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/

Beat the Cold and Flu Blues with Herbal Remedies

Our approach to colds and the flu is comprehensive and
holistic. Just as in our most comprehensive and integral
health and wellness programs, it works best to look at the
whole person, taking into account many different aspects of
wellness health care and then nourish and support the
body's own natural means of keeping itself well.

If you've been interested in a more natural approach to
colds and flu and in taking better care of your whole self
you should know:

Over the counter drugs that are designed to eliminate the
symptoms of the cold - ease congestion, stop the cough,
soothe the sore throat - actually interfere with the body's
protective immune responses. The condition may seem to get
better because of the masking of the symptoms but the
body's natural immune response have been curtailed. Over
the counter cold remedies do nothing to fight cold viruses
or boost the immune responses so they can have little
effect on the duration of colds.

Of the five antihistamines commonly used to treat colds,
research shows that only one of them may actually help dry
a runny nose.

Researchers have found that over the counter drugs may have
no benefit for preschoolers.

Decongestants can produce side effects like jitters and
insomnia.

Mucus, tears, and saliva are saturated with IgA antibodies.
Mucus is a genetically engineered antibiotic substance that
contains specific antibodies to your current infection.
Thus when you take an over the counter decongestant that
dries mucus secretions during a cold or flu you may be
reducing your immune responses and contributing to
lengthening the duration of your infection. It might be
better to take substances that thin and liquefy the mucus
and keep it flowing freely with plenty of liquids.

Herbs like licorice may deal with excess mucus through a
moistening action, loosening mucus and making it flow more
readily out of the body. Other herbs that may help to do
this include marshmallow and slippery elm.

Echinacea and Goldenseal are probably the most frequently
used herbs for colds and flu in the United States:

Clinically Echinacea is not generally considered to be a
major herb for working with the flu although it is often
used as an auxiliary herb. Research suggest that Echinacea
may be particularly helpful at the onset of a cold or flu.
If taken early enough in the appropriate dosages it may
contribute to heading off a cold or flu.

Once the cold is well established, though, Echinacea by
itself is not the most effective herbal approach. After the
cold or flu has taken hold Echinacea continues to be useful
in combination with other herbs and it helps shorten the
duration and severity of the infection. By itself Echinacea
does not usually knock out a cold or flu.

Taking Goldenseal in the early stages of a cold or flu may
actually make the condition worse by drying up the mucus
membranes. This inhibits the mucus, saturated with
antibodies to fight the bacteria, virus or other microbes,
from working.

Clinically Goldenseal is used for subacute and chronic
infections of the mucus membranes but it is not thought to
be appropriate for use in the acute stage.

Goldenseal works as a cleanser and anti-inflammatory. It
can be helpful at very specific times in very specific
doses in a cold. But there is not a single study that shows
that Goldenseal works as a cold fighter.

Even better cold & flu herbs:

Black elder is another traditional herbal remedy that has
been shown that it may have good effects on the flu. A
recent clinical trail showed that a preparation of black
elder ended cases of the flu within three days and also
boosted the immune system responses. Oregon grape can be
used as a contemporary substitute for Goldenseal and may be
much better than even Echinacea for use with the common
cold.

Peppermint contains compounds that can relax the airways
and open congested sinuses and nasal passages.

Ginger appears to fight inflammation and pain. It also
appears to acts as an expectorant and have warming effects
that can be helpful if you are chilled.

Yarrow seems to fight inflammation and muscle spasm and
promote sweating. It has long been used against colds and
flu.

Thyme is an expectorant and appears to fight microbes. Its
flavonoids may help decrease smooth muscle spasm which may
assists in opening tight airways.

Mullen is a demulcent which contains mucilagous substances
that coat and soothe irritated respiratory linings. It may
help to loosen a cough and fight viruses.

More natural herbal remedies:

St. John's Wort has been shown in test tubes studies to
inhibit influenza A viruses and parainfluenza virus but not
rhinovirus (a cold virus). Osha has traditionally been used
in the Rocky Mountains as the most important plant for
treating respiratory infections. Osha is used extensively
to treat colds, flu, and bronchial infections. The tincture
or tea is antibacterial.

Boneset is used as a traditional remedy for the flu. In the
past Boneset was used as a major remedy for the flu,
fevers, and as a general tonic. It has been used to treat
both acute and chronic conditions. In one study the immune
stimulating polysaccharides in Boneset were found to be ten
times more potent than Echinacea polysaccharides.

An herbal bath may be an effective remedy for easing cold
symptoms and increasing immune responses. It may help to
nip them in the bud. During the bath the essential oils of
the herbs are released by the hot water. These oils are
believed to be absorbed through the pores of the skin and
through the nose and mouth mucus membranes. Absorption
through the mucus membranes may bring the oils into contact
with the upper respiratory tract where they are able to
exert their antibacterial effects.

----------------------------------------------------
Mary Ann Copson is the founder of Evenstar Herbs and the
Evenstar Mood & Energy Wellness Center. With Master's
Degrees in Human Development and Psychology and Counseling,
Mary Ann is a Certified Licensed Nutritionist; Certified
Holistic Health Practitioner; Brain Chemistry Profile
Clinician. There is a special section of cold and flu
remedies in the Evenstar Herbal Products Catalog.
http://evenstaronline.com/herbs

How to Handle Excessive Underarm Sweating

Excessive underarm sweating is a condition that can be
embarrassing to talk about, but very easy to treat. If you
suffer from excessive sweating here are some things you can
do to make sure you keep your sweating under control.

Hyperhidrosis is the medical term for people who suffer
from excessive underarm sweating. It is estimated over 8
million people suffer from it in the United States alone so
we are talking about a pretty significant number of people.

Sweating is perfectly normal thing and a necessary thing
for the body to do. Sweating is how our body controls it's
temperature and we all have over 3 million sweat glands.
When we are exerting ourselves or on hot days our body is
forced to work a little harder to cool off and that is when
we sweat.

Some people have bodies who work extra hard all of the time
to keep cool and this causes excessive sweating. Usually a
strong underarm odor is another problem that comes with
people who cannot stop sweating.

To cure it and keep it under control you have to find ways
to keep your body cool naturally. Here are a few
suggestions.

1. Some people have reported having high levels of lead and
mercury in their system, possible form old dental fillings.
Mercury and other heavy metals interfere with enzymes and
digestion. By replacing those and taking a multi vitamin
with no copper as well as B Vitamins and Folic Acid they
were able to stop sweating excessively.

2. Use a prescription deodorant like CertainDri or Drysol.

3. Look for a deodorant that contains active ingredients
that blocks the sweat pores. Something that contains a high
level of Aluminum Chloride.

4. For drying out your underarm use an antibacterial soap
when you shower.

5. Avoid wearing clothes that fit to tightly. Loose
clothing will let your underarms breathe easier. Natural
fabrics, like silk and cotton allow sweat to dry more
quickly.

6. Avoid spicy foods, caffeine, onions and garlic, and
alcohol. Spicy foods tend to make you sweat more and
alcohol and caffeine cause you to perspire more as well.

7. Meditation has proved to help some people. Excessive
underarm sweating can cause excessive anxiety. Meditation
maintains the body's hormonal balance and helps you relax
which allows your body to cool down and sweat less.

8. Lower your body temperature by drinking plenty of water.
Plus this is good for everything else that can go wrong
with your body!

Don not give up. Excessive underarm sweating is a condition
that thousands of people deal with on a daily basis, so
there is no need to be ashamed or embarrassed. Speak with
your physician today or try some of the suggestions in this
article to see if one works for you.

----------------------------------------------------
Jeff Schuman invites you to visit his stop sweating website
to learn how you can stop excessive underam sweating in 3
easy steps. You will find an all natural plan all-natural
plan that is designed to stop excessive underarm sweating
in two weeks or less. It has proven to be effective for 96%
of those who have tried it. To learn more please go here
now:
http://sweating.ideas-from.us

Phytonutrients, Antioxidants & Liquid Vitamins Keep You Healthy!

What are phytonutrients and why are they so important?
Phytonutrients are thought to have a variety of beneficial
and significant benefits to our health and exist in a kind
of limbo between being vitamin and being mineral.They are
found in the skins of fruits and vegetables. They are found
in supplements that are the extract of pigments where
nutrients are concentrated, meaning that they draw the best
from antioxidant foods, leaving the calories and sugar
behind. Phytonutrients are powerful and healthy substances
to include in your diet.They are plant compounds with
health-promoting qualities and can also be found in liquid
vitamin supplements.

Fruits and vegetables that are high in carotenoids appear
to protect humans against certain cancers, heart disease
and age related macular degeneration. Elderly men whose
intake of dark green and deep yellow vegetable put them in
the highest quartile for consumption of these vegetables
had about a 46% decrease in risk of heart disease relative
to men who ranked in the lowest quartile.While these
phytonutrients aren't essential by traditional definitions,
they apparently reduce risks of diseases of aging. This can
reduce cardiovascular disease risk by interfering with the
clumping of blood platelets—the first stagein clot
formation. Tomato lycopene does have a role in human
health and chronic diseases. Lycopene,for example,from
tomatoes is in clinical trials for cardiovascular diseases
and prostate cancer. Berries such as blueberries,
cranberries, strawberries and raspberries are rich in
disease-fighting phytochemicals that prevent and even
reverse serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart
disease, stomach ulcers. More than 80% of all chronic
disease is preventable, but only if you know how.

If you want to accelerate your aging process, and shorten
your life, the way to do that is to do what most Americans
are doing already: avoid physical exercise, eat a large
percentage of your diet from fast foods and junk foods,
consume large quantities of white flour and refined white
sugar, eat brand-name groceries sold in beautiful boxes and
made with dirt-cheap ingredients that lack any nutritional
content whatsoever, and of course, avoid supplementing with
super foods and other nutritional supplements. Protein and
carbohydrates are the chief components of nutrition. These
protective plant compounds are becoming an emerging area of
health and nutrition, with new research reported almost
daily. Scientists are finding that foods once considered to
be low in nutritional value are actually packed with
powerful antioxidants. We believe phytonutrients are an
inexpensive and convenient way to get the nutritional
benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables -- and to
get these benefits each and every day. Still,a true
nutritional role for phytochemicals is becoming more
probable every day as researchers uncover more and more
benefits. This has brought the plant-disease prevention
connection to the forefront of serious worldwide
nutritional research.

For those of you in my situation, we are probably not
consuming the necessary dosage of vitamins and minerals
that our bodies need to stay healthy, unless we are taking
some form of vitamin supplement. Libraries of information
exist about vitamins, but phytonutrients are newcomers to
the health-food table. Dietary fat is necessary for
absorption of vitamins, nutrients and phytochemicals from
fruits and vegetables. A fascinating new study published by
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that
dietary fat is necessary for the absorption of nutrients
from fruits and vegetables. However, phytonutrients go
beyond vitamins and minerals — they are more obscure,
are present in much smaller amounts and usually have
profound effects on our health. Today, numerous researchers
worldwide are endeavoring to investigate and confirm
possible functional properties in foods, phytonutrient or
otherwise, beyond the more familiar vitamins and minerals,
that could be efficient in preventing the common diseases
of aging such as macular degeneration, heart disease,
atherosclerosis, diabetes, dementia, and cancer. Even if
you are eating the recommended daily amounts of fruits and
vegetables, you're STILL not getting all of the
phytonutrients and vitamins your body MUST have to function
properly. RELATED ARTICLE: Tracing Elements and Vitamins
A Chinese document dating back 5,000 years described
goiter--an enlarged thyroid gland--and recommended that
afflicted people eat seaweed and burnt sponge--both good
sources of iodine. The 1920s and 30s were ripe for vitamin
discovery, accounting for 11 of the 15 vitamins. Some
vitamins, such as vitamin C, are antioxidants in their own
right.

Antioxidant phytos can interfere with the damaging effects
of LDL cholesterol on arteries. Antioxidant phytos,
especially beta carotene, can block this process and thus
prevent cardiovascular disease. Antioxidants also help to
prevent damage by carcinogens, such as ultraviolet
radiation, tobacco smoke, and environmental pollutants.
Antioxidants are directly involved in the prevention of
cellular damage because antioxidant phytos nab the
carcinogens before they have a chance to cause cancer in
the cell. One of the most important roles of phytos is
acting as antioxidants. Your body needs more antioxidant
police officers as you get older, since the body's ability
to repair itself diminishes with age. There are hundreds,
if not thousands of them, and they have effects such as
antioxidants, boosting the immune system,
anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and cellular
repair. In numbers of studies, these antioxidant pigments
have been found to reduce heart disease, cancer, and other
ailments that are the result of oxidative damage.

----------------------------------------------------
The ability to stay healthy in today's world is of utmost
importance to Chuck Arnone.
http://www.provitaminliquid.com

5 Simple Nutrition Rules for Fat Loss

I truly believe that nutrition is the biggest, by far,
component of a good fat loss program.

"But," you say, "Nutrition is so confusing. Why can't the
experts agree on just one nutrition program?"

Well, first, let me say that I believe diets DO work, and
that there are so many of them because we all have such
different personalities and likes and dislikes for foods,
that it really shouldn't come as a huge surprise that a
bunch of different diets can work.

That said, I'm not a huge fan of extreme diets. I don't
think you have to restrict yourself of carbohydrates. After
all, that's never going to work if you've been raised to
eat an apple and a banana everyday.

To tell someone they need to stop eating fruit to lose fat
is ridiculous. Almost all foods can be incorporated into a
healthy fat loss plan.

So I'm about to give you my preferred nutrition plan. It's
not extreme. It's not crazy. It's not about denying you any
healthy foods. You can eat meat, carbohydrates, and healthy
fats on this program.

It's really all about eating whole, natural foods. In fact,
I sometimes joke that my plan should be called the "dental
floss diet", because almost every food in the plan requires
you to floss after eating it (apples, nuts, meat, oranges,
broccoli, etc., etc.).

So live a healthy lifestyle, eat whole, natural foods, and
avoid fast food. Its that easy.

After all, there's a saying in the fitness industry, "you
can't out-train a bad diet", and that hold's true almost
100% of the time (and especially as you get older).

Fortunately, I also believe that good nutrition for fat
loss is very simple. And here are my 5 steps to building a
fast fat burning diet.

1) Find out how much you are eating now. Use fitday.com.

2) If you are not losing weight, eat less.

3) Eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and good protein sources.
Don't eat junk from a bag or a box.

4) Give yourself one treat meal per week to look forward to
- not a treat day, just a treat meal.

5) Plan ahead. Prepare your meals (spend 1-2 hours on the
weekend getting your meals and meal plan ready for the
week). Identify obstacles and come up with solutions to
avoid them.

That is it.

Very simple. Most people do pretty well on 1-3 and even 5,
but mess up on number 4. I often hear how well someone did
all day long, but then while making dinner they snack on
upwards of 500 calories of their kid's treats, or other
processed carbohydrates they have lying around the house.

The little things can add up to big time problems. So take
a good long look at everything you eat.

And all of this can be avoided if you follow rule #5.

Combine my five simple nutrition rules with three short
workouts per week of resistance training and interval
training, and you have a very manageable fat loss plan that
can fit any busy lifestyle.

----------------------------------------------------
For more simple fat loss tips, visit
http://www.turbulencetraining.com