tips
A co-worker of mine once had a troublesome cold a while back for weeks on end and because I had to add to my workload by splitting his share up with the rest in the office, I told him of a method to use as a cure for the common cold used by the Indians and some West Africans. (Okay, I’m not that insensitive-I told him this because I cared!)
This method is known in Sanskrit (the Indian Language) as Neti or “Nasal Irrigation).
It is the cleaning of the nasal portion of the respiratory system whose function is to allow air to come in contact with the circulating blood so exchange of the gases can happen.
If this sounds a little bit complex if you need a cure for your cold and are not trying to read all these facts, just believe this works as a cure for the common cold the way nothing else can. (well besides a fast…)
Neti (nasal irrigation) is unmatched in its ability to
-Clear the nostrils for freer breathing.
-Reduce excess mucus.
-Moisten the nasal canal; strengthen the eyes, because there is stimulation of the blood vessels of the nose and eyes via nasal irrigation.
Cure for the Common cold: Using Nasal irrigation (neti)
1. Using un-iodized TABLE SALT, add a level teaspoon of salt to 24 oz warm water.
2. Wash your neti pot (which is available in most health food stores).
3. Re- rinse internally and externally with drinking water.
4. Fill the pot (which holds about 8 oz) with the saline solution
5. Now tilt your head so your right nostril is uppermost over a sink or large basin
6. Pour the solution into the nostril and ensure to keep the mouth open to breathe.
7. After it all comes out, remain motionless for 30 seconds or so then blow the nose
Thoroughly and rinse out the mouth with drinking water.
Repeat steps 1-7 on the right nostril pouring through the left this time.
You can bend forward to ensure it all drips out or preferably perform 10-15 rounds of bellows breath (a breathing exercise that entails forcefully pulling the belly back towards the spine which pushes the stagnant air out of the lungs) to get all the solution out.
I found it pleasant and soothing after practicing it only once. Besides aiding as a cure for the common cold, it also ensures that blocked nasal passages as a result of irritants and pollutants are well loosened.
Furthermore it is said to have a marked cleansing effect on the sinuses and mind and helps to clean the anterior regions of the upper palate housing the olfactory organs. It even helps to cleanse to some degree the inner workings of the ear. Children using this product should be supervised by an able adult.
Cure for the Common Cold: Dietetic Suggestions
Moreover, to target the root cause of the common cold, now will be a good time to try one kind of a fast which could be
1. The use of Fresh Fruit juices.
2. The Broth of succulent and tasty steamed vegetables such as celery, cabbage etc
3. A mono-diet of a seasonal juicy fruit.
If like most people, you just cannot fast, well see to it that you abstain from all types of Animal Products, Breads, Grains and beans during this time. These substances have been known to either cause or aggravate the common cold along with other diseases and conditions including but not limited to the flu, asthma and diabetes.
This fact is based on research performed the renowned French Hygienist, Albert Mosseri and based on my personal experiences with curing my asthma, I definitely advocate his opinions. A good replacement for the less beneficial items listed above will be fresh fruits, roots and leafy vegetables for fuel.
So don’t be fooled into spending your money on drugs and nasal sprays as a cure for the common cold, it, like any other disease, can be alleviated by common-sense drugless healing alternatives, if only you know how.
With the steps above, you, like my co-worker, now know exactly how to cure you cold naturally for long-term success.
This method is known in Sanskrit (the Indian Language) as Neti or “Nasal Irrigation).
It is the cleaning of the nasal portion of the respiratory system whose function is to allow air to come in contact with the circulating blood so exchange of the gases can happen.
If this sounds a little bit complex if you need a cure for your cold and are not trying to read all these facts, just believe this works as a cure for the common cold the way nothing else can. (well besides a fast…)
Neti (nasal irrigation) is unmatched in its ability to
-Clear the nostrils for freer breathing.
-Reduce excess mucus.
-Moisten the nasal canal; strengthen the eyes, because there is stimulation of the blood vessels of the nose and eyes via nasal irrigation.
Cure for the Common cold: Using Nasal irrigation (neti)
1. Using un-iodized TABLE SALT, add a level teaspoon of salt to 24 oz warm water.
2. Wash your neti pot (which is available in most health food stores).
3. Re- rinse internally and externally with drinking water.
4. Fill the pot (which holds about 8 oz) with the saline solution
5. Now tilt your head so your right nostril is uppermost over a sink or large basin
6. Pour the solution into the nostril and ensure to keep the mouth open to breathe.
7. After it all comes out, remain motionless for 30 seconds or so then blow the nose
Thoroughly and rinse out the mouth with drinking water.
Repeat steps 1-7 on the right nostril pouring through the left this time.
You can bend forward to ensure it all drips out or preferably perform 10-15 rounds of bellows breath (a breathing exercise that entails forcefully pulling the belly back towards the spine which pushes the stagnant air out of the lungs) to get all the solution out.
I found it pleasant and soothing after practicing it only once. Besides aiding as a cure for the common cold, it also ensures that blocked nasal passages as a result of irritants and pollutants are well loosened.
Furthermore it is said to have a marked cleansing effect on the sinuses and mind and helps to clean the anterior regions of the upper palate housing the olfactory organs. It even helps to cleanse to some degree the inner workings of the ear. Children using this product should be supervised by an able adult.
Cure for the Common Cold: Dietetic Suggestions
Moreover, to target the root cause of the common cold, now will be a good time to try one kind of a fast which could be
1. The use of Fresh Fruit juices.
2. The Broth of succulent and tasty steamed vegetables such as celery, cabbage etc
3. A mono-diet of a seasonal juicy fruit.
If like most people, you just cannot fast, well see to it that you abstain from all types of Animal Products, Breads, Grains and beans during this time. These substances have been known to either cause or aggravate the common cold along with other diseases and conditions including but not limited to the flu, asthma and diabetes.
This fact is based on research performed the renowned French Hygienist, Albert Mosseri and based on my personal experiences with curing my asthma, I definitely advocate his opinions. A good replacement for the less beneficial items listed above will be fresh fruits, roots and leafy vegetables for fuel.
So don’t be fooled into spending your money on drugs and nasal sprays as a cure for the common cold, it, like any other disease, can be alleviated by common-sense drugless healing alternatives, if only you know how.
With the steps above, you, like my co-worker, now know exactly how to cure you cold naturally for long-term success.
Are You Wasting Time and Money at Doctor Visits?
Tips for a Better Doctor Visit
1. Have as many medical records as possible with you to document your medical condition, especially for a new visit or a consult. Go by the hospital, lab or other doctor’s office and get copies. This saves the doctor time and sometimes even avoids an extra official call.
2. Bring in the actual bottles of prescriptions. While lists are helpful, the bottles reveal how many are prescribed at a time, dosage, and if there are any refills left. There is no more guessing about the “little blue pill.” With so many generics the same drug can show up as many different shapes and sizes depending on the manufacturer. Now you can both be on the same page when talking about a specific medication. I am also surprised at the many errors on the bottles by the pharmacist.
3. Create a list of questions/requests before your visit. In fact, it would be ideal to tell the person making the appointment what areas you need to discuss. This is not the time to say its “personal.” We assume it is all personal in a medical office. It helps us be prepared in scheduling, equipment, and assigning the proper room. Believe it or not, we have heard most of your problems before. Of course if it is extremely sensitive in nature than just tell the receptionist how much time you will need to discuss your personal problem.
4. Try to keep to one system of the body per visit unless a complete physical is done. Most office visits are geared to blocks of 15 minutes. Usually this is adequate to cover most simple problems such as a rash, upper respiratory infection, and urinary infection just as examples. The longer you have had the problem or the vaguer the symptoms such as abdominal pain or dizziness expect to spend more time. Don’t hesitate to ask for more time. We would rather know ahead of time what your expectations are.
5. Ask for prescription refills, notes for work or school, and forms to fill out at the beginning of the office visit rather than at the end. Of course, a friendly reminder is always good if it has been overlooked when you leave. You can always give a list of medications needing refills to the nurse at the beginning of the visit too. Again, communication helps everyone get their needs met.
6. Be realistic in your expectations. If you start the discussion on a topic that is unrelated to the original problem on the schedule and want some answers, this leaves less time available for other problems. For example, if you are due to have a pap smear and gynecological exam but start with a headache complaint that requires a physical and full history, don’t expect all of it to be done in one visit. Always prioritize what is most important for that day. Sometimes problems become more important, symptoms severe since the original appointment or follow up was made. Just tell the nurse or doctor things have changed as soon as possible. That way we can stay on schedule and you can get the most important problem addressed.
7. Don’t leave the office without telling someone if you aren’t satisfied with your service. Most doctors and staff assume everything is going ok unless told. It is easier to fix a problem, answer a question or complaint as soon as possible while the information is still fresh. If you are uncomfortable talking or can’t stay, write a quick note. Many areas are sensitive and highly charged emotionally. It is easy to misunderstand directions, reasons for tests, or the intent of the doctor’s remarks. We really do care how you feel.
8. It is easier to process your visit on time and handle paperwork if all of your information is correct. Tell the receptionist if you have moved, have a new telephone number, or changed medical insurance. Always bring your insurance card with you.
9. I know everyone is busy and overscheduled. The number one reason doctors are behind in the schedule is patients showing up late. True, other factors can play a role such as telephone calls and very sick patients. Just be aware that as the day progresses the problem gets magnified. If you must get in and out quickly try to book the very first or second appointment of the morning or afternoon.
10. Be flexible. Medical offices are there to serve the patients. Sometimes bad news, a tragic accident, or a serious medical condition requires more time and attention of the staff. We can’t hurry someone out who is in tears. Just be understanding that if it is you, you will get the extra time and attention needed.
1. Have as many medical records as possible with you to document your medical condition, especially for a new visit or a consult. Go by the hospital, lab or other doctor’s office and get copies. This saves the doctor time and sometimes even avoids an extra official call.
2. Bring in the actual bottles of prescriptions. While lists are helpful, the bottles reveal how many are prescribed at a time, dosage, and if there are any refills left. There is no more guessing about the “little blue pill.” With so many generics the same drug can show up as many different shapes and sizes depending on the manufacturer. Now you can both be on the same page when talking about a specific medication. I am also surprised at the many errors on the bottles by the pharmacist.
3. Create a list of questions/requests before your visit. In fact, it would be ideal to tell the person making the appointment what areas you need to discuss. This is not the time to say its “personal.” We assume it is all personal in a medical office. It helps us be prepared in scheduling, equipment, and assigning the proper room. Believe it or not, we have heard most of your problems before. Of course if it is extremely sensitive in nature than just tell the receptionist how much time you will need to discuss your personal problem.
4. Try to keep to one system of the body per visit unless a complete physical is done. Most office visits are geared to blocks of 15 minutes. Usually this is adequate to cover most simple problems such as a rash, upper respiratory infection, and urinary infection just as examples. The longer you have had the problem or the vaguer the symptoms such as abdominal pain or dizziness expect to spend more time. Don’t hesitate to ask for more time. We would rather know ahead of time what your expectations are.
5. Ask for prescription refills, notes for work or school, and forms to fill out at the beginning of the office visit rather than at the end. Of course, a friendly reminder is always good if it has been overlooked when you leave. You can always give a list of medications needing refills to the nurse at the beginning of the visit too. Again, communication helps everyone get their needs met.
6. Be realistic in your expectations. If you start the discussion on a topic that is unrelated to the original problem on the schedule and want some answers, this leaves less time available for other problems. For example, if you are due to have a pap smear and gynecological exam but start with a headache complaint that requires a physical and full history, don’t expect all of it to be done in one visit. Always prioritize what is most important for that day. Sometimes problems become more important, symptoms severe since the original appointment or follow up was made. Just tell the nurse or doctor things have changed as soon as possible. That way we can stay on schedule and you can get the most important problem addressed.
7. Don’t leave the office without telling someone if you aren’t satisfied with your service. Most doctors and staff assume everything is going ok unless told. It is easier to fix a problem, answer a question or complaint as soon as possible while the information is still fresh. If you are uncomfortable talking or can’t stay, write a quick note. Many areas are sensitive and highly charged emotionally. It is easy to misunderstand directions, reasons for tests, or the intent of the doctor’s remarks. We really do care how you feel.
8. It is easier to process your visit on time and handle paperwork if all of your information is correct. Tell the receptionist if you have moved, have a new telephone number, or changed medical insurance. Always bring your insurance card with you.
9. I know everyone is busy and overscheduled. The number one reason doctors are behind in the schedule is patients showing up late. True, other factors can play a role such as telephone calls and very sick patients. Just be aware that as the day progresses the problem gets magnified. If you must get in and out quickly try to book the very first or second appointment of the morning or afternoon.
10. Be flexible. Medical offices are there to serve the patients. Sometimes bad news, a tragic accident, or a serious medical condition requires more time and attention of the staff. We can’t hurry someone out who is in tears. Just be understanding that if it is you, you will get the extra time and attention needed.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
A Constipation Remedy Using Potassium and Prunes
Potassium and prunes are a natural constipation remedy that you can quickly use to help you get constipation relief.
Potassium is needed in your colon walls to insure that peristaltic action occurs. Without potassium, colon walls are weak and unable to respond and contract properly when fecal matter needs to be move.
Potassium in your colon wall tissues brings in more oxygen, which is required for good cell function and elimination of toxins. In addition, potassium creates an alkaline environment inside and outside the cell, which help protect cell walls from bacteria, fungus, and other pathogens.
Potassium is a powerful source when it comes to cleaning, feeding and building your colon walls. Removing the thin layer of buildup – harden mucus, dried fecal matter, waste derby, heavy metals - against your colon wall can be accomplished by eating those foods that are high in potassium.
Excess buildup on your colon walls of fecal matter and toxins is a cause of continual constipation. This build up prevents your colon walls from functioning properly.
Potassium is necessary for reducing anxiety and depression. These conditions can affect peristaltic movements of your colon. Lack of it causes muscles and organs to sag and lack tone.
Potassium, also, draws water out of the body. So when potassium is in your colon it attracts water and pulls it into the fecal matter. This makes your fecal matter softer and easier to move along the colon.
To get more potassium into your diet make a constipation remedy drink by,
Pouring hot water over dried prunes and waiting 10 minutes. Then eat the prunes and drink the juice Do this on an empty stomach in the morning.
The high concentration of potassium and vitamin A, in prunes, stimulates enzymatic processes. These processes melt down fecal wall wastes and dissolve blockages. They also activate peristaltic action to move this waste out through your rectum.
The foods to eat that are high in potassium are:
Kale, cabbage, yellow tomatoes, spinach, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower, alfalfa sprouts, goat milk, sesame seeds, wheat germ brewers yeast, flax seed, grapes, green peppers, pineapple, beets, potatoes with skin Blackstrap molasses
If you have any kidney disease, do not take potassium supplements unless directed by your doctor. If you are pregnant, take potassium only under a doctor’s direction.
If you are on any type of drugs, do not take potassium unless directed by your doctor.
When you have constipation it is best to take potassium supplement. Once you have your constipation eliminated back off on the potassium you are taking and depend on your potassium dose from the foods you eat.
My recommended Potassium dose is 1000 – 3000 mg each day taken with meals.
Potassium is needed in your colon walls to insure that peristaltic action occurs. Without potassium, colon walls are weak and unable to respond and contract properly when fecal matter needs to be move.
Potassium in your colon wall tissues brings in more oxygen, which is required for good cell function and elimination of toxins. In addition, potassium creates an alkaline environment inside and outside the cell, which help protect cell walls from bacteria, fungus, and other pathogens.
Potassium is a powerful source when it comes to cleaning, feeding and building your colon walls. Removing the thin layer of buildup – harden mucus, dried fecal matter, waste derby, heavy metals - against your colon wall can be accomplished by eating those foods that are high in potassium.
Excess buildup on your colon walls of fecal matter and toxins is a cause of continual constipation. This build up prevents your colon walls from functioning properly.
Potassium is necessary for reducing anxiety and depression. These conditions can affect peristaltic movements of your colon. Lack of it causes muscles and organs to sag and lack tone.
Potassium, also, draws water out of the body. So when potassium is in your colon it attracts water and pulls it into the fecal matter. This makes your fecal matter softer and easier to move along the colon.
To get more potassium into your diet make a constipation remedy drink by,
Pouring hot water over dried prunes and waiting 10 minutes. Then eat the prunes and drink the juice Do this on an empty stomach in the morning.
The high concentration of potassium and vitamin A, in prunes, stimulates enzymatic processes. These processes melt down fecal wall wastes and dissolve blockages. They also activate peristaltic action to move this waste out through your rectum.
The foods to eat that are high in potassium are:
Kale, cabbage, yellow tomatoes, spinach, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower, alfalfa sprouts, goat milk, sesame seeds, wheat germ brewers yeast, flax seed, grapes, green peppers, pineapple, beets, potatoes with skin Blackstrap molasses
If you have any kidney disease, do not take potassium supplements unless directed by your doctor. If you are pregnant, take potassium only under a doctor’s direction.
If you are on any type of drugs, do not take potassium unless directed by your doctor.
When you have constipation it is best to take potassium supplement. Once you have your constipation eliminated back off on the potassium you are taking and depend on your potassium dose from the foods you eat.
My recommended Potassium dose is 1000 – 3000 mg each day taken with meals.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Acupuncture - Fast Escape From Infertility
Primarily a Chinese remedy, acupuncture is a complementary modern treatment that cures infertility problems in both men and women. Acupuncture for infertility is most effective for those people who are suffering from problems like irregular ovulation, or blockage in the sperm ducts.
Acupuncture works in a way different from all types of typical medicines
Acupuncture fertility works in this way. Often there are obstructed movements in the meridians that run throughout the length of the body. These obstructed movements cause swelling up of energy in some parts of reproductive organs while others get deprived from such energy conjures. Acupuncture works by placing needles on these blocked sites and stimulate the nervous system to release chemicals to the reproductive organs. This releases the required amount of energy to cure infertility in both men and women.
Acupuncture brings miraculous cure to men and women suffering from infertility
If you are thinking how acupuncture and infertility works for one another then the answer is simple. Acupuncture aids in regular flow of blood to the reproductive organs and instantly stabilizes the hormone levels, which in turn increases ovarian function in women and rapid sperm production in men.
Acupuncture uses several methods for curing infertility. You either need to take Chinese herbal medicines that are capable of replenishing the Kidney or apply acupuncture under the feet, behind the ears, near genital organs and on your palms to get relieve from infertility.
Acupuncture does not work with only needles but also provides aid with other special treatments like in-vitrio fertilization [IVF] and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] for acupuncture fertility. Organizations like the Atlanta acupuncture for infertility pregnancy also offers acupuncture and electro-acupuncture methods for treating infertility.
Know more about the success rate of acupuncture from reducing infertility
Reports say that at least 90% of women undergoing acupuncture get cured from infertility problems, polycystic ovarian syndromes [PCOS], excess pelvic pain and severe intercourse pains. However, reports also say that even 86% of men have been cured of all unusual reproductive problems with the aid of acupuncture.
Infertility and acupuncture go hand in hand. So try acupuncture to get miraculous escape from infertility.
Acupuncture works in a way different from all types of typical medicines
Acupuncture fertility works in this way. Often there are obstructed movements in the meridians that run throughout the length of the body. These obstructed movements cause swelling up of energy in some parts of reproductive organs while others get deprived from such energy conjures. Acupuncture works by placing needles on these blocked sites and stimulate the nervous system to release chemicals to the reproductive organs. This releases the required amount of energy to cure infertility in both men and women.
Acupuncture brings miraculous cure to men and women suffering from infertility
If you are thinking how acupuncture and infertility works for one another then the answer is simple. Acupuncture aids in regular flow of blood to the reproductive organs and instantly stabilizes the hormone levels, which in turn increases ovarian function in women and rapid sperm production in men.
Acupuncture uses several methods for curing infertility. You either need to take Chinese herbal medicines that are capable of replenishing the Kidney or apply acupuncture under the feet, behind the ears, near genital organs and on your palms to get relieve from infertility.
Acupuncture does not work with only needles but also provides aid with other special treatments like in-vitrio fertilization [IVF] and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] for acupuncture fertility. Organizations like the Atlanta acupuncture for infertility pregnancy also offers acupuncture and electro-acupuncture methods for treating infertility.
Know more about the success rate of acupuncture from reducing infertility
Reports say that at least 90% of women undergoing acupuncture get cured from infertility problems, polycystic ovarian syndromes [PCOS], excess pelvic pain and severe intercourse pains. However, reports also say that even 86% of men have been cured of all unusual reproductive problems with the aid of acupuncture.
Infertility and acupuncture go hand in hand. So try acupuncture to get miraculous escape from infertility.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Discover Which Minerals You Need to Neutralize Your Body's Acids
Every part of you is made from minerals - your bones, cell structure, lymph liquid, arteries, organs, tissue, muscle, hair, and so on. You cannot live without minerals. Your body does not produce minerals.
Where do you get your minerals? You get them from vegetables and fruits and good supplements. Since only 10% of the people eat enough fruits and vegetable, the rest of you are deficient in minerals.If we eat enough vegetables and fruits, why do we have to take a mineral supplement?
Long time ago when the soil was rich in minerals, vegetable and fruits were jammed pack with minerals. Fruits and vegetables were not picked early, frozen, waxed, radiated, or stored in argon gas. Those who ate these vegetables and fruits obtained an adequate supply of minerals and seldom has a deficiency.
Today the opposite is true. You and I cannot get enough minerals from eating fruits and vegetables. Now we eat more cooked vegetables, more vegetables in packages, fruits and vegetables that are waxed, and vegetables from other countries not processed properly.Today, we need to supplement our eating habits with a live mineral liquid to make up for the lack of minerals in the good food and junk food we eat.
Here is a partial list of illnesses and their related mineral deficiencies and below each mineral is the food that is highest in that mineral.
· Calcium - receding gums, PMS, panic attacks, muscle cramps, lungs weak, low back pain, kidney stones, insomnia, bone weakness, bone spurs, calcium deposits.
o Foods - cheeses, cottage cheeses, dulse, greens, kelp, goat milk, sesame seeds, unrefined cereal grains, seeds and almonds.
· Sodium - restless nerves, poor eyesight, mental confusion, lack of saliva, frontal headache, white coated tongue, cracking joints, fatigue, offensive breath, stiff tendons, stiff joints
o Foods - goat milk, goat whey, black mission figs, apples, apricots, kale, kelp, prunes, raisins, strawberries, sunflower seeds, black olives, celery, dulse, asparagus, greens,
· Potassium - fearfulness, mental illness, low energy, pains and aches, body acidity, tendency toward violence, suspiciousness, loss of ambition, nervousness, negativity
o Foods - black olives, dulse, potato peeling broth, bitter greens, kelp, Irish moss, various seeds and nuts, apple cider vinegar, soy milk, spinach, goat milk, grapes, apples, bananas, cheese, cucumbers, fish, dale, lettuce
· Magnesium - A.D.D., anorexia, arterial calcification, low calcium absorption, convulsions, depression, gastrointestinal disturbances, growth failure, menstrual migraines, osteoporosis, tremors, hot temper, fainting
o Foods - seeds and nuts, yellow cornmeal, rice polishings, wheat germ, avocados, coconuts, spinach, goat milk, grapes, honey, whole wheat Phosphorus - constant weakness, neuralgia, numbness, lack of confidence, slow oxygenation, sensitive to noise or criticism, fatigue
o Foods - meat, egg yolk, dairy products, fish, almonds, rice bran, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, lentils, sunflower seeds, almonds, various types of beans, carrots, pecans, lentils, cabbage
· Manganese - A.D. D., asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, convulsions, loss of libido, miscarriage, retarded growth rate, still birth, TMJ, nightmares
o Foods - black walnuts, and other nuts and seeds, pineapple, parsley, leaf lettuce, celery, blueberries, black eyed peas, apricots
· Copper - A.D.D., anemia, arthritis, behavior-violent, cerebral palsy, high cholesterol, eyelids sagging, gray or white hair, hernia, liver cirrhosis, learning disabilities, low blood sugar, slow healer, high risk of strokes, varicose veins
o Foods - liver, sea foods, almonds, greens, leafy vegetables, whole grain cereals,
· Selenium - age spots, aging skin, Alzheimer's, cancer, cystic fibrosis, fatigue, heart palpitations , HIV, hypothyroidism, liver damage, muscular weakness, scoliosis
o Foods - wheat germ, bran, whole grains, onions, broccoli, eggs, seafood's, milk products, meat, asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms, nuts
· Iodine - goiter, menstrual difficulties, thinking confused, heart and lung problems
o Foods - kelp, fish, dulse, sea plants, watermelon, okra, mustard greens, green peppers, eggplant, brussels sprouts, carrots chives, artichokes, agar
· Iron - fatigue, low auto-immunity, anemia, depression, low blood pressure, slow speech, poor memory, susceptibly to colds
o Foods - greens, unsulphured dried fruits, dulse, kelp, Irish moss, black cherries, black berries, liquid chlorophyll, strawberries, celery, spinach, rice polishings sunflower seeds, blackstrap molasses, eggs, goat milk, pinto beans
· Zinc - A.D.D., hair loss, congenital birth defects, body odor, brain defects, diarrhea, slow healer, heart defects, hernia, impotence, lung defects, prostate enlargement, loss of sense of smell, short stature, webbed toes
o Foods - goat milk, brewer's yeast, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, wheat bran, high protein foods, cow's milk
· Chromium - A.D.D., unexpected weight loss, low sperm count, pre diabetes, manic depression, learning disabilities, impaired growth, hyperactivity, coronary blood vessel disease, cataracts, low blood sugar
o Foods - brewer's yeast, whole grain cereals, clams, meat, cloves and spices, corn oil.
There are more minerals than the ones listed above. This is just a start, so that you can see why minerals are so important. A consistent lack of a specific mineral can lead to a serious illness.
Where do you get your minerals? You get them from vegetables and fruits and good supplements. Since only 10% of the people eat enough fruits and vegetable, the rest of you are deficient in minerals.If we eat enough vegetables and fruits, why do we have to take a mineral supplement?
Long time ago when the soil was rich in minerals, vegetable and fruits were jammed pack with minerals. Fruits and vegetables were not picked early, frozen, waxed, radiated, or stored in argon gas. Those who ate these vegetables and fruits obtained an adequate supply of minerals and seldom has a deficiency.
Today the opposite is true. You and I cannot get enough minerals from eating fruits and vegetables. Now we eat more cooked vegetables, more vegetables in packages, fruits and vegetables that are waxed, and vegetables from other countries not processed properly.Today, we need to supplement our eating habits with a live mineral liquid to make up for the lack of minerals in the good food and junk food we eat.
Here is a partial list of illnesses and their related mineral deficiencies and below each mineral is the food that is highest in that mineral.
· Calcium - receding gums, PMS, panic attacks, muscle cramps, lungs weak, low back pain, kidney stones, insomnia, bone weakness, bone spurs, calcium deposits.
o Foods - cheeses, cottage cheeses, dulse, greens, kelp, goat milk, sesame seeds, unrefined cereal grains, seeds and almonds.
· Sodium - restless nerves, poor eyesight, mental confusion, lack of saliva, frontal headache, white coated tongue, cracking joints, fatigue, offensive breath, stiff tendons, stiff joints
o Foods - goat milk, goat whey, black mission figs, apples, apricots, kale, kelp, prunes, raisins, strawberries, sunflower seeds, black olives, celery, dulse, asparagus, greens,
· Potassium - fearfulness, mental illness, low energy, pains and aches, body acidity, tendency toward violence, suspiciousness, loss of ambition, nervousness, negativity
o Foods - black olives, dulse, potato peeling broth, bitter greens, kelp, Irish moss, various seeds and nuts, apple cider vinegar, soy milk, spinach, goat milk, grapes, apples, bananas, cheese, cucumbers, fish, dale, lettuce
· Magnesium - A.D.D., anorexia, arterial calcification, low calcium absorption, convulsions, depression, gastrointestinal disturbances, growth failure, menstrual migraines, osteoporosis, tremors, hot temper, fainting
o Foods - seeds and nuts, yellow cornmeal, rice polishings, wheat germ, avocados, coconuts, spinach, goat milk, grapes, honey, whole wheat Phosphorus - constant weakness, neuralgia, numbness, lack of confidence, slow oxygenation, sensitive to noise or criticism, fatigue
o Foods - meat, egg yolk, dairy products, fish, almonds, rice bran, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, lentils, sunflower seeds, almonds, various types of beans, carrots, pecans, lentils, cabbage
· Manganese - A.D. D., asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, convulsions, loss of libido, miscarriage, retarded growth rate, still birth, TMJ, nightmares
o Foods - black walnuts, and other nuts and seeds, pineapple, parsley, leaf lettuce, celery, blueberries, black eyed peas, apricots
· Copper - A.D.D., anemia, arthritis, behavior-violent, cerebral palsy, high cholesterol, eyelids sagging, gray or white hair, hernia, liver cirrhosis, learning disabilities, low blood sugar, slow healer, high risk of strokes, varicose veins
o Foods - liver, sea foods, almonds, greens, leafy vegetables, whole grain cereals,
· Selenium - age spots, aging skin, Alzheimer's, cancer, cystic fibrosis, fatigue, heart palpitations , HIV, hypothyroidism, liver damage, muscular weakness, scoliosis
o Foods - wheat germ, bran, whole grains, onions, broccoli, eggs, seafood's, milk products, meat, asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms, nuts
· Iodine - goiter, menstrual difficulties, thinking confused, heart and lung problems
o Foods - kelp, fish, dulse, sea plants, watermelon, okra, mustard greens, green peppers, eggplant, brussels sprouts, carrots chives, artichokes, agar
· Iron - fatigue, low auto-immunity, anemia, depression, low blood pressure, slow speech, poor memory, susceptibly to colds
o Foods - greens, unsulphured dried fruits, dulse, kelp, Irish moss, black cherries, black berries, liquid chlorophyll, strawberries, celery, spinach, rice polishings sunflower seeds, blackstrap molasses, eggs, goat milk, pinto beans
· Zinc - A.D.D., hair loss, congenital birth defects, body odor, brain defects, diarrhea, slow healer, heart defects, hernia, impotence, lung defects, prostate enlargement, loss of sense of smell, short stature, webbed toes
o Foods - goat milk, brewer's yeast, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, wheat bran, high protein foods, cow's milk
· Chromium - A.D.D., unexpected weight loss, low sperm count, pre diabetes, manic depression, learning disabilities, impaired growth, hyperactivity, coronary blood vessel disease, cataracts, low blood sugar
o Foods - brewer's yeast, whole grain cereals, clams, meat, cloves and spices, corn oil.
There are more minerals than the ones listed above. This is just a start, so that you can see why minerals are so important. A consistent lack of a specific mineral can lead to a serious illness.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Dietary Therapy: High Fiber Diets
Can high-fiber diets really do all they claim to do? Studies have looked at the relationship between high-fiber diets and many diseases, including colon cancer, coronary heart disease and diabetes.
Proven benefits of a high-fiber diet include prevention and treatment of constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. In addition, certain types of fiber help decrease blood cholesterol levels.
Dietary fiber comes from the portion of plants that is not digested by enzymes in the intestinal tract. Part of it, however, may be metabolized by bacteria in the lower gut. Different types of plants have varying amounts and kinds of fiber, including pectin, gum, mucilage, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.
Pectin and gum are water-soluble fibers found inside plant cells. They slow the passage of food through the intestines but do nothing to increase fecal bulk. Beans, oat bran, fruit and vegetables contain soluble fiber.
In contrast, fibers in cell walls are water insoluble. These include cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Such fibers increase fecal bulk and speed up the passage of food through the digestive tract.
Wheat bran and whole grains contain the most insoluble fiber, but vegetables and beans also are good sources.Sometimes there is confusion as to the difference between crude fiber and dietary fiber. Both are determined by a laboratory analysis, but crude fiber is only one-seventh to one-half of total dietary fiber.
Insoluble fiber binds water, making stools softer and bulkier. Therefore, fiber, especially that found in whole grain products, is helpful in the treatment and prevention of constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis.
Diverticula are pouches of the intestinal wall that can become inflamed and painful.It is now known that a high-fiber diet gives better results once the inflammation has subsided.
Some types of fiber, however, appear to have a greater effect than others. The fiber found in rolled oats is more effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels than the fiber found in wheat. Pectin has a similar effect in that it, too, can lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
High-fiber diets may be useful for people who wish to lose weight. Fiber itself has no calories, yet provides a “full” feeling because of its water-absorbing ability. For example, an apple is more filling than a half cup of apple juice that contains about the same calories.
Foods high in fiber often require more chewing, so a person is unable to eat a large number of calories in a short amount of time. Dietary fiber is found only in plant foods: fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. Meat, milk and eggs do not contain fiber.
The form of food may or may not affect its fiber content. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables contain just as much fiber as raw ones. Other types of processing, though, may reduce fiber content. Drying and crushing, for example, destroy the water-holding qualities of fiber.
The removal of seeds, peels or hulls also reduces fiber content. Whole tomatoes have more fiber than peeled tomatoes, which have more than tomato juice. Likewise, whole wheat bread contains more fiber than white bread.
Fiber supplements are sold in a variety of forms from bran tablets to purified cellulose. Many laxatives sold as stool softeners actually are fiber supplements. Fiber’s role in the diet is still being investigated.
It appears that the various types of fiber have different roles in the body. For these reasons, avoid fiber supplements. Instead, eat a variety of fiber-rich foods.
This is the best way to receive the maximum benefits from each type of fiber present in foods, and obtain necessary nutrients.
Proven benefits of a high-fiber diet include prevention and treatment of constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. In addition, certain types of fiber help decrease blood cholesterol levels.
Dietary fiber comes from the portion of plants that is not digested by enzymes in the intestinal tract. Part of it, however, may be metabolized by bacteria in the lower gut. Different types of plants have varying amounts and kinds of fiber, including pectin, gum, mucilage, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.
Pectin and gum are water-soluble fibers found inside plant cells. They slow the passage of food through the intestines but do nothing to increase fecal bulk. Beans, oat bran, fruit and vegetables contain soluble fiber.
In contrast, fibers in cell walls are water insoluble. These include cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Such fibers increase fecal bulk and speed up the passage of food through the digestive tract.
Wheat bran and whole grains contain the most insoluble fiber, but vegetables and beans also are good sources.Sometimes there is confusion as to the difference between crude fiber and dietary fiber. Both are determined by a laboratory analysis, but crude fiber is only one-seventh to one-half of total dietary fiber.
Insoluble fiber binds water, making stools softer and bulkier. Therefore, fiber, especially that found in whole grain products, is helpful in the treatment and prevention of constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis.
Diverticula are pouches of the intestinal wall that can become inflamed and painful.It is now known that a high-fiber diet gives better results once the inflammation has subsided.
Some types of fiber, however, appear to have a greater effect than others. The fiber found in rolled oats is more effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels than the fiber found in wheat. Pectin has a similar effect in that it, too, can lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
High-fiber diets may be useful for people who wish to lose weight. Fiber itself has no calories, yet provides a “full” feeling because of its water-absorbing ability. For example, an apple is more filling than a half cup of apple juice that contains about the same calories.
Foods high in fiber often require more chewing, so a person is unable to eat a large number of calories in a short amount of time. Dietary fiber is found only in plant foods: fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. Meat, milk and eggs do not contain fiber.
The form of food may or may not affect its fiber content. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables contain just as much fiber as raw ones. Other types of processing, though, may reduce fiber content. Drying and crushing, for example, destroy the water-holding qualities of fiber.
The removal of seeds, peels or hulls also reduces fiber content. Whole tomatoes have more fiber than peeled tomatoes, which have more than tomato juice. Likewise, whole wheat bread contains more fiber than white bread.
Fiber supplements are sold in a variety of forms from bran tablets to purified cellulose. Many laxatives sold as stool softeners actually are fiber supplements. Fiber’s role in the diet is still being investigated.
It appears that the various types of fiber have different roles in the body. For these reasons, avoid fiber supplements. Instead, eat a variety of fiber-rich foods.
This is the best way to receive the maximum benefits from each type of fiber present in foods, and obtain necessary nutrients.
Eating to Ease Arthritis Pain
Do aches and pains have you out of joint? Concerns culminating in the withdrawal of several selective Cox-2 inhibitors, like Vioxx, have many arthritis sufferers turning to the supplement aisle in search of relief.
Could diet and exercise provide more reliable solutions? Here's a roundup of recent research into those foods that help support healthy joints:
* Pineapple: Bromelain is an enzyme that can help ease joint pain and relieve muscle soreness. Scientists at the Dole Nutrition Institute found that fresh or frozen pineapple has as much, if not more, bromelain activity than supplements. Pineapples also provide an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps promote collagen formation and improve iron absorption, and manganese, which supports metabolism and bone density.
* Cherries: a top source of anthocyanins that reduce inflammation and may protect against gout (an inflammatory form of arthritis). One study found that cherry consumption lowered blood levels of uric acid, which can accumulate in joints, causing pain.
* Broccoli: Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli contain sulphoraphane, which triggers the body's own antioxidant defenses. New research suggests this process may help block effects of Cox-2 enzymes on inflammation. Broccoli sprouts are one of the most potent sources of these compounds, which you'll also find in cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts.
* Red bell peppers: Just one contains more than 470 percent of your daily vitamin C needs (yellow peppers contain 450 percent and green peppers contain 190 percent). According to a Boston University study, people getting under 150 milligrams daily of vitamin C had faster cartilage breakdown. Other top sources of vitamin C are citrus fruit, pineapple, kiwi, cantaloupe, papaya, strawberries, tomatoes, kale, collard greens and sweet potatoes.
* Black cod: Move over, salmon! Black cod has even higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help rheumatoid arthritis by reducing inflammation. Flounder, halibut and sardines also contain this healthy fat, as do flaxseed oil, pecans, walnuts, tofu and leafy green vegetables.
* Button mushrooms: an unexpected source of vitamin D, adequate levels of which decrease vulnerability to arthritis pain. Sunshine enables your body to produce vitamin D; other sources include oysters, sardines and fortified non-fat dairy.
* Kale: one of the healthier sources of calcium, which helps hold the line against osteoarthritis by slowing bone loss. Be adventurous - try collard greens, arugula, soy and beans in addition to some of the better-known calcium sources.
* Tea: Green and black tea contain flavonoids, antioxidant compounds that may block the production of prostaglandins, which cause inflammation and pain.
While the foods cited above have compounds with targeted joint health benefits, Harvard research found a more general link between high fruit and vegetable consumption and lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
What to limit? Red meat. British researchers found that too much red meat increased the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Those who ate the most red meat were twice as likely to develop the condition than those who limited their intake to less than 1 ounce per day.
Eating less meat and more fruit and vegetables also helps maintain a healthy weight - an important facet of managing joint pain. If you're among the majority of Americans who are either obese or overweight, slimming down can significantly slow progression of joint degeneration and ease pain. In fact, you can reduce knee stress by 40 to 80 pounds with a mere 10-pound weight loss.
Could diet and exercise provide more reliable solutions? Here's a roundup of recent research into those foods that help support healthy joints:
* Pineapple: Bromelain is an enzyme that can help ease joint pain and relieve muscle soreness. Scientists at the Dole Nutrition Institute found that fresh or frozen pineapple has as much, if not more, bromelain activity than supplements. Pineapples also provide an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps promote collagen formation and improve iron absorption, and manganese, which supports metabolism and bone density.
* Cherries: a top source of anthocyanins that reduce inflammation and may protect against gout (an inflammatory form of arthritis). One study found that cherry consumption lowered blood levels of uric acid, which can accumulate in joints, causing pain.
* Broccoli: Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli contain sulphoraphane, which triggers the body's own antioxidant defenses. New research suggests this process may help block effects of Cox-2 enzymes on inflammation. Broccoli sprouts are one of the most potent sources of these compounds, which you'll also find in cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts.
* Red bell peppers: Just one contains more than 470 percent of your daily vitamin C needs (yellow peppers contain 450 percent and green peppers contain 190 percent). According to a Boston University study, people getting under 150 milligrams daily of vitamin C had faster cartilage breakdown. Other top sources of vitamin C are citrus fruit, pineapple, kiwi, cantaloupe, papaya, strawberries, tomatoes, kale, collard greens and sweet potatoes.
* Black cod: Move over, salmon! Black cod has even higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help rheumatoid arthritis by reducing inflammation. Flounder, halibut and sardines also contain this healthy fat, as do flaxseed oil, pecans, walnuts, tofu and leafy green vegetables.
* Button mushrooms: an unexpected source of vitamin D, adequate levels of which decrease vulnerability to arthritis pain. Sunshine enables your body to produce vitamin D; other sources include oysters, sardines and fortified non-fat dairy.
* Kale: one of the healthier sources of calcium, which helps hold the line against osteoarthritis by slowing bone loss. Be adventurous - try collard greens, arugula, soy and beans in addition to some of the better-known calcium sources.
* Tea: Green and black tea contain flavonoids, antioxidant compounds that may block the production of prostaglandins, which cause inflammation and pain.
While the foods cited above have compounds with targeted joint health benefits, Harvard research found a more general link between high fruit and vegetable consumption and lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
What to limit? Red meat. British researchers found that too much red meat increased the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Those who ate the most red meat were twice as likely to develop the condition than those who limited their intake to less than 1 ounce per day.
Eating less meat and more fruit and vegetables also helps maintain a healthy weight - an important facet of managing joint pain. If you're among the majority of Americans who are either obese or overweight, slimming down can significantly slow progression of joint degeneration and ease pain. In fact, you can reduce knee stress by 40 to 80 pounds with a mere 10-pound weight loss.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Proper Etiquette When in the Gym
Most people who go to the gym to work out on a regular basis have had the experience of witnessing that one occasional big, burly, clumsy, noisy jerk that has absolutely no manners at all. This person will clang weights while exercising, drop weights on the floor then leave them there for someone else to put away and disregard the fact that anyone else is in the gym. In other words, this person has no courtesy for anyone who might be there.
Most of us however would not want to be the person described above. Most people just want to go and get in a good workout without being a nuisance to anyone, and then go about their business afterwards. Here are some things to remember when you go to the gym to insure that you are exercising the proper conduct that will make your gym time more pleasurable.
1) Dress properly: when you are at the gym you are there to exercise, nothing more. Overly reveling or offensive clothing should not be worn. Women should wear outfits that do not portray a swimsuit photo session and men should always wear at least proper length shorts and a tank top. Some people may not want to see that much of you.
2) Do not monopolize exercise machines: try not to spend too much time on any one machine or piece of equipment. Remember that you are not the only one there and others may be waiting to use the equipment too.
3) Clean off any sweat: always bring a towel with you and when you are finished with each piece of equipment, wipe it down. It only takes a few seconds to do and it is basic hygiene and courtesy. Would you want to get on equipment with someone else’s sweat on it?
4) Put away what you use: when you use free weights, an exercise ball, a medicine ball or any such equipment, always put them back in their proper storage place. Re-rack dumbbells, re-stack weight plates, put barbells away, place exercise balls and medicine balls in their holders or at least out of the way. Random equipment lying around can pose a safety hazard to others plus you would be leaving it up to someone else to put up your stuff.
5) Do not use your cell phone or sing out loud: if you bring a set of earphones with you, avoid singing any songs so others can hear you. You are not auditioning for American Idle, and there are other people there who may not think you sound like who you are trying to sing to. Cell phones can be distracting also so leave them in the locker room or in the car.
6) Do not grunt loudly or yell when lifting weights: it is easy to keep grunting noises to a minimum and yelling is not necessary at all. Loud grunting or yelling is rude and only serves to distract others, and no one is impressed by it either.
7) Avoid too much socializing: it is fine to make friends in the gym, but try not to spend too much time talking. There are some gym members who are not looking to converse with anyone. Too much socializing can distract and disrupt other people’s workouts.
The general rule of thumb when in the gym is simply this; use common sense and remember that a little courtesy goes a long way. Think about how you would like to be treated and how you would feel about having to put someone else’s equipment away and how you feel when that rude, inconsiderate jerk is making enough noise to wake the dead right next to where you are exercising.
Most of us however would not want to be the person described above. Most people just want to go and get in a good workout without being a nuisance to anyone, and then go about their business afterwards. Here are some things to remember when you go to the gym to insure that you are exercising the proper conduct that will make your gym time more pleasurable.
1) Dress properly: when you are at the gym you are there to exercise, nothing more. Overly reveling or offensive clothing should not be worn. Women should wear outfits that do not portray a swimsuit photo session and men should always wear at least proper length shorts and a tank top. Some people may not want to see that much of you.
2) Do not monopolize exercise machines: try not to spend too much time on any one machine or piece of equipment. Remember that you are not the only one there and others may be waiting to use the equipment too.
3) Clean off any sweat: always bring a towel with you and when you are finished with each piece of equipment, wipe it down. It only takes a few seconds to do and it is basic hygiene and courtesy. Would you want to get on equipment with someone else’s sweat on it?
4) Put away what you use: when you use free weights, an exercise ball, a medicine ball or any such equipment, always put them back in their proper storage place. Re-rack dumbbells, re-stack weight plates, put barbells away, place exercise balls and medicine balls in their holders or at least out of the way. Random equipment lying around can pose a safety hazard to others plus you would be leaving it up to someone else to put up your stuff.
5) Do not use your cell phone or sing out loud: if you bring a set of earphones with you, avoid singing any songs so others can hear you. You are not auditioning for American Idle, and there are other people there who may not think you sound like who you are trying to sing to. Cell phones can be distracting also so leave them in the locker room or in the car.
6) Do not grunt loudly or yell when lifting weights: it is easy to keep grunting noises to a minimum and yelling is not necessary at all. Loud grunting or yelling is rude and only serves to distract others, and no one is impressed by it either.
7) Avoid too much socializing: it is fine to make friends in the gym, but try not to spend too much time talking. There are some gym members who are not looking to converse with anyone. Too much socializing can distract and disrupt other people’s workouts.
The general rule of thumb when in the gym is simply this; use common sense and remember that a little courtesy goes a long way. Think about how you would like to be treated and how you would feel about having to put someone else’s equipment away and how you feel when that rude, inconsiderate jerk is making enough noise to wake the dead right next to where you are exercising.
Acid Vs Alkaline Diet
Our body’s internal system needs a PH of just above 7.0; our immunologic, enzymatic and repair mechanisms all function at their best in this alkaline range.
If our body becomes over acidic, i.e. under a PH of 7, you may start to experience a combination of these symptoms;
Low energy, fatigue
Nasal congestion
Hives
Muscle Pain
Weak nails, dry skin, dry hair
Frequent colds, flu and infection
Headaches
If you have these symptoms and eat foods which create acid in the body, you may need to balance it with an alkaline diet.
What foods cause acid in the body?
There is a whole list of foods that cause the body to be over-acidic: dairy and dairy substitutes, animal meat, most grains, chickpeas, condiments, aspartame, prunes, chocolate, peanuts, alcohol and quite a few other types of foods.
To balance your PH, the remedy is simple and logical; eat more alkaline causing foods.
To name but a few of these foods, there is; watermelon, lime, mango, most vegetables, vegetable juices, almonds, sprouts, avocados and green tea.
When you’re body becomes more alkaline, the changes that will take place are truly amazing! It will seem magical, but it’s all perfectly normal. You will feel how we all have the right to feel, we just don’t know it.
Benefits include:
Rapid weight loss
Increased energy
The need for less sleep
Improved skin and hair condition
Better mental attitude
Are these benefits worth pursuing? I think so, and you are crazy if you don’t agree with me! Fortunately, it is not hard to slowly alkalise your body. Take it one day at a time, add more and more green food to your diet, reduce the number of cups of coffee you have every day and you’ll soon reap the benefits.
If our body becomes over acidic, i.e. under a PH of 7, you may start to experience a combination of these symptoms;
Low energy, fatigue
Nasal congestion
Hives
Muscle Pain
Weak nails, dry skin, dry hair
Frequent colds, flu and infection
Headaches
If you have these symptoms and eat foods which create acid in the body, you may need to balance it with an alkaline diet.
What foods cause acid in the body?
There is a whole list of foods that cause the body to be over-acidic: dairy and dairy substitutes, animal meat, most grains, chickpeas, condiments, aspartame, prunes, chocolate, peanuts, alcohol and quite a few other types of foods.
To balance your PH, the remedy is simple and logical; eat more alkaline causing foods.
To name but a few of these foods, there is; watermelon, lime, mango, most vegetables, vegetable juices, almonds, sprouts, avocados and green tea.
When you’re body becomes more alkaline, the changes that will take place are truly amazing! It will seem magical, but it’s all perfectly normal. You will feel how we all have the right to feel, we just don’t know it.
Benefits include:
Rapid weight loss
Increased energy
The need for less sleep
Improved skin and hair condition
Better mental attitude
Are these benefits worth pursuing? I think so, and you are crazy if you don’t agree with me! Fortunately, it is not hard to slowly alkalise your body. Take it one day at a time, add more and more green food to your diet, reduce the number of cups of coffee you have every day and you’ll soon reap the benefits.
Elements of Good Nutrition
With the amount of information that exists about good nutrition, you would think it was a big mystery. The truth of the matter is, there is no mystery involved in getting the proper nutrients that your body needs. Why should you care about getting the proper nutrients? Many people are under the misconception that eating healthy is for the young because they are growing. Tissue and cells are constantly being renewed in both children and adults. The failure for these elements to repair themselves can result in diseases of lifelong misery or worse, death. To lower your risk of developing a disease, you simply need to follow three simple steps of good nutrition.
Proper Hydration
Plain and simple, your body needs water. Being properly hydrated will benefit you from head to toe. Water keeps your cells hydrated and flowing throughout your body. It doesn't take long to witness the benefits of drinking sufficient water. Just a week of being hydrated and your skin will have a new glow. If you need to lose weight, water can help you achieve your goal. In many instances, people misinterpret thirst for hunger. Unless it's been a few hours since you have eaten, have a glass of water the next time you have hunger panes.
There are numerous guidelines for how much water to drink. Consuming eight glasses of water each day is the most popular guideline. People have different needs. A better indication of how hydrated you are is your urine. When you are properly hydrated your urine is almost clear. There is the possibility of water intoxication so you don't want your urine to be completely colorless.
Eating Healthy
In addition to being hydrated, you need to eat a variety of foods. Forget fad diets that restrict certain foods. The key to healthy eating is to eat in moderation and variety. Your food choices should include a large percentage from complex carbohydrates, which is sufficient for energy. You should also consume several servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy every day. You should limit your servings of protein and fats to two or three servings each day. By including all of these food groups in your diet, you are less likely to be hungry or have cravings for sweets and other non-nutritional foods.
Vitamin Supplementation
As long as you live in a country where food is plentiful and produced safely, you should have no problem obtaining the amount of vitamins and minerals your body needs. However, food allergies, dislikes, and illness may prevent you from eating certain foods. Some people, for example, are lactose intolerant and cannot consume dairy products. In these instances, supplementation should become a part of a plan for healthy nutrition. You don't need a prescription to purchase vitamins, but it is a good idea to discuss your particular needs with your medical doctor. Consuming excessive amounts of some vitamins can cause toxicity and unpleasant side effects.
To check out the supplement we take daily and highly recommend, be sure to check out http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/what-we-use.html
Proper Hydration
Plain and simple, your body needs water. Being properly hydrated will benefit you from head to toe. Water keeps your cells hydrated and flowing throughout your body. It doesn't take long to witness the benefits of drinking sufficient water. Just a week of being hydrated and your skin will have a new glow. If you need to lose weight, water can help you achieve your goal. In many instances, people misinterpret thirst for hunger. Unless it's been a few hours since you have eaten, have a glass of water the next time you have hunger panes.
There are numerous guidelines for how much water to drink. Consuming eight glasses of water each day is the most popular guideline. People have different needs. A better indication of how hydrated you are is your urine. When you are properly hydrated your urine is almost clear. There is the possibility of water intoxication so you don't want your urine to be completely colorless.
Eating Healthy
In addition to being hydrated, you need to eat a variety of foods. Forget fad diets that restrict certain foods. The key to healthy eating is to eat in moderation and variety. Your food choices should include a large percentage from complex carbohydrates, which is sufficient for energy. You should also consume several servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy every day. You should limit your servings of protein and fats to two or three servings each day. By including all of these food groups in your diet, you are less likely to be hungry or have cravings for sweets and other non-nutritional foods.
Vitamin Supplementation
As long as you live in a country where food is plentiful and produced safely, you should have no problem obtaining the amount of vitamins and minerals your body needs. However, food allergies, dislikes, and illness may prevent you from eating certain foods. Some people, for example, are lactose intolerant and cannot consume dairy products. In these instances, supplementation should become a part of a plan for healthy nutrition. You don't need a prescription to purchase vitamins, but it is a good idea to discuss your particular needs with your medical doctor. Consuming excessive amounts of some vitamins can cause toxicity and unpleasant side effects.
To check out the supplement we take daily and highly recommend, be sure to check out http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/what-we-use.html
Considering Becoming A Vegetarian?
I have many friends in the past few years that have decided to become vegetarians. I saw friend after friend jump onto the bandwagon that being a vegetarian had become, and I'll admit that I almost jumped on the wagon myself without giving the choice much thought.
After nearly two months of research and some pretty serious self-evaluation, I decided to become a vegetarian. There is no part of me that is against people deciding that being a vegetarian is right for them. My only frustration is that too often people make that choice without taking even a moment to think about the reasons why or the consequences that being a vegetarian will have on their lives.
So, my advice to you is simple and probably obvious. You only have one life to live, one body to live in, and a few short years in which to experience all of life that you can. So do not make the decision to become a vegetarian lightly or without thought. I would hate to see anyone commit to such a decision out of ignorance and then deal with the consequences long afterward.
One of the best ways to make a good decision about becoming a vegetarian is to inform yourself. Talk to objective people who have decided both for and against choosing a vegetarian lifestyle for themselves. Go to your local library or to a health food store and find literature on the ins and outs of actual vegetarian living. Learn the reasons why people choose to become vegetarians and see if your reasons measure up. The internet is another amazing resource that can help you make a wise and informed decision for you, your health needs, and your lifestyle.
Know that if you do decide to become a vegetarian, it will affect your life in many ways. Obviously, it will affect the foods you choose to eat and prepare. Don't forget, however, how it will affect your ability to eat out at restaurants or to eat food that your friends and family prepare. Consider too, the costs of becoming a vegetarian. Depending on where you live and what kinds of foods are available, becoming a vegetarian can either save you or cost you a lot of money. So proceed with caution.
I have loved my experience of being a vegetarian. I felt like my reasons for changing my lifestyle were valid and I knew I could incorporate the things that being a vegetarian required quite easily into my lifestyle. You must make those same decisions for you.
After nearly two months of research and some pretty serious self-evaluation, I decided to become a vegetarian. There is no part of me that is against people deciding that being a vegetarian is right for them. My only frustration is that too often people make that choice without taking even a moment to think about the reasons why or the consequences that being a vegetarian will have on their lives.
So, my advice to you is simple and probably obvious. You only have one life to live, one body to live in, and a few short years in which to experience all of life that you can. So do not make the decision to become a vegetarian lightly or without thought. I would hate to see anyone commit to such a decision out of ignorance and then deal with the consequences long afterward.
One of the best ways to make a good decision about becoming a vegetarian is to inform yourself. Talk to objective people who have decided both for and against choosing a vegetarian lifestyle for themselves. Go to your local library or to a health food store and find literature on the ins and outs of actual vegetarian living. Learn the reasons why people choose to become vegetarians and see if your reasons measure up. The internet is another amazing resource that can help you make a wise and informed decision for you, your health needs, and your lifestyle.
Know that if you do decide to become a vegetarian, it will affect your life in many ways. Obviously, it will affect the foods you choose to eat and prepare. Don't forget, however, how it will affect your ability to eat out at restaurants or to eat food that your friends and family prepare. Consider too, the costs of becoming a vegetarian. Depending on where you live and what kinds of foods are available, becoming a vegetarian can either save you or cost you a lot of money. So proceed with caution.
I have loved my experience of being a vegetarian. I felt like my reasons for changing my lifestyle were valid and I knew I could incorporate the things that being a vegetarian required quite easily into my lifestyle. You must make those same decisions for you.
Calories: The Good and Bad
Making a commitment to have healthier eating habits is a tough one. Knowing how to implement that commitment may be even harder. Where do you start? What foods should you eat, and which ones should you stay away from? These are all questions you should answer before going out to the grocery store.
We need nutrients to survive. We need vitamins, minerals and calories everyday. There are two types of nutrients. Micronutrients are our vitamins and minerals and macronutrients are where our calories come from. The three types of macronutrients are fat, carbohydrates and proteins.
Many people think that all fats are bad and recently started thinking all carbohydrates are bad too. That leaves us with just protein. If this were the case, our diets wouldn't be very enjoyable. Fortunately not all fats are bad and the same goes for carbohydrates.
With all the negative publicity recently, you might be afraid to eat any carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are our main fuel source. Our brain can't use anything else to power itself with and our muscles will work the best on it. Don't deprive yourself of it. Carbohydrates that you should stay away from are simple sugars that are found in candy, sodas and many snacks. Good carbohydrates such as whole wheats and fruits will keep you energized throughout the day and avoid sugar highs and lows.
Fats are also very important. Without fat, our body wouldn't be able to utilize some of the vitamins we consume. Fat is found in our cell walls and make up a big part of hormones. Fats you should avoid are saturated fats that come in meat, milk and dairy products. Every one should consume good (unsaturated fats) that come from plant sources such as nuts and olives.
We need nutrients to survive. We need vitamins, minerals and calories everyday. There are two types of nutrients. Micronutrients are our vitamins and minerals and macronutrients are where our calories come from. The three types of macronutrients are fat, carbohydrates and proteins.
Many people think that all fats are bad and recently started thinking all carbohydrates are bad too. That leaves us with just protein. If this were the case, our diets wouldn't be very enjoyable. Fortunately not all fats are bad and the same goes for carbohydrates.
With all the negative publicity recently, you might be afraid to eat any carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are our main fuel source. Our brain can't use anything else to power itself with and our muscles will work the best on it. Don't deprive yourself of it. Carbohydrates that you should stay away from are simple sugars that are found in candy, sodas and many snacks. Good carbohydrates such as whole wheats and fruits will keep you energized throughout the day and avoid sugar highs and lows.
Fats are also very important. Without fat, our body wouldn't be able to utilize some of the vitamins we consume. Fat is found in our cell walls and make up a big part of hormones. Fats you should avoid are saturated fats that come in meat, milk and dairy products. Every one should consume good (unsaturated fats) that come from plant sources such as nuts and olives.
Making Time for Exercise
As a certified personal trainer and editor of a popular fitness site, FitnessGear101.com, I’ve heard every excuse in the book when it comes to why people don’t exercise. However, the one that takes the, pardon-my-pun, “fitness cake” is lack of time.
A day doesn’t go by without one of my clients professing that they simply don’t have time for exercise. Well, I’ve seen people who want to loose weight badly enough. They will restrict their diets, exercise rigorously for an hour a day and even swear off alcohol – gasp – and chocolate – double gasp! So, don’t give me that bull!
People shy away from exercise because they think they’ll have to spend hours in a gym. To maintain good health all you need is a healthy diet and a daily walk that can be broken up into increments throughout the day.
Still don’t believe me? I’ll show you how easy it is to fit brief walks into your day:
1) Is Sex and the City a rerun again? It breaks my heart when that happens. Why not go for a 30-minute walk. If it’s a new episode that you simply can’t miss, jump rope during commercials or run on the spot.
2) Does carting the kids to hockey or baseball cut into your exercise time? Take some inspiration from Jr. and stay on your feet during the game. You’ll get kudos for being the team’s best cheer leader, and your butt won’t expand to the size of the soccer field.
3) Are you dying to get your hands on the next best-seller? Buy it as a book-on-tape and take it walking with you. It might have you extending your stroll to finish a chapter.
4) Instead of a sumptuous brunch with the girls, try a brisk 30-minute walk with your BFF. Catching up on all the latest gossip can be just as delicious during a walk – plus it won’t tempt you to cheat on your healthy eating plan.
5) Remember when people used to “run” errands? Well many of us still take that term literally. The next time you need a quart of milk, walk to the local grocer.
6) Use your lunch break as an exercise break. I go work out and then eat lunch at my desk. A brisk walk around the block will leave you more refueled for the afternoon than that third cup of coffee.
7) Do you complain about how slow your apartment elevator is? Take the faster route – the stairs. You’ll burn calories in the process.
8) It’s always ironic that those who circle the parking lot looking for the closest spot are often the most overweight. Park farther away where there are spots o’ plenty. You’ll burn extra calories lugging your groceries back to the car.
9) Have you ever heard the phrase “hurry up and wait!”? Well it’s not just a humorous observation it’s a great way to stay moving. The next time you’re waiting in a long lineup don’t take a chair, pace the floor or do a little stretching.
10) If you have no time to exercise, chances are you don’t have time to clean the house either. Housework – such as dusting, vacuuming, shoveling and raking – is multitasking because it counts as exercise.
A day doesn’t go by without one of my clients professing that they simply don’t have time for exercise. Well, I’ve seen people who want to loose weight badly enough. They will restrict their diets, exercise rigorously for an hour a day and even swear off alcohol – gasp – and chocolate – double gasp! So, don’t give me that bull!
People shy away from exercise because they think they’ll have to spend hours in a gym. To maintain good health all you need is a healthy diet and a daily walk that can be broken up into increments throughout the day.
Still don’t believe me? I’ll show you how easy it is to fit brief walks into your day:
1) Is Sex and the City a rerun again? It breaks my heart when that happens. Why not go for a 30-minute walk. If it’s a new episode that you simply can’t miss, jump rope during commercials or run on the spot.
2) Does carting the kids to hockey or baseball cut into your exercise time? Take some inspiration from Jr. and stay on your feet during the game. You’ll get kudos for being the team’s best cheer leader, and your butt won’t expand to the size of the soccer field.
3) Are you dying to get your hands on the next best-seller? Buy it as a book-on-tape and take it walking with you. It might have you extending your stroll to finish a chapter.
4) Instead of a sumptuous brunch with the girls, try a brisk 30-minute walk with your BFF. Catching up on all the latest gossip can be just as delicious during a walk – plus it won’t tempt you to cheat on your healthy eating plan.
5) Remember when people used to “run” errands? Well many of us still take that term literally. The next time you need a quart of milk, walk to the local grocer.
6) Use your lunch break as an exercise break. I go work out and then eat lunch at my desk. A brisk walk around the block will leave you more refueled for the afternoon than that third cup of coffee.
7) Do you complain about how slow your apartment elevator is? Take the faster route – the stairs. You’ll burn calories in the process.
8) It’s always ironic that those who circle the parking lot looking for the closest spot are often the most overweight. Park farther away where there are spots o’ plenty. You’ll burn extra calories lugging your groceries back to the car.
9) Have you ever heard the phrase “hurry up and wait!”? Well it’s not just a humorous observation it’s a great way to stay moving. The next time you’re waiting in a long lineup don’t take a chair, pace the floor or do a little stretching.
10) If you have no time to exercise, chances are you don’t have time to clean the house either. Housework – such as dusting, vacuuming, shoveling and raking – is multitasking because it counts as exercise.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Pamper Your Body Through Pilates
So many of Hollywood's hottest stars rave about its benefits. You can't walk into a gym without seeing classes. But what is pilates, anyway?
Pilates is actually named for a man named Joseph Pilates. Around 1914, Pilates was a performer and a boxer, living in England. During the outbreak of WWI, Pilates was held in a German prison camp, where he taught a health system, based on yoga, Zen philosophy, and a number of exercises taken from the Romans and the Greeks. This health system helped the prisoners to fight off illness and maintain their strength.
The system that Joseph Pilates taught the prisoners was the start of the current pilates movement. This modern version of the workout is a series of exercises that improve strength and flexibility through a series of stretching and balancing exercises.
Chiropractors often recommend pilates as a way to strengthen the back and spine. After some time using the pilates system, an individual can typically expect to notice an increased mobility in the joints, improved circulation, a flatter stomach, and thinner waist and thighs. Typically, those most attracted to the system of workout are dancers, as dance requires a great deal of flexibility and agility as well as strength, all of which the pilates system provides. It is also said that pilates strengthens the body from the inside out, helps to relieve stress and anxiety, and can even aid in the prevention of injury.
Because it is a low impact routine, pilates is very attractive to those needing rehabilitation from injury, the eldery, and the overweight. It increases circulation and reduces weight gradually. Because of this, many women choose pilates after having a baby in order to shed the post-pregnancy pounds.
No matter what the reason for choosing the workout, pilates is fast becoming one of hottest workout trends, and one of the easiest to adapt to all ages and lifestyles. But like any workout regimen, a person should consult their physician before starting. There may be limitations you may not be aware of, and above all other benefits that a workout may bring, your health should be considered above all else.
Pilates is actually named for a man named Joseph Pilates. Around 1914, Pilates was a performer and a boxer, living in England. During the outbreak of WWI, Pilates was held in a German prison camp, where he taught a health system, based on yoga, Zen philosophy, and a number of exercises taken from the Romans and the Greeks. This health system helped the prisoners to fight off illness and maintain their strength.
The system that Joseph Pilates taught the prisoners was the start of the current pilates movement. This modern version of the workout is a series of exercises that improve strength and flexibility through a series of stretching and balancing exercises.
Chiropractors often recommend pilates as a way to strengthen the back and spine. After some time using the pilates system, an individual can typically expect to notice an increased mobility in the joints, improved circulation, a flatter stomach, and thinner waist and thighs. Typically, those most attracted to the system of workout are dancers, as dance requires a great deal of flexibility and agility as well as strength, all of which the pilates system provides. It is also said that pilates strengthens the body from the inside out, helps to relieve stress and anxiety, and can even aid in the prevention of injury.
Because it is a low impact routine, pilates is very attractive to those needing rehabilitation from injury, the eldery, and the overweight. It increases circulation and reduces weight gradually. Because of this, many women choose pilates after having a baby in order to shed the post-pregnancy pounds.
No matter what the reason for choosing the workout, pilates is fast becoming one of hottest workout trends, and one of the easiest to adapt to all ages and lifestyles. But like any workout regimen, a person should consult their physician before starting. There may be limitations you may not be aware of, and above all other benefits that a workout may bring, your health should be considered above all else.
How to Exercise and Enjoy It
There are three key elements that are important to make any exercise program successful. These elements are safety, effectiveness and enjoyment.
Safety: The “No pain, no gain” theory is a myth. Avoid any exercise that causes pain or undue discomfort. If pain occurs in the neck or chest area, stop exercising and if necessary, seek medical attention. General muscle soreness is another matter, especially for the beginner. You can expect some soreness but it need not be excessive.
A personal trainer will design an exercise program for you and your current fitness level. As your fitness level increases, your program will be adjusted to keep up with you. Too much too soon will only undermine your efforts.
Using proper form, technique and avoiding high-impact will keep your exercise program safe. A strain in your lower back, shins, calves, ankles and knees are predictable results of improper form. Repetitive, jarring movements should be avoided for general fitness. If you feel a strain, please let your trainer know. We don’t always know if you don’t tell us.
Don’t bounce or force stretching movements. Quick, pulsing movements while stretching can result in muscle strain and tears. Static movements that gradually extend muscles through the full range of motion until you feel resistance is the stretching to use for general fitness. Stretching will also decrease the likelihood of injury and soreness.
Effectiveness: Effective exercise does require effort, but those who say it must hurt are wrong. The level of exercise is determined by your fitness level and goals. The fuel source for the body during low to moderate aerobic exercise is fat. If burning excess body fat is your current fitness goal, stick to the recommended exercises and intensity levels to receive maximum results. As your fitness level increases, so will the formula for your program. Intensity, weight, repetitions and rest periods will all be adjusted as you progress.
Proper warm up before exercising and cool down afterward is essential to avoid injury and achieve peak performance.
Enjoyment: It has been said that nobody will exercise just because it is good for them. We need additional motives or goals that mean something to us and that will come as a result of regular exercise.
It is important to identify your goal so your exercising effort is focused on your goal(s) to keep motivated. The more motivating your exercise becomes the more enjoyable it will be. More enjoyment produces more consistent and greater results!
So how do you make exercise fun? First of all, stop thinking of it as exercise and start thinking of it as play. You remember play: those activities you enjoyed as a child. Turn exercise into play! Usually, play involves interaction with friends and variety.
Keep your play fun, positive and exciting! Remember, have fun. For more information and tips on exercise, go to http://www.easyexercisetips.com
Safety: The “No pain, no gain” theory is a myth. Avoid any exercise that causes pain or undue discomfort. If pain occurs in the neck or chest area, stop exercising and if necessary, seek medical attention. General muscle soreness is another matter, especially for the beginner. You can expect some soreness but it need not be excessive.
A personal trainer will design an exercise program for you and your current fitness level. As your fitness level increases, your program will be adjusted to keep up with you. Too much too soon will only undermine your efforts.
Using proper form, technique and avoiding high-impact will keep your exercise program safe. A strain in your lower back, shins, calves, ankles and knees are predictable results of improper form. Repetitive, jarring movements should be avoided for general fitness. If you feel a strain, please let your trainer know. We don’t always know if you don’t tell us.
Don’t bounce or force stretching movements. Quick, pulsing movements while stretching can result in muscle strain and tears. Static movements that gradually extend muscles through the full range of motion until you feel resistance is the stretching to use for general fitness. Stretching will also decrease the likelihood of injury and soreness.
Effectiveness: Effective exercise does require effort, but those who say it must hurt are wrong. The level of exercise is determined by your fitness level and goals. The fuel source for the body during low to moderate aerobic exercise is fat. If burning excess body fat is your current fitness goal, stick to the recommended exercises and intensity levels to receive maximum results. As your fitness level increases, so will the formula for your program. Intensity, weight, repetitions and rest periods will all be adjusted as you progress.
Proper warm up before exercising and cool down afterward is essential to avoid injury and achieve peak performance.
Enjoyment: It has been said that nobody will exercise just because it is good for them. We need additional motives or goals that mean something to us and that will come as a result of regular exercise.
It is important to identify your goal so your exercising effort is focused on your goal(s) to keep motivated. The more motivating your exercise becomes the more enjoyable it will be. More enjoyment produces more consistent and greater results!
So how do you make exercise fun? First of all, stop thinking of it as exercise and start thinking of it as play. You remember play: those activities you enjoyed as a child. Turn exercise into play! Usually, play involves interaction with friends and variety.
Keep your play fun, positive and exciting! Remember, have fun. For more information and tips on exercise, go to http://www.easyexercisetips.com
How to Stretch your Way to Fitness
Not many things pay off for the body as much as stretching. Nothing could be simpler or take less time. Alas, most Americans neglect stretching as part of an every day fitness program.
Stretching boosts muscle flexibility, which in turn leads to decreased likelihood of injury, better muscle performance, and a sense of well-being that lasts for hours after you’ve finished.
Ideally, you should stretch several times each day. Stretching in the morning gets your body ready for the activities ahead. It also presents your brain with a focused, quiet activity can result in a feeling of peace and lowering of anxiety levels.
In the evening, stretching will help work out the kinks of a day’s wear and tear. Stretching and relaxing muscles before going to bed will lessen soreness after a hard day and will have you waking up feeling wonderful.
Finally, stretching is an unquestionable must prior to any vigorous physical activity to prevent injury and reduce post-activity soreness
10-15 minutes is plenty of time for the morning, evening, or pre-activity stretch. The following stretches provide brief examples. An abundance of books and videos are available for more detail.
The most basic stretches can be performed while seated. Start with your neck. Look down at your stomach. Then slowly roll your head to the left, then back so you’re looking at the ceiling, to the right, and back down. You should feel the muscles in your neck stretching. A similar motion can be performed with the wrists. While seated, simply move your closed hand in a circle using your wrist. Then lift each leg, and draw the same circle with the feet around the ankle. Make 3-5 such circles in the clock-wise direction and then the counter-clockwise direction with your neck, both wrists and both ankles.
Move to the calf muscle. Find a wall, chair, stability ball, or something that you can safely lean on. While leaning comfortably against the object, move your right foot two feet back. Slowly bend your left knee so that your right ankle flexes. You should feel the muscle in the back of your lower right leg being stretched. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and release. Repeat the exercise with your left calf.
The best way to stretch the front of the upper leg (the quadriceps) is to lie down on a flat surface (floor, bed, mat, et cetera). While lying on your left side, with your left elbow on the surface, and your left hand supporting your head, pull your right foot up behind you, so that the knee is bent as far as possible. Reach back with your right hand and grab onto your right foot. Pull you foot towards your back until you feel the muscle stretching. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Perform the same stretch for your right leg.
For a basic shoulder stretch, clasp your hands behind your back and slowly lift them upwards. You’ll feel the muscles in your shoulder stretching. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds.
Countless other stretches exist, but this schedule gives you a basic routine. Consult with your doctor and, if possible, a physical trainer to fine tune a “flex schedule” that’s right for you.
Stretching boosts muscle flexibility, which in turn leads to decreased likelihood of injury, better muscle performance, and a sense of well-being that lasts for hours after you’ve finished.
Ideally, you should stretch several times each day. Stretching in the morning gets your body ready for the activities ahead. It also presents your brain with a focused, quiet activity can result in a feeling of peace and lowering of anxiety levels.
In the evening, stretching will help work out the kinks of a day’s wear and tear. Stretching and relaxing muscles before going to bed will lessen soreness after a hard day and will have you waking up feeling wonderful.
Finally, stretching is an unquestionable must prior to any vigorous physical activity to prevent injury and reduce post-activity soreness
10-15 minutes is plenty of time for the morning, evening, or pre-activity stretch. The following stretches provide brief examples. An abundance of books and videos are available for more detail.
The most basic stretches can be performed while seated. Start with your neck. Look down at your stomach. Then slowly roll your head to the left, then back so you’re looking at the ceiling, to the right, and back down. You should feel the muscles in your neck stretching. A similar motion can be performed with the wrists. While seated, simply move your closed hand in a circle using your wrist. Then lift each leg, and draw the same circle with the feet around the ankle. Make 3-5 such circles in the clock-wise direction and then the counter-clockwise direction with your neck, both wrists and both ankles.
Move to the calf muscle. Find a wall, chair, stability ball, or something that you can safely lean on. While leaning comfortably against the object, move your right foot two feet back. Slowly bend your left knee so that your right ankle flexes. You should feel the muscle in the back of your lower right leg being stretched. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and release. Repeat the exercise with your left calf.
The best way to stretch the front of the upper leg (the quadriceps) is to lie down on a flat surface (floor, bed, mat, et cetera). While lying on your left side, with your left elbow on the surface, and your left hand supporting your head, pull your right foot up behind you, so that the knee is bent as far as possible. Reach back with your right hand and grab onto your right foot. Pull you foot towards your back until you feel the muscle stretching. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Perform the same stretch for your right leg.
For a basic shoulder stretch, clasp your hands behind your back and slowly lift them upwards. You’ll feel the muscles in your shoulder stretching. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds.
Countless other stretches exist, but this schedule gives you a basic routine. Consult with your doctor and, if possible, a physical trainer to fine tune a “flex schedule” that’s right for you.
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