Fat Kills You

Nuts of all kinds (I am talking peanuts, cashews etc) have a mixed reputation. They are high in fat, but have no carbohydrates. Many people I know will not eat any type of nut because of their high fat content. Nuts have a very important role in a healthy weight loss plan.

First, the fat in nuts is 90% percent unsaturated, which means it helps keep your arteries clean of cholesterol. Remember saturated fats, make you fat and clog your veins, unsaturated fats only cause you to gain weight. Do not let that scare you off; we need some fats in our diet.

Second, nuts have of no carbohydrates or sugar, which means they do not cause any insulin release, which is associated with weight gain. They are also so a great source of protein, one of the best of any non-meat food.

Do not go over board, nuts do have a lot of calories. But they also stay with you along time. If you find you are hungry between meals, have your self a serving of nuts. Make sure to eat one serving, read the label.

They can keep you from being hungry, because they have a lot of fat and protein. They also do not trigger the body to release insulin, which can cause you to get hungry.

Do not eat more then one serving a day. Any type will do so eat which ones you like they all have the same basic nutrients. They will also help you lower your cholesterol, because of the high amount of unsaturated fats

I know they have some fat, but if your weight loss plan is good and you the nuts by them selves, with out any type of sugar you will be fine. Drink water or diet soda pop with them. If you are watching you sodium you may want to eat unsalted nuts, or talk about with your doctor.

So, the next time your need a quick snack, grab a handful of cashews, almonds or peanuts and enjoy.

About The Author

Phil Satterfield runs www.dietcrazy.com a small, but quickly growing site, that is dedicated to providing people with the information they need to develop their own weight loss plan. Visit www.dietcrazy.com and sign up for a free newsletter and get a free weight loss guide. The site has many articles and links and is growing all the time.

philsatterfield_1@lycos.com

Congratulations on waking up each morning and greeting the day with renewed determination! Perhaps you rise and say, Today’s the day - I will make it through the entire day sticking to my diet goals." What a wonderful, optimistic way to begin a fresh day. Ahead of you lies the promise of a new day, a fresh start.

Sometimes though, as experience has shown, good intentions alone aren’t enough to overpower the urge to binge. This is where positive desire needs to be coupled with a sound action plan. Willpower alone isn’t enough to overcome a craving, the desire to binge or compulsively overeat. What provides empowerment is a predetermined, personalized plan of action. An individual plan that was carefully thought out ahead of time and written down.

Think about it - when was the last time you ‘easily’ sidestepped a binge or craving? Or ‘effortlessly’ drove past the fast food restaurant when a craving hit? Chances are, the urge to eat was so strong that it blocked out all rational, goal oriented thought. In a moment of crisis, focus and optimistic intentions seem to disappear.

Believe it or not, the part of you that woke up this morning and firmly stated that today was going to be a success, is still there. A part of you does still want to make it through the day without overeating. Hidden somewhere behind the overwhelming urge to eat is that aspect of you that was so confident earlier. It’’s going to be your job to go looking for it and to bring it back to the forefront. For this, you'’re going to need some tools in your tool box.

When you’re in the midst of a crisis is no time to be gathering new tools. Instead, during strong and confident times is when it’s time to prepare your tool box. That way, when you need them they are already there. You’ll just have to open the box and dig them out when needed. Use the guidelines below to begin preparing your personal plan of action to bypass a possible binge or craving.

PRE-BINGE PLANNING
Once you’re in the midst of a crisis, it’s often impossible to view what’s going on objectively. Overwhelmed by the desire to eat, it’s difficult to gain the perspective needed to seek out alternative actions. It’s possible that eating is your familiar way of coping with what’s going on. So the urge may be intense. With such a powerful desire to eat, your mind is not going to be focused enough to recall your big picture. Take time now to solidify the long range foundation of your personal goals.

A. "CRISIS STRATEGY LIST" Develop a list of things you can do, or have done in the past, to overcome the need to eat. When a crisis moment hits, you can decide which category or categories of ideas might help you through the moment. Include ideas in all the following categories:

DISTRACTION Ideas that bring pleasure and/or distance from food. Examples might include craft hobbies, walking, cleaning house, planting in garden, etc.

1.

2.

3.

4.

BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIES Options that help you deal with your environment. These strategies might include drinking water to see if you were really thirsty instead of hungry, throwing away the tempting food, inviting a friend over, etc.

1.

2.

3.

4.

SELF SOOTHING AND COMFORTING STRATEGIES Instead of using to food to calm or feel better, what are other ways that you can soothe your soul with? Examples could include a warm and fragrant bath, deep breathing, yoga, peaceful music, or going to the park to watch the trees and feel the wind.

1.

2.

3.

4.

EMOTIONAL NEEDS Find alternative ways to first identify and then cope with the underlying emotion you might be feeling. Talk to a friend or counselor, journal, begin to sit with the emotion, are just a few ways of dealing with an emotion instead of eating to suppress it.

1.

2.

3.

4.

After your list is completed, keep it in a place where you can easily get to it when needed (i.e. purse, refrigerator, etc.). Revise or update your list as needed.

B. PHONE LIST It is also important to reach out during times of crisis. During moments of urgency we often feel scared, alone, and out of control. Reaching out to someone during this time can help to relieve some of the distress that you may be having. It might also help to prevent a slip or set-back. Talking to someone about your feelings can remind you that others care for you and that you are not alone. Below write down names and numbers of compassionate, understanding people you can reach out to. While it may initially be difficult to "reach out and touch someone," it will gradually become easier. The person that you call will be glad that you trusted them enough to lean on them during a tough time.

NAME PHONE NUMBER

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

C. PERSONAL MANTRA
Develop a short one or two line statement that is meaningful to you. Take some time with this one and find powerful quote or meaningful statement that resonates within you. Something that brings you back to the larger picture, perhaps reminds you of where you wanted to go with your goal. When crisis occurs, look up your statement and begin repeating those words to your self.

Examples:

* I have the strength to stand strong for everything I believe in.

* I have the ability to change anything in my life that I choose to change.

* I take complete responsibility for my life.

* Everyday in every way I am growing more and more confident.

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Begin developing your own personalized strategy now. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect or if you’re not sure if the ideas you write down will work. It’s an ongoing plan that you will revise, and continue to fine tune. No one strategy works in every situation. Take a look at your past successes and begin to note what occasionally worked. Notice also what did not work.

Copyright 2005, Dr. Annette Colby, all rights reserved.

Dr. Annette Colby, RD
Nutrition Therapist & Master Energy Healer
“Opening Creative Portals to Success”
972.985.8750
Annette@AnnetteColby.com

For free inspirational newsletter, articles & info visit: http://www.LovingMiracles.com

Have you ever read or have been told that “it is not known why magnets work”? Well, this is untrue. All human and animal bodies are electromagnetic in nature and this fact is closely allied to the chemical balance of the body which can be in either a healthy or an unhealthy state.

It is now known scientifically that a healthy body contains fluids that are slightly alkaline and that an unhealthy body is acidic. A poor diet can make the body acidic and in this state all sorts of dis-eases will thrive. (Dr John Millward MD, “Your Life in the Balance”, available on our website.)

It is also known that at damaged sites in the body, exists a positive electrical charge which affects both the chemical balance the electrical balance in the area resulting in pain. In order to effect healing, the body’s own systems send a negative electrical charge to the area. (Dr Robert Becker, “The Body Electric”)

This healing action of the body is easily restricted by poor diet, lifestyle, alcohol, drugs etc. There is also a lot of evidence of something called “Magnetic Deficiency Syndrome” being a major contributor to restricting the body’s ability to respond to illness. I will be looking in depth at this syndrome in a later article.

It is now firmly established that a negative magnetic field, provided by a geomagnetic north pole magnetic field (the same as the Earth’s North Pole), is the most natural way of providing much needed support for the body’s own immune system.

Dr W Philpott MD, a practitioner of magnet therapy for over 40 years explains that negative magnetic fields oxygenate and alkalise by aiding the body’s defences and helping to relieve pain. Further, they combat inflammation and infection and enhance deep restorative sleep.

This latter point is extremely important. In order to combat maladies that result from the stress of our current lifestyles, the correct amount of good quality sleep is essential. Combine this with the possibility of at least reducing the amount of powerful drugs taken and what results is a completely natural complementary therapy.

It is probably wise at this stage just to say that anyone reading this article that is undergoing a course of treatment with a health professional should not stop the treatment but consider using magnetic therapy in support. Also, magnetic therapy should not be used if any electronic implants are present in the body.

Given the correct choice and placement of magnetic device, this is probably the most effective alternative therapy available. Typical successful application results in 80 to 90% of cases, higher with some forms of dis-ease. Magnet therapy can be applied by you whenever and wherever needed. Modern materials technology has produced small powerful inexpensive magnets which can be used anywhere on the body and can be moved about to find the best positions. Sleeping on magnets provides a most efficacious application.

In the next article in this series, I will be looking at the subject of magnets, their strength measurement and a complete explanation of polarity.

About The Author

© Barry Dench is a qualified electrical engineer, who in 1996 applied his knowledge of magnetism to research the effects of magnetic fields on the biological body. Author of “The Essential Magnetherapy Handbook” and numerous articles on the use of magnets, he can be contacted at his website:- www.magnecare.co.uk. Previous articles in this series can be found in the Article Library on the author’s website. (http://www.magnecare.co.uk/html/library.html)

barry@magnecare.co.uk

I believe that water not only helps with weight loss, but is also one of the most important things to keep in mind when trying to lose weight. Here are just some of the reasons why everyone should be drinking at least eight glasses of water day.

- Naturally suppresses appetite

- Increases metabolism

- Reduces stored fat deposits

- Improves kidney function

- Decreases fluid retention

- Helps muscles maintain their tone

- Aids in the prevention of sagging skin after weight loss

- Rids the body of excess waste

- Regulates bowel movements

- It’s Free!

Aren’t these enough reasons for you to start drinking your full daily intake of water?

I started drinking 9 glasses a day, and I noticed a difference over night!! I lost five pounds in the course of one day, and it’s stayed off. The key is to keep drinking water, or you will see the weight come back. For every 25 pounds you want to lose, drink an extra glass of water.

Now, even though we have most of a day to suck back all that water, it is actually more difficult that you might think. So here are some tips to help you make sure you get your daily intake:

- Make an appointment with your glass of water. Schedule certain times of the day to chug back 8 ounces at once. After you wake up in the morning, on your way to work, during a commercial, etc.

- Have a water race with a friend or family member. The extra competition will help motivate you.

- I bought a big 1.5L bottle and made sure I drank all of it before the end of the day. If I didn’t, I told my co-workers that they had permission to dump whatever was left on my head.

- Before drinking that coffee or pop, force yourself to get another glass of water down. You will probably not even want anything else after that.

- When you go to the bathroom (and you will be going frequently at first), refuel yourself with another glass before going back to whatever it was that you were doing. - Measure how much water you need in a bottle or measuring cup, then you can see your goal for the day.

- I played a game with myself while I was doing a puzzle. Every time I fit a piece into the puzzle, I would have to take a drink. It seems pretty silly, but it worked. I do puzzles pretty fast, so I downed almost 2 glasses in less than a half hour.

Use these ideas, or come up with your own tricks to help you reach your goal. You will notice a difference right away. I know I did. I felt better, I could see my stomach shrinking, and I found myself snacking less. It really works!

Cassandra Germsheid is the owner of http://www.babytipsonline.com where she helps mothers learn about their health, and share tips and information about their babies. She is a stay at home mother, but sometimes works part time for the local newspaper.

"Exercise is good for you!" If you had a dollar for every time you heard this statement uttered, you’d be rich by now, right? Well, proponents of everyday physical activity aren’t just blowing smoke when they repeat this mantra. Medical research has uncovered resounding evidence to back up this "good for you" claim. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the National Centers for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion all recommend the same thing when it comes to regular exercise: American adults should aim for 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week.

Inquiring minds want to know, so how exactly will daily exercise impact your health and well-being? Regular physical activity positively affects not only your body but also your mind. That’s right: Exercise simultaneously improves your physical, your emotional and your psychological health. In fact, it’s a triple-threat combatant against the physical and mental disorders Americans most often face: heart disease, diabetes, stroke, stress, anxiety and depression, just to name a few.

When industry experts stand in staunch agreement, you know it’s time to focus your attention on their advice and take their concurring counsel to heart. To that end, consider daily exercise’s benefits as purported by three of the leading medical sources: the American Heart Association, the Surgeon General’s Report on Exercise and Fitness Management magazine.

The American Heart Association (AHA) lists a reduction in the risk of heart disease at the top of its daily physical activity benefit list. Exercise improves circulation throughout the body and lowers cholesterol, thereby decreasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke. The AHA also touts exercise’s ability to counteract the health problems plaguing today’s young people: obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and poor lifestyle habits. In so doing, it prevents the conditions that lead to heart attacks and strokes later in life.

The U.S. Surgeon General, while echoing the AHA’s claims, narrows down physical activity’s benefits into specific categories. Overall, he maintains that exercise reduces one’s risk of dying prematurely, but explicitly mentions a reduction in heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, colon cancer, depression and anxiety and obesity among its lifesaving advantages. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, healthier bones muscles and joints as well as improved psychological well-being are some of the other benefits regular exercisers enjoy.

In an article entitled "The Psychological Benefits of Your Exercise Program," Fitness Management magazine further details physical activity’s favorable effects on emotional and mental health. In particular, the article cites the following psychological advantages of exercise: 1) It reduces feelings of anxiety, worry, self-doubt and uncertainty about the future; 2) It lower stress levels and the accompanying physical complaints, such as headaches and muscle tension; 3) It energizes, thereby enhancing one’s mood; 4) It improves sleep quality; and 5) It improves one’s self-image and ?confidence by keeping weight down and elevating mood.

So, while an apple a day is still sound advice, it seems exercising every day is the new and improved ticket to keeping the doctor away.

By Matt Ream © 2005 RYP Sports Inc. All rights reserved.

RYP Sports is a leading retailer of heart rate monitors, pedometers, Timex watches and stopwatches. Unbeatable prices on the widest selection health related products, including yoga mats, yoga DVDs, exercise balls, and step counters on the Web. All items in stock for fast shipping at the BEST prices anywhere. Satisfaction guaranteed.

A flood of scientific evidence about fish oil points to a startling conclusion that taking high-dose fish oils, which are very rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, helps support a healthy heart, a healthy brain, a healthy immune system, healthy joint movement, healthy kidneys and much more.

Each grade of fish oil is distinguished from the other by its purity and concentration of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Crude fish oils are the least expensive and most will likely contain some levels of contaminants including PCBs, DDT and organic mercury.

When choosing a high dose fish oil remember that knowledge is power and not all fish oils are manufactured the same. Some fish oils may even be dangerous when taken in high doses.

With many choices of fish oil available, and with so many pro and con opinions written about each, it is easy to become confused. So when it comes time for you to choose a fish oil make sure you do your homework and choose wisely ? your health depends on it.

When choosing a fish oil that you will be ingesting in high doses it is crucial that you choose one that is pure and free of contaminants, toxins, and mercury. How can you, the consumer, tell the difference?

Currently there are three grades of fish oil available on the market today:

• Cod Liver Oil
• Health-food grade fish oil, and
• Pharmaceutical-grade fish oil

Cod Liver Oil

Cod Liver Oil is the lowest quality fish oil and like the name implies it is manufactured from the livers of Cod fish. It has the lowest concentration of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and contains the highest levels of contaminants such as organic mercury, PCB’s, and DDT. Cod Liver Oil may also contain a high level of Vitamin A.

Cod Liver Oil is not recommended for high dose consumption. A typical serving of Cod Liver Oil contains 500 mg. of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

Health-food Grade Fish Oils

Most health-food grade fish oils are manufactured from fish body oils. Fish oils can be manufactured from a single fish species or from several fish species.

Fish size and their relative rank in the food chain can help us understand the level of contaminants that may be found in health-food grade fish oils. Small fish, such as sardines and anchovies, don’t live long so are less prone to accumulate environmental pollutants. Larger fish, such as salmon and mackerel, are predatory species that live longer so they could contain higher levels of pollutants. If the label says it comes from a particular species of fish, such as salmon, then you can be sure that it probably is health-food grade fish oil.

A slightly more purified type of health-food grade fish oil is available which includes oils that have been subjected to a limited amount of molecular distillation to remove some of the cholesterol. These types of fish oils are usually labeled as “cholesterol-free”.

“Fish Oil Concentrate” is yet another type of health-food grade fish oil. Fish oil concentrates consist of ethyl esters of the fish oil that have been subjected to fractional cooling. The solidified saturated fats are removed leaving behind a more concentrated solution of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. A typical one-gram capsule of thermally fractionated health-food grade fish oil contains up to 500 mg. of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

Typical health-food grade fish oils may contain varying amounts of contaminants. In addition, the fractional cooling method does not necessarily remove all the PCB’s or the long-chain monoene fatty acids that may give rise to gastric distress. Due to the varying amounts of contaminants that could still be contained in health-food grade, it is questionable as to whether it is safe at high levels. A typical one-gram capsule of health-food grade fish oil contains approximately 300 mg. of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

Pharmaceutical-grade Fish Oil — the newest generation of fish oil.

Pharmaceutical-grade fish oils start with thermally fractionated health-food grade fish oils. These oils are then distilled, using a highly complex refining technology, into fractions rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. According to manufacturers, it typically takes about 100 gallons of health-food grade fish oil to make one gallon of pharmaceutical-grade fish oil.

Individual fractions are then combined to provide a 2:1 ratio of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) for the finished fish oil product. Scientific studies conducted with pharmaceutical-grade fish oils that used a 2:1 ratio of EPA and DHA reported significant clinical benefits.

Pharmaceutical-grade fish oils are exceptionally low in long-chain monoenes, PCB’s and other pollutants. Pharmaceutical-grade fish oils are believed to be the safest to take in high doses. A typical one-gram capsule of pharmaceutical-grade fish oil will have a minimum of 600 mg. of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

Pharmaceutical-grade fish oils are a fairly new product and a good-quality source may be difficult to find. In addition, pharmaceutical-grade fish oils definitely cost more ? sometimes twice as much. This increased cost is an outcome of the complex process used to remove impurities. Each step in the refining process adds additional production costs.

For instance, OmegaRx developed by Dr. Barry Sears and recommended in his book, The OmegaRx Zone ? The Miracle of the New High Dose Fish Oil, starts with health food grade fish oil which then goes through nine additional steps to make it pharmaceutical grade quality. Pharmaceutical-grade fish oils generally taste better and the amount of long-chain monoenes, which cause gastric distress, are dramatically reduced.

For more information about where to purchase Dr. Barry Sears’ OmegaRx Fish Oil Supplement, please visit http://www.fishoilzone.biz or http://www.omega3zone.biz or call To Your Health at 503-244-5941.

About The Author

Bev Storer is a writer and researcher in the field of nutrition and nutritional supplements. To learn more about pharmaceutical-grade fish oil, visit her website or e-mail her directly at info@fishoilzone.biz.

Do you want to lose weight? Of course you do, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. Let me ask you another question. For how long do you want to lose weight?

Just for the summer to look good in bikini? Or before winter Holidays to make some room for the turkey and mashed potatoes?

If you want to do that go ahead and pick one of the fad diets. Starve yourself for a week or two and then, after a moment of glory is over and you have been admired in a new dress, go ahead and turn back into a pumpkin. Because that’s exactly the shape your body will gradually take if you decide to make your life a series of multiple diets.

Now if your goal is to discover your true beauty hidden underneath those multiple layers of fat, to look good, and to feel great, you will have to make permanent changes in your life.

It sounds hard, but it’s actually much easier than sitting on those horrible diets constantly fighting your urges and refusing yourself little sweets you like so much.

I know it, because I’ve been there myself. The worst thing was that I used to work part time as a cashier at the bakery. You couldn’t imagine how miserable my life was at that moment. Every time I would decide to sit on another fad diet, bakers would “accidentally” put extra cherry filling into those cherry strudels. And no matter what time I would show up for my shift I would always have to witness them getting fresh baked cookies out of the oven.

Sometimes it seemed like everyone was doing it on purpose, just to brake me and destroy that little willpower I had left. Now I realize that it was my fault for wanting fast results, but not wanting to follow through.

The key to losing weight and keeping it off is the right lifestyle.

It is about finding the right balance between the food that is both delicious and full of vitamins, and exercise that’s fun and energizing. Sounds good, doesn’t it? And the best thing is that by making small changes on a daily basis, you’ll not only look great, you will also make your tummy very happy and your family proud.

If you’re serious about loosing weight you have to commit to the new healthy lifestyle.

No one week diets.
No “do-nothing-and-lose-30-pounds-in-a-week” pills.
No magic pants that mysteriously melt fat away.
No quick fix solutions.

The ONLY thing that works is lifestyle change. Not for another two weeks, but for the rest of your life! For as long as you want to stay slim and healthy.

When lifestyle is healthy then weight normalization becomes one of many positive effects that occur over time.

Changing your lifestyle doesn’t have to be difficult. All you have to do is to follow 4 simple steps:

First step - to get motivated. (Yes, without motivation and burning desire you won’t go further than one week of healthy lifestyle. So the first thing we need to do is to get fired up!)

Second step - change your diet. (No, you don’t have to starve to death and count calories or carbs. Just follow basic principles of healthy eating.)

Third step - start exercising. (Don’t get out of tune, exercising the right way is actually fun!)

Fourth step - stay on track. (The most difficult part of loosing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to stay on track and don’t quit.)

If you really want to get rid of all extra pounds here’s a little task for you. Take a piece of paper and write down all the reasons why you want to lose weight. The more the better. Try to come up with at least 15 reasons why.

Don’t put it off. Take the first step to your beautiful and healthy body!

Arina Nikitina is the author of free Weight Loss Guide that will show you step-by-step what you need to do to get rid of all these pounds. To learn the healthy way of weight loss visit: http://www.free-weight-loss-zone.com/guide.html

A ranch house, a zip lock bag and some ordinary flour

Two experiments:

1)Some ordinary wheat flour such as can be found in most homes placed with some water in a zip-lock plastic bag. A magnet is passed over the bag and an extraordinary thing happens - Iron particles start popping out and attaching themselves to the side of the bag, forming clusters of what looked like iron filings.

2) The next experiment involves placing a well-known brand of cereal into a bowl of water. The magnet is again passed over the bowl this time and the flakes literally line up and follow the magnet round the bowl.

This is the first time I realized that there is so much added iron in the food that we eat and the effect it can have on our health.

We’ve all been told that heart attacks and heart bypass surgery are as a direct result of clogging or furring of our arteries by ‘bad cholesterol’. The arteries become so narrowed as to make the blood flow through the arteries very difficult thus placing enormous strains on the cardio-vascular system.

Why do we need chelators and what are they?

A few trace metals that we absorb are toxic, these include iron and lead

To make use of them our bodies must form chelates (key-lates) out of them, and to do this requires chelating substances

Chelating substances attach to desirable trace metals and allow the body to properly utilize those metals they also attach to undesirable trace metals and allow the body to remove them.

Types of Chelator

Many chemicals can serve as chelators. Their effects will depend on the precise nature and concentration of that chelator.

There are some weak chelators present in common foods.

Stronger chelators are substances used medicinally to rid the body of excess toxic metals

Why is there potential for Iron Overload? Iron overload is possible because there is no normal mechanism for removing it from the body.

The body is iron-efficient, it retains its iron and recycles it over and over again.

The body’s iron level is controlled almost entirely by absorption and iron can build up progressively as dietary intake increases, especially in men because they do not have a monthly blood loss.

Over a period of months and years this will result in the accumulation of several grams of iron.

Iron and Heart Disease Risk

Iron can generate free radical pathology.

There is now good evidence that free radical pathology leads to changes in the blood vessels which sets the stage for atheroscelerosis.

Accumulation of excess iron in the body may increase the risk for heart disease and the connection doesn’t end there….

Health statistics have revealed that women have a lower risk of heart disease than men, until menopause, after which the risk is the same.

Why?

Pre-menopausal women have a monthly blood loss that rids the body of excess, potentially toxic iron, which may protect against heart disease.

Even pre-menopausal women with high blood cholesterol levels and high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, which are considered to be strong risk factors for heart disease, have less heart disease than men.

The Lead connection

Lead is a toxic element that has many undesirable health effects.

Evidence links excess lead with cardiovascular disease, cancer and other disorders.

Researchers have found that cancer rates are higher amongst people living near heavily-traveled roads and it was suggested that this increased risk is due to the higher levels of lead in the air.

This led the researchers to test the effect of a lead-removing substance - EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid),a man-made amino acid and chelating agent - on cancer rates in people living near high-traffic roads.

After 18 years those treated with EDTA had one-tenth of the cancer rate of those not treated with EDTA.(1)

Chelation Therapy

This is the use of chelating agents, orally or by injection, in order to bind and remove harmful metals from the body.

The man-made chelating agent EDTA can remove most toxic metals.

Intravenous Chelation

This therapy has been used by doctors as an effective alternative to bypass surgery for atherosclerosis since the 1950s, giving hope that having hardening of the arteries need not lead to coronary bypass surgery, heart attack, stroke and numerous other related diseases.

Doctors noted reduced pain and blood cholesterol levels as well as other favorable changes. EDTA chelation therapy has been reported to help in many conditions now thought to be related to free radical pathology: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and others.

Another effect of EDTA is that it changes the calcium/ magnesium ratio in the body.

EDTA removes calcium more efficiently than magnesium which reduces the ratio.

Lowering the ratio improves the flexibility of blood cells, reduces the tendency of blood to clot and reduces blood cholesterol and blood pressure.

So the benefits of EDTA are not entirely due to the removal of toxic metals but also the calcium/magnesium balance.

In the case of intravenous chelation, EDTA is used as the chelating agent. It is carried in a glucose formulation together with synthetic B Vitamins. It takes several hours and requires 80-100 treatments.

Oral Chelation

Oral EDTA therapy can also be used. One or two oral doses of EDTA per day, over a period of months can have a long-term preventative effect.

But beware! - there are many so-called oral chelation supplements on the market containing few or no chelating substances!

For an oral chelation supplement that has been tested and certified to lower bad cholesterol by The University of Illinois, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition: Go to http://GetaHealthyHeart.com

————————————————

References:

1. Blumer,W, et al Environmental International 3: 1980, pages 465-471

Bibliography:

New Answers to Old Questions, The Free Radical Story by Harry W Hersey

About The Author

Jakki Francis operates ‘Natures Remedies’ a health and nutrition business selling cutting-edge herbal nutrition products. They are based in the UK and also trade in Europe, USA and Canada and new partners are welcome from any of these countries.

Natures Remedies also trade worldwide on-line - http://www.naturesremediesuk.com - And while there, don’t forget to subscribe to her F*REE Ezine, “Health News You Can Use”

Who is Jakki Francis? http://www.JakkiFrancis.com

Aromatherapy is a method of using the aromatic oils which have been distilled from plant sources to engender a feeling of well being both physically and psychologically. Safe and correct use has been shown to benefit the physical and mental well being.

There are many aromatherapy oils which are used in the art of aromatherapy and these are too lengthy to list here. However, there are many benefits to be had from aromatherapy oils but you need to understand that there can be some drawbacks for use in aromatherapy although many people say there are greater benefits.

There are two ways in which essential oils are used in aromatherapy. These are by inhalation and by application to your skin.

Inhaling aromatherapy oils is where the vapor given off by the oil is inhaled into the lungs. This is thought to incite the brain and cause it to trigger a reaction to the oil. It is also thought that there is a physical well being by breathing the vapors directly into the lungs. Remember that safety is of the utmost importance and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions as otherwise a reaction, possibly very severe can take place. It is important to remember to consult a trained specialist before using aromatherapy oils.

The other method of using aromatherapy oils in is by application to the skin. It is thought that when oil is applied to the skin it is absorbed into the blood stream and is useful for many health, beauty and hygiene conditions. Again, I must stress the safety aspect as aromatherapy oils are usually very strong and it is important that they are always diluted before you use them. To dilute them a carrier oil is needed and these are oils such as grape seed oil, sweet almond oil and apricot kernel oil.

Another way that aromatherapy oils can be used is to act as an insect repellent. We are all familiar with the use of citronella in candles. I find these excellent as a way of keeping bugs at bay.

Aromatherapy oils can also be blended together and this can be done with a carrier base but not always. Combination oils can have even more benefits in aromatherapy as they then offer a combination of uses. The Internet has many sites where you will be able to find recipes for blending together different oils with their uses listed as well.

The term aromatherapy is a fairly recent phrase first thought to have been used in the 20th century but the practice of aromatherapy has been around for well over 1000 years.

The Egyptians are thought to have developed a way of distilling oil from cedar wood and the Chinese have used plant and herbal incense from a very long time which they burned to give a feeling of well being.

René-Maurice Gattefossé, A Frenchman, is first thought to have used the term aromatherapy after he supposedly treated a nasty burn with the nearest liquid to hand which turned out to be oil distilled from lavender. This wound healed quickly and it left no scaring. This started his in-depth research into essential oils.

We are now becoming more aware of natural products after we have relied on synthetic drugs for many years and aromatherapy is growing in popularity. Most of us prefer to use natural products, such as aromatherapy oils, to sooth and heal our minds and bodies. Gattefossé would have said, Long Live Aromatherapy, but he would have said it in his native French. Using essential oils for aromatherapy is natural and is an excellent way to help calm and sooth our troubled 21st century lives.

About The Author

Ric Wiley is an Internet Marketer who enjoys writing about a varied range of subjects. A reformed smoker and heavy drinker he now spends a lot of time exercising, keeping fit and running. Check out his latest site at http://www.first-choice-health.com

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor; nor do I play one on TV. As a matter of fact, I don’t even watch the actors, who play the doctors on TV. I am a researcher, extraordinaire. I research, “the research.”

Health statements made by this writer have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, mitigate, cure or prevent any disease. Nor are they intended as medical advice and should not be used for the purpose of self-diagnosis. Consult your personal physician regarding all medical problems and concerns…

There’s more fat around the bellies of American men women and children now, then there was 20 years back.

What’s up with that?

The truth is, there are a multitude of theories and reasons which address our battle with the belly. My aim is to focus on one, probable cause; and then share one, dynamic solution.

Let’s begin with a review of Anatomy 101. The colon. The colon is also known as the large intestine. It is a long, muscular tube, about six feet in length that orchestrates the digestive process. As you chew your food, your body releases enzymes that help with digestion. When your food reaches the stomach, the process continues and, the body’s digestive juices break it down even more. After about an hour or so of this, the stomach deposits your food into the small intestine.

After several hours of being in the small intestine, the undigested waste, is transported into the last section of the colon where it is eventually eliminated.

Most adolescents have little problems eliminating waste from the colon. This is because there is very little undigested waste sticking along the lining of the colon walls. However, the typical American diet is loaded in fats and enormous amounts of protein which have a propensity to deposit left behind, waste in the colon. As such, it’s during your post-adolescent years that the interior of the colon walls gradually become smaller and smaller.

Imagine a pipe accumulating years of interior rust. This causes a narrowing of its original diameter. Well, this is pretty much what happens to your colon over time. That is why there may be more force required to eliminate fecal matter. Elimination is supposed to require little effort. However, because your colon’s walls are lined with debris, you strain. “Straining” is indicative of a blocked colon.

A blocked colon leaves food behind to rot in the digestive tract: Therefore, the final process of digestion is not completed. The debris then rots and candida albicans, bacteria and toxins take residence. Food which is undigested in the colon contributes to colon cancer. John Wayne, the world famous western actor, died from complications of colon cancer. It is said that he had more than 40 pounds of undigested food in his colon.

Mucoid plaque consists of the layers of mucous and rotting food which compact themselves year after year along the entire length of the digestive tract (Anderson). But here’s the thing, this plaque forms in the intestine and continues to produce mucous as a normal response to the undigested food. Food is not supposed to just sit there and rot. Our body is designed to store three meals at any given time (Jensen), but most Americans are storing six to twelve! Mucous is not powerful enough to move the toxic, enzyme-free sludge left behind from fake, chemically-laced and high-processed foods such as, “wieners,” “supreme burritos,” and double orders of chili fries.

However, as a natural defense mechanism, your body continues to produce more and more mucous. This causes the colon to grow in diameter and create the appearance of belly fat. So, if you are doing dozens of crunches and other “ab work” and can’t seem to lose the belly fat, it’s probable that you have undigested food rotting in your colon.

In his book, Cleanse and Purify, Dr. Richard Anderson documents what another medical doctor (who requested anonymity) shared at a seminar:

“I have spent twelve years working in the field of post-mortem diagnosis. I have seen many thousands of dissected cadavers. What Rich is telling you is the absolute truth. Everybody has it in there. We have a way of attaching a hose to the upper intestines and with the aid of powerful chemicals, we literally blow the stuff right out of the intestines. I have seen the heavy ‘beer belly’ and so called fat people lose all that bulk in five minutes. It wasn’t fat. It was the mucoid layer that Rich was talking about. And, in that filthy substance we see all sorts of worms, bacteria, fungi, and many unidentifiable things. It is almost unbelievable that people can live with that filth in them. All these people were dead of course, and it wasn’t hard to see why?” (Anderson p2-46)

Unbelievable!

A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR A PROBABLE CAUSE

Colon hydrotherapy- is a powerful enema performed by a licensed professional. It has an immediate affect and flushes out old, putrefied food and debris from the colon. Many doctors have stated that rotten food can be removed with this hydro-cleanse.

Maintenance:

Reduce or completely eliminate white dressings, ice cream, processed sugar, candy and creamy soups.

Increase the fiber in your diet. Make broccoli, beans, fruits and nuts the norm.

And finally, exercise and drink plenty of clean, fresh water throughout the day.

It won’t be long before you begin saying:

“What happened to my belly fat? Oh, I had enough of that!”

References

Jensen, Bernard —Empty Harvest

Guyton, AC, MD —Textbook of Medical Physiology

Martin, Simon — Intestinal Permeability

Anderson, Richard, MD — Cleanse and Purify

Fran Briggs is an author and motivational speaker. She is also the President of The Fran Briggs Companies, an organization dedicated to the personal and professional development of individuals and groups around the globe. The company’s personal development website offers a free, exciting twice-monthly newsletter that helps you live a happier, healthier and wealthier life. Please visit http://www.franbriggs.com and http://www.dwjd.info for more information.