Work at Home Tips for Stress Free Holidays and Beyond

Work at Home Tips for Stress Free Holidays and Beyond
Do you know what is the most vital aspect of your business?
Sure that awesome new digital devise you ordered for
Christmas, which will REVOLUTIONIZE your office once you
figure it out is fabulous. And that new phone that allows
you connect to cyberspace anywhere you go is awesome. But
none of these would matter one bit if the person running
the show were to get sick and not be able to work. Even
for a month or two if you were disabled, can you imagine
the consequences? So what's the most valuable aspect of
your business? Right, you are.

At any stage of your business, whether you just opened
shop, or have a full client base established, it's so
important to remember this. You need to keep yourself in
good physical health in order to have enough energy to run
a successful business and home life. But how? There's so
much to do, and so little time to do it.

Here are a few tips that you might find beneficial:

1. Get enough sleep. Especially now with holiday parties,
client and family gifts to buy, extra work and personal
responsibilities, etc. Remember that even though you could
go on 4 hours sleep at one time, you probably can't do it
now, so don't try. A good night's sleep makes everything
feel better.

2. Have a schedule to follow and stick to it as much as
possible. Avoid unnecessary interruptions, including
constant e-mail checking.

3. Create boundaries, both work-related and personal
boundaries. You can't do it all and once you start saying
no, you'll be amazed how truly awesome it feels. And how
great your business runs.

4. Exercise. Not again you're saying! But it's so true
how much better you will feel and how much more energy you
will have. How about just a small walk in between projects?
Get to the gym. Plan to go before you start your Christmas
shopping. You're feel more energized and good about
yourself.

5. Get out of the office and do your work whenever
possible. I do a lot of writing and proofing as an author
and publicist. Instead of sitting in the office, I take it
the local coffee shop, bookstore, library, outside patio,
beach, etc. It feels great to have a change of pace. A
good cup of java and I'm good to go.

6. Prepare a healthy lunch and snack the night before, just
like you do for the kids. You'll be amazed how good it
feels to stop and eat a pre-made salad or sandwich.

7. Stretch in your chair for stress relief and more energy.
This is a great help for me. I will also at times sit on
an exercise ball instead of my chair. That enables me to
stretch my muscles and also just feel like I'm getting away
from my desk, even thought I'm right there. The exercise
ball makes it more fun, so I'm more productive.

8. Take small vacations to get away. Plan a Friday,
Saturday, Sunday vacation.

9. Take weekends and evenings off. It's so easy to get
caught up working 24/7. But when you take this time off,
you feel so much more energized.

10. Watch your budget. During the holidays many businesses
experience a time when business is slower than usual. Plan
ahead for this or watch your spending closely to avoid
added stress.

And remember it's a learning process. No one's perfect.
One of the greatest gifts I did learn was to no longer beat
myself up so much. So what if I didn't do it all today.
So what if my house didn't pass a white glove test today or
ever. I Really Enjoy Life Today -- I Enjoy My Business ---
And I Really Enjoy My Family Too.

Hope you enjoy these tips. Stop by our site for more tips
and free goodies on how to run your business more
successfully and achieve the best in everything you do.

----------------------------------------------------
Diana Ennen is the President of Virtual Word Publishing,
http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and Virtual Assistant
Startups. http://www.virtualassistantstartups.com . Ennen
is the author of several books including Virtual Assistant
' The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA
(available at Amazon); Corel WordPerfect Office Ready
Virtual Assistant Solution Pack (http://www.corel.com )
Articles are free to be reprinted as long as the author's
bio remains intact.

The Short Cut To Rapid Results From Your Workouts

The Short Cut To Rapid Results From Your Workouts
You can slice it however you like but if you are taking it
easy in the gym, results will be slow or worse,
nonexistent. The shortcut to seeing rapid fat loss and
increased muscular definition is intensity.

Let's look at some of the ways you can same time in the gym
and start seeing quicker results by going over a few
intensity techniques that I love to use with my personal
training clients. After that, I will show you how you can
fit them into a simple schedule that will still give you a
life outside the gym.

Failure - Lifting the weight until no more full repetitions
can be carried on in good form.

Drop sets - Hitting failure and then dropping the pin in
the stack to a lighter weight to continue on working.

Strip sets - The same as drop sets but usually used for
free weight exercises where the "strip" refers to taking a
plate off in order to continue.

Super sets - Combining two exercises to increase intensity,
usually a compound movement followed immediately with an
isolation movement for the same muscle group or vice versa.
An example would be hitting failure on the bench press and
then continuing on with a flye movement. Super set can
refer to two separate body parts like combining bench press
for chest with chins for back.

Running the rack - Can be done up or down the rack
(dumbbell holder) but usually down. This is almost the
same as a drop set where you use a set of dumbbells to
failure and then select a lighter pair to continue on. You
can continue on down the rack as far as you want but three
drops is most common.

Forced reps - Having reached failure, your partner will add
just enough assistance to allow you to carry on for one or
two more reps.

21's - Dividing the movement into three parts. The top,
bottom and whole movement. Most commonly done on curls
where 7 tops are done then 7 bottoms and then 7 full reps.
Any combination of tops and bottoms can be used however. I
prefer to do the seven full first that way the partials are
only done when the full movement has already been trained
to failure.

10 to 1 - Several different variations on this one. You can
start heavy and do one rep, strip some weight and then do
two reps and carry on this way until you hit 10. Another is
to start at 10 take a couple seconds rest and then do 9 and
carry on till you get to one using the same weight. The
last is to keep the same weight on all sets but hold the
contracted position for 10 seconds, lower and then hold 9
seconds and so on till your done.

Rest/pause - Performing a rep then taking a couple seconds
rest and then doing another rep thus delaying the build up
of waste products allowing you to use heavier weight and
extend the set past the reps that you would usually hit
failure at.

Now that is a lot of stuff to remember! So how do you fit
all these different systems and ways of working out with
intensity techniques into your regular lifestyle and still
have a life?

Lets look at a couple days in the life of a personal
trainer, me!

Saturday Leg Workout:

8 x 8 Squats, 30 seconds rest between sets, same weight on
all sets. This is intense because of the volume of weight
moved in such a short period of time. You don't need cardio
on a day like this.

3 x Triple drop (strip set with three drops) leg press calf
raises.

Sunday: Nothing

Monday AM:

5 x 5 chins 55LBS (intensity through weight).

Triple drop Seated cables rows (intensity through volume
moved over time).

Hand Stand Pushups - Triple drop sets moving to dumbbell
shoulder presses on failure (intensity through a compound
movement and multiple stimulation paths when we go to
dumbbells as well as the strip.)

Monday PM: Commando Cardio (This could even be bumped to
Tuesday)

The Bear: 35LBS Dumbbells (DB) DB Deadlifts DB Cleans DB
Push press DB Squats then 15 pushups for a "rest".

Each exercise for 5 reps and do seven non-stop circuits.
(It even sounds intense doesn't it?)

Finish it off with 8 x 8 Burpees. After each set of
Burpees, your active rest is to do 8 jumping knee tucks and
then right back into the Burpees. No separate cardio needed
on this day either! This IS cardio, just with the benefit
of resistance.

Tuesday: snowboarding for the afternoon.

None of these workouts take over 45 minutes and they are
intense enough that you will KNOW you are causing changes
to your body. Routines like this burn lots of calories
leading to fat loss but the intensity of the routines
actually build muscle at the same time! Why would you waste
time doing sub personal best performance workouts when you
can just go as intense as your personal level will allow
and then go do other things?

With the example above you can see that the body is worked
with heavy weights and cardio through small rest times.
Muscular endurance is worked also and we even have time to
go snowboarding which is a "hidden" workout in itself.

This is how you fit fitness into your life and see results.
Short, quick intense workouts with extra healthy activities
on the side that you enjoy. Take your body to the next
level and give some of these ideas a try. The pay off will
be faster results and less time spent in the gym.

----------------------------------------------------
Discover How to Turbo-Charge Your Metabolism, Sculpt Your
Body, Burn Off Body Fat and Develop Unstoppable
Motivation... Without Spending Endless Hours In The Gym.
Ray Burton Shows You How ==>
http://www.buildingbodies.ca/RapidFatLoss.php

What's New for Anti Aging Products

What's New for Anti Aging Products
Look around you. How many of the people you see do you
think are using skin care products to hide or reduce their
wrinkles? Probably more than you think.

Wanting to look younger than you are has been around longer
than wrinkles have. Every year, skin care companies work
on new agents, or modify current agents to perfect the
youth delivering product. We've come a long way from
elixirs sold by the gentleman in the wagon passing through
town with the bottle of "somebody's cure-all."

Four new slightly different wrinkle injection products were
approved by the FDA in 2007. These injections can cost
anywhere from $400-$1200 depending on the area you live in
and the clinic and doctor you see. Studies indicate that
those that contain hyaluronic acid lead to collagen
production.

Reading the package insert of these wrinkle injections they
all have side effects and one of them includes increased
risk of granulomas that may be permanent as well as an
increased risk of allergic reactions.

One of the most damaging effects of aging comes from
long-term exposure to sun and pollution. The damage is
caused by unstable molecule called free-radicals that exist
in the dermal layer of the skin. These free-radicals bind
with the skins collagen supply and prevent healing and new
production of skin cells.

If you apply the right antioxidant you can break the
linking of the free-radical to the collagen molecule, or
even stop the linking before harm begins. Some of the
common antioxidants are vitamins C and E, Coenzyme Q-10
(CoQ10), Algae, Pomegranate, Goji Berry, Ellagic acid,
Tannic Acid, and Green tea.

To stimulate the production of collagen, you can use
peptides. The newest type of peptides is the tri-peptides.
Matrixyl was the first followed by Argireline. Other
peptides are being studied that also show increased
collagen production.

Prescription products for anti aging have been focused on
powerful strength mixtures of vitamin-A derivatives called
retinoid. Retin A is the well known formulation that has
been on the market for a long time.

Remember, next time you look around the odds are that more
than half of the people around you are using some kind of
product to hide their wrinkles. Why should you be the one
that isn't? Even the best anti aging crèmes and
serums are inexpensive compared to wrinkle injections and
may give you a sense of well being while moisturizing your
skin.

----------------------------------------------------
Spikes Spa Secrets sells Spa Quality Clinical and Natural
Anti Aging skin care products from DIVA DEVA and Youthful
Essentials. All products have a money back guarantee.

http://SpikesSpaSecrets.com

Hot Tub in Spain - Decisions

Hot Tub in Spain - Decisions
When deciding on a Hot Tub in Spain there is a fantastic
choice.

One very first question is to consider how many people the
tub is for as Sizes of Hot Tubs vary considerably in
relation to how many people they can easily accommodate.

Obviously each and every Spa from the smallest to the very
largest is made up of several basic components such as, a
shell with jets, a cabinet to house and enclose the spa,
proper insulation, air injectors, and water pump(s) to name
but just a few of the components.

The second question to ask is as to how well manufacturer
has drawn his design and how carefully has he engineered
these components into the whole design so that they
complement each other and work together to produce a well
balanced product.

A spa which is made by a leading American or Western
manufacturer probably with decades of years of experience
will have had the time and experience to be able to design
and construct models where the components naturally work
well together.

Leading manufacturers those with many decades of experience
have been able to adopt adapt and improve on their
technically advanced systems in order to be able to allow
performance from the pumps, heaters and blowers to give you
the very best aqua flow to provide an excellent Hydro
Massage.

Jets are placed scientifically in order to best deliver the
flow of water to your body's pressure points, while still
allowing you to control the intensity of the flow and
pressure as required.

Thus a good well designed and engineered product will lead
to an outstanding hydrotherapy massage. One is able to
enjoy a vigorous or perhaps soothing massage ' with the
ability to be able to customize and modify your massage
experience to suit your mood.

Hydrotherapy and Hydro massage are both very much a
personal experience and the better engineered and made spas
are designed with fully adjustable controls and various
innovative options in order to provide the end user with
the best treatment possible.

Today there is much scientific proof of the benefits of
hydrotherapy and water therapy.

Not only is it able to help relieve stress, but it also
promotes healing, helps to reduce muscle tension, increases
circulation and helps to speed recovery.

A relaxing soak in a Hot Tub is not just warming and
relaxing - it is also therapeutic. One can use a Hot Tub in
the winter to warm up and in the summer to cool down such
its versatility

You will find that nothing quite compares with the
refreshing and rejuvenating effects of a total body hydro
massage.

The combination of soothing warm water with the feeling of
buoyancy and semi buoyancy help to ease away your pain and
stress and provide you with the respite and solace that you
so richly deserve in today's modern life .

----------------------------------------------------
The author Jacuzzi John supplies luxury Amercian Hot Tubs
in Spain on the Costa Del Sol and his web site is at
http://www.Hot-Tubs-Jacuzzi-Spain.com

Exercise to Lose Belly Fat - 2 Powerful Tips You Probably Don't Know

Exercise to Lose Belly Fat - 2 Powerful Tips You Probably Don't Know
Have you had difficulty with trying to lose belly fat?

If you answered yes, then you are certainly not alone!
There is a very good chance that you are making some very
simple mistakes with your workout routine that are
preventing you from being able to lose belly fat the way
you want!

This article will explore 2 very important aspects of your
exercise routine that you must have correct if you want to
finally start to lose tummy fat.

1. Circuit Training to Jump Start Your Metabolism

Many people simply do not know that you can lose belly fat
with exercise by strength training in a circuit of
different exercises.

You see, the more muscle you use when you exercise, the
more total calories will be burned both during the workout
routine and afterwards as well. To many, this is
counterintuitive.

Many people think that strength training is a form of
exercise that adds massive amounts of muscle, not helping
to lose stomach fat.

I want YOU to understand that strength training can help
you get stronger, increase your metabolism, "tone" your
muscles, help you blast through frustrating plateau's, and
best of all, play a huge role in being able to lose belly
fat!

I do want to warn you though, do not make the common
mistake of just doing "3 sets of 15 reps" on the machines
in the gym. The machines can be a good place to start, but
they are not the optimal for of exercise to help you lose
fat.

A more ideal alternative is to use circuit training
exercise to help you get more work done in less time. Try
using your own bodyweight and some functional equipment
instead of the machines and you will see what a difference
it makes!

Here is a sample circuit training exercise routine:

First, do a 5-10 minute warm-up

1. Inverted pushups ' 12 reps

2. Bent over dumbbell row ' 12 reps

3. Bodyweight squats ' 12 reps

4. Stability ball leg curls ' 12 reps

5. Side planks ' 5-10 seconds per side

6. Standing overhead DB press ' 12 reps

7. Stability ball crunches ' 15 reps

Try going from the beginning to the end with 0-30 seconds
of rest in between each exercise. If you do this entire
circuit 2-3 times, you will get a great workout that will
help you lose belly fat and gain muscle in about 20-30
minutes.

This is just a sample exercise routine that illustrates
that basic structure of a fat loss circuit training workout
With this circuit training workout, you will exercise to
lose belly fat as well as get stronger!

Always try to rest at least one day in between each workout
to give your body a chance to recover. Remember that your
muscles build up and get stronger while you are at rest
after an exercise session.

2. Interval Training as Opposed to the "Average Cardio
Routine"

If you have never tried interval training instead of the
average long, boring, and arduous cardio routine, you are
totally missing out!

The truth is, going slow on a cardio machine for 30-60
minutes like most people is not an efficient way to
exercise to lose belly fat. All you are doing is training
your body to adapt to the same workout, which in turn will
have you burning fewer calories with each exposure.

Interval training help you lose stomach fat because it has
a huge impact on your resting metabolism. This means you
burn calories after the session is over.

One research study found that interval training burned
calories for up to 36 hours after the exercise session was
over. The same study found that people who used interval
training burned more calories than those who did the normal
slow cardio routine.

Here is the bottom line: if you want to exercise to lose
body fat in the quickest and most efficient way possible,
then interval training is a must.

With interval training, you merely alternate between high
and low intensities instead of going at the same speed the
whole time. If you use interval training directly after a
circuit training workout, you will get a lot more work done
in less time.

Your metabolism will be fired and this will help you lose
belly fat and burn lots of calories for hours.

Now that I have laid out a simple workout structure for you
to exercise to lose belly fat, I highly advise you to go
take action. Losing fat does not have to be arduous and
slow.

With the right exercise routine combined with the right
diet, you should lose 1-3 lbs of belly fat each week,
depending on what condition you are in when you begin. Good
luck!

----------------------------------------------------
Are you frustrated with working hard in the gym and not
seeing the results you want? Hello, my name is Tom
Gifford, Certified Personal Trainer, and I have some
important information that will be of great use to you.
Come check out my website at
http://www.TheGreatCardioMyth.com and download two chapters
of my newest book absolutely free! The only thing you have
to lose is the excess weight you want to get rid of. Come
see a few of my best tips.

The Fear of Spiders

The Fear of Spiders
As amusing as it may sound to many people,
Arachnophobia--the fear of spiders, is a traumatizing
reality for millions of Americans and people worldwide.

If you or someone you know personally has this phobia, then
it should be brewing in your mind to find the answers that
bring freedom from this evil web of fear.

Even though to the phobic it may seem impossible at first,
the fear of spiders, like most fears, can most certainly be
overcome.

There are a variety of treatments, exercises, and therapies
that can help and the World Wide
Web...oops...sorry...offers a vast array of resources and
material that can be of assistance.

Most phobias are established to have developed from a
traumatizing childhood experience that grew with the phobic
so that it eventually becomes a part of him. At times when
traumatizing childhood experiences cannot be established,
psychologists were known to venture into the realm of
reincarnation and past life regression.

Phobia is not the same as "fear". A "fear" is a sense of
impending danger or evil established by inherent logics and
reasoning or by gut instinct. A "phobia" on the other hand
is an inflated and disproportionate perception of reality.

Some researchers theorized that spiders were once a threat
to the human race somewhere in evolutionary history and
that panic attacks resulting from phobias were a defense
mechanism that could save the life of persons. Such
theories, however, have no solid foundations.

Is the fear of spiders rational? Almost everyone would
agree that the answer to that question is a resounding
"no". It is in fact, somewhat "mystical". An arachnophobe
would be dreadfully afraid of a spider that is really
harmless, and poisonous spiders are not really a threat if
seen.

Experts agree that knowing more about your phobia helps you
overcome it since most phobias grow out of fear of the
unknown. Following are some "fun" facts about spiders.

The fear of spiders actually has its roots deep in Greek
mythology. "Arachnophobia" comes from the Greek words,
"arachne", meaning "spider", and "phobos", meaning "a
fear". Arachne was a beautiful Greek maiden. She studied
weaving under Athena, and had extraordinary skill. When her
skills were later recognized, she denied any training given
by Athena. Athena turned herself into a bitter, old lady.
She approached Arachne, and tricked her into a weaving
contest. Arachne wove portraits of the gods performing evil
deeds. Athena and Arachne finished their weaving in an
extremely short amount of time, but Arachne's work was much
finer than Athena's. Athena was furious that a mere mortal
had beaten her in a weaving contest and had portrayed the
gods in a disrespectful way. Overcome with rage, she beat
Arachne to the ground. Arachne was so upset, she hanged
herself. Athena realized what she had done, regretted her
actions, and sprinkled a magic liquid onto Arachne, turning
her into a spider, so she could keep her weaving skills.

The feared tarantula isn't poisonous. A tarantula's bite
can be painful, but it isn't any more dangerous than a bee
sting.

Under a spider's abdomen, near the rear, are tiny stubs
called spinnerets. The spider uses its legs to pull liquid
silk made in its abdomen from the spinnerets. The silk
hardens as it stretches. Since silk is made out of protein,
a spider eats the used silk of an old web before spinning a
new one.

On an American one-dollar bill, there is an owl in the
upper left-hand corner of the "1" encased in the "shield"
and a spider hidden in the front upper right-hand corner.

Most spiders belong to the orb weaver spider family, Family
Aranidae. This is pronounced "A Rainy Day."

In the 1960s, animal behavior researchers studied the
effects of various substances on spiders. When spiders were
fed flies that had been injected with caffeine, they spun
very "nervous" webs. When spiders ate flies injected with
LSD, they spun webs with wild, abstract patterns. Spiders
that were given sedatives fell asleep before completing
their webs.

Horseshoe crabs and spiders are actually close relatives.
The horseshoe crab belongs to the large group of
invertebrates (animals without backbones) called
Arthropods. This group also includes lobsters, crabs,
insects, spiders, and scorpions. Even though it looks
crab-like, with a hard shell and claws, the horseshoe crab
is more closely related to scorpions and spiders than to
crabs.

Many cultures believe that spiders bring good luck. The
spider was popular with the Romans, who had a favorite
mascot in the shape of a precious stone upon which a spider
was engraved. Also they were fond of carrying little
spiders of gold or silver, or any of the fortunate metals,
to bring good luck in anything to do with trade.

Spider silk can stretch up to 50 percent of its original
length. A strand of spider silk the width of a pencil could
stop a Boeing 747 in flight.

On average, people fear spiders more than they fear dying.
However, statistically, you are more likely to be killed by
a champagne cork than by the bite of a poisonous spider.

We'd probably all be dead without spiders. Their sheer
number makes spiders vital in maintaining the balance of
nature. Because they structure insect communities wherever
they occur, spiders play a vital role in the terrestrial
food chain. Without all those hungry spiders, insect
populations would explode, food crops would be decimated,
and ecological balances ravaged. Humans would probably
starve within a matter of months--if they hadn't already
succumbed to various insect-borne diseases. No spider,
incidentally, has been found to transmit disease.

Spider venom can be used to treat certain neurological and
mental disorders. A research group in Utah has isolated
components from the venom of many species of North American
spiders, which may help reduce brain damage following
strokes.

----------------------------------------------------
Patrick Carpen is the designer, owner, and author of the
website http://fearofspiders.infobay.ws . He is an internet
entrepreneur who helps the average user better understand
the workings of the internet in addition to providing high
quality content on selected topics.

Why Trying to Fit In Doesn't Work

Why Trying to Fit In Doesn't Work
Now that my book has been released, I've been asked by a
few people, "What exactly is the maverick approach to ADD
management?" In order to explain, I'd like to tell you a
quick personal story about music that has more to do with
ADD than you might expect...

I've been taking voice lessons on and off for the past
couple of years. I've had two different voice teachers,
both young musicians who don't adhere to classical voice
training techniques. Although my voice is much better
suited for opera, I just wanna sing rock! I don't care
about classical technique.

In my last lesson, I was having some trouble. I just wasn't
singing well! I wasn't hitting the right notes and my
timing was off. I was annoyed with myself and my
frustration was building. Finally, my voice teacher said to
me, "Stop thinking, stop trying so hard, and just sing." So
I did.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and let go. Suddenly
I was singing again, and sounding great. Afterwards, it
occurred to me what the problem was: I was trying too hard.

I was trying to hit the right notes, trying to breathe in
the right places, and trying to project my voice...and I
was caving under the pressure. But once I stopped trying so
hard and started trusting myself, the pressure went away.
My performance improved greatly, I felt relaxed, and I had
fun.

The Maverick Approach to ADD Management

My voice lesson experience is a great metaphor for the
maverick approach to ADD management. If you're trying
really hard to live life the way you're "supposed" to, then
chances are you're stressed out, frustrated, and
overwhelmed.

Taking the maverick approach to ADD management means that
you stop trying to fit in and start embracing your
differences. You trust yourself and do what works for you,
not what works for everyone else. Some examples include:

* Feeling comfortable taking care of yourself, even if that
means saying "no" to people or taking a day off just to
relax

* Doing whatever it is you have to do in order to pay
attention, even if that means doodling in a meeting

* Organizing yourself in ways that are comfortable for you,
even if that means being a little disorganized compared to
most people's standards

* Refusing to stress out about the little things, even if
that means running a few minutes late sometimes

The maverick approach to ADD management is NOT about trying
to be good at everything. It's not about trying to conform
to other people's standards. And it's not about fitting in!

The maverick approach to ADD management IS about managing
your ADD in such a way that it doesn't prevent you from
moving forward. It's about feeling comfortable being
yourself, and finding solutions to your challenges on your
own terms. It's about enjoying your life, and having
confidence in yourself.

Mavericks aren't afraid to be the "odd one out" because
they know that following other people's rules doesn't work.
It leads to stress, frustration, anxiety, and pressure.
Breaking those rules and making your own is a much better
fit for adults with ADD.

Mavericks would rather be happy and successful than waste
energy trying to fit in.

Are you a maverick?

----------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Koretsky is the Founder of the ADD Management
Group, Inc. and the author of the new book Odd One Out: The
Maverick's Guide to Adult ADD. Jennifer and her team work
with ADD adults who are overwhelmed with everyday life in
order to help them simplify, focus, and succeed. For free
resources and information on adult ADD, visit
http://www.ADDmanagement.com .

What to do about Lower Leg Cramps

What to do about Lower Leg Cramps
Here is a question I received from a former client.

"…I noticed with the increased exercise that I'm getting a
lot of lower leg cramps. The cramping is usually in
response to any prolonged brisk walking or running. My
personal trainer suggested that I might be lacking
magnesium, so I've been taking magnesium, but I haven't
seen any improvement. Suggestions?"

There are many possibilities. Before I even consider
nutritional deficiencies, I look first to body mechanics.
Often a long-standing or undiagnosed misalignment in the
hips/pelvis will cause lower leg cramps. Even a
misalignment in your shoulders and upper back can lead to
lower leg cramps. A good chiropractic or osteopathic
adjustment can work wonders for that.

A common cause for these kinds of cramps is improper body
mechanics during exercise. Your gait may be off. You may
not have the proper kind of walking shoe for your body.
Your posture may not be in good alignment and walking may
exaggerate that. You can check body mechanics with your
personal trainer, chiropractor, osteopath, Alexander
technique practitioner or cranial sacral/ zero balance
therapist.

Muscle cramping related to exercise might be a result of
imbalance in the body's electrolyte balance – minerals such
as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Taking a good green
drink helps with this. Plus, a good multi-mineral
supplement can work well. I favor a coral calcium mixture
that contains magnesium and potassium plus trace minerals.
A vitamin E deficiency can also cause muscle cramps.

Related to electrolyte imbalance is making sure that you
stay well hydrated during exercise as well as throughout
the day. Dehydration by itself is one cause of muscle
cramps. Unless you are an endurance athlete, the preferred
fluid replacement during exercise is plain cool water.
Drink enough water before, during and after exercise but be
careful not to over-hydrate during exercise.

Although some people think that universal exercise
hydration guidelines can be followed others believe it is
too easy to over-hydrate (hyponatremia - a problem
resulting in disturbances in the fluid electrolyte balance
which may result in serious neurological responses) and
recommend a formula for determining sweat rate and the
appropriate amount of fluid consumption during exercise.

Drinking too much or too little during exercise can cause
problems and you should be aware of your own fluid needs
during exercise. The actual amount of water consumed during
exercise should be based on an individual's sweat rate. To
determine sweat rate weigh yourself before and one hour
after exercise. Subtract the post-workout weight from the
pre-workout weight. Then add in the amount of fluid
consumed during the workout. This equals the hourly sweat
rate.

A loss of 1 pound of body weight is equivalent to 16 ounces
of fluid. If you lost one pound during a workout and drank
16 ounces during the workout then your hourly sweat rate is
32 ounces. That means you should drink 8 ounces every 15
minutes. A weight gain from pre to post workout means that
you have over-hydrated either before or during the workout.

In addition to maintaining proper hydration during
exercise, it is important to avoid over-hydration before
exercising. To maintain good hydration throughout the day,
drink 1/2 ounce of water per pound of body weight during
the day to make sure you are well hydrated.

Muscle cramps are also related to acid/alkaline balance. An
acidic body is likely to feel achy and crampy after
physical exertion. To find out if you are acidic, get some
pH paper and test your morning urine.

Exercise results in lactic acid and if you are already
acidic an increase in lactic acid can trigger muscle cramps
and achiness. It helps to shower after you exercise. When
you sweat you are eliminating acids from your body and if
you don't shower these acids can be reabsorbed.

Unaccustomed physical exertion by itself can be a cause of
muscle cramping. Be sure that you are allowing the muscle
to have sufficient rest and recovery time between exercise
sessions. Plus, there are a number of conditions and
illnesses related to muscle cramping including: restless
leg syndrome; hormone imbalance; fibromyalgia; allergies;
hypothyroidism; varicose veins; anemia and arthritis. Check
with a medical doctor for diagnosis of these conditions.

----------------------------------------------------
Mary Ann Copson is the founder of the Evenstar Mood &
Energy Wellness Center for Women. With Master's Degrees in
Human Development and Psychology and Counseling, Mary Ann
is a Certified Licensed Nutritionist; Certified Holistic
Health Practitioner; Brain Chemistry Profile Clinician; and
a Health, Wellness and Lifestyle Coach. Reconnect to your
physical, emotional, mental, psychological and spiritual
natural rhythms at
http://evenstaronline.com

Does a high cholesterol diet increase cholesterol in the body?

Does a high cholesterol diet increase cholesterol in the body?
If you've been diagnosed with high cholesterol, you're
probably trying to modify your existing diet to lower your
cholesterol. You might be surprised to learn that a high
cholesterol diet is not necessarily the culprit behind your
high serum lipid levels.

Let's talk about cholesterol first, and then we'll get into
the effects of a high cholesterol diet. What is
cholesterol? Cholesterol is a fatlike substance that is
synthesized by the body. That's right! We make it in our
bodies. Only animal products contain cholesterol. If it
didn't have a liver, it doesn't have cholesterol! As a
matter of fact, I get a kick out of food labels that tout
"No Cholesterol" as a marketing tool when the food item
never had a chance of having cholesterol in the first
place. I know what you're thinking. Some items have
cholesterol and it doesn't appear to be an animal product.
This is simply because they used animal fat to produce the
product.

Cholesterol is used in the body as a structural component
of cell membranes and in the synthesis of some hormones as
well as Vitamin D. Doesn't seem so bad, right? Wrong.
The problem is that when cholesterol is being transported
in the blood stream, it tends to stick to the walls of
arteries which of course, isn't a good thing. When there's
a high amount of cholesterol in the body, this is far more
prevalent. So, does a high cholesterol diet raise the
level of cholesterol in the body?

Yes and no. There, how's that for fence-sitting!
Seriously, the actual cholesterol component in a high
cholesterol diet doesn't necessarily raise blood levels of
cholesterol. More importantly is the fat that is usually
in the high cholesterol items. Remember how I told you
that cholesterol is only in animal products? Well, animal
products such as steak contain a lot of fat. In addition,
foods that are not even high in cholesterol and are high in
fat are generally what need to be eliminated when trying to
lower high cholesterol levels.

The fat that we're talking about here is that nasty old
saturated fat. It has been well documented that high
levels of saturated fat in a person's diet raise total
cholesterol levels and more importantly, LDL (the bad one).
Saturated fat is found in fatty meats, greasy, salty
snacks and most baked goods as well as other high fat
foods. A high cholesterol diet may or may not contain high
saturated fatty acids.

In addition, diets high in fat are often consumed by people
who are overweight. People who are overweight tend to not
exercise (not that all overweight people don't exercise).
Carrying extra weight and not exercising contribute to
increased blood cholesterol. So, you can see there are a
lot of contributing factors to high cholesterol than simply
a high cholesterol diet.

More importantly than worrying about a high cholesterol
diet, your diet will be lower in cholesterol naturally if
you lower your fat intake. Keep your fat intake less than
30% of your daily intake. If you've been diagnosed with
high cholesterol, go for less than 25% of total calories.
Watch saturated fat intake closely. Work towards getting
your fat intake from healthier sources such as fish and
oils like canola oil.

There's also a significant portion of people with high
cholesterol that don't follow a high cholesterol diet, do
not consume high amounts of fat and do exercise regularly.
These people are merely genetically predisposed to having
high cholesterol. Though they may achieve some lowering of
cholesterol through increasing their efforts at exercise
and adding foods known for lowering cholesterol, they will
probably still need a medication.

Look closely at a high cholesterol diet and re-evaluate it
based on the amount of fat it contains. Lower your fat
intake overall and you'll probably notice you are not
eating foods high in cholesterol, either. This is the best
way to avoid letting your diet affect your blood
cholesterol.

----------------------------------------------------
From a sickly little girl to a healthy chef to the stars,
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Butt" Healthy Lifestyle Expert and creator of the popular
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