Health Fitness

Putting together your own health enhancement program can be confusing. There's a mass of information out there but a lack of an overall structure to organise the details.
How do you know which health things are important and which things are trivial details? What are the real master keys of fantastic health?
Here's a quick rundown of the major building blocks of your health enhancement system. You goal is to make sure you're doing something in each of these areas, then all you have to do is keep adding things in to strengthen these elements over time.
This way you keep making little upgrades but evenly balanced across all the important areas and when you find some new health idea you know where it goes.
Pillar One: Hydration
Quality hydration is critical to flushing cellular waste out and nutrients in. Without adequate hydration your whole system gets sluggish and fat loss, health and comfort all suffer.
Shoot for a couple of litres of the best quality water daily, adjusting up if you're very active and it's hot. Green or herb tea, smoothies, and juices all count here so the more hydrating things you ingest, the less water you'll generally need. If in doubt, drink more and calibrate from there.
Pillar Two: Nutrition
Anything you can eat sits somewhere on a line with toxins at one end and medicinal foods at the other. As long as you keep gradually moving up this line of increasing nutrient density good things happen. When you drift downscale you run into problems.
Whichever eating style you prefer, a focus on actual food rather than food products, minimal if any processing and as fresh as you can get will stand you in good stead.

Pillar Three: Recuperation
Quality sleep does more good things for you than you can imagine. From rapid cellular repair to stress dissolving and memory filing, quality sleep is way more important than most people realise.
Experiment with the right amount for you - I feel fine on 7 hours, but best on 8-9. Any less and energy, mood and thinking clarity drop.
Blackout curtains, tapering fluid and food intake later in the day, getting fresh cool air and keeping your feet warmer than your head all optimises your sleeping environment. A high quality mattress might be one of the best investments you make.

Pillar Four: Training
Your body is designed to move and not only feels and looks better but last longer the fitter you are. The biggest return on your time is to focus first on strength training - an effective program can be done in about one hour per week.
There's a lot more centenarian strongmen than marathon runners for solid physical reasons. If you want to spend a little more time, some flavour of high intensity interval training will crank your metabolism up even more, blowtorch fat from your body and dramatically up your endurance without taking up too much time.
One of the best? Hill sprints! Warm up, sprint up the hill, cruise back down, repeat 5-10 times.
Pillar Five: Mindset
Your subconscious mind has a phenomenal influence over the bodies regenerative capacity. There are thousands of studies done on both placebo and nocebo effects that clearly show how your mindset affects your health.
Mindset is not the cure all some people think, but will amplify everything else you do. A good place to start is with basic daily meditation, basic self-hypnosis and by tracking what you say to yourself and others about how you feel.
Meditation makes your mind run more smoothly and self hypnosis allows you to program your mind so healthy habits run automatically.
Pillar Six: Energy
5000 years of research in the far east into the bioenergy flows of the body has produced a myriad of disciplines for honing and refining the pulsing lifeforce of your body.
Whether you like yoga, chi kung, reiki or energy medicine is up to you but once you've experienced what it feels like running a high voltage system you'll want some kind of energy discipline in your daily schedule!
Thanks Michael John Campbell  for sharing post. For more, visit at  http://www.superhumansecrets.com

Body Sculpting is a technique to reshape your body. Any part of the body can be molded by one technique or another. There are various techniques in which cosmetic surgeons can reshape any area you wish. A person can get rid of the excess fat and skin that is impossible to eliminate by diet and routine strength exercise.
Cosmetic surgeons apply a variety of Body Sculpting Techniques to help their patients in getting a lean and toned figure. Various types of techniques are as follows...
 
4) Liposuction
Liposuction is one of the most common and popular methods of reshaping the body, since it helps in getting a toned figure by re-sculpting the specific areas. Cosmetic surgeons work upon that specific/selected area of the torso to re-sculpt it. With the help of few small notches, cosmetic surgeons help in eradicating the stuck fat and remove the fat cells permanently from that selected/specific areas. Nowadays various liposuction techniques are available, and a patient can discuss with his surgeon which techniques is right for him.

3) Abdominoplasty
Another technique of Body Sculpting is Abdominoplasty or Tummy Tuck. This is a unique surgery which includes eliminating of excess skin and fat from the middle section. This removal of skin and fat requires tightening of abdomen muscles. Abdominoplasty is considered, basically, as an individual procedure. It helps during the full body lift surgery, as well.

 
2) Body Lift Procedures
Body Lift is an another kind of torso sculpting technique. It allows surgeons to remove excess fat and skin from one or many selected areas of the body. Additionally, you can re-sculpt the whole torso with an entire body lift, or choose one or more technique like as an arm lift, thigh lift, and butt lift.
 
1) Implant Procedures
Body Implant is the 4th technique we are discussing. It is used to add shape and volume to the areas that are disproportionate to the rest of the body. Moreover, routine exercises are the best way to eradicate unnecessary fat and get a toned figure. But, exercises not always help to get rid of the fat from some particular areas of the body. If you have fat on those particular areas from where fat cannot be removed by strength training, body implants can help you to get a more defined physique.

 
People have been noticed worrying about uneasiness with their physical appearances. Due to this, they find themselves unable to participate in work, social, and leisure activities with full confidence. Many people have complained that their excess fat and skin restrict them from doing things of their own choice, such as wearing a bathing and swimming suit and playing sports. All these problems can be removed with the help of body sculpting techniques. This way you can easily get rid of excess cellulite, skin and fat from your body and feel completely secure.
So what did we cover today? We covered 4 things:
1. Liposuction
2. Abdominoplasty
3. Body Lift Procedures
4. Implant Procedures

Thanks Clara Nolt for this post so much.. More visit at  Body Sculpting website.

1.) In today's economy many people suffer from anxiety and fear. In not knowing what the future holds people are experiencing the fear of change. Anxiety is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as "A state of uneasiness; apprehension; worry. When you worry or feel uneasy about something in your life it begins to dominate your life. Not knowing what tomorrow holds brings fear to a lot of people. Individuals want to know they have control over their circumstances and lives. However, there are no guarantees in life. If you are experiencing anxiety in your life, try taking a different approach in the way you view things. For example, if you have been spending all of your time thinking on the things you have no control over try taking your thoughts off of yourself and putting them into helping someone else.
Reach out and show love to someone. Love is the greatest give you can give to both yourself and your neighbor. Jesus condensed all of the laws from the Old Testament into 2 commandments which is to "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and mind, and with all thy strength this is the first commandment" "And the second is thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself". (Mark12: 30-31) (KJV) Love manifest its greatest power when it is taken off of ourselves and given unto others. When we walk in love we release the power of the Holy Spirit within to free us from all anxiety, fear, doubt and worry. Hate is the opposite of love. When we carry all kinds of hate and unforgiveness in our hearts we are actually releasing a death principle in our life instead of a life principle. Love, faith, hope, Joy are all life principles. They are fruits abided from the vine (which is Jesus) when we spend time in prayer and worship we are actually breathing the life principles into our life. Anxiety, fear, doubt and worry are all negative emotions we experience. I like to define fear as False Evidence Appearing Real. If you are having bouts of fear and anxiety in your life examine your thoughts. We become what we think about most. If your thoughts are on your fears they will begin to get larger and larger until they create a stronghold in your mind. These negative thoughts will influence your words and actions. Pay attention to what you are thinking when you begin to feel anxious or afraid and then ask yourself is it real. If it is not cast it out and begin to replace it with a positive thought. Freedom won't come quickly however, if you continue the process you will definitely begin to get control of your mind as well as over come anxiety and fear.

2.) Faith is the greatest weapon against fear and anxiety. When we walk in faith we paralyze fear. We cannot live in faith and fear at the same time. Faith is an equal opportunity employer. It embraces whoever embraces it. Faith is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as "1. Confident belief: trust.2. Belief in God." In the Bible (KJV) faith is mentioned over 300 times. "Faith is the essence of things hoped for". A firm believing trust in God that you will receive what you are praying or hoping for. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ". "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God". (Romans 5:1-2) Peace over powers fear. When we walk in peace fear has no place to breath. Therefore, it is defeated. If you are struggling with anxiety and fear begin today by starving those negative emotions. When you begin to feel anxious or fearful of something in your life don't feed it. Our thoughts are much like our physical body you have to feed your body in order to stay healthy, fit and well. When we know something is harmful to our bodies we don't eat it. Our thoughts are the same way. Replace your thoughts with something pleasant. The way you would like things to be in your life. You will begin to notice that little by little you are gaining power over your fears and anxiety. Faith builds confidence and fear and anxiety cannot live in the same house. Our minds are like a computer they can sometimes get viruses. Think of it like garbage in garbage out. You need to take inventory of your thoughts and get rid of the ones that are creating viruses in your mind. Cast out all negative thoughts and emotions and replace them with positive ones. Take fear, doubt and anxiety out of your vocabulary and replace them with positive emotions filled with faith.

3.) Hope subdues fear. Hope is the anchor of our soul. Hope is what builds our faith and confidence. Hope is a positive attitude that something good is going to happen to you. Hope is a favorable and confident expectation. When you are a prisoner of hope, fear and doubt can no longer exist. Hope is connected to what we cannot see. Hope is believing that all things are possible with God. An excellent example of hope would be our forefather Abraham. "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall your seed be". "And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb"."He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God". "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able to perform". (Romans 4: 18-21) Abraham believed what God had spoken to him even when his conditions were not so great. Abraham continued to live in hope believing that what God had promised him he was able to deliver. Hope builds a firm believing trust that even when faced with opposition you can still stand strong and move forward in what you are called to do. Never stop hoping. Life is full of challenges and it is through those challenges that you become a better and stronger person. The Lord is fighting for you. He is good and righteous in his word. Lean on him and he will free you from all anxiety, fear and worry. Begin today to take control of those negative emotions and replace them with positive ones. You will discover a whole new way of living.

Thanks Bonnie L. Barrow Smith for post.

Grass is one of the most popular ground covers around. And one of the rites of passage for summer time seems to be cutting of grass. Cutting tends to stir up the pollen, but it doesn't have to wait for that to happen before spreading. If you are allergic to grass pollen, summer can become a time of dread. Here are 5 ways to enjoy summer despite the airborne grass pollen.
Avoid outdoors on dry windy days. Pollen is incredibly light-weight and is easily carried on the wind for miles. Dry windy days are the absolute worse time to be out because these are optimum conditions for airborne pollen to be transported from one location to another. If possible wait until after a good rain that literally clears the air to venture out into the garden. If your work schedule does not allow you that flexibility, be sure to park in your garage at home and at work, and use the air conditioner while choosing to keep the outdoor air intake in your car closed.

Have someone else cut your lawn. Unless you are just passionate about cutting the law, this will come as good news. A spouse, friend, family member, or neighbor might be a good choice for cutting your grass. You could even trade services rather than pay cash. (You cut the grass; I'll do your errands.)
Plan a trip that will take you away during the height of the season. Turn lemons into lemonade by using your allergies to see some other corner of the world during the height of grass pollen season where you live. A trip to the Bahamas, Niagara Falls, or Europe makes a grand get-a-way destination while the grass is pollinating in your neck of the woods. The season isn't sounding so bad after all, right?
Use an over the counter antihistamine to stay comfortable. For those times when you just can't avoid being out, anticipate problems by carrying a mild over the counter medicine to head off symptoms if they threaten to make you miserable.

Use an air purifier to remove pollen from inside your home. Regardless of how many precautions you take, pollen will get into your home through open door, on packages, in your hair, on pets, and numerous other ways. Pollen is nature's way of regenerating itself and so it is very tenacious when looking for a new place to grow.
Keeping your indoor air pollen-free with a high efficiency particle arresting (HEPA) air purifier is an excellent solution to maintaining a high level of air quality and comfort when indoors.
Filtering your air with this type of filtration will also remove all too normal indoor air pollutants such as airborne household dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, pet dander, bacteria and viruses, making your home not only more comfortable for the grass pollen sufferer, but for your family and pets as well.
Thanks Debbie Davis for post. More visit at Hay Fever Air Purifier.

Need a little extra motivation to get moving today? Here's a quick list of the ways that today's workout will boost your mind, body, and soul.
Exercise:
24) Improves the quality of your sleep.
23) Burns fat.
22) Boosts your metabolism.
21) Charges your immune system for one to three hours after each workout.
20) Increases your circulation.
19) Eliminates toxins through the sweat glands and lymph system.
18) Regulates blood sugar levels.
17) Lowers blood pressure.
16) Lowers cholesterol.
15) Lowers your risk of stroke. Even low-intensity workouts, such as walking and biking, can lower this risk by 23 percent, the American Heart Association reports. A job entailing physical activity can lower it by 49 percent.
14) Increases muscle mass.
13) Strengthens your heart and lungs.
12) Reduces your risk of various kinds of cancer, including breast cancer.

11) Slashes your risk of developing coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Burning 2,000 calories per week in your workout and daily activities reduces your risk of heart disease by 40 percent.
10) Helps you control anxiety.
9) Provides an appropriate outlet for aggression and tension.
8) Helps you lose weight. Exercise is critical to any weight loss strategy, and it may be an even more significant factor than diet. A study in Great Britain involved researchers tracking 1,000 female twins. Researchers considered all factors that might influence the women's weight, including smoking, hormone therapy, diet, and physical exercise. Physical activity had the most profound effect on weight. Even the women whose physical activity consisted of relatively low intensity exercises, such as golf and bowling, had less body fat--particularly dangerous abdominal fat.
7) Helps keep your body looking great. Your clothes fit better and your posture improves.

6) Improves your self-esteem.
5) Improves your sex life. One study reports that physically active women are more likely to describe themselves as assertive, sexy, and physically strong. A majority of them also said exercise helped to boost their career, relationships, self-esteem, and sex life.
4) Enhances your mood and relaxes your body by increasing blood flow to the brain and triggering the release of endorphins.
3) Increases creativity and alertness.
2) Reduces stress.
1) Energizes you like nothing else. The energy boost from cardiovascular exercise is instantaneous and lasts for hours.
Thanks Susie Cortright for post. More vist her website Momscape.com

I know the feeling! "Another cardio day already!", we've all been there. Cardio can at times be extremely boring.  I've tried to put together a few ways to make you enjoy cardio.  Firm and tighten the body by trying these techniques.
5. Change of Atmosphere
Take a look at where you do the majority if not all of your cardio. Some people will find themselves always running inside on a treadmill or other cardio machine. The others run outdoors, go hiking, or biking. Always try and mix up where you do your cardio. Seeing something different won't be as boring as watching the sweaty guy stretch in the front row everyday.
4. Split your cardio into parts
There isn't a rule stating cardio has to be done on one machine or one activity. Split your cardio sessions into a few different activities. If you want to do a 45 minute treadmill run at the gym, you can do 15 minutes on the treadmill. Then hit the stationary bike for 15. Finish it up with 15 minutes of jump rope. There are many different ways to do your cardio.  Firm legs will come easier by doing different movements.
3. Do something new
If you find yourself always heading towards the treadmill, maybe its time to try something else. The bore of cardio will ease if you try something you haven't done before. If its a new machine or a group fitness class, the first time is always fun. You might need to learn how hard it is to get to your steady pace, or increase your coordination to stick with the instructor.

2. Bring a partner
Find a friend who has similar goals to you, at least on your cardio days and ask them to join you. Just having the company will help the cardio session go by. You can keep your heart at a steady fat zone pace and keep a conversation. I've done cardio with friends for years and it makes the session fly by.


1. Have fun!
Enjoy your exercise. Transforming your body into the shape and health you want it can be very fun. Don't get stuck into something you don't like doing. Try all different ways to do your cardio and pick the ones you enjoy. Having fun will take away the feeling of dread many have during cardio.  Firm figures only come from a good balance of nutrition, cardio, and resistance training.
Cardio is a very important key to shape your body. Don't let it the frustration drive you to quit. To stay fit and shed those pounds, nothing works like good cardio on a regular basis. The benefits from this exercise is incredible. By performing cardio, you can expect a healthier heart, lower blood pressure, increased metabolism, and better circulation.  So get out there and lose that weight.
Thanks Travis Petelle for post. More visit at Go Healthy Fitness.

Kickboxing training is one of the single best exercise programs you can use to get fit. Here are the top 5 reasons:
1. It's exciting, in order to get any benefit out of an exercise program, you need to stick with it, and in order to stick with - it's gotta by fun.  If you find running, jogging, stationary bicycles, terribly dull, try kickboxing training.
2. You can do it at home or at the gym.  You can use either DVDs or join a class at the gym.  Some of the most popular kickboxing DVDs are the Billy Blanks series.  Kickboxing fitness sessions are not as easy to find as aerobics,but they are worth finding and also worth the drive if they are a few miles further.
3. Effective weight loss, Kickboxing workouts burn off an incredible 400 to 600 calories in only an hour. It also keeps your heart at a steady 75% to 85% rate which is proven to be optimum and is the recommended heart rate if you are engaged in exercise or training, and it's so much fun you will hardly notice all the calories you are burning.  Not only are you working your entire body in order to burn calories like a fat furnace, but you will also pack on some muscle which increases your metabolism while resting.

4. Kickboxing training for fun or competition.  Depending on your skill and time available you can even enter kickboxing competitions and meet great new people and have a blast, if not, you can just workout at the gym or even at home and still enjoy all the physical benefits of kickboxing training.

5. Bodysculpting, unlike running that although will help you run, kickboxing training adds definintion and tone to your entire body.  The result is a knockout body that not only looks trimmer but looks (and is) stronger and healthier.  Your shoulders, arms, legs, abs and back will all begin to firm up.
Cardio and competitive kickboxing training are both amazing ways to have  fun and a great way to lose weight, get stronger, look incredible and even make new friends. if you are still looking for the perfect way to start enjoying exercise - get started with kickboxing.
Thanks Roderick Sandoval for great post. More visit at kickboxing training.

With the upcoming date of your surgery looming, you will likely experience some anxiety over having surgery, your impending recovery, and even the post-surgery hospital stay itself. This is perfectly normal.
Of course, you'll want to do as much as you can to prepare for surgery now so that you can secure a more successful, less stressful recovery. This begins with planning.
While you probably prefer to recover at home in your bed, watching your TV, and eating food from your own frig, sometimes, that is just not possible. Oftentimes, it is in the best interest of your health and recovery to stay in the hospital for a few days or even weeks after surgery.
So, what can you do to prepare for surgery and make your recovery as comfortable as possible?  Here are 10 items that you can, and even should, take to the hospital with you when you go in for your surgery to make your stay a little more comfortable and a bit easier.
1. A pen and notepad so you can take notes.
2. A book or puzzle book such as crosswords or word finds.

3. Your address book or at least a list of phone numbers of friends, etc.
4. A family photo to set on your bedside table.
5. Ear plugs and an eye mask to block out noise and light to help you rest undisturbed.
6. Non-skid slippers or socks to keep your feet warm and prevent falls.
7. Toiletries such as lotion, deodorant, and toothpaste and toothbrush.
8. Essential items that you typically use such as contact lens case, solution, and glasses.

9. Your current medications in their original bottles.
10. Important documents such as medical files, insurance card and id.
If you gather all of these ahead of time and take them with you to the hospital, you can create a more pleasant recovery. Put the items in a bag with shoulder straps so that a family member or friend can easily keep up with these items before you are assigned a room and easily transport them if you are moved from room to room during your recovery.

A brief mention is necessary of items you should not take to the hospital.  Items such as food and drinks, clothing, your own linens, scented candles or air fresheners, credit cards or cash and work related items. Some of these items could easily be lost or stolen while other items may be considered intrusive to other patients. So consider leaving these items off your prepare for surgery "hospital list", especially when your recovery requires an extended hospital stay.
And remember... planning for a better surgery ~ will always begin with a better plan.

Thanks Mary E Edison for this post. More visit at http://www.prepareforsurgerynow.com/

This article talks about different ways to cure acne. Having acne and spots can cause lots of unhappiness and distress.  I have listed 13 ways to help to cure acne to try and help you overcome your bad skin.
1) Wash You Face Daily With a Good Skin Friendly Face Wash
You should wash you face 1-2 times a day with a good and kind face cleanser. The ingredients should be natural and be proven to work. This will help keep your face clear from bad bacteria and prevent spots.
2) Use a Good Face Scrub Once a week
Once every week you should use a good quality face scrub. The main aim of this is to remove the dead skin cells that can attract bacteria which then cusses acne and spots. You should avoid scrubbing too hard or too often as this will make your skin condition much worse.
3) Wash you Bed Sheets Every Night
When you sleep your face is rubbing against the bed covers and spreading bacteria from your skin over your sheets and pillow cases. You should wash your bed covers as often as possible.
4) Drink Lots of Water
Drinking lots of water will flush the bad toxins from your body and clear your skin from the inside. It will also improve your mental alertness and mood.

5) Keep Good Hygiene
Keeping yourself clean and hygienic will help you to clear up your skin. Living in a clean environment will prevent the spread of the acne causing bad bacteria
6) Do Not Pick or Scratch Your Skin
As hard as it may be, you must stop yourself from picking your spots as this will irritate and spread them and will make the problem much worse.
7) Quit Smoking
Giving up smoking will help to clear up your bad skin.
8) Do Not Drink Alcohol
Alcohol will make your skin much worse so it is best to avoid alcohol until your skin improves
9) Get Lots Fresh Air
You should get lots of fresh air to keep your body and skin healthy.
10) Keep Busy
Keeping busy will help to keep your mind off your skin. When you think about how bad it is, you are actually making it worse. Keep active and you will start to see big improvements.
11) Take a Daily Multi vitamin
A daily Multi vitamin will ensure your body is getting all the vitamins and minerals it needs to be healthy and repair your skin

12) Eat Lots of Fresh Fruit
Eating lots of fresh fruit is one of the most common ways to improve your health and skin condition. Aim for 5 pieces a day. Smoothies are also good as you can make them yourself at home.
13) Fat Binders
Fat Binders work by absorbing the fat content in the food you eat. They normally absorb around 18% of the fat intake and they come as a supplement that you take with your meal. If your meals are generally high in fat then its a good idea to take fat binders to help you to lose weight and feel better about yourself.
Thanks Andy Hook for sharing post. More visit at Clear Pores System Review

More than 70 million Americans say that they walk for exercise, making it the country's most popular form of cardiovascular workout. But ask most women who aren't walking, and they will tell you it's because they don't want to walk alone. The beauty of a women's walking group is that it provides camaraderie and support, and promotes an ongoing commitment to a healthier lifestyle!
Want to start a walking group or club for women in your area? I've identified 10 essential steps to starting and maintaining a successful one:
1. Find out what the women in your target area are looking for in a group. You can do this informally, by asking at work, school, church or other clubs in the community. Find retail businesses or health facilities that serve women and ask their opinion. Or you can do an e-mail survey through Survey Monkey for little or no cost.
2. Partner with a well-respected organization in your community, whether it be a hospital, physician practice, physical therapy center, sports store or health club. They will not only provide expertise to your walkers (in the form of speakers who can meet your club before a walk, or flyers that you can hand out), but they will also help you advertise your group. They also can provide instant name recognition and credibility.

3. Determine who you will serve and how. Will your group attract recreational or fitness walkers? Will you provide 30 minute beginner walks on Monday and Wednesday mornings and 60 minute intermediate-advanced walks on Tuesday and Thursday nights? Enlist a handful of other coordinators who can help you if you cannot make it to a session. Make sure that if all of your walkers are meeting at the same time, that you have someone who can provide support for beginners and someone who will challenge those who are more advanced.
4. Decide where you will walk. Start in an area that allows you to keep track of all types of walkers (perhaps in a park where you can walk laps). Measure several different paths that will allow members to walk 30 minutes, 45 minutes and 60 minutes depending on the group's structure.
5. Contact local law enforcement. Call the community service officer at your local police station and inform him/her of the group and ask if there are any recommendations about where not to walk and when.

6. Be equipped. Leaders should have a watch, whistle (to communicate to everyone in the group) and a cell phone so that they can reach a first aid provider if necessary. Have all walkers fill out a waiver prior to participation so that you have contact information in the event of an emergency. Make sure walkers bring water, preferably in a fanny pack or belt so that their arms are free to walk naturally.
7. Step it up for more fat and calorie burning. Don't believe the old adage that "slow and steady wins the race". Adding intervals of faster walking or climbing hills burns more calories and fat than walking at the same pace. Alternate high intensity and low intensity by walking 5 minutes at a moderate pace, then walking one minute at a faster pace for example.
8. Consider adding strength training. Ask a personal trainer to join your group to demonstrate some easy muscle toning moves that can be done without equipment. Strength training not only builds muscle which burns additional fat at rest, but also makes joints stronger allowing you to walk longer and faster. Also ask for a stretching routine that the group can do before and after walks.
9. Bond as a group. Consider getting matching t-shirts with the name of your club so that you show the community who you are (making it easier to enlist new members). Why not use the club as a means to help those less fortunate? Have your group walk together in fundraising events like the American Cancer Society Relay For Life (don't forget those t-shirts!). Why not train together for an event like a 5K, 10K, half-marathon or even marathon. You can find a list of events around the country at Active.com


10. Get the word out. Post your group on MeetUp.com to encourage other area walkers to join you. Blog about your group or post on blogs related to women's health (always maintaining the privacy of individual group members). Keep in contact with group members (current and former) through weekly e-mails that encourage and challenge. Ask businesses to post your flyer.
11. (I know I said there would only be 10, but) Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Doing exercise to increase height is one of the top ways to grow taller naturally--period. It works because it stretches your spinal cord and also produces human growth hormones, both of which are essential for growing.
If you have been asking yourself "how can I gain height now" then working out is the way to go...period.
Why exercising is the way to go...not pills or supplements
There are tons of products on the market that claim to get you results by making your bones bigger. Typically they come with a workout program, and your job is to take the pills or supplements daily while doing the prescribed workouts.
Many people do see results from these programs, but not from the pills because pills will never increase bone size after puberty--once you are passed puberty your bones are done growing forever. The only way to grow taller is without pills.
The best way to exercise to increase height
#1) Hanging
If you've been looking for ways to grow taller naturally for any length of time then I'm sure you've heard of "hanging" and for one reason-it works. For this you can use a bar or tree limb.
It is effective because it forces your body to naturally stretch out the spinal cord. Make sure to grip the bar about shoulder width apart to develop broader shoulders in addition to gaining height.

#2) Rotate your upper body
Rotating back and forth and side to side with the upper body is great as well for straightening your spinal cord.
#3) Chin ups and pull ups
These are likewise excellent for lengthening the spinal cord, and you need to perform them regularly (ideally every day). All these stretches should be done daily for at least 2-3 minutes. You can do longer sessions 1-2 times a week, it's just not as effective.
Don't neglect sleep
Many people stay up late watching TV and don't get nearly enough sleep at night. This hinders their growth because sleeping naturally straightens out your spine because you are in a more natural posture.
A lot of people spend their days in an unnatural seated position which compresses their spinal cord. This is why it's not uncommon to find you are 1-2 inches shorter at the end of the day then at the beginning.
The longer you sleep the more time your body has to decompress the spine. Of course, make sure to employ proper posture during the day as well. Along with this, exercise to increase height and you will grow taller naturally very quickly.
Thanks Jerry Jackson  for this post. More visit at http://www.growtallerinstantly.info

1) How to Be Taller Using Nutrition
Even after your natural growth cycle has ended at the conclusion of puberty, nutrition is still extremely important to your height as well as your general health. Simply put, you can think of your body as a machine. Like all other machines, your body runs its best on premium fuel.
When you begin your journey to increase your height, your body will need an abundance of essential vitamins, minerals, and hydration in order to react positively to the changes that you are asking it to make. You simply cannot ask your body to react favorably to such conditions if you are not priming it with adequate nutrition.
2) How to Be Taller Using Fitness
In order to change your body you must train it accordingly. Once you have your nutritional needs covered, your body is primed to react positively to physical training. Just like a bodybuilder lifts heavy weight to become stronger and a runner runs long distances, your fitness schedule will be comprised of a regimen of safe, effective stretches and other limbering techniques that will train your body to become taller.
Your fitness is essential at all times, but is even more essential when you are training to become taller. This is because even after your natural growth phase has concluded, your body's natural tendency to respond according to influence is nothing short of amazing and this makes your fitness needs all the more critical.

3) How to Be Taller Using Supplements
Nutrition comes from the foods you eat but did you know that most people, even with the best of diets, arent getting nearly enough of some essential vitamins and minerals each day? One of the most profound examples of this is essential fatty acids, found foods such as fish and some seeds.
When you begin your height increase regimen, you are going to be taxing your body much more than you would otherwise and so you will need to supplement your everyday food intake with appropriate supplementation as much as possible to ensure the best possible results.
4) How to Be Taller Using Sleep
Before, we used the analogy of your body being much like a machine. However, there is one critical difference between your body and that of machines and that is your body's need for sleep. While a machine can run almost indefinitely without stopping as long as it has a source of fuel, your body cannot. Sleep is absolutely crucial for everyday normal, healthy body function.
So when you are taxing your body to grow taller, it will likely require additional, restful sleep in order to give you back the results that you want in the quickest possible time. This is because when you stretch and workout your muscles and tendons in order to gain height you are essentially creating tiny tears in the tissue that must heal in order to become stronger and more pliable. It is during your sleep that this process takes place.

There are more criteria that must be recognized and addressed in order to learn how to be taller but nutrition, fitness, supplementation, and sleep are, by far, the most important to recognize, understand, and implement for a successful height transformation.

They say that women are vain. Women have lots and lots of things which they use to stop aging. Whether these things are clothes, bags, shoes, or makeup - all of these are for the sake of beauty. A woman who feels beautiful is confident. How about for men? Would it surprise you if they feel less confident if they think that they are small down there? It is no surprise anymore for we know how great a man's size matters for his self-esteem. In connection to this, if a man were not contented with his size, he would then find ways to make his tool longer and bigger.
Nowadays, there are a number of easy ways to enlarge penis. Not only do they promise to lengthen and widen a man's penis, but according to some people, they can also make you last longer in bed and would also enable you to maintain harder and longer erections.
Some men choose a method of improving their size by considering their preferences like safety, comfort, and quality. They choose the best method for them using those things in mind.
With numerous options of increasing a man's penis size, you might find yourself confused about which will give you the easiest methods and the quickest ones. How much would it cost you or how safe it would be is also something to be thought of. To be honest, the easiest way to let your penis grow is to pop some penis enlargement pills, which promise to give you 3 more inches and then get some sleep and wait for the growth of your penis.

It could be easy but male enlargement does not really happen that fast. It may take some time unlike what some promotions would say. It would be helpful if you read and get to know the ingredients that are in those pills and try to ask professional help if they really work in due time. The safety of the pills is also very important. If you are aware that you have some drug allergies, it might not be a good idea to pop some of those pills that you just see on the net. It is not just the effectiveness of the pill that you are after. You would also want to enjoy the rest of your life without thinking about a trauma of your past due to your desire to enlarge your penis.

It is true that a man's penis can be enlarged, but one must choose carefully what method to use. Another way of increasing the size of your penis is by using natural exercises for the penis. These exercises should be done regularly in order to have the results that you want. One very famous penis exercise is jelqing. This exercise for your penis involves movements like milking a cow. This is done in order to increase the amount of blood that will flow through your penis, making it larger and even longer. This method promises results in two months.
Should you choose to increase the size if your penis, remember that there is no quick and easy way to just do it.
Thanks Edward Corey so much. More info plsl visit http://www.howtogetbiggerpenis.com.

Probiotics are live microorganisms, typically single-celled bacteria that are said to be beneficial for the host system. They naturally exist in the human body, while some people augment these naturally existing probiotics with supplements. This is because the list of such food benefits has grown over the years.
Their benefits have been known for decades, but it was only recently that scientific evidence came up. Mostly affecting the digestive tract, there are more than a thousand species of these in the human body. Because different bacteria have different effects on the body, their benefits should not be taken as an indicator that a certain microorganism has all the advantage that other microorganisms provide.
Their benefits, however, work on the same principle: they block harmful bacteria and stop them from multiplying. They also serve as our body's secondary protection against invading bacteria.
It also includes decreasing lactose intolerance, prevention of certain cancers, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, preventing infections, improving the immune system, diarrhea relief, improving absorption, relief from colitis and irritable bowel syndrome.
Beware that even with all these benefits, there are situations wherein taking them may be bad for a person. These include people with lowered immune systems or are very ill have also developed lactobacillus septicaemia, which can kill. In some cases, probiotics increased the death rate in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Researchers at the University of Western Australia also found that children given these were more likely to be allergic to certain stimuli.
Cancer prevention is one of the most significant of all benefits. A strain of lactobacillus bulgaricus have been shown to prevent mutation of colon cancer cells in rats. Human testing and evidence, however, is scant at best and conflicting at its worst.
Their benefits also extend to your heart health by actively lowering both cholesterol and blood pressure. They are thought to be able to break down bile in the gut, making it less prone to reabsorption as cholesterol in the blood. Some strains of Lactobacillus bulgaricus have also shown promise in reducing overall and LDL cholesterol levels. Drinking milk fermented with these bacteria can also result in a slight decrease in blood pressure and could be due to peptides, which acts as an Angiotensin-Converting Enzymes inhibitor that is beneficial in treating hypertension and congestive heart failure.

Such friendly bacteria are also thought to prevent pathogens from growing by competing with them for growth and subsistence, as well as increasing some types of plasma cells that improve immunity. Some say that these could prevent respiratory tract infections, treat acute diarrhea and decreases rotavirus infections in children.
Some are also said to be effective in reducing hypersensitivity and inflammation, while other strains allegedly corrects malabsoprtion of trace minerals found in whole grains and nuts.
While the claims about their benefits are growing in number, it is important to note that there is little scientific evidence to support these claims. For those areas in probiotics benefits that have been studied, there are a lot of conflicting results.

There are many people who suffer from excessive sweating problems. This article will give you some pointers on how to reduce or stop your sweating. I have selected 5 easy steps you can take to reduce it.
Nr 1- Drink water. Yes, drinking water will help you stop sweating, you will use your urine instead of your armpits to "flush things out", as well as the extra water helps the body's cooling system.
Nr 2- Get a lot of exercise. This is a very effective way, it helps you calm down and it is a cleansing process for your body.
Nr 3- Quit smoking. Smoking will definitively make you sweat more. You should be considering quitting if you really have a sweating problem. Try Allen Carr`s book, (tested it myself) witch is a effective way to quit smoking. After a week you should notice results. And by the way..., Quitting smoking will defiantly help you in other eras of your life too.
Nr 4- Alcohol. I'm not telling you to quit drinking socially at all. All I'm saying is that alcohol will contribute to excessive sweating, and its important that you are aware of that.

Nr 5- Eat healthy. Make sure you get all vitamins and eat "green". High fat and carb meals are stressful to your body, and there is no secret that overweight people often sweat more.
Now you properly see a common theme don't you? And yeah, living a healthy life style is usually the solution for the sweating problem. There are of course other ways to stopping sweating.
if you feel the above tips didn't help you out, or you want additional ways to stop sweating. Then you can do two things. Go see a plastic surgeon, you can for example get Botox treatment, or you could find other guides that will provide more ways of a sweating free body.
Thanks Kacem Talaasen for sharing post. More visit at http://www.fastsweatstop.com.

How To Tell If You Have Thrush
Itching, irritation and a creamy, smelly discharge are the first signs of a thrush infection.  But many sexual infections have similar symptoms, so its important to obtain a professional diagnosis from your doctor or sexual health clinic first.
How Did Your Thrush Infection Develop?
As a part of your body that's exposed to the external world, and positioned perilously close to your anus (where feces leave your body) and urethra (where urine leaves your body), your vagina is in constant danger of infection. So your body has set up several natural barriers to protect you, including protective mucous.
Unhealthy mucous that signals a thrush infection is thick, sticky, offensively smelly, cheesy and can be irritating, bringing on itchiness.
To understand how your thrush infection developed, you need to understand what conditions Candida loves to live in, so that your treatment will make life really uncomfortable for this annoying bug.
Here are six ways you could have developed a thrush infection.
1. Have you have taken a course of antibiotics recently?


Antibiotics are a very effective medication for wiping out disease producing bacteria. Unfortunately they are very effective at destroying all the good bacteria too. If you have been prescribed antibiotics, its important to take a course of probiotics during and after you complete the course of antibiotics.
For best results, choose a probiotic that includes Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG. This will help re-inoculate both your vagina and your bowels with good bacteria.
You can buy probiotics from your local health food store - look in the fridge.
2. Are you taking a contraceptive pill?
Oral contraceptives can increase vaginal glycogen stores (your cell's natural sugar storage for energy), which means that there will be more sugar present for Candida (the thrush bug) to thrive on. If you're taking the oral contraceptive pill and experience recurring thrush, modifying your diet to keep your sugar and yeast intake to a minimum may help.


3. Are You Pregnant?
When you're pregnant your hormone levels soar. This can alter the microbiology of your vagina, making it easier for thrush to take hold. Its important to consult with your doctor rather than self-prescribe remedies, medication or diet changes if you're pregnant, as what you do may have an impact on your unborn baby.
4. Do You Have Diabetes?
Women with poorly controlled diabetes have chronically high blood sugar levels, and this provides an ideal environment for Candida (the thrush bug) to thrive. You may need to tighten up your blood glucose level control through diet and exercise to reduce your thrush symptoms.
5. Is There Too Much Sugar or Yeast in Your Diet?


Candida loves sugar. In fact, your thrush infection will get worse when you eat lots of sugar.
Have you ever made bread at home? If you have, you know that you have to add sugar to the bread mix to give the bread-rising yeast something to feed on. Well, Candida is just a yeast - so the higher your blood sugar level, the more food there is for Candida to thrive in.
6. Has Your Vaginal Lining Been Irritated?
Sexual intercourse has the potential to cause vaginal irritation if your vagina wasn't sufficiently lubricated. This can give Candida a chance to take hold. Vaginal dryness is more likely once you have passed the menopause, as less estrogen is present to maintain your vaginal lining.  If you suspect that this is what is bringing on recurrences of your thrush infection, start using a lubricant regularly.

Thanks Olwen Anderson for this post. For more visit her web site at http://www.olwenanderson.com.au/get_rid_of_thrush

I can honestly say I felt at my best when I was in my thirties. I was physically, mentally and emotionally at my peak and firing on all cylinders.
Since then, it's definitely gone down hill and I've lost plenty of brain cells and lean muscle. I haven't lost weight though as muscle has been replaced by fat - plenty of it.
Over the years it's crept on. I've gained a pound here, a pound there, but regrettably haven't taken action to get rid of it straight away. Now over the past twenty years those pounds have turned into stones, so no prizes for guessing what my New Year's resolution was.
I watched a programme on TV over the festive period which was probably cleverly scheduled to prevent people from eating too much over the Christmas break. It was about a poor man who had to lose 30 stone or risk dying. He had reached the point where he couldn't even get out of bed and his whole life was spent in the confines of his four walls.
He'd lost all self-esteem, and was physically incapable of doing any activity without getting out of breath. He'd been the butt of jokes and ridicule so had stopped venturing outside. He ate for comfort.
It seems he's not alone. Obesity is common and the numbers of morbidly obese are growing. People often turn to food as a substitute for something missing from their lives.

We all do things for a reason and apparently this poor chap had a cruel father and an unhappy childhood. He'd been forced to eat everything on his plate or suffer a beating. Even after the death of his father he continued to eat everything put in front of him. It became a vicious circle. He got depressed because of the name calling, being unfit, unhealthy and not finding clothes to wear, so to comfort himself he ate. Consequently, he got bigger, and even unhappier.
It doesn't matter what size you are as long as you are healthy and have self-confidence. This poor chap didn't. Self-confidence is a wonderful thing. When you feel good about yourself, life is wonderful and you can achieve so much.
In my thirties I felt elated, engaged, excited and focused. I want that feeling back again so I am not going to "diet" but focus on four areas in my life - Nutrition, Fitness, Relaxation and Sleep.

I've neglected them all lately. My excuse is I've been very busy and this is true. However, if I want to get the most out of every day and live a lot longer I need to address them all. Excess weight carries lots of health issues and if you are morbidly obese, can reduce your life span by several years. Thankfully, I'm not in that category, but the thirty stone that man had to lose wasn't put on over night. It creeps up gradually as I've discovered and it's about time I reversed the situation. Hence the New Year's resolution - no diet, just a healthier lifestyle.
Nutrition is what, when and how much I eat; Fitness is sensible exercise and improving my recovery rate; and Relaxation and Sleep are the times during the day and night when I switch of and just rest, not only my body but my brain.
Friends and family say I'm doing "too much", but if I want to be more productive and expend more energy I have to become more efficient at renewing it.
Wish me luck!
 Thanks Jean Shaw for posting. More from Jean Shaw

Hemorrhoids are caused; they do not just happen.
1. In the vast majority of cases the root cause of hemorrhoids will be incorrect diet leading to constipation, and it is this that has to be dealt with in order to take the pressure off the affected area.
If you are constipated, then in order to avoid hemorrhoid surgery you have to deal with that situation as a matter of urgency. Waste matter is not being removed from the body in the normal way and it will be causing pressure in and around the anus as well as contributing to an unwelcome build-up of toxins.
It is never too late to change your diet. The smallest changes in your eating habits towards a natural fiber-rich diet will bring immediate and noticeable relief to painful hemorrhoids.
2. The second tip I have for the severe hemorrhoid sufferer is to immediately switch away from the use of petro-chemical based medicines into natural products that work with the body and not against it. The ingredients of a lot of natural remedies are probably right under your nose in your own kitchen! Others are sitting on the shelves of your local store just waiting to be used for your benefit. You will find that their cost is minimal and side-effects non-existent!

3. The last tip is this - to avoid hemorrhoid surgery you have to take action.
Even the most severe cases of hemorrhoids can be treated in definite and manageable stages.
First the pain and discomfort can be reduced with purely natural calming salves, ointments and medicaments. At the same time, subtle dietary changes will start to alleviate the pressure and remove the poisons present in your body. Once you have a good short, medium and long-term plan in place you really can start to get your life back, rather than facing the daunting prospect of being unable to avoid hemorrhoid surgery.

I hope the foregoing points will be of help to you.

If you spend a lot of time on the computer, either at work or in your free time, you could be at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome. This occurs when you do the same motion constantly with your wrist and hand, causing them to either tingle or become numb.
The best way to prevent this syndrome from materializing is to move your hands through exercises for at least five minutes per hour. Learn some of the most helpful moves below.
One popular exercise is the wrist circle, in which you would draw circles in the air in the clockwise direction, using the tips of your second and third fingers. Remember to keep them close to each other, and then repeat the movement with your other hand. This simple move can help stave off carpal tunnel in your wrists.
Another carpal tunnel preventative measure is to hold one hand next to your shoulder, keeping your fingers together and your palm outward. This should look like you are saluting someone. You will then bend your hand back, keeping your fingers together still with your other hand.
Hold this position for about five seconds, and then progress to a more challenging stretch by spreading your fingers out while still bent. Hold this for five seconds, and then switch hands.

Yet another common carpal tunnel preventer is an exercise in which you hold your hands out straight in front of you, palms out as if making a "stop" motion. Hold this position for five seconds, and then relax your hands.
Next, with your arms still in front of you, roll your hands into tight fists, and then bend your wrists down toward the ground. Hold this for five seconds, and then relax. Do this ten times, alternating this exercise with others throughout the day.
Performing these exercises everyday is a lot easier than dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome after it develops. The drills might take some time away from your work, but imagine how hard it will be to work when you are wearing casts on your wrists, or are in too much pain to type. Consider the time you would have to take off work if you decide not to do these drills.

The bottom line is that with more people using computers during both their work day and free time, there is a higher chance than ever for them to develop carpal tunnel. However, with more knowledge of these exercises, there should be a higher chance of preventing this syndrome, as well.

Among all the vitamins, the only vitamin that is not taken with our meal is vitamin D. Rather it's been formed in the skin with the help of sunlight. You will see lots of commercials about how to prevent and save yourself from sunlight and there you also see many dangers of being under sun. But in fact for enough production of vitamin D, the sun exposure duration required is minimum. It is true that too much exposure to sun light is harmful for us due ultraviolet rays. But the exposure duration required for adequate vitamin D production is very little. A few minutes a day is sufficient.
Vitamin D performs a very important function for our body. It controls the amount of Calcium that is absorbed into our body from food through gut. This calcium is needed for building strong teeth, bones and also needed for our skeletal muscles to contract as well as cardiac muscles. Nerve conduction is impaired without calcium. It's a very important component of our blood coagulation system. Without this our coagulation system won't work properly. So calcium is very important for us and its concentration in the blood should remain at a certain minimum level to perform all these mentioned tasks properly and Vitamin D ensures it.

Now what is basic mechanism by which the vitamin D is formed in our body? The inactive form of vitamin D is 7-dehydrocholesterol. This is converted to Vitamin D3 by ultraviolet ray. Another name for the vitamin D3 is cholecalciferol. This form is then converted to an active form in the liver by hydroxylation and named as 25-hydroxycholecalciferol. Finally this 25(OH)D3 is converted to more and final active form by another hydroxylation process in the kidney and the active form named as 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. This active form is produced with specific signals in response to needs of the body. It regulates the absorption in the intestine; regulates the absorption or secretion of calcium from bones and regulates the re-absorption in the liver and kidney.
Dark skinned people, sun light deficient people needs dietary supplement. Cod liver oil, oily fishes, beef liver, a whole egg are the good dietary sources of vitamin D. A regular exposure to sunlight otherwise will sufficient to produce necessary amount of vitamin D.

The deficiency of vitamin D will cause rickets, osteomalacia, osteoporosis. Rickets is a childhood disorder of this vitamin deficiency characterized by long bone deformity with growth retardation. Osteomalacia is a disorder of adult characterized by bone thinning, proximal muscle weakness. Osteoporosis is characterized by reduced bone mineral density and increased bone fragility.
So ensure adequate sunlight exposure daily, and if can't ensure this you should have vitamin D supplement. Sunlight exposure is needed for all age group. Too much of anything is bad which is true for sunlight also. Thus don't just avoid sunlight. Love it and live healthy life.

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be hard. It just takes the motivation to change our bad habits into good, healthy ones. Below is a list of 10 healthy lifestyle tips to get you started. Once you start, you can come up with more healthy choices that work for you.
• The first thing is to eat a balanced diet. Eat more fruits and vegetables and get rid of the high sugar, processed foods. Along with eating better is getting the right nutrients in the system.
• So the second thing is to take vitamins and minerals to help your body work properly.
• The third tip is to quit all those nasty unhealthy habits. Smoking, drinking, drugs, chewing tobacco, whatever your vice may be quit now. You are in charge of your health and living a healthier lifestyle means getting rid of the things that may kill you.
• The fourth thing to do is exercise. Exercise makes you feel good and can motivate you to get other things done as well.
• Along with exercise, number five is making sure you see a doctor each year for an annual physical. This is more important in women, but men should be seeing a doctor every 2-3 years to make sure there are no big health concerns.

• The sixth is to surround yourself with a strong support network, or a group of people who will be there for you and participate in a healthy lifestyle as well.
• Your family and friends can help you with the seventh tip, have fun and enjoy life.
• Eighth tip is to create a good balance between work and play.
• The final two tips are to accept yourself for the unique individual you are and love what you do. If you can accept yourself, the good and the bad, it will show in all you do. Your job is something you will be doing for at least the next 20 years, so you should love it. If you don't keep looking until you find something you do love.
Start with those healthy lifestyle choices and see how you feel in the next few weeks. You should feel more energized, motivated, and positive.
Thanks Ursula G-K for sharing post. More visit healthy lifestyle for your wellbeing.

Nail biting is a habit like many others that is very difficult to break. This habit can cause a lot of damage to your fingers and the areas around the nail. Some common problems with this habit include: split and fractured nails, bleeding around the nails, infections, and unnecessary pain. There are some ways to prevent this habit and keep yourself from continuing.
One way to cure yourself of this habit is to confront your problem and realize just how serious it is. A good tip to help with this confrontation is to take some pictures of your nails to see just how destructive your habit has become. The next step is to choose one nail on each hand that you are going to protect, or not bite, for a stretch of time. Seeing this healthy nail grow in might motivate you to leave the rest of them alone as well. This also gives you a chance to bite other nails if you can't just quit cold turkey.

Many people bite their nails because they have some sort of oral fixation or it is just a nervous habit. Because of that, another good tip on how to stop biting your nails is to find something else to do with your hands when you feel the urge to bite. Many people will drum their fingers on a table or have something else with them that they can put in their mouth. Using a toothpick or some sort of snack food like a carrot stick would be two suggestions. Many people also have gum with them at all times as an alternative to biting their nails.
There is also a chemical that is sold at drug stores that can be applied to the fingernails that will give them a very bitter taste. This option would be worth a try if the other methods are not working. When you actually chew on your nails, the chemical will come off and leave you with a most unpleasant taste in your mouth. The chemical is not dangerous to the body, but it should also not be the only solution used.

Thanks Jessica Hiler for posting. More visit stop biting fingernails

In my last two articles about the benefits of water, I wrote about the many ways to utilize water for health in our everyday life outside of just for drinking.
I covered various water exercises and water workouts you could do in the pool to improve cardio-vascular conditioning. But, I didn't cover any strength work exercises you should add to your workout routine in the pool.
One of the simplest is the old stand by push-up. The difference is instead of pushing up off the floor, you push off the wall. You stand in waist height water and lean into the wall at a 45 degree angle, arms bent. Then you push away from the wall till your arms are fully extended, and then do as many pushups till you're tired. As your strength increases, you'll be able to set the number of how many pushups you can do as you get stronger.
You'll feel how the buoyancy of the water allows and helps you to do the pushup. The buoyancy helps you through the full range of motion which gives your arms the benefit of the complete movement of the exercise.
The pull-up or the chin-up is another old stand by. This exercise will be a bit more challenging. But, if you've never been able to do a pull-up this exercise will surprise you, and put a smile on your face.
If there is a diving board or fixed pool ladder located at the deeper end of the pool you can do this exercise. The most effective way to do this exercise is to be submerged up to your neck in the water.
Reaching up to the highest rung on the ladder or the diving board, hands in a pull up position. You pull your body out of the water and up, the buoyancy of the water will help you do a pull-up. Start with one or two to acclimate to the movement then add as you get stronger.
Again the buoyancy will allow to complete the movement that you couldn't achieve on a chinning bar at the gym.

One more routine for the legs: Simply stand in waist height of water, and do 10 jumps high as you can out of the water. This will add strength to your legs, fast twitch muscles, and power to your legs.
The benefit of the pool workout is the No-Impact and Anti-gravity factor. You spare your joints and because there will be no joint pain (provided there is no previous injury), it will encourage you to keep at it. At the end of the day, you will be pleasantly tired and not in pain.
*If you have had any major surgery or injury you must use your judgment or doctors advice as to the intensity of your workout.

These three simple strength exercises will make you stronger and fitter. You're not going to get "ripped" or become a beach "hottie" from these exercises. But, if you stick with the hydro-therapy cardio and strength exercises you will see your body make significant changes.
The commitment to the water workout routine will help you lose weight, improve your fitness, make you feel physically and mentally good about yourself.
Let's be honest one of the motivating reasons for fitness aside from the health factor, is VANITY!  Everybody wants to look good!
Remember we humans are 70% water, so it's easy to understand why most of us instinctively gravitate to the beach, ocean, and lakes.
It will also be fun, VERY IMPORTANT to have fun! Because if it's fun you'll enjoy it and keep doing it.

Thanks Calvin Jung for posting. Visit Modern Health Secrets.

Obesity is a big problem affecting several million people all over the world and in countries such as the US it is steadily increasing. It is an epidemic and one that must be contained before the lives of the many people affected take drastic turns. There are numerous disadvantages of obesity ranging from serious to very scary. Most of the disadvantages of obesity would fall somewhere in one of the 5 points listed below which could be called the 5 disadvantages of obesity.
5) Goals are harder or impossible to accomplish:
Obese people depending on what they desire, have a much tougher time when it comes to achieving success. Obesity plays a big enough factor to undermine or stagnate progress as a whole. Let's say for example that an obese guy named Mr. X wants to pursue a career in a sport such as football (soccer). Mr. X wants some action on the field to play a part in a team and try to win some games. Unless his skills are far superior to the other normal weight players on that team or rival teams and has the speed to match, chances are that dream will never become a reality since its mandatory that you are in a fit state. Many sports, whether the games are casual or competitive won't take him or anyone obese for that matter. His only hope is to either slim down or find a group that caters to the obese.

4) Social Problems:
One of the major disadvantages of obesity is that the obese are generally looked down upon, made fun of or scorned by many in society. They're usually the subject of "fat jokes" from those who seem to forget that they are human beings and human beings have feelings. Relationships can be pretty shaky for an obese person who's partner doesn't really find them desirable anymore and wants out.
3) Sexual Issues:
Many studies have shown there is a relation to obesity and sexual ineptitude. It's common for obese individuals of both sexes to suffer from lack of sexual enjoyment, performance or desire. If the individual never cared for sex to begin with, this won't be one of the disadvantages of obesity for them.

2) The Feeling of Depression:
The obese will either show depression outright, show a hint of it or conceal it. At this point they are very aware of the many disadvantages of obesity plaguing them. They know how they look, they know the prejudice they have to endure, they know there are serious medical conditions associated with their weight, they know they can't accomplish certain goals or have a higher hurdle to jump to do so. It's very frustrating and stressful for them.
1) Health Deterioration:
The health hazards linked to obesity are innumerable and the more obese you are the harsher they are. These obesity related health hazards include Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, Pregnancy Issues, Breathing Issues, Sleeping Issues, Heart Problems, Stroke risks, Abnormal Cholesterol Levels, Movement Problems not to mention the risk of contracting several types of cancer. The serious nature of those issues makes health deterioration one of the main disadvantages of obesity.

Thanks Sivadi Kisho for this post. More visit http://www.squidoo.com/whyisobesitydangerous

Most parents don't have children with the expectation that one day they'll be researching childhood obesity and looking for ways to help their child lose weight.  Yet, each day, the percentage of American children that are overweight or obese rises.  What is happening?
As simple as it would be to throw out a blanket statement along the lines of "all childhood obesity is a result of the massive consumption of junk food in our society and the sedentary lifestyles that our kids have," this isn't really enough information to help us make any real changes.  While it may be true for the most part, it doesn't point to the "hidden" factors that many people fail to consider - why are children less active?  Why do we eat so poorly?
First of all, the world we live in today is not as safe...or at least we perceive it to be more unsafe.  Growing up, my friends and I had the run of the neighborhood, even after dark on some nights.  Beyond learning to look both ways before crossing the street and being safe on our bikes and Rollerblades, I feel like I was outside from breakfast to lunch and lunch to dinner most days during the summer without any direct parental supervision.  Today, you hardly, if ever, see that kind of behavior from kids.  Most parents are terrified of the worst case scenario that they force kids to spend too much time inside...no wonder they watch so much television and play so many video games.

Second, the fact that kids spend less time outside and more time inside watching TV means that they're much more exposed to advertising than we were.  Take a minute to think about the advertising that goes on.  Super-sized this, bigger that, and so on.  The next time your kid is watching TV, sit down and make a note of all the ads that they're shown.  Were there any for fruits and vegetables?  What about the ice cream commercial that was on - did the kid have a normal sized cone or one that was bigger than his head?  Given all this, it's no wonder that our children are beginning to see huge, unhealthy portions of food as "normal."

So, as a responsible parent, what can you do about it?  The first is to get your child more active, and the key to doing that is to be creative and find ways that kids can exercise without knowing they're exercising.  Set up supervised play times with other parents at the park if you're concerned about safety or sign them up for some team sports.  These two solutions won't completely solve the problem, but they'll certainly help.
If your child is really struggling with their weight and has been resistant to any changes that you've tried to implement, you may look in to a weight loss camp for kids.  Here, they'll have opportunities to play in a safe environment with other kids and will learn how to make healthy eating choices.  If your child must stay inside all day, find some activities that involve more than sitting - dancing, obstacle courses, or even the Wii.

Regarding their exposure to advertising, you can't control the ads they see when they watch TV, but you can control how much TV they watch...as well as what foods they end up eating.  Try taking them shopping with you and have them select something new to try from the produce section every week and try to have family meals around the table at least 4 times a week.  Remember, kids learn more from what they see their parents do than what they're told, so make sure you set a good example with your eating habits as well.
 Thanks David Kraft for this post. More visit at http://www.newimagecamp.com/

Is obesity a good thing and how is obesity a good thing? It may sound odd and contrary to general beliefs but there are some obesity advantages out there. A few of these can't be met while at normal weight or even overweight. Let's find out what these five obesity advantages are.
1) Certain types of work are only catered to the obese:
There are jobs where an obese individual is suited for more than a normal weight person or someone who's just overweight. An example of this could be an acting job. Say there's a story with a character who's obese playing a big part. The only person who'll probably fill the role of that character is... someone who's obese.
2) Stronger Bones/Muscles:
This can be considered as one of the advantages of obesity. The reason being that any attempt at exercising, even a casual walk can contribute to this. Certain gym activities such as lifting weights also help with obese people having strong bones and muscles.
3) More warmth is possible:
This is due to the excessive body fat alleviating heat loss from an obese person's body into the air especially in cold environments. The fat has a tendency to keep some blood from getting closest to the skin where it can lose heat rapidly. This is why excessive clothing is worn, to trap body heat for constant warmth. As an extension to point 2 above, putting on more muscle provides a similar benefit where it can be a heat source while exercising and provide great insulation while resting.

4) Size... does it matter?
This seems to be more of a feature than one of the advantages of obesity but there are some people who are proud of their hugeness and put it to some use. That makes it an advantage for them.
5) Even the obese can lose weight:
The most important when it comes to obesity advantages is that the weight can be lost. It's more important than all the previous advantages listed combined. Even overriding the disadvantages of obesity but only if this losing weight obesity advantage is consistently applied. Obesity mostly results from consuming more calories than required consistently. The excessive weight can be lost over a period of time by frequently burning more calories through exercise while not consuming more calories than your body needs.
Thanks Sivadi Kisho for this great post. More visit at why is obesity dangerous

Childhood obesity is getting to epidemic proportions. Its no longer something that can be talked about as a might happen it is a definite and it is causing and will cause some horrendous health problems. It is confirmed that childhood obesity causes:
1)      Elevated counts of cholesterol which is directly related to an increased potential for a stroke and/or heart attack.
2)      Liver disease due to an insulin resistance.
3)      An increase in diabetes cases - especially pre diabetes which is a condition that effects over weight youngsters especially.
4)      A reduction in life expectancy - kids are going to die younger than they should.
5)      Emotional and mental trauma that then can take a significant toll on self-esteem and self-worth.

Now these five problems help to reinforce one horrible fact, confirmed by The Centre of Disease Control, that our youngest generation is the first in many decades that is facing a life expectancy shorter than ours.
Over the past 15 years we have seen the obesity rate in young children double and it has almost tripled in teenagers. We are most certainly facing a crisis. Parents don't know what to feed their kids anymore, How can they! There is so much misinformation and over-hyped gimmicks on the market that confusion and indecision have become completely normal. The real truth about some of the obese children is that they come from overweight families. What is meant by this is not attacking the easy target, it is just that if mum and dad eat junk food then it is almost definite that the kids will as well and they then assume that it is normal to do so.

Most experts feel that to cure the problem then you have to change the child but that is totally short sighted as you must target the whole family and change their total way of living. From what they eat, drink, do for leisure activities, to sleeping habits, exercise regimes and what they buy in the weekly shop. It is not a short term cure but a cure that will last through generation after generation.
Society has generated two main problems with the adult population. One being the busy life we all lead which means we do not have the time (correction - find the time) to plan for a nutritional well balanced meals. The second being that there is a generation of young parents that have been brought up on junk food, high calories and processed snacks and very few fruit and veg that knows no better.
This is a very large and difficult time bomb to defuse but it must not be allowed to go bang!!!! As it will be catastrophic for the future of the planet we call home!
Thanks Trevor Gardner for this post. More visit at Youth Fitness Solution!

You can easily reduce belly fats by following proper fat burning techniques. The significant things that we must follow to reduce belly fats are to reduce the calorie intake and maximize our metabolic process.
1.  Consumption of negative calorie foods
The consumption of negative calorie foods is stressed because they tend to burn more calorie than they actually contain. For example if you consume a food items that has 400 calories, but you burn only 150 calories and the rest 250 calories are stored as fats in your body. Hence the consumption of negative calorie foods burns all the amount of calories you consume and thus increases your metabolic process. Apples, oranges and pine apples are some negative calorie foods to start off with.
2.  Effective exercise routine
Many are in notion that only cardio based exercises are needed to burn fats, but the irony is that it is less effective depending on your body conditions. Concentrate on abdominal exercises as it burns more amounts of calories and fats in your belly region. Experts suggest that a good blend of cardio exercises and abdominal exercise should be carried out to achieve efficient workout regime. Cardio exercise helps you to keep yourself fresh and healthy to perform abdominal exercise. Warm up and warm down exercise should be carried before and after the exercise respectively.
The biggest merit of adding abdominal exercise is the burning sensation in your belly after the workout. This is a sign of increased rate of melting down of fats in your belly. At first start with low intensity exercise and then increase the intensity gradually by concentrating on maximizing repetitions. Don't try to overdo the abdominal exercise routine as it may cause strains.

3. Confidence in yourself
This is the key to transform your body and belly. First, you must start believing in yourself that you can reduce the belly fat. Motivate yourselves to stick on to the diet plans and exercise routines. Implement an effective exercise schedule that you think you can stick onto and perform the exercises that you are comfortable with.
The above mentioned steps are the just the beginning plan in your quest to reduce belly fat. When you can implement these steps over a period of time you can get a healthier and better physique.  

Losing weight and maintaining a healthy body weight should be one of your top priorities; being overweight is bad for your self esteem and increases your risk of serious, even fatal diseases including diabetes, heart disease and others. An increasing number of people are beginning to be aware of the danger they are placing themselves in by being overweight. However, even with nearly everyone concerned with their health, people just keep gaining weight! Keep reading this article to learn how to lose weight easily and avoid the common weight loss pitfalls.
Setting goals is an important part of any successful weight loss program. Set realistic goals for yourself or you'll only find yourself discouraged and no thinner than when you began! Setting realistic, achievable goals lets you lose any amount of weight you want to, step by step. Even the heaviest people can lose weight quickly if they can set proper goals for themselves. In fact, this article is going to be largely centered on setting goals for quick weight loss.
1. Be realistic: Suppose you need to lose 100 pounds. With this in mind, you tell yourself you'll lose the first 50 pounds in 2 weeks; obviously this is unrealistic and as a result, you'll likely be discouraged and give up quickly.

2. Determination: Successfully losing weight has a lot to do with your motivation. Do you want to lose weight simply to look good on the beach or are you genuinely concerned with improving your health? You need to stay motivated to stick with diet and exercise programs; so without a good motive, you'll likely backslide sooner or later (usually sooner). Health concerns are generally a more potent motivator than just wanting to look good.
3. Remember that fad diets and pills are not the way to lose weight: You'll only see sustained weight loss and better health when you ditch the fad diets, the junk food and the diet pills and switch to a diet largely composed of raw fruits and vegetables. If you want to lose weight, the junk food and fast food have to go, simple as that. You'll also have to stick with your regular exercise routine - diet and exercise are the only reliable ways to lose weight and keep it off.

4. Don't beat yourself up: Everyone slips up from time to time. If you blow your diet one day, it doesn't mean your weight loss efforts are doomed. Just strengthen your resolve to avoid these unhealthy choices in the future. If you fail to live up to one of your goals, don't punish yourself. Instead, think of why you didn't meet your goal and pledge to meet the next one. It's all about staying committed, even in the face of adversity. If you're motivated and stick with your exercise routine and healthy diet, you can't fail!
ThanksFrances N Smith and her team fot this post. More visit at Loss Fat Diet

I'm about to reveal 10 tips for easy weight loss. We should create an effective fat loss plan to help us drop the pounds quickly. Here's some very effective tips you can follow now.
If you want to lose weight, you're probably looking for ways to burn the fat fast and easily. I'm going to show you some simple ways to increase your metabolism to burn more fat quick. Here's a few you can start with now.
#1. Are you eating several meals per day?
One thing you should never do is skip meals. This will only slow your metabolism to a crawl. The idea is to take in less calories at each meal, but you will need to eat at least 5-6 small meals per day.
#2. Get daily exercise
I can't stress enough how important exercise is to burning fat faster. You don't have to do anything you don't like. Just have fun and burn calories. I love to walk and swim, and I do it everyday.
#3. Take apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar releases fat cells from the body. Take two tablespoons 3 times per day, or with every meal. Just add it to a glass of water and drink up.

#4 Count your calories
Count your calorie intake. Plan your meals in advance so it would be easier to control the amount of calories you eat with each meal and per day.
#5. Get enough sleep
People who get less sleep have a higher chance of becoming overweight than people who gets at least 7-8 hours of sleep per day.
#6. Eat apples and grapefruits
These two fruits are great for weight loss. If you eat 3 apples per day and a serving of grapefruit with every meal, you'll speed up the fat burning process.
#7. Drink pure water everyday
The best way to a fast weight loss is to drink pure water daily. Tap water is filled with toxins. We should drink at least half our weight. For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should drink at least 100 ounces of pure water daily.
#8 Eat slow and lose weight
By eating slow, you will eat less because you'll give your brain time to pick up the signal that you're full.

#9. Eat organic foods
Organic foods are natural and aren't processed. Foods that are not organic will make us gain weight because it contains human growth hormones and toxins.
#10. Avoid Sugar at all cost
Stay away from white sugar and artificial sweeteners.
There you have it, 10 tips for easy weight loss. The more tips you follow, the quicker the fat will melt off your body.

WARNING: The most vital tip of all
To melt away the pounds faster and safely, you need a diet like the one explained at Strip That Fat Shop Then you'll never have to give up the foods you love!

People are largely misinformed when it comes to what can truly cause fat loss, especially fat around the waistline. This is hardly surprising when you are constantly bombarded by weight loss TV commercials and products claiming to be the "magic bullet" that will make the fat from your belly just melt away. Unfortunately, fat loss does not work this way. Luckily there are very specific things you can do to get you well on your way to looking the best you ever have.
These are the basics of any effective fat loss program. However, there are many more things that can be done if you really want to supercharge your efforts of burning fat from your belly. If you are interested in taking a closer look at them, please read the end of the article.
1. Clean up your cupboards - what you stock in your cupboard is an indication of what food you eat. Fad diets (low-fat, low-carb, low-protein, etc) may work in the short-term but have no positive long-term effect because they deprive the body of one or more of these essential nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. For best results you should consume proteins with every meal, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Get enough fiber and drink plenty of water. When combined, these 2 elements are an extremely powerful fat loss combo.

2. Watch your portion size - portion control will make or break your efforts to lose stomach fat. Making sure that the amount of food you eat during each meal is appropriate is not as difficult as you may think. You can spread out your meals throughout the day which will result in you consuming less food per meal. If you are eating out it is sometimes difficult to watch how much you eat, but you can do things like sharing an entrée with someone or ask a waiter to box up a part of your meal.
Thanks Jeff Thomas  so much. More visit at http://www.bellyfatcure.info.

Before I suffered mercury toxicity and had to de-tox I was not a lover of water. I preferred mine mixed with tea or coffee. However, now I really appreciate its value.
For thousands of people in UK the last few weeks have been a nightmare. Whilst the British are often ridiculed for our conversations about the weather we could be forgiven for discussing the unusually high levels of rainfall experienced this July.
The deluge of rainwater caused many rivers to burst their banks, flooding properties and utility services like the electricity, water and sewage works. Consequently, thousands of people found themselves surrounded by water but none of it was fit to drink.
Even boiling it was considered a health risk and daily people queued up to fill their containers with clean water delivered in bowsers.
This was a most unusual sight in UK and it made me realise how much we take our water supply for granted.
I also wondered how many people's health suffered because they became dehydrated. Very few of us actually drink enough water anyway, even when it is available through our taps.
I know a lot of people are concerned about the chemicals, but the fact remains if we didn't drink water we would be poisoned by our body's own waste.
Everyone knows it's important. Doctors, nutritionists, dieticians, sportspeople, beauticians, actresses, models all go on about it, but do we listen? No, - at least not most of us.

However, water is like air - without it you would die.
Although you could survive without food for several weeks, you'd only last a few days without water.
It is vital for dissolving the uric acid and urea removed in the kidneys, aiding the chemical reactions required for digestion and metabolism, carrying nutrients and oxygen through the blood, lubricating our joints and allowing us to perspire and cool our bodies down.
Most people don't realise the human body is composed of 75% water, with brain tissue said to consist of 85%. And, did you know it's possible to lose a pint of water each day just breathing? I didn't think so.
If you don't drink enough water you can become dehydrated and experience a variety of symptoms.
Apart from getting a build up of toxicity in your body, headaches, joint and muscle soreness, lower back pain, poor muscle tone, dry skin, decreased digestive efficiency with heartburn and stomach ache, you can also get water retention and excess body fat because the body can't metabolise it properly.
I know that sounds bizarre but often if you're not drinking enough your body will retain what fluid you do have to compensate. Sometimes just drinking more will do more good than taking pills.

I know many people are put off drinking more because of the need to continually go to the toilet, especially at night. However, your bladder will eventually adjust and it's worth it to stop your body being dehydrated.
Also, drinking water often stops you feeling hungry so it's a good idea to spread out your fluid intake throughout the day.
So, how much should you drink? - Lots!
Six to ten glasses is a safe bet but if you want to be more specific it's recommended you drink 50 - 75% of your body weight in ounces depending on whether you are sedentary or active.
You might also want to add a bit more if it's really hot or you are working extra hard, so for example, a person who weighs 140 lbs, lives in a dry climate and is doing strenuous exercises should drink 75% x 140 oz = 105 oz + 16 oz (activity) + 16 oz (climate) = Total 137 oz per day.
Since you should spread out your fluid intake through the day, just divide the daily total by the amount of hours you are awake.
In the example above I'll assume the lucky person sleeps 8 hours each night so is awake for the remaining 16. The hourly water consumption should therefore be 137 oz divided by 16 (hours) = approximately 8 oz.
So now you know, get drinking!

Fitness Myth #1 - You gain fat as you age.
Many people believe that gaining fat is unavoidable as we age.
The reason you gain fat is because your metabolism has slowed down due to inactivity and poor diet choices.
Even if you do have a slow metabolism no-one is destined to be overweight, with proper lifestyle choices you can rev up your metabolism and change your body.
Fitness Myth #2 - Women will get bulky if they lift weights.
Most women don't realize how hard it is to bulk up. Ladies don't worry about getting to "bulky" from weight training, this is a myth you will become lean and toned.
Women only have about 1/10th the amount of testosterone men have, the hormone responsible for building muscle.
Fitness Myth #3 - Training the abs last.
Many people believe that you must train the abs last to avoid fatiguing the stabilizing muscles of the core. Although this sounds like a fair statement this has never been scientifically proven.
If you think about which section of the body is the most important (the core) and what is most people biggest weakness of most people (the core) it does'nt make sense to train the core last when you're already fatigued.
Fitness Myth #4 - Aerobics is #1 for fat loss.
The problem with aerobic training for fat loss is;
It doesn't burn many calories whilst performing the exercise and burns very little if any after. It causes the body to reduce its release of the fat burning hormones and enzymes. The body adapts by becoming more energy efficient, meaning your body has to work less to perform the same workout.
Instead use interval training, you will burn far more calories and you will keep your metabolism revving for up to 24hrs after you finish training.

Fitness Myth #5 - Bodybuilding programs for fat loss.
Bodybuilding programs are for bodybuilders. Unless you are using drugs these programs will not work for you! It still amazes me how many people are still reading bodybuilding magazines, following their programs using "body-part splits" and "blitzing muscles".
The people writing most of these articles are' nt even bodybuilders, they're marketers from the supplement companies trying to deceive you, what looks like an article is probably an ad, look closer!
Fitness Myth #6 - Stop exercising & your muscles turn to fat.
I don't know where this comes from but when you really think about it, it's ridiculous. Muscle is working tissue which is designed to move your body around, fat is stored energy, it's as simple as that. The reason people put on fat when they stop training is because the loss of muscle tissue will cause a drop in metabolism, and if your still consuming the same amount of calories where else are the calories meant to go?

Fitness Myth #7 - You can out train a poor diet.
No matter how hard you train if your diet is poor, you will not see the results your training for. With the right nutrition you will be able to fuel your workouts far more effectively giving you a greater return in results.
Fitness Myth #8 - Spot reducing.
Spot reducing basically means targeting a specific body part with an exercise to reduce fat in those areas. Unfortunately the body doesn't work this way, when you begin to lose weight you are unable to determine which area your body will lose fat. For example doing lots of sit-ups will not reduce fat around the mid-section, it will only strengthen and tone the abs.
Fitness Myth #9 - More is better.
Too much of a good thing can be detrimental to your training.
If you're training;
Too frequently
For too long
Without enough rest
This will lead to overtraining. Overtraining can lead to sickness, depression and injury.

Fitness Myth #10 - High reps cut.
There is no such thing as a "cutting phase".
If you progressively lift heavier weights your muscles will grow, if you lift the same size weight as your previous workout your muscles will stay the same size, if you lift less weight than your previous workouts your muscles will get smaller. The only thing that determines whether you get the "cut" look is the size of your muscles and how low your body fat percentage is.

Thanks Dan Clay for this great post. Dan Clay is a Sydney personal trainer and boot camp instructor. If you would like to book a free 2 week trial to test drive the best boot camp in Sydney click here... boot camp Sydney Or if you would like a free personal training consultation and trial session click here... personal training Sydney

I think it may be time for a reality check. Any sane person that believes that dieting is easy please raise your hand. If you raised your hand I am not sure that you qualify as sane, please check with a mental health professional. For the rest of us, the term easy diets should be classified as an oxymoron. If these things were so darn easy, then nobody would be overweight. Now, there may not be such a thing as easy diets, but many weight management plans are effective and are only as difficult as you make them. A better term may be simple diets. Here are 2 things you should look for in trying to keep it simple.
Meal Planning
Does your system offer meal planning help? I am not talking about those systems where you have to sell your first born to be able to buy their food products. Easy diets can only truly become easy if you learn how to plan and shop for healthy meals. How do you expect to stay on a weight management plan if you have not been taught how to eat and shop correctly?
Fat Burning
Easy diets that only focus on the scale will be absolutely worthless to you. Fat burning is infinitely more important than weight loss. Losing weight is really not all that difficult, but your real goal should be to burn fat. The proper diet and targeted exercise can turn your metabolism into a fat burning machine 24 hours per day. Once you get your metabolism going, you results will really take off.

When you want to lose weight fast you first have to change your eating habits. While many people think too much junky food is the reason for their extra pounds often the root cause is emotions. So many people use food as a way to comfort themselves during emotionally trying times.
It is so tempting and easy to turn to food rather than deal with the emotions you are trying to avoid. After all, when life feels rough and out of control you may feel you can always count on food. It tastes good, you feel better when you're eating it and it's always there (either in your pantry or easily obtained at a restaurant or grocery store).
How can you control your emotional eating so you can finally lose weight fast? It can be a lot simpler than you think!
Tip #1 - Don't Avoid or Ignore Your Feelings
People have a tendency to avoid at all costs feeling bad in any form. Sadness, anger, loneliness are just some of the emotions that many people refuse to acknowledge they are feeling. Instead of just admitting they feel that way, they instead turn to food to give themselves a way to feel better.
But you can't lose weight fast - or at all - when you stuff your emotions with food. Instead just take a few minutes and just be ok with how you're feeling. Usually when you just sit with that emotion and give it a bit of attention you'll find it will go away on it's own much faster - and without the need for junk food!

Tip #2 - Be Honest With Yourself
Many people aren't aware or are in denial that they use food as a way to deal with their emotions. The problem lies in that eating out of an emotional response gets to be such a habit that you may not even realize you do it!
The best way to determine if you really do eat to ignore emotions is to jot down WHY you just ate something. Start paying attention to how you were feeling or what you were thinking about right before you eat something. Sometimes you'll be eating because you really are hungry, but if you just can't lose weight fast it is often due to unconsciously eating to feel better about an emotion that popped up.

Tip #3 - Love is for people - not food
How many of us have ever uttered the words, "I love food!" or "I love (fill in the blank of favorite food)"? Even if you don't think you have a problem with emotional eating if you've ever said you love food or a certain type of food - that's actually an emotional response to food. Love is an emotion! And so when you feel that you love food you can't help but associate feeling good when you eat that food. The sad truth is - as much as you love food, it will never love you back.
You do NOT have to give up your favorite foods or start to think of eating as just a way to keep from starving. You can still definitely ENJOY food, but the goal should be to deal with your emotions in other ways rather than with food.
Instead find other outlets for love (or any other emotion) and put food in its proper place. Let it satisfy your hunger, give your body nutrition and even delight your taste buds - but stop letting it rule your life. If you want to lose weight fast - focus on feeling good in other ways. Make the effort to associate feeling good with things other than food.
The key to lose weight fast or just to feel good about yourself is to really KNOW yourself. Realize your emotions - all of them - are just what they are. Instead of stuffing them down and ignoring them, acknowledge how you feel and let it go. Find ways to feel good that don't involve eating. You will probably find that when you just start to pay attention to how you feel and make an effort to change your normal reactions to certain emotions it will get easier and soon emotional eating will be a thing of the past!

The typical public perception of Yoga has shifted significantly in recent years. To the ancients, Yoga is a complete system, of which the postures are a small, though quite useful part. The word "Yoga" referred to the whole, not merely one part, which is the postures, or Asanas. The entire purpose of Yoga is spiritual in nature, according to the ancient sages. In modern times, the relative position of the postures has been elevated, so as to lead people to believe that the word "Yoga" refers to physical postures or Asanas, and that the goal of these is physical fitness. The whole and the part have been reversed, terribly misleading and confusing people about the true nature of authentic Yoga. Here are some tips for practising yoga.
1. The time most suitable for Yoga is in the morning before breakfast when the mind is calm and fresh and the movements can be done with ease and vitality.
2.The most important things you'll need to get started - as they say - are a big heart and a small ego.
3.A person must seek a place of quietude, which is well ventilated, free from dust, insects, unpleasant smell, draught, and moisture. There should be no distraction whatsoever.
4.You must empty your bowels and bladder, clean your nostrils and throat of all mucus, consume a glass of lukewarm water and then begin the exercises after 15 minutes.
5.Always remember that you should begin with the easy postures and then proceed to the difficult ones. One must follow the graded steps of Yoga.
6.In the beginning, all movements should be practiced lightly and you must cease to go further if fatigue shows.

7.Yoga must pep up and not impart weariness and despondency.Periods of relaxation are advisable if a particular exercise proves to be tiring. Thanks Ava Belinda  for this post. More Information for Your Life

For those wanting to live a holistic lifestyle, practicing yoga and using organic beauty products are almost no-brainers, after all, both are good for your body and the planet. But yoga and organic beauty have more in common than you might think. So if your daily mat habit is leaving your skin ultra sensitive, adding gentle but effective organic products into your daily routine can help perfect your complexion while helping you maintain your holistic lifestyle. Here's how.

Allergies. Deep yoga breathing can help clear nasal passages, while practicing yoga in a heated room often can clear sinuses and make allergy symptoms more mild. Organic products are often more friendly to sensitive or allergy-prone skin, since they're not packed full of synthetic chemicals and fragrances. Try Dr. Hauschka Eye Solace or Logona Free Body Lotion.

Happiness/mood. By creating a strong mind-body connection (and a healthier, stronger body), yoga practice improves overall well-being and mood. Essential oils used in many organic products also have mood-enhancing properties, and the purer formulas in natural products mean they often have a more powerful effect. Try Farfalla Gemstone Oils or Rain Africa Essential Oil Uplift.


Aging. Yoga's ability to stimulate the body's detoxification process can go a long way to delay aging; there's even some anecdotal evidence that some yoga poses, particularly inversions, can stimulate blood flow to hair follicles and even revert gray hairs back to their natural color! Likewise, organic beauty products incorporate natural anti-aging ingredients like antioxidants and vitamins to give your skin a more youthful appearance. Try Juice Beauty Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer or Logona Age Protection Wrinkle Therapy.


Relaxation and stress relief. Practicing any kind of yoga is almost guaranteed to have a near-immediate impact on stress levels, relaxation, and help you sleep. Likewise, using organic products in the bath or shower, particularly those with relaxing scents like lavender and rosemary, can have an added impact. Try Dr. Hauschka Lavender Bath or John Masters Lavender Rosemary Shampoo.

If there was one fundamental flaw with these drinks it would be that they are dangerous if you overuse them. Now I know that is not saying very much because almost anything can be dangerous if it is overused; candy bars, sodas, cheeseburgers and yes even some vitamins. So what makes this general knowledge so important when applied to energy drinks? It is simple. Energy drinks are widely marketed to people who kind of need to overuse them. People that are constantly under high physical and mental strain and need that energy boost throughout the day. Construction workers, food servers, architects, athletes, you name the job and the odds are that someone there, probably many people, will be looking for a second wind in a can.

Most energy drinks are by no means "good" for you. But like so many other things in life if you moderate it and give your body a chance to process it the negative effects should be nothing but rumors to you. The day you go down the road of drinking unhealthy energy drinks 2 or 3 times a day however is the day you run the risk of becoming a statistic. Do not run the risk of hurting your health by consuming large amounts of these unhealthy sources of energy.

If you are looking for a healthy alternative that doesn't taste like motor oils they FRS energy system is the best place to start. FRS Energy Drink is endorsed by not only Lance Armstrong but other major athletes including Olympians. The fact that some Olympians stand by FRS energy should be a testament healthy characteristics seeing as Olympic competitors have been kicked out for using Tylenol.
Don't blame unknown ingredients in energy drinks such as Quercetin and Taurine. Many of these energy drinks though not commonly known are usually very natural. One of the main reasons that these ingredients have made it to the front of the can is because they are good for you. It is not the front of the can that you should be concerned with but rather the back. Unlike FRS many energy drinks rely on caffeine boosts. This is an unhealthy and unnatural way to deliver on their promise. What you are looking for is an energy "boost" not an energy "transfer", not a product that will increase energy now but leave you worse off afterwards.

Doug Preston runs an informative health and wellness site with much more information about FRS Energy Drink and the amazing health benefits of it.

Bunions or Hallux Valgus as this condition is commonly called in the medical community are a source of foot pain and deformity in many Americans today...particularly women.
One of the most common causes of problems of the forefoot, bunions appear as a bump at the base joint (metatarsophalangeal joint) of the big toe and often are swollen and sore. The big toe can drift over towards the remaining toes as the bunion enlarges, particularly placing pressure on the second toe. A bunion develops most often in women and is thought to be primarily related to wearing ill-fitting shoes.
Why then do women wear ill-fitting shoes since this habit can lead not only to the development of a bunion but to the development of other foot maladies such as corns, calluses, and such? Well, the answer is quite simple...to look fashionable! Seems to me, if the shoe makers of the world really wanted to have a booming business then they would design fashionable women's shoes that looked phenomenal and felt like house slippers when you put them on. But, I digress.
Even though bunions can be hereditary, most often bunions are related to wearing shoes that are too tight, too narrow and too high causing pressure on the natural anatomy of the forefoot. The joint at the base of the toe flexes with every step and continued pressure on this area causes the joint to continue to enlarge causing increasing pressure, pain, swelling and redness.

The skin over the bunion can become quite sensitive and red and may even become infected. Bunions can even get to the point when walking is difficult and surgical intervention is the only resolution.
A bunionette or Tailor's Bunion can develop on the joint of the little toe along the outside of the foot. Again the cause of the bunion is the same, most often poor fitting shoes resulting in increased pressure on the forefoot, but in this case the little toe drifts inward towards the big toe.

The very best treatment for a bunion is prevention. If that is not possible, then the next best treatment for a bunion is to wear shoes that have a wide toe box allowing ample room for the toes to move around and to avoid getting pressed together causing them to overlap.
Warm Epsom salt soaks, bunion pads, bunion night shields, bunion bandages, and even orthotics can provide temporary relief of pain but it is making the decision to wear properly fitting shoes which is the best treatment decision of all.

A heel spur is a condition that affects the largest bone in your foot... your heel. As you might imagine, the heel absorbs a large amount of shock during the course of its workday.
A heel spur is a calcium deposit that builds when the plantar fascia pulls away from the heel area of the foot. This calcium deposit is where the 'spur' part of the heel spur gets its name.
The aforementioned plantar fascia is the band of tissue that runs all along the bottom of the foot. You may have heard of another common foot ailment known as plantar fasciitis - this is where this condition gets its name from.
Needless to say having a boney spur develop on your heel will not go un-noticed for long. Heel spurs can cause an intense type of pain when any pressure at all is applied to that area.
Since heel spurs develop as a result of the plantar fascia being pulled away from the heel, the root cause isn't the fact that calcium deposits have developed, rather the ultimately painful deposits develop due to what ever is causing the plantar fascia to be pulled away from the heel itself.
Over pronation of the foot which causes the arch to flatten out is the mechanical problem that causes the plantar fascia to overstretch and pull aware from heel.
Footwear can also contribute significantly to the development of heel spurs. As with other know foot problems high heels aren't the best choice of shoe for continuing foot health. This is why women have a significantly higher incident of foot problems... among them being heel spurs.

For the vast majority of heel spur cases prevention is the best treatment. Having said that, and remembering that the spur actually develops because of an over-stretching of the plantar fascia, one needs to determine the cause of the over-stretching.
If the root cause is over-pronation (flat feet), orthotics (special shoe inserts) can be a very effective measure to provide relief for the pain and allow the condition to heal up.
Other common treatments can be as simple as a routine of stretching exercises or even weight reduction. Heel cradles, and heel cups will also help take the stretching pressure off while providing additional shock absorption as well.
As with any health condition is the problem doesn't respond to conventional in house treatment or becomes chronic, consult with your physician.

Your first steps out of the bed result in almost unbearable pain in your foot... it feels like a hot poker has just been inserted into your foot with every step; and this is now happening every morning without exception.
After you've been up for awhile the pain may subside just a bit, but make no mistake it is there to be with you throughout your day. A warm shower provides some relief but only temporary and you know you've got to do something but what?
If this describes what you are going through with your foot, chances are you are suffering from plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is the tissue along the bottom of the foot that essentially connects your heel to the toes. Under stress and strain this tissue can become inflamed or even tear. When this happens the classic symptoms are the severe pain with the first steps in the morning or after having been off your feet for a while.
Keeping in mind that the primary cause of plantar fasciitis is stress and strain, it is no surprise that footwear... or more specifically ill fitted or worn out footwear that provides little or no support places undue stress on the bottom of your foot and arch is one of the most common causes. So, first and foremost, make sure that your shoes are flexible, comfortable, and offer the proper support.

The personality of plantar fasciitis pain (most severe in the morning or after you've been off your feet for awhile - then lessening somewhat as your foot warms up) gives you the clue as to how to best treat your pain. As you sleep at night or are off of your feet, the plantar fascia will begin to cool and contract and this is precisely why those first steps are so painful... you are stepping onto you plantar fascia that is tight and not ready to bear the load.

So, the first order of business is to stretch the area not only in the mornings but throughout the day! Simple stretching exercises that stretch the Achilles tendon area will also get at the plantar fascia and provide relief. In the mornings before you step down on your foot, use a towel or belt and put it underneath your toes and gently pull the ball of your foot toward you and hold for a few seconds to get the tissue stretched after a night of sleep. You may wish to consider purchasing a night splint. A night splint is a device that attaches to your calf and foot that helps keep your Achilles and plantar fascia in a lengthened position as you sleep. Orthotics (semi rigid inserts that go in your shoe) that are available at many sports stores can also provide relief throughout the day.
Remember keep stretching throughout the day as much as possible.
Treatment of plantar fasciitis is very similar to treating any type of athletic or sports related stress or strain; and that is by the effective use of cold and warm therapy.

At the end of the day always begin with cold therapy. During the course of the day your foot is going to already get warmed up and probably experience some swelling. At the end of the day first apply a cold pack for at least twenty minutes. Then remove the cold for twenty minutes and apply a heating pad (or a warm soak) for twenty minutes. Repeat this process with at least three cold treatments with two warm treatments sandwiched between. Always begin and end with the cold.
This is know as a contrast bath and is very effective at treating inflammation and the resulting pain. Although more time consuming it is the best treatment that you have readily available to you.
If in spite of your dedicated effort to self care and self treat your plantar fasciitis you should set an appointment with your doctor. Be sure to advise your doctor of all the details that you have been doing to combat your pain, so they don't merely send you home with a similar program. Your doctor may agree that it may be time for a referral to a podiatrist.

For the individual, no other asset is as valuable as his health. Money, friendships, and business connections won't help much if your body exceeds the limits of what it can reasonably withstand. Medical services can be purchased, often at a great expense, but they cannot always help.
Maintaining an optimal level of vitality should be one of the main priorities in life, but unfortunately, for many people, it is not. Too much is taken for granted and, after irreversible damage has occurred, little can be done beyond reducing the pain. Prevention is better than cure, in particular, low-cost prevention.
The principles of staying in good shape have been known for centuries, although in the last decades, details have been worked out in many areas. Barring inherited illness and extreme bad luck, the way to an excellent health depends on five factors, namely:
1. Avoid situations of serious physical danger.
2. Sleep long enough for your needs.
3. Do not eat or drink harmful substances.
4. Choose a sound diet that you can easily follow.
5. Make sure that you do a minimum of exercise everyday.
The first aspect is frequently overlooked by wellness experts, but it plays a crucial role in allowing individuals to reach an advanced age in good condition. Combat sports and exotic vacations draw crowds in search of excitement, but they entail risks that cannot be easily averted.

Insomnia, when it happens, should be counteracted with natural means. On many occasions, the underlying cause of sleep difficulties are psychological. Peaceful nights frequently return after measures have been adopted to reduce stress, overcommitment, and relationship problems.
We should remind ourselves from time to time that people suffer illness equally for their actions as for their omissions. It is as important to identify what we should eat as what we should refrain from eating. There are countless books on the market about the elements of good nutrition and, if you have not done so already, I encourage you to read a few of them.
For the purpose of enhancing our well-being, exercise does not need to be complicated or costly. Do visit a sauna or swimming pool if that is your choice, but inexpensive habits, such as cycling and walking, are also effective means to keep in shape. If you make the effort to acquire healthy routines, maintaining a good condition will become automatic and you will spare yourself plenty of trouble down the road.

In this article, I'll be talking about hemorrhoids. Specifically, what they are and their symptoms. I'll also talk about what heals hemorrhoids.
Before we get started, you need to understand something very important. If you're suffering from hemorrhoids, you need to get them treated QUICKLY. You also need the proper treatment. The chances of you suffering from a more severe form of hemorrhoids will skyrocket.
First, let's talk about what hemorrhoids are. The veins in the anal area are supported by tissue. When these veins are no longer supported by the tissue, it creates a tiny "sac", a hemorrhoid. If you feel a swelling in the veins that are either on the inside of or surrounding your rectum, you most likely have hemorrhoids. Along with this swelling, you should notice redness, pain while walking or sitting, itching, bleeding, as these are symptoms of hemorrhoids.
In more than 4% of the population world-wide, people suffer from hemorrhoids. Every 1 out of 20 people between the ages of 45 and 55 will contract hemorrhoids. There's many types of hemorrhoids you can contract. Internal, external, strangulated, and prolapsed are four of them. Internal and external are more common than the other two. Pregnancy, severe coughing, being overweight, heavy lifting, and constipation all increase your risk of contracting hemorrhoids.
There are 3 types of treatments which can help you with hemorrhoids. They are as follows: creams, surgery, and a natural remedy.

Creams: Hemorrhoid lotions and creams give some relief to hemorrhoids. However, they won't get rid of them because they don't target the underlying cause.
Surgery: Surgery can be used to treat hemorrhoids, though it's for the most severe forms. However, it's expensive. A hemorrhoidectomy can cost quite a bit, from $1000+. You also have to take time off to recover from the surgery.
Natural Remedy: It is a proper treatment that cures the cause of hemorrhoids. The product not only works quickly to give relief and gets rid of hemorrhoids, it also works to prevent future cases of hemorrhoids.
If you don't have the proper treatment to heal, hemorrhoids will eventually overwhelm you. Complications with the treatment and extreme pain are just a few of the ways everything could get worse. There's even a chance you could reach a point in suffering where only hemorrhoidectomy, an expensive surgery that can cost anywhere from $1000 on up, can fix the problem. This is why it's much better to heal hemorrhoids before they become severe.

Dermaphyte fungi can make your nails look downright ugly. Sure, bad nails can't kill you but they sure can ruin your chances of a normal social life. Unfortunately even experts say that available doctor prescribed ointments don't work so well. Doctors would also usually prescribe more effective oral medications only for severe cases due to the risk of side effects. With these limited options available, you might as well turn to a natural products or a home remedy for nail fungus.
Available Remedies
There are no standard rules for making a home remedy for nail fungus. Most remedies that are passed on from one person to another are the result of individual experimentation. So far, here are some of the remedies that some people find effective:

-The Tea Tree - Tea tree oil is a common home remedy for nail fungus because the natural oil has anti fungal properties. Simply buy a bottle of this oil and put a few drops of it on the affected nail everyday. The oil will produce better results if you rub it in. Other remedy recipes require combining tea tree oil with other oils like almond, lavender and olive oil.
- Vitamins - Vitamin E is a known antioxidant that has been used in various products to help rid the body of harmful toxins. Its oil form is also a popular home remedy for nail fungus. The oil can be rubbed on and under the nail using a cotton swab. Different sources however have different suggestions for the frequency of application. Others say it should be used as often as twice a day while others advise only a few times a week.

- Vinegar - Vinegar is another option. This food ingredient is actually very acidic and may kill fungus quickly. Soak your nails in a container of vinegar once or more times a day. Those who have tried this home remedy for nail fungus swear that the nail problem will disappear in a week.
- Common Mouthwash - Mouthwash is also a common home remedy for nail fungus because of its antiseptic properties. You just have to soak your nails in a bowl of mouthwash for a few minutes a day. Some may combine mouthwash with hydrogen peroxide.
- Powder - Foot powder is not really a home remedy for nail fungus but it can stop your condition from getting worse or stop it from recurring once it is cured. Nail fungus grow best when your feet are sweaty. You can prevent moisture from accumulating by applying foot powder on your feet and socks.
- Healthy Diet - Having a good diet should also be considered a home remedy for nail fungus. It is a known fact that individuals who have weak immune systems run the risk of getting infected more than others. You can fortify your body's defenses by eating the right kind of food. Supplement a nutritious diet with exercise to improve your blood circulation.
If standard medication will not work for you, then it's about time that you consider a home remedy for nail fungus. After all, you really have nothing to lose. Do remember though that not every recipe will work for everyone. It may take some time for you to find the right solution.

No one can get used to having toe nail fungus. Symptoms of the infection are very difficult to get rid of and it may take you months before your nails can look normal. There is even a chance that you can get it again.
The sad thing is that there aren't that many solutions that you can try to get to the root cause of the problem. Some of the ointments just don't work and oral medicines may result in serious side effects. Your only other valid option is to try natural solutions that can help treat the cause of the infections. You should know though that it also helps to understand the causes of nail fungus and the factors that make it worse. Knowing the cause can help you avoid the condition and prevent it from getting worse.
Where you Get It
Needless to say, the cause of toe nail fungus is the fungus itself. The real question should be where you got it. It is part of the nature of fungi to love places that are moist and warm. Although they are really relatives of plants, fungi don't like the sun and the air.
Fungi can be bred anywhere. The most likely place to get it though is from a public place. Think of where you have been that has a lot of wet or sweaty people and a lot of warmth and water. The most likely places are public baths or showers, pools and locker rooms. The cause of toe nail fungus could be you walking barefoot in these areas and not properly drying your feet and nails afterwards.

Salons
Salons are also some of the places where you can get the fungus. Sharing files, emery boards and other salon nail tools may not be a good idea especially if they are not properly sterilized. Although not all individuals get nail fungus in this way, it is possible to transfer fungi from one person's nail to your own. You are especially at risk of getting nail fungus if you have small cuts near your nails and if your immune system is weak.

Socks and Shoes
The bad thing about it is that once you get infected with the fungus, it is difficult to get rid of it. Even topical anti fungal creams don't always kill nail fungus. Creams can't always penetrate the nails to get at the root cause of the problem. It is therefore easy to understand why some people, out of desperation, tend to look for ways to cover their nails.
Nail fungus can also become worse with wearing tight socks and shoes or nonporous and non absorbent footwear. These kinds of footwear can make your condition worse by sealing more moisture in.
Fighting nail fungus is not an easy battle. The best thing for you to do is to avoid the situations that can get you infected or that can make an existing infection worse. Try natural solutions if nothing else works.

If you're a novice runner or new to exercise all together, heed the warnings you've heard about taking it slow. Stress fractures, muscle soreness and discouragement are among the more common drawbacks when you become overzealous about your new weight loss program. Some of you, though, may start to experience a pain in the inner part of the lower leg. The pain, ranging from mild discomfort to sharp pain with every step, is referred to as shin splints. A lesser known ailment, shin splints is very persistent. Sufferers can expect the pain to last three to ten days after initial onset.
Shin splints is actually a condition called Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS). As it turns out, shin splints can be a bit more gruesome than just the simple inflammation of the muscle tissue surrounding the bones in the lower leg. The two bones in the lower leg are the tibia and the fibula. The tibia is the bone located in the inner part of the leg - the area that shin splints is most commonly felt. All around these two bones are situated a large number of muscles and tendons. When shin splints occur, the muscles that attach to the tibia actually begin to tear from the bone.
The two reasons that shin injury occurs are faulty body mechanics and overload. The human body was built to run in order to hunt prey or run from a hungry predator. However, with grocery stores and space between us and toothy animals of the world, we don't have much need to run anymore. Overload, which refers to increasing intensity too soon, is usually the trap in which beginners most commonly fall. Bad body mechanics can mean leaning back too far while running or running with your toes pointed outward. Now that you're sufficiently horrified by the thought of your muscles have actually begun to pull away from your shin bone, you're ready to slow down and take steps for prevention.

If you've already begun to feel pain in the lower leg, you should rest and apply ice to the area. And, you may want to consult a professional about proper footwear. Schedule a podiatrist visit to obtain orthotics or insoles that you can place inside your running shoes to correct any alignment issues you may have. Once pain has decreased you can begin to exercise that now includes your shin friendly steps before and after.
So how can you be sure that your shins won't fail you during your run around the track or away from a large jungle cat? A proper warm-up and stretching regimen is all that is needed. A light, low-impact activity such as walking slowly for five to ten minutes will suffice as a warm-up. It may seem strange to stretch the front part of your lower leg, but here are a two ways:

-Sit on a soft surface with your legs folded under you so that you are sitting on your feet and your laces are facing the ground. One leg at a time, gently pull your knee up and toward you until you feel a stretch.
- Standing, point the toe of the leg you wish to stretch and place it behind the heel of the other. Bend both knees until you feel a slight stretch in the correct leg.
Once you've learned to pace yourself be sure to keep up with your prevention warm-up and stretch routine. You should be well on your way to a pain-free running career, unless you do actually run into a jungle cat or another animal at the top of the food chain.

The goal of most everyone is to look good feel great and have a lean fit body we can be proud of. Resistance training is the way to get there. For a lot of people this is where the problem lies. What do I do. Well resistance training is working with free weights as well as resistance machines on a regular basis. These workouts attack the entire body working every muscle giving you that total body look of fitness and lean muscle we all want.
There are some mistaken and wrong ideas about resistance training. True athletes are trying to train, gain strength and build up their bodies with this kind of training but it is for everyone to enjoy. The body will not grow bigger with resistance training but will certainly get stronger and make what you are doing easier.
This training is recommended for everyone, even seniors who want to get fit and lean. It will give a great look of lean, toned muscles for the entire body. Elderly people can use free weights they can handle or use the seated machine resistance training apparatus found in every gym.

Resistance training is basically a battle between the muscles in the body going up against the weight of the lift you are lifting. When you do resistance training on a bench, using dumbbells or a barbell you will increase the size of the nerve cells which help in the workings of the muscle to get stronger.
If you are overweight or have a medical condition you should consult your doctor before starting any type of training. You will need to know what exercises to do and what machines to use for best results and this you must learn from a personal trainer or a staff member of the gym. You might need to do some basic exercises to get your body conditioned to lifting weights at all.

For those on a limited budget you can do exercises using your own body weight as resistance by doing pushups and sit-ups. These types of exercises are often the best ways to get started before using the heavier weights.
The 6 reasons for doing resistance training;
1. Improve Bone Mineral Density Our bodies are unique, especially the bones in that they are constantly remodeling. They are at their peak during puberty where the tissue is always breaking down and building up at the same time. When we get older the bones are not remodeling as often and that's when problems arise in bone density. Post menopausal women are at the most risk here.
The hormones in the body usually support the mineral density in bones and so to combat the fact of fewer hormones we need to be more physically active. This is where resistance training is very helpful.
2. You will become stronger The more you exercise with resistance training the stronger you will become in both the muscles and the structure of the bones.
3. You will become more mobile doing activities As your body becomes stronger and is capable of carrying more weight you will be able to do activities that are more strenuous in nature. You will be happier and you will have a much better overall lifestyle.

4. Less Body Fat Workouts of any kind will help to lose weight, but a god resistance training program will help you lose unwanted fat much quicker. Because of this weight loss you will look toned, leaner and stronger in all aspects of your body.
5. Seniors will feel healthier Growing old can often bring on all kinds of challenges. Resistance training can help reduce some risks that come with age and also just improve overall health and well-being. They will be able to do more things on their own reducing the risk of injury and making them more independent.
6. A better stronger Heart This kind of exercise can reduce the heart rate and lower blood pressure. The benefit is reduced heart disease. This training must be done correctly for the most benefit. You must schedule this on a regular basis showing commitment and consistancy. Follow a schedule your doctor or trainer approves of or you might not enjoy it and worst of all you might even injure yourself in the process.
The most important thing is to start slow and work up. Do one thing at a time ant work up to a more strenuous schedule. You will see the results of gained strength, mobility and an overall lean look you and your friends and family will be proud of.
Don't waste any more time. Get started now!
Thanks Walter Derksen for this post. More visit http://www.loseweightgetfitforcouples.com

While many of us would love to shed a few unwanted pounds, we lack a solid and consistent plan of action to help us get results. Instead, we fall into the category of becoming the casual dieter where we maintain a healthy diet or maybe even an exercise program for a bit of time but then due to lack of results or interest we go back to our more unhealthy ways.
Losing as much as 10 pounds of fat quickly is far from impossible but you have to follow some simple guidelines in order to make it happen and most importantly you need to be consistent with your plan. Below are five simple techniques that you can begin implementing today to lose 10 pounds quickly.
1. Be Active - Increasing your physical activity is the quickest and surest way to lose weight. I am not talking about just pacing while you're on the phone at the office but rather a true rigorous exercise program. This can include something as simple as 20 to 30 minutes of jumping jacks in your office if that's the only space you have to utilize. The most important thing is to get your heart rate up and burn off those calories.

2. Maintain a PMA - A positive mental attitude, or PMA, is something that is extremely important to maintain when you're undertaking an exercise and weight loss program. It is easy to become discouraged if you don't experience the results you want very quickly. It is helpful to grab a book from your local library on motivation to help keep your spirits up while you're working your program.
3. Go Mediterranean - The diets of countries that are in the Mediterranean region have been found to be almost perfect for maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding such ailments as heart disease which plague an ever increasing number of people in the US. Many diet books are available that can help you begin to adopt this style of eating to help ensure consistent and long-term weight loss.

4. Write down your daily meals, DAILY! - Another great technique that is extremely effective at helping folks lose unwanted pounds is to keep a daily log of everything that you consume. Even better, write down the foods BEFORE you eat them. You are much more likely to eat less if you actually see the amount of food you are about to consume on paper. Sharing these logs with a friend is another way to keep you honest and on track as well. Anyone who is trying to lose weight would probably rather not show a piece of paper that shows they just consumed 10 Oreo cookies and a slice of apple pie.
5. Tell others about your weight loss goals - Finally, share your weight loss goals with friends and family. Once you make this public, it will be harder for you to cheat on your new program around those they know your goals. These individuals in your life can help support you and keep you on track throughout the process as well.
Thanks Emile Jarreau for this post. More at http://www.MrFatLoss.com

AS A normal person, you would like to live for a long, long time. But how long can you expect to live? What is the limit of the human life span? Can you do anything to extend your life span? What is the secret of longevity? These are good questions, and finding the answer to them might help you to live much longer than seems possible at present.
Before looking for these answers, we have to clarify the difference between two important expressions: "life span" and "life expectancy." Life span refers to the biological limit to the length of life. Life expectancy refers to the average number of years that a group of people born at the same time might be expected to live. Sadly, throughout history man's life expectancy has fallen far short of his life span.
Life Expectancy at Various Times
"In a man's length of days he may see and suffer many things that he much dislikes. For I set the limit of man's life at seventy years." These were the words of Solon, an Athenian statesman and Greek lawmaker who lived about 600 B.C.E. Thus, according to him, the life span was 70 years. However, according to data from burial inscriptions, about 400 B.C.E. the life expectancy in Greece was approximately 29 years.
In ancient times, apparently the life expectancy in various countries of Europe did not vary substantially from that in ancient Greece. Because of the high death rate at an early age, the average life expectancy fell far short of the life span. The box on the next page gives the average age at death in some European countries, providing a comparison of that of ancient times with the life expectancy about the year 1900 and at the present time.

Regarding the increase in life expectancy, James F. Fries and Lawrence M. Crapo wrote in their work Vitality and Aging, 1981, pages 74-6:
"The average length of life in the United States has increased from approximately 47 years at the turn of the century to over 73 years today, an increase of more than 25 years. . . . A critical look at these data, however, shows that the increase in life expectancy results from the elimination of premature death rather than by extension of the natural life span. When life expectancy is calculated from particular ages, the higher the age, the less is the increase. From age 40, life expectancy has increased relatively little. From age 75, the increase is barely perceptible. Beyond the age of 85, an increase cannot be confidently determined at all. . . . The best projections we can develop indicate that the median natural human life span is set at a maximum of 85 years."

But what about the possibility of extending the life span significantly by diet, vitamins, drugs, and so forth? On page 18 of their work, Fries and Crapo explain:
"For hundreds of years, alchemists attempted to prepare rejuvenating elixirs, without success. Literally hundreds of substances, including herbs, drugs, vitamins, extracts of animal cells, fermented milk, and various serums and potions have been reported to have rejuvenating properties, without convincing evidence. In our own country, the traditional snake oil potions have fallen into disrepute, but we do still have our vitamins. Recently, the drug gerovital has been promoted by Aslan in Rumania as an agent to prevent aging. Gerovital, whose main ingredient is the local anesthetic Novocaine, has been used in treatment of Khrushchev [1894-1971], Sukarno [1901-1970], Ho Chi Minh [1890-1969], and other dignitaries. There exists, of course, no evidence that this agent has any such effects, and there are no a priori reasons to assume that it should. The persons cited as examples of prominent users by gerovital proponents all died, and at unremarkable ages.

"In 1974, Packer and Smith published a paper in a prestigious American scientific journal reporting experiments that seemed to show that vitamin E markedly prolonged the life span of normal human fibroblast cells cultured in a laboratory flask. Later, they retracted this claim, when neither they nor others were able to reproduce the experimental results. To date, no diets, lifestyles, vitamins, drugs, or tonics have been shown to extend the human life span. Of the 4 billion human beings who have lived and died, nearly every possible combination of diet, chemical exposure, and psychological life must have existed. The absence of super-centenarians argues strongly that there is no easy track to long life, or someone would have found it by now."
Clearly, humans have not been capable of extending their life span, although particularly by reducing the number of deaths from childhood diseases, life expectancy has been extended somewhat. From the human standpoint, the hope of extending the life span is dim indeed. However, there is a sure hope that the human life span will be extended. By what means?

Beauty, power, and authority over others is usually associated with being tall. Most people's perception of an individual who has a well built stature is someone who's close to being perfect. This is why it is not surprising that so many people want to be taller.
Although it is highly regarded that genetic factors has something to do with being tall, truth be told, there are still other underlying factors that makes an individual taller than his counterparts. Genetics may play some part in it, but usually this is not the sole basis.
You can be tall if you want to, but only if you know how to reach your maximum height potential. So, here are few exercises to get taller and help you achieve positive results in no time. When you start this exercise routine, you'll be surprised at how much taller you will appear to be.
1. The one type of active exercise that will provide overall body movement is swimming. It has been shown in studies that while you're swimming you're also simultaneously easing the pressure on your spine which, in turn, allows for the full development of the bones in the spinal column. This major growth generates a way for you to increase your height naturally.

2.Wall stretch routine - Contrary to what is believed that you have to undergo rigorous exercises and training just to get to the height that you wish to achieve all fall as delusions and false beliefs. A simple wall stretch will allow you to elongate and lengthen your spine thereby helping you increase your height overtime.
This routine requires one to stand against the wall with both hands stretched to its highest and with toes supporting the entire weight of the body. Doing this routine on a regular basis will help you eliminate curvature in your spinal column.
3. Basic leg stretch - This is done by means of sitting in a comfortable position and stretching both your legs as far as you can. Next, try to reach the toes of your fully stretched legs through the use of your hands. During this exercise, keep your knees and spine straight.
Once you properly master the routine and do it on a continuous basis, you will see your height increasing.

4. Try rope skipping to help you increase your height as exercising your thighs and legs will definitely help. Developing and exercising your bones in this area will allow you to grow taller as your bones are relatively stretched and extended to the extreme through the help of this height increase exercise.
5. A person's height can increase in the help of Yoga-Bhujangasana or cobra pose . Begin by lying face down, with your hips on the ground and elbows bent. The next thing you should do is take your shoulders and stretch them downwards and backwards, arching your back.
To make certain that you are stretching your entire body, slowly turn your head from side to side. The purpose of this yoga routine is to give your bones a good stretch and help you increase your height in due course.

Dr. Lester Breslow, Dean of the School of Public Health at UCLA did a 10-year, federally-funded study of Alameda County residents. He found seven simple habits meant an average of 11 years advantage, but the extremes-those who observed all seven and were "happy" had a 30-year advantage over those who broke all seven rules. The study fit the NEW START concept above.
People who smoked, drank, were obese, unhappy, who failed to exercise or drink five glasses of water, who failed to get 7-8 hours of sleep and who ate no breakfast lived 30 years less than those whose habits were the opposite of the above. We look at each briefly.
Nutrition: fruits and vegetables are known in nutrition as the protective foods. The dark greens are among the highest in vitamins and minerals. Sprouted whole grains, barley and wheat grass are exceptional. Uncooked food has enzymes that some cancer survivors say are helpful. Beans and peas balance the protein in whole grains to make it more complete, but even a potato has more protein per dollar than most meats which also are high in cholesterol, fat and no fiber.
Exercise: Outdoor exercise of a practical nature like gardening is great. Aerobic exercise like jogging, hiking, racquetball, soccer, basketball and swimming are better than tennis or bowling. I like stair climbing, chin-ups, pushups, sit-ups (no gym membership needed). Daily is best.
Water: 5-6 glasses a day are the goal unless you are overweight; then an extra glass (8 oz) for each 25 lbs overweight. Vegetarians need less because high protein works the kidneys.

Sunlight: When cholesterol was discovered as a cause of heart disease (Framingham Study), they thought people would not give up meat, so they changed the fats from butter to margarine and from lard to Crisco. The polyunsaturated fats lowered cholesterol, but those fats went to the skin where the sun then became a risk for skin cancer when it never had before. We now know sunlight is beneficial; it converts cholesterol to Vitamin D which prevents osteoporosis.  
Temperance: This means abstinence from harmful substances like tobacco and alcohol, but not so obvious are a long list of potential problems from tea, coffee, food additives, flavor enhancer and excitotoxins. A huge overlooked  danger comes from prescription drugs which have made medical care, the #3 cause of death in the U.S. Journal of American Medical Assoc, July 26, 2000. People become toxic to medicine that doesn't cure, but relieves their symptoms for weeks, months or years. When they get a headache, they go for another prescription instead of eliminating the drug that caused it, putting them on a slippery slope. 

Air: Fresh air is best. Nature not only takes our carbon dioxide that we exhale and converts it to oxygen by a process we know at photosynthesis, but plants put a negative charge in the air that is beneficial. Animal research suggests protection against cancer, for example.
Rest: In Breslow's study, 7-8 hours of sleep at night was best. Recent studies show night shift workers have a higher risk of numerous health problems. And a Swedish study showed heart attacks went up 10% in the spring when daylight saving time meant getting up an hour earlier.
Trust in Nature: "Nature heals, not the physician" said Hippocrates. 45 years of being called Doctor has shown me that many of man's interventions, especially with drugs, but too often with surgery, only made the patient worse off. A Harvard cardiologist, for example, told 60 Minutes that 85% of the patients who came to him for a second opinion did not need heart bypass surgery. It was good for the surgeon, but little if any advantage for the patient.
Trust in God: We say it on our money, but we are entering a time when, without money, our trust in God may be tested. This area of life reflects on our basic attitudes. People tend to be givers or takers. When we understand that God loves us and is benevolent toward us, it helps us "pay it forward" to the next person. And in so doing, we are often blessed with a happiness that we would probably not have otherwise.

Strokes affect about 900,000 people in the United States each year. Almost 90 percent of all strokes are caused by blockages in the arteries that carry oxygen-rich blood to the brain, leaving many people dead or disabled. Arterial blockage and stiffness is also a large contributor to aging-related cardiovascular diseases. Are you at risk? Read on to find out about arterial stiffness, artery blockage, and stroke: 3 facts you need to know.
Risks you can control
Unhealthy lifestyle choices contribute heavily to arterial stiffness and blockage. The good news about that is that you have control over these issues. If you smoke, stop immediately. Studies have shown that after 10 years of quitting, your arteries can return to a much healthier state. If you are overweight, ramp up your workout routine and lose those extra pounds, which will also help lower your blood pressure and possibly prevent diabetes, both causes of arterial stiffness. Even 30 minutes of exercise per day can be beneficial.

High cholesterol is another risk factor for arterial disease, so eat a healthier diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats from nuts or olive oil. Limiting animal based fats in your diet will lower your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and triglycerides in the blood. Also try to limit your alcohol intake to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
Risks you cannot control
Of course, there are some risks you cannot control. The older you get, the higher your risk for arterial stiffness and stroke. With each decade after the age of 55, your risk doubles. Family history is important, too. If an immediate family member has suffered a stroke in the past, your chances for having one increase as well.
People with diabetes are also at a higher risk for arterial disease, as are African Americans and those living in the southeast region of the United States. Additionally, women have higher instances of stroke from arterial disease due in part from pregnancy and the use of birth control pills.

Diagnosing arterial stiffness and blockage
Surprisingly, for such a serious condition, there are usually no symptoms of arterial stiffness or blockage. Occasionally, people with arterial disease will have mini-strokes (also referred to as transient ischemic attacks or TIAs) that they may not even recognize as being a stroke. If you develop a sudden headache or temporary numbness, dizziness, or problems with vision, you may be suffering from one of these mini-strokes that are the precursors to a major stroke.
However, in many cases, there are no mini-strokes beforehand and no other symptoms. That is why preventive screening is so important. Non-invasive Doppler ultrasound performed by a skilled technician can identify your risk. Another test that can identify arterial stiffness is the ankle-brachial index (ABI), a painless test that compares the blood pressure in your ankle and arm. Normally, blood pressure in the ankle is slightly higher than in the arm. However, lower blood pressure in the legs indicates the possibility of blocked arteries.

Early detection due to preventive screening can prevent up to 80 percent of strokes. Luckily, testing is quick and easy, because many companies offer mobile screening in local churches, community centers, or gyms. You will quickly learn if you are at risk for or if you have arterial stiffness or blockage.

Each year in the United States, strokes affect almost 900,000 people and their families. Among those who survive a stroke, the effects can be devastating and debilitating. Many risk factors contribute to your chances of suffering one. Arming yourself with knowledge about strokes may allow you to prevent one from happening to you. Read on to learn about stroke and stroke risk: 5 things you should know.
Strokes are the third leading cause of death each year in the U.S.
Only cancer and heart disease kill more people in the U.S. each year than do strokes. If you are lucky enough to survive a stroke, you may be debilitated to the point that you can no longer work or care for yourself, straining your finances as well as the emotional health of you and your family as you deal with the effects.
Stroke can make your life harder
Thy physical effects of a stroke can make your life much more difficult. After a stroke, many people have issues with mobility, often requiring full-time nursing care and wheelchairs for transportation. Paralysis, even if on only one side of the body, can make tying shoes, bathing, eating, and dressing without assistance difficult, if not impossible. Problems with vision or speaking, cognitive problems, sexual dysfunction, and incontinence are also common.

You can not control some risk factors
Some risk factors are beyond your control. If an immediate family member has ever had a stroke, your risk is increased. Men are also more likely to have a stroke, although women die more often from them. Those in the geographical southeast have a higher prevalence of stroke, as do African Americans and those suffering from diabetes. Also, with each decade after the age of 55, your chances for a stroke double.
You can control some risk factors
The good news is that you can control some of the risks that often lead to strokes. Living a healthy lifestyle is crucial. Do not smoke cigarettes, and if you do, quit. Limit your alcohol intake to one per day for women and two per day for men. Get off the couch and get some exercise each day. Even 30 minutes of exercise per day is beneficial. If you are obese, lose weight. Choose to eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and healthy fats from nuts or olive oil, limiting red meat, animal based fats, and fried foods. If your blood cholesterol or blood pressure is high, see your physician for medications that will control the problem.

Preventive screening can reduce your risk
More than half of all people who suffer from a stroke had no symptoms beforehand. Occasionally, a person will have mini-strokes, called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), before undergoing a larger, more devastating stroke. If you have temporary problems with a severe headache, blurred vision, numbness or tingling on one side of the body, dizziness, loss of balance, difficulty talking or understanding speech, you may be having a TIA.
Because most strokes are symptomless, though, preventive screening is crucial and can save your life. Mobile screening companies now make the process quick, easy, and convenient. Many set up screenings in local gyms, churches, or community centers. At the screening, a skilled sonographer performs an ultrasound of the carotid arteries, a process that is painless and is the best indicator of stroke and heart disease.  

A positive self image is essential for every person. When it comes to that self image, most people obsess about physical things such as their hair, the clothes they wear, or the kind of car they drive. You may be one of many people who's self image is effected by their height, but find that it may not be as easy to alter as maybe hair color or clothing. Growth is a natural process but, like any natural process, it can be manipulated to improve self image. Keep in mind that there is nothing unusual about wanting to know how to grow taller. Someone conscious about their height is just as normal as someone conscious about their eye color or weight.
1. Remember that self image is more a state of mind. How you appear to others is highly influenced by how you want others to see you. There is evidence that focusing the mind on a physical change and convincing oneself that the change is occurring can actually cause physical change in the body; this is referred to as a 'psychosomatic' change. Simply by making it a daily habit to see yourself as taller can, gradually, add height.
2. Commit to a routine of stretching and strengthening exercises. Examples of such exercises would be pull-ups, chin-ups, lower back extensions, and hanging sit-ups. Also, routine hanging from a bar can stretch the muscles in the lower back. Never allow such exercises to reach a level of intensity where they become painful.

3. Along with your exercise, eat healthy foods and take a multi-vitamin supplement. Remember that the body is an intelligent machine. As you are working and stretching the muscles and tendons in ares where growth occurs, the body will direct nutritional resources to those areas that are being worked the most.
Think about growing baby animals as they go to their mothers for milk. Limit your portions to a glass per meal each day (if you drink too much milk in a single sitting, most of the nutrients will simply pass through your system unabsorbed).
4. Drink plenty of milk. Milk supplies many of the nutrients necessary for growth.
5. Monitor your weight. If you want to grow taller, you don't want to grow wider. It's simply a matter of gravity. If you are gaining weight, the extra mass weighs the rest of your body down, impeding upward growth. Just try standing up holding a 20 pound weight on your head.

Even the little tasks count. If something you need is on a high shelf just out of your reach, don't get the step ladder; just keep reaching and stretching for as long as you can to get the item. Go out and try to pick leaves from the branches of a tree that are just out of your reach. Even playing a little basketball with taller players can have psychosomatic effects.
6. Get involved in activities that force you to perform the tasks of someone who is taller.
Remember, if you are trying to figure out how to grow taller, you have made the right first step by doing a little research. Your mind is now actively involved in a natural process, and your will has the ability to make changes. Also, don't expect overnight changes; growing taller takes just as much time as developing muscle mass or losing weight, and none of these processes should occur suddenly.

What you eat today is not what your ancestors used to eat. Therefore, you must change your mentality when it comes to food choice, which ultimately affects your brain health.
Food choice affects your physical health, and, more importantly, your brain health.
The average human brain weighs about three pounds. Although composed mostly of fat, the human brain regulates human basic behaviors - eating, feeling, moving, sleeping, and thinking. Your brain health is important because the brain is the center of your emotions, fears, hopes, and personality. Despite the critical importance of brain health, the human brain is most vulnerable to damage that can be sustained through poor nutrition and neurotoxic pollutants, both of which can impair brain health and the nervous system.
Remember, unlike most other body organs, your brain cannot repair itself. Research studies have shown that Parkinson's disease, a nervous system disease, is caused by foreign chemicals and neurotoxic pollutants. According to an article published in the Journal of the American Association, environmental chemicals and neurotoxic pollutants are responsible for many cases of Parkinson's disease.
Food choice is important to brain health because the food you eat today is different from that consumed by your ancestors. What was healthy in yesteryears may not be healthy today. The food you eat today contain not only foreign substances in the blood that may injure the brain, but also hormones and brain messengers that may disrupt brain activities and hence damage brain health.
Therefore, your food choice should be based on not just availability, taste, and cost, but, most importantly, on the absence or presence of neurotoxic pollutants - an important factor in brain health.

Your ancestors used to derive their source of protein from meat and dairy products. Today, the nutrition landscape has completely changed for the worse. Due to increasing industrialization and state-of-the-art technology in farming, the meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products are responsible for about as much as 80 percent of chemical pollutants in the American diet that may damage brain health.
In addition to neurotoxic pollutant loads in animal products, red meat is loaded with iron. Excess iron in the blood increases heart disease and dementia. Unlike women who can lose their blood through menstrual cycles, men can unload excess iron only through blood donation. This explains why men are more prone to heart disease and dementia than women are; however, after menopause, women have similar risks of heart disease as men have. Accumulation of excess iron in areas of the brain, where dopamine (a brain messenger for communication and coordination) is manufactured, can result in brain cell loss - one of the causes of brain diseases and dementia. Excess iron may adversely affect brain health.

Your ancestors ate mostly natural food. Today, in the supermarket, we have an array of processed food loaded with chemicals, preservatives, food colorings and taste enhancers, which are enemies of brain health. For example, baking soda, baking powder, and commercially baked food items are all loaded with aluminum, which is a toxic metal that damages the human brain. Heavy metals, such as aluminum, lead, and mercury, are toxic to brain health. Your ancestors ate fresh deep-sea fish, while nowadays most of the fish are farm raised, which are loaded with toxic chemicals and neurotoxic pollutants.
So, you have to change your mentality about your food choice: milk is a cocktail of chemical toxins, and man-made hormones; meat is not the high-protein meat your ancestors consumed; fish is not deep-sea fish caught by your ancestors. The food you eat may taste better, but not necessarily healthier. Think before you eat. Your food choice has a direct impact on your brain health.

You can take advantage of using a sauna sweat suit in many different ways. The use of a sauna sweat suit can help maximize your performance in weight lifting, running and jogging, doing every day actives and can even help in detoxifying your body. The sweat suit can help you lose weight by making your body temperature raise and in turn your body will want to cool off. When your body starts to cool off it opens up sweat glands and pushes out waste such as unused water and salt.
When the body dose this it is expecting to cool off but being inside of an insulated suit it cannot cool off so it just keeps pushing sweat out resulting in tremendous amounts of weight loss. A sauna sweat suit is virtually a safe way to lose weight fast without taking supplements or any nasty tasting drinks that you have to mix up. Another reason to wear the suit is to get the most out of your work out, you will be able to do this by experiencing a much faster warm up process. When your body can warm up fastest it will be boosted into burring off calories faster.

You can really take advantage of this perk by wearing the sauna sweat suit to the gym. This means that you will already be starting your work out before you get there. Also why not wear it home to, this will keep your body pumping out toxicants and keep your metabolism boosted for a much longer time and when your body's metabolism is boosted this is when you burn the most fat. Also the best thing about the sauna sweat suit is unlike a real sauna you can take this everywhere, you can where it at home, you can where jogging in the park, at work, in public or just sitting at home watching TV.
If you buy a sauna sweat suit that is a good quality name brand and you buy the right size you should be comfortable enough to do virtually anything. And finally when you're done sweating all your nasty waste into them you can take it off and wash it easier than doing you regular laundry.

A lot people have been wanting to find out the real scoop on the Medifast diet program. After all, with all the countless numbers of Medifast ads plastered all over the Internet, there is just so many questions that still need to be answered about this weight loss diet program.
One of the most commonly asked questions about the Medifast diet is what exactly is this diet all about? It appears that this weight loss diet has intrigued a lot of people most especially since the diet claims that you can lose weight fast and safely. Another commonly asked question about the Medifast diet is whether this diet is just another one of those fad "here today, gone tomorrow" diets. We can't blame people for being curious (or should we say, skeptical) about such a diet that has been getting a lot of presence on the web. With all the fancy and ridiculous diets flooding the market today, you can't help but be skeptical and careful about diet programs, whether they truly work or not.
So what exactly is the Medifast diet? To start with, Medifast is a portion-controlled, low fat, and nutritionally balanced weight loss program that has helped millions of people lose weight faster and more effectively than traditional diet plans. This weight loss program uses a combination of meal replacements and real food to make it more sustainable for people to follow.
It is not often that you will find weight loss diets in the market that are backed by clinically proven research from reputable and prestigious health institutions in the United States. For example, a research study at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that people who went through the Medifast diet program lost twice as much weight and were twice as likely to complete the program than those following a diet based on the American Diabetes Association (ADA) dietary guidelines. Another research study by Johns Hopkins University found Medifast users lost twice the weight than those on the ADA recommended diet for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Based on our research and some of the feedback that we have seen and been getting about this diet program, Medifast is one of the most effective ways to lose weight fast, and most importantly, safely. Clinical studies have shown that most people on the Medifast diet tend to lose an average of 2-5 pounds per week.
A lot of people, both women and men, have lost a lot of weight with Medifast. In fact, they highly recommend Medifast to people who would like to lose weight the right way, especially since this diet program is not just a short term weight loss solution. The Medifast diet program gets to the core of your weight loss problem and helps you change your eating habits and lifestyle for the long-term.
Our research has also shown that you will find a lot of testimonials about how Medifast has helped people (even those who were classified as overly obese) in losing weight and achieving their target or ideal weight. There are people who have in fact lost more than 200 pounds (yes that much) on this diet alone.

There is more than enough sufficient evidence - backed by tons of testimonials and clinical studies - to prove that the Medifast diet program is effective and safe for losing weight. In fact, due to its effectiveness and growing popularity, Medifast has gotten to a point where the positions of two of the three so-called giants in the weight loss diet industry are now being seriously threatened.
Like all weight loss diets, Medifast has its positives and its negatives. Before you decide to purchase and begin this diet, we highly recommend that you learn more details about the pros and cons of Medifast so that you can determine if this is the right weight loss program for you. Most importantly, we highly suggest that you read actual testimonials - both positive and negative - from people who have used this program.

Thanks for Leah Marie and friends so much. Leah Marie and her team gives you the real scoop on the Medifast diet program and some of the top weight loss programs in the market today. If you decide to go on the Medifast diet program, you will find the latest Medifast coupons for maximum savings on our site. Come and visit http://www.didweloseweight.com/Medifast-01.htm

One of the main reasons folks fail to lose weight when on a diet is lack of motivation. It is so easy for us to just fall back into our old routines rather than follow a consistent steady plan of action to achieve real fat loss success. If we can make our ROUTINE something that is healthy and promotes weight loss, then we can stop worrying about being motivated and simply do our "normal routine" and lose all the weight we want.
Below are 5 simple tips that you can begin implementing as part of your daily routine to help you lose all the fat you want.
1. Always East Breakfast - Many time, those on a diet choose to skip breakfast thinking that the lack of calories will lead to weight loss. The fact is, when you DON'T eat, your body goes into survival mode and it tries to store the calories you eventually eat as fat. So, your plan actually ends up backfiring and you gain weight, not loseit.
2. Steam your veggies - When you sauté your vegetables in butter, you allow them to soak up all the bad fat making your once healthy veggies little piece of fat stuffed junk. Instead, just steam them and top with a dash of salt and pepper. All the flavor of the vegetables will be there without the fat.
3. Stop Late night snacking - If you are going to sleep, you DON'T need extra calories. Fight off those late night cravings by having a glass of warm tea before bed instead of those cookies or pie. Doing so can help you get rid of thousands of worthless calories from your diet each and every month and help you lose fat quickly.

4. Eat healthy when you are hungry, then stop - Your body is designed to tell you when it is full. Most of the time, it is our cravings and overindulgence that allows us to keep eating long after our bodies tell us we are full. Listen to what your body is telling you and just eat to the point that you are satiated. This amount will be the perfect amount for your body to have the energy it needs without excess calories that will be stored as fat. It is ok to eat multiple times during the day as long as the food is healthy. This helps to keep your metabolism working.
5. Move as much as you can - Yes, this means EXERCISE! If you can walk versus ride, do it! Jog wherever you go. The more steps you can include in your daily routing, the more calories you will burn. Add to this a regular program of vigorous exercise such as jumping rope, running, or weight training and you can burn thousands of extra calories per week. In addition, and muscle you build will act to burn calories even when you are not working out.
The above represent just a few fat loss suggestions, but if followed consistently, they can be your answer to quick and significant fat loss.

Weight loss is a real challenge. However, it's only half the story. Once you've lost all the weight you need to lose, you have an even bigger challenge ahead of you: you need to maintain your achievement.
How do you do that? These four tips will help.
1. Eat More, Exercise More
Once you're down to your goal weight, the temptation is to go back to your old ways of eating for a time, and then eat less when you see yourself gaining weight.
This is a dangerous practice. You must eat well, as you did while on your diet, and keep exercising, so that you maintain your metabolism. If you eat less, your metabolism will slow, which means that you will put on weight even though you're eating less.
Create an exercise program that you can live with. This program doesn't have to be complicated, however it should ensure that you're exercising for at least 20 minutes every day.
2. Track Your Calories With a Food Journal
Your food journal is a valuable tool, which will help you to maintain your goal weight. Track everything you eat and drink, and your exercise as well.

3. Cook Healthy Meals: Avoid Fast Food
Everyone's busy, so the temptation is to take shortcuts with meal preparation. You can find many shortcuts when you cook healthy meals. For example, you can cook in double quantities and create two healthy meals in one cooking session.
Vital: don't rely on fast food. If you do you will find yourself gaining weight.
Shopping for healthy food and cooking takes time. However for your own health's sake and for the sake of your family's health, take that time. It's well worth the effort.

4. Treat Yourself: Use a Rewards System
Create a rewards system for yourself. For example, for each month that you maintain your goal weight, give yourself a treat. This treat can be simple. Buy a new outfit, or even just a new DVD.
Make a list of rewards, so that you always have something to look forward to.
Maintaining your weight takes just as much effort as losing weight does, but you can do it.

Diets and weight loss plans are no fun, and neither is the constant stress of struggling to lose weight and not getting anywhere.
If you have experienced any of the following weight loss dilemmas, you may be in need of a diet makeover:
· No matter how much you exercise, it seems your diet and weight loss goals are never reached.
· You work hard, try to eat right, and you still gain weight.
· You enjoy going out to eat with your family and find it hard to resist your favorite menu items.
· You've cut the calories and feel hungry all the time, but your weight will still not budge an ounce.
We've all been there, and we all struggle with our diets-even celebrities struggle with weight loss issues.
Here are 7 rules you can start using today to change the way you approach dieting and weight loss:
1. Trade your 10-inch dinner plate in for a much smaller one. You can then "fill your plate" and make your eyes happy, while actually eating less.
2. Load your plate with the healthy stuff, like veggies and fruit, before adding the fat and protein.

3. Stay out of the drive-thrus, and never eat while driving. This tip alone reduced my fast-food fat intake a ton. Make it a rule not to eat drive-thru food.
4. Try to eat basic foods you make from scratch, without all the added salt and preservatives. You'll be healthier, and save money.
5. Sit down to eat with your family and eat slowly. Enjoy your meals, and when you can't resist seconds, try an extra helping of veggies.

6. Enjoy a large glass of water, or a cup of hot tea before you eat.
7. Get creative with your desserts. Make a smoothie with a banana and some frozen strawberries. It's cold, delicious, and healthy.
Dieting and weight loss does not have to be a death sentence. Using some of the ideas in the diet plan discussed below can dramatically change the way you eat, making you healthier, and yes, lighter on your feet.

Thanks Ron Taylor for this post. Ron Taylor has learned first hand that even the best diet is doomed to failure if you do not make permanent changes to your eating habits. You can review his list of the top 10 diet plans at http://www.hot-ebook-downloads.com/top-10-diet-plans.html

Incorporating snacks into your weight loss plan is not always easy to do, but in order to avoid deprivation, you need to. As a Weight Watcher person, and a diabetic taking insulin, I manage three snacks a day along with regular good meals. What I would like to do in my article, is recommend several ideas you can use for low-calorie snacking in between meals including bedtime. The old myth about not eating anything before bedtime is ridiculous. You can and SHOULD do that to satisfy nighttime carvings while on a weight loss regime.
First of all, my typical day begins with a healthy breakfast. The breakfast includes no more then 300 calories. This includes a whole-grain cereal, 1 slice of toast, and 1/2 cup of orange juice. I change off once in awhile and have 2 whole-grain waffles with sugar-free syrup and 1/2 cup orange juice. For a mid-morning snack, I choose one from the following:
1, Slice of whole-wheat toast with a very light touch of low-fat butter. I use low-calorie bread.
2. 1 Granola Bar
3. 1 cup of grapes either green or purple


Lunchtime comes and I'll have a cup of soup which is broth based, lite lunch meat slices, and 2 graham cracker squares. About mid-afternoon, I need to eat again to balance insulin of course, so my snack choices will be one of the following:
1. A 100-calorie pack. They have a lot of these from snack mix, to sweets and everything else.
2. An english muffin with raisins in it
3. A granola bar
4. Lean cold cuts such as ham or turkey. 4 slices rolled up with Dijon mustard
5. Pretzel Sticks-4 long rods make 1 serving
6. Kettle Corn-1 cup
7. Steamed or cooked vegetables such as carrots or green beans, 1 cup each
8. Low-fat potato chips


Now when it comes to suppertime, I have a very well-balanced planned meal that includes either 4 oz of poultry or lean ground beef fixed in some way. I add several non-starchy vegetables, and a small side of fruit that is fresh. I usually include a red potato baked or mashed with skim or one percent milk.  My bedtime snack usually includes one choice of the following foods below 100 calories:
1. Lite Ice Cream or Low-fat Ice Cream 1/2 cup each
2. A Weight Watcher's Frozen Novelty of which there are several kinds such as ice cream sandwiches, ice cream cones, double fudge bars, etc.
3. Rice Pudding that is by Kozy Shack and Sugar-Free is a great product.
So as you can see, this plan is sensible and does not deprive you of daily nutrients by getting snacks in between. I have now lost 25 pounds this way, snacking and all, and you can do this too by just including snacks that are low-calorie, and yet satisfying and filling!
Thanks Jennifer Kirkman for this post. Visit http://www.diabetesandrelatedhealthissues.com for more.