Liberate Your Set Esteem and Lose Weight

Are you a 'look-and-lose' dieter? Have you studied every diet ever created, read a zillion diet books, and yet are still unhappy with your weight?

Has your quest for the holy grail of dieting become a substitute for actually making changes required to take the ill health out of your current diet?

If so, you may not realise your thoughts are key to your happiness and success.

Do you look at yourself and say, "I'm fat", or "My hips are too big"? Many of us look in the mirror and immediately compare ourselves to those 'perfect' human specimens we see every single day on TV, in magazines and in the newspapers.

Often we talk to ourself and make excuses, "It's my genes", "I'm much too busy to get fit", "I like myself this", as a way of protecting yourself from the way we see ourselves now and the way we want to be.

If we were to be truly honest with ourselves most people actually want to lose a few pounds - if we only knew how.

The good news is you CAN achieve your desired body shape with the right thinking about yourself, an understanding of how to get optimal nutrition, healthy eating habits and how to incorporate activity into your lifestyle to keep your muscles toned.

But most important of all, you need a regular mental workout to keep your self-image in shape.

Self-image is closely connected to the success or failure of any goal you choose to seek after, but none more so that the goal to get yourself fit and healthy.

So how do you go about strengthening your self-image? Well fortunately your self-image, just like your muscles, will respond well to a regular work out. You can actually strengthen your self-image with a few daily exercises.

Exercise One - Self Examination

Start by compiling a list of all those negative thoughts your have about yourself...I'm undisciplined, I can't manage my time, I let people down, I can't succeed, I don't exercise enough. You will need to decide before you start this process that you won't get discouraged....these are things that you will admit to yourself but they most certainly don't have to control your life.

Next, compile a second list including everything you LIKE about yourself. Keep going until this list is LONGER than the first list you compiled. You might include things such as, I am a good cook, I can make people laugh, I contribute to the soccer club, my daughter loves the way I decorate her room.

Then, take your 'negatives' list and turn it into your 'potentials' list. You do this by creating a positive self-image to every 'negative' you listed. Instead of "I can't succeed", write a counter belief, "I will succeed".

Ceremonially throw out the 'negatives' list - you are saying goodbye forever! Burn them, trash them, destroy them....they are no longer going to be a part of your thinking about yourself.

Now, keep your list of potentials in a prominent place. On your refrigerator door, in your daily journal, or in a picture frame on your desk. Make sure you have them in front on your every single day so that you are reading them constantly and reprogramming your daily thoughts.

Exercise Two: You Can Be What You Want to Be

Now that you have your list of potentials... run your own visualisation stories so that you can 'see' yourself in a new light. For example, if your list of potential includes "I eat just the right portions", visualise yourself with a moderate portion on your plate, and feeling completely satisfied at the conclusion of your meal.

Read through your list of potentials every day taking a few moments of personal quiet time to reflect strongly on your visualisations. Try starting your day first thing in the morning and finishing as the last thing at night with visualising yourself being the person on your list, and doing the things you want to do.

Exercise Three: Keep a Journal of Your Daily Successes

Keep a record of all the positive changes in thoughts you have about yourself. We all have triumphs and 'failures'. You must record and remind yourself of the positive changes because our human nature will replay the negatives - sometimes blowing them out of proportion. It's important to nurture and celebrate the small steps you make every day.

Exercise Four: Go Easy On Yourself - You Are Beautiful Work In Progress

Don't listen to the criticism...not your own nor that of others! Remember you are the designer of your self-esteem, do not hand this over to other people. You are way too important to give this away. Protect your role as creator of your own self-image and do not, take on board negative criticisms. We all make mistakes, and mistakes can be used to help us learn. Do not criticise yourself for being human and making a mistake. The only last mistake in the one from which we never learn to grow.

Exercise Five: Forget About The Past

The only moment you can live is the current one. You can't live in the future and you most certainly shouldn't live in the past....the challenge is to take charge of our thinking so that we think in the same time zone in which we live!

For example we may be tempted to think about yesterday's failures..."If only I hadn't eaten second helpings", "If only I didn't reach for the chocolate cookies". If we concentrate on the mistakes of yesterday this will our brains to replay our failures and reinforce them to us.

Yesterday is over, today is where you live....make sure that today you do NOT replay yesterday's failures and make your resolve to change TODAY.

Exercise Six: Resolve to Change Today

Just as you shouldn't live in the past, you can't live in the future. You can only live or change today. The oldest cliché in the world is perhaps one of the greatest truisms of all...'tomorrow NEVER comes!'

There is no better time than now. So, no matter what excuses you may have to wait to take those healthy steps you know you should take, none of them are valid. Do it now, do it today. Resolve to make a different in your own life before you go to sleep tonight.

Exercise Seven: Write a Plan For your Life

This is your success plan. If you have not already done so it is time for you to create direction and purpose in your plans for yourself. Review your list of potentials and record next to each potential when you want to achieve this by.

Exercise Eight: Carry Affirmation Cards About Yourself

This is one of the fastest tools for your success. You are what you think. Strengthen your self-image every day by reviewing your thoughts. One of the easiest ways to do this is to carry affirmation cards in your wallet and review regularly. Affirmation cards are short bursts of words in business card that prompt and remind your self-image of your intentions. An example might be:

I can achieve anything that I put my mind to.
I will be satisfied with single helpings.

Try it, you have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Exercise Nine: Change Your Eating Habits

Now that you have set the groundwork in place, you are now ready to change your physical habits. You are ready to add a balanced nutritious diet, healthy eating habits, regular exercise and relaxation.

By using these nine exercises daily to change your thinking habits, you will be strengthening your self esteem and unlocking your internal power to make a change in your life. Before you can change lifelong eating habits, you must first change life long thinking habits. We are what we think. We can't be something other than what we believe we can be!

So, do yourself a favour, liberate your self-image and then, see how much more effective your healthy living plan becomes!

About The Author
Kim is successful a wellness mentor. She has been assisting people achieve excellent health through cellular nutrition. For those wanting to lose weight she uses a proven amazing, approach that enables people to have a boost in energy and block to cravings while they are losing the weight. She has a Bachelor of Science majoring in Biochemistry and Histology. Visit http://leanmachine.org/?refid=articlecity-23429

Is Modern Life Hurting Your Health?

How often have you said to yourself, "I wish things would slow down"? "I wish life was simpler!"

Modern life can be taxing. Today we live faster, work more, and have less free time than ever before. In addition, our 'conveniences' often come at the expense of the purity of our environment.

It's no wonder we are the 'stress generation'. Did you know that you hear more news in one DAY that your great-grandparents heard in an entire year? One day!

Combine the stress caused by too much information with the changes in our environment and the food we eat and you end up with a losing combination.

What can we do to fight back against the unseen environmental factors that rob us of our health and peace of mind?

Plenty!

Here are the top three environmental factors that have a negative impact on your life and what you can do about each.

1. Air pollution

This problem can sneak into your home or office without you even noticing. And the problem is very real. From airborne pollutants to toxic mold, our breathing is under attack.

Many cities now routinely warn citizens to stay indoors during certain parts of the day, particularly in the summer, due to elevated ozone levels. Of course, summer is the time when our children and we often want to be outdoors.

The good news is that this is a problem with several solutions. Today we have a wide variety of air filters from which to choose. Ranging from those that simply filter our air to more expensive models that 'treat' the air, be sure you get a filter that traps super-small particles and defends against ozone as well. And change your filter often. Experts now recommend changing filters up to once a week.

You may not be able to change the air outside but you can make a difference in the air your family breaths when they are in your home.

2. Water pollution.

If you remember high-school science, you will remember that there is no new water. That's right, the water you drank today is completely re-circulated from the clouds above. Makes air pollution take on a completely new meaning, doesn't it?

Water is essential to life. When NASA speaks about the possibility of life existing on Mars or any other planet, what they look for is whether that planet has or has ever had water. The majority of the human body is made of water. We cannot live without it.

Like our air, our water is polluted with chemicals and toxins from various sources in the environment.

Thankfully, water filtration is sophisticated. Having an effective home water filtration system is within the reach of virtually everyone.

Whether you choose a 'whole house' filter or one that runs from the faucet, be sure that the particle size that it filters is sufficiently small. Look specifically to see that your filter will remove contaminants like lead, mercury, and asbestos.

3. Chemical Residue

If our air and water are both polluted, where does that leave our homes? By cleaning up the air we breath and the water we drink, we are on the road to providing a safer environment for our families. However, we're not there yet.

Every surface in our home collects dust, dirt, germs, and grease that need cleaning regularly. That's no problem, you say! You can just pick up your handy dandy bottle of all-purpose chemical cleaner and begin, wait, did you say chemical cleaner?

We filter chemicals out of our air and water and then put them right back into our home environment by cleaning every surface in our home with chemical cleaners, exposing our families to their vapors in the process.

Modern advancements come to the rescue in the area of cleaning as well. For the first time, we have easy access to methods of cleaning that will do a great job without bringing us the chemicals and toxins that we don't want.

In each area of household cleaning you undertake, be sure to choose products that won't leave a chemical residue or strong chemical odors in the air. Your health and your lungs will thank you.

By making a few simple changes, you can have a permanent impact on your life and the lives of your family members. Why not start today? Take back your peace of mind and begin the journey to happier and healthier lives.

About The Author
Rick Mills is an independent consultant who specializes in health and wellness products that offer environmentally safe alternatives to common household products that have an adverse effect on our health.
http://netadvantage.toxicfreehomes.com
ram@direcway.com

Warning! Lack Of Exercise Could Be Harmful To Your Health

You know it's bad when the Surgeon General issues a warning that lack of exercise is hazardous to your health. And that was back in '96. Since then, the stats haven't improved much, either: 25% of the American population is still sedentary and 60% do not exercise regularly (Reference: http://www.cdc.gov).

For fitness minded folks, we could do worse than to follow the "hour-a-day" prescription outlined by the Surgeon General's Healthy People Report. It's just a guideline, of course and, as you already know, any amount of activity packed into your busy schedule is going to earn you healthy rewards. But there are plenty of other reasons to exercise.

"If people exercised only moderately," says Janet Kneiss, Physical Therapist, "there would be far less incidence of injury. The 15 or so people I see daily, who come in with back and neck problems, usually don't want to exercise, they want a quick fix."

The solution as she sees it?

"I think, if people could just reframe the idea of it [exercise] being so much work and focus more on the enjoyment of doing it,they would find the experience more positive."

So, if exercise alone can keep you injury and disease free, how do you keep it from being just another thing "to-do?" Here are a couple ideas:

Do something you enjoy: This sounds incredibly simple, but it's worth mentioning. As we've already said, most seasoned fitness fanatics as well as neophytes will be the first to tell you: if you do something you enjoy, you will stick to it. What do you like to do? Walk? Run? Spin the treadmill while watching the tube? Or how about branching out and trying something unique and different like kick-boxing or martial arts? It's a great idea to add variety; it will keep your exercise fresh and interesting.

Mix it up! Speaking of variety, you can also mix up your routine. For example: try splitting up your exercise sessions. If you take a half-hour walk in the morning, take a half-hour to stretch or resistance train in the afternoon. Just adding a bit of variety could spice things up and keep you motivated. Make an appointment with yourself. Make the commitment to exercise by making an appointment with yourself. Write it on your calendar. If you've never exercised before, start slow [10-15 minutes] then build up. Begin exercising three times a week, then slowly build up your time and your frequency. If you love to exercise, try listening to your bio-rhythms. If you can, schedule exercise during peak energy periods.

Strive for your personal best. A friend e-mailed to tell me he was gearing up for another 5K relay race. I wasn't surprised. When he was 50, never having run before and not having "runners genetics" as he puts it, he decided at 15 pounds overweight and asthmatic, he was going to run. He made up his mind. For a year he trained, dropped the weight and signed up. His first goal was simply to finish. Did he do it: you bet. Did he work through an asthma attack to get across the finish line? He did, but he kept going. Now, he continues to train and improve his time with each race. His secret, he tells me: enjoy the journey, live in the moment, and focus on your personal best.

"So, Laura, what's the take home message?" you ask. Never mind what everyone else is doing. Stay focused on you, doing what you enjoy and what is fun and exciting for you. Learn everything you can about health and fitness. Then, do the best you can. In so doing, you will be an inspiration for others. To summarize: A quote from one of my favorite inspirational writers Dr. Wayne Dyer, who says: "I don't want to be better than anybody, I just want to be better than I was yesterday."

About The Author
Laura Turner, Certified Personal Trainer has developed a series of health, fitness, and nutrition tips available at ===> http://www.1brand-new-body.com In 21 days you can create healthy new you,let her show you how! Get her free report: 7 Steps to a High Performance Body by sending a blank email to: ===> mailto:hiperformbody@getresponse.com
VioletProsePubs@aol.com

What is ADHD?

It seems that the "What is ADHD" question is not very easy to answer, despite the plethora of studies, research and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity testing over the past decades.

In asking the question, "What is ADHD," it is easier to answer by describing what ADHD is not. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder testing and research has not proven that ADHD is a medical condition. There is no concrete research that supports that Attention Deficit and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a genuine disorder or a disease.

What we do know is that Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD is becoming a modern day American plague. It is the fastest growing diagnosis given to children and teens, often based on subjective Attention Deficit Disorder Hyperactivity testing of parent ratings and doctor observations.

Doctors use a standard checklist of characteristics when Attention Deficit Hyperactivity testing to make a diagnosis and prescribe a standard course of stimulant drug therapy in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity.

ADHD symptoms commonly include aggressive behavior, constant activity, easy distractibility, impulsiveness and/or the inability to concentrate. These ADHD symptoms may include fidgeting or constant movement, excessive talking and difficulty participating in "quiet" activities like reading.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder children always seem to be in motion. They dash around, wiggle, squirm, fidget and talk nonstop. They are whirlwinds that leave messes, throw tantrums, start fights and act obstinate.

It's hard to miss ADHD in children but if the parent happens to miss the signs, the child's teacher certainly will make a point of clearly pointing it out to the parent.

The most prevalent, and most controversial, treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is drug therapy. The top drugs of choice being Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine and Concerta.

Now here's the scary part; These commonly prescribed drugs in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder fall in the same drug category (Schedule II) as cocaine, methadone and opium.

Only a decade ago, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder testing and treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder was virtually unheard of.

The 1987 edition of the Webster's Dictionary, touting 50,000 entries and modern definitions, does not even include the word "Hyperactive" or "Hyperactivity." The American Psychiatric Association did not name Attention Deficit as a disorder until 1990.

Young boys, by nature have higher levels of energy than their female counterparts. Boys are diagnoses at a rate three times higher than girls.

When did active, high-spirited, strong-willed and oft times uncooperative kids move from kids being kids to children having a mental disorder? If using ADHD medication sales as a marker, this shift began right about the time the American Psychiatric Association named this set of characteristics as a disorder.

Since 1990, prescriptions for ADHD medications quintupled.

As Attention Deficit Hyperactivity testing and treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder reach all-time highs and continue to climb in this country, other countries around the world seem relatively unaffected by this "disorder." This is America's plague.

This country uses 500% more Ritalin than all the rest of the world combined.

It is rare to find an Asian child undergoing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder testing, much less receiving treatment. European children are diagnosed at a rate of about 10 percent of their American counterparts.

Either the United States has some pretty hyped up kids or American doctors are over-diagnosing Attention Deficit and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Some people argue that Attention Deficit and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are not disorders at all, but simply personality types. Some people can sit still, pay attention, concentrate on specific tasks and exhibit proficient social skills. Others get fidgety, jump from project to project or just do not fit in the societal "norm."

The argument is that ADHD people are not "sick" and in need of dangerous drug therapy but simply have a different way of dealing with the conventional world.

Sure these high-energy and on-the-go kids can be incredibly irritating to teachers, energy draining to parents and general all-around hassles in the grocery store but they are also unique, creative, expressive and full of life. And boy, are they full of life!

Maybe we, as a society, should encourage some of these freethinking traits instead of expecting these children to sit quietly.

After all, had Albert Einstein, Lugwig Van Beethoven, Frank Lloyd Wright, Pablo Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison and Henry David Thoreau grown up in today's society, they likely would have been slapped with the Attention Deficit label and placed on medications to make them conform to societal standards.

Should we stifle the natural enthusiasm and fervor of hyperactive people with drug medications? Would we have the genius of these incredibly unique minds if stifled by altering drugs?

You have to wonder...

In the conventional treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, the goal is short-term, as are the effects. The goal is to make the child more compliant (usually so they can sit quietly in school) and ADHD medications do work effectively for the majority of children.

However, the price paid for compliant children can be detrimental to the child's mental and physical well being is high.

You want your child to be able to focus, sustain attention and behave calmly and appropriately on his own instead of relying on a pharmaceutical drug to do that for him. We do not want a generation of children to grow up automatically thinking that drugs are the answer.

Treatment should address the root of the problem instead of temporarily masking the symptoms and it should produce lasting changes instead of "fixing" the problem for a couple hours.

A large body of research indicates that environmental factors - nutritionally deficient diets, lead poisoning, food allergies and such - cause ADHD symptoms.

By ruling out environmental toxins, food allergies and other possibly causes and by increasing the body's strength and wellness through sound diet and nutritional supplementation, Attention Deficit problems can be gently and effectively addressed without the use of dangerous medications.

We also believe that ADHD should stand for "Absolutely Delightful, Hardy and Daring" young children that will one day grow into fine adults if raised in an accepting, loving and stable environment.

So what is ADHD? Nothing to be feared, nothing to dreaded, nothing other than a label placed on the societal wild children that need a little extra love and a whole lot of patience.

About The Author
Jeannine Virtue is a freelance journalist and mother of an Attention Deficit Disorder son. To learn about effective alternatives to Ritalin and other ADHD medications, visit http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com
jvirtue@add-adhd-help-center.com

Hair Analysis – The Roadmap to Wellness

Did you know that your hair has the advantage of long-term memory? Hair is a permanent record, like tree rings. A three-inch strand of human hair will give a six-month history of what's going on in the body since head hair grows at a rate of about a half an inch a month.

A hair analysis determines exactly what chemicals are inside of you, including radiation, heavy metals like mercury, food chemicals such as aspartame, pesticides, bacteria and more. The hair analysis is the best "roadmap" to view a history of what's going on inside of you.

What Is a Hair Analysis?

The protein in hair fiber holds the composition of the body tissues for a permanent period. By analyzing the hair fiber composition, a trained eye can tell what toxins have accumulated in the body tissues and what vitamins and minerals are depleted or too abundant causing an imbalance in body function.

By detoxifying unnatural chemicals like mercury and lead, and by replacing specific vitamins individual to your needs, proper health can be restored using nutrition. The human hair analysis can detail these levels.

It can be overwhelming to walk into a vitamin store and wonder out of the thousands of bottles on the shelves, "Which ones do I need?" The hair analysis specifies which supplements your body is lacking, and which, if any, you are too high in. It saves time and money to know exactly what your body needs, or doesn't need, nutritionally.

My own hair analysis was an important part of my natural healing from Grave's Disease in 1991. I discovered through my personal recovery, I couldn't fight what I couldn't see. The hair analysis is an excellent tool to identify specific toxins, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies caused by them. As with any chemical in solution, food chemicals like aspartame and MSG saturate the body with toxins that penetrate the brain and infuse the bloodstream. Human beings are polluted with over 14,000 food chemicals we are exposed to daily. The hair analysis allows you to 'see' what damage these toxins may be causing.

Is the hair analysis really accurate?

The hair analysis is as credible as a standard blood or urine test – maybe more. The key to a good hair analysis is the capability of a credentialed laboratory and the expertise of the practitioner interpreting the results. The American government and law enforcement agencies have depended upon hair analyses for decades to provide conclusive evidence in crime investigations and for drug testing for prison parolees. The cause of death by poisoning can only be determined conclusively via a hair analysis, as in the case of President Andrew Jackson.

A hair analysis is not understood in traditional medicine, but is highly respected in the world of forensics, scientific research, and drug testing. A hair analysis works the same as a soil or water sample to a geologist and engineer - it leaves a permanent imprint of the body's 'environment' within the protein in the hair follicles.

If you want to determine if your well or tap water is polluted, you have a water test performed, right? If you're drilling for oil, you have a soil test done. So, it is with the human body. If you want to know if toxins are within your tissues, have a hair analysis performed.

Do Medical Doctors Use The Hair Analysis?

One of the shortcomings of the American Medical Association (AMA) is the lack of nutritional education required for medical students. American medical schools promote more of the pharmaceutical philosophy of healing by drugs opposed to a nutritionally based curriculum of natural healing.

Blood and urine tests have value, of course, as those results can identify disease present within the body and they help your doctor determine the amount and kind of drugs and medications needed.

The hair mineral analysis on the other hand, identifies long-term nutritional deficiencies that can be at the root of disease, along with identifying toxic metals within the body that can cause disease. Most traditional medical doctors do not know how to interpret a hair analysis, and therefore, discount them as an important tool in natural wellness.

You can read more information about the hair analysis and Dr. Hull's hair analysis program by visiting the link below:
http://www.hairanalysisprogram.com/

About The Author
Dr. Hull discovered the value of the hair analysis when curing herself from an 'incurable' disease. It was her 'roadmap' to wellness, and she uses her knowledge to help others discover the root of their health symptoms.
Dr. Hull's counseling expertise is based on her professional background. She has counseled numerous celebrities, professional athletes and sports figures, lawyers, and other medical practitioners, doctors and dentists. She works internationally with clients, and continues her research and development into perfecting the detoxification of toxins within the human body.
Dr. Hull writes a monthly newsletter covering a wide range of important health topics including Government Safety Alerts, Q and A's, and more! To sign up for her newsletter or to view past articles visit the link below:
http://www.sweetpoison.com/newsletter/

Eat Right For A Healthy Life

Our diet is an essential factor for the formation of our body. It is clearly mentioned in an Ayurvedic classic 'Charak Samhita' that consuming improper diet in improper way is the main cause of 'Disease'.

According to 'Charak Samhita -"An appropriate and suitable diet in a disease is equivalent to hundred drugs and any quantity of drug hardly compares to good results in disease without following proper dietetic regimen"

Ayurvedic has mentioned following principles for living full span of life with perfect health.

Diet should be regulated taking into account the 'Desha'(territory), 'Kala' (Season as well as time of the day) etc. On should be in a habit of taking all six 'Rasa' (tastes) in order to prevent nutritional deficiency disorders.

Time of consuming food : A person should take meal only when he feels hungry. Lunch should be taken early between 12 and 1P.M. this coincides with the peak Pitta period, Pitta is responsible for the digestion. Ayurveda recommends that the lunch should be the largest meal of the day. The supper should be lesser and lighter than lunch

Quantity of food : Generally half of the capacity of stomach should be filled with solids, ¼ th with liquids and rest kept empty for the free movements of body humors.

Sequence of consuming food :Madhur (sweet) rasa food like fruits are advisable to take in the bigining of meal, food with Amla and Lavana (sour and salty) rasa in the middle and Katu,Tikta,Kashay (bitter ,astringent and pungent) foods should be taken at the end of meal

Method of consuming food :

* Wash the face hands and feet before meal. Dine in an isolated neat and clean place in pleasant environment with the affectionate persons in sitting position.

* Food should be taken after complete digestion of previous one.

* Hard items should be consumed in the beginning followed by soft and liquids subsequently.

* Few sips of water is advised now and then while taking meal.

* Heavy substances are contraindicated after meals and should be avoided

* Consumption of excessive hot food leads to weakness. Cold and dry food leads to delayed digestion. Intake of food prepared by giving extra heat leads to 'Glani'. Hence consumption of such food should be avoided

Incompatible Food (Viruddha ahara):

Milk followed by fruits and vice versa.

Soar substance along with milk.

Milk with salt, horse gram, green gram & cow gram

Wheat preparations in gingelly oil(Tila taila)

Hot drinks after alcohol, curd or honey.

Cold and hot substances together

Banana with curd and butter milk

Chicken with curd

Ghee kept in bronze vessel

Radish with jaggery

Fish with jaggery or sugar

Jingelly seeds with kanjika.

Use of incompatible food leads to skin disorders, Gastro intestinal .Disorders , anaemia, leucoderma hyperacidity impotence etc. hence should be avoided.

General Rules about food consumption :

Walk a while after meal to help digestion

No travelling, exercise or sexual intercourse within one hour after meal.

Avoid meals when thirsty and water while hungry.

Avoid meals after exertion

Avoid meals when you are having no appetite.

Don't suppress the appetite as it leads to body pain, anorexia, lassitude, vertigo and general debility

Don't suppress the thirst as it leads to general debility, giddiness and heart diseases.

Consumption of the fresh, acceptable, easily available and compatible food with various nutrients is a key to lead a healthy life.

About The Author
Dr. Shashikant Patwardhan is practicing as 'Ayurvedic Consultant' for last 25 years at the city -Sangli , Maharashtra -India.
He has done his graduation in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery [B.A.M&S] and post graduate Fellowship of Faculty of Ayurvedic Medicine [F.F.A.M.] From Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Pune University , India, during the years 1970-1976.
He is a chief editor and Ayurvedic Consultant of a 'Comprehensive website on Ayurveda - http://www.ayurveda-foryou.com
He is an author of many books on Ayurveda and is first to publish them in ebook format. He has written ebooks like - Ayurvedic Cure of Diabetes , Home Remedies in Ayurveda , Treat Common Diseases with Ayurveda & Yoga , Ayurvedic Principles Revealed.
He regularly writes articles on various topics in Ayurveda in Ayurvedic health magazines and alternative medicine sites.
editor@ayurveda-foryou.com

How to Manage Your Mood with Food

Here's a meal-by-meal guide to eating for energy and managing your mood with food.
Breakfast

Eating a good breakfast boosts your concentration and revs your energy, particularly in the morning when you may need it most. Without breakfast, you're more likely to make that second pot of coffee by mid-morning.

Instead, keep your blood sugar on an even keel with complex carbohydrates. Avoid refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and white sugar. These have a high glycemic index, which can cause spikes and dips in your blood sugar levels.

The right complex carbohydrates provide your brain and muscles with the steady flow of the energy they need. Grains are great sources of B vitamins, which aid in the metabolic production of energy. The best carb choices for breakfast are natural whole-grain breads and cereals.

For the best breakfast, add a low-fat protein, such as yogurt, cottage cheese, or skim milk, and watch your fat intake as well as your meat consumption (meat takes more energy to digest).

Mid-morning snack

Turns out, snacking may not be such a bad idea. Eating every few hours helps your body use nutrients more efficiently. It stimulates your metabolism, keeps your blood sugar levels steady, reduces stress on your digestive system, and decreases hunger, which means you'll be less likely to overeat when mealtime finally rolls around.

If you're craving carbs, which many of us do at this time of day, choose whole-grain bread, cereal, or fruit.

Fruits and vegetables deliver a low-fat, high-fiber alternative to the vending machine choices. Raw carrots and sugar snap peas, for example, provide a crisp, satisfying crunch and won't zap your energy. Challenge yourself to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

For maximum energy throughout the day, avoid foods that are laden with simple sugars, such as cookies, pastries, candy bars, and sodas, which can bring on erratic blood sugar levels.

Instead, try some lean protein (low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese or lean meat) to help tide you over until lunch.

Lunch

At midday, go light. Because a hefty helping of carbohydrates can increase the amount of seratonin in the brain and cause that sleepy feeling, focus on low-fat protein.

Protein can actually raise energy levels by increasing brain chemicals called catecholamines. Eat a lunch of low-fat cheese, fish, lean meat, poultry, or tofu.

Mid-afternoon snack

Choose something that will keep you satisfied until dinner. A little bit of fat is fine. It gives those carbohydrates and proteins some staying power. My favorite? All-natural peanut butter and a few crackers.

Before your work-out

Carbohydrates are fastest to digest and pack quick energy. Add protein for staying power, but stay away from fats. They can make you cramp.

Dinner

The agenda for the evening can dictate what you'll eat for dinner. Need to stay on overdrive for back-to-school night? Choose low-fat proteins. If you're in relax mode, indulge a little.

Whatever's on the menu, remember the Pie Test. Envision your plate as a pie. Seventy-five percent of the pie should be filled with fruits, vegetables, and grains and 25 percent with other foods, such as diary products and meat.

Before bed

Before turning in, a carbohydrate-rich snack can supply seratonin to help you fall asleep. But go easy. Too much food can reduce the quality of your sleep.

Eating for energy is one of the most effective, powerful, and fast-acting mood-boosters. Try it today and see!

About The Author
This article is excerpted from More Energy for Moms, an interactive mind-body-spirit fitness program, designed exclusively for moms. Its creator, Susie Michelle Cortright, is the author of several books for moms and founder of the award-winning website Momscape.com Visit today to get her free course-by-email, "6 Days to Less Stress": http://www.momscape.com

Build Health: Initiate A Health Strategy Makeover

My mother-in-law, a widow of a doctor, recently died. The way she exited was a nightmare. This was because her health strategy produced a lousy result.

Shortly before passing away, she had a colostomy to fix an intestinal blockage, the result of a decades-long struggle with diverticulitis. Poor teeth and gums, kidney failure and liver problems were also in the mix.

Not surprisingly she was riding a doctor-directed merry-go-round of prescription drugs and their side effects.

My mother-in-law went out in typical American fashion--a slow system-by-system breakdown accompanied by loss of mobility.

She learned three hard, painful lessons during her exit:

1) You can't find health in a doctor's office.

2) Pharmaceuticals do not restore your health.

3) Our "health care" system manages disease, but does not improve your health.

My father, a retired dentist who can barely get around using a walker, is also following the typical American health strategy.

In spite of eating all the "right foods," he is dealing with the effects of prostate disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, stroke, Parkinson's, and has recently been fitted with a pacemaker.

He too has been riding that doctor-directed merry-go-round of prescription drugs. He has his cozaar, carbidoba, ticlid, prilosec, voltaren, lipitor, and zoloft. His vasotec and doxycycline have recently been discontinued.

You do not have to follow this common American health "strategy."

Instead, you might want to consider implementing what I call the Grandma Weiss/Uncle Wallace health strategy.

These relatives of mine lived well into their 90's, were seldom sick and rarely ever saw a doctor. They were not plagued by slow, agonizing, system-by-system breakdowns.

On their last day they made it to the bathroom unassisted, had an evening meal, drank a little tea, read a bit, went to bed and didn't wake up.

The night they closed up shop, all their metabolic enzyme systems mercifully shut down at the same time, the way nature intended it.

This kind of strategy is quite common in remote places like Vilcabamba in Ecuador and Abkhazia in the Russian Caucasus.

Dr. Weston A. Price chronicled other distant groups who did not get sick nor die like we do. He found the diets of those people to be nutrient-dense, containing four times the minerals and ten times the fat-soluble vitamins found in the American diet of the late 1930's and early 40's.

Here are two common denominators found in the strategies of Grandma Weiss/Uncle Wallace and isolated groups noted for their health and longevity:

(1) Diets loaded with minerals and vitamins that maintain their 2000+ metabolic enzymes through time.

(2) No reliance upon prescription drugs that interfere with those metabolic enzymes.

Consider what has happened to most Americans during the six decades beginning 1940:

The nutrient density of their diets, including that of the so-called "right foods" in those diets, has continued to slide downhill, and their use of prescription drugs has skyrocketed.

If you conclude you want to retool your present strategy, here are a couple of simple, logical things to do:

(1) Take advantage of the resources offered by the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation.

(2) Start looking for natural alternatives to the prescription and over-the- counter items in your medicine cabinet.

About The Author
Bill Quesnell (bill@mineralsbuildhealth.com) is a health educator, author of Minerals: The Essential Link to Health, and Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation member. He farmed melon for eight years in Costa Rica where he learned how minerals build health and prevent disease by putting his hands in the soil, not by relying upon medical advice devoted to disease and treatment. Critical reviews of his book and a list of 15 harmful health myths can be found at http://www.mineralsbuildhealth.com

Help Your Heart Grow

I turned into my parents' driveway in Maryland and parked the car. Before I could even step out and close the door, Mom flew out of the backyard, gesturing frantically.

"Your father had a breakdown," she blurted. "Your brother took him to the hospital. He's on the sixth floor. Go. Go. You need to go to him right now."

"Wait a second, Mom," I gently asserted. "What happened? What hospital?"

"He didn't eat anything, like he's supposed to. He started flailing himself around, threatening to kill himself. Your brother had to hold him down. Go."

"Okay, Mom." I squeezed her tight. "We'll take care of him."

I remembered earlier that morning how Dad disappeared from the kitchen. I sought him out to say goodbye and found him curled up in a fetal position on his bed.

"Hey, man," I razzed. "Taking a little nappy?"

"Yeah," he mumbled. "I'll be alright."

"Strange answer," I thought to myself as I gave him a kiss and left.

I found Dad on the sixth floor of the Medical Center, sitting in the corner with my brother, Laird. His seeing eye dog lay curled at his feet.

"Hey guys," I smiled. "What's the word?"

"I guess I got kinda' depressed," Dad confessed. "I forgot to put food in my system. I'm alright now."

I looked over at Laird, who shook his head—a telling communication. I'd hear the details later.

"My blood sugar must have really dropped," Dad added.

"Gotta' eat," I empathized.

Diabetes, selling a house, leaving the state of his ancestors after 69 years to move to Florida, learning to cope with blindness—any one of these might trigger a meltdown.

I knew my Dad would resist more than a trifling of professional help.

Too much shame.

Wait a second. Where did the judgment start? Who decreed our superhuman nature? What happened to compassion, for others and ourselves, the soulful cry that recognizes our humanity, faults and shortcomings included, weaknesses acknowledged, differences celebrated?

Does another person's struggle bring us down so much that we teach and preach denial as an alternative?

"Buck up. Tighten your chinstrap. Get a grip."

A grip on what?

We stuff emotions, squelch our feelings and put up false fronts of courage for the sake of appearances. We deny our right to sit with our own suffering and reflect, grieve or cut ourselves any slack.

Like a dormant volcano, our insides churn with prejudice and bias, slanted views painted by others, seldom questioned or examined.

Rampant dis-ease.

When the volcano blows the lava takes the form of cancer, heart attacks, depression and other illness.

What if we poked a few holes in that mountain of pride before it swelled to explosion?

What if we forgave and accepted, praised and lauded our crazy diversity?

Could we release the steam before it gushes and burns?

Try today, at least once to pick a moment and notice someone else's struggle—without mental commentary or your idea of a fix. Reach out without expectation.

Then do the same exercise on yourself.

You, too, deserve untainted appreciation.

Give yourself a break.

Thanks, Dad, for showing us your human side. It helps us love you even more.

That's A View From The Ridge...

About The Author

Author Ridgely Goldsborough invites you to subscribe to The Daily Column, a heart-felt collection of stories that inspire hope and courage. Please do so at www.aviewfromtheridge.com.
ridge@aviewfromtheridge.com

Prevent Disease By Thinking Differently Than Experts

Did you know that all physicians and medical researchers have been indoctrinated with a flawed model of thinking dating to the 17th century?

These "experts" cling to a Cartesian model of thinking.

Cartesian refers to the philosopher Descartes who declared, "I do not recognize any difference between the machines made by craftsmen and various bodies nature alone composes."

All scientists, whether they were physicists, botanists, or zoologists, soon adopted his concept that the subject of their study was a machine.

Over time, however, every science but one opted out of that belief. The mechanistic, reductionist, biomedical model of health followed by our doctors and medical scientists still assumes our body functions like a machine.

This antiquated theory says our body consists of a fixed number of parts working together like a clock. Disease results from their breakdown, and repair of the machine depends on a doctor's intervention.

Intervention comes in three forms: Repair by surgery, treatment with drugs, or the replacement of defective parts.

Nowadays the smallest defective parts are presumed to be genes, human disease genes, found in our cells.

Are you comfortable with the premise that a single human cell measuring 1/1000 of an inch across, containing instructions within its DNA that would fill 1,000 books of 600 pages each, is but part of a machine?

A life systems model of thinking provides a much better under- standing of health and the prevention of disease.

All life forms are comprised of layers or tiers. Genes are imbedded in chromosomes. We find the chromosomes in the nucleus and the nucleus in the cell. The cell resides in an organ and the organ functions within organ systems.

All these levels are dynamic, participating in mutual inter- actions that influence the health of each organism. They are not static parts of a machine, independent from nature.

For more than four million years, beginning when our ancestors first stood erect, we have had a partnership with nature.

The success of this partnership, reflected in our individual health, has much to do with nutrients derived from the exterior environment in the food we eat and the water we drink.

All life forms require minerals from the external environment to regulate the metabolic enzymes that run their internal environ- ment.

When we consume food and water deficient in minerals, our metabolic enzyme systems break down. That's when we lose immunity to degenerative disease.

Getting a handle on where health comes from and how to prevent disease sure beats repair by surgery, treatment with drugs, or the replacement of defective parts.

About The Author
Price-Pottenger Nutrition member Bill Quesnell farmed melon for eight years in Costa Rica. He learned where health comes from by putting his hands in the soil, not by depending on the medical literature.
Bill@mineralsbuildhealth.com

Surfing Your Adrenalin Wave: How To Dissolve--Not Disguise--Anger

Feel that rising tide of anger? Surf's up! Start paddling.

Whenever we feel angry or frustrated, we get a blast of adrenalin coursing through our bloodstream. In the fight or flight response to stress, our bodies rely on our appendages. We need to hit, kick, jump or run away, and our bodies help out by sending extra blood to our limbs.

If we were living in the wild and had to actually fight off a predator or run away to escape, this would make perfect sense. But in a typical day, we just don't need those survival mechanisms like we used to. In fact, we do our best to thwart our body's response to stress by suppressing our physical reactions.

Oh, sure, we still use our extremities to express our anger. We raise our fists, pound on the desk, slam doors or cupboards, kick the garbage can, or stomp our feet. Still, since we're trying to be civilized and all, we use words more than body parts to react to whatever upsets us. This is good in that we don't want to go around hitting people. Slugging your boss may be biological, but it won't get you too far in your corporate climb.

So, instead of the fight or flight response our predecessors relied upon, we've developed more of what I call an "explode or seethe" response. Some of us react right away when we're upset. We clench our fists, do some wild gesticulating, raise our voices, or slam the phone down. Others tend to seethe. We suck in our breath, count to ten, hold it, and keep our frustration covered by a tight smile or maybe a little gasp of exasperation, but that's about it.

There's also the classic combo of the seether/exploder. You know the type: they just keep their heads down, don't say a word, and then out of the blue they go into a tirade that rattles the roof.

It's interesting that we consider a seether as more evolved than an exploder. We value those who are able to keep their emotions in check. In our culture, the seethers are the "nice" people who surprise us by keeling over from a heart attack or stroke. We've been programmed to sit and seethe. It's as though we're stepping on the gas (adrenalin) and slamming on the brakes (inactivity) at the same time. Try doing that in your car, and you'll burn up your engine. That's what we're doing to our bodies.

What do we do after a hard day? We sit and watch television. We play video games. We go to a movie. We collapse on the sofa and listen to music. We go out to eat and drink.

We've eliminated a lot of the activity of daily life. We don't scrub floors, churn butter, wash clothes by hand, hoe the garden, walk everywhere, or otherwise eliminate our stress through regular movement. We sit in our cars, sit at our desks, and sit in front of the television. It's no wonder we're obese and suffering from the effects of stress!

The sit-and-seethe starts early. Consider a two-year- old having a tantrum. Picture a little body flailing about, all arms and legs. That's adrenalin in all its glory! No suppression of instincts, just a pure, unadulterated expression of physiology at work.

We can't have kids growing up and throwing tantrums. It's just not socially acceptable. So, we give the two- year-old a "time out" to cool off. This is like asking a charging bull to sit and sip a bit of tea in that proverbial china shop.

With all our blood rushing to our extremities, our brains are getting the leftovers. This is the worst possible time for us to be logical. When we're angry and that adrenalin is surging, we're far more likely to say things we'll regret and to make decisions that will have us shaking our heads later. If you react verbally or respond intellectually in that adrenalin moment, you're going to have some clean-up in aisle 12 later-- apologies and general repair of relationships and projects.

Most of us have learned that we need to step back when we're really upset in order to avoid making a mess of things. Here's something you may not know: it takes a full 90 minutes for your body to get back to normal after experiencing a blast of adrenalin.

Ninety minutes. That means that a simple "time-out" for your child isn't likely to relax him, and postponing that important meeting for 10 minutes while you cool down isn't going to guarantee that you'll be fully capable of handling your issue in a level headed way.

If you really want to take advantage of your body's natural mechanism for survival, you might as well learn to work with it. The good news is that, with a little flexibility, we can use our physiology to help us thrive and even make us healthier.

You've got to move, and you've got to breathe. Isn't it convenient that those two go together so well?

Here are the four best strategies for surfing your adrenalin wave:

*Paddle. Your arms and legs need movement, so look for acceptable ways to get active. Go to the restroom and do some jumping jacks if you can't sneak away for a walk or head to the gym for a workout. Move some boxes. Sort the recycling. Reshelve some books. Beat the rugs. Shake out the comforters. Go for a run. Crank up your stereo and dance with the kids in the living room. Jump on the exercise bike or go cycling around the neighborhood. Walk to another part of the building. Find a corner and do some push-ups. Activate those appendages!

*Laugh. When we're angry, our bellies tighten up. We take shallow breaths at the chest level. This just adds to the brain drain! We need to relax enough that our bellies can move freely as we breathe, and if we don't get that by doing some cardio that makes us huff and puff, the next best thing is to laugh. Get a laugh partner, and agree to call and guffaw--no talking allowed. Bust a gut, and breathe deeply.

*Sing. You need some serious exhalations, so jump in the shower and blast out your favorite power ballad. Get in your car and sing along with the radio. Releasing sound is therapeutic in itself. Throw in some dance moves, and you've got it covered!

*Avoid meditation. Ignore what you've heard about thinking through your anger. Mindfulness is immensely valuable, but trying to meditate when you're really angry is not realistic or helpful. Be active first, and then sit. The only way to handle that adrenalin in a healthy way is to engage physically. You've got to be calm to be mindful. Get control of yourself physically before using your mind to address a problem.

Next time you get mad, get moving.

Work with your body instead of against it. Learn to surf that adrenalin wave, and you'll become a better decision maker, a more relaxed parent, and a healthier human.

About The Author
Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse as well as a former personal fitness trainer. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 80 countries. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.
maya@massageyourmind.com

Avoid These Five Common Weight Loss Mistakes

Mistake #1: Not changing your calorie plan as you lose weight. The fallacy of the "1200 calorie diet" plans and the like.

Most people fix their calorie intake to a given number and expect to lose weight at the same constant rate over a period of weeks. Hence, dieters look for 1000 calorie or 1800 calorie diet plans on the internet. The fixed calorie diet plans don't work. If you burn 3000 calories a day at the start of a diet, after a week or two of losing some weight, you are no longer burning 3000 calories. Now you might be burning 2800 calories. If you fix your calorie intake in the face of a decreasing calorie expenditure, your weight loss will slow down more and more as you lose weight.

If you want to lose weight at a constant rate, you must repeatedly:

decrease your calorie intake to accommodate the calorie expenditure drop

increase your calorie output by exercising more

do both

I would like to note that you must set realistic slow weight loss goals. If you go for fast weight loss you would not be able to sustain it for a long period unless you go extreme in the calorie reduction and exercise a lot. For people who have to lose more than 20 pounds (10kgs), the goal should be a loss of no more than 2 pounds or 1 kg per week. People who need to lose just a bit of weight should go for weight loss of 1 pound or half a kilogram per week.

Why does my calorie expenditure drop as I lose weight? The most important factors are:

You weight less. A smaller body burns less calories both at rest and while active

You may involuntarily burn fewer calories. Dieters often lack energy and move less

Calorie restriction suppresses the metabolic rate

You have less body fat, which may further suppress your metabolic rate

These major factors contribute to an ever-decreasing energy expenditure as one loses weight. The more a dieter cuts calories, the bigger the calorie expenditure drop. The leaner the dieter, the greater the calorie expenditure drop.

Now you must understand that if you want to succeed in losing weight, you have to make changes in your nutrition plan. I recommend burning more calories, because being more active facilitates smaller calorie restriction and milder calorie expenditure drop.

It is very difficult to estimate the rate of the metabolic drop. Here is the general rule: the bigger you are, the smaller the rate of the metabolic drop. The more weight you lose, the more you have to cut calories or increase exercise. If you are overweight you might need to cut just 10 more calories for every lost pound, while if you are lean you might have to cut 60 calories for every pound lost. I picked these numbers just as an example.

Mistake #2: Overreporting the "extra" calorie expenditure of exercise

Most people count the calories they spend exercising as "extra" calories. There is a difference between calories burned while exercising and "extra" calories burned exercising. Here is an example: you burn 300 calories on the treadmill instead of your usual activity (watching TV at home); in reality, you have to subtract the calories you would have spent watching TV from these 300 calories to calculate how many additional calories you burned. Let's say that watching TV, you would have burned 80 calories. In this specific case, you have expended 300 calories while exercising, and 220 "extra" calories.

Calorie counters mindlessly add the calories burned exercising as "extra" and in some cases, this practice can significantly influence the calorie calculations. Hence, calorie software counts the part of your usual activities that overlaps with the extra activities twice.

How to estimate the "extra" calories burned exercising?

In order to make the calculations more accurate, I shall first introduce the concept of MET values. MET values are a convenient way to calculate the calorie cost of activities. MET values are multiples of the resting energy expenditure per time. In plain English, a MET = 3 means burning 3 times more calories than resting. A MET = 1 signifies how many calories you burn at rest (your Resting Metabolic Rate or Basal Metabolic Rate). Whatever you do, you burn calories at a rate of at least MET = 1 with the only exception being sleeping which has MET = 0.9. During the day, most activities include sitting and walking which have MET values between 1.2 and 3. Your total daily energy expenditure is calculated by multiplying your Resting Metabolic Rate by the average MET of all your activities. Is your head spinning?

Let's use a real world example. Consider a female person with a Resting Metabolic Rate of 1200 calories a day. One day has 1440 minutes. Our example lady is burning 1200/1440 = 0.84 calories per minute at rest, which signifies a MET = 1. Let's say our example woman just returned from an aerobics class, where she exercised for 30 minutes. General aerobic class training has a MET = 6. Our example lady has just burned 30 (minutes) x 6 (MET) * 0.84 (calories per minute) = 151 calories while exercising. Suppose our lady would have chatted on the internet instead of exercising (MET = 1.5). In this example, the woman substituted chatting on the internet with aerobic exercising. Remember, that every time you do something you substitute one activity for another. In order to get the extra calories, we have to subtract 1.5 (chatting) from 6 (exercising). Now let's calculate the extra calories: 30 (minutes) * (6 - 1.5) (MET value) * 0.84 = 113 calories.

Let's consider what a standard calorie counter would have done. First, it will assume an average calorie burn rate of 1 calorie per minute. Then the counter will find that exercising for 30 minutes will yield 30 (minutes) * 6 (MET) * 1 (calories per minute) = 180 calories. The calorie counter will add these 180 calories to your daily expenditure without considering that a part of these 180 calories is already accounted by your usual activities.

Do you now see the difference between 113 calories and 180 calories? If that woman spends 5 hours a week in that aerobics class, the standard calorie counters will overreport her calorie output by: (180-113) * 10 = 670 calories a week. The woman will be fooled that her metabolic rate has dropped while she just overestimated her calorie expenditure. Enter weight loss plateau, wasted time and efforts. Do you have the time for trial and error calorie estimations?

Remember these two rules:

Report only extra activities to your calorie counter. If your walk to your office every day, do not log "walking to office for 30 minutes" as an extra activity. Consider only unusual activities that contribute to extra expended calories!

Always subtract the calories you would have burned instead of exercising. A general rule is to subtract from 1.2 to 1.5 from the MET values. In some cases, you need to subtract a greater MET. If you substitute 30 minutes of bodybuilding (MET = 6) for 30 minutes of slow jump rope (MET = 8) then the additional MET would be 8 - 6 = 2.

How to find the MET values of activities based on standard tables?

In order to make the above calculations, you need to know the MET values of activities. Standard tables give: name of activity, duration and calories. Standard tables assume an average calorie expenditure of one calorie per minute. To find the MET you just need to divide the calories by the duration.

Example: "Bicycling, stationary, general", "20 minutes", "140 calories"

MET of "Bicycling, stationary, general" = 140 / 20 = 7

I know these calculations are somewhat tedious and in many cases the standard calorie calculations are close to correct. However, in some cases they can significantly over or under-calculate the calorie expenditure of activities and compromise your weight loss plan with daily miscalculations.

Mistake #3: Training with light weights and lots of reps

I have seen countless number of ladies come to the gym, get the lightest possible dumbbells, crank out some hundreds of reps and go home. Most often, these women do not get the results they want. The problem with this type of training is that it does not burn many "extra" calories unless you spend a considerable amount of time in the gym. Hefting Ken and Barbie weights in the gym has a MET value of 3, which means that it burns 3 times more calories than resting in bed. Almost anything you do during the day has a MET value of 1.2 to 2. Browsing the internet on your computer has a MET value of 1.5. Realize that almost anything you do during the day (average MET = 1.5) has about 50% overlap in calorie expenditure with training with very light weights (MET = 3). If you pump super light dumbbells in the gym, only about half of the calories burned are "additional".

Of course, you can burn a considerable amount of extra calories training with light weights but you have to really extend the duration of this type of training. Curling 5 pound dumbbells for 4 sets of 20 reps and chit-chatting for 20 minutes in the gym is not going to burn many extra calories.

Remember the rule: the less intensive the activity (smaller MET), the greater the calorie expenditure overlap with casual activities; the less intensive the activity, the more time you have to spend doing it to expend a good deal of extra calories. Always subtract a MET of 1 to 1.5 to arrive at the additional expended calories.

Mistake #4: Using "average person" calorie estimations

You can find all kinds of tables showing the calorie cost of different physical activities on the internet. These tables don't show your calorie expenditure. They actually tell you the calorie expenditure of an "average person". These tables assume you are an average person that burns one calorie per minute at rest. Yes, we covered this in the first part of the article and it needs repeating. Most men burn more than one calorie per minute and most smaller women burn less than one calorie per minute at rest. In reality, these standard tables overestimate the calorie expenditure of smaller people and underestimate the calorie expenditure of bigger than average people. Combine this with the common mistake of counting all burned calories as "additional calories" and you have a wide range of possible miscalculations.

Mistake #5: Going on very low calorie diets (VLCD)

Research has shown little to no difference in the weight loss rate of 1200 calorie diets and 800 calorie diets. The 1200 calorie threshold is the point where further calorie restriction does not yield faster results. Diets in the range of 800 to 1200 calories a day suppress the resting metabolic rate from the very first day and after some weeks on these diets, the metabolic rate has dropped by up to 20%. This metabolic drop is just a consequence of the calorie restriction factor; other factors such as the level of leanness may further depress the calorie expenditure.

A big percentage of the quick initial weight loss on a VLCD is water. VLCDs create an illusion of fast fat loss, while in reality most of the weight loss is water. It is hard to continue a very low calorie diet for a prolonged time because the harsh calorie restriction makes you hungrier than ever. People on VLCDs often lack energy and move very little. When you stop the diet, you are prone to instant overeating. Eating a very low calorie diet is the ticket to yo-yo dieting.

Instead of using very low calorie diets, I recommend diets with a mild calorie restriction and an emphasis on exercise. Overweight people who know what they are doing can employ VLCDs for a limited time. It is important to get enough vitamins and minerals from supplements, because such low calorie diets are woefully inadequate in nutrients. Water intake should be high.

Bodybuilders, powerlifters and athletes must stay away from very low calorie diets because the large calorie restriction causes a greater proportion of the weight loss to be muscle loss.

If you want to automate these complicated calorie calculations, try our training and nutrition software Fitness Assistant FREE for 30 days. Get your trial copy at www.x3msoftware.com

About The Author
Hristo Hristov is the owner of X3MSoftware, a company specializing in developing training and nutrition software. Hristo has a degree in Computer Science and passion for powerlifting. In his spare time, Hristo gives training and nutrition consultations.
hristo@x3msoftware.com

Build Health: Cut Through The Calcium Hype

The initial success of penicillin generated an assumption which has stuck with us as a cultural belief in the Quick Technological Fix. That assumption is:

A single variable can be divided out from all other variables, tested for its result, and it will prevent or promote disease.

Most people have come to believe nutrition is divisible, and that a single substance will maintain vibrant health. The touting of calcium for the degenerative disease osteoporosis provides an excellent example.

Every day the media, acting as proxy for the milk lobby, sells calcium as a magic bullet. Has it worked? Definitely for sales of milk; but for American health it has been a disaster.

Brainwashed by magic bullet thinking, so-called "experts" tell us to take more and more calcium. But calcium is antagonistic to magnesium. And the American diet is woefully short in magnesium.

When you load up your system with excess calcium, you shut down magnesium's ability to activate thyrocalcitonin, a hormone that under normal circumstances would send calcium to your bones.

Next, your excess calcium proceeds to wander around creating all sorts of mischief in blood vessels, joints, kidneys and eyes.

Why is it that supposedly nutritionally disadvantaged countries, with low calcium intake but enough magnesium in their soils, exhibit little if any evidence of osteoporosis?

Because the people in these countries do not consume large amounts of calcium that antagonize or work against magnesium, or zinc, and a plethora of other minerals required by our metabolic enzyme systems.

"Experts" do not tell us that in living systems minerals work interdependently as a team.

In 1993 medical researchers claimed that calcium was a magic bullet that could help prevent osteoporosis. They told us dairy products, such as milk, provide one of the best sources of calcium.

Every day the media gives us a dose of that finding.

In 1997, however, medical researchers claimed there was no evidence consuming dairy products prevents osteoporosis. How so?

They decided dairy products are high in sulfur amino acids that lead to calcium depletion.

Has the media told you this? No.

And they are not going to tell you anything about this because the milk lobby advertising budget helps finance media payrolls.

Think about what awaits all those poor folks who have been fooled by the myth that taking lots of calcium will save their bones.

About The Author
Bill Quesnell, author of "Minerals: The Essential Link to Health," is a health educator and Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation member. He helps people recover energy and vitality. Subscribe to FREE monthly ezine, 'Where Health Comes From' at info@mineralsbuildhealth.com. Write Bill at 5039 Voltaire St. #3, San Diego, CA 92107 See critical reviews & 15 harmful health myths at http://www.mineralsbuildhealth.com
Bill@mineralsbuildhealth.com

Yoga - The Solution for Insomnia

At one time, or another, all of us have experienced insomnia for any type of reason. There are times when lack of sleep just can't be helped, such as: the loss a loved one, going through a divorce, and losing your job.

These are some of life's serious crisis situations, where we have to let time heal, and try not to fall apart in the process. Some of the solutions below will help insomnia, but they will not heal grief.

However, if you are continually staying awake over trivial matters, these solutions will aid you to get a good night's rest. Remember - not every solution will work for everyone, so try the easiest ideas and make them fit into your lifestyle.

Do you have one or more problems, on your mind, that are troubling you at bedtime? If so, write it down and leave it on the kitchen table where you sit in the morning. This is a form of compartmentalization, where your subconscious mind works on a solution, and you and your conscious mind get some needed rest.

You will be surprised what happens the following morning. The problem is much less important or your subconscious found the solution. This technique is so powerful that many successful people use it, even when they don't really have a problem. This keeps you organized, on a daily basis, and you will get more accomplished in life.

That leads into the next idea, which is establishing a daily routine. Your body has a natural cycle, and most of us ignore it. Modern humans are more out of tune with their bodies than ever before, so we have to get back to basics and design a schedule for all tasks - including sleep.

You should exercise every day, but your exercise routine should end two hours before bedtime, at the latest. This allows your body and mind "cool down" time. If you can exercise earlier in the day, feel free to do so.

Exercise will give you extra energy during the day, and help you get a good night's sleep, when you need it. If you don't exercise, don't feel alone, but do take action. Gentle Yoga postures are a great way to start.

If you find the right Yoga teacher, you will learn controlled breathing (pranayama), stage-by-stage relaxation, and meditation. Each is a powerful technique for winding down before bedtime. You always practice controlled breathing with either, stage-by-stage relaxation, or meditation. Some people practice stage-by-stage relaxation in bed and fall asleep in the process. This is not a bad thing, if your ultimate goal is to fall asleep.

Now let's look at a few other ideas, such as alcohol and hidden caffeine. Alcohol has a way of getting you to sleep, but sleep is often interrupted during the night. One suggestion, if you enjoy drinking: Have one small drink; preferably wine, with your meal.

Caffeine is in coffee, many teas, many sodas, and a variety of other drinks. Drink water later in the day, and give your body a rest from caffeine.

Here are a few actions to take before bedtime: Eat very light, read a book about something peaceful, and take a shower or a bath. You don't have to do everything, but one of the above-mentioned ideas will work for you.

Sweet Dreams.

About The Author
Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Glyconutrients The New Frontier in Science

What are glyconutrients?

Glyconutrients are a new classification of phytonutrients from plants. Glyconutrients are plant saccharides which are necessary for cell-to-cell communication. They include mannose, galactose, fucose, xylose, glucose, sialic acid, N-acetylglucosamine, and N-acetylgalactosamine.

Glyconutrients are absorbed in the body by active routes using direct receptors or passive diffusion using monosaccharide transporters. Carbohydrate digestion and absorption can occur along the entire length of the small intestine and is shifted toward the ileum when the diet contains less readily digested carbohydrates. Polysaccharides and disaccharides must have the water removed from them (hydrolyzed) to form their component monosaccharides before being absorbed.

What are glyconutritionals?

Glyconutritionals are products made using glyconutrients.

Why do we need glyconutrients?

Although the body can convert glucose to the various saccharides used in cell-to-cell communication, the conversion process is complicated, requiring energy and time as well as numerous enzymes and vitamins. Rather than convert glucose for glycosylation reactions, the body actually prefers to utilize non-glucose essential sugars provided in the diet. This more direct route also avoids the expenditure of unnecessary energy and allows for more rapid production of needed glycoproteins and other glycoconjugates.

In fact, animal studies have shown that if only glucose is supplied (e.g. intravenous feeding), the liver can severely malfunction, due to a lack of the other essential glycoconjugate sugars. This indicates that the body simply cannot synthesize all the other essential sugars from glucose to the extent that they are needed.

How does the body use glyconutrients?

Over the last decade, researchers have made many exciting discoveries, but few are as significant as the realization that carbohydrates aren't just for energy. Certain sugars that we call glyconutrients or super sugars aren't burned as fuel like glucose, but are used to communicate with and to control and protect every cell in the body. Just as computers need a code to write and translate information, your body needs a code to operate. This sugar code of biological information exists in and on every cell in your body.

The body joins these sugars to proteins making structures known as glycoproteins which are attached to the surface of every cell. They send and translate commands from one cell to another throughout your body's 600 trillion cells. Projecting from the cell surface, they act as keys to "unlock" the required functions of the adjoining cell. If the right glycoprotein "keys" are available, the body functions smoothly as the flow of information between cells is uninterrupted. If the needed glycoproteins are not available, communication is slowed or impaired.

Getting the blend of sugars provides your body with a ready supply of raw materials for coding. No combination of vitamins, minerals, amino acids or herbals can take their place.

Where are these particular saccharides found?

They can be obtained from various plant gums, whole grains and other plant extracts. Not all plants yield the same type of plant saccharides.

Who determined that ingesting a particular blend of saccharides might have a beneficial effect on health?

Scientists reasoned that if mannose supported health, so would the other specific sugar molecules known to be involved in all cellular communication. Scientists proved that proteins, due to the limited number of ways that amino acids bond, could not account for all of the functions performed by the body. Only carbohydrates could be combined in the number of ways required to account for the body's enormous coding capacity.

When did scientists produce and research the first glyconutritional formula containing these saccharides?

They began experimenting with various formulas in 1995 and began filing patents on the glyconutritional blends in 1996.

About The Author
Kerry Greening is a wellness consultant helping people make wellness choices and decisions. His son overcame his Asthmatic condition with the utilization of the glyconutrient technology.
For additional information please visit the following web site www.asthma-allergy-relief.com
healthtutor@diseaseeducation.com

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Axillary Hyperhidrosis Treatment

Excessive underarm sweating can become an annoying problem for those suffering from this condition. Axillary hyperhidrosis manifests itself through an increased underarm sweat production and this is triggered by the sympathetic nervous system. A malfunction in the nerves controlling underarm sweat glands leads to excessive sweat production, resulting in constantly moist armpits. Often associated with the negative effects of palmar hyperhidrosis, axillary hyperhidrosis is sometimes triggered by exterior factors such as anxiety, psychological stress and tiredness. This is not a rule, however, and there may be no clearly identified stimuli that trigger excessive underarm sweat.

Treatment for Sweaty Underarms

There are several methods of reducing the effects of axillary hyperhidrosis. Antiperspirants are among the most commonly used treatments for sweaty underarms, and they work well for reducing milder cases of this condition. Deodorants are succesfuly used to relieve patients of some of the worries caused by excessive sweat. When the effects of antiperspirants are not strong enough, some consider surgical procedures to eliminate the problem. The underarm sweat glands can be surgically cut so that their production doesn't exceed regular limits, but this si a complicated and costly procedure. However, sinc antiperspirants are the most common choice for patients, we will have a detailed look at their effects.

The Efficiency of Antiperspirants in Combating Hyperhidrosis

Antiperspirants are useful for treating milder cases of hyperhidrosis, as they can diminsih the negative effects of excessive sweating. By targeting specific sweat glands, antiperspirants significantly reduce the sweat production and increase the dryness of the skin in the areas where they are applied. Various products come in different forms, such as deodorants and medication. Deodorants are the most widespread form of antiperspirants, as they are easy to use and producce very little or no discomfort.

Axillary hyperhidrosis

One of the most effective chemical compounds used for hyperhidrosis treatment is Aluminum Chloride. Used in higher concentrations, Aluminum Chloride has a faster impact on the sweat glands, reducing their excessive production. Aluminum Chloride products work best at night time, when the sweat glands show a reduced activity, and long term results may show some improvement concerning excessive sweating of the armpits.

Axillary Hyperhidrosis and Its Social Implications

While from a medical point of view, sweaty underarms do not represent a health risk, they are hard to deal with in society. The discomfort of constantly having damp underams is increased by the fear that clothing accessories will become sweaty. Axillary hyperhidrosis treatment is seen as a necessary thing by many who suffer from this condition, as they feel this problem is affecting their social interactions. People who suffer from any form of excessive sweat are faced with some difficult social and psychological issues. Many are overwhelmed by these problems and become somewhat anti social and have difficulties integrating in groups. Career plans are also placed under the negative shadow of axillary hyperhidrosis, as self confidence and self esteem levels tend to drop.

Anyone suffering from hyperhidrosis should accept the condition, rather than deny it, and try to find a positive solution to solving the problem. There is no easy way to get rid of excessive sweat, but there are medical drugs and methods that can help you reduce its negative effects. For more info please visit http://www.hidrosiscure.com/index.htm or go stright to the following page for efficient sweat treament methods: http://www.hidrosiscure.com/medication.htm

About The Author
Michale Rad - http://www.hidrosiscure.com/whatis.htm