Fat Kills You

Massage Therapy is a massage session that takes place in a warm, comfortable and quiet area as you lie on a specially-designed table. Sometimes, soft music is played for relaxation. A professional massage therapist with proper training will perform the massage therapy.

Usually, massage therapy is done with the client disrobed. It is, however, up to the individual whether or not to undress. Through the massage therapy session, you will be properly covered. Typically, a full body session includes therapeutic massage on your back, arms, legs, feet, hands, head, neck and shoulders. Depending on the massage therapy technique utilized, your body should become relaxed as the session progresses. Some massage therapy methods include Swedish massage, deep-tissue massage, reflexology, and acupressure/Shiatzu massage. Each of these massage therapies uses variant strokes, posture and pressure application to specific points. Always ask your practitioner about which technique he or she utilizes. In most cases, a massage therapy session lasts about an hour. For optimal relaxation, try a 90-minute massage therapy visit.

Massage therapy is beneficial as it relieves chronic muscular tension and pain, improves circulation and joint mobility, reduces mental and physical fatigue and promotes help in healing, including lowering of blood pressure. After massage therapy, many individuals experience relaxation and freedom from aches and pains due to tension or repetitive activities. Increased energy, mental awareness and improved productivity usually lasts for days after massage therapy. The advantages of massage therapy are infinite. Feel free to contact one of our experienced massage therapists today to begin your road to healing and wellness.

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C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations’ Director & Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Massage Therapists, Massage Therapy Schools, and other educational information!

If you’ve been enjoying life after gastric bypass surgery you will know exactly what I’m talking about. That rumbly-tumbly stomach growl that’s more bark than bite. It’s the inactive tummy talking, the lower part of the stomach that was bypassed. And it growls at the oddest moments seldom accompanied by hunger pains. My inactive tummy is particularly talkative at bedtime, I think it remembers the refrigerator front bedtime binges from my previously life.

Remember the surgical diagrams you studied before surgery: a tiny stomach portion we call the pouch was separated from a larger portion, which is the inactive or bypassed stomach. In the gastric bypass procedure the stomach is left in place with blood supply ? it is still and active organ yet no longer a reservoir for food. In some cases it may shrink slightly and the muscles may atrophy, but for the most part it remains unchanged. In fact, the "inactive" tummy is quite active. The inactive tummy is an around-the-clock chemical factory keeping your body in balance.

And for all it’s hard work what do we do? We don’t feed it. No wonder it’s talking!

The lower stomach still contributes to the function of the intestines even though it does not receive or process food - it makes intrinsic factor, necessary to absorb Vitamin B12 and contributes to hormone balance and motility of the intestines in ways that are not entirely known. So when you hear that rumbly-tumbly stomach growl you can smile happily knowing your body is hard at work keeping you chemically healthy and well.

Kaye Bailey © 2005 - All Rights Reserved

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com

LivingAfterWLS is a no-nonsense resource for people Living After Weight Loss Surgery. Our community is growing in numbers even as we are shrinking in pounds. Together we support one another in this lifestyle, that it turns out, is NOT the easy way out.

Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often. To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter “You Have Arrived” click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.

If you or someone you know suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, you know how painful and debilitating it can be. If you haven’t walked a mile in those shoes, you can’t imagine how frustrating it can be. Your doctor may say try this medication, try that. Don’t do this, do that. But sometimes, to no avail. The disease is caused by a misguided immune system attack on the body’s own joint tissue, which leads to swelling, pain, stiffness and in some cases deformity. Rheumatoid arthritis is more common among women than men.

Perhaps what you’re eating, or more specifically what you’re not eating can be causing some of your soreness. Recent findings suggest that a diet high in fruits, vegetables, legumes and certain oils aids in relieving symptoms in people with rheumatoid arthritis. After following a diet rich in fruits and veggies for three months, people with rheumatoid arthritis experienced a number of improvements not seen in people following a typical American diet high in processed foods. Some of the improvements shown include a decrease in pain, inflammation, disease activity and in the number of swollen joints. Further, previous research suggested that more olive oil and cooked vegetables help protect people from the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

The current results suggest that “patients with (rheumatoid arthritis) can obtain better physical function and increase their vitality” from eating a fruit, vegetables, legumes and some oils diet for three months, write Dr. Lars Skoldstam of Visby Hospital in Sweden and colleagues.

This plan is similar to that of people who live in the Mediterranean. They also tend to eat a lot of fruit, vegetables, and legumes, more fish and less red meat. Moreover, they drink a moderate amount of wine, and rely on olive oil as their main source of dietary fat. Earlier research has suggested that followers of this diet enjoy a wide range of benefits, such as a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and memory loss.

Additional studies have shown that citrus and zinc may also cut rheumatoid arthritis risk. Citrus can be helpful because of the antioxidants they contain. Findings are not conclusive, yet promising.

In the study, the doctors found that women getting less than 40 micrograms of beta-cryptoxanthin, a component found in citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit were at a somewhat elevated danger of developing rheumatoid arthritis than women who consumed more than that amount.

Although thus far it has only been proven that genetics is the culprit behind rheumatoid arthritis, if there have been some findings as to the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, wouldn’t it make sense for suffers to up their intake? It certainly can’t hurt? and may actually help. Now please pass the broccoli with a side of grapefruit!

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

A Japanese study found that if you exercise at night you will be less tired the next day. Apparently it increases testosterone levels.

Whether this is the case or not I’m not sure. However, I do know that in my own (and other peoples) experiences it depends on what type of exercise you do.

For those of you who have trained physically hard in the couple of hours before bed and then ingested the necessary food afterwards you may well have found it hard to drop off for a good nights sleep.

I know, in the past, this was the case for me.

Think about it. It stands to reason!

You perform hard physical training, get your body into an ‘alive’ state with blood pumping and sweat pouring, and then expect it to quickly shut down and allow you those precious eight hours sleep a night!

NOT likely!

If this sounds like you, or you would simply like a way to unwind before bed while improving internal health, then keep reading.

All that is required from you is an acceptance of a more holistic approach to exercise. Yes, physical training where you sweat and work hard certainly has its place, but a knowledge and application of other less movement based training protocols is of immense value if good health is your objective.

What type of exercise am I referring to? Well, for a start, one that calms and centres the mind and focuses on slow, relaxed, breathing.

If you desire (and need) more quality sleep then doing jumping jacks and “pumping iron” is not the answer!

Joking aside, here is an easy to access relaxation exercise you can use before bed to ensure you drift off into a restful slumber.

1. Lie on your back and focus on your breathing. Try and allow your mind to clear.

2. Establish your energy centre just below your belly button. Breathe into this point.

3. Focus on gentle full breathing.

4. If you find it hard to drift off due to worries, anger, sadness or any other emotion then try to focus on your energy NOT on the emotion.

5. Try to calm your energy down by addressing your breathing. If you focus on what is bothering you it only serves to bring more attention to it.

6. Tell yourself you will wake up energised.

7. Continue your gentle, unforced, relaxing breathing until you drift off.

Try this type of internal approach to getting better sleep each night for a week and feel the relaxing benefits for yourself!

(c) Tim Webb 2005

Tim Webb is a fitness instructor, Ju Jutsu instructor and competitor. He specialises in easily accessible deep breathing exercises that combine breath and mind together. His site http://www.BreathForSuccess.com offers a product that provides deep breathing exercises for invigorating yourself, relaxing, and highlights how your breath can be tied in with your goals to move you towards them in record time!

Have you noticed since your WLS and return to regular eating a meal often causes you to become sleepy? Seriously sleepy. Drop your head in your plate sleepy.

This happens to me all the time. And there’s a good reason for it. When we eat the body produces a rise in blood sugar and a surge in insulin production. This chemical activity sends tryptophan to the brain where it becomes serotonin that signals the body "Take a nap!" Here come the nods, the yawns and the blinking eyes. WLS patients are highly susceptible to post meal sleepiness because of the shortened route to the small intestine. From there the tryptophan has a fast ride to the brain shouting almost like Paul Revere "The Sleepies are coming! The Sleepies are coming!"

Now, I don’t want any of you emailing my husband, but quite frequently I dramatically play the "I’m so sleepy" card and go to bed after dinner leaving him with the dishes and evening chores. (Feel free to try this at home!) In fact, he’s in the kitchen now doing tonight’s dishes!

This is fine for the evening meal, but what about a noonday meal? For example the business lunch. How can we socialize at our mid-day meal and not become a victim of the "Tryptophan Express" to Sleepytown?

A wise nutritional strategy for maintaining a sharp mental edge after lunch is to eat foods that give a gradual, steady release of food energy throughout the afternoon while placing only a light burden on the digestive system. Consider these strategies:

1. Emphasize healthy protein choices, like cold-water fish, beans and legumes, or a non-cream-based main dish soup or stew. Consume 60% of your volume from this group.

2. Choose a minimal serving of low-glycemic-index carbohydrates, like green salad, root vegetables in their skins, mushrooms, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, or artichoke. Consume only 20% of your food volume from this group.

3. Be sure your food choices contain healthy fats, such as cold-water fish, flaxseed oil, olive oil vinaigrette (the vinegar helps slow the release of food energy), nuts, seeds, or avocado

4. Absolutely avoid sugary, starchy, or fatty foods like soft drinks, non-whole-grain pasta, fried foods, and rich or creamy sauces and dressings

5. Skip dessert.

Rest assured, (pun intended) by making wise food choices we can be alert, responsive and LivingAfterWLS! Just say no to the Sleepies by making wholesome healthy food choices.

Kaye Bailey © 2005 - All Rights Reserved

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com

LivingAfterWLS is a no-nonsense resource for people Living After Weight Loss Surgery. Our community is growing in numbers even as we are shrinking in pounds. Together we support one another in this lifestyle, that it turns out, is NOT the easy way out.

Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often. To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter “You Have Arrived” click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.

Naturopathy is a holistic therapy that relies on natural remedies. Sunlight, air, and water are thought of as natural healers; this, along with nutritional supplements and massage therapies are all part of naturopathy.

Naturopathy is founded on the principles that bodies are capable of self-healing. Naturopathy emphasis healthy environments and is a belief that the natural body is one with the Divine on a cosmological viewpoint. Combining harmony or balance, naturopathy utilizes herbal supplements and remedies that enrich the immune system.

Theoretically, naturopathy is also based on the principle that one can use his or her mind to enhance the immune system, overall improving health and wellbeing. Naturopathy is a conglomeration of alternative medicines wrapped into one.

Commonly — acupuncturists, Ayurvedic practitioners, and other alternative therapies utilize naturopathy in their various treatments. Colonic irrigation, vitamin and mineral supplements, detoxification, proper diet and exercise, and a myriad of other holistic therapies are almost always used to bring about natural healing through naturopathy.

If you are interested in naturopathy and how it may benefit you and your well-being, feel free to check Holistic Junction’s business member directory for naturopathic practitioners, natural healing schools and insightful naturopathic literature today.

© All Rights Reserved

by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot in conjunction with Holistic Junction

C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations’ Director & Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Naturopathy Practitioners, Natural Healing Schools, and educational information!

Just like routines, this document is not intended to be a “one size fits all.” Take from it what you will, but please remember that what is most important is your health and well being. In that light, consider the following list:

1. Before beginning any serious weight lifting or body building regimen, consult your physician.

2. Set your goals. Define what you expect to achieve with your new bodybuilding campaign within a realistic time frame. If you create goals that are unattainable you are setting yourself up for failure. You can become bored, disappointed and disillusioned to the point where you may give up. This is a very sad outcome to what might have been the best decision of your life. Don’t sell yourself short. Set your long term goals, of course, but also set short term goals that are achievable. And, don’t forget to reward yourself when you do achieve them.

3. Consider the costs. If you don’t already have a budget, create one. Then, determine what amount of discretionary funds you have available for your bodybuilding program. This will determine whether you can afford to have a home gym or if your needs would better be served by joining a club. Joining a club is still a good short term introduction before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on equipment that might not be appropriate for your needs.

4. Don’t forget some of the low cost alternatives to purchasing your bodybuilding equipment. If used equipment is still functional why spend the extra dollars just for a little glitz! Good, brand name used equipment is every bit as functional as something right off a showroom floor.

5. Consider combining a home gym along with a membership in a public facility. Purchase less expensive free weight equipment for use at home and join a gym to have access to the more expensive equipment. You can design your entire workout routines around a combination such as this.

6. Eat healthy! This can’t be stressed enough. The only true bodybuilding aids are good nutrition. Consult a licensed dietician. Watch your local community calendar for free seminars on diet and nutrition. Learn all you can about what nature freely provides that can help you to develop a healthy diet.

7. If you choose to use dietary supplements, make certain that you know what you are putting in your body. Follow the packaging guidelines we outlined above. Ask your physician for his/her recommendations based on the regimen you have selected. No friend, coach or acquaintance can take the place of your physician. In fact, you may even investigate finding a physician who specializes in sports wellness.

8. Be kind to yourself. Yes, it’s important to push to achieve your goals, but it’s very easy to tip the scales in the other direction and create a nightmare for yourself. Obsessive, compulsive behaviors are not conducive to a healthy bodybuilding lifestyle.

I wish you a healthy and happy journey on your road to weightlifting and bodybuilding. Put the suggestions and recommendations to work and you are well on the way to building the body you can be proud of!

Tony Newton publishes the popular health and wellness website - http://www.1st-for-health.com With lots of informative articles on low carb diets, hair loss, arthritis pain relief, acne and lots more.

In the early nineties doctors were beginning to see the growing trend in American’s waistlines. So for a very short period of time they came out on the offense by promoting better foods to eat. An easy one was endorsing pasta meals. What they failed to mention was the best time to eat pasta and what other things to not eat with it. Thus, fifteen years later, you are twenty percent fatter, and more confused than ever. Pasta by itself is not necessarily the problem, but combine that with soft drinks or wine, then you have the Venus fly trap.

Remember years ago, the sticky strip you hung out in your back yard. Flies would fly by and stick to the strap. Well, that is what soft drinks do in your system. While you may be eating half way descent food groups (not to mention your portions) the sugar drinks act as the sticky fly trap. This hinders the digestive process.

In plain English: the longer the food stays in your system the more of a chance you have of getting fatter. The soft drinks act as barriers. In many cases when it comes to weight loss, the food combinations really get you. The biggest no-no is starchy foods with sugary foods.

If you have wine, cut down on the breads.

If you have pasta’s cut down on the wines.

If you have soft drinks, cut back on the starchy complex foods.

No matter the combination, combining pasta meals with sugary drinks is eating you up from the inside out. If you want to lose a few pounds, lose a few ounces of soft drinks in your daily diet.

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Liquid vitamins are the same vitamins that you find in any supermarket or health store, but are suspended in a liquid mixture. This new method of taking liquid nutritional supplements is becoming extraordinarily popular in today’s progressive healthcare marketplace. The average consumer wants the most for their money and is becoming more knowledgeable about products or services that offer the most benefit. It is no wonder more people are adding liquid vitamins and minerals to their daily supplementation.

People are discovering that liquid vitamins and nutritional supplements are much easier to take and ingest than the traditional pill form. If you’ve ever taken lots of vitamin supplements or medications you might know how uncomfortable it can be to swallow and digest a handful of “horse pills”. Researchers are also discovering that liquid vitamins may be more effective than swallowing pills. The liquid vitamin and mineral form doesn’t need to be broken down by our digestive system and is much more readily absorbed by our bodies. Supplementing your body with liquid minerals and vitamin nutrients can help create the optimal environment in the body for maximal life expectancy by replenishing nutritional deficiencies. There are some Eastern cultures that have people routinely living to ages in the range of 120 to 140 years old (ex: the Hunzas). The common link that these amazing cultures share to make these astounding life-spans possible is the daily ingestion of, and farmland cultivation with “glacial milk”. This “glacial milk” is ordinary water that is naturally combined with high amounts of essential and rare minerals and other nutrients.

There’s no doubt that liquid vitamins are growing in popularity as more people discover them. More and more liquid vitamin products are hitting the health market as consumers are changing the way they want to take their nutritional supplements.

Judy Brown is a director of http://www.lifenatural.com, http://www.lifenatural.com/liquidvitamins.htm and http://www.corticel.com which all have a focus on liquid vitamins, weight loss and natural health issues.

Are you concerned about taking care of your body before and after strenuous activities or workouts? Do you try to avoid supplements that contain additives and possible side effects?

If you are interested in better health and improved physical fitness you have surely heard that bodybuilders and other athletes are turning to a simple, natural supplement called whey protein.

WHY DO ATHLETES USE WHEY PROTEIN?

Protein levels are depleted through exercise. Muscles require amino acids to prevent deterioration, give endurance and build mass. Proteins supply these amino acids to the muscles which is why athletes use whey protein.

WHAT IS WHEY PROTEIN?

Commercial whey protein comes from cow’s milk. Whey is the by-product of making cheese and was usually thrown away as a waste product. Now researchers know that whey protein is high quality, natural protein that is rich with amino acids essential for good health and muscle building. It is naturally found in mother’s milk and also used in baby formula. It is being considered for use as a fortifier of grain products because of its considerable health benefits and bland flavor.

Although protein is also found in other foods such as meat, soy and vegetables, whey protein is proven to have the highest absorption (digestion) levels in comparison to all others.

WHO SHOULD CONSIDER USING WHEY PROTEIN?

Whey protein has many health benefits including immune support, bone health, sports health, weight management and overall well being.

Because amino acids are ‘building blocks’ for the human body it is sometimes used by patients to speed up the healing of wounds or burns.

The high quality protein that comes from whey makes it a recommended choice for those who need optimal benefits from restricted diets including diabetics, those on weight management diets and even ill patients not able to consume enough protein in their diet to assist with healing.

CAN WHEY PROTEIN BE DANGEROUS?

Whey protein is a food and so it does not have have the risks associated with other supplements. That said, too much of anything carries risks. Extremely high use of whey protein can overload the liver which can cause serious problems. Moderation is always recommended.

If you are lactose intolerant you might try whey protein isolate which has less than 1% lactose and should be tolerable for most users.

Whey protein is a natural and healthy way to bring protein into your diet and increase well being.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.