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Archive for January, 2007
The Maharishi Ayurveda Approach to Weight Loss
5 Easy Steps to A Healthier Weight
Although different people have weight problems for different reason, these 5 tips address fundamental lifestyle habits that affect virtually everyone. The really good news is that these 5 powerful tips are easy to implement and can bring about great changes in your life and health once in place.
Point 1. Eat a light evening meal with easy-to-digest foods.
Everyone dealing with weight loss issues needs to know that it is virtually impossible to make serious progress if you continue to eat large evening meals with heavy foods!
I cannot emphasize this point too much. Ayurveda describes that digestion is less strong in the evening, plus lying down to sleep a few hours later further slows down digestion, metabolism and circulation. The body simply cannot assimilate large evening meals properly. The result is that much of the food is digested poorly and eventually creates toxins, fat and excess weight. For most people using the approaches of eating less during the day, herbs, pills, special powders and drinks, and even exercise cannot overcome this most serious of all weight loss mistakes.
Especially avoid in the evening: cheese, yogurt, rich desserts, red meat, leftovers of any kind, cold foods, processed foods
Avoid or reduce in evening meals: fowl, fish, desserts
Evening meals should be vegetarian, hot, light and liquidy. If you are significantly overweight the foundation of the evening meal should be 1) non-cream soups, 2) grains cooked in water (for example rice, quinoa, cous cous, barley), and 3) vegetables either steamed, roasted or sauteed with small amounts of extra virgin olive oil. If you must have dessert, I recommend cooked fruit desserts made with only small amounts of organic sugar.
2. Eat the largest meal of the day at lunch with a wide variety of warm, cooked food.
Lunch is the time our bodies can best digest and properly assimilate larger quantities of food due to the fact that digestion is strongest at noon and we have many active hours to metabolize the food before we sleep. Lunch is the most important meal of the day and the meal we most need to plan and prepare for.
Lunch should be warm, cooked foods with a wide variety of tastes and dishes. Warm food is essential as it can be more easily digested and assimilated. Cold foods suppress digestion (remember your chemistry- cold temperature suppresses chemical reaction, and digestion is chemistry!) The result of regular meals of cold foods is indigestion, the accumulation of ama (undigested molecules that clog the channels,) and weight gain.
Having a wide variety of foods is essential for nutrition and to prevent the body from developing food cravings-the downfall of many a well-meaning diet plan. Food cravings often occur because of imbalanced diets that included only a few food types. Diets restricted to mostly carbohydrates or protein or fat eventually lead to undernourished tissues that rightfully send hunger messages to our brain. Even though we have just finished eating a large quantity of food, parts of our body are still truly malnourished and hungry. Unfortunately if we don’t realize this when the hunger signals come we may reach for even more carbohydrate rich and dense foods like desserts when actually we need green vegetables and legume soups.
A good, balanced lunch also helps us feel less hungry in the evening, making it easier to stick to that all-important light evening meal.
3. Drink hot water frequently throughout the day
By sipping hot water throughout the day you help cleanse the digestive tract and entire body of blockages and impurities. Hot water drinking improves digestion and assimilation of food and helps prevent the body from becoming toxic and clogged. It also is a great aid in reducing food cravings between meals. I have known people who lost over 50 pounds by following only this single recommendation.
Most people can accomplish the hot water recommendation by getting a good thermos and having a cup sitting on a small cup-sized hot plate. You can pour your hot water in the cup, put it on the warmer and sip it throughout the day as you work.
The most purifying and cleansing water is water that has been boiled for about ten minutes. Boiling water for ten minutes reduces its heaviness (you will usually see a fine powder at the bottom of the pan that consists of precipitated materials from the water) and energizes the water. Drinking water from your hot water dispenser at work is better than not drinking any at all, but is not as effective as boiled water.
4. Avoid leftovers
Maharishi Ayurveda holds that putting food back in the refrigerator after it has been cooked seriously deteriorates the quality of the foods and their digestibility. Even if you heat it up after you take it out of the refrigerator, it has lost its life giving freshness.
We get more than molecules from food. We also get freshness, life force (prana) and nature’s intelligence from our foods. Physics tells us there is a classical world of molecules but also a quantum mechanical world of vibration. The vibration of the deeper fields which comprise nature’s life-force and intelligence get destroyed by cooling cooked food. As a result leftovers easily lead to improperly digested waste products called "ama" that accumulate in the body causing toxins, blockages, excessive weight gain and lead to many diseases.
The converse principle sums up the essence of Ayurvedic food guidelines.
"Eat fresh food, freshly prepared"
Because of the activity of our lives, and logistics of shopping and cooking, this simple statement can be difficult to achieve but every step in this direction will help us with weight management and overall good health.
A convenient way to get a home-cooked, nearly fresh meal of pure, wholesome ingredients for lunch each day, is to cook barley and lentils (a good fat-busting combination) overnight in a crock pot. In the morning, add chopped vegetables and some spices sautéed in olive oil (try cumin, black pepper, fresh ginger root, coriander and turmeric.) Put in a wide-mouth thermos and bring for lunch. Add some rye crackers (another fat busting grain according to Ayurveda,) and fresh fruit for a well-balanced, pure and nutritious lunch.
5. Get Moving!
I saw a headline in a health paper some time ago that made a good point "Stop Dieting and Start Moving"
Exercise is an antidote for almost everything that ails us. It improves digestion, metabolism, elimination, complexion, body tone and strength, bone density, and helps us normalize weight. It is also emotionally positive as it can be enjoyable, increase self-worth and bring us greater energy, freshness and success throughout the day.
At least take time every day to get out and walk. Evaluate your schedule and take walks whenever you can squeeze them in. Be vigilant to take opportunities to walk. It is especially good to walk after meals and especially healthy to take a walk after the evening meal.
Additional tips:
Summary
Health is won or lost in how we live day-to-day life. I encourage everyone with weight management issues to take initiative and get on an upward spiral of healthy activity. Your quick reward will be greater freshness, happiness and a lighter, healthier body.
About The Author
Nancy Lonsdorf M.D. received her M.D. from Johns Hopkins and did her postgraduate training at Stanford. She has studied Ayurveda with some of the world’s most renowned Ayurvedic physicians in India, Europe and the U.S. Dr. Lonsdorf has 18 years of clinical experience with Ayurveda and is currently the Medical Director of The Raj Ayurveda Health Center in Vedic City Iowa.
Dr. Lonsdorf has authored two books on Ayurveda and women’s health:
1. A Woman’s Best Medicine (Penguin/Putnam 1995 ; ISBN 0-87477-785-2) describing the Ayurvedic approach to the major issues in women’s health
2. The Ageless Woman: Health and Beauty after Forty with Maharishi Ayurveda (MCD Century Publications 2004 ISBN#: 0-9721233-5-0) on anti-aging recommendations and longevity for women.
Doctor Lonsdorf’s contact information is:
Nancy Lonsdorf M.D.
1734 Jasmine Avenue
Vedic City, IA 52556
641-472-8246
web site url: http://www.ayurveda-ayurvedic.com/
e-mail address: info@ayurveda-ayurvedic.com
Dr. Lonsdorf photo for web at: http://www.ayurveda-ayurvedic.com/images/ayurveda%20physician.jpg
No commentsGot A Cold - Should You Work Out?
A recent study sponsored by the American College of Sports Medicine indicates that exercising moderately while you have a common cold doesn’t affect the severity or duration of the symptoms.
It’s a widely excepted notion that exercising and keeping in shape will reduce your risk of getting sick, but nothing has been previously documented to demonstrate whether working out while suffering from a cold would reduce or intensify the symptoms.
The common cold affects us all, with the average American getting sick up to six times a year, but will exercising when you’re not feeling well, increase or decrease your ability to battle the illness, and reduce symptoms?
The study, headed by Thomas G. Weidner, Ph.D., Ball State University in Munice Indiana, involved 50 moderately fit student volunteers, who were divided randomly into two groups: exercising and non-exercising. Each volunteer was injected with the cold germs, and tracked for a ten-day period.
The subjects all kept a daily log of physical activity. The exercise group worked out either by running, biking or using a step machine for 40 minutes every day, at no more than seventy per cent of their maximum capacity (measured by heart rate reserve).
Upon completion of the study and after analysis of exercise data, symptom severity, and actual mucous weight measurements, there was shown to be no significant difference in symptom severity or duration in the exercise group or in their inactive counterparts.
The study revealed that exercising at a moderate intensity level does not intensify cold symptoms or compromise the immune system. It seems that a moderate level of intensity is not enough to alter immune response.
Reader beware, high intensity exercise such as heavy weight lifting or high intensity aerobic training has been shown to have a negative impact on the immune system during a cold or any respiratory infection.
Symptom to Exercise Guidelines:
Runny nose, sneezing, scratchy throat only Safe to exercise at low intensity levels.
Fever, dry cough, sore muscles, vomiting, diarhrea Exercise not recommended, resume more intense physical activity when cold, or infection is gone.
About The Author
Michael Stefano is a captain on the New York City Fire Department, as well as author of The Firefighter’s Workout Book, The 30-minute-a-day, Train-for-life Program for Men and Women. He is also managing editor, and writer of many articles on health and fitness at www.firefightersworkout.com, (where you can sign up for a FREE Train For Life Newsletter). Michael Stefano’s articles have appeared on such internet giants as America On Line, Yahoo!, and eDiets.com
No commentsScales Are For Fish, Not Weight Loss
Contrary to common belief, your weight is not really the indicator of a weight problem ? the actual percentage of body fat is the true indicator. You need to know what percent of you is actually FAT. How are you going to monitor your weight loss if you do not know what percent of your body is fat, before you begin your program?
Let me give you an example on measuring body fat, this is important in understanding weight loss, or should I say FAT LOSS. This is actually what we are trying to lose, right? FAT!
Lets say someone weighs 200 pounds and when we measure their body fat we find out there body fat is 40%
This means that 40% of the members body is made of fat (80 lbs). The other 120 lbs is muscle, bones, organs, water, etc. (everything but fat).
Now any true weight loss program should include some form of strength training customized to their personal abilities (Another reason you need someone who truly understands the whole body and how it works). Because if you can gain some of that muscle mass that we lose with age, our bodies will burn more calories and therefore burn more FAT!
Now it’s a few weeks into the program and this person steps on the scale and they now weigh 198 lbs. They are a little disappointed because they thought they were doing better. Their clothes fit better, they have more energy, and they are feeling better.
But they are still depressed because they only lost a lousy 2 pounds! Right? Are we sure???
We now check their body fat and it is now 36% not 40%. Let’s do a little math.
200 lbs at 40% body fat means that 40% of them is fat, which equals 80 lbs of FAT, and 120 lbs are muscles and everything else (called the lean body mass).
198 lbs at 36% body fat means that 36% of them is fat which equals 71 lbs of FAT, and 125 lbs of lean body mass.
This person actually lost 9 pounds of FAT (the stuff we are trying to lose) and gained 5 pounds of lean body mass (mostly muscle mass, which is a good thing because this will allow their body to burn more calories!)
You need to measure and focus on PERCENT OF BODY FAT, AND NOT WEIGHT!
But don’t worry, when your body fat goes down, as your body fat decreases so will the numbers on the scale!
About The Author
Dr. Jeffrey Banas is a Chiropractic Sports Physician, practicing in Mesa; AZ. Dr. Banas personally lost 60 pounds in 2003 and now uses his experience to help others struggling with their weight problems. Dr. Banas can be reached at his office at 480-633-6837, or by visiting his web site at www.personal-weight-loss-help.com.
No commentsWill Your Vitamins Be Banned?
Imagine this scenario by the end of next August…
You contact your favorite supplement distributor to purchase some of your usual vitamins and other supplements and you find out that they have all been banned!
Gone.
The joint support supplement you depended upon to keep your knees healing and pain free is now gone. The vitamins you loved to take to keep your energy level high and immune system strong - all gone.
"You are no longer allowed to buy natural supplements as they are now classified as “medical drugs” " Your former distributor explains.
"Because they are now classified as “medical drugs” under the new laws, you are no longer free to purchase them."
"What new laws?" You ask.
"A few years ago the European Commission passed the European Food Supplements Directive.”
"What do European laws have to do with US?" "What right do they have to say what goes on in America!"
"What does Congress have to say about this?"
"Well", says your former distributor, "Congress passed laws in the 1990’s and made us members of the world trade organization." "And as members of the world trade organization, according to Congress, The United States signed on to legally binding agreements to make sure our laws do not contradict with the world trade organization laws."
"So what you are telling me is we no longer have our rights under The Constitution of the United States of America?" "Other countries and organizations have power over our country?"
"What can we do to stop this?"
"Well, we could have stopped this from happening back in 2004, however people were to busy with their own lives and the conflicts our country was involved in at the time were distracting." "Meanwhile, our own legislators passed laws that stripped away our sovereignty and our rights."
"Now it’s too late."
"This is America in 2007" your former distributor explains ?
Think this can’t happen? It IS happening right NOW.
In 2002 the European Union passed the directive on dietary supplements. This directive, which is part of a larger form of legislation called codex alimentarius, is a dangerous directive which takes away your rights as an American Citizen.
This is also supported by your FDA.
Right about now you are asking yourself ?
“Isn’t the FDA supposed to be looking out for my best interest when it comes to my health?”
Evidently not.
Are you aware of the devastating effects this will have on your health?
Because it is in violation of our sovereignty and existing Laws, this directive is yet another dangerous threat to our Freedom.
This directive is on track to take effect in the United States in less than ONE year. August 2005 to be exact, and the scenario above will become reality for all of us.
Unless You take action NOW.
Unfortunately, the U.S. media is silent about this disturbing news and the severe restrictions will take effect next August, 2005.
Will you let the freedom robbing directive creep up on you and strip away your freedoms?
Will you allow these laws to classify proven and safe supplements As "medical drugs"?
Naturally, healthy supplements are derived from food and therefore should be treated as food.
We in the U.S. already have labeling laws and mega dosing Laws as follows:
All labeling laws - This means if there are any restrictions as to who should not be taking the products, they are listed right on the label.
All mega dosing laws - These laws state: It is illegal to produce a product which will harm someone if consumed in large quantities, unless there is a warning on the label of the product.
All supplement manufacturers are required by law to follow these standards or they will not be in business.
Naturally as you take a serious evaluation of the consequences of compromising our laws, our constitution, our sovereignty and our Freedoms, You will begin to see that this directive is not for America.
I urge you to write YOUR senators and congressmen to support our rights to choose how to take care of our own health.
Make it clear that this directive is NOT for the U.S.
Take action now and write to your legislators before it is too late.
Let them know in no uncertain terms that you care, that you care About your health, that you care about purchasing safe, natural, side?effect free solutions to your health problems.
Demand accountability from the FDA, urge your legislators to uphold your freedoms and stop the banning of supplements, vitamins, minerals and herbs which have a track record proven to be safe for thousands of years.
Find your legislators here: http://www.senate.gov, http://www.congress.gov/, and express your wishes that they uphold our ability to choose safe and proven supplements and our freedoms!
About The Author
Lee Cummings has been helping real people solve real problems and feel better with proven nutrition for over 4 years. For A No Cost Report- mailto:report@lc-nutrition.com
Discover proven nutrition information: http://www.LC-Nutrition.com; http://www.LC-Nutrition.com/article10.htm
Please feel free to use this article in your newsletter or on your website(with resource box included and use an active link). This article may not be used in any e-mail promotions that do not conform with federal law. If you use this article, please send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:leeman@lc-nutrition.com
No commentsHealth Benefits of Noni Juice
Noni Juice, Morinda Citrifolia
Morinda Citrifolia , a deciduos creeping vine with twining stems and white flowers which is native to Malaysia, Austrailia, and Polynesia, is gaining popularity in the west due to it’s apparently wide ranging health benefits. Part of the Madder family, Morinda’s thick, intertwined purple roots are harvested in the spring and fall for use in herbal medicine and to make the increasingly popular noni juice.
The Polynesian culture has long used morinda to treat a wide variety of symptoms ranging from respiratory problems, poor digestion, and high blood pressure to menstrual problems and immune deficiency. Rich in vitamin C, noni juice also contains the hill spectrum of amino acids, as well as naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, beneficial alkaloids , co-factors and plant sterols.
Recent research suggests that noni root compounds contain natural sedative properties and may lower blood pressure. Biochemist , Dr Ralph Heinicke, asserts that proxeronine, an alkaloid precursor to a vital compound called xeronine, helps in the normalization of abnormally functioning cells. Heinicke claims that noni juice provides a safe and effective way to increase xeronine levels, which can be decreased by anger, stress, trauma, disease and injury.
“Rich in vitamin C, morinda provides natural antioxidants that support the kidneys, increasing the flow of urine to flush toxins from the body. It works to correct problems with the structure of proteins and cells. Working at the cellular level, morinda solves problems within the body ranging from cancer to digestive distress.” - From Prescription For Nutritional Healing, by Phyllis A Balch, CNC
Depression
Morinda contains antidepressant compounds in the form of two sugars, inulin and nystose, as well as succinic acid, a compound created from simple sugars. Morinda also contains xeronine, which brings about a feeling of well-being by opening brain receptor sites to receive more endorphin hormone.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
There is promising evidence that morinda helps reduce inflammatory conditions while strengthening bones and ligaments. People with rheumatoid arthritis report relief from pain and swelling as well as an increase in mobility.
Menstrual Problems
Traditional Chinese medicine has prescribed Morinda for centuries to treat irregular menstrual cycles in women, especially when accompanied by pain in the lower back or pelvic area.
Other Benefits
Studies show that noni stimulates the immune system, regulating cell function and cellular regeneration of damaged cells. It’s also been shown to increase stamina and endurance and is thought to be beneficial in treating impotence and infertility.
Morinda works slowly, and is best taken daily over a period of six to eight weeks for best results.
References
Noni (Morinda Citrifolia), by Rita Elkins. M.H.
Prescription For Herbal Healing, by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
The Way of Herbs, by Michael Tierra “Ralph Heinicke, Ph.D., a biochemist, discovered that noni fruit contains an alkaloid …” see page 171
Some chemical constituents of Morinda Citrifolia, by Levand O, Larson HO. Planta Med 1979;36:186?7.
Morinda citrifolia (Noni): A literature review and recent advances in Noni Juice research. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica ,an international montlhly journal, ISSN 1671-4083, 2002 Dec, Vol. 23, 1127-1141, by Wang, M-Y, West, B., Jensen, J., Nowicki, D., Su, C., Palu, K., Anderson, G.
About The Author
Cori Young is an herbalist living in the Pacific Northwest.
For more information on healing with herbs, visit her website, Herbal Remedies Info (http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com); cori@herbalremediesinfo.com
No commentsThat Cookie Might Kill You!
Chances are you may have had a food product that contained Trans Fatty Acids. What’s the danger you ask? I ‘m about to share with you just a little of the hidden dangers and certain death that some of the most popular foods you eat can cause.
Do you eat foods such as, vegetable shortenings, margarine, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with Trans Fatty Acids with are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils? Well if you do you are putting yourself and your family at risk for very serious diseases like Alzheimer’s, Coronary Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes!
What are Trans Fatty Acids? These are hydrogenated oils that are created by fusing gas and oils together with what’s called a metal catalyst. The catalyst is made of, nickel, aluminum or cobalt. The oils and hydrogen are fused together in temperatures reaching over 400 degrees, thereby changing the molecular structure of the oil.
Keep in mind that the metals that are used in the process of hydrogenation arehighly toxic to your body with prolong use, which to me is bad enough, but the real culprit is the fact that the hydrogenated oils are "altered" and "unnatural" so your body cannot eliminate them naturally. Aluminum by itself has been shown to cause Cancer and Alzheimer’s disease!
Kraft Foods, whom by the way is owned by Phillip Morris (the tobacco company) manufacturers everything from cheese to nutritional bars admits on their official website that and I quote "Consuming Trans Fatty Acids is directly linked to Coronary Heart Disease." They also say that the use of TFA (hydrogenated oils) improve the "texture" and "freshness" of certain products.
The fact is that companies use these oils because the cost is cheaper, the oil does not go rancid and quickly and they get more volume from the hydrogenation process thereby allowing them to sell more of it! Did you know this??
The FDA states that food manufacturers can list their products as, 0 Trans Fat on their labels if the amount of Trans Fat is less than (0.5 grams) per serving.
Now how many of you eat The Suggested Serving Size that’s on the packaging?????
The New England Journal of Medicine — June 24, 1999 — Vol. 340, No. 25, states," product labeling is not enough because fast foods contain high amounts of trans fatty acids and are exempt from labeling regulation". They also state, "Changing the use of hydrogenated oils to un-hydrogenated oils would substantially reduce the risk of coronary heart disease."
So with all this knowledge, what are your alternatives? Mono or polyunsaturated fats that are found in Olive and Peanut oils are the best oils to use. These oils do not clog your arteries but you should still use them in moderation. Please stay away from anything pre packaged and don’t fry your foods, bake them instead. Start cooking "real foods" again!
In closing, please take care of yourself. Do not think because you may be young, physically active or even "vegetarian" that you cannot fall victim to the deathly additives in food products today. Read labels! With every meal you consume, you are either poisoning or your nourishing your body!
Salkis Re is a cosmetologist licensed in both New York and Georgia and a member of the American Cancer Society Look Good Feel Better program. She started her crusade to uncover the dangers of foods after the death of her own father to the disease of diabetes.
For more information on food dangers and natural alternatives please email her at naturesbesinc@aol.com
No commentsThe Secret Key To Permanent Weight Loss!
With this key, I GUARANTEE YOU WILL LOSE ALL THE WEIGHT YOUR EVER WANTED TOO!
Imagine yourself at your ideal weight. After all those years of trying to lose weight, you finally did it! You lost the weight! How would losing the weight change your life? Imagine it?
How would you feel? Would you have more energy? Would you be healthier? Would you live longer? Would you act differently? How would it affect your job? Would you make more money? What would your family think? How would you look? What would your social life be like? Would you feel better about yourself? Would you be happier?
Bottom line, how would losing weight change your life?
Believe me you can do it if you use this secret key. The secret key for anyone wanting to lose weight is?Never Give Up, Never, Never Give Up, Never Ever Give Up, Never Give UP! That’s right, the secret key to losing weight is not a new fad diet, it’s not a new medication, it’s not a gimmick supplements, it is A STATE OF MIND!
Lets face it. You tried to lost weight in the past, and you failed. So what! The key is what do you do now. Do you give up, or do you start again. Anyone and everyone who has successfully lost weight and kept it off, had failed in the past. However, the reason they were finally able to lose the weight, was because they never gave up.
I know how hard and frustrating it can be, but never give up. If you have a bad day and eat a bunch fatting junk, so what, forget about it.
Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it. Just start a new day and never give up. If you tried to lose weight, and did not work, try something different.
"Have you ever considered the cost of quitting? For real eye opener?ask Thomas Edison…Steve Jobs?Michael Jordan?or Jim Carrey. Ask them how much it would have cost them if they had quit. What about you?"
JUST NEVER GIVE UP!
About The Author
Dr. Jeffrey Banas is a Chiropractic Sports Physician, practicing in Mesa; AZ. Dr. Banas personally lost 60 pounds in 2003 and now uses his experience to help others struggling with their weight problems. Dr. Banas can be reached at his office at 480-633-6837, or by visiting his web site at www.personal-weight-loss-help.com.
No commentsExercise The Right Way - The Leg Curl
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders’ training regimes.
It is useful, therefore, to describe in detail the processes involved in actually doing these exercises. This will help beginners to start out using the correct techniques before moving on to potentially more dangerous heavy weights. If it also helps more experienced lifters to redress some of the little faults that have almost imperceptibly crept in over the years, all the better.
In this article we’ll take a close look at the leg curl.
MUSCLES TARGETED: semimembranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris
STARTING POSITION
Assume a prone position on the machine and press the torso and hips against the pads.
Place the ankles behind and in contact with the foot pad.
Place the legs parallel to each other.
Hang the knees slightly off the edge of the knee pad.
Grasp the handles.
UPWARD MOVEMENT
Raise the pad by fully flexing the knees.
Keep the torso stationary and the hips and torso pressed against the pads.
Do not lift the hips or thighs off the thigh pad.
Do not lock out the knees.
DOWNWARD MOVEMENT
Allow the knees to slowly bend back to the starting position.
Keep the torso stationary and the hips and torso pressed against the pads.
Repeat or finish set.
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Exercises to learn more about the issues covered in this article. No comments
Parasites: The Missing Diagnosis?
Parasites, commonly thought of as only affecting those in developing countries, actually affect 1 in 6 people in North America and are the most common disease condition in the world. For many chronic conditions this can be the missing diagnosis. For example, amebiasis can be misdiagnosed as Chron’s disease, and roundworm can be mistaken for peptic ulcers. IBS, food allergies, and chronic fatigue syndrome have all been found to have parasitic causes.
WHAT IT IS
A parasite is an organism which lives off of a host body, such as humans plants and animals,feeding on the nutrients, cells and organs of the host. Some reproduce by producing thousands of eggs, or simply replicating by cell division, within the host. Living in the body, they often move around and graze, eating cells and draining nutrients from the host’s tissues, while secreting fecal wastes.
CAUSES
Transmitted in a variety of ways,it is likely that everyone is host to some type of parasite. Transmission can occur through ingestion of cysts contained in comtaminated food & water, person-to-person contact, cockroaches, houseflies, etc. as in the case of amebiasis, giardiasis, Some are spread by insect bites, (Chagas’ disease, malaria). Most microbial infections come from our food and water sources but can also be transmitted by human or animal contact. Simply petting and grooming our pets can cause infection as parasites’ eggs pass from their fur to our hands, nose and mouth. Some parasites (e.g. pinworms) can even be transmitted through the air and are in the dust we breath. It’s likely, therefore, that those who live in the same household will all have the same parasitic infections, whether they are currently symptomatic or not.
SYMPTOMS
Wide-ranging symptoms can be chronic or acute and include:
NAUSEA
VOMITTING
DIARRHEA
BLOOD OR MUCUS IN STOOL
ITCHY SKIN
SKIN RASHES
ABDOMINAL PAIN
FLATULENCE
SULFUROUS BURPING
DECREASED APPETITE
WEIGHT LOSS
INTENSE ITCHING AROUND ANUS AND /OR NOSE
SLEEP DISTURBANCES
ABNORMAL VAGINAL DISCHARGE
LIVER/SPLEEN ENLARGEMENT
DIAGNOSIS
Unless a lab is is experienced in looking for microbial infections it is highly like that diagnostic tests will miss them because they take so many different forms within their many stages of development. To locate a clinic near you contact the Great Smokies Diagnostic Labratories at: http://www.gsdl.com
TREATMENT
Conventional treatment involves the use of parasiticides which are generally very toxic, even in the small doses needed, and thus, must be used carefully. These drugs are also generally specific for only one particular parasitic organism at certain stages of parasitic development. Because of the cunning survival strategies of parasites, and the fact that most are motile, they can quickly migrate from the area of the body that is being treated. Herbal treatments are generally more successful at treating the differing stages of parsitic infection and for dealing with parasites for which there are no conventional treatments available.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Practice good hygeine.
Keep nails short, especially children’s.
Wash hands often, especially after using toilet.
Launder bedding often in hot water.
Avoid suspect water sources.
Freeze fish for 24 hrs before eating to kill tapeworms.
BENEFICIAL HERBS
AGRIMONY
ARTEMISIA (WORMWOOD)
BARBERRY
BETEL NUT
BLACK WALNUT
BROMELAIN
CLOVES
ECHINACEA
GARLIC
IPECAC
PAU D’ ARCO
PRICKLY ASH
WOLFBERRY
Coconut Oil contains antifungal properties and can be used topically or taken internally.
About The Author
Cori Young is an herbalist living in the Pacific Northwest.
For more information on healing with herbs, visit her website, Herbal Remedies Info (http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com); cori@herbalremediesinfo.com
No commentsSurviving September: The Dietary New Year
With summer completed and school back in session, it’ll be time to settle back into another fall routine. And, even though the flexible schedules of summer have gone, this is actually a very good thing for your weight and health.
In the summer, schedules can be hectic, haphazard, jumbled. This plays havoc with your weight control efforts because you end up eating on the run, at odd times during the day, or out of sync with any rhythm you have established.
Just as your sleep is affected by its normal cycles, your body also needs predictability when eating. Uneven eating patterns leads to multiple between-meal snacks, and these only provide extra calories.
Dr. Barbara Rolls at the Penn State University has shown that, when you eat between-meal snacks, you are not going to eat less at the next meal. In fact, they have no bearing at all on how much your body is hungry for later on. So all those calories are just piled onto the total.
This really makes September very much like January in many ways. January is the "diet month" because people will have eaten poorly at office parties and family reunion grazing fests for 6 straight weeks ? and they’re finally ready to turn over a new dietary leaf.
In the same way, we typically slip-n-slide off our normal eating schedules through the summer months, only to return to normalcy and “real life” in September. So September becomes like the dietary New Year.
It’s the perfect time make fresh schedules and routines that fit a new, relaxed lifestyle. Put space in your day for relaxation, so you aren’t so stressed through the day. This will keep you from cramming too many activities around your life this fall. Make sure you sit down for dinner (not in your car), and enjoy those around you.
To create the schedule that serves you best, do right away, because once life kicks into high gear again, it will be more difficult to shift gears and shuffle priorities again.
What to include on your schedule:
time to eat at the table, to unwind, to do an exercise you really love. You might try getting up a half hour early (if you’re a morning person) or staying up a half hour later, to sit in the quiet of your home. Have your mate with you, your pet, or your favorite book. The point is to turn off the noise, and turn on a moment of sanity.
What to exclude from your schedule:
unneeded activities,
excess car time,
stressful people
You can’t be all things to all people and, while you’re trimming down your weight, it’s really okay to cut back on your harried time commitments as well. You’ll be more effective if you focus on just a few things at a time. Walk away from stressful people, who just contribute to the angst of those around them. You need peace in your life.
These tips are great starters for not only surviving September, but for living a thin and healthy life throughout the year.
About The Author
Will Clower is the award-winning author of The Fat Fallacy and founder of The PATH Curriculum, The PATH Online, and Newsletter.
The PATH: America’s weight solution.
Dr. Clower can be reached on his website www.fatfallacy.com.
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