Laying a Good Foundation for Health

By: Paula Muran

In the western medicine world, we have lost touch with the basic concept of true healing. We substitute a band-aid for a cure and wonder why we don’t feel better. People get ill for many reasons. Each diseased state tells us that we are ignoring some part of self, and change is necessary. While many factors contribute to healing, and it happens on many levels, all require attention throughout the entire healing practice. Ignoring the body-mind (emotions and thoughts) would not provide adequate and long-term good health.

Physical symptoms like headaches, swollen glands, sneezing and colds, including more serious diseases like cancer, communicate that there is a disturbance in the emotional fabric of our being. Negative emotions like fear, doubt and worry stop the normal flow of energy. These emotions undermine us, and over the course of our lives cause unexplained and crippling diseases that end up controlling us.

The physical body falls apart because we fall apart emotionally. Recent scientific studies have shown that emotions sabotage everything—from simple success to kidney failure. When we don’t care for the “whole self,” the physical body simply mirrors those effects. Over the course of time, emotions like fear, anger and confusion take their toll. Repressed anger diminishes the functions of the liver. Hopelessness and despair play havoc with the gall bladder. Fear plays havoc with the kidneys, relationships and success. Confusion on the other hand, keeps whirling thoughts spinning, creating a cloud of chaos around us and we become imbalanced and ungrounded. Head colds for instance, are a direct result of emotional confusion. Long-standing negative emotional beliefs deteriorate the entire physical being. A constant string of repetitive negative words weaken and actually exhaust the physical body.

To heal we must feel. We must identify the root emotional cause of the disease. This process lays down a new foundation for good health and begins with a new attitude about being healthy. Any negative emotion causes us to stay stuck in a false perception about our self.

How do we identify negative emotions? The easiest way to identify negative patterns is to see them in family members and friends. Examine other people’s behaviors. Notice all the things you like about them and all the things you don’t like, especially the things that make you angry, envious or jealous. The people around you are actually reflections of you. What you see in another person that bothers you or angers you is a part of yourself that has not yet been loved and healed. Begin by criticizing your dearest friends. By doing this practice of looking at the faults of friends and family you get in touch with the parts of you that are out of balance and seek healing. This simple exercise offers you an opportunity to look deeply at your own emotional concerns and patterns. Once you locate personal limitation it’s time for change.

Emotional patterns are created when you place a judgment upon an experience. To change, we must stay conscious of our feelings in situations. Stay calm, make no judgment—simply feel the energy. For example, let’s take anger because anger is one of the most profound emotions and is easily felt. Imagine yourself in an angry situation; stay completely present and deeply feel the anger. Don’t judge it—simply feel it. Now, love the feeling that anger produces. Anger can be motivation. It can be passionate. Change the negative charge that anger produces; begin to embrace and love the feeling of anger instead of repelling it.

Next begin to dialogue with the anger. Yes, that is correct, strike up a conversation with anger. Ask it questions like, “What are you teaching me?” or “Why am I so angry all the time?” Permit the answers to come into your conscious mind. As they do, you realize what the true issue is. Sometimes in that moment of realization the anger pattern can release. Other times it might take a few more conversations for the anger to release. This method allows the energy constriction caused by anger and other emotions to release. Any blocked energy begins to flow giving the physical body a chance to heal.

Even though healing begins with the emotions, the physical body must be strong enough to support the emotional body.

Supplements: Supplementation is important because food chemicals, pesticides and a hurried lifestyle play havoc on our systems. Take no more than five different supplements daily. I prefer liquids including Green-Magma and other green drinks. If you don’t feel immediate results, they are not working.

Water: Only 5% of the American population gets sufficient water each day. Diet drinks, high corn-syrup drinks and coffee do not count towards proper hydration; in fact these drinks cause gastrointestinal inflammation, kidney and liver problems and an acidic environment. To properly hydrate drink at least half of your body weight in purified water by the ounce each day. For example if you weight 150 lbs. you need 75 ounces of purified water daily. Exercise: The number one killer today is a stagnant lymph system caused by a lack of exercise. Take a walk around the block or take a yoga, chi-kung or Pilate’s class.

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7156.shtml

How To Find The Best Arthritis Specialist

By: Nathan Wei

When you?re looking for a medical specialist, it?s sometimes really difficult because you don?t know who?s good and who isn?t. Sometimes you can rely on a friend or relative who?s seen somebody? or you can call the local hospital because sometimes they?ll give you the names of people who specialize.

Unfortunately, these methods are not necessarily the best ways to locate somebody who is really skilled.

I?ve written a previous article on how to find an arthritis expert? and that should be mandatory reading if you?re looking for a top-notch person. (The 12 Things You Must Look For In An Arthritis Expert)

This new article will add a few other things.

Do you know what training an arthritis specialist (rheumatologist) has gone through? Let me tell you? Four years of college, four years of medical school, three to four years of internal medicine residency, and three years of fellowship in arthritis training. And several board exams have to be passed along the way culminating in the internal medicine boards and the rheumatology boards. Many candidates don?t pass the first time around.

You should ask if they passed the first time or not. You can maybe excuse somebody for not passing once (although even that is a bit much) but if they have had to take the exams over and over, then you might want to be a bit leery. After all you don?t want to see a doctor who?s a few fries short of a Happy Meal!

This article will give you the essential things you need to look for in an arthritis specialist.

1. Graduate of an American medical school. American medical education is still the finest in the world.

2. Residency training at a University teaching hospital.

3. Fellowship training at a top university or better yet, a biomedical research center like the National Institutes of Health.

4. Reputation. What do you hear about the doctor from his or her patients?

5. Education. Is this specialist still doing research and continuing to publish papers? the best do.

6. How many papers published- 25-50 is a minimum.

7. How does their practice run? Is the staff courteous, efficient, and do they seem to know what they?re doing?

8. Do the employees appear to enjoy their work? There?s nothing worse than walking up to a receptionist or other staff person who treats you like a piece of chuck roast.

9. When you are in the office do the physician and the staff give you informational literature about your case? Do they answer your questions?

10. Do they return your calls the same day?

11. When you start a new medicine do they go over the things should look out for as far as side effects?

12. Do they refer tough cases out? Often, a doctor who has ego problems may not refer out a patient who should be referred out. An arthritis specialist can?t be a specialist in all types of arthritis- there are too many of them. For instance, I am an expert in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. While I can take care of patients with mild lupus, I refer out more serious cases because I don?t really feel I have the expertise or the energy any longer to take care of these complicated patients? so I refer them to a University hospital.

13. Are they careful about checking laboratory tests regularly?

14. Is research being done? The best arthritis specialists do research. They have their hand on the pulse of what is happening in the forefront of their specialty.

15. Are they invited to speak nationally? Obviously, a person who is a nationally recognized speaker has the knowledge and respect to have earned this right.

16. Do they care? You can tell by how the doctor talks to you and follows up with you. Do they stay in touch? For instance, we send out a monthly newsletter to keep patients informed, entertained, and in touch.

17. Are they trustworthy? In your heart of hearts, do you feel they have your best interest at heart?

18. Are they cheap or are they expensive? Doctors who sign up with insurance plans are weak and usually second rate. The best arthritis experts don?t sign insurance contracts because they don?t want to work for the insurance company. They want to work for the patient and do what?s right for them. Not surprisingly, they also are expensive because they are the best. Remember? in life you get what you pay for.

Let?s face it? picking the right doctor isn?t like looking for laundry detergent. This is particularly true when it comes to arthritis, many forms of which can lead to crippling disability as well as early death.

The right arthritis expert can make the difference between your leading a long, productive, and enjoyable life? or dealing with a progressive, crippling, agonizingly painful existence.

Like Yogi Berra once said, ?When you come to a fork in the road, take it??

It?s your life and your health that?s on the line.

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7164.shtml

What is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

By: Greg Frost

ADD is when the reticular activating system in your brain, which is a part of your body?s central nervous system, is dysfunctional. This area of the brain is responsible for coordinating the information from one region of the brain to another via norepinephrine, due to external information. When it is impaired, there is excessive stimulation causing the mind to be overworked and unable to cope, leading to a lack of focus and other symptoms.

There are many forms of ADD, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Behavior Disorder (ADBD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD), to name a few. Of these, ADHD is the most well know form of ADD, and affects approximately 5% of all children in America, making it the most common neurological disease.

Many factors contribute to ADD, and the breakdown of the reticular activating system. Excessive sugar consumption reduces the brain?s sensitivity to norepinephrine, making it difficult for the brain to pass messages to different regions of the mind. Other factors include oxygen deprivation during birth, genetics, a dearth of nutrients in his diet, and substance abuse during pregnancy, among others. Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health show that up to 5% of the population has ADHD, and that up to 20% of pregnant mothers smoke during pregnancy, with 11% consuming alcohol.

Common indicators that an individual is suffering from ADD include learning disabilities, agitation, aggression, short attention spans and poor memory retention. The symptoms of ADD are also easily confused with other diseases or attributed to different factors, making it difficult to diagnose. For example, the main symptoms of ADD are forgetfulness, restlessness, depression, inability to focus and impulsive behavior. However, thyroid, depression, anxiety, or a stressful environment can also result in the same symptoms. Excessive sugar consumption can cause impulsive behavior and restlessness, and allergies can cause reactions that reduce the neurotransmitters in the brain causing the same symptoms.

There are many treatments available for those who suffer from ADD, and the most common one is the use of antidepressant drugs. However, these medications need up to 6 weeks to take effect, and have severe side effects such as increasing depression, agitation, and suicidal notions. There are also alternative treatments, such as herbs and nutrients used to balance the brain chemistry that has been impaired. These are encouraged as they do not have side effects, and are specially designed to provide the necessary acids, hormones and neural growth needed to assist the reticular activating system.

For those who are suffering from ADD, it is recommended to cut down on sugar intake as sugar consumption is linked to aggressive behavior. Individuals should also be tested for allergies, especially those triggered by food dyes. In line with this, soft drinks should be avoided.

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7149.shtml

Review of the Atkins Diet

By: Mary Watson

The slimming and weight loss industry is worth billions of dollars, so it stands to reason that some people are making a good living at the expense of other people’s misery. There?s diets, slimming formulas, pills, potions, hypnosis and surgery associated with the lucrative weight loss industry.

When it comes to deciding which diet is going to be suitable for you, which do you choose? With so many diets and weight loss plans jumping out at you every time you open a magazine, is it any wonder that the majority of dieters are totally confused?

One way to help you decide which diet is best for you is to read what other people say about them. It’s all very well for the pill manufacturers to make wild claims about their products, because they are only interested in making sales.

Web sites like loseweightreviews.com were set up specifically so that ordinary people could post their personal experiences of the many diet plans, by writing a review. I would encourage you to help others by doing the same.

The Atkins Diet

One of the most publicised and controversial diets of recent times is the Atkins diet. Originally adapted by Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1960s, this is basically a low-carbohydrate diet. which encourages the dieter to eat unlimited amounts of meat, butter, and eggs. In his book entitled, Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution, he details his proposal to have some carbs literally banned. “Our laws must be changed to provide a proper way of eating for everyone.” He wrote.

The Atkins’ diet was focused on fried pork rinds, thick cream, cheese, and meat. For Atkins, bacon and butter were health foods and bread and bananas were what he called “poison”.

By drastically restricting carbohydrates, the body goes into a state of ketosis, which means it burns its own fat for fuel. A person in the state of ketosis gets their energy from ketones, which are small carbon fragments and are the fuel created by the breakdown of fat stores.

When the body is in a state of ketosis, the dieter will tend to feel less hungry, and therefore less likely to eat. However, ketosis can also cause a variety of unpleasant side effects such as bad breath and constipation.

But the question is? does this diet work or not?

Well, some people say it does and some say it doesn’t. The fact is the Atkins theories remain unproven But the most alarming aspects of this diet are the possible health consequences.

Doctors and scientists are not concerned about whether the Atkins diet is effective for losing weight or even for keeping weight off in the long term or short term. Their primary concerns are focused on whether the diet promotes heart disease and whether this is a healthy diet for preventing heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

This diet can also initiate the potential loss of bone, and the potential for people with liver and kidney problems to experience trouble due to the high amounts of protein.

Nutrition experts are also inclined to support the scientific view, especially as the diet doesn’t permit a high intake of fruits and vegetables.

Well these are just some of the facts concerning the Atkins diet, and I would recommend that you read further before you consider embarking on this one. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7086.shtml

The Blind Bind of Male Depression

By: Patti Desert

Many men have a difficult time recognizing that they are depressed. Men often interpret the word “depression” as describing a state of helplessness or hopelessness, accompanying a general sense of feeling fragile or vulnerable. In many ways our culture conditions men to ignore these states or to experience little awareness of them. Men are taught “boys don’t cry,” and are uniformly rewarded with praise and validation when they “act like a man” instead of tearing up or expressing fear in response to a harshly distressing encounter. Such an encounter might be a football injury or a harsh and critical baseball coach or an abusive peer. After years of this kind of persistent reinforcement these boys grow into men with a form of blindness whereby they often do not see or understand the nature of depression. In ignorance they become bound by painfully repetitive behaviors and feelings with no knowledge that they can change. What men do recognize is what they call “stress” and they will commonly describe events and situations as stressful with no awareness that those events and situations are the triggers stimulating an internal state of dis-ease that often leads to depression. The following are some of the less recognizable experiences that men commonly describe as “stressful” or “stress-related” and that are symptomatic of depression.

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

high levels of anxiety, irritability, and/or anger; low energy and/or fatigue; difficulties concentrating; frequent worries about others’ opinions; loss or lack of confidence; loss of interest in favorite activities; weight loss or gain; loss of sex drive; sleep problems; inability to relax; addictions; obsessive-compulsive behavior; frequent suffering from vague physical ailments.

TRIGGERS OF DEPRESSION

Many normal and joyous life experiences can trigger depression. A new relationship, a new baby, a new home or job, a large inheritance, or even winning the lottery. Each of these events bring additional and, at times, unfamiliar experiences that can challenge a man’s sense of confidence to address such responsibilities. Generally, when men feel a lack of confidence they will double up their efforts. However, when such efforts fail and a man’s confidence is compromised longer than is tolerable his sense of self worth is diminished and that places him at risk for depression.

Separation, divorce, loss of a job, retirement, death of a loved one, constant and unrelenting pressures from others to do things their way–these also can tax a man’s sense of competency and self-worth. As commonly learned growing up, men experiencing loss will tend to suppress tears and sadness and will instead present a “stiff upper lip,” or get busy and support others, or express anger at the perceived offender, or find ways to occupy their thoughts so they can avoid uncomfortable feelings. As well they will reject any idea that they cannot optimally perform. And if, by chance, they do have trouble functioning effectively, they will suffer intense anxiety, tension, and fatigue. When this happens and they cannot change what they believe is causing their distress, they will begin experiencing more of the symptoms listed above.

Physical illness and unrelenting pain can also trigger depression. Pain is the body’s red alert system that something is misfiring, and the nervous system is the first responder to engage our defense system to bring relief. When pain is intense enough or it persists long enough it creates unrelieved stress on our natural biological defense systems. Once that happens our immune system and other related defense systems become compromised and can no longer provide necessary relief. One of the common results of this biologically-based depletion is depression. The biological and chemical effects of untreated depression then synergistically trigger an even wider system breakdown that further weakens our body and makes us susceptible to other physical disorders.

THE BLIND BIND OF MALE DEPRESSION

Men are conditioned from the time they are little boys to be problem solvers, doers, thinkers, and action takers. Such conditioning primes them to naturally assume the roles of dedicated employee at work and primary caretaker at home. They push themselves to meet time lines, sales quotas, budget schedules, financial, emotional, and professional expectations of family and friends. They are not taught to consider or are not aware of the cost these pressures can impose on their physical well being and emotional peace of mind. They are blinded to the understanding that if the cost gets high enough fatigue, irritability, impatience, and the other symptoms listed above start to manifest. They do not recognize that in an effort to gain relief from these symptoms they engage in behaviors that potentially exacerbate the problem. And so, in ignorance, they compulsively and impulsively bind with the distracting excitement or mind numbing experience of a increasing variety of behaviors. Some examples include alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, spending, long periods on the internet, and working harder and longer. Ultimately, instead of bringing relief, these binding behaviors bring an additional set of worries that now includes substance-related depression, financial debt, social isolation, family conflict, a shame-driven perception of self, and a widening rift between the painful state of depression and the support that can bring relief and healing.

HEALING FROM THE BLIND BIND OF DEPRESSION

Men did not ask for this blind-bind state of being. And they cannot return to their pasts and change the experiences that conditioned them to overlook or ignore or to have little understanding of the symptoms of depression and the interactions that trigger it. However, men can learn to recognize the symptoms and then, at the very least, seek out more information. Depression is treatable and a few basic steps can begin the process. Awareness is fundamental. The next step requires action. Here are some recommendations:

get eight hours sleep; do something you enjoy each week; walk for twenty minutes, three times a week; eat healthy meals that include fruits/vegetables–depression leeches the body of nutrients; schedule a massage; practice deep, slow breathing throughout the day; take a work break—go in late, leave early, take the day off; consult with a physician; talk about frustrations with a trusted friend; get professional counseling.

This last suggestion, getting professional help, is significantly important. Often men know that these activities can help to lift their mood and alleviate stress but hard as they try, they falter at following through with them. Understandably. Depression is a condition that effects the mind, the body, and the emotions. Many men routinely grow up with few tools to address these areas when compromised. However, with the help of a skilled psychotherapist who has experience and training working with men in the treatment of depression and anxiety the blind bind of male depression can release. And with that release men can then acquire the tools to alleviate the symptoms of depression, to prevent its debilitating reoccurrence, and to live with a consistent sense of healthy and enjoyable connection with self and others.

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7077.shtml

Why Going Under the Knife is the Last Resort to Weight Loss

By: Mary Watson

So you’ve tried every diet going and you’ve tried all the pills, patches, potions and hypnotherapy programmes and still nothing has produced the desired results. You’re now desperate to the point of suicide, but you have some money put by for an emergency. Money can buy just about anything right? But, can it buy you a new body?

The answer is yes!

But before you seriously consider putting yourself at the mercy of the surgeon’s knife, let’s look at this drastic action in more detail.

The most common form of weight loss surgery is the gastric band, which will set you back around £8,000. Undoubtedly, the gastric band is a highly effective weight loss surgery procedure used to help overweight people achieve significant and long-term weight loss.

Basically, it’s a an inflatable silicone ring that is placed around the upper part of the stomach, creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach with a small opening to the rest of the stomach. The band controls the amount of food that passes from the stomach into the digestive tract.

The object is to make you feel satisfied on much smaller amounts of food and digestion is slowed down, making you feel full for longer periods and resulting in weight loss.

A major benefit is that the band can be adjusted if necessary and can be kept in for life, ensuring that you never again become a victim of over-eating and obesity.

It’s obvious that weight loss surgery works better than weight loss drugs or diets but what are the risks? There are some risks with this kind of surgery so doctors will usually only recommend it after you’ve tried several other ways of losing weight. Even then, surgery is not suitable for everyone. For example, your doctor may consider surgery too risky if you have heart or lung problems.

Another quite common surgical weight loss procedure is a gastric bypass, which will cost in the region of £11,000.

Known as a Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass, this is a highly effective weight loss surgery procedure.The operation creates a small stomach pouch in the same way as the gastric band. This is then attached to a section of the small intestine. Food then bypasses the rest of the stomach and some of the intestine. This results in you being able to consume a significantly reduced volume of food.

It is the most common form of Bariatric Surgery and is a proven method of weight loss. When combined with a supervised diet, increased physical activity and a change in behaviour habits, it can lead to long-term weight loss with all the associated health benefits.

It differs from a gastric band as it has a 2 way weight reducing effect, both restricting food volume and reducing the amount of calories the body absorbs. Also, gastric bypass surgery is preferable to some people as it does not require any adjustment, making it more convenient if you live some distance from the hospital or do not want to attend for adjustments.

Although the long-term benefits of gastric bypass surgery appear to outweigh the short-term risks, the immediate risks associated with gastric bypass surgery to treat obesity may be much higher than was previously thought.

A recent study shows that the risk of death within the first 30 days after gastric bypass surgery is at least four times higher than previously reported, and much of that risk was attributable to the surgeon’s inexperience. Subsequently, the risk of dying within 30 days of surgery is about 1 in 50.

Is that a risk worth taking? I suppose it all depends on just how desperate you really are. Well, no matter how desperate you are you should always try every alternative method first. Like the much cheaper and no-risk herbal remedy option.

With this option you won’t need to spend your life savings on surgery and you won’t have to risk your life to lose the excess weight.

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7095.shtml

7 Simple Rules For Staying Young… No Matter What Your Age Is

By: Dax Moy

Why is it that so many people dread getting older?

I mean, what is it that causes sensible, mature, educated people to burst into tears or go thorough ‘mid-life’ crises at the very mention of their 40th birthday?

It’s weird isn’t it?

After all, getting older is a natural part of life. Inevitable in fact, because if we don’t get older then it means we must be dead!

After working with thousands of people from all walks of life I can reveal this; it’s not the actual calendar years that cause people stress and concern, it’s what those years do to your body, your face, your appearance.

Not much of a revelation, I agree, but nonetheless it’s true.

In fact, if it wasn’t for the visible signs of aging that build up over the years, most people wouldn’t give a damn about how many candles they have on their birthday cake at all.

The trouble is, we’re all brainwashed from quite an early age about what it means to grow older.

We’re told “you’re not getting any younger y’know!” or “You really should be slowing down and taking it a bit easier at your age” or “You shouldn’t expect to achieve as much as you did when you were younger”.

What a load of rubbish!

Look, let’s get something straight once and for all.

Despite what you’ve been told by doctors, physios and so-called fitness ‘experts’ over the years, you do not automatically enter into a downward spiral of performance and appearance as you age.

Physical degeneration is NOT an inevitable part of the aging process.

In fact, you can and SHOULD be able to not only maintain but also improve your physical abilities across the course of your lifetime. You CAN be fitter in your 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s than you are in your 20’s and 30’s.

Don’t believe me?

Just look at the likes of ultra distance runner and adventure racer Helen Klein. She took up jogging at age 55, progressed on to complete over 75 marathons and 100 ultra-distance marathons (these are races over 100 miles in length) during a career that went on well into her mid seventies.

What about Professor Art De Vany, author of ‘Evolutionary Fitness’? At age 68 he rides mountain bikes and dirt bikes competitively (in open competition), trains rigorously on a daily basis and has an amazingly muscular and firm physique with only 8% bodyfat. He’s 68!!

These aren’t isolated cases, though sadly, they are quite rare…though they needn’t be!

Any day of the week you could begin the process of building the better, fitter, faster, firmer, stronger, leaner you and start to benefit from the amazing energy and vitality that’s available to you at every moment of your life, regardless of age.

But first, I need you to understand something.

These improvements do not come from some new fad fitness programme.

They don’t come from Dr Whoojammywotsits latest diet.

They don’t come from those fancy gizmo’s, gadgets or wonder pills that you keep buying from all those late night infomercials.

They come from good, old fashioned, honest-to-goodness effort.

Quite simply, if you want to get your butt off, then you have to get off your butt!

There is no other way!

Now, I know that’s not what you want to hear and that many of you reading this will probably stop at this point, but nevertheless, it’s true. And what’s more, you know its true.

So, what are you going to do about it?

If you’re like most people, probably nothing. You’ll sit there, read this article and decide that I’m either nuts (You’re could be right) or that the cost of getting what you want is too high and requires too much effort to achieve.

If that’s you then I must respectfully inform you that you are officially insane. After all, isn’t one of the definitions of insanity ‘repeatedly doing the same things yet expecting different results’?

For those of you who still have your mental faculties intact : ) and are willing to make the changes necessary to achieve a fantastic body (regardless of your age), here are a few pointers.

1.Engage in challenging exercise EVERY DAY- Look, 3 times a week just doesn’t cut it when it comes to maintaining or improving your physical self.

The human body is a movement machine, so MOVE IT!… or lose it.

2.Use strength based exercises AT LEAST 3 times a week where you challenge the muscles and joints and load the bones.

With over 600 muscles in the human body it just doesn’t make sense to train the way most people do by isolating different muscles and blasting them to death. Instead, use my 600 rule and try to find exercises that use as many muscles as you possibly can.

3. Drink fresh, clean water every day.

You need around a litre for every 50lbs of body weight in order to maintain a decent hydration level within the body. Less than this and your organs, your skin, your muscles and even your brain cease to operate effectively.

4. Avoid all processed food.

Another name for processed food is ‘denatured’ food. In other words, all of the nature has been removed from it in order to make it last longer on the shelves.

Do you really want to eat something without any ‘nature’ in it? Only you can decide that, but I tell you this; foods with colourings, flavourings and numbers instead of ingredients will more likely end your life early than extend it.

Opt instead for fresh produce ensuring that 80% of what you eat comes from fresh (ideally organic) sources.

5. Eat less.

People eat too much. Enough said!

6.Sleep more

The human body requires sleep of both great quality and quantity.

Getting 8 hours a night is a good start, but not enough. To truly benefit from your sleep, try to get your sleep patterns worked out so that you are asleep between the hours of 10pm and 2 am to make the most of your body’s hormonal repair processes. The hours 2am to 6pm are important to countering stress.

In other words, all sleep is not the same. The timing is important too.

7. Relax more

Yep, I know I said to move more but I also want you to relax more too.

That doesn’t mean watch more TV. Read a book, listen to music, take a massage or acupuncture, take more holidays, add variety to your weekends.

Studies show that people who are more aware of the need for a blanc between activity and constructive relaxation live longer, are less stressed and achieve more.

Well, there you go. My guide to looking and performing better as you age.

It may not be what you were expecting. In fact, many of you are probably thinking, ‘yeah, but I know all that already, where’s the new stuff?’

Sorry, not this time!

There’s nothing faddy, or hi-tech about this approach.

It just works.

My challenge to you is to take everything I’ve just told you and use it for 30 days in its entirety. Don’t skip a thing.

If you do, I GUARANTEE that no matter what your current age or physical condition is, you’ll look, feel and perform better than you have in years.

You up for it?

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7110.shtml

How to Avoid Diet Plateaus

By: Mary Watson

Everyone has periods when no matter what they attempt, they will not lose weight. It?s normal to experience this ?plateaus? occasionally, but if you have them frequently, you may be doing something wrong. If you think you are doing everything you should do and are still not losing weight or are losing at a very slow pace, you need to evaluate everything you are doing to find the cause.

Make a Log of Your Menus and Snacks

One of the first things you need to do in order to determine the cause of your weight loss plateau is to make a log of everything you eat. In all likelihood you are eating things you should not be eating or in excessive quantities. It is rare that one can follow a diet program precisely and not lose weight. There may be occasions when you might lose less weight than at other times for any number of reasons including illness, but if it continues beyond a week or two, you need to keep of log of your food intake in order to evaluate the cause.

While you are logging your food consumption, you want to pay close attention to your snacks. One of the mistakes people tend to make is choosing low calorie snacks that have added sugar or thinking they can eat more because the food has little or no calories in it. The time you eat meals and snacks may also have an effect on the speed at which you lose weight. If you have a tendency to eat dinner after 6:00 p.m., you may find it difficult to lose weight because there is not enough time to digest the food before bed. Of course, if you go to bed much later, this will not be as big of a problem.

Log Your Activity Level

In addition to logging your intake of food, you need to log your activity level as well. You have to keep in mind that you cannot lose weight without exercise, so there is a good possibility that without realizing it, you have lowered your level of activity, thus placing your weight loss at a plateau. This decreased activity level will cause your metabolism to slow down and those slow your weight loss efforts. You want to ask yourself what you are doing differently; perhaps you have slowed down the speed of your activities or have changed to an activity that does not burn calories at the same speed as the activity in which you were previously participating.

Evaluate the Drinks You Are Consuming

You should be drinking at least sixty-four ounces of water daily. If you are not doing this, it is probably affecting your weight loss. Even low sugar drinks can have an affect on your weight loss if you consume too many of these drinks especially if they are preventing you from drinking enough water. Soft drinks should be avoided as much as possible because even the diet varieties contain excess sodium which can have a detrimental effect on weight loss.

Many years ago I was involved in a weight loss program and when I reached a plateau I was told to drink something hot in the morning to get the metabolism going at full speed. If you are not a tea or coffee drinker, you can certainly substitute hot water with some lemon or other flavouring added. I would not recommend hot chocolate unless you are drinking the sugar free variety, and even then you must be careful how much you drink at 70 calories a cup.

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7094.shtml

5 MORE Fat Burning Nutritional Tips

By: Ben Greenfield

This article will give you 5 more tips to turn your body into a lean muscle-building, fat-burning machine. In case you didn’t read the last 5 tips, the basic overview was to increase fiber intake, frequently drink water, eat a complex and healthy breakfast, increase calcium intake, and eat several small meals per day (as high as 8-10). Ready for more? Good! Keep reading…

#6: Eat carbs early in the day

Meals that contain larger amounts of carbohydrates should be eaten earlier in the day. This means that much of your whole grain and fruit consumption should occur before noon. The body’s metabolism is highest earlier in the day, so this is a great time to be supplying your muscles with energy in the form of glycogen (carbohydrates), while also ensuring that many of the carbohydrates you consume will be burned for fuel, rather than deposited as fat stores. Many families tend to have the biggest meal of the day in the evening, ironically at the time when the body is least in need of energy and the metabolism is lowest. The practical application would be to make breakfast bigger and dinner smaller. So try it out – prioritize eating carbohydrates early in the day, and focus on decreasing carbohydrate portion size as afternoon and evening approaches.

#7: Eat the right kind of carbs

While carbohydrates are important for providing energy and giving your body the ability to burn fat, you must choose the right carbs. Simple carbs like sugar and processed flour tend to be rapidly absorbed by the digestive system, which causes a release of the hormone that encourages fat deposit – insulin. Furthermore, the quick energy release that is followed by a rapid decrease in sugar levels will cause you to crave more food, which is why many people on a typical American diet are *always* hungry! So no matter what percentage of your diet is made up of carbohydrates, you must choose complex carbs that are slowly absorbed and digested, thus producing a long term source of energy that keeps you fuller for a longer period of time. Whole grain flours, vegetables, oats, and unprocessed grains, such as brown or wild rice are great choices, and also include many other compounds important in maintaining a high metabolism and proper digestive function.

#8 Eat fat

For the past several decades, mainstream Americans have been shifting to low or no fat diets, with the general result being an *increase* in obesity and chronic disease, and a decrease in health and fitness. In the meantime, world populations such as Eskimos, that consume as much as 70% of their diet from fat calories in whale blubber and fish, have one of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world. While this may seem ironic, there are some very good reasons. Typically, to replace calories that are not provided by dietary fat, carbohydrate consumption increases. Increased carb consumption leads to a faster burning energy source, which tends to contribute to cycling blood sugar levels, use of muscle tissue as fuel, low energy, and decreased metabolism and hormone production. In addition, many Americans will replace saturated fat, such as butter, with a trans fat, such as margarine. Trans fats are *much* worse for the body than saturated fat. So it is important to choose the right kinds of fat. Most animal fats, and many vegetable oils, are high in cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease. However, mono-unsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil, nuts, fish oil, and various seed oils, can help lower cholesterol, reduce risk of heart disease, and enhance your body’s ability to burn fat as a fuel source. So try to eat fish several times a week (or supplement with fish oil), cook with olive oil, and try to eat at least a handful of a healthy nut (like almonds or walnuts) once per day.

#9 Avoid sugar substitutes

Artifical sweeteners, such as Aspartame, still taste sweet (that’s why they’re sugar replacements!). When the taste receptors on your tongue taste this sweet substance, your digestive systems begins to produce compounds that prepare your body to use the “food” that your brain thinks you are consuming. The hormones produced in the digestive process are still present once this fake food enters your small intestine, but no actual energy release or satiety occurs, which leaves you with a gut full of digestive hormones that need food to break down and make the brain crave even more food, this time the real stuff. This is why studies have shown that consumption of diet soda products are associated with obesity! If you’re really serious about burning fat, ditch any sugar substitute foods or diet drinks that you currently consume. I guarantee that once you overcome the initial addiction withdrawal, you’ll feel a hundred times better.

#10 Eat like a car

Your body runs on fuel. If you put too much fuel into the gas tank, an overflow occurs, and in the body’s case, this means fat deposition. I realize that the idea of limiting calories is very simple, but sometimes the approach is wrong. Never give yourself a certain “number” of calories per day. You’d never take your car to the gas station and fill up if you didn’t plan on driving it, and the same goes for your body. If you have a light day of activity (“low mileage”) or a sedentary day (sitting in the garage), you should sometimes not even be consuming 50% of the calories you’d normally consume, because your body doesn’t need them. For instance, on a typical day, I consume 5000-6000 calories (based on my metabolism and amount of activity), but on a weekend of travel, where I am either sitting in a car or airplane, I often consume as little as 1000 calories per day! If your body doesn’t need the fuel, there’s not a necessity to put it in your mouth. On the other hand, there will be some days where I consume up to 8000 calories, simply because that is how many I actually burn through with my activities! So if you’re on a set diet of, say, 2000 calories per day, don’t be afraid to vary as needed.

I’d like to finish by encouraging you to keep at it. Switching to a healthy diet can be unbearable at times, but the longer you stick with it, the easier it gets. It’s just like exercise – you can bring yourself to a maintenance phase where moderate to high physical activity becomes easier, but the initial work is pretty difficult. If you’d like to more information about diet and nutrition, or exercise, you can e-mail me at elite@pacificfit.net to ask questions.

When you sign-up for personal training with Pacific Elite Fitness, you can receive a complete dietary analysis, complete with grocery list and food substitution suggestions, and monthly tools to track your progress, caloric intake, and macronutrient percentage. You have access to your own personal fitness coach to guide you through your workout routine, using the latest fitness research and breakthrough techniques. You are guaranteed to get fitter faster on a Pacific Elite Fitness program.

Until next time, train smart,

Ben Greenfield

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7107.shtml

Colon Health Supplements

By: Kathrine Perkins

Detoxification Diet: Body Cleanse

Super Body Cleansers And Detox For Athletes

Essential amino acids are those amino acids which we humans are not able to synthesize in sufficient quantities to meet our daily needs and that must be supplied by the food we eat. One of the servings of vegetables at least should be raw vegetables such as carrots celery or cauliflower. It only requires a finger prick blood sample and is a in home test kit. The human body is programmed to tackle low-level toxic attacks. Our bodies can detoxify potential carcinogens, or repair genetic damages. The protective mechanisms are repair, cellular shedding, detoxification and dietary antioxidants. The human body is quite capable of detoxification if it is fed with adequate water and fiber. If you have heart problems cancer or other major diseases you are advised to not use this form of diet.If we regularly eat a more balanced and well-combined diet such as my Ideal Diet we will have less need for fasting and toning plans although both would still be required at certain intervals throughout the year. Free radicals come from many household products.

Chlorella Colon Cleanse

The combination of vitamins and minerals through detoxification work in this fashion to remove toxins from your body tissues and body organs. This is done through our sweat feces and urine. Some detox programs still rely on simply water and fasting while others outline specific diets which tend to be mostly raw food. My clients are sometimes disturbed by this event but thereafter convinced continue their complete Internal Cleansing Kit each year with some mini detox in between. which not just benefit and strengthen our blood circulation kidneys liver bowels and lungs but our general health in the long run.

Detox – The Process Of Cleansing And Restoration

While our livers can still function despite a lot of damage once you’ve started feeling sluggish digest poorly have dull skin and start developing dark eye circles it’s time to reward it for its hard work by undergoing a detox phase. Over time consumption of processed foods non-vegetarian foods and sugars leads to clogging of the inner walls of the colon with waste matter. emotional. Then, in November 2003, Woman’s World magazine came to me with an unusual request. They wanted a one-day juice fast, the recipe for a special brew that would enable readers to quickly lose 3 to 5 pounds so they could fit into that special outfit or take off that holiday weight. You may have just pampered yourself with some kind of bodywork-this sometimes stimulates a healing crisis. This is a good thing. See Best Way To Body Cleanse You only need to do your research and there will be lots of detoxification procedures to choose from however it is always advisable to see your physician to be sure of what toxins constitute risk to your health and perhaps the best method to get rid of these. Toxins come in various forms and manners; the one unifying thing about them all is that they are dangerous to your health. The exhaust from your automobile is known to be rich in carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and medical scientists have shown that as little as 0.5% of these chemicals in the blood holds dangerous implication for health. The basic idea behind any detoxification program is; first.

Colon Diseases

As food is digested the nutrients and toxins are absorbed into the bloodstream. These toxins will continue to contaminate the cells instead of providing the nourishment that the cells need. The next recommendation to ensure good health is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Although fruits and most vegetables are restricted in the initial phase of some low carbohydrate diets they are then allowed back in limited amounts. You want the natural sugar along with all of the vitamins minerals and fiber in the *whole* apple. See more Master Cleanse Opinions Calorie and carbohydrate intake are reduced leading to weight loss.

Detox Diet Drink

Just name it. However there are certain individuals who do not make good candidates for a detox diet. But I draw the line at certain things. The problem is that there is little scientific evidence that these things really work, other than making us think that we are doing something healthy. The massive diet and nutrition industries have created yet another myth, the Detox Myth, encouraging us to spend money on pills, treatments, spa breaks, books etc, but the benefits of the products are questionable, and the claims are not supported by science. The result is a gradual build up in toxin levels in the body and this can cause a wide variety of health problems including chronic fatigue acne headaches nausea and even chronic ailments which do not respond to conventional medicine. Learn more at http://www.superstars-detoxdiets.info This epic human tragedy led the Soviet society on a desperate search for ways to detoxify and protect their people from radiation poisoning. But it’s a nice introduction to the issue and one you’ll need to be aware of as you procede with your own personal herbal remedy learning.

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7163.shtml