Are Diet Pills a Quick Fix?

Are Diet Pills a Quick Fix?
While it is true that certain diet pills can be an
effective supplement as part of a weight loss program, they
are not something that should be used as a one step method
in losing weight. Apart from this there are many diet pills
which are completely ineffective and the only thing that
you will lose will be the money that you will spend on
buying them.

Many people are under the impression that they don't need
to exercise or change their diet. They think that they can
continue with their current lifestyles and just by taking a
diet pill, they will miraculously reach their weight loss
goals. This simply is not going to happen. The perception
of the effectiveness of diet pills stems from two issues;
the first and most important one is that nobody really
wants to implement the lifestyle changes which are required
to becoming healthier and lose weight. If they can pop a
few pills a day, then that is going to be a lot easier than
making large and lasting changes to their diets and
starting a good exercise program.

The second issue is the way diet pills are marketed by the
companies that produce them. The benefits of diet pills are
clearly oversold. Why does this happen? It's simple, if the
manufactures can provide you with what you want to hear
then you will be persuaded to buy the diet pills. They make
money and you lose money. Most people will believe almost
anything if there is a slight hope that it may work and
help them to lose weight, regardless if there is any common
sense to it or not.

The thing to keep in mind is that hype and common sense do
not go together. There are hundreds of diet pills on the
market, with each manufacturer claiming that theirs is
better than anybody else's. If diet pills are such a
reliable source in achieving weight loss, then why do we
have an alarmingly growing problem of obesity and other
weight related problems?

Why can't everyone just take diet pills and get rid of all
the weight that they want? Could it be that they don't work
as well as manufactures would like you to think? Could it
be that manufactures have other motives apart form your
health and well being? Diet pills are not a solution for
weight loss, some diet pills can be taking as part of a
weight loss program, some diet pills have absolutely no
benefits whatsoever, and there are some diet pills that can
have severe and dangerous side effects.

The plain and simple fact that to lose weight you will have
to control calories, change to a healthier diet, eat
smaller meals more frequently, take up a cardio exercise
programme, involve a weight lifting routine into your
exercise program and try to increase activity in other
areas of your life.

As you can see there are many factors involved in losing
weight. It goes far beyond taking some diet pills for a few
weeks and thinking that you are going to wake up one
morning looking like a playboy model. As an intelligent
human being you need to think to yourself, that if you have
lived a lifestyle for a number of years that has increased
your weight, and has led to other health problems, will
taking a few diet pills on a daily basis sort out all your
health issues. Losing weight safely and successfully will
require time and effort. People who are always on the
lookout for a quick fix are the ones that fail to lose
weight. Now you tell me if diet pills are a quick fix?

----------------------------------------------------
Visit http://easierwayz.com for information on what you can
do to really lose weight.

No Time to Exercise?

No Time to Exercise?
Many people claim they don't have time to exercise, they
don't have time to cook, basically they don't have time for
anything.

Well that fact is we all have time. Students, labourers,
bankers, CEO's of powerful companies all have the same
thing in common; 24 hours in a day! The difference is how
they choose to organise their day.

So many people complain about how stressful work is and how
they've had to skip lunch because they didn't have time to
eat. The truth is it's all about prioritising. Somewhere
along the line we have come to place our health extremely
low on our list of priorities and values. In fact for a
lot of people health only becomes a priority when we lose
it. I guarantee that when you become ill you will find the
time to be ill, you won't have a choice.

What to do? WAKE UP!

The deadlines will NEVER go away, there's always another
around the corner. There are always things to do and
appointments to make.

DECIDE

Take the time right now to put your health at the very TOP
of your list of priorities. Don't put anything else first!
If you become seriously unwell you won't be able to work,
you won't be able to do the things you love and those you
love won't be able to depend on you.

HOW TO DO IT

Timetable yourself in every day and stick to it! Decide at
the end of each week when you will fit in your exercise for
the following week and when you will take the time to cook
yourself healthy meals.

BE AWARE

Don't let anyone steal your time. Sometimes the people we
care about are the first one's to jeopardise our time.
Perhaps a friend will ring wanting to go for coffee or a
family member wanting to chat, you quickly become
distracted and put your exercise off for the next day.
There are circumstances when you need to stray; however
unless it's an emergency or you've been offered the chance
of a life time, then you should stay on track.

The fact is if you want to be healthy, look great and feel
great, you first have to START doing the things that will
get you there in order to HAVE the results you want.

GO FOR IT! Create your time table, stick to it, and don't
let anyone steal your time. Do this and you will see
results!

----------------------------------------------------
Rosa Coelho is a Performance Coach, Personal Trainer and
Sports Massage Therapist at Dax Moy Personal Training
Studios in London. Rosa specialises in applying a holistic
approach to health and fitness through The POWER
Principles. To download a Rosa's Free report, 'Highly
Effective Metabolism Boosters' go to
http://rocofitness.blogspot.com/

The World's Best 10 Minute Workout

The World's Best 10 Minute Workout
If I had a pound for every time someone asked me for a
10-minute workout that you can do at home with little or no
equipment, I swear I'd be a millionaire.

In fact, if I had just a penny for every time I've heard
that request I'd be pretty damned wealthy too!

It seems that despite the rapid growth of the high street
gym chains, that there are still hundreds of thousands, if
not millions of people, who are either too broke, too busy
or, let's be honest, too lazy to go to the gym with
regularity required to make any real impact on their health.

To be fair, it's not just these reasons that put people off.

For many, the gym seems an intimidating, unfriendly and
'cliquey' place where the 'in-crowd' get all the help and
the attention while those who're really in need of help go
ignored.

Well, whatever reason YOU may have for not going to the gym
(or even if you do but you're not getting the results you
want) I guarantee that the programme I'm about to give you
will deliver results in rapid time in as little as 10-20
minutes a day.

Now, I'm not going to give you some corny
'Hoovering-burns-100-calories-an-hour' type of programme.
In truth, although housework CAN be quite calorie intense,
it just doesn't last long enough or require enough muscle
to make enough of a difference (unless you work as a
cleaner). After all, even if you've a fairly large house,
how long can you actually hoover for?

Nope, this programme is going to ask you to get yourself
structured into a workout that'll last for 10 minutes in
the morning and, ideally, 10 minutes in the evening EVERY
DAY.

Now, I know some of you will already be making excuses as
to why this is not going to be possible, but I'm afraid I'm
going to have to call your bluff on that one by telling you
that absolutely EVERYONE I've ever worked with has found
the time if....they really wanted the results.

If you do then you'll do the work, if not you'll make
excuses.

Look, this is 10-20 mins maximum on a daily basis. You can
even watch TV while you do it!

What will it do for you?

Well, if followed every day for one month you'll become
stronger, more supple, more toned and defined and a lot
leaner than you've been in ages. In addition you'll have
greater balance, stability and core strength meaning that
you'll have EVERYTHING your gym programme is supposed to
give you but in a fraction of the time.

Sounds too good to be true right?

Well, it's not!

This programme whilst simple and short, is certainly not
easy. It requires consistency and effort on a regular basis
in order to produce its 'magic' but when it does...

The Routine

The routine is called Integrated Movement Training and
it's the system I've used successfully to condition
everyone from actors to athletes, pop stars to polar
explorers and thousands of people from all walks of life to
look, move and feel better than ever.

It's very simple in format.

Basically, you perform most of the movements from a
standing position (using more of your body's 600 muscles)
and take every joint and every muscle in your body through
every possible range of motion.

This is the exact opposite of most gym programmes that get
you to isolate and emphasise individual muscles and joints
and it's the reason why it's so effective at burning
calories.

After all, if you're using 600 muscles at once, you've got
to be having a greater effect on your body than isolating
just one or two right?

The programme requires you to use a light weight (around
3kg) which can be a medicine ball, a dumbbell or even a
water-bottle or household object.

In many ways it doesn't matter, though many people find the
even load of a medicine ball easier to work with.

Progression Perform 5 reps of each exercise on the upper
body movements and 10 reps on the lower body (they're
bigger muscles).

When this becomes easy, get a heavier weight. Easy!

The exercises

You can download an full worksheet by following the links
in the resource box below.

Summary

30 days.

That's all I'm asking from you. 30 days of consistent
effort applied for just 10 minutes at a time, twice a day.

Use the Integrated Movement Training Programme I've given
you in this article and I guarantee you'll be looking and
feeling better than you have in years.

Look at it this way; 30 days are going to pass anyway,
whether you do this or not. What have you got to lose?

----------------------------------------------------
Dax Moy is a performance enhancement specialist and master
personal trainer with studios in and around London.
Voted one of the UK's leading fitness experts, Dax is a
regular guest on TV, radio and print publications on the
subject of health, fitness and the performance mindset
To download the worksheet accompanying this article visit
http://www.daxmoy-pts.co.uk/integratedmovement.pdf

Small Changes To Your Weight Loss, Part 4

Small Changes To Your Weight Loss, Part 4
This is another installment in our series of how little
changes can add up to weight loss success. Just as a huge,
luxury cruise ship turns in small increments to make an
adjustment, so can you. One day you don't eat a bag of
cookies for dinner and then the next day expect to be
satisfied eating nothing but vegetables. Extremes don't
work when it comes to making changes in your diet. Make
small changes and adjustments to achieve a u-turn in your
diet. As you accomplish one small change, add another
successfully, and another, etc., you'll find yourself
moving forward with positive momentum. It is more than
doable and before you know it, all these small changes
equal to big success in your weight loss goals.

1. Use flavorings instead of swimming in fat. Butter,
cream sauces, sugary sauces tend to encourage the mentality
of the more the better. Some of my clients use these fatty
items as pools that the food swims in rather than for
flavoring. Use flavorings such as hot sauce, salsa, and
Cajun seasonings. To keep your digestion and metabolism
fires burning, these seasonings provide flavor without the
fat and fewer calories. Adjust your taste buds to
flavorings rather than pools of fat.

2. Stairs as exercise equipment. Who needs expensive
exercise equipment or gym memberships? You can spend only
10 minutes a day walking up and down stairs to make a big
difference. For a 15-minute work break, you can spend only
10 minutes and have 5 to spare! According to the CDC
(Centers for Disease Control), it takes only 10 minutes a
day to help you lose as much as 10 pounds a year. 10
minutes a day for 10 pounds a year.

3. Skip e-mail or phone calls and walk it. The
convenience of e-mail and telephone have made us even more
sedentary. Are you stuck at a desk all day? Get up and
walk around the office or your home for five minutes per
day for every two hours. A brisk five-minute walk every
two hours will equal an extra 20-minute walk by the end of
the day. How easy is that? An added benefit is that it
will make you less likely to find yourself eating out of
the vending machine out of boredom.

4. Balance your starch choice with vegetables. At your
next meal, check out the proportion of your starch to your
vegetables. If you're like most dieters, your carbohydrate
choice far is larger your vegetables. To avoid a
carbohydrate overload, eat an equal size portion of starch
food choice to your vegetable choice. High fiber
vegetables will satisfy your hunger before you overindulge
in starchy foods.

5. To be smaller, order small. When you order a food
item, order the small size. Order the smallest portion of
everything. Super size, giant, jumbo sizes don't result in
a body size small. If you're ordering a submarine
sandwich, order the 6-inch rather than the 12 incher. We
tend to each what's in front of us even though we'd be
satisfied on less. Think small to be small.

6. Drive past the drive thru. If you're running short of
time or just plain don't feel like cooking, have a stash of
healthy frozen dinners that have been created for weight
loss. If you have problems with evening eating, you can
use frozen dinners as well. Many of us tend to eat more in
the evening than in the morning. An easy way to keep your
evening eating and dinner meal is to buy a pre-portioned
meal. You can supplement with vegetables and fruit.

Weight loss doesn't have to be done by making monumental
changes all at once. Actually, smaller changes tend to
build on the successes of each other. We're less to feel
overwhelmed by all the differences in our lives and give
up. When you build a brick house, it is built a brick at a
time. Build your own sturdy, solid foundation for weight
loss, built one small change at a time.

----------------------------------------------------
Cathy Wilson is a weight loss life coach. Cathy lost 147
pounds six years ago. Her passion is helping clients
achieve their weight loss and life goals. Cathy works with
clients to create a weight loss life plan that is
customized to each client. Cathy is a member of the
International Coaching Federation, International
Association of Coaches, and Obesity Action Coalition.
Visit Cathy's website:
http://www.LoseWeightFindLife.com

Cleanse Your Entire System With a Full Body Detox

Cleanse Your Entire System With a Full Body Detox
Do you know the reason you've been feeling down and
depressed lately in spite of leading what you consider a
healthy lifestyle? It could be that you're in need of a
full body detoxification. Full body detox programs are one
of the latest and most popular ways of cleansing your body
and getting rid of those toxins from your system. Let's
talk about detox programs here and see which one is best
for you.

Why is a full body detoxification necessary?

a) Toxins are harmful substances which can enter through
our diet and lead to physical unease including undue
fatigue, nausea, headaches or sometimes even certain
diseases.

b) Toxins damage your health. That's why you should beware
of some food items which may cause their build up in the
body, such as white flour, sugar, dairy products, and a few
kinds of grain, meat and caffeine.

c) Alcohol and the intake of non-medicinal narcotics are
major sources of toxins.

The basic idea of the full body detox regimen is to cleanse
the body of all such toxins. They involve giving up on
toxin producing foods for a short period of time. The full
body detox procedure gives a sense of complete internal
revitalization. It cleanses out the body from the inside
rather than from the outside which we are generally more
conscious of doing. There are a number of full body detox
options available:

i) Detox body wrap
ii) Juice diets and detox teas

as well as other detoxification products.

Generally full body detox diets require you to undergo a
brief period of fasting and then resume eating but on a
stringent diet comprising only raw vegetables, fruits and
juices and of course, plenty of water, that natural
detoxificant! Choose from the best diets which will involve
mainly fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, unsaturated
fats and whole grain cereals. Remember to exercise as this
will be beneficial for your body and aid in the full body
detox procedure.

Make sure the food you get is nutritious so that your body
is not unnecessarily deprived of the energy it needs to
fulfill its functions. Reduce stress. Stress leads to an
accumulation of toxins in the body. Sometimes, you may be
advised to use an herbal laxative to flush the toxins from
your system and detoxify your body. All the program options
may not suit everybody, so be careful when picking the one
best for you. All of this combined, will give you a good
start into a healthier life.

The duration of most of these full body detox procedures
extends from 7-10 days. Before you undergo a full body
detox, consult your medical practitioner and check to see
the symptoms that are leaving you down aren't due to any
illness. Always consult a good book or your doctor before
embarking on such a procedure.

Of all the people who undergo full body detox processes,
the majority have reported saying they felt much better
than they had before the program. They were conscious of
doing something really good to their bodies and this also
had a positive impact on their mindset. Use your chosen
full body detox program to give you expel grimy toxins from
your body and simply see the amazing difference it makes in
your life!

----------------------------------------------------
John Khu is a health enthusiast and author of a new eBook
titled "Body Detox Tips". He is devoted to educate others
on the benefit of body detoxification. He is also the
owner of the website called http://www.bodydetoxtips.com
which provides complete and up-to-date information.

Sealants Prevent Cavities In Your Children's Teeth

Sealants Prevent Cavities In Your Children's Teeth
What are dental sealants?

Sealants are plastice coatings that are applied to the pits
and fissures of a tooth surface to prevent accumulation of
decay causing plaque in these areas. They are applied as a
flowable liquid that flows into the pits and fissures of
the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, then hardened with
a high intensity dental curing light. This is a simple
painless procedure requiring no anesthetic or drilling.

Fluorides have markedly reduced incidence of tooth decay in
children on the smooth surfaces of teeth since the early
1970's. By the mid 1980's approximately 90 percent of the
decay in children's teeth occured in surfaces with pits or
fissures and almost two-thirds were on the chewing surfaces
of the back teeth. These are the areas dental sealants
protect. They have been approved for many years by
professional health associations and public health
agencies. Many people are still unaware of dental sealants
today. In fact, fewer than 25 percent of children in the
United States have sealants applied.

When Should Sealants Be Applied?

Children should get sealants placed as soon as their
permanent molars start coming in, before any decay has a
chance to occur. This usually starts at about the age of
six. Second molars usually come in around the age of
twelve, so children should be checked for sealant
application regularly from the age of six through their
early teen years. Adults at high risk of decay can also
benefit from sealants in areas that have not already had to
be filled or restored.

How Are Sealants Put On?

* The tooth is cleaned
* The tooth is dried, and isolated with cotton
* A solution is put on the tooth that makes the
surface a little rough. This makes the bonding of the
sealant material stronger
* The tooth is rinsed and dried
* The sealant is applied in liquid form and
hardened for 10 seconds with a dental curing light * The
sealant is finished

How Long Do Sealants Last?

Sealants can last as long as ten years. However, they need
to be checked at regular intervals during normal dental
checkups to make sure they are not chipped or worn away. If
needed, the dentist or dental hygienist can repair the
sealants by adding more.

How Can I Get Dental Sealants For My Children?

Talk to your dentist, state or local dental society, or
health department. Some schools have programs for sealant
application. Check with your school about whether it has a
sealant application program.

----------------------------------------------------
Steven J. Brazis DDS has practiced family and cosmetic
dentistry for 35 years. For more information on children's
teeth see his book:
http://www.yourchildrensteeth.com

Normal skin care tips

Normal skin care tips
As there are several major types of skin; dry skin, oily
skin and normal skin. Each of them has unique
characteristics, advantage and disadvantage. The skin
condition of individual depends on many different factors
such as genetic, treatment, environment and so on. However,
the people who have normal skin condition is quite lucky,
compare to the ones who have different types because they
can use typical treatment skin care or they will be able to
use preventive methods rather that struggle to looking for
effective treatment.

The advantage of having normal skin is that you are able to
use almost every types of skin care products that available
in the market. Because normal skin seems not need more
extra care or treatment. However, for the person who has
typical condition but still concern of preventive method to
protect them from unexpected situation, they may also look
for proactive methods to help them on this matter. However,
skin care products are not only limited to intend to
provide effective treatment to the skin but also including
recovering condition of the skin such as anti-aging and
anti-wrinkle. Moreover, using additional conditioner such
as skin moisturizer or skin cleanser are also one of the
most skin popular sin conditioning products.

Even though the people who have normal skin are quite
comfortable to take care of their skin but they still need
to be concern about the following condition, which is the
environment and activities that should be avoided in order
to make sure that they have least chance to destroy the
skin's condition by accident.

Firstly, avoid using hot water when you take a bath. This
is directly come from my experience. I am also the person
who has normal skin type but love to have shower by using
hot water. According to the fact that oil could perform
well dissolve in hot water, which means if you frequently
have hot water shower, there is grater chance for losing
the oil that keep your skin moisturized and as a result,
your skin will become dry very rapidly. Therefore, it is
strongly recommend that you should sometimes shower my cold
water to prevent too much losing oil from the skin.

Secondly, especially for women who love to use hair dryer,
you may be have to avoid direct contact your skin with the
hot air that released by the hair dryer. This is partly
because hot air could remove moisture from you skin as
well. However, sometimes, as a matter of fact that it is
really hard to avoid such a situation because you have to
use hair dryer blow directly to the hair. But if you can
avoid this by adjust the degree of hair dryer's heat and
take a little bit longer to dry your hair that is very much
help, the more heat released from the dryer, the grater
chance for the skin to lose moisturizer. The information
described above is just the introduction for people who has
normal skin, but there are million of the rest to be
discovered, using preventive methods are more desirable
than using additional treatment so you may be carefully
consider.

----------------------------------------------------
For all of the reader who looking for tips and knowledge
about the beauty well being, please visit
http://www.natural-skin-care-fix.com

Cardio Doesn't Work. Here's Why...

Cardio Doesn't Work. Here's Why...
Cardio does not work for fat loss. All the researchers say
it does, but look at how many overweight people get nowhere
with their cardio programs.

Cardio exercise is such a strange thing. In theory, it
should work so perfectly well for all men and women, but as
anyone who has tried it knows, the practicality of it just
doesn't add up.

After all, some men and women do cardio 6 hours, 9 hours,
or more per week, and still have belly fat to burn. On the
other hand, it works just fine for others.

And you know who it works best for? Young, fit males. The
guys who don't need any help! The guys who have lots of
time to "waste" on long, slow cardio workouts. The guys who
have a fast metabolism, exercise a lot, and have plenty of
muscle.

It works for them, but does it work for you? Probably not.

British researchers wanted to get more insight into this
paradox, and studied 35 overweight men and women, who
weren't previously exercising.

(Reference: International Journal of Obesity 32: 177-184,
2008).

Subjects exercised 5 times per week for 12 weeks. That's a
lot of exercise, but it helped the subjects lose an average
of 8.2 pounds, which is great - I was positively surprised
by the results.

So cardio will work for some people, however, in my
experience, it works best in young men, who need the help
the least!

Back to the study, the variance in fat loss between
individuals was huge. Check this out...

The best subject lost a staggering 32.3 pounds in 12 weeks,
while the worst subject actually GAINED 3.74 pounds.

The scientists think they know where things went sour. They
classified the subjects into 2 groups, called the
"Compensators" and the "Non-compensators".

The Compensators were hungrier, and as a result consumed an
extra 268 calories per day, all but wiping out their cardio
efforts.

Therefore, the Compensators lost the least amount of
weight, and scientists believe that was due to the huge
"compensatory" increase in appetite experienced by this
group.

Does your appetite increase when you do slow cardio? If it
does, research shows it will ruin your cardio efforts.

So if your cardio program is not working for you, check
your appetite and calorie intake to see if you are
"compensating" for your efforts. If you are, you might be
better off using a program of high-intensity resistance and
interval training (i.e. Turbulence Training) for your
weight loss efforts.

As Australian Professor Steve Boucher has shown in
research, interval training increases hormones called
catecholamines. And increased catecholamines can reduce
appetite, among other fat- burning benefits.

In the real world, few people lose 33 pounds after 12 weeks
of cardio. Heck, few even achieve an average weight loss of
8 pounds with aerobic exercise.

So again, check your appetite, and consider giving
high-intensity exercise a go for your next workout program.

Beat the curse of cardio with high-intensity fat burning
workouts that don't use cardio.

----------------------------------------------------
Learn the 5 shocking fat loss myths stopping you from
losing your belly fat -> http://www.turbulencetraining.com

Breaking Out of Sugar Hell

Breaking Out of Sugar Hell
I was recently in New York City, standing in line at
Starbucks when my friend pointed out this sign to me:
"Make Yourself Happy - Choose a Sweet Indulgence or a
Non-Fat Option." As initially tempting as all the treats
in the case behind the sign looked, I had to laugh at the
irony of the words on the sign. Nothing against
Starbucks (I'm a huge fan of their chai tea mistos),
because they are only a small part of a huge industry that
sells false messages about food, but I have got to set the
record straight. Low fat will not make you happy. Neither
will a sweet indulgence. Temporarily, maybe. Long term,
never.

We are born into a world where we are given mixed messages
about food, especially sugar. On the one hand: don't eat
sweets -they are bad for you! They will make you fat! They
will cause your teeth to rot! They will give you diabetes!
And on the other hand: Eat sweets - they will make you
happy! Or creative! Or inspired! Let's celebrate with cake!
Here's a piece of candy, now please stop crying! Or here's
a cookie because you were good! I love you - here's
chocolate!

Pretty powerful - and confusing - messaging that is
infiltrated into our brains from practically the time we
are born (and then compounded a hundred times over by
advertising). The message is this: That although sugar
might be bad for our health, it can make us oh, so happy
and, without it, our lives might feel depleted, depressing,
loveless and lonely.

Although we all know that too much sugar is not good for
us, many of my clients, readers, friends and people in the
audience at my talks find this white substance (or another
form of sugar, like alcohol, white flour, or other quickly
absorbed carbohydrates from processed foods) addictive and
compelling. Despite our best efforts at "willpower," almost
everyone has experienced the "I NEED SOMETHING SWEET OR
CRUNCHY OR ALCOHOLIC NOW" syndrome. . . that intense
craving for some substance that will bring us comfort or
relief or cheer. And the reason is: it works! It really
does. . . that is, it works temporarily.

Like a drug, sugar (and its partners in crime) literally
affects our brain so that we feel immediately relieved,
calm and happy. Problem is, this feeling does not last and
we often find ourselves later feeling equally - or more -
down, upset or irritable. No amount of willpower works
when our brains are working against us.

And here's another crazy thing: Many of us are so used to
feeling irritable, anxious, mildly (or intensely)
depressed, tired, unfocused, and full of cravings, that
this state of being feels almost "normal." But let me
assure you: this is not normal. When our brains and bodies
are balanced, our normal state is to feel good. Energetic.
Calm. Focused. Satisfied and fulfilled and nourished by
our food and by our lives.

Now I am not blaming sugar for every emotional or
physiological problem we experience. Anxiety, depression,
irritability, lack of focus and cravings are often
multi-determined and complex. And I must admit, I am
hesitant to even write about this because I don't want to
perpetuate the "bad food/good food" mindset that you may
have. But, as a therapist and as a person who struggled
with some depression, anxiety and eating problems myself, I
am convinced that sugar's affect on our brain chemistry
must be understood if we are to break out of some of these
painful cycles.

Let's use my day yesterday and my initial descent into
"sugar hell" as an example of what could - and often does -
happen when we eat sugar. I started off my day as usual -
some protein, fat and complex carbohydrates (a big dose of
peanut butter on a sprouted wheat bagel), which kept me
pretty full and satisfied until lunch. At that point, my
husband made the kids grilled cheese which looked so good
that I couldn't resist. This is not my typical lunch and,
although filling physically, did not feel at all
satisfying. I knew I needed more protein and some
vegetables, but we were busy so I skipped it.

I had an amazing slice of cake at my daughter's birthday
party and enjoyed every bite of it, but afterwards, found
myself nibbling at the snack food that was out. And
nibbling. And more nibbling. (Still hungry from lunch, and
triggered by the sugar in the cake). I really couldn't
stop which, these days, is quite unusual for me. When we
left the party and got home, I found myself searching
cabinets. I munched on the popcorn my husband made for the
kids. I noshed on some left over cake (just straightened
out the edges several timesJ). I picked at some leftover
Chinese food.

I was in quite a state really, searching, physically full,
but unsatisfied, and noticing my mood shifting from calm
and stable to mildly irritable and jittery. And because I
have been in "sugar hell" before and am quite familiar with
what I need to do to get out of it, I was able to stop. It
is in these moments that I ask myself what I need to do to
"right" my body's chemistry. Although I was physically
full, I knew I needed real fuel for my brain in order to
get off the rollercoaster I was on. I knew, for me, that
fuel had to come in the form of protein (and I wanted red
meat) and fat. I ate a good meal, watched a funny movie
with my husband, and got into bed, finally satiated,
physically and emotionally.

Had I not been in tune with my body, or had I not really
tuned in and listened, this "sugar hell" (or cycle of
craving and munching and dissatisfaction with elevating
irritability and anxiety) could have continued for quite a
while (and let me assure you, it has in the past - in fact,
I used to LIVE in this place!). When we eat sugar, our
blood sugar temporarily rises and we feel good, leading
later to a drop in blood sugar levels and an intense
craving for MORE. Sugar may also temporarily increase our
serotonin levels (our "feel good" brain chemicals). But
again, these feelings don't last and ultimately, the sugar
and fake foods (like a drug) deplete our bodies and our
brains so that over time, we feel less good (and feel like
we NEED more sugar to feel better).

Unfair, I know. And I am not suggesting we never eat sugar
again or never feed it to our kids. We need to balance our
psychology and emotional response (the word NEVER tends to
throw us into a state of feeling deprived) with our biology
and physiology (the physical effect of these foods on our
body and our brain), so that we can find a way of relating
to sugar (and its counterparts) effectively. So that we can
become aware of the effects of these foods on our bodies
and arm ourselves against intense and continual cycles of
fatigue, irritability and cravings.

Here are a few tips that may help either prevent "sugar
hell" in you or your children, or help pull you out of them
if you happen to find yourself there:

1) TUNE IN to your body. Figure out what works for you
(and your children) and what keeps your blood sugar levels
and brain chemistry stable. Notice what foods trigger
cravings, difficult behavior,fatigue or irritability, and
minimize them.

2) Notice what emotional states might trigger sugar
cravings - loneliness? Stress? Boredom? Fatigue? Begin to
address them with non-food solutions and get help if you
need to.

3) Most people benefit from some combination of
protein, fats and high-quality carbohydrates at each meal
and snack to stabilize blood sugar levels.

4) If you are going to eat sugar or processed
carbohydrates, arm yourself by eating protein and/or fat (a
piece of cheese, some nuts, some sliced turkey, for
example), beforehand.

5) Do NOT skip meals - ever.

6) Avoid fake sweeteners (like NutraSweet, saccharine,
Splenda, etc), which just "whet" your appetite for more
sweets.

7) Avoid packaged foods that are labeled low fat. In
fact, don't be afraid of fat at all - most unprocessed fats
are GOOD for your body and your brain (more on this another
time!).

8) If you find yourself in the middle of a sugar binge
or "sugar hell," stop and ask yourself: "what is the next
thing I can do to shift this cycle?" Then DO IT.

9) Don't beat yourself up - for anything. Especially
for not having "enough willpower." Remember, your cravings
are not about willpower, but about your body's way of
trying to tell you that you are out of balance somehow.

10) Stop thinking of sweets as a reward. Find non-food
treats for yourself and your children.

----------------------------------------------------
Karen Schachter is a licensed clinical social worker &
certified nutrition counselor who works with women who want
to have a healthier relationship with food & in turn,
improve their nutrition, improve their mood & energy,
decrease their cravings and just generally enjoy life more
fully. She helps parents figure out what to feed their
children & how to feed their children. Sign up for her FREE
newsletter @ http://www.healthybodieshappyminds.com/

The Vacation Rescue Plan - Come Home In Better Shape Than When You Left!

The Vacation Rescue Plan - Come Home In Better Shape Than When You Left!
It's the last day of your holiday and after walking around
in flip-flops and a bikini for a fortnight it's finally
time to pack your case and take a return flight back to
reality.

Taking stock, you're feeling pretty good about yourself.
You're totally refreshed, tanned and feeling ready to face
the world again. Your holiday has done you the world of
good.

Then reality strikes!

Changing back into your going home clothes you notice that
the waist is a fair bit tighter than before you left, your
hips are bulging a bit and your thighs just about fit into
your trousers. Basically, the lard-monster has paid you a
visit, and the likelihood is that he's going to be staying
for a while!

For many women the above scenario is all too familiar. Two
weeks of overindulgence and poor food choices leave the
average woman with a weight gain of about 5 to 7 pounds.
Nearly all of it fat!

Now, obviously this isn't great. We all like to think of
our holidays as being a rejuvenating experience, not one
which will leave us fatter and less energetic than before
we left for the sun, but what can we do to avoid piling on
the pounds whilst still having the holiday experience we're
hoping for?

Plan, plan, plan

The main reason that so many of us put weight on during our
holidays (or any other time for that matter) is that most
of us are 'reactive' eaters. We never pay much attention to
what we're eating or when we're going to eat it and either
wait until we're ravenous before we find food or simply eat
'because it's there' (especially on all-inclusive getaways).

Neither of these scenarios are great. Waiting too long
between meals usually means that you'll overeat when you
finally do sit down to a meal and the other approach is an
obvious route to obesity.

If you want to win the battle of the bulge you've got to
think ahead. Plan for AT LEAST three meals per day (though
ideally, five or six SMALLER feedings work best) with a
good rule of thumb being that you should not eat again
within 2 hours nor leave it longer than four. The result of
this approach is that you are giving the body regular, yet
small, quantities of food and then digesting them before
you eat again, meaning that there is very little left to
lay down as fat.

(Note: This only works if you consume smaller quantities of
food. Six pizzas will still make you fat!)

Ideally, your planning should also include WHAT you are
going to eat as well as WHEN. This reduces the likelihood
of eating rubbish or 'non-foods' as we rarely, if ever,
actually plan to eat poorly, we simply eat out of a
reaction to hunger and immediate availability.

Fresh is best

If you really want to avoid piling on the holiday pounds
this summer then avoid processed foods at all costs!

Laden with sodium, sugar and all manner of artificial
colourings and preservatives, processed foods fall into the
category of 'non-foods', meaning that they lack the
vitamins and minerals that are needed in order to maintain
optimal health. In addition, these foods are calorie dense
and appetite stimulants of the highest order. Eat them at
your peril!

Avoid ANYTHING from a packet, jar or tin, opting instead
for fresh produce such as locally grown fruit, vegetables
and meat or fish dishes.

This isn't as difficult as it may sound. Normally, you'll
find that as long as you have a little meat or fish, some
steamed, roasted or stir-fried vegetables and the herbs and
spices that are grown in the region that you are taking
your holiday in, that you'll be onto a winner. It'll be
healthy and taste delicious too.

Whatever you do, avoid the 'chips with everything'
approach. Not only are most chips pre-packaged and
processed mush (instead of real potato) but they're fried
in polyunsaturated oils that have been found to contribute
to numerous medical conditions including obesity and some
cancers.

Mix and Match

During our holidays (though it's true in day to day life
too) we tend to 'pad out' our plates with carbs, carbs and
more carbs.

Everything from bread (including croissants and pastries)
to pasta, pizza to ice cream and even the beer, wine or
cocktails that you drink around the pool are predominantly
made up of carbohydrate.

It has been proven that excessive ingestion of
carbohydrates, particularly those with high glycemic values
like potatoes, wheat, sugar and alcohol, can lead to
excessive insulin output which is known to increase fat
retention leading to obesity and diabetes.

If we want to avoid the pitfalls associated with
carbohydrate consumption there are three things we need to
do:

1.Determine your biochemical individuality to find out how
much or little carbohydrate you should include in your diet
(See accompanying article)

2.Cut back on all high glycemic index carbs opting instead
for those that release their sugars more slowly.

3.ALWAYS eat protein and fat with your meal. This is
important in reducing the effects of insulin as well as
providing a well-rounded supply of vital vitamins, minerals
and amino acids that will also serve to suppress your
appetite.

You need to drink more than you think

Though water consumption has just about been 'done to
death' in the media recently, still too many people are
oblivious to its importance in maintaining optimal health
and vitality, opting instead for fizzy drinks, fruit juice,
tea, coffee and alcohol as their main sources of fluids.

The problem is that NONE of these fluids do the job of
water and nearly all are damaging to the body.

Even if you drink a couple of litres of fruit juice or
lemonade you still cannot consider yourself to be hydrated.
These fluids, due to their carbohydrate content, actually
require water so that they can be digested properly. They
will dehydrate you.

There is simply no substitute for water. You're either
drinking it or you're dehydrated.

Dehydration is bad enough back here in the UK but add the
holiday sun and the obligatory alcohol into the equation
and you've got serious problems. Not only are sunburn and
heat stroke going to get you but you're more likely to put
on weight too as the body mistakes this thirst for hunger.
Found yourself incessantly snacking on holiday? This may be
the reason!

So, how much should you be consuming? At least 1 litre of
WATER (any other fluids do not count) for every 50lbs of
bodyweight, so if you're ten stones (140lb) you'll need
around 3 litres just to maintain balance. And remember, if
it's particularly hot, if you sweat a lot or you're being
active, you'll need a fair bit more.

Eating healthily on holiday doesn't have to be a bore or a
chore that detracts from your enjoyment of the experience.
You don't even have to count calories, miss out on treats
or abstain from alcohol. In fact, by paying more attention
to what you eat you'll find yourself more alert, energetic
and able to enjoy the experience so much more.

And just think; you may even come home looking better than
you did before you went away! Wouldn't that be great?

See you on the beach!

----------------------------------------------------
Dax Moy is a performance enhancement specialist and master
personal trainer with studios in and around London.
Voted one of the UK's leading fitness experts, Dax is a
regular guest on TV, radio and print publications on the
subject of health, fitness and the performance mindset
To download a free copy of Dax's Elimination Diet which has
been downloaded by over 24,000 people visit
http://www.daxmoy-pts.co.uk/elimination.asp

Adult Smoking Cessation

Adult Smoking Cessation
Adult smoking cessation, like losing weight, is one of the
most popular goals for people of all ages.

Like starting a new fitness regime it is also seen as
something to build up to - something that's hard work and
takes a lot of discipline.

I'm glad to be able to tell you that in my experience if
you're finding adult smoking cessation unbearably tough and
you're looking for a new solution then you're probably
doing it all wrong.

It's hard to convincingly put into words how simple smoking
cessation can be if you get the technique right.

I struggled with attempt after attempt and while I once
managed to get to 3 months I still always ended up back on
the cigarettes.

Yet, without wanting to sound too much like a salesman,
eventually I stumbled onto something that worked amazingly
well and made giving up smoking a breeze.

OK, so realistically what works and what doesn't?

The less successful methods, ironically, tend to be the
more expensive options. The various methods of nicotine
replacement therapy (NRT) for example tend to cost a
similar amount to continuing to smoke (there goes the
"saving money" argument to quitting smoking!).

They also simply serve to swap the nicotine in your
cigarettes for nicotine in other forms (such as a patch) so
you're still actually addicted.

Even weeks after you've had your last cigarette - if you
have happen to leave home without your latch or run out of
gum you'll likely be back smoking within hours.

That's not what I think of as successful adult smoking
cessation.

What I came to realise after numerous failed attempts
myself was that the core of the problem - the real key to
solving your smoking problem rapidly and painlessly - is to
focus your efforts on changing the *habit* that makes you
want a cigarette.

As pesonal examples I always used to smoke when I was in a
bar having a drink. Why? I would also smoke when feeling
nervous about a dentists appointment or job interview for
example.

Smoking cessation techniques that deal with *why* these
situations are the ones to make us want to smoke, and then
breaking that behavioural, sub-conscious knee-jerk reaction
often work rapidly, painlessly and over the long term.

Indeed, discuss with ex-smokers how they managed to quit
and most would admit that their success is down to spending
time on modifying their behaviour. Even those who disagree
will likely have made some changes without even realising
it.

In contrast, ask how many current smokers have tried
nicotine replacement and I think the answer will shock you.
So many people have tried and failed with NRT that it's
quite shocking.

I should say to reassure you that in terms of changing your
bahaviour you will still be yourself. We're not talking
about changing your personality. I was nervous I would lose
those elements that I sub-consciously linked to smoking -
the fun, talkative side to my personality. But of course I
didn't. The changes are far more subtle and just serve to
break the bonds between smoking and why you think you need
to do it. You'll barely notice a difference yourself,
except that you will suddenly just bot fancy a cigarette.

No stopping yourself having one - you actually just won't
want one! Imagine that feeling you get *just after* a
cigarette - where you feel fulfilled, calm, happy and don't
fancy a smoke - carrying on all day long.

It's an amazing experience!

Today the science of adult smoking cessation using
behavioural modification is advanced-enough to have a range
of solutions and no doubt one of them will perfectly match
both your behaviour and your pocket.

----------------------------------------------------
For more detailed advice on adult smoking cessation read
our indepth free report at:
http://www.squidoo.com/tipsonstoppingsmoking

The Anatomy of a Rhinoplasty

The Anatomy of a Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty (nose surgery) is one of the top requested
cosmetic procedures for both men and women in plastic
surgery. The prominence of the nose and its significance to
the appearance of the face makes the need for any
rhinoplasty surgery to be very precise. Good results in
rhinoplasty are dependent upon an understanding of the
complex framework of bone and cartilage that make up the
nose. Rhinoplasty surgery changes the shape of this
framework which is revealed through the overlying skin.

Think of your nose as a house. The shingles are the
overlying skin, the framework and timbers are the cartilage
and bone, and the drywall the nasal lining. The support
that lies underneath the highest roof angle is the septum.
(cartilage) What makes anyone's nose look the way it does,
like a house, is a reflection of how the framework is
structured and the roof (skin) that drapes over this
framework. As plastic surgeons we think of the nose as 4
areas, the upper 1/3 which is bone, the middle 1/3 known as
the middle vault which is all cartilage which is straight,
and the lower 1/3 or the tip of the nose which is a
combination of scroll-shaped cartilages that come together
over the septum and is what gives everyone their unique tip
shape. (which is the most different between any two people)
The fourth area is the skin, which dependent upon its
thickness, can show the underlying framework well if it is
thin but can hide much of it if it is thick.

When we alter the nose we are changing the way the
framework (bone and cartilage) is joined together and is
shaped. This could be taking down the height of the roof in
one area (that bump on your upper nose), reshaping the tip
of the nose (by changing the shape of the scrolled
cartilages, breaking the bone along the bridge to narrow
the nose (collapsing the walls), or in some cases adding to
the roof line with implants or cartilage to raise the
height of the roof line.

Due to the complexity of how all of these framework
structures come together, most rhinoplasties today are done
'open'. While this used to be a controversial area (what
was known as the most contested 6 millimeters of skin on
the body), it is now accepted to produce the best results
in most nose surgeries. All that this means is the skin is
lifted off of the tip of the nose so all the framework
structures can be seen. To no surprise, you can shape
better what you can see better. This only leaves a nearly
imperceptible scar at the middle of the skin between your
nostrils. (known as the columella) This is a very small
price to pay for a better rhinoplasty result!

----------------------------------------------------
Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon in
private practice at Clarian Health in Indianapolis,
Indiana. He writes a daily blog on trends in plastic
surgery at http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com