Ginger Herbal Medicine

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is widely used in the Philippines as a spice and also an herbal medicine.

Ginger has been revered in Indian and Chinese civilizations for over 5000 years for its powerful health imparting properties. In fact, Indian ginger is said to have the most potent medicinal properties.

Ginger plants can grow to about 1 meter tall. Ginger rhizomes are the most important part and most widely used for foods and medicine. Although they grow underground, they are swollen stems, not roots like what we are thought to believe. Ginger plants also have flowers which are purple with a cream blemish based. These flowers sprout directly from the rhizomes.

Fruits - red in color. Each has three chambers containing several small black seeds. Ginger plants that are cultivated in commercial plantations don't usually bear fruit.

When cooking, ginger gives an aromatic and exquisite taste to foods. Most Filipinos drink “salabat” or ginger tea, which has been known to stimulate digestion. It also has a good effect on the circulatory system as it makes the platelets less sticky. It can also be used as mouth freshener, or when you are in a voice lesson, or a singer, ginger can help you improve your golden voice.

Other health benefits of ginger:

• · Effective for reducing the severity of nausea even in cases of pregnancy.
• · Ginger tea can help relieve menstrual cramps.
• · It has anti-inflammatory properties that can lessen the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.
• · Can be used to treat flu and colds

· Ginger is contraindicated in people suffering from gallstones as the herb promotes the release of bile from the gallbladder.

Most people thought that oregano is just a spice that adds tastes to their pasta, pizza and other foods to satisfy their delicate tastes. But for me, it’s the other way around. Here in the Philippines, oregano is well known for its herbal powers. It can cure colds, headaches and other illness. It’s just this year when I discovered that oregano can be a spice to some foods. In Europe, its most widely used as spice because Europeans love pasta and pizza.

Oregano as a spice

A number of species of Oregano are native to the Mediterranean, all of which are traded as spices. Fresh Mediterranean or European oregano is sometimes available in gourmet produce sections of supermarkets and in Italian or Greek markets. Choose bright-green, fresh-looking bunches with no sign of wilting or yellowing.

Here in the Philippines, you can buy dried oreganos on the supermarkets at their spices section.

Oregano as a medicinal herb

Oreganos come from a plant family of lamiaceae, a mint family with a scientific name of origanum vulgare. They have a very aromatic warm and slightly bitter quality. They have also been known as a herbal medicine for its strong anti-oxidant properties. They are also known for their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antiviral properties. They are also rich with vitamin A and vitamin C.

Oreganos can help prevent arthritis, heal wounds, insect bites, and insect stings. It can relieve upset stomach and can cure urinary tract problems. You can boil 1 cup of fresh oregano leaves in 3 cups of water for about 10 minutes. You can drink this concoction to cure colds. You can also drink the concoction daily for your arthritis.

Hunting Dog Training

There are forms of hunting which are now illegal in the UK but some forms of hunting are not. Bird hunting seems to be a popular hunting sport for dogs and handlers. Hunting dog training is a lengthy, time consuming process which at the end is very worth it! You have to be completely dedicated and willing to put in a good deal of time to get the desired effects.

There are 3 essential commands when teaching your dog to hunt. The commands are "whoa", "come" and "heel". Handlers believe that "whoa" is the most important of all 3 and is crucial when hunting birds, your dog needs to understand that when you say "whoa" you need to your dog to stop completely in its tracks, no matter where it is or what it is doing, this command is not only helpful in hunting but can also save your dog’s life in other situations such as traffic!

Hunting dog training is quite a specific training field and needs to be done by professional hunters. They have the best knowledge and information on how to optimize your dog's hunting potential. Many people think hunters use their dogs but they adore their dogs very much and treasure them as they would children, in fact most of them are like little spoiled kids!

Hunters believe that if you can "whoa" your dog you have the hardest part over and done with. You can make him stand still while you rush to him and congratulate him on a hard days work, that’s what it’s all about; making sure your dog knows he’s done good! Always take a lot of time praising him in a soft soothing voice, dogs are born to make their owners happy and when he knows what makes (he will know because you praise him when he does what makes you happy) you happy he will constantly get better and better at the task you're asking him to do.

Apparently even the best champion only ever has his dog command "whoa", "come" and "heel". His dog does it to perfection though. A lot of breeds of dog today are being interbred to produce a perfect hunting dog. All dogs have a great potential to become the greatest hunting dog in the world, you just need to give him some hunting dog training. Experts say that half an hour a day when the dog is under one year old, and when the dog is over the year mark one hour a day three days a week is all it takes to train your dog in the ways of a hunter!

Litter Cleaning For Cats

Almost everyone, adults and kids alike have a natural fondness for cats. They are loving, quiet, and very playful pets that can provide you with years of entertainment. Although most of us have a fondness for cats, that fondness can rapidly diminish when it comes to the litter box. Even the most hardened cat lover may get tired of litter box duty, especially when it comes down to scooping “you know what” from the litter box.

Cats are very intelligent, instinctively knowing how they should use the litter box. After the cat has finished using the litter box, someone in the family will need to scoop the waste from the litter box. This can be a very dirty and somewhat smelly job, one that is often overlooked during the day when the workload gets heavy. Cleaning up the litter box does not take but a few minutes, although most would prefer not to do it at all. Although the litter box will need to be scooped out daily, it will also need to be changed once a week as well, by throwing the current bag out and replacing the box with a new bag and fresh litter.

Those who do not like to scoop out the litter box should invest in one of the best inventions ever - the self cleaning litter box. These litter boxes are easy to use, and will keep the area clean. After the cat has used it, the self cleaning litter box will automatically clean the litter either by sifting or using a device that resembles a rake.

Self cleaning boxes that use shifting will often times have a round design. Once the cat leaves the covered box, the dome on top will revolve for the box to clean. The litter in the box will be shifted with the waste being put below the litter where it is discarded. Once the waste is properly disposed of, the litter will be returned to its normal position in the box for the cat to use again.

Boxes that have raking systems will often times sport a rectangular design. Once the cat leaves the box, the rake will automatically come out and clean the litter. The rake will clean all of the litter in the box, including the clumps of waste as well. Rakes are popular, although the shifting litter boxes are by far more popular and more common.

Those who are often times away from home could greatly benefit from a self cleaning litter box. They are great to have for cats that spend a lot of time by themselves, as they virtually eliminate any scooping of litter on your part. You can find them at your local pet or department store, even online as well. They are very affordable - and ideal for anyone who does not like scooping waste from their litter box.

Build Your Own Fitness Home Gym

If you are looking to build a home gym this year, there are some important criteria that should be taken into consideration. A good home gym offers versatility, the ability to have a few pieces of exercise equipment perform a wide variety of exercises. It must be durable and be able to handle the rigors of hard resistance training over a long period of time. Exercise equipment shouldn't take up a lot of space. There are many exercises you can do with your own body weight and a mat, so the home gym equipment shouldn't clutter up the workout space, nor be difficult to store. Finally it should be affordable. No one likes investing in a $1000 home gym just to use it as a coat rack or have it collecting dust in the corner within 3 months. This list of exercise equipment should offer solutions in each category listed above and it should provide a challenging and fun workout environment.

Exercise Ball

One of the most versatile pieces of exercise equipment, the exercise ball can be used in place of a bench for any supine or seated exercise. The exercise ball comes in a variety of sizes and depending on brand, is made of varying material. Because of the stress placed on a ball during a workout, it is important to look for a ball that is burst proof and it will not pop under you during a workout. To obtain the right size, a ball that sits with your hips and knees at 90 degrees is most likely what you should use for a majority of the exercises. For most, a 55cm or 65cm ball is sufficient. An exercise ball can be purchased for around $25-$60.

The exercise ball will provide an element of instability that cannot be duplicated by a bench; therefore you can improve core stability, and strengthen the integrity of your joints including shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. The more stable you become, the stronger you will be and will drastically reduce the incidence of injury.

Dumbbells

A good home gym isn't complete without a few sets of dumbbells. 5-50lbs in increments of 5 will make a complete set for every type of exercise. Dumbbells are good for full body exercises that resist gravity. Exercises such as lunges, squats, shoulder press, bicep curl and chest press are just a few on the list of dumbbell exercises. They are durable, versatile, and a good set will last you a lifetime. A good set of dumbbells may cost $50-$100 for 3-4 sets of varying weight.

Foam Roll

A hard foam cylinder is used for self myfascial release, or self massage. A supplement to stretching, a foam roll can help to increase flexibility in a way that stretching cannot. In addition, it can help to relieve knots and adhesions within muscle tissue. If you don't like being sore after a workout, a foam roll can help to alleviate the soreness and therefore should be a staple item for your home gym. Invest $20 in a good foam roll that will take away your pain and soreness after a tough workout.

Xerdisc

The Xerdisc is an air filled rubber disc used for improving balance, and stability. The same exercises that you do while standing (ie..shoulder press, squat, bicep curl) can all be done while standing on an Exerdisc. Improving joint integrity and balance will allow you to become a more stable, stronger individual and the exercises are fun and challenging. It can also be used for ab exercises such as crunches, and anything you can do to make ab exercises harder has to be good! A quality Xerdisc may run about $40.

Xertube

Tubing comes in a variety of sizes based on the level of tension you want. Tubing can be used for most exercises in place of dumbbells and they will provide a variable tension. The plus side to using tubing is that you can gain resistance from a lateral position that dumbbells cannot provide. Exercises such as wood chops, torso twists, and pulling exercises like the bent row and lat pull are just a few that you can do with tubing that you can't get with other forms or resistance. Tubing is also safe for seniors looking to stay active as there is no risk of dropping the weight. Tubing is color coded in relation to the resistance it provides. I suggest 3-5 different tubes from thin to thick to give you opportunity to perform many exercises with small and large muscle groups. They are usually about $5-$8 a piece and can be used around doorknobs, in door jams and any other stationary post.

This exercise equipment should provide everyone from the novice to the advanced, a well rounded home gym that you can invest in for less than $200 total. The level of versatility, durability, and challenge that is provided by these pieces of equipment is unmatched by any single unit you can buy, and should give you years of workouts that can be changed and progressed as you continue to get into better and better shape. Consult with your personal trainer as to what exercise equipment may be best for your home gym.

Using Vitamin E to Improve Your Skin

Although there have been many reports on the effectiveness of using Vitamin E to improve the skin, there have been many that suggest the contrary. Its reported association in healing scars has not been scientifically verified but many users of the vitamin have found it to be extremely effective. When used externally in a liquid or oil, Vitamin E may have some benefits for healing wounds, scars and stretch marks but this is not scientifically proven. It is actually Vitamin E's antioxidant properties when used internally that help to maintain healthy skin and to improve the appearance of acne and scars. It is safe to say that the results may very from person to person.

Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that is used to protect tissues against damage and is considered a highly effective antioxidant that destroys unstable molecules (free radicals) in the body that damage stable molecules. This is why the incorporation of antioxidants like vitamin E into skin care products is so important. Vitamin E skin care products are an essential part of a daily healthy skin regimen. The natural form of Vitamin E is called "Alpha Tocopherol” and is made from vegetable oil. Vitamin E is available in soft gels, tablets, capsules, and topical oils.

Vitamin E is not only the main ingredient in topical treatments and lotions, but also in the food we consume on a daily basis. It’s important to include many sources of Vitamin E in your diet and to pay attention to eating plenty of fresh produce, fruits and vegetables, healthy oils, low-fat foods. Eating healthy also helps to improve the skin. Some researchers suggest that applying Vitamin E to your skin at least twice a day can make a huge difference as it is reported to help reduce skin spots and wrinkles. Vitamin E is also good for dry skin. Some studies have proven that it is able to keep moisture in the skin, just puncture a hole into the Vitamin E capsule and apply directly to the scar.
In addition to skin treatment, Vitamin E is reported to help with the following:

Lowering blood pressure
Easing premenstrual discomfort, especially breast tenderness
Slowing the aging of cells and tissues
Protecting from frostbite and other cold-induced injuries
Improving acne
Replacing necessary nutrients in those with inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis
Avoiding miscarriage (also called spontaneous abortion), which may be associated with very low levels of this nutrient
Vitamin E also helps to gradually break down blood clots in the circulatory system, and helps prevent more from forming. Vitamin E encourages circulation in the smaller blood vessels of the body and helps to strengthen and regulate the heartbeat.

Ten Steps to Jumpstart Your Fitness Success…

If you are about to start a fitness program or you are currently involve in a fitness program, this article is for you. I have created ten steps that will assist you in your fitness program. Keep this article in a key location as a reminder on how to stay on track.

1. Believe in your success before it happens
In order to have success in your fitness program, you must believe that it will happen. Expectation and belief must resonate in a high level.

2. Discover why you want to be fit
Most people start out with good intentions but give them a few weeks and they quit. Discovering your why can become a motivational tool to keep you on the road to success.

3. Set Goals
Goals are only powerful when you place them on a piece of paper and make them visible. The other success clue is to write them down and tell your closest friend. But make sure your friend is positive and supportive.

4. Join a Fitness Center
By joining a fitness center or a health club, you are surrounded by motivated people in search of positive results. There is energy in a fitness center that you can tap into to help you get the results you desire.

5. Start off slow
One of the fastest ways to stop your fitness success before it starts is doing too much too fast. Spend sometime learning what exercises work each area of the body. When you start your exercises, spend your first week allowing your muscles to acclimate to the stress you are putting on them. Learn about the different cardio exercises that you can do. Spend time learning about proper exercise techniques. Don’t just look at the lady or man on the fancy piece of exercise equipment and say, I want to do that!

6. Hire a Personal Trainer
One of the best things you can do when setting out for fitness success is hire a fitness trainer to steer you in the right direction. Go over your goals and expectations with your trainer and create a two way accountability process. You will be accountable to your trainer to accomplish your workouts that he/she gives you. Your trainer will be accountable to you and will keep you motivated with safe, fun and effective workouts.

7. Find a Fitness Partner
Call one of your best friends who has always talked about getting fit. By obtaining a fitness partner
you create instant accountability toward each other. Your fitness partner can help motivate you when you are not motivated. Your fitness partner can share the experience with you. Having that special person to go through your journey with can help you stay on the right track for success.

8. Get your rest
During exercise, your body is transforming each and every minute. Even though you can’t see it initially, believe me, this is true. But in order for your body to regenerate to a healthier state it must get rest. When a body is at rest it heals, repairs and improves. Especially during strength training when the muscle fibers are literally tearing, it is very important to let them repair and become stronger. This only happens in a resting state.

9. Watch what you eat

There is a common misconception that you can eat whatever you want since you are participating in
an exercise program. This is not true! Nutrition is a vital piece when it comes to Fitness Success.
Concentrate on eating foods that are low in saturated fat, high in protein and does not have too many carbohydrates. One of the tips I tell my clients is to limit your carbs before bedtime.
One of the tools I used to track my daily nutritional intake is he website titled
www.nutritionaldata.com

10. Don’t Quit

I’m sure for some people this is easier said than done. Your success depends on you staying the course. Improving your level of fitness doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time. As a matter of fact, I recommend using the above steps to assist you in making fitness part of your lifestyle. Remember this closing quote by yours truly. “If you take care of your body, your body will take care of you.”

Obese Children - Munching To The Morgue!

Columbus, OH - There is an alarming concern that we all should have due to the increasing numbers of obese children in our community. Its one matter when were discussing what used to be primarily and adult issue of obesity; however quite another when it comes to our youth. This is a very serious issue that we cannot afford to take lightly!

According to The American Obesity Association, 30% of kids ages 6-11 are overweight and 15% are obese, setting them up for increased risk for diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. To that end, they are saying sleep apnea in children in fact may be even more prevalent in African Americans because obesity, a strong risk factor, tends to be more common in this group.

This is disturbing because the numbers have increased by more than 120 percent among African Americans as compared to 50 percent among whites within a decade. So if they are suffering with these serious health challenges at age 11, will they be around to see 30, 40 or 20 even? Likely if this continues our very own youth will be the first in the nation’s history not to live longer than their parents.

What is at the root of the problem? There are several root causes. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have conducted studies showing increase in consumption of soda and sugar-sweetened beverages as one reason. They were able to determine its precise impact on children’s body weight. Their findings over the course of the study monitored soda, Hawaiian punch, lemonade, koolaid or other sweetened fruit drinks as well as iced tea; all of which are culprits of obesity.

Some other causes for such an explosion of childhood obesity is the lack of physical activity, lack of parental guidance in this area, changes in what the schools are offering our kids for lunch with easily accessible vending machines, and of course eating too much fast food. They are not active enough during the day because a lot of the required physical education programs are being cut out, thus decreasing the amount of activity.

Despite these facts, we are not powerless. What can we do?

1) We can make sure our children eat a nutritious breakfast before going to school so their bodies are not in starvation mode making them more prone to eat junk.

2) We can have them pack a lunch from home, opposed to buying lunch at school.

3) We can have them engage in at least 1 hour of physical activity daily such as walking or running.

4) Get them involved in a program. There are some wonderful national and local organizations that are on a mission to educate the parents in the community on how they can to do their part in reversing this trend. Body Sculpt of New York Inc. is one such non-profit organization whose purpose is to educate the family about obesity and to offer healthy lifestyle alternatives. They are particularly encouraging this through fitness and nutrition. This organization and others like these should be lauded and applauded for the work that they are doing for our community!

5) We can up the ante by being a role model for the children. Children do as we do, not as we say. So we teach them healthy eating habits by the way we eat and the way we live.

Very often, unhealthy eating habits are passed down generation to generation. However, this generation is in much more trouble than any of us could have predicted and thus cannot afford not to make changes. So our overall goal should be to help the whole family stop, think and really focus on making healthy changes to eating and activity habits that will last for a lifetime!

Vitamins

One day I realized: I don’t feel healthy and fit when I wake up in the morning. That day I decided to boost up my antibodies and refresh my immune system. The first step was obviously to google.

What I found left me with a dilemma. Two categories of articles engaged in tug of war. One category highlighted the benefits of vitamin pills; the other accused them of being ineffective and at times harmful.

Dr. Jane Armtiage from the University of Oxford’s clinical trial services unit said a 5-year study had produced disappointing results for vitamin use. The study said that millions of people taking daily doses of vitamins C&E and beta carotene are not protecting themselves from cancer, heart problems, strokes and other potentially fatal disease. The scientists said people would be better off eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

Contradicting that study, British Heart Protection Study followed 20,000 people aged 40 to 80 from 69 British Hospitals, looking at vitamins as well as the effect of cholesterol-lowering statins. They found that cholesterol-lowering drugs worked within a year and had major effects within 5 years.

According to the New Scientist, “vitamins knock the wind out of free radicals in a test tube. But once inside the human body they seem strangely powerless.”

Other information noted that a Vitamin D tablet called Asentar provides levels of vitamin D 50-100 times higher than normal and can be given to patients in the advanced stages of prostrate cancer along with chemotherapy drugs. Vitamins C, E and A prevent cancer, heart diseases, stroke and variety of other ailments associated with natural ageing.

If you are tempted to take action when you see “Vitamins reduces heart risk, vitamin D reduces risk of diabetes….”, sit back and think, research and then decide. Don’t put your body, health and “the feeling good factor” in danger.

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN VICIOUS WEIGHT LOSS CYCLE - PART I

Blacks are officially considered to be an endangered species due to obesity and terrifying related illness. Diets, surgeries, pills, exercise motions and potions; though easily and readily available have done little-to-nothing to help people lose weight long-term. If those options don’t completely suit your fancy, then you have high powered initiatives to get people moving into action; like the Bally’s fitness Challenge, Shaq’s Challenge, BET healthy challenge, and of course the 50 Million Pound Challenge. All of these are attempting to provide a solution to the obesity plague for our community.

Even with all of these mechanisms in place,

The 50 million pound question that lies before us is -

Why, is it that we as “Blacks” are STILL some of the most obese people on the planet? Previously, whites were the poster children for dieting to lose weight; were now doing our fair share too - but with no dent in this trend of disproportionate obesity coupled with chronic illness.
The facts are the facts! Prevalence of obesity among blacks has increased 35 percent in the past 10 years alone. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), we lead in the highest percentages in both sexes and even amongst children, as compared to other ethnicities when it comes to the contemptible “beast of burden”- obesity. So what is REALLY going on?
There have been huge technological advances made so that you can instantaneously access tons of information on how to lose weight. Also noteworthy is that there are thousands of books written, exercise videos on the latest, newest best diet, best fitness tips, best medical advice, on and on and on. Even with all this, something is not being done right. Why come to that conclusion? One obvious reason is that we should certainly see more significant results than what we have.

There are in fact an infinite number of theories, but here are a few thought provoking ideas that many don’t want to address, but that will definitely make you want to go, “hum”!

Too many of us are being brainwashed; covering ourselves up with benign ignorance instead of trying to find out the real truth about why blacks have been unsuccessful as a whole at getting/and or keeping the weight off.
All of these diets, various weight loss challenges and campaigns that are currently underway are nothing more than band-aid remedies that will bring us right back to the drawing board - if we don’t find out about pre-existing and current outside elements that stifle real results. That’s right, in this day and age mainstream society still suppresses corruption that adversely affects our lives, as a people; as a nation.
We may have to begin exposing some that are right within our own community that acts as wolves in sheep’s clothing – impeding progress. It’s been said that the “mean green” has caused stranger things to happen. Or perhaps, they are not wolves at all; rather it’s just a bad case of “blind leading the blind”.
Whatever the theory or rationale of the matter, one thing most can agree on is that the obesity pandemic for Blacks is unequivocally multi-factorial. People who can think for themselves can surmise that all on their own!

We all do well to open our minds, and eyes to the fact that if we don’t get proactive and put on our investigative hats - TODAY; we will be tottering upon a horrific human existence and will eventually land ourselves on the brink of extinction.
The final analysis: If we don’t “band together” and “stand together,” find out how our entire race of people will actually be (in a bad way) - the world’s biggest LOSERS, the next time on part II!

Interested ones can obtain the book through AuthorHouse.com, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com or WhyBlackPeopleCantLoseWeight.com

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN VICIOUS WEIGHT LOSS CYCLE cont.

Tyler Perry’s movie, Why Did I Get Married, struck a cord of pain with our community for several reasons. However, there was one undeniable, universal appeal that of identification with the overweight character, played by Jill Scott. From the embarrassment that obesity caused the character when denied air travel, to the unrelenting ridicule from her mate, and even self-degrading comments was, “oh too familiar” for a lot of us.
According to New York Times Reviewers, Perry charters waters that other writers only dare to present on-screen without the shield of humor. Agreeably and proudly we applaud him for having the courage to highlight such a pervasive and painful issue, while maintaining dignity and integrity!

We need to have this issue out in the open for dialogue, in an up-close and personal fashion so that we may get at the crux of the problem – once for all time. With obesity stats for Blacks off the charts like Tyler Perry’s movie’s sales, we need to turn on the floodlights so that we all can see clearly what our path should really be to get healthy and lean.
In part I. ( African American weight loss cycle) it was eluded to that there may in fact be some conspiracies involved in keeping the Black population sick and overweight for possible financial gains. Naturally, we would be prompted to ask - WHY us? Here are two possibilities:

Some may be unaware that, based on recent studies conducted by Hunter Miller Group, research analysis, Blacks have powerful spending power, especially for certain things like “what we eat”. A lot of what we eat is unhealthy and ultimately makes us SICK and FAT. Various industries and entities know this and capitalize off of our spending habits; at great expense to our health and well being.
It is believed that due to a large portion of a less educated sector at the bottom of the food chain, we are absolutely “easy targets” for being recipients of marketing propaganda. It is also believed and widely accepted that Blacks only want to entertain and be entertained, instead of using our time to educate ourselves. You know the statement that has circulated for years that, “Blacks as a whole - don’t read”. If such has an iota of truth to it, we will not know what the rest of the world already knows about life saving health information!

Despite this, though, through just minimal research, some have come to the realization that what we are putting into our bodies and not putting into our bodies is ultimately keeping us FAT, sick, in pain, day in and day out. There are in fact many hidden obesity factors that we have every right to know about - if we so choose to be enlightened. The food industry, diet industry, medical industry and pharmaceutical industry are all respectively having their way with our men, women and children, in a similar fashion as was with our ancestors. Sadly though our ancestors at least knew exactly WHO and WHAT was oppressing them. Do we really know?
One guess would be that if we truly did - we certainly would not be disproportionately affected by obesity and related illness in respects to the rest of the world.
While we don’t need to be put down and ridiculed; we should not keep placating one another by blaming our weight issues all on genetics and being “big boned.” We also should stop blaming it ALL on laziness and lack of willpower. Some national health and body challenges have recently proved otherwise, as many Blacks have gotten off the

couch to get more physically active. The time is ripe to unveil the true causes for our health crisis and reveal to the African American people – the missing link.

Enjoy a “Long, Healthy, Happy Life”

"Those who fail to take the time to be healthy will ultimately have to take the time to be sick." ~ Dr. James Chappell

So you want to enjoy a long, healthy, happy life or should I say, you want to be the “exception to the rule.”

You should know from the start that the “odds” are stacked against you, but by accepting and tackling the challenge you will find it very worthwhile and rewarding, not to mention adding many years of happiness onto your lifespan.

Talking of “lifespan”, lets pause for a moment and think about that.

Its key to differentiate between living a “long life” (lifespan) and living a “long HEALTHY life” (healthspan), which then can translate into the ideal situation where you can enjoy a “LONG, HEALTHY, HAPPY LIFE”.

I know of many people, young and old who just exist from day to day with aches and pains, disease and suffering and with many bedridden for a number of years before they die prematurely from one of the modern lifestyle diseases like cancer or heart disease. One can hardly call that “living” or having had a great life.

Most people look forward to retiring after a long period of working and bringing up a family, with a vision of being able to relax, travel and enjoy a long, happy, healthy life with one’s family. The reality, unfortunately is very different for most people.

This dream unfortunately, invariably has a perverse ending in this day and age. Virtually every one of us living a modern lifestyle will be diagnosed with a fatal chronic disease in our lifetime. Most of us will land up having long term expensive drug treatment, causing misery, pain and suffering and eventually death without dignity. At least half of us will be diagnosed with cancer and will be treated by conventional medicine, resulting in a slow painful death after undergoing expensive poisonous chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. Those of us lucky enough to escape cancer will most probably succumb to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s or some other chronic degenerative lifestyle disease.

Supercentenarians

However there are people, who in their early years, were never exposed to the current modern lifestyles, toxic pollution, fast foods, processed foods and pharmaceutical drugs, who have proved that you can “LIVE” a long, healthy and happy life.

The Gerontology Research web site (http://www.grg.org) have a validated worldwide list of living “Supercentenarians”. ( people who are 110 years old or older). There are currently 69 women and 8 men on this list with 25 in the US, 24 in Japan, 26 from other countries and only 2 living in the UK.

So from this you can get a true understanding of “longevity”, but the million dollar question is why do these people live so long ?

Its all about “how we live” and “what we eat” which all boils down to “LIFESTYLE”.

Take Control of Your Lifestyle and Your Healthcare

The key challenge is to want to do this for yourself and your family. The starting point is to take control of your lifestyle and your healthcare by becoming aware and informed and then to take the appropriate actions.

Its hard to accept, but actually NOBODY out there is interested in you and your families healthcare or whether you live a “long, healthy and happy life” or not.

As a matter of fact you will be very surprised to know that there is a whole industry that want just the opposite.

I hear you say “But what about my GP, Gynie, Paede, Oncologist, Cardiologist, etc?, surely they are interested ?”

They should be, but remember each of these people make a living from the “Disease Business” astutely managed and controlled by the Pharmaceutical Industry.

This article, with additional information on the website

http://www.naturallyhealthylifestyles.com

The Basics For Raw Food Recipes

In this day and age, everybody wants to improve their looks with a thinner waist line. For that, people may need some directions for finding healthy solutions to lose weight. The best choice someone can make in order to lose weight and gain health, energy and vitality is switching to a raw food diet.

People discover each day the benefits of raw food recipes. When switching to a raw food diet you will see improvements to your daily behavior like improved sleep, some anti-aging benefits, increased vitality and health. Owing to such advantages, the popularity of raw food diets is bound to increase, because we all want to improve the way we look and the way we feel about ourselves, don’t we?

In the beginning people didn’t cook their food and they consumed it raw. Eating like this helped them keep very healthy. Our bodies are built so that we can consume raw foods. The only thing we need to do is to rediscover the way we were in the beginning and enjoy all that nature has to give us. Consuming raw foods helps our bodies because they contain enzymes that help digestion. These enzymes are destroyed if the fruits and vegetables are cooked. Our body digests the foods through its own enzymes, but the enzymes in our body also give us energy. Therefore, when we use the enzymes in our bodies for digestion and not the ones in fruits and vegetables, it means that our energy levels and vitality are decreased.

Basic guidelines for planning your healthy raw food recipes recommend that you should include in your diet mostly fruit and vegetables, which are our most biologically conducive meals. Something that can help you in planning your raw food recipes is the categories in which fruits and vegetables are divided.

Fruits can be divided in sweet fruits (tropical fruits, persimmons, sweet grapes), acid fruits (lemons, citrus), sub-acid fruits (apples, pears, tart grapes) and fatty fruits (avocadoes, durian). Melons constitute a separate category of fruits. Some of the vegetable categories are non-starchy greens (spinach, cabbage), fruit vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes) and root vegetables (carrots, celeriac). Another category of vegetables includes lettuce and celery. The vegetables named here can be found as items on a list of raw low carbohydrate foods. All these fruits and vegetables are the common components of raw food recipes.

Now that the categories have been established, here are some rules of combining them in order for you to avoid fermentation in the intestines, indigestion, water retention and toxicity. Sweet fruits are to be eaten with other varieties of sweet fruits only or with sub-acid fruits. Don’t eat acid fruit with anything other than celery and lettuce. Avocadoes and olives should be eaten with non-starchy vegetables. Melons should be eaten alone or not eaten at all. These are combinations that you should try. But there are a few combinations that you should try to avoid like starch and acid (tomato and potato), protein and protein (avocadoes and nuts), sweets and starch (maple syrup and rice). Think about these combinations when you are developing your own raw food recipes.

Raw food diets are not all about fruits and vegetables. Organic foods can also be included in the diet. Organic cheese is very nutritious and can be included in raw food diets because it does not involve a cooking process that destroys enzymes. You should make sure that the organic cheese you buy is organic, and not a scam. The process that is followed by farmers to obtain organic cheese consists of letting nature take its natural course, from harvesting the milk from the cows and letting it coagulate with no help from additional catalytic agents. Incredible products made from raw ingredients and that may include organic cheese can be found here, on rawbakery.com.

A Weight Loss Plan For Success

The formula for losing weight is simple: eat less and exercise more. But, it's not really all that simple, is it?

Long-term weight loss isn't impossible, but you do have to be committed. Having a weight loss plan for your success is a good start. Here are ten items that should go into your weight loss plan.

1. Eat breakfast. This keeps you from getting too hungry later and then losing control over what you choose to eat later in the day.

2. Stock your refrigerator and pantry with healthy foods and snacks and limit high-fat, high-salt snacks such as potato chips and cookies.

3. Fill up on Fiber. Eat foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The fibers in these foods will fill you up leaving less room for unhealthy choices.

4. Don't fall into bad habits on weekends. Many people will follow a strict diet on weekends only to fall back into eating more (unhealthy) on the weekends as a reward for "being good" all week. Unfortunately, this can cause you to regain tahe weight you may have lost during the week.

5. Watch portion sizes. Your perception of what a serving size should be and a "true" serving size can differ dramatically. Measuare your portions accurately, especially when you first start your healthy eating regime.

6. Set lifestyle goals - not weight loss goals. Commitment to eating healthy foods does lead to healthy weight loss -- gradually. Looking at your weight daily can cause discouragement and will make many people give up and go back to unhealthy food choices.

7. Take healthy snacks with you when you take road trips. Grab healthy granola bars, bananas, apples and other fruit to prevent the tempation of stopping for a cancy bar or milk shake.

8. Don't deny yourself the foods you love. If you absolutely love chocolate, go ahead and have a small pice - half of a candy bar insteaad of a whole one! And avoid eating your "splurges" every day. Save them for when you really need them!

9. Start moving. Exercise is the key to long term weight loss. You've heard the saying, "Move it or lose it." Too true!

10. Keep a journal. Writing down what you eat, when and how much you exercise and your moods will keep you on track and motivated to continue the course.

Weight loss is achieved by both diet and exercise. It is also achieved by persistence. If you "fall off the wagon" one day, pick yourself up and continue your healthy lifestyle the next. Don't give up!

Lose Weight With Water - It's Easy!

American dieticians recommend using the "water" diet to get rid of unnecessary weight, which is becoming increasingly popular. With a shortage of liquid, the organism begins to feel stressed and sends signals to the brain similar to the signals of hunger. As a result, we are beginning to eat, while the need to drink! The unnecessary at this point nutrients are postponed in the form of fat in the most hidden parts of our body, and over time these parts cease to be so hidden.

The sadness of losing the slender figure, we are trying to compensate with some milk chocolates or harassing ourselves with fitness classes. But getting back to the well-shaped figure is as well possible by having a balanced water consumption. By drinking every day about 2 -2.5 liters of water (in addition to juices, tea and coffee), we can suppress the feeling of hunger and reduce the number of food we intake (of course, constraining the consumption of fatty products).

And it water you have to drink, because even the tea and coffee contain active substances that alter the chemical composition of the body. Carbonated beverages are "saturated" with harmful chemicals, causing additional dehydration.

The clean water in the diet plays a crucial role. Tap water contains an abundance of active chlorine and other impurities, acquired in passing through the water supply tubes. The helpful habit of drinking purified water will be gratefully received by your body.

It is recommended to use a specially developed filter or nozzle on the crane which give you the opportunity to quietly drink safe water in all respects.

Moreover, If having a balanced consumption of water, the skin will always be sufficiently saturated with moisture from the inside, and therefore, protected from the effects of frost and sun, drying and peeling. That is with one shot kill two rabbits at once - losing excess fat and skin regain freshness!

So filter, drink, slenderize!

The Lemon Helps To Lose Weight And Stay Slim

Because of the badly working digestive system, the organism is not able to absorb all the necessary nutrients for fat burning. So, toxins accumulate in the body, cause fatigue and slow down the metabolism. Also, a lack of nutrients in organism make us feel a sense of constant hunger, and here we very often have snacks, biscuits and other "easy" meals.
The main property of lemon is the lead-out of toxins from the body, and the normalization of metabolism. Citric acid interact with enzymes and other acids, stimulating digestion and the provision of gastric liquids. With its high acidity (7 - 8% in fruit), even a small piece of lemon can positively influence the process of food digestin, and reduce the risks of raising the sugar level in the blood.

Another lemon miracle is the pectin. This substance is contained in the lemon's exterior layer. When reaching the stomach, pectin turns into a creamy gel and cover the stomach walls. According to earlier studies, the use of pectin in food can dampen the sense of hunger about 4 hours.

The Lemon juice contains a big amount of vitamin C. This vitamin contributes to the mobilization of protective body, combats coldness, improves the metabolism and as a consequence - the weight loss.

The advantage a lemon diet is that it is not necessarily to starve or give up favorite meals. All you have to do for loosing weight - include several spoons of lemon juice and pulp in the daily diet. And of course the situation will improve with exercise and healthy eating.

It is also advised to consume more water, at least 6-8 cups a day. The morning is better to start with a mix of warm water with the addition of lemon juice.

But drinking coffee and tea should be avoided, as well as carbonated drinks and unnatural juices. The base should be on the diet with fruits and vegetables - about five servings per day. In soups and salads add a little dried lemon peel, and the fish and meat can be flavored with lemon juice.

Avoid products with high sugar content: bread, rice and potatoes. If consumed large quantities of such products, coupled with fruits - this may badly affect the level of sugar in blood. Fat saturated products are also not desirable. Remember that they are contained in large quantities in red meat, cakes and pies. And do not forget that unsaturated fats are necessary for weight loss. They delay the influx of carbohydrates in the blood, and thereby contribute to keeping the low body insulin and sugar.

Eating should be slowly, carefully chewing the food. The process of chewing relaxes the muscle below abdomen and transmits a nerve signal activating the digestive processes. Eat at the scheduled time and not rush the process to bring a sense of saturation, which may be delayed. It is rational to wait 20 minutes to make sure of feeling saturation.

Your thinking affects your weight loss efforts

Achieving your weight loss goals will not only require a change in your diet, increased physical activity, but also a change in the behaviors and beliefs that may have blocked you from reaching your goals in the past. Your mindset and motivation are just as important as food and exercise in achieving your weight loss goals.

What are the first thoughts and feelings that come to your mind when you think of yourself going on a diet or going to the gym? The first thing you need to do is throw out your old dieting mentality and think of your journey as a lifestyle change. Do not think of it as something that starts and then stops. That type of thinking does not serve you.

Let's look at some ways your mindset can sabotage your weight loss efforts.

All or Nothing Thinking
Do you think that being on a diet means you must strictly follow a diet plan perfectly? Do you take dieting to the extremes and follow rigid rules dictating what you will eat, when you will eat, and when and how hard you will exercise? Studies have shown that this type of behavior commonly ends up working against you. You can start to become obsessed with thoughts of what you have deemed forbidden. This leads an overwhelming urge or craving to do exactly the opposite of what you are denying yourself.

Self-Sacrificing Thinking
Do you put the needs of others before your own? Are you too busy attending to everyone else that you neglect your own needs? While your lifestyle may be hectic, you will find that daily exercise and proper nutrition will actually help you get through your day easier. You will feel less stressed and actually have more energy to perform your daily tasks.

Dieting Means Deprivation Thinking
Do you avoid any attempts to lose weight and improve your health because you think a change in your diet means you have to give up all your favorite foods? This couldn’t be further from the truth. You will achieve long term success through eating in moderation and that includes all your favorite foods. A plan that includes foods you enjoy will help you stick with it.

Negative Thinking
Have you engaged in multiple attempts to lose weight in the past that did not give you the results that you were intending? Have you lost and regained weight repeatedly or engaged in yo-yo dieting? Do you feel pessimistic or negative about your ability to ever reach your weight loss goals? This mindset is a definite roadblock to you reaching your goals. Instead of thinking thoughts of failure, give yourself credit for trying to do something to improve your health in the first place. Make an effort to always stay positive in your weight loss journey.

So what are you thinking right now that might be holding you back from reaching your weight loss and fitness goals? Take a moment to examine the beliefs that you hold that may be preventing you from reaching your weight loss goals and make an effort to change these beliefs to your benefit.

It's never late to be fIt

The truth of the matter is that it takes motivation to push you into starting and maintaining a fitness regimen. Motivation is most needed in the beginning when a person first starts their regimen, because it is all new to them. People are creatures of habit and this is why fitness programs are easier to adhere to the further on that you have one.

One mistake that people make is that they focus intently on just one area of fitness and then pound the hell out of themselves. The will go to the gym and stare at the sign that reads, "No pain no gain" as they torture themselves on the various equipment that is there. While this may work on the short term, who in their right mind wants to be tortured regularly for the entire duration of their life?

Don't be afraid to take it easy on yourself in the beginning, because after all you are a beginner at the game. Don't go through your entire pantry and throw out all of the goodies in one fell swoop. Rather, eliminate them one at a time over the period of six months or so. Start with the ice cream, because if you are buying ice cream at the grocery store and bringing it home to your freezer you are bringing home and consuming pure fat.

Things like ice cream and cookies can be bought now and again at the mall in single portions, because there is nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with a treat now and again. A sensible eating program has to be part of any fitness program, because you can burn all of the calories that you want but if you are stuffing them right back in your mouth every night you are just spinning your wheels.

As the old saying goes "you are what you eat" and science has proven this to be a fact. If you are considering beginning an exercise regimen and aren't rethinking your eating habits then you really are going to make a difficult task even harder. This is because, you can burn all of the calories that you want at the gym but if you are stuffing them all back in your mouth when you get home what’s the point of it all.

One critical aspect of a fitness program is to end up looking great. Of course you will always have the fat guy that is only interested in lifting massive amounts of weights but he is by far the exception. This means that you must shed some pounds, as part of your exercise regimen so the new "toned" you will shine through. Crash or extreme diets never work, because they will only slow your metabolism down. The last thing that you need for your exercise program to succeed is a sluggish metabolism.

This means that you will want to make gradual adjustments to your diet when you are beginning your fitness regimen. The first thing that you can safely eliminate is fatty foods, such as frozen pizza and ice cream. Start reading the ingredient labels on the food that you buy and you may find that you are less willing to eat junk food after you have read what is inside of the package.

When you are beginning your fitness program you have to realize that in the beginning you body is going to fight you. You will feel sore after your workouts and the pounds won't quickly come off in the beginning. It takes a couple of weeks before the soreness goes away and you begin to see the pounds fall off.

The fact of the matter is that if you want to be fit, you have to act fit. What that means is that living an active lifestyle has to include some type of fitness regimen. This doesn't mean necessarily that you have to spend four nights a week torturing yourself at the local gym. What is does mean though, is that you have to give some thought to how you are going to incorporate some time for fitness into your daily schedule. Your body was designed to be exercised and if it isn't getting it your metabolism will slow down, which leads to fat build up.

One thing that has been proven to work is to first take an inventory of your lifestyle and time schedule and try to see how any type of physical activity can fit in. For some people this can mean placing an exercise machine in front of their TV set, so they can get their workout while they watch their daily soaps. Also, going through your pantry and refrigerator and eliminating some of the high calorie snacks can only help to keep you fit?

If you have a job that doesn't require any physical effort then what may work for you is to spend your lunch break eating a light snack and then going for a walk, instead of wolfing down a bunch of calories at a lunch counter. It is important to remember that sudden diets have been clinically proven not to work, because your body’s metabolism has a built in mechanism to fight starvation, which is what you are doing when you go on a sudden diet. Instead, take a few minutes to find a way to eliminate a hundred or so calories from your diet each day and you are sure to see actual results in time.

If you are like so many other people, you have promised yourself again and again that you are going to take some steps to get back into shape. Again and again you put it off or begin a regimen such as walking in the afternoons or evenings only to peter out in a couple of weeks. What makes it so hard to design and adhere to an exercise regimen is that they have to be consistent to be effective. There are a few tricks however; that you can use to help you stick to an effective exercise program.
Trick number one is to not bite off more then you can chew. It is far better to work your way up then to work your way down when it comes to exercise. What this means, is that instead of trying to delegate two hours every other day to a walking or workout regimen, why not try something different. Commit yourself to a twenty minute walk twice a week and mark the times you will do it on a calendar on your fridge where you are going to see it.

This is because; chances are that you are far more likely to stick to a regimen that is so short and easy to stick to. Don't worry though that it wont help, because any exercise will help in the long run. Also, chances are that you will find yourself increasing the time that you spend getting in shape and when your friends see you sticking to even a short regimen at least one of them is going to want to join you. So the final message is to make it easy for you at first and as you get in shape and begin to see even the small results you can and will adjust up.

One true statistical fact is that that the longer you wait in life to begin an exercise regimen, the harder it is to do. It’s so easy to get a room full of high school kids to adopt an exercise regimen, because they are young and open to suggestion. But when someone close to you tells you that you need to start exercising and get in better shape your immediate response is something along the lines of "screws you".

In the end only you can make the final decision to begin an exercise regimen and make sensible dietary adjustments. One trick that seems to work for many people is to begin exercising in small steps. This means that you might have a lot better luck adhering to a running program if its just running around the block a few times in the evening. Starting out by trying to run five miles every day is going to most likely lead to failure.

Also, rather then going through your kitchen and eliminating all of the junk food in one fell swoop, try just eliminating the one main calorie contributor in the kitchen. You can deal with other goodies that are in their by buying them in single serving packets rather then one big box. It may cost more to buy them this way in the beginning but not in the long run, because they are going to eventually be completely eliminated in due time.

Progress in weight loss and physical fitness is going to be made in a series of small steps and lifestyle adjustments. If you try to do everything all at once you are going to make a difficult task that much harder. What’s important is that you are on the right track and have your eye on the target and in time you will find yourself lighter, thinner and eating better.

Click Here ! If you want to know more about the benefits of Meditation.

Laughter, The Best Medicine

Is laughing good for you? You bet it is. You can actually laugh yourself healthy. Laughter is good medicine even during the most difficult times. I am sure you have heard that laughter is the best medicine. Where is the pharmacy to fill your prescription you ask? It is as close as the smile on your face. Smiling is the beginning of laughter and is very contagious. Laughter is one lifestyle choice you can make that can increase your lifespan and it doesn't cost a dime. To laugh or not to laugh is a choice only you can make. Laughter is anti-aging, it increases the levels of endorphins in your body, which are natural pain killers. It is a great way to maintain a youthful outlook on life. I've even had a headache disappear after a hearty laugh. It helps you relax. I often watch America's Funniest Videos just to boost my mood and help me cope with whatever might be bothering me at the moment.

I got a chuckle out of these;
"If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you."
"If you think nobody cares about you, try missing a couple of payments."
If you laughed at these you probably lowered your blood pressure. When people have a good laugh their blood pressure increases at first and then decreases to a below normal level. A good laugh makes you feel good and gets rid of anxiety. Relieving anxiety reduces the stress to your immune system. Having a healthy immune system increases the likelihood of living longer. An anti-aging prescription for sure!

Did you know that hearty laughter can burn calories? It is equal to several minutes on the exercise bike or the rowing machine at the gym. It also strengthens the muscles that hold the abdominal organs in place. Laughter keeps the brain alert, reduces stress and eases muscle tension. It gives our bodies a real workout! That is no laughing matter. As we learn more and more about laughter it's becoming more evident that laughing can make us healthier mentally and physically. The more I read about the benefits of laughter the more I want it to be a major choice for my own healthy lifestyle.

Humor also provides temporary relief from our everyday problems. Humor helps adjust the meaning of a sad or frustrating event so that it is not so overwhelming. Bill Cosby hit the nail on the head when he said, "If you can laugh at it you can survive it." When life gets you down, laugh! People who laugh often and have a good sense of humor can deal with stress easier and view life in general with optimism.

Laughter and humor enhances our ability to connect with others. Research tells us that in the company of others you laugh 30 times more than when you are alone and the bigger the group, the more you laugh. Remember a good guffaw is healthy especially when you laugh with someone. Smiles and laughs are enjoyed most when you share them with others. So get out there and laugh yourself healthy and if you see someone who needs a smile, give them yours!

Make Treadmill Fun

Research shows that in order to lose weight safely and keep it off, you need to exercise. And even those who are not overweight benefit from an exercise or workout routine. But many people don’t exercise regularly, which puts them at risk for heart disease, accidents or injuries, and other health concerns. There are many reasons people give why they don’t exercise more. It’s boring, it’s too difficult, they don’t have enough time or they’d rather be doing other things. Some people aren’t sure how to exercise and they are uncomfortable going to a fitness center to work with a trainer. But with a good treadmill and a workout routine that fits your needs, exercise can be enjoyable, convenient and beneficial.

A treadmill is a perfect choice in exercise equipment for many people. It allows you to walk or run in the security and privacy of your own home. Unlike weightlifting or aerobics, you don’t have to use your hands or move your body across the room. Typically, it requires less concentration than other types of workouts, especially if you have a treadmill that allows you to program in a variety of workout components, such as hills, speed changes, and adjustments to maintain a target heart rate.

The Basics

The type of treadmill workout that is best for you depends on your overall fitness level, what you are trying to accomplish through your exercise routine, and what you enjoy doing. Continuous training is perhaps the most common type of treadmill routine. Essentially, it involves running at a set pace, usually for 20 to 45 minutes. This type of exercise workout is ideal for incorporating some fun activities into your treadmill workout. The majority of our suggestions below are aimed at those who are basically turning on the machine and walking or running until their time is up.

Those who prefer a more demanding workout or who are in training for marathons or other stamina events go with interval training. It consists of shorter bouts of activity performed in quick succession and at a higher intensity. Because this requires more effort and concentration, it may be difficult to let your mind wander or to focus on other activities. How much you have to concentrate depends on the individual but there are still some fun activities listed below that can be added to any treadmill workout.

One of the most important aspects of any exercise routine geared toward improving cardio strength is to be sure you are exercising in such a way that you achieve and maintain your target heart rate. Maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age in years from 220. Most people agree that a good target heart rate zone is 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. Because this factor is so critical to healthy, productive exercise, many treadmills come with a heart rate monitor built in, often in the handrails that you hold onto when using the machine. But you can also purchase an inexpensive heart rate monitor from most large department stores, health stores or at hundreds of locations online.

How you choose to achieve your target heart rate, be it walking, jogging, continuous or interval training is up to you. But we have some suggestions to help you make exercise more fun and increase your chances of sticking with it and exercising regularly.

Tune It Up

Perhaps the most popular way to entertain yourself while using your treadmill is to listen to music. It can help you focus and give you something else to think about while enduring even the most strenuous parts of a workout. It is a good way to check out new music and expand your horizons. Or put in your favorite motivational music – the songs that really get you moving and shaking – and your 45-minute routine will whiz by. There are some treadmill music CDs that have been compiled specifically for those who need a little motivation in their treadmill exercise routine. Use headphones to avoid disturbing family members if necessary.

Learn While You Burn

Maybe you prefer to lose yourself in a good story. Some people are able to read a print book or magazine while they exercise on their treadmills. Several companies sell book holders that attach to the treadmill and work well as long as you are not bouncing around so much that it is difficult to read the print. Many people listen to books or storytelling on tape or CDs. This is especially productive for those who don’t have time to sit down with a good book or who fall asleep when trying to read in bed.

A friend of mine had a book which she truly wanted to read, but the only time she could find in her busy schedule was in the evening before bed. This didn’t work well for her because she would doze off after just one or two pages. “There is something about reading before bed that puts me right out,” she shared. “But I got the book on tape and listened to it while I walked on the treadmill and I was able to finish it in under a week. In fact, I found myself walking longer than my normal amount of time because I didn’t want to turn off the tape. Now I listen to books on tape all the time while I exercise.” An alternative is listening to language tapes. This works especially well if you have a vacation planned. You can build your language skills and get in shape for that bikini, and the excitement of the pending trip helps motivate you to get on the treadmill. Place a fan nearby or get one that attaches to your machine and you can even imagine you are already there, enjoying the tropical breezes.Not able to get away for a vacation? Pick a destination you’d like to visit and then calculate how many miles you walk or jog each workout and plot them on a map. Watch the travel channels on TV or rent a video guide to the area to help provide incentive and distraction.

Guilt Free TV

Many people watch television while on the treadmill because they say it makes them feel less guilty about watching. A good movie can help you forget you are exercising, and you are probably not going to fill up with popcorn and treats if you watch while you’re on the treadmill. You will probably have to break it up into several segments, but the anticipation to see the end of the movie makes you that much more eager to exercise. Also, by agreeing to exercise everyday when your favorite sitcom reruns, soap or reality TV show is on helps you stick to a regular workout schedule.

These are just some ideas to get you started and help make your treadmill workout more enjoyable and hence something you will look forward to and stick with. Maybe you get a headset and talk with a friend on the phone while you workout. Or better yet, set up dual treadmills side by side and make a date out of it. The possibilities are many and whatever keeps you exercising on a regular basis is a good thing. Half the fun can be experimenting to see what works best for you.

Walk for your Health

Walking is the easiest way of exercise because it is accessible at anyplace, anywhere and anytime. Several studies show that walking can:

* reduce high cholesterol and improve blood lipid profile
* reduce body fat
* enhance mental well being
* increase bone density, hence helping to prevent osteoporosis
* reduce the risk of cancer of the colon
* reduce the risk of non insulin dependant diabetes
* help to control body weight
* help osteoarthritis
* help flexibility and co-ordination hence reducing the risk of falls

Although walking can reduce body fat for weight loss purpose, it is actually not an effective option of exercise, because it doesn’t burn lots of calories and only bring small increase in metabolism. In fact, you will have to walk for hours everyday
if you want to burn fat! High intensity cardiovascular or aerobic exercise 2-3 times a week will be much more effective in burning off the excess body fat or losing weight.

Walking is more effective if maintaining or controlling your body weight. Walking at a faster pace can help improving cardiovascular function and fitness level, while walking at a slower pace can help building up endurance because of longer exercise time. In this case, speed and distance does matter. The faster and the further a person walks, the more calories he will use.

So, what to do now? Depends on your goals, if you want to lose weight and love walking, you can combine them together in your exercise schedule, 2-3 times a week for high intensity cardio or aerobic exercise and 2-3 times a week walking with your family, and make sure be free one or two days. If you want to reduce risk of diseases or maintaining body weight / health, walking 2-3 times a week will help.

Yoga makes you stronger

Many people wonder if yoga can improve their muscle fitness. They recognize that yoga can help reduce stress and increase flexibility, but when it comes to increasing muscle fitness, they think it might be a little too 'weak' to do the job. The fact is that yoga can definitely make you stronger.

A study was conducted at the University of California at Davis. Ten college 'coach potatoes' adopted a yoga routine for eight weeks. Each week, they attended from two to four classes during which they spent 10 minutes on breath control, 15 minutes of warm up exercises, 50 minutes doing yoga asanas, and then 10 minutes of relaxation/mediation. At the end of the eight-week period, the researchers measured the students' fitness and discovered that their muscular strength had increased by up to 31%, their muscular endurance improved by 57%, their flexibility increased by 188%, and their cardio respiratory fitness improved by 7%. These results are pretty amazing when you consider that the study was only conducted for eight weeks.
How can something that seems so benign have such a major impact on muscle fitness?

Muscle Strength

Unlike traditional weight building exercises, in yoga your body provides the resistance. While you are not likely going to produce the bulked up muscles of some weight lifters, you will certainly increase your muscle strength.
Many poses in yoga are done very slowly or you stay in the posture for several breaths. It is much more challenging to your muscles to hold a pose or do it slowly than it is to allow momentum to move you through an action. I have been working out with weights for many years so my muscles are used to being strengthened. Yet, I have practiced certain yoga routines during which my muscles screamed for mercy and I actually had to get out of the pose and then resume it because my muscles were so challenged. I don't often experience this during weight training sessions.
In addition, some balance postures such as Tree Pose and Shoulderstand require enormous muscle control in order to prevent you from falling over. This helps to build and strengthen your muscles.

Muscle Balance

In weight training, you isolate a specific muscle as you perform an exercise and this leads to a short, tightened muscle. The muscles you develop during yoga are more likely to be elongated, because while you are strengthening them, you are simultaneously lengthening them. You also do not focus on an isolated muscle, but actively recruit the smaller muscle groups as well. You truly work your entire body when you practice yoga.

Practicing yoga can help realign your muscles, so they are more balanced. Since you are not overworking any specific muscle group, you are less likely to get injured.

In addition to all its other benefits, yoga can help you improve muscle fitness. Whether you choose to use it as your primary means of strength training or you want it to supplement your other exercises, yoga can help your muscles grow fit, balanced, and strong.

Importance of Good Nutrition

Taking care of yourself is not as hard, time consuming, expensive, or dull as most would have you believe. In fact, once people decide to choose a healthy life, they notice more energy, increased self-confidence, more time to do things that really matter, and they spend less time in the doctor's office or hospital. Nutrition refers to the nurturing of our body, in our ability to keep it healthy and functioning as it is supposed to do. Our ability to provide the body with all the necessary food, vitamins, and minerals so that we continue to thrive in our daily life processes.

• Good nutrition can put a stop to many health problems, including becoming overweight, developing weak bones, and developing diabetes. Finding your child all the foods that have all the important nutrients will help your child grow to their complete potential.

• A child's body prospers on certain nutrients that work together to promote growth and development. There is no specific nutrient or group of nutrients that is more important to a child's well being, than these five nutrients I am about to mention to you right.

• Never attempt to assess your state of hydration by the level of your thirst. Once thirsty it is often too late. Always plan your fluid intake beforehand. The amount of fluid needed to restore your fluid levels could vary from 500ml to 3l, depending on the amount of sweat lost during a session, and whether you replaced fluid during the exercise itself. It is often necessary to need between 4-24 hours to replace and rebalance your body fluid losses effectively.

• Proper nutrition means getting both enough calories and the proper nutrients. Many people in this country eat more calories than the body needs. This can lead to obesity, which is a risk factor for many diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. It is important to remember that, although an overweight person may be getting more calories than needed, he or she may not be getting all of the necessary nutrients.

• Eating a daily diet that includes adequate amounts of bread, cereal, grain, rice, pasta, vegetables, and fruit, and limits high fat foods, can promote health and reduce the risk of developing certain chronic diseases. You can help the people who use your pantry or meal program to be healthier by providing nutritious foods.

• The foods you eat provide the energy your body needs to function. Just like you need to put fuel in your car or recharge your cell phone battery, your body needs to be fed energy-providing foods every day. The main form of energy for your body is carbohydrate.

• In order to have that awesome bodybuilding physique; you need to feed your body the proper fuel. As a bodybuilder, your goal is to be in the best physical form possible, one that connotes health, fitness, and strength. In order to reach that level, though, you'll need to focus on your food consumption and make sound nutritional choices that will not only enhance your physique but also improve your health.

No to Obesity

Obesity still remains one of the commonest avoidable causes of several disease conditions. Most often than not, it is a result of the wrong habits or lifestyles.

Obesity is a case that cut across race, color and gender. Obesity has several facets, it is closely associated with several ailments, the most alarming being hypertension, diabetes and most fatal is the psychological effects it could have on its victims. Teenagers commit suicide today because of obesity.

DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION
A close relationship exists between hypertension and obesity. In fact it is believed that most hypertensive are more than 10% overweight. Fat accumulation in the trunk or abdomen is not only related to hypertension but also to diabetes and excess fat in the body. Obesity can contribute to hypertension in several ways. For one thing, obesity leads to a greater output of blood, because the heart has to pump more blood to supply the excess tissues. The increased cardiac output then can raise the blood pressure. For another thing, obese hypertensive individuals have a greater stiffness (resistance) in the peripheral arteries throughout the body. Finally, obesity may be associated with a tendency for the kidneys to retain salt in the body. Weight loss may help reverse problems related to obesity while also lowering blood pressure.

OBESITY AND DIABETES
It is estimated that three quarter (¾) of all Type II diabetes patient are obese. Indolent and affluent lifestyles tend to contribute to this. It is believed that a 10kg loss of weight can reduce fasting blood sugar level by almost 50md/dl. An active lifestyle with frequent exercise is also known to increase Insulin sensitivity.

WATCH YOUR WEIGHT
The International standard for measuring overweight and obesity is based on a value called BODY MASS INDEX (BMI). This value is derived by dividing the body weight (in Kilograms) by the square of height (in Meters).
I.e. BMI = Body weight (Kg)/Height2 (Meters). 
Note: 1ft = 0.305metres.
For adults, a BMI less than 25kg/m2 is preferred
25 – 29kg/m2 is considered overweight and above 30kg/m2 is Obesity.

BE CAREFUL
Sedentary normal individuals have a higher tendency of becoming obese when compared to very active individuals. Exercise burn out unnecessary body fat, lowers blood pressure and increases the body’s use of glucose, example dynamic exercises such as brisk walking or jogging, swimming or bicycle ridding for 30 – 45mins daily or 3-5times a week may lower blood pressure by as much as 5 – 15mmHg. Normally, particularly type of exercise is started, and gradually built up to a satisfactory level over time. Regular exercise reduces blood pressure, burn out unnecessarily fat and also makes the body healthier.

Apart from the sedentary lifestyles developed by so many today, that has caused this tremendous rise in the obese population, and another problem we face today is the food we eat. There are so many fast food joints out there, that it is almost impossible to ignore them. Not even with the busy schedules you and I run nowadays. We want the fastest things we can get around. See where that has lead us.

It is quite imperative to be careful and watchful of what we eat. It’s quite easier to avoid eating the wrong set of food than to stop eating when the consequences arise.

Although, there is some bit of hereditary attached to obesity in some instances, eat the right food, live an active life and you will glad you did.

Free Radicals: Destructive Scavengers and the Vital Role Antioxidants Play

Several years ago, it was all over the news. Free radicals were damaging - we all had them, and antioxidants were the solution. But what role really do free radicals play in damaging the body, and how are we supposed to best get rid of them? How do antioxidants work and what is the best way of adding them to our diet?

24 hours a day, while the body is constantly working, cells are metabolizing and creating energy as they carry out their tasks. This natural process results in free radicals, the same way driving to work in your car creates exhaust fumes. Some free radicals are natural byproducts of the ongoing workings of the body. Some are from environmental factors, such as pollution, radiation, and cigarette smoke.

A free radical is simply a molecule that is missing an electron. As soon as a molecule loses one of its attached electrons, it becomes unstable and seeks to re-stabilize itself by stealing an electron from the nearest molecule. This causes the attacked molecule to then become a free radical, and starts a chain reaction. Ultimately as the process continues this can lead to cell damage.

Free radicals become extremely damaging to the body as they steal electrons from your cells. They begin to spread like a wildfire through the years if your body does not have enough antioxidants to keep them in check. They can attack cell walls, get inside the cell, and cause damage to the DNA. This leads to cancer. Cancer is defined as a degenerative stress condition, and we can understand this better when we understand the role free radicals play.

The brain is the most active part of the body. It uses the most energy, and therefore is subject to bombardment with the most free radicals. The significance of this is not only that we feel negative effects in our mind - such as feeling tired and muddled - but also because brain is very important in its control of so many of the vital workings of our bodies.

When a free radical attacks, it can get into the cell and cause the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, to die or cease to function fully. This can disrupt one of a multitude of processes. A dead or poorly functioning mitochondria in a cell can disrupt or slow down neuronal firing. Mental illness is largely due to imbalances in the neuronal processes of our natural brain chemistry. A poorly working or dead mitochondria can prevent certain natural functions from working, causing symptoms like hormonal imbalance.

Untreated, the damage from free radicals accumulates with age. They are the cause of many degenerative diseases, and are associated with many of the signs of the aging process.

Antioxidants are molecules loaded with extra free electrons. When we have enough antioxidants the free radicals get their electrons from the antioxidants in our body, rather than stealing them from our cells.

The body is naturally built to handle free radicals. Antioxidants are found in the vitamins A, C and E in the fruits and vegetables we eat. However even eating the 5-8 recommended servings a day, or using supplements still often does not do enough to combat the massive free radical damage.

Antioxidants from Vitamins E, C, and A actually pale in comparison to the phytonutrient antioxidants such as those found in red wine and blueberries. This is the reason for the French paradox, why it is being recommended to drink wine, eat chocolate, and drink green tea. They provide better sources of antioxidants.

There is an even better source: the newly discovered acai berry, of the Brazilian rainforest. It provides antioxidants in strengths 33 times more powerful than red wine. It floods the body with massive amounts of antioxidants and other essential nutrients. The acai berry is the number one ingredient for anti-aging recommended by Dr. Nicholas Perricone, in his book the Perricone Promise.

The acai berry can be best added to the diet in liquid form. A small dose of several ounces daily will flood the body with the vital antioxidants it needs. The acai berry is the best way to add to your diet the most powerful antioxidants combating free radical damage.

Sex Dreams Equal 8% of Adults' Dreams

Antonio Zadra, PhD, asked 109 women and 64 men to keep a dream diary for two to four weeks. Participants were about 30 years old, on average.

According to Zadra, only two other studies have probed the frequency and content of sexual dreams, and both of those studies were done more than 40 years ago.

In Zadra's study, participants jotted down every dream they had, whether it was sexual or not. All in all, they noted 3,564 dreams. Of those dreams, 292 included sexual content.

"Sexual intercourse was the most common type of sexual content, followed by sexual propositions, kissing, and fantasies," Zadra writes.

For men and women alike, sexual dreams accounted for 8% of all reported dreams. Zadra also notes that "masturbation accounted for approximately 6% of both male and female sexual dreams and an orgasm was experienced in approximately 4% of all sexual dreams."

However, there were some gender differences in sex dreams.

By Miranda Hitti

"Men's sexual dreams were more likely to take place in public or unknown settings, to have the dreamer initiate sexual contact, and to involve unknown characters or multiple partners," Zadra writes, adding that "gender differences in the content of everyday sexual dreams may reflect people's waking needs, experiences, attitudes, and concerns with respect to sexuality."

His findings were presented today in Minneapolis at Sleep 2007, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.

Any Type of Alcohol Drink Raises Breast Cancer Risk, New Study

A large US study suggests that it did not matter whether women drank beer, wine or spirits, they all raised the risk of breast cancer to the same extent. And more than three alcoholic drinks a day raised breast cancer risk by 30 per cent, compared to women who had less than one drink a day, said the researchers.

The study, one of the largest of its kind, was presented yesterday, Thursday, at the European Cancer Conference (ECCO 14) in Barcelona, Spain, and is the work of Dr Arthur Klatsky, adjunct investigator in the Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Oakland, US, and colleagues.

Klatsky and colleagues showed that it made no difference what type of alcoholic drink the women had, it was the fact they contained ethyl alcohol that mattered, and how much was consumed.

The increase in breast cancer risk due to three or more alcoholic drinks a day is similar to that posed by smoking a pack of cigarettes or more a day said Klatsky. It is also similar to the risk posed by taking oestrogenic hormones he added.

Speaking at a news briefing, Klatsky explained that:

"Population studies have consistently linked drinking alcohol to an increased risk of female breast cancer."

"But there has been little data, most of it conflicting, about an independent role played by the choice of beverage type," said Klatsky.

The researchers studied the drinking habits of 70,033 women of different ethnic origin who underwent health exams during the period 1978 to 1985 and looked at the breast cancer incidence in the cohort in subsequent years.

They found that 2,829 of the women had been diagnosed with breast cancer by 2004.

The results showed that:

• There was no difference in breast cancer risk between wine, beer and spirit consumption.
• Even between red and white wine, the impact was the same.
• In terms of overall alcohol intake, women who had between one and two drinks a day had a 10 per cent higher breast cancer risk compared to those who had one drink a day.
• The risk went up to 30 per cent for women who had more than three drinks a day.
• The results were the same for all age and ethnic groups.

Commenting on the results, Klatsky said that:

"Statistical analyses limited to strata of wine preferrers, beer preferrers, spririts preferrers or non-preferrers each showed that heavier drinking, compared to light drinking, was related to breast cancer risk in each group."

"This strongly confirms the relation of ethyl alcohol per se to increased risk," he added.

Although only a small proportion of women are heavy drinkers, and the risk of breast cancer varies among different groups, a 30 per cent increase in relative risk from drinking heavily probably translates to 5 per cent of all breast cancers being due to this habit.

Klatsky and colleagues have previously linked red wine to reduced heart attack incidence, and he said that different biological mechanisms probably explain the different effects.

The protective effect on the heart from red wine is probably due to increased HDL ("good") cholesterol, reduced blood clotting and reduced diabetes. But none of these has been shown to have anything to do with breast cancer, he said.

"The coronary benefit from drinking red wine may also be related to favourable drinking patterns common among wine drinkers or to the favourable traits of wine drinkers, as evidenced by US and Danish studies," said Klatsky.

Emphasizing that all medical advice should be tailored to the individual patient, Klatsky added that the only general statement that could be made from the findings was that it showed more reasons why "heavy drinkers should quit or cut down".

Klatsky concluded his conference presentation:

"This has been fascinating research. Our group has been involved in studies of alcohol drinking and health for more than three decades, including in the area of heart disease. We are fortunate to have data available about a large, multi-ethnic population with a variety of drinking habits."

According to a report in WebMD, Dr Shumin Zhang, associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, said the findings were "generally consistent with previous research".

Zhang, who did not take part in the research conducted by Klatsky and colleagues, has also found a link between frequent alcohol consumption and elevated breast cancer risk, said WebMD

Even 1 drink a day may raise risk of breast cancer

BARCELONA, Spain -- All types of alcohol -- wine, beer and liquor -- add equally to the risk of women developing breast cancer, U.S. researchers said Thursday.

Previous studies have shown a link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer, but there have been conflicting messages about whether some kinds of alcohol were more dangerous than others.

The researchers, led by Dr. Arthur Klatsky of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland, Calif., revealed their findings at a conference in Barcelona.

Researchers analyzed the drinking habits of 70,033 women of various races from 1978 to 1985. By 2004, 2,829 had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Klatsky and his colleagues looked at which types of alcohol the women drank and their total alcohol intake. They compared it with that of women who had less than one drink a day.

They found no difference in the risk of developing breast cancer among women who drank wine, beer or liquor. Compared with light drinkers -- those who had less than one drink a day -- women who had one or two drinks a day increased their risk by 10 percent. Women who had more than three drinks a day raised their risk by 30 percent.

It is not clear how alcohol contributes to breast cancer, but some think it raises hormone levels in the blood to levels that could cause cancer.

4 Foods To Fight Breast Cancer

As a woman, reading about an article related to a woman’s body as well as psychological aspect, interest me a lot. As I’ve read about this new article that I’me going to share, it makes me feel responsible to share this to all my readers. It’s something about what we can eat to cut cancer risk

Sometimes, some woman or mother rarely has time to cook because they are working. Figuring out on what to have for dinner is hard enough without having to factor in the latest news about food and cancer.

What to Eat
Fish: Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and herring are high in omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat that's believed to have anticancer properties. Aim for two to three servings a week.

Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are powerful cancer fighters and appear to contain chemicals that turn on your body's natural detox enzymes. Eat them raw or slightly steamed (cooking breaks down the protective chemicals). Shoot for five servings a week.

Berries: The more colorful, the better! These fruits are rich in antioxidants, which protect cells from damage, and strawberries and raspberries contain ellagaic acid, which has been shown to protect against breast cancer in lab studies. Sneak these in wherever you can...toss some in your smoothie or even have some with dessert.

Whole grains: Lowfat sources of fiber, such as quinoa, unbuttered popcorn and cereals like All-Bran and Fiber One, may regulate your levels of estrogen and insulin, two hormones that both have been linked to breast cancer. Aim for 25 grams per day.

What to Watch
Red meat: You don't have to forgo the occasional burger (thank goodness!), but eating more than 1.5 servings of red meat per day can nearly double the chances of developing breast cancer. Limit your intake to three servings of lean cuts (such as filet mignon, flank steak or sirloin) a week or fewer.

Alcohol: As few as two drinks a day may increase breast cancer risk by 20 percent, possibly by raising estrogen levels. There's nothing wrong with having some wine with dinner, but it's safest to average no more than one drink a day. (Savor it! I mix soda water in my white wine to make one glass last through dinner.)