Health And Fitness

The vast majority of people are under the misconception that the best exercise method to burn excess fat and speed up their metabolism is to regularly do 30 to 40 minutes of low intensity aerobic exercise, at least 3 times a week. They also believe that more is definitely better and that if you can get to the gym every day of the week for a 40 minute jog on the treadmill you will be well on your way to your desired perfect physique.

Many fitness professionals continue to recommend that by doing moderately paced aerobic exercise, getting your heart rate to a target range and keeping it there for 40 minutes, several times a week, you will burn your excess fat, increase your metabolism and increase cardiovascular efficiency.

I personally think that, unless you are extremely dedicated by nature, this type of repetitive exercise is more likely to lead to a situation where you get bored, dread going to the gym and give up your weight loss efforts totally. I know I did when I tried this route to lose fat and gain my perfect physique!

Yes, if you have the dedication, looking at a wall while jogging and getting nowhere on a treadmill or stair climber will indeed burn some calories and improve your cardiovascular system. But just doing this type of low intensity exercise on its own won't achieve the results you desire, and if you follow the advice given to do this as often as possible, who of us would have the time to complete any other type of exercise!!

While the benefits of burning calories and better cardiovascular system efficiency derived from low intensity aerobic exercise sound great, this form of exercise done in isolation can actually be counterproductive to your weight loss goals.

Doing repeated sessions of moderately paced aerobic exercise causes your body to use the fat you have stored to provide energy while you jog. This action fools your body into thinking it needs to store more fat ready for the next session...

Your cardiovascular efficiency will improve as your body gets used to doing frequent long duration easy workouts. But as your heart and lungs get used to working at a low level sustained rate, they can also lose their capacity to handle any additional stresses as you never actually push or challenge them to go beyond what has become the norm. This can actually lead to a host of other health problems.

I am not saying that you should never do any low level aerobic exercises, you should of course, but only as part of a complete fitness program and not as your main exercise regime.

The fastest way to lose fat

The quickest, most efficient way to burn body fat, get your metabolism into top gear and improve overall health is to gain lean muscle and the easiest way to achieve this is through resistance training.

I'm not talking about working out to the extent where you end up looking like a pumped up Arnie, just proper resistance training to build and tone lean muscle and gain overall body strength.

Even if you don't change your diet to aid with your weight loss efforts, which you should, you will need some of the calories you are eating to "feed" your new muscle and this will lead to a calorie deficit in your body and you will quickly start to burn your stored fat deposits.

With resistance training you will stimulate your body into creating an ongoing muscle repair and growth process which will call upon your stored body fat for energy, not just while you are working-out, you will still get these fat burning benefits while you are sitting around and sleeping in your bed.

Most Americans grew up on a three meal a day eating habit. Most Americans are also overweight. Makes you wonder about the relationship of our eating habit and our weight situation.

Research has shown that eating the same amount of healthy food but spreading it out over five meals per day can help you lose fat.

Many diabetics eat five or more meals (or snacks) daily in order to help them maintain their proper blood glucose levels and achieve or maintain a healthy weight. (I might add that diabetics must also take their medications daily as prescribed by their doctor to help maintain their proper blood glucose levels.)

You might be interested in our real life example of eating more often.

Our son was taken to a babysitter when he was three months old and he remained there until he started first grade. The babysitters own son was close in age but he had diabetes.

The diabetic child ate meals at least five times daily, four of which was during the day when my son was present. When the diabetic child would eat, of course, our son also ate as you can well imagine. These were healthy food meals but the portions were smaller as they were eating more frequently.

Today our son is thirty-four years old and still eats multiple smaller meals every day, out of habit. He also has always been lean and still is to this day. He never gorged or overate and has not gained fat or weight. He also has not developed a sweet tooth yet and eats very little desserts, cola's or sugar type foods in general.

You may be wondering what can I do now? Here is a brief overview to help you better understand how eating smaller meals more often throughout the day can help you lose fat and maybe get you interested in starting your diet.

Eliminate sugar beverages and sweets including regular soda, all fruit juices (orange, apple, grapefruit, cranberry, etc.

Eat regular meals every day. Eat something within one hour of getting up, eat smaller, more frequent meals spread throughout the day and try to eat at least every four hours.

Eat a variety of foods at each meal and try to include at least three food groups with each meal. As an example, meat, vegetable and grain or fruit, grain and dairy or meat, fruit and dairy.

Eat smaller amounts of food at each meal to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

These following so called "special foods" will make your body burn a lot more calories during their digesting process. As you may be well aware, the more calories you burn off, the faster you slim down!

As we grow older, our metabolic rate decelerates substantially! Ever wondered how come lots of people put weight on during their middle age? That is caused by the metabolic rate which decreases; thus unable to burn as much fat as he used to during younger age. Consuming these 'particular' foods is a great way of boosting your metabolic rate!

1. Green Tea:

If you like to drink regular tea, substitute it with green tea! Regular tea is not bad, but green tea is great! It contains fat burning chemicals which will assist you with fat loss. It's no wonder that a lot of the weight loss supplements available in the market contain green tea! Additionally, green tea is a powerful antioxidant.

2. Peanut butter:

Peanut butter is a great substitute for butter. Contrary to butter, which contains high levels of fat, peanut butter is loaded in protein and fiber, both of which will assist you with weight loss. While protein helps you burn fat by building up lean muscle mass, fiber helps in restraining your appetite for a while. Try to buy the natural brands.

Peanut butter constitutes an excellent breakfast when combined with wholegrain bread!

3. Almonds:

Almonds are one of the most nutritious of all nuts. An ounce contains 12% of the daily allowance of protein. Almonds are low in saturated fat (bad fat) and contain many other protective nutrients - calcium and magnesium - for strong bones, vitamin E and phytochemicals, which may help protect against cardiovascular disease and even cancer.

Almonds boost the metabolic rate helping you burn fat! Add almonds in your breakfast oatmeal and you have a great nutritious meal that will sustain you for hours!

4. Beans:

Beans are the perfect food for a fat-restricted diet as they contain only 2-3% fat. You may never have to count calories again! Beans help to reduce cholesterol, are high in protein and fiber, provide essential B Vitamins and Iron, bring you good health, help prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Chick peas, lentils, black, red and white beans, kidney beans, lima beans etc... Make yourself a salad with a variety of them, add tiny pieces of your favorite veggies and you get another excellent meal at a very low cost.

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Rachel Cheney is a medical nurse with over 20 years experience. She became interested in the weight loss and fitness fields after successfully shedding 70 pounds. Rachel began publishing articles some time ago in an effort to help others better understand their bodies needs. Why eating the right foods and exercising are a must for shedding extra pounds and maintaining target weights. To help you live happy and healthy for a long time.

Are you always trying to lose weight? Do you want to lose your belly fat? Are you eating less and less but are getting bigger and heavier? If your answer is yes to one or all of these questions, than you need to read this article.

There is so much incorrect information out there. They are telling people to eat 600 calorie diets, workout in the gym 2 hours a day and give up real food and instead drink the latest and greatest weight loss shake.

There is no magic in losing weight. It takes effort and a detailed plan. By the way exercise is usually a must unless you are morbidly obese.

Weight Loss Plan
1. You must eat within the first 60 minutes of waking up. If you don't your body switches into starvation mode and the food you eat for the rest of the day will usually be stored as fat.

2. Eat every 3 hours thereafter. You should eat three main meals and fit in 2 snacks consisting of vegetables. If you prefer to eat some type of snack bar just make sure that they are not more than 100 calories and do not contain more than 1gm of sugar. Your main meals should be 2 to 4 ounces of lean meat, chicken or fish, 2 cups of vegetables and a healthy fat like olive oil.

3. Try to stop eating 3 hours before you go to bed.

4. For exercise you should do 60 minutes of cardio every day if your Doctor says it is ok.

5. Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.

6. Avoid white sugar.

7. Work with a Medical Weight Loss Doctor if possible.

So there you have it a very simple but extremely effective program for losing weight.

What do foods have to do with diets?? Well.. there are some of us that eat to live while others live to eat. The second half of us that live to eat always are the ones facing weight issues and obesity. Are you one of them too? You may even have been on a hard work out and diet control plan, and...if there results are still not there, read on about some of the foods that can help you lose weight.

In general, your body requires a wide array of foods to survive; from fats to carbohydrates, everything is essential for your body to function properly. If you suddenly cut down fats and sugars, the results may be shocking rather than pleasing. The below mentioned tips will help with your weight management and keep you healthy at the same time.

Water: Scientific evidence points to the fact that hunger is a state where the body is in need of water. Of course, this does not suggest that you should switch your diet entirely to fluids and drinking only water. Doctors suggest that you drink water through the day with your meals and in between your meals. Drinking water also helps the body remove harmful toxins and as a side benefit it helps the texture of your skin.

Fruits: Eating fresh fruits in between meals is one of the best choices you could ever make. Fruits are natural energizers and help to satisfy your hunger cravings. If there are no fruits available, fresh fruits juices are the other good option. For instance, citrus fruits like oranges, grapes, pineapple, sweet lime and lemons refreshment you and charge you up.

Roasted Meats: Consuming roasted meats is always a better alternative to eating fried foods - this and includes fish as well as red meats. Roasting eliminates much of the fats and leaves you with a relatively fat free meat.

Nuts: Nuts are categorized as rich foods, which can help minimize munching in between meals. If you normally feel starved before your main meals, try eating a few nuts (raw preferably) 15 minutes before hand. Then, when you do have your lunch or dinner, you will feel less hurried and will enjoy the food rather than just woofing it down.

"What do I have to do to lose weight", my daughter muttered, staring at the mirror. I kept walking past the bathroom since I didn't think the question wasn't particularly aimed at me but it did get me to wondering. The simple answer for her would be to eat fewer calories than she expended each day, but real-life doesn't always work on such simplistic formulas. There are so many factors such as stress, levels of physical activity, genes, emotional make up, etc. If the answer to "what do I have to do to lose weight?" were that simple we'd all be walking around looking like we'd just come from a photo shoot on 5th avenue.

How to trim down fast

Later when I broached the subject with her in a gentle manner she opened up and like most of us she wanted to trim down and trim down fast. To trim down fast we need to eat fewer calories than we burn, but we must consider other factors that can help us sustain this. Eating fewer calories than we burn is not all that fun and can be an emotional drain on us. So to trim down fast we must figure out a way to eat fewer calories than we burn and have enough emotional power to keep it up. Here are the ways to trim down fast and stick with it.

* Since all of our fat naturally leaves our bodies through metabolic burning we should increase our metabolic rate. Turn up the furnace so to speak.
* Vary our calorie in take to keep the body from "turning down" it metabolism.
* Find ways to reward ourselves for success.
* Take scheduled breaks from our low calorie routines to freshen our spirits.

With these elements in place we should be able to trim down fast.

Do I have to exercise to lose weight?

The short answer is no, but is we want to turn up the body's metabolic furnace then there is no better way. In fact the only other ways to do it are to increase your eating which is counter productive if done wrong and taking thermogenic stimulants which can be dangerous to your health.

Exercise does not and should not be exhausting Simply walking briskly for 30 minutes 3 times a week is a good start. Better yet, find an activity such as racquetball or tennis that you love and do it 3 times a week. There are great diet guides available on the Internet such as the EODD Diet that can teach you exactly how to trim down fast and do it in a fun way. Guides like EODD will teach you how to use all of the principals I have outlined in this article. Use your imagination to see yourself as you will be 6 months from now with your new trimmed down body.

Put it all together

So remember, eat fewer calories than you burn, take scheduled breaks from your low calorie routine, and increase your metabolism and you will trim down fast. Buy a good guide such as the EODD and let it help you succeed beyond what you thought was possible!

Health agencies blame weight gain and excess stomach fat on gluttonous attitudes and overeating, as well as a lack of physical exercise as the exclusive reasons for our national problem with obesity.

There are other factors, however, such as metabolic issues that cause us to gain weight even if we cutback on our calorie consumption. Ever wonder why you can't lose weight while cutting calories?

Well, science finally has some answers, and they're natural compounds that function together, synergistically, to help you lose that excess accumulation of body fat.

So, what may these new natural compounds do for us?

1. Enhance resting energy expenditure-more calories burned while you function normally.

2. Slow the absorption of dietary fat from the intestines.

3. Reduce the absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream, including slowing the intake of starches and sugars as well.

4. Reducing hunger and stimulate the breakdown of stored triglycerides.

5. Support the youthful levels of insulin sensitivity.

6. Reduction of starches ingested that covert to triglycerides and are stored as fat.

You are probably asking yourself what are these wonder nutrients, and how can I incorporate them inta program that will work for me? Well, a few of these natural products are special green tea extracts as well as specialized seaweed complexes, natural bean extracts and the West African wild mango as well as the wonderful rain forest antioxidant powerhouse acai.

You're probably also saying to yourself that this is all well and fine, but where is the proof that science has an answer, and how will this work for me?

How about a recent clinical study showing the average weight loss of 30 pounds and a reduction of 10% in waist line circumference in 90 days just from this new green tea extract, compared with a placebo group that lost only 9.9 pounds and 5% of their waist size while reducing their caloric intake as well?

More clinical trials published by the Journal of Medial Science relay studies showing a loss of 6.5 pounds and1.2 inches off your waist in 30 days on a carbohydrate rich diet by taking only the natural bean extracts?

Recent lab testing has shown that proprietary seaweeds can reduce the caloric impact of sugary foods up to 90%, effectively blocking most carbohydrate absorption and the further caloric impact of starchy, sugared foods into our bodies. This alone may be one of the best ways to lose body fat.

In recent studies, West African food source extracts have been shown to reduce pervasive hunger, slow carb absorption, reduce caloric impact of sugars and starches, and maintain insulin sensitivity, which may help prevent the onset of diabetes.

These, and other clinical trials prove conclusively that mother nature provides us many ways to lose that stomach fat now, naturally.

We all realize how important it is to our overall well-being to eat healthy food. Poor diet contributes to a variety of negatives. It encourages excessive weight gain. It reduces energy levels. It makes us more vulnerable to illness and disease. Eating "the good stuff" should be a priority for all of us.

Fortunately, many of us have taken that lesson to heart and are making a conscious effort to purchase healthy food items. That's certainly a step in the right direction, but some of us inadvertently undermine progress after making those smart selections due to the way we prepare those healthful ingredients. We often cross the line and our healthy food ceases to retain its nutritional value or we find ways to overwhelm the good with a series of bad decisions.

One example is our tendency to overcook vegetables. By subjecting healthy food to an intense and lengthy cooking process, we reduce its nutritional value, cooking much of the vitamins and nutrients right out of the food. A fresh carrot is a wonderful thing. A carrot roasted in a crock pot in the drippings of a fatty pot roast for six hours is a vaguely carrot-flavored piece of mush that maintains very little of its original nutritional value.

Another example is our willingness to treat healthy items in incredibly healthy ways. There's no doubt that buying whole grain bread is better than purchasing a loaf of white bread. However, you undermine your efforts to live a healthier life when you slather two big slices of the whole gain alternative with several tablespoons of butter!

Eating a boneless, skinless chicken breast is better than choking down a fatty sausage, but when your chicken is swimming in a heavy cream sauce, it's hard to see a real health advantage to making the switch. There's nothing all that healthy about fresh mushrooms when their battered and fried. A salad is a wonderful idea. When it's dripping in ranch dressing and is topped with three fistfuls of croutons, it isn't really doing you much good.

Put simply, buying healthy food isn't enough. We need to treat it the right way after we make the purchase. Sure, there's some incremental gain involved if you do everything the same way with better ingredients, but that improvement is nothing compared to what you can do for yourself by using healthy foods in healthy ways.

Congratulate yourself of the decision to buy healthier ingredients. That's a great step in a much better direction. Now, challenge yourself to use those wonderful items in ways that will allow you to experience their full health benefit. If you cook your healthy food in smart ways, you'll begin to notice a significant difference in your health, appearance and energy levels.

The use of sports nutrition is not limited to sports people, gym enthusiasts or even those that are on diet, however these products that are normally classified into the sports nutrition categories offer a great source of extremely important foodstuffs that are quite often lacking in our day to day diets.

With specific reference to the sports and training fraternity, the intake of protein is quite often underestimated and normally takes a back seat to the much touted and publicized carbohydrates for endurance. The result of this culminates in a reduced performance level, and many athletes thinking that they have mastered their sports nutrition needs wonder why their performance is not exactly what they are expecting it to be.

One only needs to think about the role that protein plays within the body, and once again this is relevant to the non athlete too. The major component of the human body is that of water, and the second component? Protein, therefore perhaps a little more attention to the protein needs of the human body must certainly be forthcoming, yet it continues to be underestimated.

As an active sports person it is also worth noting that the quality of sports nutrition also becomes extremely important and this becomes an issue of quality over quantity. This is also determined by the abbreviation commonly referred to as RDA, which stands for Recommended Daily Allowance. This figure provides for the medically research optimal amount of the specific food item or constituent that should be consumed on a daily basis.

The higher the quality of the sports nutrition supplement, the less and more concentrated the serving which in turn provides the required nutrients in accordance with the RDA levels, as well as the amounts of protein and in effect energy required for optimal performance. Sports nutrition products not only ensure optimal performance when consumed and used correctly by those that demand superior performance from their bodies, but also by people that are on diet, as well as those that are actually treated by medical professionals that utilize products such as whey protein to deal with muscle degenerative conditions and related diseases.

Sports nutrition and the related products categorized within this area, extend further into a number of additional items too. These items are in fact naturally occurring, but are lacking within our diet and therefore supplementation has become necessary. Examples of these include the creatine and glutamine supplements that have been popular for many years amongst athletes, sports people and the muscle building communities.

One of the key issues surrounding this topic is that the correct intake of these items can boost the users level of performance on a natural, and legal basis.

A yeast free diet is something that anyone who suffers from the pain, suffering and embarrassment of a yeast infection - whether it be of the vagina, penis, mouth or skin. If you cannot seem to get rid of candida, then you should seriously consider altering your diet to reduce your consumption of foods that might be contributing to excessive yeast in your body. This article will review what you should (and should not) eat when eliminating yeast from your diet.

Everyone has some level of the yeast candida fungus in their bodies. The problem becomes when the yeast levels rise to the point that they find a place in the body to migrate to and multiply - causing a rash, burning, itching and frequent pain and discomfort. For many people - applying anti-fungal remedies (either topical or oral) get the yeast levels back under control. However - some people seem to have problems with frequent and reoccurring candida infections and need to take further steps to get rid of the problem. Enter the yeast free diet. A diet which reduces yeast levels limits or eliminates certain types of foods that increase levels of candida in the body. These foods that one should avoid include anything that is made with yeast, fermented foods, sugar, dairy products, alcohol (that breaks down into sugar when digested) as well as starches.

Foods to eliminate or avoid on a yeast free diet

Get rid of foods that contain yeast - including pastries, cookies, breads, rolls and pretzels. Condiments that you should avoid include salad dressings that contain sugar, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, mustard and pickles. Alcohol intake should be minimal - particularly beer as yeast is one of its ingredients. Stay away from foods that are 'moldy' - including all cheeses as well as smoked, picked or dried meats. Mushrooms, pistachios, peanuts and bacon should be on the 'do not eat' list. Probably the biggest thing to eliminate is any foods that contain sugar - whether it be brown, confectioners, or granulated. Maple syrup and high-fructose corn syrup should be avoided. Also - certain fruits that are high in fructose should be eliminated - including dates, figs, prunes, raisins and grapes. Asian foods and condiments to limit include tempeh, miso, tamari and anything made with soy sauce. Probably the hardest food to stay away from (but you should) is chocolate. Starchy foods to eliminate include potatoes as well as corn.

Foods you can eat on a yeast free diet

OK - you are thinking 'what exactly can I eat' - here is the list. Think 'healthy'. Eat as many vegetables (except) corn as you can - especially any that have dark green leafs. All varieties of beans are a 'good thing'. Most meats are a 'go' - including poultry, fish, shellfish beef and pork (as long as it is uncured). Eggs (which are a good source of protein) are good for you. Stick to whole grains - including buckwheat, couscous, rice, barley and millet. If you are going to eat pasta - make it whole grain - made of spelt, rice or corn. Seeds and nuts are good for you as long as they are unprocessed. If you need an oil to cook with, make it unrefined - the type that you need to refrigerate.

The broad use of the definition of Aromatherapy according to Websters Dictionary is: the use of aroma to enhance a feeling of well being. That is something we all do and have done. It may be a feeling triggered by the smell of freshly mowed grass, the smell in the air after a Spring shower and even the fragrant scent of a fresh baked pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.

The Main use is: therapy using essential oils and water based colloids extracted from plant materials to promote physical, emotional and spiritual health. Included in this type of use for Aromatherapy is sore and tired muscles, headaches and other physical needs.

Anyone can use Aromatherapy, it could be in the form of a candle, a diffuser, direct use to the skin or even scent a bath. For the more intricate use for physical health it is advised that you contact an Aromatherapist. Some essential oils must be mixed with a base oil before applying them to your skin. And always consult an Aromatherapist before ingesting any essential oil or water based colloids extracted from plant materials.

It is up to you to determine what you want to achieve with Aromatherapy. It can be anything from stress relief to invigorating stimuli. Through the internet you can find almost any type of essential oil and supplies for Aromatherapy. Keep in mind that even though the quantity of an essential oil that you purchase may seem expensive a little goes a long way in your use of Aromatherapy.

Candida (or candida albicans) is a yeast-like fungus that lives in the body, mainly in the intestine, mouth, throat and genital area. It's quite normal, and doesn't cause any problems unless it becomes out of balance, where it can affect the immune system. When the candida does get out of balance it travels through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, resulting in symptoms that are many and varied.

There are several things that can cause candida albicans to spread in this way, including stress, poor diet, medications (particularly antibiotics and oral contraceptives).

The most effective candida treatment includes several things:

* Changes in diet Avoiding foods that encourage the growth of yeast, such as sugar, yeast products and processed foods
* Cleansing/removal of the candida This can be done using herbs, but it is important that it is done in a way that supports the organs of elimination as they remove the dead cells from the body
* Avoidance of drugs and other factors that promote candida growth Drugs such as anti-biotics and oral contraceptives contribute to the spread of Candida
* Correction of nutritional deficiencies Strengthening the body's immune system, which will have become weakened as the Candida yeast takes over

Candida overgrowth is also known as candidiasis. It can be quite difficult to detect because it can infect various parts of the body, resulting in many different symptoms, including things like constipation, diarrhea, colitis, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, depression, arthritis, to name just a few. Once identified, however, if all of the above areas are included in the candida treatment, it is possible to restore a healthy balance and eliminate the symptoms.

Many people suffer from candida overgrowth and yet are not aware that this is the cause of the symptoms they are experiencing. Candida treatment is not something that is often recognized by many medical doctors, and yet once the candida is addressed, symptoms often disappear.

Linda Binns is a Personal Growth coach and consultant, specializing in Holistic Nutrition and 'Conscious' Feng Shui, which means working with the environment (both internal and external) to help people live more peaceful, productive and satisfying lives. She provides information, tools, guidance and community to those looking for ways to be more productive and successful.

What causes flushing? The truth is, it's different for every individual. When a person's face turns red, it can be due to a variety of different factors ranging from emotions to eating something too spicy.

Here's what causes flushing. There are other contributors but these are the most common:

1. Erythrophobia - This is the term used to describe a fear of blushing. People who fear the act of blushing can develop a phobia which persists. This fear of blushing causes people to avoid situations in which they may turn red in front of others.

2. Social Anxiety - This form of anxiety causes people to be fearful of crowds and social situations. Not everyone with social phobia fear the act of blushing but when faced with a crowded room, they often turn red.

3. Shyness - This commonly causes flushing. When people are shy they are often embarrassed easily and blush for the slightest things.

4. Emotions - Many different emotions can cause blushing. Embarrassment causes flushing, just as much as anger, happiness, lovingness, etc.

5. Rosacea - Rosacea is a medical condition which causes a person's face to turn red. It also causes tiny red pustules to form on the face.

6. Hot or Spicy Food - These can cause flushing and runny noses for many people.

7. Alcohol - This also often causes flushing. Many people drink thinking that they will become more confident in social situations. It often makes their blushing worse.

There are other causes of flushing but these are the most common. If you want to control your blushing episodes, you need to first understand WHY you blush and then go from there.

Taking control of your blushing and your life is possible. Click in the following link to learn simple techniques to end your blushing once and for all.

STOP BLUSHING NOW.

Want more information on what blushing is? Click here to find out more about face blushing and erythrophobia.

Remember - your blushing will only last as long as YOU let it.

Healthy aging remains a question for people in their 50s. Well stop wondering and do something about your health. Let's admit that a lot of older people believe that exercise is no longer needed when they reach a certain age because the body is physically weak and exercising might cause injuries. It doesn't matter what your age is, the point is it's never too late to start getting fit and healthier. The body responds to physical activities at any age. Did you know that people over 65, more than any other age group, require ample fitness activities to help them maintain independence, balance and coordination? Studies show that regular exercise even during this age significantly reduces the risk of certain diseases.

Without regular physical activities, people who are over 50 may experience health problems like reduced muscle mass, strength and physical endurance, reduced cardiovascular and respiratory function, reduced bone strength, increased fat levels, high blood pressure and increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Engaging in physical benefits have countless benefits like increasing the muscle mass in just a short period of time, improves bone density therefore delays or prevents bone loss, improves cardiovascular and respiratory functions, improves overall flexibility and helps in burning calories to make us lose that extra weight. Instead of staying at home the whole day and spend all your time reading, why don't you devote one or two hours a day being active. Some people even get significant results just by exercising for 30 minutes a day, 3 or 4 times a week.

Choose a workout routine that you will enjoy the most whether it's walking, body building, water aerobics or cycling. All of these exercises will give you the benefits mentioned above. Healthy eating needs to be paired with your workout routine. It doesn't make much any sense that you exercise regularly but your diet is consist of pizza, burgers, fries, junk food and ice cream. Opt for healthier alternatives like whole grain products, lean cuts of meat (grilled not fried) and increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Avoid commercial products which are high in trans fatty acids like cake mixes, cookies, muffins and margarine. Trans fat has no use but to extend product shelf life and it is said to be worst than saturated fats. Lastly, increase your water intake and forget about soda or beer. Water is the best drink you can ever have. Add lemon to your water if you want an extra zest. Water helps flush out toxins from the body.

Personal Health Organizer - Keep Track of Your Numbers For Better Health Outcomes
By Brent Aleshire Platinum Quality Author

Having knowledge of your key numbers is an important way to keep track of your health. In addition, it has been observed that more effective information gathering by patients, and more conversation with their physician during office visits was related to better health status.

What are your health numbers? When were they last checked? What do they mean? Are they close to normal? The answers to these questions are very important to your overall well-being. Remember, knowledge is power. This is a perfect opportunity for you to take control of your health care.

Know Your Numbers

An actively involved health care consumer should always know their important numbers. These numbers can alert you of any trends or potential risks in your health status. Here is a list of several key numbers you should have access to and track.

1. Blood Pressure
2. Pulse
3. Total Cholesterol
4. LDL ("Bad") Cholesterol
5. HDL ("Good") Cholesterol
6. Triglycerides
7. Fasting Glucose
8. Waist Circumference
9. Body Mass Index

Your primary care physician may have other numbers for you to track. For most health conditions there key numbers you need to know. Ask your physician about the latest research related to your condition. Once you know your numbers, you can set and reach specific targets with your physician.

Taking an active role in your own medical care may be one of the most important decisions of your life. Your level of participation can be dramatically increased through the use of a personal health organizer. Use it to keep track of your key numbers for better health outcomes.

1. Are you prepared to become your past picture? I hope so. Test out these last minute weight loss tips on getting the body you've for all time desired and transform your body now.

2. You are in control of your body system. If you live an inactive lifestyle, then your system is going to be inactive. Unless you have a thyroid trouble, you can enhance consumption of your system. You can achieve this by eating 5-6 meals a day. Your system remains constantly active which enhances calorie use. Constant inclusion of nutrients will increase your liveliness levels and you'll discover yourself being more energetic during the day.

3. Start today! Don't be indecisive. There is no explanation to wait till next day to start a hale and hearty living plan. Don't leave it as last minute weight loss plan and take steps to transform your body now.

4. Planning your exercises as a first thing in the morning will enhance your fat loss. Your body is ready for burning fat as soon as you wake up. Drink a glass of water before and after your exercise. Getting the blood flowing earlier than you eat breakfast can significantly boost weight loss. Exercise is very essential to transform your body.

5. Strength is good even for ladies. Let's imagine about it for a minute. Muscle burn up more calories as compared to fat. A pound of muscle will melt around 50 calories. Add 10 pounds of muscle during the current year and you will be melting 500 more calories in a day. Each week you will be using 3500 additional calories which is equal to 1 pound of fat. It is a widespread misinterpretation that lifting weights will make you fat. This just isn't true. So get lifting and transform your body.

6. In order to transform your body, nourishment will play a large means to achievement. Read an exercise and nutritional magazine. If you write down what you're doing, you will be more expected to attain your objectives. You can become skilled at from what you do in the earlier period and you won't retain the information what you've done with no writing it down.

7. Don't eat big portions! Try and consume a mixture of carbohydrate, a protein, and a fat every meal. Your exercise should be your main item, protein 2nd, and fats should be the minimum. I propose each meal should only be able to fill up a smaller part of your stomach. Multiple and smaller meals will be helpful to transform your body.

Is Silver Good For You? the answer is yes

With all the talk about gold and other precious metals rising in value, one topic that has resurfaced lately is the possible health benefit of silver. Colloidal silver has been used in treating illnesses and wounds since the beginning of medical thought and theory. Paracelsus, a fifteenth-century alchemist, wrote about the healing power of silver in his famous medical tracts. Maybe he got the idea from Hippocrates, who wrote and taught that silver could prevent disease. This is why ancient people used silver-lined vessels for drinking water. Another benefit from this was that it kept the water tasting fresh.

Not that there are many ancient Greek writings on how fresh the water tasted out of silver-lined vessels. In more modern times silver has been used to fight off bacteria. American pioneers would drop a silver coin into their canteens to keep their water tasting pure. They'd also put a silver coin into milk to keep it fresh when they couldn't keep it cold. Also, flatware was (and is, if you can afford it) made out of silver. This is because silver was thought to protect the body from illness.

Silver does have antibiotic properties. In one experiment, a scientist set out to prove this point. He injected some silver colloids (which are compounds of silver suspended in water or some other liquid) into a culture of a type of E.coli bacteria. The silver killed all of the E.coli within six minutes of contact. That is fairly compelling evidence that there is some truth to the idea that silver can protect us from disease.

But to what end? Prior to the wide release of antibiotic treatment, silver was used to treat infection. Antibiotics came along, and doctors stopped prescribing silver-based treatments. In the late nineties there was a resurgence of advertising via the internet; claiming that colloidal silver was some kind of panacea - that it could cure everything from malaria to leprosy and everything in between. In early 2003, Wired.com reported that there was a rise in the occurrence of argyria - a condition brought on by ingesting too much silver. The silver actually collects in the skin and turns it gray, blue, or purple. The condition is permanent.

Because of this, and the fact that ingesting too much silver can cause coma or even death, the FDA no longer allows producers of colloidal silver "remedies" to claim any sort of health benefit, although producers are allowed to call their product a "health supplement." Some people swear by using silver supplements, like Stan Jones, a senate candidate who manufactured his own silver supplement when he was afraid that the year 2000 would bring an end to the availability of antibiotics. Sure, he's sort of gray, but he claims that his health has been better because of his silver consumption.

On the other hand, Rosemary Jacobs is an argyria-sufferer who speaks out against the use of colloidal silver as a health remedy or supplement. She used some eye drops containing silver back in the fifties and her skin has been gray ever since. She saw the advertising that starting hitting TVs and computers at Y2K and decided to speak out. She started her own website to debunk the "snake oil" that turned her gray and she has done a lot of research on the contents of many of the "health supplements" that contain silver.

So You Have Plantar Fasciitis - An Explanation of Its Cause and Your Treatment

Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of foot pain and many Americans seek treatment for pain relief and a return to normal foot function. Unfortunately, the cause of this condition as well as the treatment required to achieve relief can be a little complicated. It requires medical care. Although most people see a podiatrist for this condition, it is also treated by some orthopedic surgeons and less commonly by family physicians. During the brief time one has with their physician in this day and age of heavily packed offices, a full explanation may not be possible or it may seem confusing initially, even at the foot specialist’s office. The purpose of this article is to shed some light on the general causes of plantar fasciitis and the treatment usually given, for those of you who have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and may still be confused by what you have and what you can do to get rid of it.

So your doctor has diagnosed you with plantar fasciitis....

The plantar fascia is a band of rubbery tissue under the foot arch that connects to the heel at one end, and the ball of the foot at the other end. Your plantar fascia has been injured. This has likely occurred over a long period of time. Most people with this condition have it because the foot is flattening excessively, which creates strain on this tissue every time one takes a step. Over time, this strain has allowed microscopic tearing of the fascia to occur, which is now worsening daily. A much smaller percentage of people have this condition due to an arch that is too high. In this case, the foot cannot absorb shock well enough because it cannot flatten, which under normal circumstances is how the body absorbs the shock of walking. The plantar fascia becomes inflamed during the process of excess shock being transmitted to the heel and arch. On rare occasions, plantar fasciitis can be caused by injuries due to stepping on a blunt object, excessive use of ladders or stairs, or even ruptures due to various foot injuries. Your doctor likely has explained to you what the cause of your specific fasciitis is. If not, ask him or her to explain this better.

Many people associate their heel and arch pain with a heel spur. Although spurs are often present with this condition on the heel bone, they are rarely ever a contributing cause to foot pain. They simply represent an additional growth of bone tissue in response to the inflammation and strain that is occurring where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone. Because you walk parallel with the direction of the spur, instead of the spur facing down into the bottom of the heel tissue, it is not contributing to your pain. You may or may not have a heel spur, and your doctor will likely have seen this on any x-rays taken during your examination.

It is quite common for other tissue to be inflamed along with the plantar fascia. This includes nerve tissue that runs along the side of and under the heel. There can even be entrapment of a large nerve that runs around the inside of the ankle bone and passes through a structure called the tarsal tunnel. A condition can develop in the ankle similar to carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist that can include heel pain as one of its symptoms. This condition can be present with plantar fasciitis or appear on its own.

Treatment of plantar fasciitis usually involves two steps performed at the same time. The first step is reduction of the inflammation causing the main symptom of pain, at both the fascia and surrounding nerves. You would likely have been given stretching and icing instructions to help make the fascia more limber and reduce inflammation. Be sure to perform them as instructed without skipping days. If medically appropriate, your doctor may have put you on anti-inflammatory medication. It is important you take this as directed daily. It is not a ‘pain pill’ per se, and may not provide an immediate or noticeable sense of pain improvement. It works to reduce your body’s overall inflammatory state, and may take 2-3 weeks to achieve that. You should report any stomach upset or other adverse effects as soon as they occur. Occasionally some patients experience these problems with anti-inflammatory medication. Often, physicians will inject the pain site with a steroid medication. This acts to reduce the inflammation directly in the heel. Most people have significant reduction of their pain after one to three injections split apart by two weeks each. The injections may take up to a week to work, and on rare occasion some people have a one to two day increase in their pain following the injection if the body initially is sensitive to the crystals of the steroid in the tissue. It is unusual and ill-advised to have more than four or so injections during the immediate treatment period, especially if one is have little to no relief. The steroid crystals will eventually accumulate in the heel tissue, and can cause internal tissue irritation if excessive amounts are placed in the heel. Although not toxic, this excessive accumulation can make the heel and arch worse off.

If you follow some of the simple rules for body growth then you may not have to look for information on how to become taller. Some of these rules are common sense factors and some of them are facts based on scientific research. For example research indicates that artificial human growth hormone can cause a lot of side effects and health complications and hence needed to be avoided.

The first important thing to maintain growth and become taller is to follow a routine in your day to day life. A haphazard lifestyle often leads to hormonal imbalance. This results in reduced activity of the pituitary glands. If your pituitary glands are not fully active then the supply of human growth hormone will get adversely impacted. So maintain a proper routine if you want to increase height naturally and gradually.

Another major reason for stunted growth is physical inactivity. Don't just remain confined to your home or office. Take out some time for exercise. If possible go to a park where you can breathe some fresh air. Alternately visit a gymnasium regularly. Regular physical activity will keep your bones strong and healthy. Exercise also makes your bones and muscles flexible.

The third key factor that makes or breaks growth is a well balanced diet. Have a diet that has a good mix of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamin and minerals. This can come from a combination of foods like chicken, whole grains, sprouts, milk, fruits and vegetables. A proper diet will help you maintain proper body metabolism and grow taller naturally. This will also help in preventing excess weight. Along with a balanced diet you also need some good rest everyday.

Following these tips will not only satisfy your information appetite on how to become taller naturally and increase height, but also maintain a healthy lifestyle.

These days' even women long to have six-pack abs. Getting the six-pack abs is the right combination of diet and exercises. Apart from doing the exercises it is also important that you have the right diet, which is rich in proteins and fibers so that you burn calories and also don't fall short of energy. Another important factor that females need to focus is on staying motivated to get the six-pack abs.

For females it is advised that they should not work out on their abs for more than three times in a week. Plan out the abs exercises on alternate days so that they exercising should not result in stress. It is also important to do the right exercises with correct postures. When you start a workout for six-pack abs, then you will be mainly doing abdominal exercises. However, it is equally important to burn the fat that can be done with cardiovascular exercises.

The first exercise that can help you with building abs is cycling. For this exercise lie on your back and raise your knees towards your chest. Put your hand behind your head and slowly move your knees towards the chest in a cycling manner. The lower part of your leg should be in a position that is parallel to the ground.

Second exercise is doing crunches. For this exercise also lie on your back and hold your hands behind your lower head. Fold your legs and touch them with the thighs. Now gradually move your upper body and shoulders. You can start with doing 10-15 crunches in a day but don't overdo them.

For the third exercise lie on your back, and cross your legs one by one over each other, having raise them at an angle of 30º. This helps in toning of the lower abdominal muscles.

Doing the right exercises can help you get the six-pack abs. However, for women it is advised that they shouldn't go overboard with abdominal exercises as it can cause hormonal problems.

Tips to Avoid Food Poisoning or how to Avoid Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is a blanket term that refers to a number of health issues caused by bacterial infections, viruses, and parasites that you can ingest with your food. Doctors say that you actually get food poisoning more often than you think; they purport that every time you have diarrhea lasting longer than 24 hours, it is actually a food-borne illness and not just a "stomach bug." Food poisoning can easily be avoided if you prepare your food correctly and safely. This article will outline some tips to help keep you and your loved ones healthy and safe.

There are a number of ways in which food products can become carriers for organisms and viruses that cause all of the health problems associated with food poisoning. Symptoms of food poisoning are typically nausea and diarrhea, but it can even cause fever, muscle fatigue, and paralysis in the more extreme cases.

When you are preparing food at home, there are a number of steps that you can take to avoid sickening yourself and your loved ones. Here is a quick look at methods you can adapt to protect yourself from catching these food-borne illnesses.

Botulism. The bacterial called botulism usually comes from canned goods. Therefore, be sure to not store food in cans once you have opened them. It is much smarter to switch the leftovers into a plastic container or plastic bag to keep botulism from growing in it. Also, as botulism may come on fresh foods like tomatoes and peppers, keeping these produce items refrigerated can help you. Additionally, serve the food still warm from its preparation.

Salmonella. Salmonella is another type of harmful bacteria that you can ingest. It tends to appear in raw items, such as eggs, meat, and unpasteurized milk. Therefore, make sure that you cook your foods thoroughly, and stay away from foods that have "hidden" raw ingredients, such as raw eggs in Caesar salad dressing. Also, salmonella is easily transferable from item to item, so try not to cross-contaminate while cooking. Use one cutting board and knife for meat, and another for your vegetables.

Eating muscle building foods does help you get the edge and build muscles much faster than just eating normal foods. Muscle building foods that is refereed here is not some engineered freak food, it just carefully selected natural foods that contain high in protein that can help you accelerate your muscle building process. Building muscle is not as simple as just hopping into the gym, lift a few weights and you will get results. It requires much more than that. Number one, you need an excellent workout plan and then, you need a solid diet. Just imagine you are a homebuilder, even with the best tools and blue print, you cannot build if you do not have enough cement.

You get results from your workout when you rest, not when you are working out. During your workout, you are tearing your muscle in microscopic scale, and your muscles will recover and grow bigger when you feed them with muscle building foods like protein. You cannot get big muscles by just eating bread and beans. You need foods that contain complete amino acid profiles.

You have to include these power muscle building foods in all your meals. Consuming them bit by bit, spread throughout the day can increase the absorption rate of these foods in you body. Eating a large portion at once will not work because your body cannot absorb all the nutrients at once. Here are mini lists of muscle building foods that can help you build lean muscle that is rock solid in no time!

Muscle Building Foods 1 :

Beef is an all time favorite in a body builders diet. Roughly, 100 grams of beef contains 30 grams of high quality protein. These proteins are high BV protein, which means that, if you consume 100 grams of steak, 30 grams of protein will be absorbed by the body and utilized for protein synthesis. The steak, which contains the highest protein, is the Silverside lean. This is a good choice of steak because it also contains very low fat, 5 grams of fat only. There are many ways you can cook beef. The best way to do it is to roast it because this way of cooking uses very little oil. For a quick meal you can also buy beef strips and stir fry it with vegetables, onions and chili using olive oil.

Muscle Building Foods 2 :

Famous body building food number two is the all time favorite, eggs! Eggs are such a power food for building muscles because it the eggs whites contain no fat and although the egg yolk is high in cholesterol, it provides Omega 3, which is good fats. Eggs are also a source of protein, which contains a complete amino acid profile. Eggs are very easy to get, dirt cheap and convenient to bring around. One egg contains 6 grams of protein, 3 grams in the yolk and 3 grams in the white. There are tons of ways to cook eggs. The best way to cook eggs for dieting is to cook in hard boil or half boil, then eat it with a bit of soy sauce, this is good method of cooking because it contains low fat. To kick out of the boredom, make scrambled eggs with olive oil and chili.

Muscle Building Foods 3 :

Another fantastic lean source of protein is poultry. Chicken and turkey is a very good source of protein, low in fat, cheap and easily attainable. Although some parts of the chicken are high in fat, like the thigh, it is ok to eat it if you take the skin. 100 grams of chicken can give you 30 grams of high quality protein. The good thing about poultry is that it taste really good in sandwiches, salads, roast as well as stir fried.

Muscle Building Foods 4 :

When your parents say, eat your fish, they are right. Fish is also a powerful muscle building food because it is low in fat, high in protein and high in omega 3. Although fish is slightly more expensive that the other sources, having fish twice a week is good enough. The fishes that are high in protein are lobster, haddock, mullet and saithe. If you want convenience, go for tuna fish. Tuna fish is also very high in protein; a can of tuna can easily supply you with 30 grams of protein. Tuna have become a more desirable choice because it can be use with sandwiches, salads and other dishes. Tuna comes in handy cans than be ripped open. Some even comes in airtight packet so that you can carry it around.

Muscle Building Foods 5 :

Do not forget about milk and soy! This stuff is good stuff. Although they may appear as liquid, they are a good source of protein and when taken with meat, they compliment the amino acids supplied by the meat. 100 grams of tofu made from soy contains 8 grams of protein. One glass of low fat milk contains roughly 8 grams of protein. You have to be careful not to over do the milk because milk does contain lots of fat. Choose the low fat or the pasteurized version.

There you go, five choices of muscle building foods to fill up your menu. Make sure you include protein in all your meals, spread them out evenly in a day. Try to shot for 2.0 to 2.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for positive nitrogen balance. This will give you optimum results along with intense weight training.

Massive Growth is easy, you just have to know how it’s done and apply that knowledge. There are so many things that you can do wrong when trying to build muscle that it is very important that you attempt it with the correct knowledge, otherwise you’ll end up wasting your time and energy with little or no results for all your efforts and expense. It’s quite easy to get fit, but to pack on pounds of muscle needs the correct knowledge – then it becomes easy.

Here are my 10 steps to Massive Muscles:
Note: Always get the go-ahead from your GP or Health Practitioner before starting or changing a training routine and before taking any nutritional supplements.

Step 1
Throw away your old routine and open your mind to new training ideas and techniques. Take two weeks off to take it easy and relax.

Step 2
Get yourself a copy of Rob Maraby’s Massive Growth System and follow that for 12 weeks. Condense the system down to at least 12 weeks by not taking as many days off from the gym as recommended.

Step 3
In the Gym: Slow down with your rep speed taking 2 seconds to raise the weight and 4 seconds to lower it, applying much greater effort and concentration. Aim to make slight improvements every couple of days or so, at least every week.

Step 4
Write everything down in a notebook like sets, reps, amount of weight used, your body weight, your goals, meals, supplements, diet.

Step 5
Supplements:
Creatine – almost immediately before and immediately after training
Whey Protein – 45 minutes before and after training
Casein – before bed
Multi Vit/min – 1 a day with a meal
Vit C – twice a day morning and evening with meals
Vit E – 1 a day
EFAs – 1 a day

Step 6
Diet
Try and Eat 4 times a day, not including protein shakes. Eat plenty of vegetables with Chicken, Beef or Fish. Eat fruit first thing in the morning only.

Step 7
Water – and plenty of it. It’s a lot more important than food but food just happens to be more satisfying. Drink at least 2 litres a day, at least. Take a litre to the gym if they don’t have a fresh clean supply. Plenty of Water is needed.

Step 8
After 12 weeks of training with the Massive Growth System it’s time to change things. First take note of your improvements. It’s always a good idea to have the knowledge of more than one muscle-building expert…so…go and get yourself a copy of Jeff Anderson’s Optimum Anabolics and follow that for at least 12 weeks or more.

Step 9
After 12 weeks or so, take note of your improvements and give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done. Take two weeks off, relax and enjoy.


Step 10
It’s time to start all over again – at least now you have a lot more muscle than you started with.
You might want to stick with the same two muscle-building systems again if you are pleased with your results… or you can move onto another two muscle building systems. Look here for the greatest muscle-building systems ever

So there you have it – My 10 Steps For Massive Muscles.
Once again: It really is always a good idea to get expert help, instead of going around in circles getting nowhere fast.

If you're looking for serious muscle growth then you will need to follow some universal muscle building rules. Muscle growth will only occur when certain elements are in place and triggered correctly. There are many things you can do to improve your muscle building results like change your routine, change your sets and reps and change your diet for the better. Making these changes will change your results. Here are 5 secrets for massive muscles that you can use or consider.

1. You must lift heavy weights - How often have you heard that one? Heavy weights, how heavy is heavy? The weights must be heavy enough that by the time you get to 6 reps you are struggling to reach 8 to 12 reps. You should not be able to do 15 reps. The ideal rep range for muscle growth is 8 to 12 reps but in order to induce muscle growth you should struggle on the sixth rep while pushing for 8 to 12. You should always have someone on standby when you are pushing heavy weights.

2. Keep your workouts under 1 hour - Train with high intensity but never go over the hour. It is a waste of time and recovery energy when you go over the hour. 45 minutes is even better. The idea is to induce muscle growth by warming up the muscle area sufficiently then hitting the muscle groups hard (2 muscle groups per session is good) and then get out before the hour.

3. Do fewer sets and fewer body parts - There is absolutely no reason to do six sets of this exercise and six sets of that exercise. You can but you will get little or no results for it, especially if you're trying to lift heavy weights and train intensely. It cannot be done successfully. 2 to 3 sets per body part is more than enough to induce muscle growth, not counting your warm up sets. 2 body parts per session is all you should be concentrating on at time, some people only train 1 body part a session with great results.

4. Eat 8 meals a day - It's easier than you think. You can eat 4 solid decent meals along with 3 or 4 protein shakes. There's breakfast lunch dinner and snack and there's also the pre and post training meals or shakes, and you can fit in a protein shake last thing at night just before bed. You need those calories and protein to ensure sufficient energy for recover and muscle growth.

5. Supplements - Some might say you don't need supplements to build muscle but I say you do need some, but not most of the "supplements" that are available. After training with heavy weights under high intensity your body's entire mechanisms are completely drained, not just your muscles. You need more calories and protein than the regular person in order to recover from it and grow new muscle. You need whey protein and casein, you need a multi vitamin/mineral, Vitamin C Vitamin E, Zinc, and creatine is a great idea for its muscle building and health benefits.

Note: You should check with you GP or Health Practitioner before starting or changing an exercise program and before taking any new supplementation.

So there it is, another 5 muscle building “top secrets” that you can consider. Muscle building does take commitment, time and discipline, even if you are doing things completely wrong. If you’re not gaining muscle then you know you are doing something wrong, just remember to lift heavy weights (safely) Get out before the hour, Do less sets and less body parts, Eat plenty of nutritious food, and take some supplements.

It is that, but it is also much more. Hatha yoga practices are more spiritual than physical, more subtle than gross, more a means of understanding than an exotic way to relieve stress or limber up the body.

The sages who developed hatha yoga designed it as a way to gain conscious control of our life energies, a way to go within, to harmonize the external so the innermost Self could be encountered. To them, it was about states of consciousness, about living a divine life, and it was a preparation for meditation.


As you perform the asanas, concentrate on feeling the energies within the nerve currents. Sensitize yourself to knowing when the body has been in each position long enough to tune the nerve currents involved. Then shift smoothly into the next asana. It's like a dance, a deliberate, fluid dance. During all postures, inhale using the diaphragm, not the chest muscles. Do not stretch unduly or force the body. Relax into the poses. Don't worry if you can't perform them all perfectly. In time, you will find the body becoming more flexible and supple. Free the mind of thoughts and tensions. You will be more aware, more alive, more serene.

While there are many more complex hatha yoga routines, these twenty-four asanas provide a balanced system for daily use. For the simple purpose of quieting the mind in preparation for meditation, this is all you will ever need. For best results, hatha yoga should be taught personally by a qualified teacher. These instructions and drawings are meant only as a rudimentary aid. For more elaborate regimens, inquire at a recognized school specializing in hatha yoga.

The scene of hatha yoga has a spiritual purpose - to balance physical and physic energies in preparation for meditation. It is not only meant to make us young, beautiful or creative, but to aid us in quieting the mind, body and emotions that we may awaken enlightened consciousness & know the Self within.

Aerobics is a moderate-intensity workout program that makes the body use stored fat as a fuel rather than glucose - the sole source of energy for the brain. Fat, like a log of wood, is a slow but long-lasting fuel, whereas glucose, like a kindling wood, gives quick energy in short spurts. And because fat metabolism requires oxygen, aerobic exercises - which are meant to raise the oxygen requirement in the body - are perfect for going from fat to fit.

However, for some reason the ability of metabolizing stored fat for energy purposes decrease as the fitness level of a person decreases. As a result, the muscles of an out-of-shape person start burning glucose instead of fat, making him feel fatigued and hungry after slightest activity.

Why Aerobics?

Aerobic exercises swing the body back into the fat-burning mode and program the body to burn fat for fuel even when you are not exercising. This helps in making the muscles lean, improves the strength of the heart muscles, and reduces blood pressure. Because aerobic exercises are moderate-intensity, anyone can benefit from them, including out-of-shape people, the elderly, children, and even pregnant women.

Which Exercises are Aerobic?

Any physical activity that raises your heart level to 60-70% of the maximum heart rate for a sustained period of 20-30 minutes can be classified as aerobics. If an exercise is making you feel out of breath, it means you are pushing your heart beyond the permitted optimum heart rate. This should not happen.

The best aerobic exercise for beginners is brisk walking. And all you need to do that, apart from the will to do, is a good pair of shoes. Walking 30-40 minutes 3-5 times a week is ideal. Some indoor low-impact aerobic exercises include walking on the treadmill, cycling on a stationary bike, swimming, etc.

Fit people can take to high-impact aerobic exercises like jogging, skipping a rope, mock skipping, jumping jacks, stair climbing, skiing, etc.

Making Aerobics a Fun Activity

If you enjoy exercising in a group and want to make it a social activity, then you can join aerobics classes. These exercises often consist of low-impact dance steps and rhythmic movements accompanied by stimulating music and an instructor. Aerobics done underwater, aqua-aerobics, have still lower impact than floor aerobics.

Aerobic exercises can be done outdoors as well as indoor in the privacy of your home with minimal investment. And you can easily fit a 30-minute aerobic program in your agenda. For example, cycling on your stationary bike while watching your favorite TV show, mock skipping during the short breaks in work, walking to the marketplace, etc. Use your creativity and improvise your own methods of making your workouts more enjoyable and less monotonous, so that aerobics becomes an indispensable part of your life.

Cardio Workouts for Weight Loss. Aerobic exercise can help you to lose weight, as well as increase your overall health. Aerobic exercise provides the dual benefits of working large muscle groups, while simultaneously elevating the heart rate for an extended amount of time. These exercises are particularly helpful in keeping your heart in good shape. Healthy exercise will burn fat without the bulky muscle gain of weight-based exercise programs. Experts recommend that aerobic exercise is most effective if practiced between 3 to 6 days a week for between 30 and 60 minutes at a time. Before starting an aerobic workout plan, consult your doctor for an idea of a healthy program implementation.

Options for Aerobic Exercise
The best thing is that there is an option for everyone. Any activity in which you maintain a consistent heightened heart rate is considered aerobic exercise. Some of the most popular types include:


Running
Jogging
Power Walking
Swimming
Dancing
Biking
Tennis


Additionally, classes are available in many communities or through a home-based DVD program. The main criteria for classifying an exercise as aerobic is whether or not the heart rate is elevated for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. Even if you're a beginner who needs to start slow, the more exercise you participate in, the more you will be able to do over time.

Safe Exercise
As with any exercise program, safety is an important factor to consider as you begin. To avoid muscle pulls and joint injuries, be sure to warm up adequately before you start any type of intense conditioning. Just as important is a cool down period after you exercise. Walk off or stretch slowly before resuming normal activity. Having the proper shoes is also a major safety issue. Finally, be sure to monitor your heart rate while exercising. To check your heart rate, put two fingers on your wrist and count the number of times you feel a pulse over ten seconds. If you multiply this number by six, you will determine the number of times your heart is beating per minute. At rest, a normal heart rate will fall between 60 and 80 beats per minute. A strong heart rate during exercise will measure between 120 and 160 beats per minute. Be careful not to let your heart rate go too high.

Everyone has the exact same amount of time each day. It seems there are not enough hours in the day most of the time. There is so much to do it is hard to squeeze everything in much less fitness an exercise routine into your daily schedule. Regular exercise provides many benefits to your lifestyle so if possible you should try to make this a priority in your daily life. Exercise to a healthy lifestyle, your improving health will thank you for the sacrifice.

This blog will provide some common sense tips to help you squeeze some physical fitness into your daily schedule.

Bring your lunch to work. Not only will this save you a lot of money in a years time it will allow you the time to take a walk on your lunch hour. The time you save from not driving out to buy your lunch could be well spent walking. Some folks like to eat lunch with their coworkers, so encourage them to start walking with you. You can enjoy good companionship while you improve your fitness.

Exercise instead of raiding the refrigerator. When you watch TV why not get some exercise in. It is easy to walk in place or do a few sit-ups during the commercials. You don't have to spend your leisure time on the couch. You could always tune into one of the fitness channels and get your full work out in the comfort of your living room.

Spend your break time at work wisely. Tomorrow when you go on break at work try walking around your office or climbing a few flights of stairs. Instead of drinking that extra cup of coffee get your energy from the exercise you just finished.

Make exercise a shared event. Try getting together with some of your friends and take a walk. This could become a regular social gathering. Instead of going out to eat you could meet at the gym and work out together.

Work around the house. Cutting the grass or painting the kitchen can count as a way to get your exercise routine in. Even cleaning the house will get you moving and stretch those muscles. Yard work is especially helpful in getting that hear rate up.

The best exercise plan is one that you will do today and then tomorrow. It will not do you any good to start exercising and not follow through. Pick a plan you can live with and exercise to a healthy lifestyle.

If you are tired of feeling tired, you should begin focusing not only to the calories you consume, but rather on building your body's shape and training your strength . By focusing on strengthening your muscles, you are building a body machine that is capable of lifting easier, standing for a longer period of time, run quicker and further, and perform in general better. But, most importantly by investing on your physical state, you are transforming your calorie burning machine -your body- to that better enhanced version you always dream of having; the best part is that this is still you and not a movie character. Thus, if you wish to burn more calories while increasing your strength and ability to function better, but you would like to avoid registering for the aerobics class your gym offers, you can now perform another type of aerobic exercise that you will repeat with a smile on your face.
No, I am not joking. Aerobic exercises are in fact exercises that offer your body the much needed oxygen to operate and for your muscles to burn more calories. So, instead of trying to put on those tight pants you so much dislike, you can sweat up and exercise while doing some of your house errands. Everyday activities can provide you with all the aerobic benefits you so much wish for without having to suffer by looking yourself into the mirror while wearing those ugly exercise Lycra uniforms.

Cardiovascular activities, like walking or even gardening, can provide into your daily routine with the needed levels of exercise you need. After all, you will feel proud that you went shopping, cut your lawn, or washed the dog, and at the same time were doing an aerobic exercise. Just imagine that by walking for 10 to 15 minutes, twice a day, even without dieting you can reduce your size by two whole numbers! Fitness experts also state that aerobic exercise can significantly reduce your waistline, since this type of physical activity targets your abdominal area which is where all that belly fat usually resides. But the best part is that aerobic exercising is not only for those stubborn bulges around your waist. It is one of the best exercising methods known, to burn more calories and improve the state of your health. People that regularly perform activities that could be classified as aerobic types of exercise, run a lower risk of suffering later from cardiovascular diseases, stroke, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and in some cases even cancer.

So, in order to keep fit and improve your overall ability to burn calories sooner and for longer, find a physical activity you like and make it part of your daily routine. Then find the next and so on and so forth. By performing the ones you select once or twice a week, you are less likely to quit, since you add variety to your program and most importantly you complete a number of jobs around the house.

Now, in case you do have time to explore a more "advanced" way of performing an aerobic exercise, you can always join that gym class, go dancing, start up swimming or tennis, or even learn kickboxing and tai chi. The list is endless and the only thing missing from the equation is you in order for it to be successfully solved:

Aerobics + You = More Calories Burn = Increased Level of Fitness

Fall is here but does that mean that your fitness goals will be blown way like the leaves from the trees?

Exercising at the gym can yield some amazing results, but if you have not done this before you may feel uneasy about starting. It is easy to think that everyone knows what they are doing apart from yourself. You may worry about looking a klutz, or imagine that your body does not look as good as others, or whether you are able to do the exercises.

At the outset this is usually OK because most gyms will break you in gently just to show you the various exercise machines but later you may become confused unless you have engaged a personal trainer. You may even find yourself in the unfortunate position of not being able to remember what has been shown you and further add to your embarrassment.

Stand back for a second and remember that these feelings are not unique to you - everyone joining the gym for the first time feels the same. As each day passes your confidence will grow and within time you'll be strolling through your gym exercises with all the poise of a consummate fitness pro!
Try these fitness tips to help you through your fledgling stages:

1. If you're a rank amateur, you may consider engaging a trainer to start of with until you become more experienced or alternatively go along to the training classes with a friend, so that way you can both learn together.
2. Decide which days you are going to go to the gym, and make a contract with yourself that nothing short of an emergency will stop you from going. The idea is to make going to the gym a habit just like taking a shower or brushing your teeth. Over the passage of time your persistence will be rewarded as the new dynamic, physically fit individual emerges.

3. Don't rely on your memory when a staff member is showing you how to use the machines at the initial lesson but instead take a few brief notes so that when you come back you have a record of what machine does what and how you should operate it and for how long.

4. Remember to wear loose clothes or clothes with plenty of stretch. Many people go out and buy workout clothes that are too tight in anticipation of their new weight reduced size, but when the weight reduction takes longer than anticipated the tight clothing can be a constant nag.

5. Many people get hung up over being over weight - don't be! In some respects it is better to be a few pounds overweight as your results will be more noticeable than for slim people and you will find this will motivate you to carry on with your routine with increased vigour. Be sure and take a photo of yourself before you start exercising so that you have a before and after record of your success!

6. Take it east to start with. The danger is to push yourself to the max straight away become fatigued and take a day of to recover. Missing a session occasionally is OK but miss too many and you may just decide not to continue. So initially at least take your time and work at your own pace then you can increase your tempo as your stamina increases.

7. For some of us that are carrying a few more pounds than we should we may have a problem with our stomachs being too large to fit behind some of the exercise machines - don't despair! Try building up your fitness and losing some weight on treadmills to begin with before moving on to some of the other machines. Also consider swimming as an occasional alternative to gym exercise.

8. Most gyms and health clubs want repeat customers so don't be afraid to ask the staff questions. If you have forgotten how to use a particular machine or how to set it up for your height and weight make sure that you get someone to help you - they need your business, so ask!

9. When using a treadmill if you find your knee and ankle joints complaining when you increase the speed try increasing the gradient instead. It might surprise you to learn that with the treadmill on an incline and on a slower speed you will burn more calories than if you go jogging.

10. You need to push yourself a little to make progress but don't be too hard on yourself either. Try exercising twenty minutes on the treadmill, then increase the speed or incline to push your envelope slightly. If you want to succeed at anything you have to put the work in!

Aerobic exercise is any activity that elevates your health rate and increases your oxygen consumption. In addition, this type of exercise is one of the best ways of improving and maintaining good overall health. The heart, vascular system, lungs, muscles, joints, brain, and nervous system all benefit. Regular aerobic exercise will help you to sleep better, have more energy, be more relaxed, and maintain a more positive outlook. In fact, aerobic exercise is considered an excellent treatment for mild depression, anxiety, and stress-related problems. In addition to all of those benefits, regular aerobic exercise can increase the levels of natural painkillers in the nervous system, making it a good way to control common types of pain.

When combined with a proper diet, aerobic exercise is the most effective method to control your weight. Many people would be happy to shed a few pounds, but for people with pain, weight loss may also mean an improvement in their condition. extra weight puts an extra stress on spinal joints and vertebral disks. If you are overweight, aerobic exercise will not only help to relieve your pain but may also help to control your weight.

Aerobic exercise is good for people with many different health conditions, as long as they start at a reasonable level and build up gradually. However, if you are over age 40 or have a medical condition that you think might be affected by aerobic exercise, be sure to check with your doctor before beginning such a program.

According to exercise physiologists, effective aerobic exercise should increase the rate of your pulse to roughly 70% to 80% of your predicted maximum heart rate. Before beginning to exercise, you should calculate your target heart rate. While exercising, you may want to monitor your pulse to make sure you stay within the target zone. A simple guide to remember is that you should not exercise vigorously and breathe so hard that you cannot carry on a conversation as you are exercising.

If you are taking certain medicines for high blood pressure, your heart rate will not increase with exertion as it normally would. In that case, you should use your breathing as a guide.

Although many jobs are physically demanding, very few will provide you with an aerobic workout. Better options for aerobic exercise include walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, dancing, playing basketball or tennis, and engaging in any other activity that gets your heart rate into your target zone and maintains that rate for the time you are exercising.

Some people do only one type of aerobic exercise, but it is generally better to alternate among two or more activities. This so-called cross training will make you physically fit for a wider variety of activities and keep you from getting bored.