Simple Steps Fibromyalgia Sufferers Can Do For Back Pain

Simple Steps Fibromyalgia Sufferers Can Do For Back Pain
People suffering from Fibromyalgia know that back pain is
one of the major symptoms that can disrupt your life and
cause a lot of suffering. Targeting upper back pain can be
difficult but you can find relief through some simple tips
that target this specific area and help relieve the aching
and suffering. Suffering from back pain can make even the
little things in life difficult, like sitting in one
position. Sore backs can cause different problems such as
fatigue, soreness, frustration, and depression. Let's take
a look at some steps you can take to ease your upper back
pain.

Your back is made up of a mesh of muscles that support your
spine and give alignment to your spine. This is what allows
the flexibility of your body to move, bend, sit up,
rollover, etc. You get the idea. These muscles are the most
important role in our ability to balance, have good
posture, etc. They also play an important role with other
nearby muscles that have the connections to pain receptors
in our brain. As a sufferer of fibromyalgia, you may
already know that fibromyalgia is characterized by
overactive pain processing. This is a big factor in chronic
pain conditions. So how does this affect the back?

Understanding the pain process along the spine will help us
understand and choose certain treatments or lifestyle
changes that will be the most effective for you. The more
pain that you have and the longer you have had it affects
these muscles in the spine and weakens them. This causes
more pain!

So what do you do about it? Exercise is one option. You'll
need to decide with a healthcare specialist if this is
right for you. You will want to start an exercise program
that can be consistent and one that fits with your type of
pain. Talk with a physical therapist or chiropractor if you
want to get specific back exercises and stretches that can
help you target the muscles in the back. This will help you
increase their strength and help you to improve your
posture, balance, pain, etc.

Heat can be a great source of relief from chronic back pain
as well. If you have fibromyalgia, you have probably made
really good friends with your heating pad by now. If not,
you should! Also, a warm bath at night and in the morning
can help you to ease your pain and relax your muscles. At
night, this bath will help sooth you and prepare you for
rest, allowing the healing time of sleep to take over. In
the morning, a warm bath can help loosen stiff backs and
provide you with the mental get up you sometimes need in
the morning to be able to go about your day. There are also
products on the market that help with heat therapy that you
can wear on your back for hours at a time. These can be
very beneficial.

Another factor to consider when dealing with back pain
issues is what type of bed you are using. Some people tend
to forget that the bed plays a key role in your sleep
patterns and fatigue, which can lead to chronic back pain.
You may want to take a long look at your bed and see if it
is the best for your type of pain.

Along with the bed, if you are working long hours in a
chair, have that looked into as well. You want a chair that
provides great support to your back and spine. Make sure
that it is adjusted to your height and frame to provide the
maximum benefits.

There are other techniques that you can look into to help
relieve your back pain. There has been great proven success
with acupuncture. Studies have shown that fibromyalgia
sufferers have experienced great relief of their pain
through this technique. You may also want to consider
acupressure if you are scared of the needles with
acupuncture.

Therapy may be a helpful tool to you if you are extremely
depressed due to the chronic back pain. There is hope and
there are effective treatments out there. You don't have to
resign yourself to a life full of pain and frustration.
Although the process may take awhile, never give up.
Talking to your doctor may help you find the treatment that
is best for you and your back pain. Your doctor will likely
give you advice on medication as well as helping you know
if these alternative therapies may assist in your recovery.
Combining these treatments may help you speed your recovery
along.

----------------------------------------------------
Hailey Harris is an expert in dealing with Fibromyalgia
after suffering for more than 8 years with health problems.
She is now symptom free and living a pain free life. She
developed Ridfibromyalgia.com found at
http://www.ridfibromyalgia.com to help others learn to do
the same. To receive tons of info, tips, and healing
strategies for free visit
http://www.ridfibromyalgia.com/how.html .

Antioxidant Foods and Phytonutrients

Antioxidant Foods and Phytonutrients
Even though a lot of people don't actually realize it, a
lot of antioxidant foods that we consume are from
vegetables. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower,
tomatoes, and peppers are all excellent choices with some
great benefits for your body. When consuming vegetables,
you should always go for those that are rich in color, as
they are high in what is known as phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients are nutrients found in the skins of several
fruits and vegetables, which give the food color as well as
flavor and scent. Phytonutrients are quite simply the best
types of antioxidant foods that you can find anywhere. If
you are looking for a supplement value, the coq10 offers
you a high level of antioxidant value.

Although fruits and vegetables are the best sources for
antioxidants, the problem with them is that they are
produced by the use of chemical herbicides, pesticides, and
different types of fertilizers.

Over the years, studies have shown that fruits and
vegetables which are organically grown are high in
antioxidants, and boast a much higher concentration than
those that have been produced commercially.

In the busy world of today, it is difficult to eat like we
should, nor can we eat organic fruits and vegetables all
the time. If you can't or don't have access to organic
fruits or other sources of antioxidant foods, you should
look into nutritional supplements that offer you the
phytonutrients you need in your diet.

Supplements that contain phytonutrients do have advantages
when compared to certain fruits, such as carrots - which
can elevate your blood sugar level to a very high level.
Phytonutrients found in supplements are the extract of
pigments where nutrients are concentrated, meaning that
they draw the best from antioxidant foods, leaving the
calories and sugar behind.

Don't get the wrong idea here, fruits and vegetables are
indeed good for you. They are high in antioxidants,
although those that are produced commercially generally
come with chemicals and such that aren't so good for you.
Canned fruits and vegetables come with high levels of
sugars and calories, which antioxidant supplements don't
have. The supplements offer you the levels you need,
without any chemicals, sugars, or calories. This way, you
don't have to worry about consuming anything that isn't
good for you.

No matter how you look at it, healthy eating for your body
starts and end with foods that contain antioxidants. There
are several types of foods that contain antioxidants,
although fruits and vegetables contain the most amounts.
Steak and meat are also great sources of antioxidants,
along with other great benefits, such as protein. Anytime
you can't get foods that contain antioxidants - you can
count on supplements to deliver the amount you need to stay
healthy.

----------------------------------------------------
Steven Godlewski is a self-made millionaire and is
currently working with the staff at PillFreeVitamins.com He
has an extensive background in nutrition as well as other
health related fields. For more health-related articles or
2 FREE bottles of Liquid Vitamins see their website at:
http://www.pillfreevitamins.com SEE Video at:
http://www.emii-dcf.org

Seat Belt Use and Traumatic Brain Injury

Seat Belt Use and Traumatic Brain Injury
Because traumatic brain injuries cannot be cured in the
traditional sense, preventive measures are the best weapons
against them. And because the number-one cause of traumatic
brain injuries among Americans who are less than 75 years
old is auto accidents, one of the best ways to prevent a
traumatic brain injury is to always use a seat belt. Seat
belts have consistently been shown to dramatically reduce
deaths and injuries in auto accidents. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration reports that of those who
were involved in fatal crashes in 2001, 73 percent who were
wearing seat belts and 44 percent who were not wearing seat
belts survived. And one 1997 study of traumatic brain
injury patients in 14 states showed that 46 percent of the
patients whose injuries were caused by motor vehicle
crashes were not wearing seat belts

Why Wear A Seat Belt?

In the United States, only one state, New Hampshire, does
not require adults to wear a seat belt. Many other states
make exceptions to their seat belt requirements for
children under a certain age, or for those sitting in the
back seat of the car. While some Americans believe that
using seat belts can actually increase a driver or
passenger's risk of traumatic brain injury, because the
head is not restrained with the body, there is no evidence
to support this theory and some evidence against it.
Similarly, some argue that seat belts make users less safe
by trapping them in the car in case of an accident, rather
than allowing them to be thrown clear. However, the NHTSA
notes that in 2001, 75 percent of those who were completely
ejected from a car during an accident were killed. One
percent of those were using a seat belt.

Seat Belt Use and Costs of Traumatic Brain Injury

Not only can declining to use a seat belt increase the
severity of an injury, but it also drives up the cost of
treating that injury. In a six-year study, the government
of Maine found that those who did not use a seat belt had
longer hospital stays and higher bills than those who did
use a seat belt. During that period, the study reported,
850 hospitalizations, with a cost of $17 million, could
have been avoided altogether if the patient had been
wearing a seat belt. Unbelted victims were more than twice
as likely to be hospitalized or die from a head injury. And
the crash victims who were ejected from their vehicles were
41 times more likely to sustain a serious or fatal brain
injury than those who were not.

Proper Use of Seat Belts Can Reduce Risk of TBI

While seat belts can help prevent a traumatic brain injury,
their effectiveness decreases when they are not used
properly. Seat belts must be tightened to fit the
individual using them. Two or more people cannot safely use
the same seat belt. If the seat belt is old or frayed, it
is not safe and should be replaced. And adults should
ensure that children who are under 4'9" and about 80 pounds
use the special equipment they need to be safe. Infants and
children under 40 pounds need a properly sized, properly
belted car seat; older children should use a booster seat
until they are big enough to use adult-sized lap and
shoulder belts. There is also mounting evidence that
children shorter than 4'9" should not ride in the front
seat at all, due to the risk of injury from passenger-side
air bags.

If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury, you may wish
to speak with an experienced TBI attorney. Your brain
injury lawyer can help you assess your potential claim,
access resources and even gain compensation for your
injuries and the costs of future medical care.

----------------------------------------------------
LegalView.com is your source for everything legal on the
web. Visit us at http://legalview.com for access to a
complete legal database, including our free attorney
referral service. Visitors to LegalView.com will be able to
browse a collection of resources including help to find a
construction accident lawyer, a mesothelioma attorney, and
more. You can also get help to find a brain injury lawyer
at http://brain-injury.legalview.com

News About Low Carb Foods-Stevia the All Natural Sweetener

News About Low Carb Foods-Stevia the All Natural Sweetener
Anyone searching for healthy, low carb foods should be
aware of stevia, the all natural sweetener, as a
replacement for sugar or artificial sweeteners. A vast
majority of articles and research projects conducted on
stevia have concluded that it may be the one sweetener that
is actually good for people. It has been shown that stevia
can help individuals maintain normal blood sugar levels,
and it is a zero calorie sweetener. What is stevia and why
is Coca Cola teaming up with Cargill to make it a
replacement for sugar in many products? Also, why has the
FDA rejected stevia as a food additive, but permitted it to
be used as a dietary supplement?

First, let's take a look at the origins of stevia and how
it has gained attention with the rise in demand for low
carb foods and low sugar substitutes. Stevia has been used
for centuries by native South American tribes as a
sweetener in yerba mate and medicinal teas for treating
heartburn and other ailments. It is a plant in the
Chrysanthemum family, which grows wild in parts of Paraguay
and Brazil. Wikipedia describes stevia as an herb or shrub
"in the sunflower family, native to subtropical and
tropical South America and Central America". The plant's
extracts have up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, but
have a negligible impact on blood glucose. That is why
stevia is gaining attention as a sugar substitute that can
help people, especially those on a low carb diet, maintain
normal blood sugar levels.

Since the early 1970's, Japan has led the way in
cultivating and using stevia as a replacement for
artificial sweeteners such as cyclamate and saccharin,
which are alleged carcinogens. Commercially produced in
Japan since 1977, stevia sweeteners are often used in that
country for low carb foods and soft drinks. Japan
currently accounts for about 40% of the world's consumption
of stevia, more than any other country. It is now widely
used throughout the world, especially in East Asia, South
America and Israel. Stevia has been available as a dietary
supplement in the United States and Canada since the mid
1980's. Many people in this country use it as a beneficial
sweetener for health drink formulas not sold in retail
stores.

In 1984, Dr. Tei-Fu Chen, an American herbalist from
Taiwan, perfected a method to extract the sweetness from
stevia without using chemicals. This method is accepted
today as the most advantageous way to produce stevia
products for consumption. Dr. Chen's company, Sunrider,
successfully petitioned the FDA (Food & Drug
Administration) in 1995 to lift the import alert on the
extract of stevia leaves. This paved the way for companies
to use stevia as a "dietary supplement", and in May of
2007, Coca Cola announced plans to seek approval for its
use as a "food additive". Coca Cola currently uses stevia
in soft drinks made in Japan, and is hoping to market a new
calorie free sweetener in the United States to use in low
carb foods by 2009. Sunrider was one of the first
companies to introduce stevia to the market with the
product Sunectar, in 1984, and later a variation known as
SunnyDew. Coca Cola is tentatively planning to call their
product, Rebiana, which is derived from the plant's
botanical name stevia rebaudiana.

The only thing that might prevent the use of stevia based
products for low carb foods and drinks in the U.S. is the
FDA approval of stevia as a "food additive". It is
currently only allowed to be used as a dietary supplement,
not a food additive. You see, stevia grows naturally
therefore it does not require a patent. This could be why
some consumers and politicians believe the FDA has so far
acted in response to industry pressure from sugar and
artificial sweetener lobbyists. For example, Arizona
congressman, Jon Kyl, called the FDA action against stevia
"a restraint of trade to benefit the artificial sweetener
industry". However, pressure from consumers is beginning
to force the FDA to carefully consider its current ban on
stevia as a food additive. Coca Cola has teamed up with
the agricultural products company, Cargill to market
rebiana-sweetened products in 12 countries that already
allow stevia as a food additive.

As far as I can tell through research and through my own
experience with stevia, the benefits of this herbal
supplement far outweigh any possible negative consequences.
Stevia is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, so only
very small amounts are required to sweeten beverages and
foods. Most stevia products contain zero calories, and
some contain complex carbohydrates that are beneficial to
anyone, especially those on a low carbohydrate diet. It
has been said that stevia is food for the pancreas, which
can help maintain normal blood sugar levels. Through my
own daily use of stevia and my desire to maintain a diet of
low carb foods for more than six years now, I can say that
it has helped reduce cravings for sugary foods and has
contributed to a decrease in mood swings caused by over
consumption of sugar.

I encourage anyone who is searching for quality nutrition
in low carb foods, to investigate stevia and make it a part
of a healthy, balanced, low carbohydrate diet.

----------------------------------------------------
Cliff Smith is the owner of an online health food store, an
actor, and a serious athlete who is always searching for
the best low carb foods and high fiber foods to stay in
shape for the camera. He is a mountain biker who cycles
miles of rugged terrain in the Arizona Desert. Cliff offers
free nutrition facts and further information on stevia
sweetener at http://www.BestHealthFoodStore.net , where you
can learn more about low carb foods.

EPA Fish Oil for a Child

EPA Fish Oil for a Child
According to a study published in Pediatrics in 2005, fish
oil might be a good addition to a child's diet for a number
of reasons. This study suggested that learning problems
and behavioural problems at schools might be directly
related to the amount of essential fatty acids (as found in
fish oil) in the child's diet. By studying over a hundred
children between the ages of 5 and 12, the study found that
children improved their intelligence and behaviour within
three months of consistent supplementation. In fact, this
study proved to be so persuasive that some schools
considered implementing a supplement program as a part of
the UK school curriculum.

Why Does a Child Need to Take Supplements?

It would seem that children would be the least likely
candidates for starting supplement regimens. With their
high levels of health and energy, many parents think that
their children are developing normally and that nothing
more is needed so long as they are not sick. However, this
could not be any further from the truth. Fish oil contains
essential fatty aids, which are chemicals the body can not
produce on its own. In order to ingest these nutrients,
the child would need to eat foods that contain the
essential fatty acids. With the introduction of processed
foods and fast foods, this is becoming less and less the
case. These foods contain little, if any, nutritional
value, leading to essential fatty acid deficiencies.

When the Child is Still Growing and Developing

Though supplementation can begin when the child is of
school age, this is not the only time when fish oil can be
introduced. Pregnant women that take fish oil supplements
during their pregnancy will more likely have children that
score higher on tests and have more fully developed brains
and nervous systems. This development reduces the risk of
ADHD and other learning disabilities, while also helping to
keep moods balanced and positive for the child. The mum
can also help the child with their development by taking in
supplements of fish oil when they are breast feeding.
These essential fatty acids can also be fortified into a
formula for the baby as well.

Adding fish oil and essential fatty acids to the regular
diet for the child can aid in further development during
the crucial younger years. Because the most growth in the
brain and nervous system is happening in childhood, adding
these kinds of supplements will allow the body to develop
normally and to its fullest potential.

Helping ADHD Issues and Other Learning Disorders

Several studies have shown that using fish oil supplements
in children with ADHD, dyslexia and ADD issues is nearly as
effective and even more effective in some traditionally
used medications - like Ritalin. Because the supplements
help the body with cellular function, it stands to reason
that fish oil might be able to help with deficiencies that
are leading to problems with attention. In the study
published in Pediatrics, children that took the fish oil
supplements showed increases in good behaviour, while those
that took placebos did not show any improvement. When the
children that were given the placebos were then given the
fish oil, they began to have fewer problems with ADHD
issues.

Boosting Test Scores for Your Child

In addition, the study showed that spelling and reading
skills progressed as normal rates for those that were given
a placebo for their supplement. But those that took fish
oil noticed greater improvements in the same period of
time. There were also boosts in the short term memories of
those that took the fish oil supplements. With the
improved brain function and ability to concentrate,
children were able to recall words more easily and retain
that information for longer periods of time.

How Much Fish Oil Should a Child Be Given?

Of course, the next question is how much fish oil a child
should be given in order to see the kinds of results shown
in this particular study. It is advised that children and
adults have one portions of 500mg of fish oil perday.
This can be given in the supplement form or via fish, nut,
and seed sources. When the child is taking in primarily
fish based sources of essential fatty acids, the amounts
should be carefully monitored.

Conclusion

It is safe to conclude that fish oil is a safe and
effective supplement to give to children that are still
growing and developing. In those with ADHD or ADD issues,
this supplement may be able increase the child's attention
and focus, while also improving their intelligence and test
scores. It is important to note that fish oil supplements
should be free of excessive levels of mercury to prevent
any toxicity issues - especially in the smaller bodies of
children.

Adding fatty fishes like mackerel, tuna, herring, kipper,
and salmon to the diet a few times a week can help to make
your child another star pupil.

----------------------------------------------------
Dave McEvoy is an expert in omega 3 fish oil EPA with over
20 years experience; for more information about fish oil
and how it can help come and visit.
http://www.mind1st.co.uk/EPA-ADHD.asp

Your Liver can't save itself, without saving everyone else.

Your Liver can't save itself, without saving everyone else.
I believe when you are asleep your subconscious life spirit
continues to think. I try all ways to release May thoughts
to forgive everyone, and ask for forgiveness myself. In
your brain are chemical fluids that formulate our thoughts
by their natural chemical reaction and liquid patterns.

I'm astounded by all of the many different types of fluids
created and manufactured by your liver. Eye fluids like
tears coats, and helps protect while other different fluids
that are inside the eye plays a different part. When you
cut yourself there is a different type of water that comes
out and escalates the healing process.

It's amazing because through-out your body all of these
tiny, tiny ventricles are kept separate until the time that
they are to come together, and help heal a wound. That
means also that these many liquids are also kept separate
through-out the liver manufacturing process. The Saliva
finds its way through all the channels into your mouth.
They say that the liver assembles, manufactures, Cleanses,
and supplies all the body's fluids, and blood.

The liver creates these fluids to a tee, and in accordant
to match with your DNA. It creates your stomas fluid
coating. Coating so tough it protects your stomas lining.
They say that the liver is like a big glob of blood. Hum,
that seems so fitting for a manufacturing pump that
manufactures only liquids.

The Colon is a backed up sewer tunnel festering canal. The
main chemical fluids that formulate our thoughts are also
affected by the collection of unnatural toxic pollutants we
jam into Our Colon, and allow to fester inside.

Natural colon cleanser purification, appetite natural
suppressants, and spring water are what we need to get back
to a clean body. We should enjoy eating live foods that we
were directed by god to eat. I would believe helping to
keep all types of parasites, and chemical substances out of
our bodies would produce a better body, wouldn't you.

We are feeding our bodies dead foods. Artificial flavors,
preservatives, sodium's, and the list of dead foods just
goes on, and on. Once the food in our colon remain in that
enclosed environment longer then it should it does what I
call festering. Then the toxins start to channel into the
blood stream, and other liquid channels. These are toxic
pollutants that don't make you sick right away. We become
sick when the toxic build-up in that pacific area has
broken down the powerful liquid defenses.

With all the research, and billions of dollars spent on
researching what's causing the problem. I believe that,
that money is just going towards building new drugs to
fight off the problem. We are causing the problem by what
we eat. In the last ten years cancer victims have doubled.
its ok to play cache up. it's not ok, not to ever know what
the problem really is.

----------------------------------------------------
Be your best
Rev. Robert O. Davis
http://www.elijahherbs.com

Lose Weight Fast After Pregnancy

Lose Weight Fast After Pregnancy
There is a way to lose the weight after having kids - and
it doesn't have to take hours out of your day or mean that
you can't eat anything ever again. In fact, 15 minutes, a
couple times per week may be enough to get you the results
that you're looking for and make you happy with yourself
and confident again.

Hard to believe, isn't it?

Imagine how hard it was for my wife to believe me when I
told her. You can believe that she's always been my
toughest customer. But, when she finally did give these
exercise techniques a chance, she loved the results.
Here's what she had to say:

My name is Tammi Kauppinen and I had my fifth child (yes,
5th!) in October of 2005. I was 34 years old and after
having Keion, I, like every other mom, wanted to lose the
baby weight that I put on during pregnancy (which by the
way was 43 pounds). I am a fairly small person to begin
with so this was a lot of weight to put on for me.

Before I go on, let me tall you that after having my fourth
child I worked hard, ate somewhat healthy and got down to a
size 2 and some 4's. When I say that I worked hard, I mean
I WORKED HARD. I got up 5 days a week at 4:30 am to get to
the gym to get in my 1 1/2 hours at the gym. Rain or
shine, and even during a February snowstorm where I ended
up in the ditch I dragged myself in to work out. I did
weights for about 40 minutes and the rest of the time I
spent on the cardio machines. I rotated between the
treadmill (which I HATE running), the elliptical, the
stairclimber and all the other machines at the gym. I got
so that I could do 60 minutes of hard intense cardio. I
totally saw the results and really didn't have to curb my
eating habits. (I am a very much a chips and salsa girl.
Anything with salt and I am in heaven!)

So right before I got pregnant with my 5th baby, I weighed
about 117 pounds and I am 5'7'. I was fit if I do say so
myself. I tried sticking with my workout program once I
got pregnancy, but it's hard to stick with something so
intense! Especially the 4:30 am thing, I just wanted to
sleep.

Anyway, I'm sure that if you have gotten this far you are
wondering why I am writing this and it is NOT to brag trust
me! After babe number five, I just still couldn't get
motivated to eat healthy again and lose the weight, plus
there was no way that I was going to get back up at 4:30 am
after being up all night with an infant. I decided that I
was just going to have to be 15 pounds heavier and that I
would have to learn to live with it.

Then I listened to a "wise" man and tried a different type
of workout. That man turned out to be my husband, Tim.
Now, if you're like me, the last person you want to admit
is right is your hubbie. So, I ignored his advice for a
long time. Even though he had been a successful athlete
and coach for years, there was no way I was going to give
him the satisfaction of being able to say "I told you so".

But, eventually I got so frustrated with myself and the
lack of results I was getting from "regular" cardio that I
decided to give his way a shot. And (for only the second
time that I'm willing to admit it to him), he was right.

What Tim suggested was to add more intensity to my
workouts. To include short, intense bursts in my workouts
- sprint interval training, he called it. More
specifically Tim told me about his favorite type of
interval training - running hill sprints.

Remember that I HATE running, but I gave it a try (without
telling my dear husband, of course). But seriously, after
one workout, I was hooked. All it has taken for me to lose
all of my baby weight and stick to my not so great diet has
been hill sprinting. I started wearing the clothes I
wanted to - and was excited to shop in all my favorite
stores again.

For me the best thing about these workouts is that it takes
only 15 minutes of my time, a day and two per week. I saw
results within one week and I could still eat what I wanted
and was losing flab! Plus, it's about as close to free as
you can get. All you need is yourself and some sort of
hill or stairs - and it doesn't matter what kind of shape
you're in now ( because you can adjust this training to any
fitness level).

Are there other ways to get back in shape? Sure, I am not
saying that working out hard at the gym isn't worth it. But
I know that I haven't found a more efficient, more
effective way to blowtorch the blubber off than by running
these sprints.

If you're a busy mom like me, with limited time but the
desire to get back into pre-baby weight (no matter how many
kids you've had), then I strongly suggest you give uphill
fitness training a chance. I know you'll be as happy with
your results as I am. Just don't tell my husband that he
was right.

----------------------------------------------------
Tim Kauppinen and his wife Tamara live with their five
children near Madison Wisconsin. Tim (or Coach K), has over
20 years experience as an athlete, personal trainer and
coach. Coach K is the author of the Uphill Fitness
Training Program and the Vertical Velocity Fitness System.
He also publishes a FREE daily training email newsletter.
Both can be contacted through their website at
http://www.makesyoufast.com

The Many Disguises of Mono Sodium Glutamate

The Many Disguises of Mono Sodium Glutamate
The other day, I got an email from an American guy who
lives in Malaysia. He was saying that cooking with mono
sodium glutamate (MSG) is a real health problem to
Malaysians and that he "doesn't allow it in his house".

MSG, so what's the big deal? It's the stuff used in large
quantities in Chinese/Southeast Asian food, right? Wrong.
It's everywhere in almost all processed foods! You see, it
was derived from seaweed in Japan in the 1930s and very
quickly became popular in United States as a food additive.
As long ago as the 1970s, manufacturers promised to take it
out of baby food because of suspected problems - no kidding.

Consumers long ago became savvy to MSG listed as an
ingredient on food labels and stopped buying things with
MSG. So guess what? Manufacturers just renamed the stuff.
Here are some of the ingredient names in food that are
"cover names" for MSG:

Broth, Casein or Caseinate, Glutamate, Hydrolyzed Yeast
,Autolyzed Yeast ,Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed Protein,
Natural Flavors

MSG is one of the most popular food additives in food in
the US. Fast food chains and restaurants use a lot of it.
McDonald's use it to flavor French fries, the Grilled
Chicken Fillet and the Sausage Patties. Pizza Hut uses it
to flavor their Chicken Wings. In the supermarket, you can
bet that if it's a sauce, salad dressing, snack foods,
potato, tortilla chips, soups, crackers, cookies it's
probably got MSG in it. It's everywhere - even baby
formula. If it's a processed or "convenience" food, it's
likely to have MSG.

Why? Because people buy stuff that tastes good.

The science here: Have you heard of glutamic acid or
glutamate? It's a naturally occurring amino acid in foods.
MSG is the sodium salt extracted from glutamic acid.
Originally, MSG was derived from protein rich foods, like
seaweed; but now it's made from starch, corn sugar,
molasses or sugar beets. Well, glutamate naturally
occurring in foods is a bound amino acid and the body is
equipped to process it as other protein. But, when
processed it becomes free and the body processes it
differently.

Simply put, high levels of unbound glutamate causes free
radical damage throughout the body. So, eating a lot of
processed protein foods where the glutamic acid has been
"unbound" results in free radical damage - which is host to
all sorts of diseases, most notably cancer. MSG falls into
this category. And since it tastes so good, people want
more and more of it. Other processed protein foods which
end up with free glutamic acids include: ultra pasteurized
milk, (this is an unlikely one) the wax they put on
vegetables and fruit contains hydrolyzed protein and ultra
pasteurized soy milk. Another side note: MSG is an
excitotoxin. When consumed, it excites brain neurons so
much that they are damaged or even die! Aspartame, sold in
the U.S. as NutraSweet and Europe as Candarel is also
classified as an excitotoxin. Yuk.

What to do? Well, I suppose we as consumers have to vote
with our purchases. Armed with the knowledge that food
manufacturers and restaurants are using MSG and disguising
it; we need to read labels, ask questions and stop buying
products that will harm us.

Eat well, stay healthy!

Resources: Everything You Need To Know About Glutamate And
Monosodium Glutamate
http://www.ific.org/publications/brochures/msgbroch.cfm

Interview with Dr. Russell Blaylock on devastating health
effects of MSG, aspartame and excitotoxins
http://www.newstarget.com/020550.html

----------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years
and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds
certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and
Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley
visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at
http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Stubborn Fat: The Soluation

Stubborn Fat: The Soluation
Part 3: The Solution

As you know from reading parts one and two of this series,
your hormones can be a liability when it comes to getting
rid of stubborn body fat. For example, the hormone estrogen
has a unique relationship with the fat cell. Fat cells can
release signals that enable your body to synthesize
estrogen and to regulate the reproductive cycle. In turn,
estrogen affects fat cells. An influx of extra estrogen
into the body from food sources can cause fat cells to grow
and become stubborn.

A similar situation occurs during pregnancy and in mothers
who are breast-feeding, as this causes the fat cells in the
body to swell so that they are able to absorb and store
more fuel. The estrogen is telling them that they need to
stock up on extra fat, so the fat cells prepare to do so.
This is why a lot of women gain weight when starting birth
control pills or when entering menopause when levels of
progesterone fall and estrogen becomes the dominant hormone.

Most of the time, women have a more difficult time losing
body fat than men. However, men are quickly catching up in
this day and age due to the estrogenic foods being consumed
in our modern Western society, rife with environmental
pollution and refined foods. Ironically, one reason women
have a harder time with fat loss than men is because, at
any given time, women are more likely to be on a severely
restricted diet to attain the coveted thinness that's been
established as a standard of beauty and attractiveness in
our culture.

Unfortunately, severe and prolonged dieting shuts down the
metabolism, sending the body into starvation mode. The fat
cells begin sending out even more fat-storing enzymes and a
significantly smaller amount of fat-releasing enzymes.
Because the fat cells are afraid of being starved to death
and depleted of their stores, they will hold on to the fat
they have to the best of their ability, causing the body to
start burning lean muscle mass to get the amount of fuel it
needs.

Lean muscle mass, located in the skeletal muscles and the
organ systems, is the metabolically active part of the
body. This means that after the diet is over and your body
is out of starvation mode, your metabolism will still not
function as well as before the diet, because you have lost
some of your muscle mass, which was the engine driving your
metabolism.

In addition, the effects of restrictive dieting on your
fat-storing and -releasing enzymes can be permanent. Though
the levels will return closer to a normal level after the
diet, the fat-releasing enzymes will almost always be at a
little lower level than before the diet, and the
fat-storing enzymes will almost always be at a slightly
higher level. Even worse: the effects are cumulative. This
means that after each successive bout of dieting, it will
be harder and harder for you to lose fat and control your
weight for the long term.

It sounds hopeless, but it's not, so don't panic! This
doesn't mean that you're stuck with unwanted fat and excess
weight for the rest of your life. It only means that you
don't have to diet anymore. Even if you tortured yourself
with deprivation diets that left you hungry, anxious, and
unhappy in the past, what we know about hormones, enzymes,
and fat cells can actually be great news. You can lose your
unwanted fat through good old-fashioned nutrition,
calorie-burning, and metabolism-stimulating exercise and
anti-estrogenic foods.

What I am suggesting to you is not a magic bullet solution,
and if you've been a long term chronic dieter, it might
take a lot longer to lose the amount of fat you want to
lose. But by putting an end to the quick-results,
crash-diet approach and taking the weight loss gradually,
you will not only avoid the feelings of deprivation that
sabotage many diets, but the weight you lose will be three
times more likely to stay off.

Part 4 & 5 coming shortly

----------------------------------------------------
David Grisaffi is a Sports Conditining Coach and holds
multiple certifications including three from the
prestigious CHEK Institute. Plus he is also the author of
the popluar selling e book, "Firm and Flatten Your Abs,"
which teaches you how to develop a ripped abdominal region.
Lean how to shead bodyfat and eliminate low back pain and
recieve his free newsletter by visiting:
http://www.flattenyourabs.net