Quit Smoking Support

Quit Smoking Support
Getting support as one means to help quit smoking is
something that comes highly recommend. In fact, statistics
show that people who are trying to quit smoking who get
support actually have a higher success rate. Back in the
days when I was struggling to overcome my own issues, I did
seek out support groups as part of my strategy for getting
the help I needed. During this time, I had made some
objective observations about support relationships and
groups that concerned me. Since you may be interested in
support relationships or groups to help you quit smoking, I
would like to share my concerns with you.

Let me start by saying that I am very much in favor of
support relationships. We all need people in our lives who
understand us; someone that we can talk to and share our
problems and experiences with. We all need fellowship,
support and love. A support group can be a great source for
developing these types of relationships and also for
learning new solutions from a broader range of sources.

The way that support groups and other support relationships
are sometimes used is a concern that I would like to share
with you. My concern, is that sometimes people use support
groups and relationships in a co-dependent way. In other
words, it becomes one more thing to become dependent on; a
type of dependency that is not healthy. It becomes a new
dependency and this usually happens unconsciously. What
they actually end up doing is replacing one dependency with
another; the smoking for the relationship or group.

I would encourage anyone to have supporters in their life
but I also suggest that they pay close attention and note
whether their supporters are encouraging and supporting
them towards success or are they actually helping to
create a co-dependency relationship or group that is a
substitute dependency. And even more, I suggest that the
individual pay very close attention, on a very conscious
level, at what is driving him/her to be attached to the
person or group so that they can notice if they are
developing a substitute dependency. I would like for people
to really be free. So plunge on and I am sure you will
surround yourself with the right people for you. With the
right mindset and the right supporters surrounding you, I
am sure you will succeed in pursuit to stop smoking.

The key to preventing this new replacement dependency is
self-awareness. It is necessary to commit to constant
self-observation. Be aware of what you are feeling and
thinking at all times. By doing this you will not be driven
unconsciously and functioning just by instinct. You will be
able to tell whether or not you are being driven by the
dependency. If you are, then the best thing you can do for
yourself is to find the things that edify you in your
spirit. Find ways to be intimate with people at the spirit
level (your spirit). This is where the pain and need
exists. A dependency, at its core, is a problem in the
persons spirit and this is where the healing needs to take
place. This, of course, is after you have gotten past the
physical phase of nicotine withdrawal. Become dependent on
other people's love, not their stimulation.

----------------------------------------------------
Frank Andrews is the author of two self-help books. This
developed as the result of being a student of personal
development for over 25 years. Having worked through many
of his own personal struggles, he now provides information
to help others. You can find free quit-smoking information
on his website at: http://www.AnswersToQuitSmoking.com

Do You Have These Fitness Essentials?

Do You Have These Fitness Essentials?
I love toys. Don't you?

Around this time of year I love to see small children
playing with gifts they got for the holidays. It doesn't
matter whether it was a $5 dollar gadget, something
homemade or a huge electronic gaming system. Watching
people play is something that truly brings me joy.

Fitness can and should be the same way.

It should always be fun.

Sure you can make it challenging and undoubtedly you should
be fatigued after a quality session. But you should have
fun along the way.

To make that happen, I have developed a list of duffel bag
goodies that will guarantee you can get in a workout,
anywhere, anytime, and make it fun. If you make sure to
have these few easy to find items, you will be able to make
every workout enjoyable. And most likely, you can get
someone to join you to add to the fun factor.

The most important thing is to have a duffel bag. It
doesn't need to be big or flashy. It just needs to be
something that you have at all times. It can be in your
car, your luggage, your office, or by the front door, as
long as you never leave home without it.

The second most important thing to have in the duffel bag
is sneakers. It sounds stupid, but I cannot tell you the
number of times I have had a client tell me they didn't
workout because they forgot their sneakers that day. While
I normally think that is a bunch of hooey, I certainly
understand it is tough to go for a 15 minute walk in that
$400 pair of 5 inch heel Manolo Blahniks. Make it a high
priority to get yourself a decent pair of exercise
sneakers. Try on a few pairs and see what you like. They
should fit well, support your feet and arches, as well as
be cushioned for any stress and impact from walking,
jogging, biking or training.

Next, you should have a change of clothes. For some this
may not seem necessary. It is obvious that you can strap
on your shoes, head out the front door of your home or
office and go for a walk. However, sometimes it is good to
change clothes to mentally prepare yourself to break a
sweat and really push yourself.

Another item I think is crucial is at least one exercise
tube. The sheer number of exercises for upper and lower
body that you can utilize is astounding. By simply tying
the exercise tube around your waist and making sure that
you stop every 2 minutes and perform a set of bicep curls,
or band squats, you can dramatically increase your body's
ability to burn fat. And isn't that the ultimate goal?

This brings me to another under-appreciated tool: a watch.
Again, not entirely necessary, but if you get wrapped up in
a conversation while doing cardio training, you may forget
to add the intervals necessary to build muscle mass. It is
easy to set the watch to go off every 2 or 3 minutes and
remind you to crank out a set of lunges or crunches.

A towel is a nice addition, especially if you are training
when it is hot outside.

That means you should also have a water bottle handy.
Remember to drink 8 ounces of water for every 20 minutes of
exercise you perform. Drink more water if it is really hot.

Now the next few items are not mandatory. But they can add
to the fun factor of your duffel bag.

I am a big fan of music, so an MP3 player, ipod, disc man
or even a radio tuner is a great addition. Make sure to
add high energy tunes to keep you motivated.

A deck of cards always brings a challenge and keeps things
interesting. There are many ways to use the deck. A
simple formula is to make each suit an exercise and then
perform the number of repetitions you see on the card for
each exercise. It is fast and easy to do.

Same thing goes for a set of dice. Choose odds and evens
and make one upper body and the other lower body. Perform
the same number of reps, sprints, or intervals as the
number you rolled.

As you can see, creating a workout duffel bag is an easy
way to keep you motivated, remind you to get in a few
minutes of exercise everyday and make the fun factor much
larger. Add items that work for you and shoot me an email
with any additions that work for you.

----------------------------------------------------
For over 17 years Bobby Kelly has taken his passion for
coaching to a level not reached by many in the fitness
profession. Bobby has been interviewed and featured as an
expert adviser on CNN, Fox News, ABC, NBC, and CBS as well
as local affiliate stations in numerous markets. Bobby
knows the success of hard work, determination and
persistence, and he'll get you where you want to be. Visit
Bobby today at http://www.resultsonly.com

A Little Known Way That Is Causing Millions to Never Lose Body Fat

A Little Known Way That Is Causing Millions to Never Lose Body Fat
This trick is tried over and over again with never much
success. Let's see if you fit into this scenario. You are
watching what you eat and are trying to eat healthy and
make smart choices and are following a healthy weight loss
program. You are losing a few pounds, but would like to
lose more and follow a rapid weight loss diet.

So you end up cutting out meals and calories so that you
are only eating 3 times a day and maybe 1000 calories.

You rapid weight loss diet should be a success now. You
should be able to lose weight fast. Then the worse thing
happens. You get on the scale and you are up 3 pounds from
last weeks weigh in. What happened? You were on a healthy
weight loss program so why weren't you losing any weight?

The answer is that you thought a rapid weight loss diet
meant you had to cut out calories and starve yourself so
your body would burn fat. You thought wrong. When you
restrict calories like this your body increase a hormone
that is designed to protect you. It does this by slowing
down your metabolism and forcing your body to store more
calories as fat.

You end up gaining weight rather than losing weight with
this method. The key for fast easy weight loss and to be
successful with a rapid weight loss diet is to keep your
metabolism burning fast 24 hours a day. This ensures that
your body will burn calories even when you are sitting on
the couch watching tv.

To do this you need to eat. Now this doesn't mean you need
to stuff yourself or pig out on bad choices. It means you
need to eat frequently. To ensure a fast metabolism you
should get 4-6 feeding opportunities in a day. This
equates to every 2-3 waking hours. Every time you eat your
metabolism gets ramped up to digest the food you just
consumed. So by feeding yourself every 2-3 hours you are
keeping that metabolism ramped up the entire day. This
could add a few hundred calories a day burned to your total.

Then when you include certain types of nutrients into these
feeding opportunities you can really supercharge your
metabolism. Include lean protein at these feeding
opportunities and watch your metabolism shoot through the
roof.

Protein requires a lot of energy (calories) to be digested
and utilized. This means your metabolism has to increase
even more sustain the energy demands. The result is more
calories burned and more fat lost.

The final fast easy weight loss tip for a rapid weight loss
diet is to eat fibrous non-starchy vegetables to keep your
blood sugars and insulin levels in control. This will
ensure that your body isn't tempted to store these calories
as fat.

Now that you know what to do to ensure a successful quick
weight loss diet get eating and make sure you eat the right
types of foods to ensure a fast metabolism and fast easy
weight loss.

----------------------------------------------------
If you're interested in taking your fat-loss efforts to an
entirely new level, grab this free fat loss report which
details 36 potent foods for boosting your metabolism and
how to lose weight fast - http://carbrotationdiet.com

Diabetes Drug Avandia Associated with Increased Risk of Osteoporosis

Diabetes Drug Avandia Associated with Increased Risk of Osteoporosis
The type 2 diabetes drug Avandia, from GlaxoSmithKline
(GSK), is making headlines again as scientists find that
long-term use of the drug may increase the risk of
osteoporosis among patients. Avandia, also referred to as
rosiglitazone, was approved in June 1999, since that time
the drug has been taken by millions of Americans. The
study was conducted by the Salk Institute for Biological
Studies and first appeared in the scientific health
journal, Nature Medicine in the Dec. 2 online issue.
Researchers found that the drug may contribute to bone loss
over time and that the drug may speed up the process of
osteoporosis, thinning of bones and may result in bone
fractures in the body that can be fatal to type 2 diabetes
patients who already experience hardships from the symptoms
associated with this illness.

Dangerous Avandia Side-Effects

Avandia is an oral anti-diabetic medication that has been
associated with congestive heart failure, according to
warnings released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA).

In early 2007, GlaxoSmithKline reported the results of a
26-week, double blind, fixed-dose study that resulted in
approximately 40 percent of patients taking Avandia to have
reduced their insulin dose, compared to those receiving
placebo pills. However, in November 2007, the FDA placed
yet another warning label on the drug, this time consisting
of a "black box" warning. The warning is also known as
"black label" warning and it is the highest and most severe
warning a drug can have while still being available on the
market. While the warning on the box was related to the
severity of potential heart failure, only continued
research will determine how great the risk of osteoporosis
is among users who also risk heart failure while on the
drug. But for those who are currently or have in the past
taken the drug, contacting an attorney who can offer advice
on how to receive probable compensation for the potentially
irreversible damage is a wise decision.

Overcoming the Avandia Osteoporosis Risk

For users of Avandia as well as other type 2 diabetes drugs
recently released on the market, it is advisable to speak
with an experienced diabetes law firm who can offer advice
on building a potential case and receiving compensation for
having taken Avandia or other type 2 diabetes drugs, which
may also cause the increased risk of osteoporosis. Treating
diabetes can be a difficult challenge in and of itself, and
when additional factors or side effects come to light about
a specific drug the situation can become an even more
frightening dilemma. But the best way to overcome potential
harm is to not only contact a doctor to better understand
steps to protect yourself, but to contact a law firm and
become aware of the latest news and findings.

----------------------------------------------------
To learn more about Avandia litigation or to consult an
attorney on the potential for an out of court Avandia
settlement, visit http://avandia.legalview.com/ . Also use
LegalView's additional practice areas, which can initially
be found at http://www.LegalView.com , to learn more about
other issues affecting Americans including topics ranging
from mesothelioma to automobile accidents.

The Health Benefits of Flavonoids As Anti-Oxidants

The Health Benefits of Flavonoids As Anti-Oxidants
Flavonoids are highly beneficial anti-oxidant compounds
found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as tea, red
wine and even beer, and it's now well established that a
plentiful intake of anti-oxidants through foods, drinks and
supplements is vital for optimal human health.

Anti-oxidants operate to neutralise the activity of
so-called "free radicals"; compounds produced in the body
as by-products of normal biochemical reactions, but which
may nevertheless be highly damaging as they produce
oxidative reactions damaging to cell structures.
Ultimately this damage may contribute to the development of
degenerative diseases characteristic of ageing, including
cardiovascular disease, Parkinson's Alzheimer's and even
some cancers.

The best known anti-oxidant nutrients are vitamins C and E,
although these can only function properly when supported by
adequate supplies of a wide variety of micro-nutrients,
which include many of the flavonoids found in common fruits
and vegetables. These compounds may therefore be regarded
as important elements in the body's anti-oxidant defences,
but many of the more than 4,000 flavonoids identified have
also been hailed for their beneficial effects on the immune
system and anti-inflammatory properties.

From the point of view of incorporating flavonoids into a
daily health regime, the good thing is the ease with which
this can be achieved. Flavonoids are very widely found in
fruits, vegetables, and even drinks normally regarded, for
other reasons, as unhealthy. So even a diet ordinarily
well provided with common fruits and vegetables may provide
anything up to 800mg of various flavonoids.

Authoritative research has indicated that this level of
flavonoid consumption may help protect against coronary
heart disease and hardening of the arteries
(atherosclerosis), an important precursor of both heart
disease and stroke. These remain two of the major causes
of premature mortality and disability in the Western world,
and to this extent the UK government and health advisors'
frequent advice to consume five servings of fruit and
vegetables each day is well founded.

The most potent of all the anti-oxidant flavonoids is
believed to be a compound called quercetin, which is widely
found in common or garden vegetables. The consumption of
fruits with their skins on, such as apples, pears, grapes,
bilberries, tomatoes etc will also provide a good supply.
But perhaps the richest source is onions, a foodstuff also
known since ancient times as a powerful anti-bacterial,
anti-viral and anti-inflammatory agent.

There's no doubt that a diet including plentiful supplies
of fresh fruit and vegetables can only be beneficial to
health. But the anti-oxidant properties of the flavonoids
found in many common, even supposedly unhealthy, beverages
should not be neglected.

For example, the anti-oxidant properties of the catechin
polyphenols found in black and green tea and red wine are
now well known and attested. But, as remarkable as it may
sound, there is now evidence that even beer may contain
unique anti-oxidants equal in potency to vitamin E. The
flavonoid compounds, xanthohumol and isoxanthumol appear to
be found only in beer and the hops that flavour it and
although they have not been studied directly, there is
speculation that they may be responsible for the remarkable
and counter-intuitive finding that lager type beers may be
more effective as anti-oxidants than red wine, grape juice
or even green tea. Obviously there are other reasons, not
least its high calorific value, why you wouldn't want to
depend on a high consumption of lager for your
anti-oxidants, but in moderation it may indeed be
beneficial.

In fact studies suggest that these particular flavonoid
anti-oxidants may have a particular role in combatting the
oxidation of low density lipids (LDLs), the so-called "bad
cholesterol", which is a known risk factor for the
development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
The other main fat-soluble anti-oxidant which fights this
process is vitamin E, and although there is evidence that
the anti-oxidant potential of xanthohumol and isoxanthumol
may be comparable with that of the vitamin, it is also
clear that each of the three compounds functions best in
the presence of each of the others.

Whilst orthodox medicine concedes, in fact insists, that
further research is necessary, the implications of these
findings are exciting; suggesting that there may be many
more as yet undiscovered benefits of flavonoids. As
always, however, the holistic functioning of the body means
that maximum benefits will only be obtained by the
consumption of the widest possible variety of all these
compounds. As flavonoids are not yet widely available as
supplements, this consumption is best achieved through the
foodstuffs and beverages which combine them as nature
intended. Such a flavonoid rich diet can only be of
benefit to the action of the better known anti-oxidants,
such as vitamins E and C, which are more readily obtainable
in supplement form.

----------------------------------------------------
Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in
direct marketing and with a particular interest in health
products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/In
formation.htm

An Apple a Day Keeps the Brain Doctor Away

An Apple a Day Keeps the Brain Doctor Away
Age-old wisdom tells us that we should eat fruit to stay
healthy. Once again, science catches up to the old adage. A
new study suggests that compounds in fruit, especially
apples, may promote brain fitness as you age.

Specifically, researchers found that phenolics, extracted
from apples, bananas and oranges protected neuron-like
cells from dying in a dish. But before we get into the new
results let's cover a little background on what the fruits
may be doing to protect your brain.

Too much oxidative stress can lead to Alzheimer's disease

One of the things that can damage bodily tissues and cause
disease is oxidative stress. This is essentially a process
that usually happens during the manufacturing of energy.
Just like a nuclear reactor makes energy very efficiently,
but at the same time produces toxic by-products, so do our
tissues.

Usually these toxic by-products are well controlled, but
occasionally they escape into our cells and tissues and do
a little damage. If left unchecked, this damage can
accumulate and eventually lead to disease.

Since the brain gets dibs on about 20% of the calories that
you eat, it has a lot of energy production going on and is
at risk of oxidative stress. In fact, many studies indicate
that Alzheimer's disease brains are highly susceptible to
oxidative stress and that this may be one causative factor
in developing the disease in the first place.

Fruit can protect you from oxidative stress

That's the bad news, now here's the good news. Antioxidants
found in fruits and vegetables can help prevent oxidative
stress by neutralizing the toxic by-products of the energy
production process. That's why it's so critical to get your
recommended five to nine servings a day. This gives your
brain and body what it needs to fight oxidative stress.

In new research, scientists from Korea and Cornell,
extracted specific nutrients, called phenols, from apples,
bananas and oranges and used them to save neuron-like cells
grown in a dish. They treated the cells with hydrogen
peroxide, which will cause oxidative stress and tested if
the fruit extracts could save the cells from damage and
death.

Apples help neurons and blood vessels

First, researchers looked at damage to the protective
membrane that surrounds the cells to see if the fruit
extract could prevent them from springing leaks caused by
the toxic peroxide. Second, researchers measured the actual
peroxide-induced death of the cells and the ability of the
fruit phenols to save them.

It turned out that all the tested fruit extracts were
effective at protecting membrane damage and cell death, but
apple extract was the most potent.

In a related experiment researchers from the University of
California at Davis, also tested the ability of apple
extract to prevent cells from dying. But in this experiment
they used endothelial cells, which are the cells that make
up the walls of blood vessels.

Again, since the brain utilizes a big share of the bodies
oxygen supply, blood delivery through a healthy circulatory
system is a huge factor. And, the health of the endothelial
cells that make up the vascular system is extremely
important for overall brain health and fitness.

In this experiment, the apple extract met the challenge
again. Researchers treated endothelial cells in a dish with
a toxin known to kill them, and were able to prevent the
cell death with the apple extract.

So there you have it. We should remember all that stuff our
grandmother told us and take heed. An apple a day really
may keep the doctor away and help maintain good brain
function as we age.

----------------------------------------------------
Learn to control stress, improve your metabolism and boost
your intelligence with the four cornerstones of Brain
Fitness. Visit http://www.BrainFitForLife.com for FREE
Brain Fitness resources.

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 2

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 2
All scent originates as a chemical. Without chemicals, our
brain would not be able to perceive, or "read" a scent.
All around us are currents of air which are in constant
motion. These currents contain myriads of complex
combinations of odours that only trigger our attention when
they irritate or please us.

Every time we breathe, our noses take in these chemicals,
which pass over two small patch-like areas the size of a
penny that contains five to six million tiny yellow
receptor cells called the olfactory epithelium. Located on
these receptor cells are microscopic filaments called cilia
that extend into a watery mucous that surrounds the
epithelium. On the cilia are proteins that respond to
specific molecules. Like a key in a lock, when these
proteins come into contact with its corresponding odorant
molecule, a series of biological interactions are initiated.

First, there is an immediate rush of electrical activity as
one experiences the perception of an odour. Our sensory
nerves have long filaments, or axons, that are located on
the opposite end of our olfactory nerves. The axons send
messages to nerves located in the olfactory bulb which is
shaped like a protracted balloon. The millions of axons
that line its circumference transmit a pattern of activity
that is specific to the individual cilia that come into
contact with their corresponding molecules. Just as our
brains are able to store and recognize complex notes from a
symphony, it is also able to store and recognize complex
combinations of fragrance notes that make up our favourite
perfume.

How strong is our sense of smell?

Compared to a dog that has two hundred twenty million
olfactory sensors, humans have only five or six million.
While it may seem that humans have been short-changed where
noses are concerned, we still can nevertheless, recognize
thousands of different scents. Though we may not have a
piranha-sharp sense of smell, we can, for instance, detect
some substances in dilutions of less than one part per
several billion parts air.

How sharp is our sense of smell at birth?

Unlike our other senses, our sense of smell is fully mature
at birth and is one of the first senses that newborns
experience. Their sense of smell helps them to locate
their mother and her source of food. Without this
functioning sense, baby animals would not be able to locate
their mothers' milk.

Studies indicate that a newborn can recognize his or her
mother's nipple simply by its scent. In one study, mothers
washed one of their breasts while leaving the other left
unwashed. Over two-thirds of the babies tested chose the
unwashed breast.

Research conducted by Dr. Ira Lott reveals that when a baby
is introduced to a fragrance while being stroked—much
like a mother would do while nursing—his or her
ability to remember that scent is increased. The results
of her study suggest a connection between a baby's sense of
smell and the ability to learn at an early age. Dr. Lott
suggests that touching a baby increases his or her ability
to remember a scent and may help to explain why a newborn
readily recognizes his or her mother by her scent.

Other studies suggest that babies are most responsive to
body odours but by the age of three they essentially have
the same odour likes and dislike as adults. Newborns
subjected to pleasant odours reacted positively while those
subjected to unpleasant odours responded with "screwed up
faces." Studies within the womb reveal that foetuses react
to fragrances introduced through their mother while
newborns are able to recognize her scent in as little as
forty-eight hours after their birth.

Children's sense of smell—their odour likes and
dislikes—do not parallel those of adults until the
onset of puberty. A study conducted in 1976 and repeated in
1994 indicates that nine-year olds apparently do not have
sensitivity to certain musk odours. However, their ability
to detect particular odours is the same as both adults and
young adults.

----------------------------------------------------
Luke Vorstermans is the founder of The Sense of Smell Lab,
a world leader in the development of innovative products
that use our sense of smell to influence behavior, trigger
memories, manage cravings, enhance moods and improve sexual
health. To learn more about enhancing your sex drive, go
to http://www.scentuellepatch.com

Your Diet,Fiber and Liquid Vitamins Will Give You Energy!

Your Diet,Fiber and Liquid Vitamins Will Give You Energy!
While Americans may know they need fiber, they aren't
getting enough fiber in their diets is an essential element
of a healthy diet. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines report
identified fiber as a shortfall nutrient for all age
groups. The American Dietetic Association recommends
Americans increase their total fiber intake to enjoy the
health benefits associated with a diet that's high in total
fiber, low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables and whole
grains. With more and more research showing that a
high-fiber diet may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and
other serious ailments, roughage has started to get some
respect. The mighty trilogy of nutrients — protein,
carbohydrates, and fat — garners most of the diet
industry's attention, but it's becoming much more clear
that fiber needs to be the fourth leg of the dietary table.
Health experts recommend a minimum of 20 to 30 grams of
fiber a day for most people. The typical American eats only
about 11 grams of fiber a day, according to the American
Dietetic Association. One claim states that dietary soluble
fiber, when part of a diet low in saturated fat and
cholesterol, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
In a 1996 survey, however, when 1,009 Americans were asked
which of five foods--lettuce, asparagus, navy beans, brown
rice, and oatmeal--provided the best source of
cholesterol-fighting soluble fiber, many missed the mark.
Some fibers are soluble in water and others are insoluble.
As it passes through the gastrointestinal tract, soluble
fiber binds to dietary cholesterol, helping the body to
eliminate it. Antioxidants help prevent cholesterol from
being moved out of the blood and into the lining of the
blood vessels. There also is some evidence that soluble
fiber can slow the liver's manufacture of cholesterol, as
well as alter low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles to
make them larger and less dense. Fatty acids that are
absorbed into the bloodstream and appear to play a role in
lowering cholesterol levels are formed when soluble fiber
breaks down in the digestive tract. A certain type of
dietary fiber, called soluble fiber, may help lower
cholesterol levels by sweeping cholesterol out of the body
before it gets into the bloodstream. High fiber diets can
help in decreasing the risk of getting several different
illnesses. Flax seed is the best high fiber food, providing
the greatest level of high quality dietary fiber of any
food. Another source is instant-cocoa mixes that have as
much as 3 g of fiber per cup.

The fiber diet is regaining popularity as an alternative
for weight loss. Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol
and rich in fruits, vegetables, and grain products that
contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, may reduce the
risk of coronary heart disease. The following is a
guideline for your cholesterol levels. 180-199-then your
blood cholesterol level is acceptable.
200-219-then your blood cholesterol level is borderline
high. 220 or higher-then your blood cholesterol level is
too high. If your total blood cholesterol level is
greater than 200 (and especially if it is over 220), you
should have another test to see what type of cholesterol is
high. Fresh fruits, vegetables and unprocessed
grain products such as whole-grain breads and cereals are
naturally low in fat, cholesterol-free, but
rich in starches and dietary fiber. Including more starches
and fiber in your diet can help you lower your
cholesterol level as well as reduce your risk for obesity,
cancer, high blood pressure and other maladies.

This information will guide you towards a fiber rich liquid
vitamin with a minimum of 4 grams of fiber per ounce. Do
not ignore this, as it is the basis for good health and
well being! Supplementation of liquid vitamin nutrition is
the secret to protecting you and your family against
disease, staying healthy and looking and feeling youthful.

----------------------------------------------------
Chuck Arnone is concerned with our health and fitness and
strives for quality information.
http://www.provitaminliquid.com

Embrace Self Care As Your Primary Health Care!

Embrace Self Care As Your Primary Health Care!
"2007 was the best year I can remember!" These words--
music to my ears!-- were spoken last week by my client,
called Robert for this article, who has dealt for many
years with severe chronic pain.

This last year was a turning point for Robert. As he and I
worked together in regular wellness coaching sessions, he
began to have hope that he could feel significantly better
by taking back control over his health.

This feeling of hope grew into conviction as he made many
little, and some not so little changes, that added up to
big healing. He attended a gentle water exercise class,
started practicing mind-body relaxation techniques, met
regularly with a support group, learned easy, delicious
ways to cook vegetables and generally began treating
himself with a greater sense of kindness.

Every aspect of his life is improving because he is
practicing the most important form of health care: Self
Care. He is creating, by his attitudes, habits and daily
choices, improved health and well-being that no medicine or
surgery or medical system or expert could provide.

Although we live in a time of remarkable medical services
there is no health care as important as the care you give
yourself. Modern medicine is so miraculous that it is easy
to believe that doctors and other experts are responsible
for our health. It is easy to believe that our health comes
because of something someone does to us. We often go to
medical providers to get fixed.

And yet, the very most important type of health care is the
one that you and I practice daily, often without even
knowing we are practicing health care.

Your most important form of Health Care is Self Care!
Self care is your primary and most important form of health
care.
It is the form of health care you are in charge of.
It is your birthright. It is your responsibility.
Self Care is daily, lifelong, vital, irreplaceable and
deeply enjoyable.

Eleven Reasons to Claim Self Care As Your Primary Health
Care

1. Self Care is your most effective form of health care.
How you care for yourself is the biggest determinant of
your health, happiness, quality of life and
the way you will age.

2. Self Care is a joyful way of living.
Self care is a way of saying yes to your life on a daily
basis.

3. Self Care is empowering!
When you claim self care as your primary form of health
care you take back control over your life
and your health.

4. Self Care is cost effective.
You will save money and time by practicing self care.

5. Self Care is your response-ability.
Response-ability for self care is an opportunity only you
can take. Only you have the ability to
respond to your body, mind, heart and soul from the inside
out.

6. Self Care is the best gift you can give your family and
closest friends.
Do you ever find yourself thinking it is selfish to put
self care high on the priority list? Taking great care of
your needs is actually one of the most generous things you
can do.

7. Self Care has no substitute.
Whether you prefer to use conventional western medical
care, alternative practices, or as I
recommend, a combination of the two, there is no medical
care that substitutes for self care. No
surgery, medical procedure, medicine or expert can
compensate for lack of self care.

8. Self Care complements and enhances every other form of
health care you utilize.
When you commit to daily, positive self care, whatever form
of health care you use is enhanced and
the benefits are increased.

9. Self Care is holistic.
Self care includes and improves every aspect of your life
including physical, mental, emotional and
spiritual health, relationships, play and work.

10. Self Care starts right where you are, right now.
Whatever the state of your health, whatever your life
circumstances, there are many things you can do
on a daily basis that will help you enjoy your best health,
wellbeing and vitality.

11. Self Care is made up of many little steps and many
small changes.
Easy, small enjoyable steps take you to the tipping point
away from disease and pain and toward
health and happiness.

If you want to live with your best health and vitality, if
you want to create the best year possible, commit now to
embracing self care as your primary health care!

Imagine: What if...?
Take a few moments to imagine yourself a year from now.
Imagine that you are at the beginning of 2009, looking back
at 2008 and consider: How might your life and health be
different having taken on self care as your primary form of
health care?

Envision: One step at a time.
Coming back to this present moment, ask yourself:
What one self care step would I enjoy taking now?
Keep it enjoyable and do-able and make sure it's something
you want to do rather than something you think you should
do.

May 2008 be your best year!

----------------------------------------------------
Transformational wellness coach, Lea Houston, MA, helps
people of all ages create lives of health, vitality and
well-being. Get her Free Special Report, Let it Be Easy,
and a free subscription to her popular ezine, Self Care
Celebration! rich with soulful and practical resources,
tips and inspiration at
http://www.SelfCareCelebration.com

Adults with ADD: How Did You Sleep Last Night?

Adults with ADD: How Did You Sleep Last Night?
Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) often
underestimate the importance of sleep. In actuality,
getting proper sleep each night is essential to managing
adult ADD.

Imagine you are a car, and the amount of sleep you get at
night is the amount of gas that gets put in your tank. If
you go to bed and get proper rest through solid sleep, your
gas tank gets filled. And as anyone who owns a car knows,
cars always drive better on a full tank.

If, on the other hand, you go to bed and don't sleep well
or don't get enough sleep, then you start your day on half
a tank. You're still able to drive, but you don't perform
as well, and you hit empty a lot sooner in the day than
you'd like to.

Think about it. When you haven't gotten a good night's
sleep...

Don't you find yourself running late throughout the day?

Isn't it really difficult to pay attention at work?

Doesn't it seem like more of a chore to eat healthy,
exercise, and take care of yourself?

Isn't it harder to motivate yourself to do those household
chores, like dishes and laundry?

Don't you find yourself snapping at people who might not
deserve it?

If you frequently have trouble getting a good night's
sleep, here are a few tips specifically geared towards
adults with ADD:

1. Allow yourself adequate time to wind down before bed.

I suggest starting with a bedtime routine. In this case,
it's easiest to work backwards:

Determine the best time for you to go to sleep each night.
Choose a time that will allow you to get a full night's
rest. Let's use an example to demonstrate, and say 11:00pm.

Next, take some time to "get ready for bed." That might
mean brushing your teeth, getting your clothes ready for
the next day, taking medications, or whatever it is that
you do before you go to sleep. If these activities take
about 15 minutes, then you would begin getting ready for
bed at 10:45pm.

Finally, pick a few "wind down" activities that will help
you relax and de-stress. This might include taking a bath,
reading, meditating, journaling, or even watching
television--provided the shows you choose aren't intense.
Spend about an hour winding down and allowing your brain to
slow down so that it's not racing when you're trying to
fall asleep. In the example provided here, you would start
winding down around 9:45 or 10:00pm.

Note: Whatever activities you choose to wind down, make
sure they don't involve the computer! Nothing will wake up
the ADD brain faster than email or the Internet.

2. Create a comfortable sleeping environment for yourself.

This might include adjusting the temperature in your
bedroom, switching to ultra-soft sheets, or investing in
light-blocking curtains. Adults with ADD tend to be
extremely sensitive, and it's amazing how much little
things can make a difference when it comes to your sleeping
environment.

3. If all else fails, see your doctor.

There are medical options that you can explore with your
doctor, such as taking medication or vitamin/herbal
supplements, and testing for sleep disorders.

So here's to a good sleep tonight!

----------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Koretsky is the Founder of the ADD Management
Group, Inc. and the author of 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 .

Binge Eating - A Component of All Eating Disorders!

Binge Eating - A Component of All Eating Disorders!
Binge eating is a critical component is all eating
disorders, including anorexia and bulimia. Understanding
binging is the key to resolving all weight-related
disorders.

What is binge eating? Do we all binge occasionally? Is
binging synonymous with love of food?

Binge eating is uncontrolled eating, often accompanied by
shame and guilt. In other words, it is an act with full
awareness as well as helplessness. Binging episodes occur
quite frequently - often at least once or twice a week.

Shame and guilt often propel the resultant purging, which
is getting the excessive amount of food out of the body
system. Purging out of fear of weight gain is a critical
component of bulimia, which is a disorder alternating
between binging and purging.

Binge eating plays a pivotal role in any eating disorder,
which is a psychological disorder using food to cope with
disturbed emotions.

Many people have emotional problems, but they may not have
an eating disorder. So how does one develop binge eating,
or who are vulnerable to this disorder?

Binge eating often begins with having an unhealthy abnormal
food relationship. If you ear normally, you have reduced
risk of binge eating even if you do have emotional problems.

Any dieting is abnormal eating. Initially, an individual
may want to control weight through dieting, but without
much success. Then that individual may try one diet after
another with no substantial solution to the weight problem.
It is this feeling of deprivation of food (feeling the
unfairness of being deprived of the joy of eating),
accompanied by despair and frustration (feeling the
inability to lose weight despite the efforts), which
ultimately turns the individual from the diets into binge
eating. As a result, cyclical eating problems develop and
persist, indefinitely perpetuating the eating disorder.

Binge eating, a self-deprecating eating disorder out of
subconscious fear of not being able to stop eating
voluntarily, may begin in the formative years of an
individual with unhealthy eating patterns, or in young
adulthood as a result of incapability of handling
emotional, social and environmental stress. Binge eating
may also have a physiological connection with depletion of
serotonin, a neurotransmitter, leading to unbalanced brain
chemistry. Interestingly, many depressive patients are
vulnerable to binge eating, often turning to foods to calm
their nerves.

To confront someone close to you with binge eating may
result in relentless control battles. It is important to
understand the importance of disengaging yourself from food
issues, and that striving to control someone's eating
behavior, in spite of your good intentions, may only
aggravate the problem and interfere with the patient's
capacity to change.

Accepting your own limitations and removing yourself from
the problem are critical to disengaging someone from binge
eating. The eating-disordered individual is responsible for
the consequences of eating behavior, such as over spending
on food, or cleaning up the mess from vomiting. Do not make
excuses for the eating-disordered individual. It is
important for the individual to learn to take
responsibility for the consequences of the eating behavior.

Do not proffer advice or opinions. Remember, an individual
with an eating disorder is looking for approval, often a
sign of anxiety or insecurity. Your reassurances or
suggestions may at best provide only temporary relief. The
individual must learn to develop own judgment and
perception of self-worth - which are often absent in an
eating-disordered individual. Just be supportive and
demonstrate your love and care. Don't play the role of a
therapist!

Quite often, an eating disorder may be due to an unfilled
void in one's life. Something may be missing in one's life,
and that void needs toe be addressed in order to pave the
way for recovery.

Develop a healthier relationship with the eating-disordered
individual through better communication, establishing
responsibilities, and respecting rights (the right to grow
up, and the right to take full responsibility for one's
actions, among others).

Gradually, the eating-disordered individual will see the
abnormal eating behavior patterns, and make the necessary
changes or to seek professional help. Yes, this takes
patience and perseverance. Don't forget that it takes time
to develop the binge eating disorder; accordingly, it may
take a while to disengage oneself from that eating disorder.

----------------------------------------------------
Stephen Lau is a researcher, writing medical research for
doctors and scientists. His publications include "NO
MIRACLE CURES" a book on healing and wellness. He has also
created several websites on health and healing, including
the following:
http://www.longevityforyou.com
http://www.rethinkyourdepression.com

Language of Food Labels

Language of Food Labels
You go to the grocery store knowing you are shopping for
foods that are nutritious and healthy. Your primary goal
when selecting your grocery choices is to continue your
weight loss and maintenance success. You check the labels
and the numbers reflect that it is a healthy choice.....but
is it? Being an advocate for your own health means knowing
how to read the labels and to determine what the
information means for your body and food plan.

The first thing to remember in learning the language of
labels is that you want to make your calories count. Your
goal is to obtain the most nutrition for your nutrition
calories. Essentially, you are spending your calories for
the most nutrition possible.

The food labels were created to provide consumers with
nutritional information to assist in making decisions about
which food choice is right for them. Sounds simple right?
It is when you know how to make the information work for
you. There is a wealth of information on the labels for
you once you know how to make sense of it all.

Let's look at the food label for a certain product we are
considering to purchase. Know your nutrition facts when it
comes to food labels. At first glance, it looks fine.
Only 250 calories for this one item, right? Not so fast!
There are three items to consider before placing this
particular item in your shopping cart.

1. Check the serving and calories.

2. What's in it for you?

3. Does it fit your nutrition goal?

1. CHECK THE SERVING AND CALORIES. Only 250 calories for
this item from your daily caloric intake? Look at the
serving size on this item and how many servings it
contains. In our example, there are 2 servings at 250
calories PER EACH serving. In this item, there are a total
of 500 calories and not 250 as it may first appear.

2. WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU? Next, look at the rest of the
nutritional facts such as how much total fat, total
carbohydrates, sugars, fiber and protein are contained in
this product. Back to our example, there are 12 grams of
fat, 31 grams of carbohydrates, zero grams of fiber, 5
grams of sugars and 5 grams of protein PER SERVING which is
2 servings for the entire item. Since the item has 2
servings total, if you eat the entire package, you would
double the calories, fat, carbs, sugars, fiber and protein
for the day.

Also, check the saturated fat, sodium and other nutritional
information such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron
that are contained in this item.

For our translation of this food label, our nutrition
information is for the entire package:

Total Calories: 500 calories, Total Fat: 24 grams, Total
Carbohydrates: 62 grams, Total Sugars: 10 grams, Total
Protein: 10 grams, Total Saturated Fat: 6 grams, Total
Trans Fat: 6 grams, Total Cholesterol: 60 mg., Total
Sodium: 940 grams, Total Dietary Fiber: 0 grams.

Remember, it is more than just calories; it is the big
picture of all nutrients that count too.

3. DOES IT FIT YOUR NUTRITION GOAL? Now that you have
deciphered exactly what's in this product, you get to
decide if it fits your nutrition program. Compare the
calories on the label and the nutrients you'll be getting
to decide if this food is worth eating? Can you eat only
one serving or would you want to eat the entire package?
Put all the information together and decide if this is a
smart choice that promotes your nutritional program of
health. Do you put it in your shopping cart and take home
or do you leave it on the shelf?

Other tips to remember would be to determine the number of
calories derived from fat, protein and carbohydrates as
follows:

Each gram of fat: 9 calories

Each gram of carbohydrate: 4 calories

Each gram of protein: 4 calories

Multiply the number of grams contained in a product by
these calories per gram and you'll see how the total
caloric breakdown shakes out.

A common pitfall, especially with small packages, is to
assume there is only one serving because the package is
small. As an example, if you were to eat a bag of pretzels
from a vending machine, you might find it contains 2.5
servings. You would need to multiply the numbers by 2.5 to
see what's really in that small bag.

The FDA regulates the use of phrases and terms on product
packaging. Here's what they really mean:

Sugar free: Less than .5 grams of sugar per serving.

Calorie Free = Less than 5 calories per serving.

Low Calorie = 40 calories or less per serving.

Light or Lite = 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat than the
referenced food.

Fat Free = Less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving.

Low Fat = 3 grams or less of fat per serving.

High Fiber = 5 grams or more of fiber per serving.

By translating the label language information, you know
exactly what it all means and can make the smart choices
for yourself on your journey to health. Knowledge is power
and now, YOU have got it!

----------------------------------------------------
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

Taming Your Body For Results

Taming Your Body For Results
Don't Get Too Focused.

I know this may sound weird for many, but in order to
control a certain area of your body you must not neglect
the rest of your body. For example, if you want to have
slender arms, don't just do tricep extensions and forget
about doing cardio or working different muscle groups in
your upper and lower body. If you focus on your whole
body, not only will you see more results with the location
that you want, but you'll also become fitter in the process.

You Have The Power Of Choice.

It's important to do exercises that you like because that
motivates you to actually do them. If there is an exercise
that you dis-like, try to modify it or replace it
altogether to do one that's more enjoyable. For instance
in many workout books (which you can find at www.indigo.ca)
there are dozens of exercises to choose from. You don't
necessarily have to do all of the exercises to become fit.
Try and take one or two exercises and see how you feel and
how your body responds to them.

This is great because after a while you're able to mix and
match certain exercises to come up with a customizable
workout that suits YOUR needs.

Kick It Up A Notch.

When you do start off with an exercise program you can do
the exercises without added weight. However, as you
progress, it's a good idea to incorporate some added
resistance by using dumbbells or cuff weights.

By adding this extra weight you'll bump up the intensity of
the exercise which will in turn get you much better
results. Adding more weight is totally up to you as well
as your fitness level. You should start off with a weight
that you can do 12-15 times comfortably. Once that gets
too easy up the weight by 3- 5 pounds on a weekly or
bi-weekly basis.

Dollar Saver!

Look for quality ankle/wrist weights in sporting goods
stores. The cuffed ankle weights, with a pouch to insert
various weights are much better and gives you better
control of how much load you place on your muscles and
joints. In terms of saving a few dollars, there also great
because if you want to increase the weight, you simply
insert more weight into the pouches. And when that gets too
easy you can get a little crazy and place two pouches on
one leg or arm instead of buying a whole new set.

The Importance Of Reps.

When you do your exercises an important question that
always come up is "How much reps do I do?". Here's the
breakdown:

For Muscle Growth: 3-6 reps of a heavy weight For Strength
and Toning 10-12 reps of a moderate weight For Toning and
Defining 12- 15 reps of a light weight (recommended for
women who want to get that feminine and lean look)

Remember that these values act as a guideline, sometimes I
have my clients do an exercise for 1 minute. So within
that minute they end up doing 20+ repetitions of one
exercise.

----------------------------------------------------
Marci Lall is a Womens Weight Loss & Body Sculpting
Specialist. visit his website to get his FREE report "16
tips on how to get maximum weight loss and fitness results
in minimum time" --> http://www.lallpt.com

A Runner's Secret Weapon

A Runner's Secret Weapon
If you are a distance runner, there is a "secret weapon"
that you should included in your training... That secret -
sprinting (especially hill sprinting). Here are some of
the highlights of why every runner should add these
techniques to their training.

First, here's why you should add sprinting to your
workouts. In fact, I'm going to give you 4 great reasons
that you should sprint. They are:

Sprinting can raise your maximum running speed - no brainer
here...

Sprinting can raise your lactate threshold - the point at
which your body begins to build lactic acid as a byproduct
- in layman's terms - a higher threshold lets your body run
longer at a faster pace before the lactic acid kicks in.

Sprinting can promote aerobic - enzyme production

Sprinting improves blood flow to the muscles

Which are all major benefits for a distance runner's
performance...

Think these ideas is just mine? No way, I've got some
science to back it up...

Recent studies at the Imperial College in London,
Queensland University, Deakin University and the University
of New South Wales have shown these positive results on
distance runners. The studies took distance runners with no
prior sprinting experience and had them do sprint training
3 days per week for 6 weeks. They ran sprints from 40 to
100 meters for a total of 14 to 30 actual sprints per
session. They also were allowed steadily decreasing
recovery times between sprints - although maintained a 5
minute rest period between sets.

The runners improved in all 4 aspects mentioned above -
which led to improved performances in their distance races.

(And then there's the study I've written about before about
marathoners who added 2 days of sprinting to their plan -
result: they were able to cut their training volume in
half without any negative effect on their race times)

Remember that I completely agree that if you 'race'
distance or enjoy running distance then you should
definitely do it. But, adding some sprint training to your
program can bring you spectacular results.

Now I'll go even further and try to convince you of
something even more difficult to swallow - that distance
runners must run hill sprints to reach their peak
performance.

What? Unbelievable. Impossible. Absurd. What can hill
sprinting possibly do for a distance runner?

Here's what.

There are 3 major benefits of sprinting hills for a
distance runner. They are:

1. Mental toughness.
2. Stronger push off
3. More flexible hips

Including hill sprints in your program will give you all
three of these. And, here's how they will help you to run
faster.

First, mental toughness. There is probably nothing a
distance runner dreads more than a hilly course. Seeing
that hill looming ahead of you in a race can make you heart
sink because you know that your heart rate is going to
shoot up and your pace is going to suffer as soon as you
start up the hill. But, hey, if you've sprinted up hills,
you will know that you can conquer one at a lesser pace.
This mental shift alone will improve your performance and
make hill sprinting worthwhile.

But, that's not all. Another key factor in your distance
times is your stride length. The farther each stride goes,
the less strides you have to take in your run and the
faster you will finish. So, what does hill sprinting have
to do with this?

First, hill sprinting forces you to lift your knees high
which increases the flexibility of your hips. More
flexible hips equal longer stride lengths.

Second, hill sprinting strengthens you ankles (and other
"push" muscles) enabling you to push off the ground with
more force on each stride. This propels you forward
farther on each stride. Again, longer stride length.

So, there you go. I've done all I can do. Provided you
with a boatload of reasons to run sprints - even if you are
a distance runner. The next step - or stride - is up to
you. Hey, if you are frustrated with your times or have
been stuck on a plateau, give hill sprints a shot.

You'll be pleasantly surprised with your results.

----------------------------------------------------
Tim Alan Kauppinen, or Coach K, has over 20 years
experience as an athlete and coach. He has developed
champion athletes across multiple sports through speed
training, strength improvement and conditioning. Coach K
is the author of the Uphill Fitness Training, and publishes
a FREE daily training email newsletter. Tim can be
contacted through his website at http://www.makesyoufast.com

Drugs and Medical Devices Associated with Heart Problems

Drugs and Medical Devices Associated with Heart Problems
DRUGS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH HEART PROBLEMS

Zelnorm

Zelnorm, a medication that was prescribed to women that
were being treated for irritable bowel syndrome accompanied
with constipation, as well as, patients that were under the
age of 65 years old and had chronic constipation, has been
attributed to the increased risk of heart attack, stroke,
and worsening chest pains than patients that did not take
Zelnorm.

Bextra

Bextra has been prescribed to patients that have been
diagnosed with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or
painful menstrual cycles and is classified as a COX-2
selective NSAID that has been linked to have an increased
risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Ortho evra

Unlike a common form of birth control that is taken orally,
Ortho Evra is a form of birth control patch that introduces
and removes the hormones into and out of the blood stream a
different manner exposing women to about 60 percent more
estrogen which has been found to lead to an increase in the
risk of blood clots, strokes, and more seriously, death.

Phen fen

Phentermine and Fenfluramine, or Phen-Fen, are two separate
drugs that were combined together into one single
medication used to decrease appetite and help give the
feeling of increased satiety and taken by people that
suffer from obesity to help effectively aid in weight loss,
yet, was pulled from the market after the drugs were linked
to cause primary pulmonary hypertension and valvular heart
disease.

Ephedra

Ephedra(r) is a dietary supplement that is marketed as a
natural product that claims to help with such things as
weight loss, increased energy, and enhanced athletic
performance, but has since been found to actually be the
cause heart attacks, strokes, eizures, rapid and irregular
heart rhythms, increased blood pressure, chest pain,
psychosis, tremors, and death.

Adderall

Adderall is a prescribe medication for the treatment of
attention deficit disorder, or ADD, but has also been
known to cause psychological side effects, and with any
misuse of the drug, can even lead to sudden death due to
the onset of heart attacks and strokes.

Paxil (heart birth defects)

Paxil is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI,
type of antidepressant that has been discovered to cause
birth defects when prescribe to pregnant women, and even
been associated with increased suicidal tendencies in
adults and children.

DEVICES THAT HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH HEART PROBLEMS

Many medical devices that were manufactured for the intent
to help patients suffering from heart problems have
recently been linked to more counter-productive problems in
patients that have used them. Two of the nation's top
manufacturers, Medtronic with its defibrillators, and
Guidant with pacemakers, as well as, defibrillators, have
had to recall some of the medical devices that were
implanted in patients due to faultiness and malfunction.

Along with these medical devices that are being pulled from
use in patients with heart problems, drug eluting stents
that are placed within the coronary artery to help keep a
continuous blood flow to the heart, have also been recalled
due to the arterial wall damage that is done by the
placement of the stent.

Medtronic models

Medtronic is the nation's leading maker of heart implant
devices that are used in people who are at risk of going
into cardiac arrest, and whose most recent defibrillator
models have been prone to have a defect in the lead wires
that connect to the defibrillator, and which carry electric
impulses to the heart, causing the defibrillator to deliver
unnecessary shocks or to not even operate at all.

Guidant models

Guidant Corporation who manufactures pacemakers that send
electrical impulses to help accelerate a slow heart beat,
and defibrillators that are small implanted devices placed
in the body for the function of regulating the heartbeat in
patients with a risk of heart problems, has recalled both
the pacemakers and the defibrillators due to short
circuiting of the devices resulting in death of some the
patients using the faulty devices.

Sprint Fidelis models

The Sprint Fidelis model of defibrillators that are
manufactured by Medtronic and are implanted in over 250,000
patients, have been recalled due to faulty electrodes that
have been found to malfunction leading to an unnecessary
electrical jolt to the heart, or for the life saving device
to completely fail altogether.

Drug eluting stents

A drug eluting stent is a latticed metal scaffold placed
within the coronary artery for the purpose of keeping the
vessel open and aiding in the adequate flow of blood to the
heart, but unfortunately, actually has an adverse effect by
causing blood clots that lead to the arterial wall being
damaged.

----------------------------------------------------
Contact the Pennsylvania wrongful death law firm Anapol
Schwartz at http://www.anapolschwartz.com/ for your free
legal consultation. The lawyers at Anapol Schwartz are more
than ready and capable of providing you with more
information on medical devices and drugs that may be
dangerous for your heart. Additional legal informationcan
be found at http://www.legalView.com/ , a partner with
Anapol Schwartz.

Five Easy Steps to Fat Loss and Building Lean Muscle Mass

Five Easy Steps to Fat Loss and Building Lean Muscle Mass
Successfully building lean muscle tissue can be a
challenge. So often people gain muscle only to add fat as
well. With 5 simple steps you can add size without adding
the weight you don't want.

1. Eat 4-6 small meals daily.

Spreading your calories out during the day keeps your
metabolism moving and your energy levels high. "It may be
the most important aspect in fat loss" says Bobby Hiatt,
online fitness trainer. It's also important to make sure
that each meal contains a balance of nutrients, namely
protein, carbohydrate and fat. Good sources of protein
include fish, lean meat, chicken, eggs, turkey, and whey
protein. Preferred sources of carbohydrates include fruit,
vegetables, beans, and whole grains. Olive oil, nuts
(including peanuts) and fish oils are a healthy source of
fat. If you're too busy to cook and prepare regular
high-protein, low-fat meals, then meal replacements (such
as Max-Meal High Protein) and nutrition bars (like Cyclone
Bars and Max-Meal bars) will help you to feed your body
with the nutrients it needs to burn fat and build muscle.

2. Choose the right carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber (like whole
grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts). Highly refined
carbohydrates like sugary cereals, cookies, chips, fizzy
drinks and chocolate bars have little nutritional value and
can easily be stored as body fat. Eat these foods in
moderation only. If you have cravings for chocolate,
Max-Meal bars will help to satisfy your cravings for rich,
delicious food without making you feel guilty.

3. Don't forget completely about the fat.

Despite the hype in the 80's and 90's, fat IS an important
part of everyone's diet and is necessary for fat loss. In
fact, the latest research shows that CLA, a type of fat
called Conjugated Linoleic Acid (known also as CLA), can
make losing fat and building muscle faster and easier. CLA
refers to a family of naturally occurring polyunsaturated
fats found primarily in beef, lamb, and dairy products.
Unlike stimulant-based fat burners, CLA is natural and
safe. Many previous trials show that CLA also has potent
muscle-building effects. Every fat cell in the body wants
to get big. What the CLA does is force that fat cell to
stay little by affecting a number of enzymes that are
ordinarily responsible for filling it with lipids. In other
words, CLA literally diverts the calories you eat away from
fat and into muscle tissue. .

4. Don't cut your calories too low.

Drastic calorie cutting attempts usually result in failure.
If you want lasting results and not just a quick fix, then
your best bet is to reduce the number of calories in each
meal, rather than skipping meals. A great and easy way to
do this is by replacing some of the starchy carbohydrate in
your diet with fruit and vegetables. For example, instead
of having a bowl full of cereal, cut the serving size in
half, and replace it with berries (such as strawberries or
raspberries). Using whey protein (such as Promax) and water
instead of milk will also help to increase the protein
content of your diet.

5. Give yourself one cheat day per week.

If you are eating "clean" 6 days a week, you deserve a
cheat day. Pick one day per week and save all your cravings
for that special day. Make a chocolate dessert, or have
some extra pasta with dinner. Whatever it is, after 6 days
of keeping your diet in order you deserve a day of eating
some of your favourite foods. Your body can handle it.
Remember that you can't gain a significant amount of fat in
just one day. It takes weeks of poor eating to add that
weight.

----------------------------------------------------
About The Author: Charles Carter, BS in Exercise Science is
President of LIVE, llc of http://www.liveleantoday.com -
visit the website for more information on weight loss, core
fitness programs, optimal diets, and online personal
trainer and dietician services. For more information on
products go to http://shop.liveleantoday.com .

Are you a skinny muscle person?

Are you a skinny muscle person?
© All rights reserved Keith Crovatt

You see them everywhere in advertising. Muscled, buffed,
smooth hard bodies are promoting everything thing from
cars, tools and even beer. Obviously, the marketing behind
this muscle building practice works but that is not the
point behind this article.

We are bombarded by the advertisements, visuals and
suggestions that our lives will be forever changed if we
only had that body. Build bigger muscles in 10 minutes a
day and you too will look like the model. This is what is
suggested. What most advertisements, self help books and
weight loss systems fail to tell you is not everyone's body
is the same!

Trying to grasp and capture the variation in human physical
properties and appearance is also known as anthropometry or
the measuring of the human being. Utilizing these bodily
dimensions and then customizing products around it, is
quite a common practice in fields like ergonomics, clothing
design, even architecture.

This practice is not so much so in the field of fitness,
health and wellness, weight loss and management, and
overall optimal functioning type considerations, products
and services. We have somehow overlooked, underestimated or
not considered it seriously enough it seems. It can in fact
hold and harbor some real secrets, cues and clues as to
what to expect when we use the one to better understand and
maximize the other. Quite the thought! How revolutionary
is that?

A much better way to analyze our bodies is using body mass
index calculations (BMI) and individual assessments
directed by experts that understand your body type.

Skinny muscle people are also known as being ectomorph
types. The characteristics are as follows:

- Hard time building any muscle

- Shoulders and hips are the same size (with little
variation)

- Slim

- Smallish build

- Tendency to 'over-train' somewhat

- Thin

- Weight fluctuates a lot and significantly

Sound familiar? The common mistake many people make in
trying to build muscles and get the buffed body is not
understanding their body type will make a big difference in
the results.

Some initial exercise suggestions for this body type or
shape: - Heavy weight workouts

- All muscle groups need work (regularly and frequently)

- Cardio

- 2-3 exercises per body part

- 3-4 sets with 6-10 repetitions

Results: strength and muscle added top priorities and
outcomes, with persistence and disciplined work

Recommended work could include: - Core Training

- Kickboxing Class

- Martial Arts

- Tae-Bo

- Treadmill

- Walking

- Work on buttock and thigh area

What to eat and how to adjust your diet somewhat to
accommodate and support some of the work that you are doing
on the exercise front to let the shape come to its full
potential:

DO NOT: - EAT or consume lots of empty calories
convenience, junk, fried or fast food

- Have trans-fats in your diet

- Skip any of your meals

DO:

- Eat lots of protein and carbohydrates(grains, granola,
nuts, dried fruits)

- Fats and healthy oils (as much as 30% of total intake
calories)

It follows that many feel that your body type, shape and
physical characteristics and feature can oftentimes greatly
affect the nature, intensity, type and duration, frequency
and effectiveness of your exercise routines, workouts and
regimen overall.

Body shape or type are just parts of the large puzzle in
question here for either fitness training, weight loss and
management and overall toning, sculpting and functioning.
You will achieve superior results when the program you use
matches your body type. Thin, ectomorph bodies respond
very well to specific muscle building practices to produce
killer muscles. Go forth, learn, lift and live the life
you were given. Blessings!

----------------------------------------------------
Finally exposed! We blow the lid off of the bodybuilding
and supplement industry to reveal the honest and unbiased
truth about gaining strength, building muscle and melting
away unwanted body fat. Claim a copy of your free book ($30
value) "The Top 20 Ways to Screw Up in the Gym" Click here
=> http://www.KillerMuscles.com

This is Your Brain on Stress

This is Your Brain on Stress
Remember the Bugs Bunny cartoons where Yosemite Sam would
get so angry and stressed out that steam would come out of
his ears. In fact, this seemed to happen to a lot of
cartoon characters that lost there cool. Were these guys
actually frying there brains? If so, could they get those
fried brain cells back after they calmed down? It seems
that cartoonists may have correctly predicted some
neurobiology of stress.

Stress biology has been a hot topic in neuroscience for
many years and research emerges all the time to further our
understanding of why stress is so bad for the brain. A new
study reveals an important finding that sheds more light on
maintaining brain fitness during these bouts of stress. But
before getting into the new data, let's back up a little.

Robert Sapolsky, a neuroscientist at Stanford, has been a
prevailing voice in stress biology for some time. He
proposed theories over a decade ago that suggested stress
was actually killing brain cells in a part of the brain
called the hippocampus, a structure crucial for learning
and memory.

In fact, the last ten years or so have revealed some
interesting things about the hippocampus, especially as it
relates to stress. Contrary to years of dogma, we
discovered that the hippocampus is an area of the brain
that is continually giving birth to new neurons. For many
years, we believed that the brain was incapable of making
new neurons after development, but we now know that's not
true. New neurons are being born (and dying) in the
hippocampus all the time.

The trick is to keep the rate of neuron birth in check with
that of neuron death. If you lose more neurons than you
gain, your hippocampus can shrink and whither; and your
ability to learn and remember declines.

Sapolsky's early work showed that stress was a bad thing
for this process. Stress slowed the rate of new neuron
birth, to tip the scales in favor of neuron death. Not only
does this hamper your cognitive abilities, but it may leave
you more susceptible to prolonged stress and create a
viscous cycle.

Later work by a Yale researcher, Ron Duman, showed that
anti-depressants often require new neuron birth in the
hippocampus to have their affect. One a side-note, exercise
is one of the most potent ways to stimulate new neuron
birth in the hippocampus. This is probably why exercise is
such a great anti-depressant.

New research from Duman's group has now pinpointed on of
the big players in how stress works to stop neuron birth in
the hippocampus. They discovered a molecule called IL-1beta
(Interleukin-1 beta) is responsible for putting the breaks
on hippocampal neuron birth. We already knew that IL-1beta
is a hormone involved in inflammation, increased by stress.
We also knew that IL-1beta, itself, could increase some
effects of stress.

What the new finding tells us is that if we focus on
reducing IL-1beta during unhealthily long periods of
stress, we may counter some of the cognitive problems that
too much stress creates. I'm sure this discovery has peaked
the interest of many pharmaceutical companies with
anti-IL-1beta drugs, but there is already a simple way to
reduce this hormone.

Previous studies showed that omega-3s can reduce many
hormones involved in inflammation and that they can
specifically counteract increases in stress, caused by
IL-1beta. Putting this older research in light of the new
study, suggests that omega-3s might actually be able to
protect the hippocampus during stress.

So again, discoveries in molecular biology take us back to
benefits of brain fitness cornerstones that we have been
promoting for some time; in this case, exercise and quality
nutrition. Exercise can increase the birth of new neurons
in your hippocampus and omega-3s may protect them from
stress-induced IL-1beta.

References: PNAS 2008 105(2) 751-756 J. Lipid Res. 2003
44(10):1984-91

----------------------------------------------------
Learn to control stress, improve your metabolism and boost
your intelligence with the four cornerstones of Brain
Fitness. Visit http://www.BrainFitForLife.com for FREE
Brain Fitness resources.

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 1

Unlocking the Secrets of Your Sense of Smell: Part 1
Who among us cannot recall the smell of freshly-baked bread
at dinner, the aroma of freshly-ground coffee in the
morning, the heady scent of lilacs in the spring or the
mouth-watering aroma of baked apples in the fall?
Interestingly, while most of us can recall these scents,
quite often we also associate distinct memories with them
as well.

In the course of a day each of us will take over twenty
thousand breaths, inhale over 438 cubic feet of air and
take in countless billions of odorant molecules. Yet
surprisingly, few of us will take notice of more than a
mere handful of various scents. Because we are constantly
surrounded by swirls of aromas that enter and emanate from
our bodies, we become desensitized to their various scents.

Whether or not we are aware of them, these odours have a
significant impact on our physical and emotional well-being.

* Did you know that your sense of smell is not only one of
the first senses that you use as a newborn, but that it is
the only one of your five senses that was fully mature at
the moment of your birth?

* Can the scent of peppermint help you to stay awake?

* Does your hair colour affect the way you smell?

* Did you know that most of the flavour that you "taste"
actually comes from your sense of smell?

* Did you know that your nose can help you to lose weight
while helping your body absorb the maximum nutrients from
your diet?

* Do most females have better noses than males?

* Can a loss of smell indicate the onset of Alzheimer's or
Parkinson's disease?

* Did you know that your sense of smell has a stronger link
to your memory than any of your five senses?

* Do overweight people have a heightened sensory pleasure
of eating?

* Did you know that no two apples smell alike?

* Is there a link between a loss of hearing and certain
learning disorders?

* Did you know that, like your eyesight, your sense of
smell diminishes as you age, but that you can "exercise"
your nose to keep it "young?"

* Was Leonardo da Vinci a perfumist?

* Do people judge us by our scent?

This is the first in a series of 12 articles that explores
the awesome power of our sense of smell and how you can
harness its power for better health, pleasure and
well-being.

----------------------------------------------------
Luke Vorstermans is the founder of The Sense of Smell Lab,
a world leader in the development of innovative products
that use our sense of smell to influence behavior, trigger
memories, manage cravings, enhance moods and improve sexual
health. To learn more about enhancing your sex drive, go
to http://www.scentuellepatch.com

The Ultimate Fat Loss Secret: Progression Vs. Perfection

The Ultimate Fat Loss Secret: Progression Vs. Perfection
As a nutrition expert, I am constantly asked, "what should
I eat to lose weight", "what should I eat to get six pack
abs", "what should I eat to lose my love handles."

Here's a quick story, a true story that happened just a
little while ago.

A number of weeks ago I took a break from being a
nutritionist. and I was out of the town with my family on a
nice little mini-vacation.

This was just 3 days, but I still had quite a bit of time
to just sit and think.

I often times I try to think of ways to improve my
training, or improve my business, or how I handle my
schedule each day.

Sometimes I just can't relax one bit until I have it just
so or near perfect in my mind, whatever it was I was trying
to figure out at that moment.

One thought that did occur to me and I want to share it
with you here is:

"As long as I'm improving, that's all I can do."

As long as I'm working toward that final goal of having
things just right - I'm doing my best.

I can't do any more than my best.

I can't force the sand in an hourglass to go any faster by
worrying about if or constantly obsessing with it.

That reminds me of just how nutrition and fitness are. No
matter where you're at right now, as long as you are
improving, you are doing just fine.

The problem comes when you don't do anything and still
expect change.

So please don't obsess with perfection - focus on
improvement! (or progression as suggested in the title of
this article)

After all, any improvement is better than going in reverse.
Think about it this way, even if you were to lose just 1
ounce each week - just 1 ounce (that's certainly easy), in
1 year that's 3.25 pounds.

I know that sounds pitiful, but it's progress. Wouldn't you
rather have that than 0 pounds or perhaps +10 pounds on the
scale.

I hope you work on improving at least 1 habit, or 1 action
this week that will bring at least slight improvement
toward your ultimate fitness goals.

I suggest picking 1 habit at a time and working to improve
just that habit.

Week by week continue to improve on each habit.

Now go out and expect success!

----------------------------------------------------
Zach Hunt is a Nutrition expert, personal trainer and
owner of Physzique, a fitness coaching service in Spokane,
WA. Go here: http://www.spokanefitnesscoach.com /index.html
or you can go here for more nutrition tips:
http://www.spokanefitnesscoach.com/articles/nutritionist-spo
kane-progression-perfection.html

Three Detox Fads....Great Way to a Whole Body Detox or Dangerous Trend?

You see them all over TV and the internet. "The only way
to detox is the new blah blah blah." They claim to be the
latest and greatest in your body detox program, but are
they actually worth it? Learn about some of the greatest
fads in natural body detox today and if they are worth
looking at.

So let's talk about your feet for a minute. Your feet?
Yes. Many people involved in a whole body detox like to do
a detox foot bath. This is not the same as the plastic
massaging foot bath you got for Christmas that you never
use. A detox foot bath uses a metal container that puts an
electric charge in the water. This charge doesn't hurt
you, but binds to the toxins in your body and carries them
out through the pores in the feet. Many people say this
foot bath works well. But in any natural body detox,
removing toxins is pointless if you are just going to put
them back in your body. So yes, you may remove toxins
through the hundreds of pores in your feet but if you put
them back in you are kind of defeating the purpose.

Now what about the whole juice diet craze. It's similar to
a fast, except that you are allowing your body the
nutrients from the juice. This is a great way to cleanse
the system. However, you don't want to do it for longer
than a couple of days. You would be depriving yourself of
other needed vitamins and minerals if this is all your
natural body detox consists of.

Speaking of fasting, what about purging? This is where you
bulk up on fiber, laxatives, or supplements to keep you in
the bathroom for the better part of your natural body
detox. This is one body detox tip you want to avoid. Yes,
it is important to stay regular. But besides putting
yourself at risk for bulimia and possibly harming your
colon, purging doesn't do much at all. When you purge,
your body isn't going to get rid of only the toxins and
keep all the healthy stuff. It's going to get rid of
everything and leave you feeling sick and weak. While
these can be normal side effects of a healthy body detox
program, don't fool yourself into thinking that purging is
the way to go.

So now we have reviewed some of the most popular body detox
tips in the fad arena. Make sure when looking at a fad
that you check credible research to find out if this is
something that is here to stay. Don't jeopardize your
whole body detox by engaging in risky behavior that will
leave you worse off than when you started. The goal is to
improve your health, not sabotage it.

----------------------------------------------------
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.

What are PEGs and what are they doing in my skincare?

What are PEGs?
PEGs are everywhere - in our skin care and in our medical
care - and most of us don't even know what they are. We
want to clear up some of the confusion about PEGs and help
you understand what they are, what they do, and why we use
them in our skin care products.

So, the first question is "what is a PEG?" PEG is the
acronym for polyethylene glycol. PEGs are polymers of the
same molecule, meaning that many of the same molecules are
bonded together (like a string of beads with all the beads
strung together). PEGs are almost always written with a
number after their name such as PEG 2, PEG 40, PEG 100, PEG
150, PEG 3350, PEG 6000: the number is the approximate
molecular weight of that particular PEG. So PEG 40 is a lot
smaller than PEG 3350. There are many, many different PEGs,
and size matters. Each of the PEGs listed above are
different sizes and different weights; they therefore have
very different functions. PEG 3350 is actually used as a
drug to treat constipation (called MiraLax®) whereas
PEG 4 is used as a skin moisturizer.

Cosmetics mostly use smaller PEGs, such as PEG 100 or PEG
150. Often the polyethylene glycol is connected to another
molecule, such as stearic acid (remember stearic acid is a
natural fatty acid, usually from vegetable oil). So PEG 100
stearate means that the polyethylene glycol with an
approximate molecular weight of 100 is attached chemically
to stearic acid. If you look at ingredient labels or at the
medical literature, you will see numerous different size
PEGs attached to many different molecules (like stearic
acid or castor oil).

What do we use PEGs in our products?
At derma e®, the safety, efficacy, and integrity of our
products matter most. We choose high-quality ingredients
that are both safe and effective. Creating a body care
formula can be tricky. We cannot simply put all the
ingredients together and hope that a suitable product forms
as a result. Formulating and producing a product that is
the right texture (you don't want a super watery
crème), stable over time (you want your crème
to be crème every time you open it), and effective
(to give you beautiful skin) is a multi-step, tightly
controlled process that requires a variety of different
ingredients with different chemical functions. PEGs, such
as PEG 100 stearate or PEG 150 distearate that function as
emollients and emulsifiers, serve a variety of important
functions in helping us formulate effective bodycare
products. (Emulsifiers are especially important to help the
water-based and oil-based ingredients mix properly.
Emollients also help soften and lubricate the skin, and
sometimes form a protective barrier on the skin.) These
essential emollients and emulsifiers ensure that your
favorite product stays just the way you like it!

Are PEGs in my skin care safe?
Of course. We would not use them if they weren't safe. The
PEGs that are used in skin care products have been around
for a long time and have been studied for years. Their
safety has been well-documented for use in topical products
(Fruijtier-Pöllot, 2005). At derma e®, the safety
of our products is our utmost concern. We continually
review the scientific literature to ensure we are aware of
any new studies that suggest an ingredient may be harmful,
and we do not use ingredients that science has shown to be
even potentially harmful. At any time, if we find better,
safer ingredients that could be used in our products, we
will make the switch, as your safety and the effectiveness
of our products is of the highest priority.

Are PEGs antifreeze?
No, PEGs are not antifreeze. Antifreeze is primarily made
of ethylene glycol, not polyethylene glycol. Any confusion
may arise because the two are chemically related (as you
can see by their similar names), but they have very, very
different chemical properties and functions. Ethylene
glycol, a much smaller molecule than most of the PEGs, is
very toxic and can be extremely dangerous if ingested.
Drinking ethylene glycol affects a variety of organ systems
in the body and can cause serious illness or death. PEGs
are not dangerous whereas ethylene glycol is extremely
dangerous.

Other applications of PEGs
PEGs are used in a variety of medical and healthcare
applications, in addition to skin care products. They are
often used in pharmaceutical formulations, and as mentioned
above, some PEGs are used as drugs (PEG 3350 is used to
successfully treat constipation). PEGs are finding new
applications in surgeries and medical research; some
studies are even investigating the ability of PEGs to treat
colon cancer.

Remember, the many, many types of polyethylene glycol have
many functions: PEGs play important roles in a variety of
medical applications and are important skin care
ingredients. They help us produce safe, stable and
effective bodycare products, which has always been our
primary goal.

Reference:
Fruijtier-Pölloth, C. "Safety assessment on
polyethylene glycols (PEGs) and their derivatives as used
in cosmetic products." Toxicology 214 (2005) 1-38.

----------------------------------------------------
Sondra Miles has a BS in Brain and Cognitive Sciences with
a minor in Chemistry from MIT. She writes extensively on
natural skin care, topical antioxidants and skin botanicals
and is a member of the Research and Development team at
derma e® Natural Bodycare. For a free sampler pack and
catalog of derma e® products visit
http://www.dermae.com/samples .

6 Factors that can Negate your Weight Loss Success

Losing weight is a difficult task. Changing your diet and
exercise routine on a permanent basis can be a formidable
challenge and the level of bad information floating around
does not make it any easier for you. On the TV you see
weight loss pills, plans and programs endorsed by your
favourite celebrity or backed by "new ground breaking
research". In the supermarket you see low fat, low sugar
and low calorie foods often accompanied by similar
recommendations. So how do you know what to choose?
Whilst I cannot make any specific product recommendations,
in this article I will outline six things that you should
avoid as part of a weight loss plan.

1) FAD DIETS:- Fad diets are a perfect example of what I
discussed above. You will regularly see celebrities
promoting a fad diet with claims such as "I lost 14lb in 1
week whilst on this diet". What's more is that these
claims are often true. Yes, fad diets can lead to
significant weight loss in small periods of time. So
what's the catch and why should they be avoided?

Well whilst fad diets work in the short term they often
pose significant risks to your health in the long term
because they require you to stick to certain foods and
therefore make you miss out on the full nutritional
benefits of a balanced diet. Plus, the weight lost on a
fad diet often goes straight back on as soon as you come
off the diet.

2) UNHEALTHY FOODS:- I know this is a very broad term but
you need to avoid unhealthy foods and eat more healthy
foods if you want to lose weight in the long term.
Unhealthy foods include; highly processed foods, foods that
are high in fat, foods that are high in sugar, foods that
are high in calories and foods that contain little or no
nutritional value. Even some food products that claim to
be low in fat or low in sugar can still be high in calories
so you need to be careful not to read these claims and
instantly assume the foods are healthy. If you look at all
the nutritional information on the food's packaging you can
usually tell whether the food is healthy or not.

3) WEIGHT LOSS PILLS AND PATCHES:- Weight loss pills and
patches are another example of products that are often
heavily endorsed or backed by research. However, the truth
is that the majority of these products have a very moderate
effect on your weight loss and without a proper diet and
exercise plan you will barely notice the impact of weight
loss pills or patches. In my opinion a gym membership or
some healthy food is a much wiser investment than weight
loss pills or patches.

4) ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES AND SWEETENERS:- These can
include; aspartame, saccharin and stevia. Although they
help make foods last for longer and often improve their
flavour, they can also be toxic and hinder your weight loss
efforts.

5) SODIUM RICH FOODS:- It is quite well publicised that
sodium (salt) is bad for your health. Sodium can also make
you retain excess water making you seem heavier than you
actually are. Therefore, if you want to lose weight and
improve your health you should keep your sodium intake to a
bare minimum.

6) NEGATIVE THINKING:- Negative thinking can be more
damaging to your weight loss efforts than any of the above
factors. If you start thinking about your weight loss plan
in a negative way you are making yourself fail before you
have even begun. Try to look at all the weight loss
dilemmas you encounter in a positive light. For example,
don't think "WHY can't I drop that extra 10lb?" By
thinking in this way you are admitting failure. Instead,
think "HOW can I drop that extra 10lb?" By thinking in
this way you are looking for solutions to your weight loss
dilemma.

Losing weight can be a struggle and the increasing amount
of bad information in the industry does not help matters.
However, with the right tools weight loss is possible. I
hope this article keeps you focussed on your weight loss
goals by identifying some of the obstacles that you need to
avoid.

----------------------------------------------------
The Free Fitness Tips Blog provides you with fantastic,
free advice on all aspects of fitness. For more detailed
information on weight loss please visit
http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/