Natural Alternative for Joint Health and Arthritis

Natural Alternative for Joint Health and Arthritis
There Has Been A Recent Problem for Joint Pain Suffers

The recent removal from pharmacy shelves of Vioxx® and
other such Cox-2 inhibitors has severely impacted countless
Americans that use them every month. These drugs, which
were designed to minimize gastrointestinal issues common
with other anti-inflammatory medications were, in fact,
producing harmful and sometimes deadly side effects of
their own.

So what are these Americans going to do? Where can they
turn to ease their arthritis and joint pain safely? There
has been a breakthrough in natural joint pain relief that
many Americans are scrambling to learn more about. This new
source of relief is what this article is all about.

Rice Bran - the Secret to Joint Pain Relief

You may ask yourself...Rice? Yes, rice bran is one of the
most nutrient rich substance found on land anywhere on
Earth. Rice bran comes from the shells of rice when it is
processed into white rice. The shell itself is where the
nutrients lie. Unfortunately, a natural occurring enzyme in
the rice bran cause it to break down very quickly and has
no shelf life. An extraction process discovered has allowed
for the removal of this enzyme and a world of possibilities
to open up.

How Does This Help Joint Pain Suffers?

Polysaccharides are a great aid in the human body to
increase the production of collagen. Collagen lubricates
the spaces between bones and a lack of collagen is often a
culprit of causing joint pain and discomfort. Building
more collagen is a way the body can fight of joint
discomfort by its own accord. Rice bran is rich in
polysaccharides. It is also rich in phytosterols, which
contain anti-inflammatory properties which allow it to
replace some of the more dangerous pharmaceutical drugs
like Vioxx®.

There are a few products on the market now, most of them
natural supplements that are not approved by the FDA. Do
not let that discourage you. The FDA only approves
supplements that are classified as drugs, it does not mean
that it is dangerous or not effective. However, by the same
token, anyone that is interested in starting a new
supplement should always consult their doctor first before
attempting anything new.

At the time of the writing of this of article one of these
products is offering a free months supply it is called Flex
Protex®. You can find it by searching any of the
major search engines along with the few other that are
marketing this new process.

----------------------------------------------------
Mason Curry
Interested Persons can get more information on Flex Protex
Here:

http://www.flexprotexjointpain.com

Understanding The Kinetic Chain - A Personal Trainers Guide To Movement Dysfunction Part 1

Understanding The Kinetic Chain - A Personal Trainers Guide To Movement Dysfunction Part 1
In this current era of 'functional' training, core
stability and balance-oriented training it's easy to get
carried away with learning what I call the 'HOW's' of
exercise.

HOW to balance on a swiss ball, HOW to integrate movement
patterns and HOW to devise exercise programmes that have a
high transfer into 'real life' situations.

After all, these are FUN elements that demonstrate a
greater application of knowledge, skills and abilities to
our clients. Or do they?

Interestingly, when asked, many of my students (all
qualified personal trainers and therapists) had little real
foundational knowledge of what makes their exercises
'functional' beyond "they have a carryover into real life".

I call this a 'lack of WHY?!'

This 'lack of WHY' is a 'disease' of almost epidemic
proportions within our industry and one which, in my
opinion, will keep us from ever reaching professional
status if left unchecked.

Simply put, too many fitness instructors are prescribing
exercise based upon the latest trends, personal preferences
and outright exercise mythology.

This is like visiting your doctor and being prescribed
medicine based upon 'it works for me so let's give it a
go'. I'm sure that you wouldn't be too impressed if this
happened to you, but what about your clients?

What kind of 'professional' service are they receiving?

The aim of this series is to provide you with the WHY's
necessary to make your exercise prescription much more than
a 'hit and miss' process and plant your feet firmly on the
road to professionalism.

We start our journey with posture, the foundation from
which our function, and ultimately all personal training is
built.

What Is Posture?

According to the American academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
posture committee as far back as 1947, posture is:

'That state of muscular and skeletal balance which protects
the supporting structures of the body against injury or
progressive deformity, irrespective of the attitude in
which these structures are working or resting. Under such
conditions the muscles will function most efficiently...'

The key to the above statement is Balance, for it is
balance or it's antagonist imbalance that appears to be one
of the major influences in creating structural deformation
resulting in pain.

Indeed there is much evidence to suggest that chronic
imbalance can result in Postural Distortion Patterns that
can perpetuate the cumulative injury cycle. This appears to
make sense, especially if the kinetic chain concept is
applied to the equation.

The kinetic chain is best described as a movement system
consisting of myofascial (muscular), Articular (joints) and
neural (motor) components with each being dependent on the
others for optimum performance, both statically and
dynamically. This movement system requires precision of
movement based on the alignment and mechanics of each joint
as well as how these joints are recruited to create a
movement pattern.

In simple terms, the movement produced at any joint in the
kinetic chain directly affects the joints above and below
it. Dysfunction in any one of these systems may have direct
and detrimental effect on the function of its neighbours.

Clearly then, there is much to concern ourselves with when
prescribing exercise and stretching programmes to our
clients, as every programming decision we make will affect
the systems of the kinetic chain. This is obvious of
course, but have you ever stopped to think of it in this
way before?

Now 'understanding the WHY' becomes much more important
doesn't it?

Why Do These Imbalances Occur?

Firstly, we are ALL imbalanced to some degree, even if our
posture is considered optimal (we'll talk about this
later). This is because there is actually an inbuilt ideal
imbalance between the muscles crossing any joint e.g. Knee
extensors/flexors, plantar flexors/dorsiflexors. This is
simply a reflection of the functional roles of these
muscles and beyond the scope of this article.

The muscle imbalances that we must concern ourselves are
those that create alignment distortions that affect
structural function. These can be caused by but not limited
to:

Postural Stress

Living, as we do, under the force of gravity has created a
structure, which seems to have placed the ideal imbalance
in favour of our extensors; after all, structure determines
function.

Unfortunately, modern living creates a 'synthetic'
environment where sitting dominates our function and as a
result affects our structure.

For simplicity, it is useful to think in terms of postural
stress as 'training for posture'.

Imagine 'training' 16 hours/day 7 days/wk for a specific
event. You're probably going to get very good at it aren't
you? Well, most people get very good at 'bad' posture!

Many posture experts tend to use VladimirJanda's 'short
and tight' vs. 'long and weak' classification system (8) as
a way of simplifying the processes that create and result
from postural distortion and often classify muscles as
'tonic' and 'phasic'.

This oversimplification tends to ignore individual
differences in terms of 'normal' posture as well as making
assumptions based purely on static posture.

When a muscle becomes facilitated (not necessarily 'just'
short and tight) it increases in 'tone' and may decrease
the neural drive to its antagonist. This is known as
reciprocal inhibition and is a normal quality of the
kinetic chain.

However,it becomes a problem when muscles that are supposed
to be 'turned off' during a movement sequence remain
'switched on'. This has the effect of creating a situation
known as synergistic dominance, where synergists are forced
to take on the role of a prime mover due to inhibition.

Pattern overload

Using our 'training for posture' analogy above, it becomes
clear that any movement pattern repeated often enough has
the potential to create strain upon the tissues creating
that movement.

This may create stress patterns in the joint structure,
leading to arthrokinetic inhibition where the joint itself
causes inhibition of the surrounding tissues or lead to
synergistic dominance as an avoidance pattern.

It is important that the stresses applied to our joints be
changed regularly through changes in exercise, loads,
planes and ranges as well as changes to postural alignment,
if pattern overload is to be avoided.

Painful or prolonged noxious stimuli

Injury to a joint creating swelling and/or pain may
activate the type 4 joint receptors (nociceptors) that are
receptive to these stimuli. These receptors are capable of
creating arthrokinetic inhibition in order to protect the
joint from further damage.

Lack of core stability

This has been indicated as a possible cause postural
distortion and pain. We all train for mobility but how many
of us train for stability?

Just how much spinal flexion strength do we need in this
vertically loaded body of ours?

Probably not that much! Simply stabilising the platform
that our spines work off seems to improve the function most
of the clients that I work with (myself included).

Other problems occur here when the tone/strength of Rectus
Abdominis is greater than that of the Erector Spinae.
Again, reciprocal inhibition and synergistic dominance have
the opportunity to 'take root'.

In Conclusion

Our postures are often the only clear indicators of the
forces acting upon our bodies. More importantly, they
illustrate our ability to cope with those forces.

A clear understanding of WHY muscular imbalance and
postural distortion occur is fundamental to every exercise
that you will ever prescribe.

With this knowledge of WHY, it becomes easier to see HOW,
WHEN and WHERE to apply exercises and stretches to your
clients in order to bring about functional and aesthetic
improvement.

When, and only when, you can do this you will truly be
applying personal to your training.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 2 of this series will examine postural types and how
to assess them both statically and dynamically.

Part 3 will examine manual muscle testing and Range of
Motion assessments.

Part 4: Putting it all together. Programming for postural
improvement.

----------------------------------------------------
Dax Moy is a performance enhancement specialist and master
personal trainer with studios in and around London.
Voted one of the UK's leading fitness experts, Dax runs
the UK's only course designed for fitness professionals
where they can learn in-depth assessment skills for testing
and correcting Kinetic Chain Dysfunction.
For more information visit http://www.fitsystemtraining.com

How to Quit Smoking with the Nicotine Nasal Spray and the Nicotine Inhaler

How to Quit Smoking with the Nicotine Nasal Spray and the Nicotine Inhaler
March 1996 was the time when the nicotine nasal spray
became available by prescription. It has become one of the
popular ways to quit smoking and has helped many lose their
addiction to cigarettes.

The nasal spray is available in a pump bottle which is
sprayed once into each nostril. If you make the decision
to use the spray, then it is vitally important not to
inhale at the same time as you are spraying. This is
because the nicotine needs to be attached to the nasal
lining.

It is when it is attached to the nasal lining that it can
be absorbed into the bloodstream. If you inhale at the
same time as spraying, then the nicotine will finish up in
your throat and be swallowed. If the nicotine is
swallowed, the nasal spray will not work, because the acids
that are in your stomach destroy the nicotine.

Begin by using 16 to 80 sprays daily, which is 8 to 40
doses. Every bottle of nasal spray contains approximately
200 sprays. Therefore, you will use one-quarter to
one-half of a bottle every day.

The spray can be used up to five times an hour. The number
of sprays will be reduced over a period of three months.
However, you may find that you need to continue for a
longer period of time.

The nicotine nasal spray comes with common complaints
including nasal, eye and sinus irritation. Other methods
of nicotine replacement therapies should be used by those
people that suffer with asthma, as the spray could induce
an attack. Other methods should also be used by people
with allergies, as a stuffy nose will block the nicotine in
the spray from being absorbed into the body.

Nicotine Inhaler

Nicotine inhalers are also available by prescription. They
work in exactly the same way as other nicotine products.
The only difference is that the inhaler directly places the
medication into the lungs, which allows the nicotine to
enter the bloodstream much more quickly.

The inhaler is made of plastic and is shaped like a
cigarette. It is held and inhaled in exactly the same way
as you would smoke a cigarette.

The plastic inhaler contains small cartridges that contain
nicotine. Air passes through the cartridges when you
inhale. This air then turns the nicotine in the cartridges
into a vapor.

The lungs and bloodstream then absorb the vapor as it is
inhaled. Whilst nicotine inhalers provide the body with
nicotine, they omit the harmful tars, carbon monoxide, and
smoke of cigarettes.

There is approximately 20 minutes worth of active puffing
in each nicotine cartridge. This adds up to approximately
80 deep puffs or 300 shallow puffs. If the entire
cartridge is not used, the nicotine will remain in the
inhaler, so that you can use it later.

Typically 6 to 16 cartridges are used every day by those
people choosing this method. The dose is then generally
reduced over a period of 6 to 12 weeks.

The nicotine inhaler can be used for longer than several
months if required, just the same as with other nicotine
replacement products. Certain people reduce the usage of
the inhaler over six months.

As with any form of nicotine replacement products, people
that suffer with stomach ulcers, heart problems, high blood
pressure, thyroid problems, kidney or liver disease,
asthma, and diabetes requiring insulin should be
exceptionally careful when using these stop smoking
products.

----------------------------------------------------
Discover other ways to quit smoking at
http://www.onlinestopsmokingtips.com . There you will find
information about the harmful effects of smoking and
encouragement to help you succeed.

How To Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally

How To Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally
Lowering your cholesterol will improve your health and save
your life.

You need some cholesterol. It is produced by your body.
Some cholesterol is necessary to produce healthy cells,
vitamin D, important hormones and nerve insulation.
However, too much cholesterol or the wrong type will
contribute to atherosclerosis. This is the build of of
plague in the arteries.

As a result, the plaque will narrow blood vessel walls.
This, in turn, limits your blood flow to both your heart
and your brain. This is what makes high cholesterol a
major risk factor for both stroke and heart problems.

Something that you should stop and consider is that as the
level of cholesterol rises, the risk in developing
atherosclerosis and heart problems will increase
significantly.

A significan statistic is that more than half of the adult
population has elevated cholesterol levels. Also, it is
not rare for high cholesterol to start in childhood.

There is a very good reason to learn how to lower your
cholesterol naturally. Statin drugs, the ones prescribed
by doctors, have harmful side effects.

Statin drugs are very effective and work in a relatively
short period of time (about two months).

However, you pay a big price health wise by using these
drugs.

1/ Can cause serious and permanent liver damage.

2/ Causes muscle pain, muscle disease, breakdown of
muscles, weakness and creates problems with walking.

3/ Loss of memory and clarity. Creates confusion and
possibly amnesia. 4/ Sexual dysfunction.

5/ Irritability.

6/ It can cause nausea, diarrhea, constipation, fever,
sleeplessness and headaches.

7/ Deplete essential nutrients necessary for the heart and
brain.

On the other hand, it is very possible to lower your high
cholesterol naturally. This can be done without harmful
side effects.

a- Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. This can be
extremely effective. Exercise will increase the good
cholesterol (HDL). It will reduce the bad cholesterol
(LDL). Exercise naturally lowers the total cholesterol
levels, all without harmful side effects.

b- Change your diet.

One should realize that having high cholesterol does not
occur in a vacuum. Our diets and lack of activity are not
contributing factors. The truth is that they are the only
factors. The only heredity that is involved is the
lifestyle that parents pass on to children.

It is essential to eat high fiber foods. This includes
whole grains, vegetables, beans and fruit. Interestingly,
the soluble fiber from the whole grains and beans will bind
with the cholesterol and carry it out of your system.

c- Reduce or avoid bad sources of fat. This includes red
meat and dairy products.

d- You can lower your cholesterol naturally with herbal
supplements. Research has proven that natural herbal
supplements will help to lower the bad cholesterol and
increase the good cholesterol.

Chinese medicine incorporates the use of herbs and plants.
Their traditional therapy produces remarkable results in
the treatment of lowing cholesterol.

The thousands of years of Chinese medicine has developed
herbal treatments that are all natural, mild, safe and
effective.

There is a major difference between conventional medicine
and the use of Chinese herbs. The Chinese herbs that are
used to lower cholesterol are very mild. The plus side is
that they do not produce any harmful side effects.

Conversely, because they are so mild, they may take months
to work.

Please take note: they apparently take months to work.
Actually, the herbs start to work immediately. However,
these mild herbs do not shock or jar our bodies. The
change that they produce is gradual and steady.

As an added benefit, Chinese herbs will actually improve
liver function (unlike statin drugs that damage the liver).
Improved liver function is detectable after a couple of
months. A simple blood test will verify this.

Herbal treatments have been around for centuries. They are
usually safe and effective. If, however, your are taking
other medication or under a physician's care, please
consult with your doctor first.

----------------------------------------------------
Learn What You Need To Know About Cholesterol here:
http://cholest-pure.com/lowercholesterolnaturally/2008/03/15
/what-you-need-to-know-about-cholesterol/
and more about Natural Herbal Cholesterol Treatment here:
http://cholest-pure.com/

Spring Time Care for Your Skin

Spring Time Care for Your Skin
Spring is finally here - and this is the time of year when
one starts looking in the mirror and seeing dull, dry
winter-time skin. I'm often asked which skin care
treatments are most effective and how patients can best
maintain their surgical results. While the answers aren't
the same for everyone, I can tell you there are three truly
effective things that you can do to improve your skin's
condition - and doing these things with the start of each
new season can really establish a routine easily.

First and foremost, start with Microdermabrasion. This is
very easy and effective treatment - and is affordable to do
on a regular basis. Honestly, this is the most consistent
method to maintain skin that is in good condition - without
muss or fuss.It is painless, even relaxing, and really has
no downtime at all. You could do a microdermabrasion every
month if you wanted to.

Second, consider SkinTyte™ Laser Treatments. I am
seeing very good results with these treatments, and they
have proven to be even more effective when combined with an
exfoliative treatment (such as Microdermabrasion).
SkinTyte™ is non-invasive, so it's also easy to do on
the way home from work and does not require any recovery
time.There is no redness, pain, or skin peeling afterwards.

Lastly, embark on MicroLaser Peels™ These are far and
away the fastest way to better skin. MicroLaser
Peels™ (also called the 'Weekend Peel') are the
treatment I most often recommend to my own family as a
quarterly 'maintenance' treatment. Laser peeling has
changed drastically since the days when carbon-dioxide
lasers were all that were available to us, and we're now
able to do light to medium to deeper peels in the office
that produce only a few days of redness and flaking skin -
and can be repeated on a monthly basis- rather than
requiring weeks of recovery and the expense of surgery. We
can be as aggressive or as conservative with each peel as a
patient wants, and can base each peel on your needs at the
time and any activities you have planned.

This new season is the ideal time to re-evaluate your skin
care routine. The above three treatment options, combined
with a good skin care program of topical solutions, can
being on the sunshine in your own skin! While any of these
can be done at any time of the year, the changing of the
season (like the start of the new year), is always a time
of considering change orm, when it comes to your skin,
getting it kick-started for the summer.

----------------------------------------------------
Dr Barry Eppley runs a private plastic surgery practice
through his hospital-based medspa locations at Clarian
Health in Indianapolis. To learn more about the latest
trends in plastic surgery, spa therapies, or skin care, go
to his daily blog, http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com .

A Simple Plan to Diagnose and Treat Low Thyroid Function

A Simple Plan to Diagnose and Treat Low Thyroid Function
It's an epidemic problem -- and you could have it.

Low thyroid function affects more than 30 million women and
15 million men. And it can lead to problems losing weight;
decreased sex drive; depression; anxiety; thinning hair;
and poor quality, thick, cracked fingernails.

So what's responsible for low thyroid function and why are
so many people affected?

Chronic thyroid problems can be caused by many factors,
including environmental toxins such as pesticides, which
act as hormone or endocrine disruptors and interfere with
thyroid hormone metabolism and function.

In one study, people released pesticides from their fat
tissue as they lost weight.

This interfered with their thyroid function and caused
hypothyroidism. The toxins slowed metabolism and prevented
them from losing more weight.

This study is significant, because it shows exactly how
toxins interfere with thyroid function.

Heavy metals such as mercury can also affect thyroid
function. I see many people with chronic hypothyroidism and
other thyroid problems because mercury interferes with
normal thyroid function.

The other big factor that interferes with thyroid function
is chronic stress. The more stress you are under, the worse
your thyroid functions. Correcting poor thyroid function
must address the effects of chronic stress and provide
support to the adrenal glands.

The next major factor that affects thyroid function is
chronic inflammation. The biggest source of this chronic
inflammation is gluten, the protein found in wheat, barely,
rye, spelt, and oats. This common allergen affects about 10
to 20 percent of the population. This reaction occurs
mostly because of our damaged guts, poor diet, and stress.

I also think eating so-called Frankenfoods, such as
hybridized and genetically modified grains with very
strange proteins, makes us sick.

Our bodies don't recognize these foods and create
antibodies to fight them. This chronic inflammatory
response interferes with thyroid function -- and
contributes to the epidemic of inflammatory diseases in the
developed world.

Lastly, nutritional deficiencies play a big role in thyroid
dysfunction. These include deficiencies of iodine, vitamin
D, omega-3 fats, selenium, zinc, vitamin A, and the B
vitamins.

There are so many reasons for low thyroid function, yet
conventional doctors tend to ignore them.

One young female patient of mine had more than 30 percent
body fat and was unable to change her body, no matter how
hard she worked. She ate perfectly, exercised with a
trainer every day -- and her body still wouldn't budge.

She also had a slightly depressed mood and other vague
symptoms.

So I treated her with a low dose of Armour Thyroid, which
is a natural thyroid replacement.

What happened?

Well, she not only lost 20 pounds and improved her body
composition, but her mood improved and all her other
symptoms went away.

I knew she had low thyroid function because I did the right
tests.

Most doctors just check something called the
thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which doesn't give a
full picture of the thyroid. In fact, even the
interpretation of this test is incorrect most of the time.

The newer guidelines of the American College of
Endocrinology consider anybody with a TSH level over 3.0 as
hypothyroid. Most doctors think that only anything greater
than 5 or 10 is worth treating.

Unfortunately, this leaves millions suffering unnecessarily.

Other tests, including those for free T3, free T4, and
thyroid antibodies, are essential.

I also look for associated problems such as gluten
intolerance, food allergies, and heavy metals, as well as
deficiencies of vitamin D, selenium, vitamin A, zinc, and
omega-3 fats.

Low thyroid function is one of the most common problems I
see, and treating it properly makes one of the biggest
differences in my patients' quality of life.

Unfortunately, by using the old guidelines and thinking,
conventional medicine misses millions who suffer with
hypothyroidism.

In fact, in one study, researchers tested everybody who
walked through the gates of a county fair with conventional
thyroid testing. They found that according to even
conservative conventional standards, half of all the people
who had hypothyroidism were undiagnosed, untreated, and
suffering.

Once you have confirmed that a sluggish thyroid is
contributing to your symptoms, the good news is that there
are many, many, many things you can do to help correct
thyroid problems.

I have developed a seven-step plan to address
hypothyroidism:

1. Identify and treat the underlying causes of
hypothyroidism, like food allergies, gluten, heavy metals,
nutritional deficiencies, and stress.

2. Support your thyroid with optimal nutrition, including
foods that contain iodine, zinc, omega-3 fats, selenium,
and more.

3. Eliminate adrenal exhaustion and minimize stress by
engaging in a comprehensive stress management program.

4. Engage in thyroid stimulating exercise, which boosts
thyroid function.

5. Use supplements to help enhance thyroid function,
including all the nutrients needed for proper thyroid
metabolism and function.

6. Use saunas and heat to eliminate stored toxins, which
interfere with thyroid function.

7. Use thyroid hormone replacement therapy to help support
your thyroid gland.

I believe a comprehensive approach is needed to address
chronic thyroid issues and to diagnose them. Most of the
options for healing by conventional care are quite limited
and only provide a partial solution. But by following my
seven-step plan you can achieve optimal health and
UltraWellness.

----------------------------------------------------
Mark Hyman, M.D. is a pioneer in functional medicine,
practicing physician and best-selling author. A sneak
preview of his book "The UltraSimple Diet" is available.
See The UltraWellness Blog for more on Low Thyroid
Function: http://www.ultrawellness.com/blog

Secrets To Weight Loss

Secrets To Weight Loss
Look on the internet under the subjects of weight loss or
losing weight and you will come across websites offering to
share the secrets of weight loss with you. This is a
wonderful thing that these people are prepared to give you
an insight as to what you can do to lose weight. Off course
many of the secrets are not free. You can pay anything from
$10.00 upwards for a secret way to lose weight.

Correct me if I am wrong but I was under the impression
that a secret is something that is to be kept private and
not to be revealed. So why are people prepared to share a
secret with you for a price? Surely if a thousand people
purchase this secret, then how can it be a secret any
longer? If there were secrets towards losing weight, surely
hospitals and doctors would be aware of them, and they
would let you know for free.

The truth is that there are no secrets to weight loss.
Losing weight is achievable for virtually anyone if they
follow the simple formula of burning more calories than
they consume. Avoid these so called weight loss secrets
like the plague because the only thing that will get
lighter is your wallet and not your body.

Weight loss is all about common sense and any product that
seems too good to be true, probably is. A quick fix to
lasting weight loss is no fix at all. Simply because your
body needs time to change. Your body is constructed in a
way that it takes time for it to change. If you try to
speed up this process, then your body will stop changing.
This is why when people adopt an extremely low calorie diet
to lose weight quickly, they find themselves losing some
initial weight in the first couple of weeks, but after this
any weight loss grinds to a halt.

Most of the weight you may have lost will be through muscle
and not fat. Muscle is an expensive commodity for you body
to keep because your body requires more calories to keep
hold of muscle than it does to keep fat. So when you cut
back drastically on calories, your body will offload the
muscle and hang onto the fat. The ideal situation is to try
and keep your muscle and get rid of the fat; however a low
calorie diet will not allow that.

There are 3 things that you must do if you want to lose
weight successfully.

Desire and motivation are a required combination for weight
loss. Desire alone is not enough; you must motivate
yourself to act on your desire. If I desire a cup of
coffee, I am not going to get one until I motivate myself
to get up and fetch one. Desire on its own is just a wish
and wishes rarely come true.

Changing to a healthy diet is vital. Don't just cut back on
calories straight away. Begin replacing unhealthy foods
with healthy foods. Instead of eating all your calories
through 2 or 3 meals a day, split them so you are eating
the same amount of calories but over 4 or 5 meals a day.
This alone will be of great benefit towards your weight
loss goals. If you are going to decrease calories make sure
you do not cut more than 400 calories a day from your diet.
Once your body has become accustomed to this drop in
calories, cut back couple of hundred more calories from
your daily diet.

The benefits of exercise go far beyond just weight loss.
Exercise can have a positive impact on virtually most areas
of your life. Cardio is necessary for weight loss as it
burns calories; do not neglect a weight training routine.
Remember the idea is to keep muscle and lose fat. Weight
training will enable you to keep much of your muscle you
would have otherwise lost through cardio alone.

Forget all the fad diets, miracle diet pills, and quick
fixes. Walking on water is a miracle; changing water to
wine is a miracle. Losing weight is not a miracle. Weight
loss is an achievable target for anyone if it is done with
a sensible approach. Don't be tempted to buy any secrets to
weight loss.

----------------------------------------------------
Change your Mind Change your Body is a unique weight loss
course which has helped thousands of people to lose weight
successfully.It's approach is very differnt from
conventional diets and offers a workable solution to
permanent weight loss.Find it here at
http://www.easierwayz.com

Sciatica Or Piriformis Syndrome?

Sciatica Or Piriformis Syndrome?
There is considerable confusion regarding the conditions
sciatica and piriformis syndrome. Some think that they are
the same thing, but although they have very similar
symptoms in many cases and can be present simultaneously,
the underlying causes of sciatica and piriformis syndrome
can be quite different.

Sciatica refers to irritation of the sciatic (often
mis-spelled as syatic or psyatic) nerve, that arises from
nerve roots in the lumbar spine. The most common cause of
sciatic nerve irritation, or "true" sciatica is compression
of one or more of its component nerve roots due to disc
herniation or spinal degeneration in the lower lumbar
region. Depending on the severity of the compression
and/or inflammation of the sciatic nerve components,
sciatica may extend into the buttock area, into the thigh,
or sometimes all the way down the leg to the foot.

Piriformis syndrome, also known as "pseudo-sciatica"
(meaning "false sciatica"), is actually referral pain and
other symptoms (tingling, numbness, etc.) caused by
tightness and knots of contraction in the piriformis
muscle, which runs from the upper femur bone to the edge of
the sacrum, the triangular pelvic bone that is below the
lumbar spine. The symptoms of piriformis syndrome are very
similar and may be indistinguishable from true sciatica.

In some cases, piriformis syndrome may cause true sciatic
nerve irritation, as the sciatic nerve may run underneath
or even through the middle of the piriformis, so
contraction of the piriformis may produce sufficient
compression of the sciatic nerve to produce actual nerve
symptoms. This is one of the main sources of confusion
when it comes to distinguishing true sciatica from
piriformis syndrome.

As mentioned earlier, the symptoms of true sciatica are
very similar to piriformis syndrome. Both cause pain,
tingling, burning, "electrical shock" sensations, and/or
numbness down the leg, often all the way to the foot. Add
to this that the underlying causes of both sciatica and
piriformis syndrome can be related to biomechanical
problems in the spine and pelvic joints, and the fact that
the two conditions can be present at the same time, even
doctors may have a difficult time distinguishing between
the two.

But since the most effective treatment for the two
conditions varies signficantly, it is important to
determine the correct diagnosis if at all possible.
Fortunately, there is a simple way to tell the difference
between sciatica and piriformis syndrome in most cases.

Two simple maneuvers will distinguish sciatica from
piriformis syndrome in the majority of cases (when the
problem is one versus the other and not both conditions at
the same time). First, in a seated position, if one
straightens the leg on the painful side (so that the leg is
parallel to the floor), and the sciatica symptoms increase,
this is usually a sign of true sciatic nerve irritation.

The second maneuver is done in two parts. First, from the
sitting position one bends the leg and pulls the knee on
the painful side towards the same-side shoulder. There
usually is no major increase in pain except in severe cases
of true sciatica in this position. The second part of the
maneuver is to pull the knee toward the opposite side
shoulder. An increase in the sciatica-like symptoms is a
strong indication of piriformis syndrome.

Once it has been determined if symptoms are due to true
sciatica or piriformis syndrome, or some combination of the
two, the most effective treatment can be employed.

----------------------------------------------------
Dr. George Best is in private practice in San Antonio,
Texas. For more information, check out Dr. Best's free
e-book and online video course to assist in understanding
and treating sciatica and piriformis syndrome, including
in-depth instruction on sciatica exercises at
http://www.SciaticaSelfCare.com .

What If You Gained 10 Pounds This Weekend?

What If You Gained 10 Pounds This Weekend?
I always marvel at the reports I get from men and women who
claim to have gained 10 pounds over a weekend. In truth,
this is next to impossible.

It doesn't matter how much you try to pig out, you just
couldn't gain 10 pounds of fat in a weekend. Not even 5
pounds. Nor 3. Maybe 1, but no more.

So despite how much weight you worry you are going to gain
this Easter weekend, the truth is, it's tough to actually
gain pounds of fat in a weekend.

Take for example the traditional notion that there are 3500
calories in a pound of fat. To even gain 3 pounds of fat
over a weekend, you'd need to consume an extra 10,500
calories. Now that's tough. In fact, that's about the
number of calories in 19 Big Mac's.

Now please tell me you don't eat 19 Big Mac's in a weekend?

If you do, then you have trouble. Plus, that doesn't take
into account the 1500-2000 calories a normal person burns
each day. So over a 3 day weekend, you'd have to throw
another 10 Big Macs into your diet to gain the 3 pounds in
one weekend for our example. So let me know how eating 29
Big Macs in 3 days turns out.

I really hope no one tries that!

Also, take a look at this study. Researchers from Virginia
State University gave men an extra 1000 calories per day
for 8 weeks. For most people, that would be a tough
challenge to eat that many extra calories unless they were
eating all types of junk food.

By the end of the 8 week study, the men gained an extra 11
pounds. That's 11 pounds after 8 weeks of "pigging out",
not just a weekend where they went to the Outback
Steakhouse and had a "Blooming Onion".

Reference: Obesity 15:3005-3012 (2007)

What most people see on the scale after a weekend of "road
trip eating" is just an increase in fluid retention due to
the high-sodium and high-carbohydrate diet, as well as some
fat (but certainly not 10 pounds of it in only 48 hours).

So the next time you get off track with your weekend eating
and are shocked to discover that you've gained 10 pounds,
just take a deep breath and realize that is not an accurate
measurement of the real damage.

If you get off track, just focus on getting back in charge
of your nutrition, sticking to whole, natural foods, and
cutting out the high-sodium, high-carbohydrate processed
snacks. This shouldn't be too hard, because you'll probably
feel terrible from the weekend's junk food.

In addition to returning to fruits, vegetables, nuts, and
protein for your meals during the week, make sure to add
three total body resistance training workouts and 3
interval cardio workouts to help you burn fat and return to
your normal weight.

Start with a bodyweight warmup, then do resistance training
supersets to boost your metabolism, and then finish the
workout with fat burning interval training.

If you do that, you'll lose weight, not gain fat!

----------------------------------------------------
Find out the top 5 cardio myths at
http://www.turbulencetraining.com

Cure Your Acne the Natural Way

Cure Your Acne the Natural Way
When you think about acne, you probably think that it is a
condition that only afflicts teenagers. But this is not
true. Anyone can develop acne at any age. Acne will occur
when pores beneath the skin become clogged. Oil that is
normally excreted through the skin will build up under the
skin and stimulate the growth of bacteria. Once the
bacteria starts to grow, the pores of the skin will become
inflamed and red, causing pimples, pustules, blackheads and
sometimes even cysts. So if you are having a problem with
acne, keep reading to uncover a few all natural cures for
your acne problem.

Tea tree oil has been used for some time as a natural cure
for acne. This oil is extracted from the leaves of the
Australian Melaleuca Alternafolia tree. Tea tree oil has
very powerful anti-bacterial properties. So, since acne is
caused by a bacteria, rubbing a little tea tree oil onto
the affected areas could make your acne disappear.

Strawberry leaves can be used as a natural treatment for
acne. Try making a poultice out of strawberry leaves by
wetting them and placing them on the face over any patches
of acne. This technique has been used since Egyptian times
to achieve a clear complexion.

Another treatment for acne that has been shown to be very
effective is orange peels. All you need to do is to grind
up orange peels and add a small amount of water to make a
paste. Apply this paste to any areas of acne. Just think,
you can eat the orange for a good shot of vitamin C to help
boost your immune system and recycle the orange peels for a
natural acne cure!

Make your own natural face mask by cracking some eggs and
removing the yolks. Beat the remaining egg whites for a few
minutes. Now apply this to your face. Leave it on for about
fifteen minutes and then wash off the egg yolk mask. The
egg whites are very effective at removing the excess oil
from your face. Egg whites are also great at healing and
rebuilding healthy skin cells.

A good, natural exfoliate for your skin is baking soda. It
can be found in almost every home and is very inexpensive
to buy. Just mix some with a little bit of water to create
a paste. Massage this past into your skin for about 10 to
15 seconds then wash off. This all natural exfoliate will
remove dead skin cells and any oil buildup that can clog
the pores and form pimples.

So if you suffer from acne, try some of these all natural
acne remedies. There is no need to spend a lot of money on
over the counter remedies or medication if you can find a
natural cure that works for you.

----------------------------------------------------
Cure Your Acne the Natural Way
http://www.1thinkhealthy.com/etopical.html

Are the most commonly prescribed drugs of our time safe?

Are the most commonly prescribed drugs of our time safe?
New research is revealing some alarming concerns over the
safety of Statin agents and questioning their effectiveness
in a high percentage of patients taking these drugs.

How do Statins Work? The process of producing cholesterol
begins with a two carbon molecule, acetyl-CoA, known as the
"building block of life." Acetyl-CoA molecules combine to
form hydroxymethyl glutaric acid (HMG). The enyme HMG-CoA
reductase is required for mevalonate to be produced from
HMG-CoA reductase. Statin drugs inhibit this enzyme and
that is why they are known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.
This is the reason for the reported numerous side effects.

Statin drugs don't just inhibit the production of
cholesterol. Statins inhibit the production of an entire
group of intermediary enzymes and molecules that have
essential biochemical functions. The mevalonate chain
produces 3 end products and one of those is Cholesterol.
Ubiquinone and dolichol are the others.

Ubiquinone also known as Co-Enzyme Q10 is an essential
cellular nutrient formed in the mitochondria and is
necessary for ATP production, functioning as an electron
transporter to cytochrome oxidase, the primary respiratory
enzyme. High levels of Co-Q10 are required by the heart to
function. Ubiquinone, a form of Co-Q10 is in all cell
membranes where it plays a vital role in maintaining proper
cell membrane structure for nerves and muscles to function.
Reduction in serum Ubiquinone levels have been described
after statin therapy.( Mabuchi H, et al, J Atherosclero
Thromb. 2005; 12(2) : 111-9)

Studies have shown that the use of statin agents for
cholesterol control will reduce the level of co-enzyme q-10
by up to 40%. It appears that these statin agents, by
altering membrane function actually also impair energy
transport to these muscles necessary to keep them
functioning properly. Co-Q10 deficiency can cause muscle
wasting, pain and weakness and heart failure (the heart is
a muscle!).

Proteins are synthesized within the membranes of the
endoplasmic reticulum. This complex creation of peptides is
directed by dolichol phosphate. The Dolichols are also
critical in the assembly of glycoproteins, which allow
complex protein structures to fold and interact with
receptors and membranes. Dolichol-mediated processes create
complex neuropeptides, and mechanisms critical in cellular
communication, identification, and immune function. The
reality of Dolichol inhibition by statin agents is evident
and the resultant turmoil in cellular function is not
unexpected. It is also not unexpected that altered
cognition and abnormal behavior can result from statin
induced neuropeptide formation.

Another common side effect associated with statin agents
when used to dramatically reduce cholesterol levels are the
neurodegenerative type diseases, almost like Lou Gehrig's
disease or Multiple sclerosis, and this is because there is
damage to the cellular membranes that make up the
insulation around the nerves. It is like electrical wiring
in an old house where the insulation around the wire has
broken down leaving exposed wiring. These poorly
functioning nerves and membranes result in muscle
aches/pains as well as decreased strength and decreased
nerve function. Memory and thought process may also be
severely affected.

Drastic Cholesterol Reduction. It seems that a lot of these
problems begin when cholesterol levels become elevated and
aggressive reduction occurs with the use of statin agents.
Therefore elevated cholesterol levels have been described
as the initiating phase in the development of
atherosclerosis. Of course, statins inhibit the production
of cholesterol--they do this very well. Cholesterol is the
body's repair substance: scar tissue contains high levels
of cholesterol, including scar tissue in the arteries.
Cholesterol is the precursor to vitamin D, necessary for
numerous biochemical processes including mineral
metabolism. The use of statin agents will reduce the
synthesis of Vitamin D. Studies have identified the
increased incidence of musculoskeletal pain in patients who
are vitamin D deficient, and that replacement results in
dramatic improvement.(Al Faraj S.,et al. Vitamin D
Deficiency and chronic low back pain in Saudi Arabia,"
Spine 2003; 28(2): 177-9).

A number of patients describe gastrointestinal symptoms and
diarrhea associated with statin therapy. Unfortunately
after an extensive gastrointestinal workup, the statin
therapy is not discontinued. Statin agents reduce bile
salts production, which is required for the digestion of
fat. Those who suffer from low cholesterol often have
trouble digesting fats. Cholesterol also functions as a
powerful antioxidant, thus protecting us against cancer and
aging.

It is no surprise that the aggressive control of
cholesterol, typical of statin therapy, in an attempt to
reduce cardiovascular disease, in itself produces it's own
disease process. Even though statins have not been proven
to decrease the risk of heart attacks and strokes for those
not suffering from heart disease.

----------------------------------------------------
Gary Stanton, Natural Health advocate and Holistic
Nutritionist and Robert Carlson, MD FACS, board certified
in General and Thoracic Surgery, participated in
cardiovascular research at Harvard University and is a
fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He received
"America's Top Doctor Award" in Cardiothoracic surgery in
2003 and in 2007. Dr. Carlson is also a Medical Advisor to
New Health Corp. http://www.heartsavior.com Tel:
1-877-263-3555

5 Practical Steps to Natural Weight Loss

5 Practical Steps to Natural Weight Loss
You can try out just about any diet plan on the market, and
the one thing that rings true with all effective weight
loss plans is the fact you have to modify your current
lifestyle if you want to lose weight.

It may mean increasing your current activity level,
changing your menu, and cutting back on your calories. But
there is no magic cure for weight loss that doesn't involve
some work on your part.

The five steps listed below are steps you can take to take
off the pounds naturally.

Step 1: Calculate Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your BMR will tell you know how many calories you need if
you want to maintain your current weight.

Nutritionist can help you with a personal calculation, or
you can use a generic, free online service. So if you need
to consume 2,200 each day to maintain your current weight,
try cutting back your daily intake by 300 and see if you
even notice the missing calories.

Your physician or doctor can also help make a
recommendation for you based on your height and current
weight.

Step 2: Keep a Food Diary

If you want to lose one pound a week, you'll want to
consume 3,500 calories less or burn enough calories that
you create a calorie deficit. Step 3 Create an activity
journal

Log the frequency of your exercise, the time spent,
intensity level and the specific activities. I've said it
in other articles, but it bears repeating...vary the
intensity of your workouts and the activities. You may want
to take aerobic classes a few times a week, then supplement
the other days with walking or weight training, depending
what your overall fitness goals are.

Step 4: Determine Your Burned Calories

Using your activity journal as a guide, determine your
burned calories. Remember that lean muscle mass uses your
food fuel more efficiently, but the heavier you are, the
faster your metabolism is working. If you need to burn more
calories, lengthen the time of your workouts, add more days
to the week, or increase the intensity.

Step 5: Evaluate Your Progress

You need to evaluate your progress every 6 weeks or so. You
should expect to lose between 1-2 pounds each week if you
are on a natural weight loss program that simply cuts
calories and increases activity. If using a product or
supplement to aid you in your weight loss, you can expect
to speed these results a bit.

Extra Tip: Remember that you don't want to starve yourself.
Depriving yourself not only leaves you less likely to stick
with a diet plan, but it forces your body to cling on to
the calories you do consume.

Get started with Step 1 and remember, changing your life
through diet and exercise is one of the best things you can
do to ensure a long and happy life.

----------------------------------------------------
Debbie endeavors to encourage women over 40 to take care of
their bodies and feed their minds with good positive
thoughts. She shares her expertise on natural weight loss
for women over 40 at her blog http://weonadiet.com .