Top Detox Foods: Getting Started

You’ve probably read a lot about foods that remove toxins from your body, clean your blood, and even remove cholesterol and fat from your body. These foods have grown far beyond urban myth to medical fact. Their benefits have exceeded our expectations. Tomatoes and cabbage are being used to prevent and cure certain cancers. Psyllium, orange juice, grape seeds prevent colon problems, including cancer.

When detox you want to eat anything green, the darker the better. Stay away from anything that is white (not including garlic). I don’t think it is necessary to fast to detoxify your body. I’ve done the fast and non-fast. Both have reduced the sleep I needed, eliminated the black spots under my eyes, reduced the bulge in my stomach, and eliminated any puffiness.

However, if you do not detox often, or are trying to do a complete program at once (for the first time) then you need a doctor’s care. I’ll warn you that your sweat will have a strong odor, as will your feces, which may also change to black. Headaches are also common. But, if they are severe, your urine changes color, or you feel heart palpitations, then stop and consult a doctor.

I don’t recommend anyone do more than three days the first time. Take a week or two off, then do another two or three days.

The human body is amazing. It can prevent and cure most diseases when given a chance. A young body contains a force removes toxins through skin tissues and skin-like mucus membranes. This cause symptoms that we work hard t prevent: bouts of sinusitis, asthma, colds, or a combination of these. Every time we take a medicine to stop a runny nose, we prevent our bodies from cleansing themselves.
The body ages and soon it can no longer maintain the aggressive cleansing phenomena. The toxemia begins to go deeper into the organs and tissue.



Benefits of Colon Cleaning and Detoxifying the Body:

1. Every 1% you lower your cholesterol reduces the risk of heart attack by 2%
2. The colon cancer is reduced if the colon is kept clean
3. Reduce the severity and occurrence of yeast infections.
4. Reduce the severity and occurrences of allergies and asthma
5. May reduce eczema
6. May reduce adult acne
7. May reduce wrinkles
8. May reduce sleep problems

May reduce* There are other factors in play. The colon cleansing is only part of the problem.

Fruits Clean Colon and Detox The Body

Fruits, fruits, fruits They're full of almost all the good things: vitamin C, fiber, nutritious fluids, and antioxidants. Fluids wash out the body and fresh lemonade is ideal. Its high level of vitamin C, labeled the detox vitamin, helps make toxins water-soluble so they flushed away easily. Humans are the only mammals that do not produce vitamin C in the liver. During Detox or colon cleansing the body needs higher levels of vitamin C than normal.

Getting high concentrates of vitamin C from lemons is difficult as the vitamin levels decrease with storage.

However, do not drink the processed lemon in bottles.

The following is a list of fruits and their vitamin C levels per100 mg flesh

Jujube 500
Apple 6
Barbados Cherry 1,678
Blackcurrant 155+
Blueberry 1 – 16%
Grapefruit 34
Kiwi 99 – 180
Lemon Juice 46
Logan 84
Mango 28
Cantaloupe 42
Orange 53
Papaya 62
Plum 10
Raspberry 25
Red currant 58
Rosehip 1000+
Tangerine 31
Tomato 19
Watermelon 10


99 Foods With the Highest Vitamin C Levels

The health guides state that people need 66 mg of vitamin C a day for the average adult.

Green Foods Save Lives

Green Leafy Vegetables The healing ingredient is chlorophyll. This is nature’s household cleaner, removing environmental toxins that include heavy metals, pesticides, and air pollutants. It also protects the liver.

There are commercial chlorophyll products that you can buy, but I wouldn’t unless you like the taste of liquid grass. The problem arises when you can’t get fresh picked. It may be a better idea to buy top quality ‘flash frozen’ than week old greens that have been stuffed into a transport truck for several days and ‘sprayed’ to keep them looking fresh.

Head Lettuce has the least value of the green vegetables. The general rule is ‘the darker the better.’ But it is reported to help against yeast infections.

Spinach strengthens weak blood and reduces the severity of bleeding conditions. It includes a blood cleansing or detoxifying agent. It helps with constipation and urinary tract difficulties. Do not eat large amounts of spinach if you suffer from loose stools or urinary incontinence should.

Kale is good for lung congestion. The juice has been used to treat stomach ulcers. It is an exceptional source of iron and should be included in diets that reduce your red meat intake.

Greens offer protection against cancer, infections, heart and circulatory system diseases, bone and joint diseases and disorders associated with old age.

Several Greens such as Romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, mustard greens and turnip greens all contain beta-carotene and carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin). Beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful antioxidants that are reported to block early development of cancer.

Some studies link them to a lowered risk of breast, lung and skin cancer. Lutein helps slow the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), that causes age-related blindness.

Watercress, arugula, bok choy, broccoli and kale are members of the cruciferous family. They contain phytochemicals, including indoles, that are attributed with halting cancer before it starts. In layman’s terms, they repair DNA damage before it turns into cancer.

Green Foodss Can Save Your Life

Green Leafy Vegetables The healing ingredient is chlorophyll. This is nature’s household cleaner, removing environmental toxins that include heavy metals, pesticides, and air pollutants. It also protects the liver.

There are commercial chlorophyll products that you can buy, but I wouldn’t unless you like the taste of liquid grass. The problem arises when you can’t get fresh picked. It may be a better idea to buy top quality ‘flash frozen’ than week old greens that have been stuffed into a transport truck for several days and ‘sprayed’ to keep them looking fresh.

Head Lettuce has the least value of the green vegetables. The general rule is ‘the darker the better.’ But it is reported to help against yeast infections.

Spinach strengthens weak blood and reduces the severity of bleeding conditions. It includes a blood cleansing or detoxifying agent. It helps with constipation and urinary tract difficulties. Do not eat large amounts of spinach if you suffer from loose stools or urinary incontinence should.

Kale is good for lung congestion. The juice has been used to treat stomach ulcers. It is an exceptional source of iron and should be included in diets that reduce your red meat intake.

Greens offer protection against cancer, infections, heart and circulatory system diseases, bone and joint diseases and disorders associated with old age.

Several Greens such as Romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, mustard greens and turnip greens all contain beta-carotene and

Make Your Own Face Mask

Why not make your own?

You will need:

½ cup hot water but not poiling

1/3 cup quick oatmeal or instant

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1 egg white

Mix water and oatmeal and then put aside to thicken into a paste. Mix the other ingredients in an electric mixer.

Add oatmeal paste and mix until blended and smooth.

Leave on for 15 - 20 minutes. Do not wait until mask hardens.

This mixture can be stored in the refridgerator for one week. This mask is an excellent exfoliator, but is gentler than comercial masks.

Beauty Starts With Colon Cleansing - Follow My Journey

This is a cross post from my blog www.healthafter40.blogspot.com This health blog is my most active, and ranks high among the blogging sites. I will be posting a daily journal there of my colon cleansing.


---

My husband and I plan to start a colon cleansing program on April one. I will use natural foods and am aiming at 'cleaning out' the dangerous mucus build ups, not just restore my body's ability to create stools.

Feel Free to subscribe to follow this program. I am not going to become 'gross' or descriptive about my program, but I will tell you what I eat, the results, and how I feel.

I plan to do a full 7 day cleansing. At the end, you will have a basic understanding of the colon cleansing process. I will be posting articles within the next week to explain what I plan to do, and why.

The program will actually start a couple days early when I 'prepare' my body. Colon cleansing requires 'shocking' the body - but not making it ill.


USA Today, "Most people who eat the standard American 'goo and glue' diet have about 5-10 pounds of matter stored in the colon."

I will include fennel seed, flax seed, Psyllium but not senna. I will increase the fruits I eat, including (and most important) increasing the orange juice and adding rhubarb to my diet.

A Look At Life Expectancy Stats

These numbers are from a report in 2000

the US population included 35.0 million people 65 and over. This number represents a 12% increase since 1990. The older population is growing.

Between 1990 and 2000, the total population increased by 13.2 percent, from 248.7 million to 281.4 million people. The population 65 years and over increased
by 12.0 percent. In 2000, there were 18.4 million people ages 65 to 74 years old, representing 53% of the 'mature' population in the US.

That means the total 'mature' population was about 37 - 40 million people. Or, to put this in perspective, the population of 'mature adults' in the USA exceeds the total population of Canada in 2007.

In 1960, only 7% of the Canadian population was over 65. Currently 11% of the population has reached this level, and in 2016 they expect that 16% of the population will be over 65. Currently, 4.4 million people in Canada are over 65.

This is a lot of people who 'beat the odds.' It is hard to imagine that about 16 million adults in the UK represent that 10% chance of reaching 70 years old.

So, next time you ask yourself whether all the exercise and healthy living are worth it, just remember the 40 million +/- old people in North America and how much fun they are having.

Some Facts I Found About Life Expectancy

I spent the morning looking through life expectancy charts. At first they were rather daunting. There are the world life expectancy charts which provide very vague numbers, and have no relevance to your current age, lifestyle, or mitigating circumstances.

If you are Canadian, expect to life between 70 - 75. If you are from the United Kingdom then you get to live to 77 - 80 years old.. a bit less if you are from the United States.

But, if you read the UK government's forms you get a bit of a different picture. If you are a male, and 44 years old, then you have a 50% chance of reaching 93. If you are male, and 60 years old, you have a 16 - 20% chance of reaching 93 years old. Canadians can expect to live between 75 and 80 for all income brackets, male and female. Americans born in 1980 (sorry, can't find older stats) can expect to live to 73.

The general numbers are not too far off. If you were a male born in 1850 then you had a 10% chance of living until 70 years old and 11.5% for women. The same groups born in 1960 would have a balanced 12% chance of reaching 80. Children born in 2000 will have a 16 - 20% chance.

Of course, you may be wondering how to get into the 11%. With the new health discoveries and understanding of fitness, an improved diet, and a safer lifestyle will all work to keep us living longer - and healthier. Hereditary factors will come into play too.

I am not sure I want to reach 93 if I am in a nursing hoe. However, it would be nice to life to 80 and stay on my feat until the very end.

The leading causes of death in 2003 were:

The leading causes of death For Americans in 2003
Rank Cause Deaths
1 Heart disease 684,462
2 Malignant neoplasms 554,643
3 Cerebrovascular diseases 157,803
4 Chronic lower respiratory diseases 126,128
5 Accidents 105,695
6 Diabetes mellitus 73,965
7 Influenza and pnemonia 64,847
8 Alzheimer's disease 63,343
9 Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome,
nephrosis 42,536
10 Septicemia 34,243
11 Suicide 30,642
12 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 27,201
13 Essential hypertension
and hypertensive renal disease 21,841
14 Parkinson's disease 17,898
15 Pneumonitis due to solids
and liquids 17,457
LiveScience Chart / SOURCE: CDC

So, when you look at these numbers, and remove things that you are no tprone to, your chances of living longer are looking positive.

I wanted to bring this information to light because I was talking to a friend a few days ago who said 'what is the point.' She was 50 and thought it was too late to extend her life. We have a better chance than our parents. They had no choice but to live on fat, purins (meat), and starch. Many of the healthy foods available to use were unheard of to them. There is a point - enjoying life.

Romance In The Second Marriage

I found true romance in my second marriage. But, it wasn't a marriage based on infatuation, lust, or love. Yes, we loved each other, but we both had life goals that we wanted met. My husband is very romantic. He is affectionate, far more than I am.

I am a pragmatic person. We both invested a lot of time, years, into researching good relationships and love. In fact, we both came to the realization that we were as responsible for the death of our first marriages as our spouses were.

I often wonder why the schools teach about sex, but they don't teach about romance. In fact, if I had been able to take a few courses on healthy relationships, parenting, and personal development, then I would have 'never' married my first spouse. I would have made fewer mistakes. I would have reached higher and set loftier goals.

There is one thing we learned in the last few years. Love is not what you feel when you get married. That possessive, gushy feeling, is not true love. The real type of love grows as it is nurtured. It is something that needs to be cared for and grown - like a rose bush.




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Beauty Starts Inside

I recently read an article at a favorite website. The article was called 7 Signs That You're Living in Denial.

I'm Never at Fault: Others are always at fault, aren't they? You keep doing everything right and they just ruin things for you, do they? Sorry to have to say this, but not assuming responsibility is one of the most obvious signs that you are living in denial.

Everything Has an Excuse: "I'm not going to do this because..." "I would have done that, if not for..." Do you somehow manage to find excuses for everything? Good for you, maybe you will find someone who pays you for that, but for the time being, your attitude is yet another sign that you are simply living in a fantasy world.

Everyone Else is Wrong: Are all of the people who don't agree with you clueless? Are they that ignorant, can't they understand your brilliance? I'm sorry but, if that's the way you see things, I am afraid that the problem lies elsewhere. One tip: it's not with everyone else.

It's All One Big Conspiracy I Tell You: Does it seem that everyone and their dog is working against you? Are you just a poor innocent victim in what seems to be one huge conspiracy against you? In that case, have you considered getting some help? No, everyone is not conspiring against you, and it's about time you stopped living in denial and started seeing how things actually stand. You can read the rest of the denial problems by clicking here.

This problem is also called 'ego personality disorder' and it ruins lives. The good news is that it can be managed and overcome. Many people with this disorder see it as their protection. Their self esteem is so low that they must overcompensate to protect themselves. But, step one to freedom is learning that you are the same person whether you live in a fantasy world or the real world. Loosing the EPD will only bring good things for you - like friends.




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Easy To Use Body Purifying Herbs

I spent 10 years living in an area with no doctors for 2 hours away. I learned to take control of my health, and learned a lot of things about health and wellness that are now becoming common knowledge.

Much of the 'health' fad a few years ago was not 'new'but repackaging information that has been around for hundreds of years.

Many health problems, including abdominal pain, constipation and lack of energy, can be related to an unhealthy bowel caused partly or largely by eating and drinking products that form a lot of built up waste inside the colon. People consume large amounts of toxic substances daily, including caffeine, sugar, white flour, aspartame, microwave-cooked food, hydrogenated fats and deep fried foods, which results in pounds of unwanted matter forming in colon.

To get rid of these unwanted accumulations colon cleansing is a natural and easy way. There are many colon cleaning changes you can introduce to your lifestyle that you can try right away.

When I moved to the city, I started trying the 'medical way' and left behind the natural way. The result - in 8 years I've had more flu cases, more allergies, a heart operation. All the result of problems caused by diet and lack of 'body maintenance.'

It is funny. We wouldn't let our car go for years without proper maintenance. We would never think of ignoring our furnace maintenance, chimney sweeping, or septic tank care. So, why do we ignore our body?

Health Foundation: The Colon

I never heard of colon cleansing until I moved to the city. That is because it wasn't a problem where I lived. We ate fresh vegitables (not hydrophonics) and drank lots of water instead of coffee.

Our diet is full of food that has changed from what nature intended. In fact, aggricultural animals refuse to eat some of our new foods - especially the genetically changed ones.

Improvements in nutrition often cure problems without spending hundreds of dollars on 'cures.'

The Colon

The colon doesn't become backed up until people stop keeping their skin working well. The skin was not meant to be covered by anti-persperants, perfumes, powders, lotions, etc.

To begin colon cleansing, drink water, to stimulate the peristaltic action, a person should drink half of his or her weight in ounces of pure non-carbonated water. The diet of 2 liters a day is not maintenance - but a jump start. This will shock the system and prevent you from damaging your system when the toxins start to 'move' through your system.

Herbal colon cleanse recipes help in removing fecal matter, prevent toxin formation, kill the harmful bacteria and parasites, and improve the function of colon muscles to promote regular movements.

Aloe leaf, senna, cascara sagrada, ginger, and cayenne pepper eliminate impurities from the colon and stimulat bowel movements. Herbal colon cleansing includes a bitter plant that cleanses the liver. Fennel and garlic remove bacteria and prevent gas formation.

Colon cleansing teas should be used in moderation to prevent frequent bowel movements that cause dehydration.

Purifying Herbs


It’s been said that according to his autopsy, John Wayne had forty pounds of impacted fecal matter in his body at death. Elvis Presley reportedly had sixty pounds. (January 11, 1999 issue of USA Today)

• cayenne pepper (or any pepper) purifies the blood.
• Psyllium seeds promote healthy bowel movement generally maintaining its good condition
• Nettles are used as a portion of the detox herb mixture in cleansing the urinary systems as well as any part of the body. Makes a nice tea.
• Burdock roots are also perfect for stronger cleansing needs. It is helpful in reducing the heavy metals build-up within your body which causes immune system problems.
• Dandelion roots are detox herbs having strong cleansing properties appropriate for your liver. It is good for removing the gall bladder wastes and also works well for kidneys if used with other compatible detox herbs.

I've used all of these in my diet with success. You don't need to eat the herb. They can be mixed with tea, a salad. I don't take pills, but I would take them before going without.




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Colon Cleansing Basics

Read this before buying any colon cleansing products. There are several natural products that can work - without making you resort to eating grass.

Drink Water

Yes, water is the world's best solvent and purifyer. Drinking plenty of water can clean the oclon, reduce toxic levels in your body, and keep your skin looking younger. Many of the lexictives that pose as colon cleanswers are nothing more than a platform that requires an increased water intake, making me wonder whether it is the water or the laxitive that cleanses the colon.

My husband has been on this colon cleansing kick lately, mainly becuase of the number of tele-mercials offering a quick 'tasteless' cure. I've read a bunch of reviews on many of them and found some truths.

'you can loose 15lb.' This is true, because that is how much most people have in theri bowels according to the experts. So, taking any laxitive will result in a 15lb loss - for a day or two.

'extend your life.' This is true - anything that removes toxins from your body will prevent disease and extend life.

Natural Soaps

Most people do not realize that the skin is the body's largest organ. The more sprays, perfumes, and powders we put on our skin - the harder it must work to clean our body. This includes cleaning our body with fancy soaps.

Yes, we are washing off the dirt, but we are also covering our ephidermous with a layer of gunk that smells good and makes it difficult for our skin to perform its job - cleaning toxins from our body.

Scrubbing the body while bathing is one way to get rid of skin and dirt that clog the pours and improve its ability to keep us healthy.

The Lymph - Skin Brushing

Skin brushing is an excellent method of cleansing the lymphatic system. Uf this is not working well, then no amount of colon cleansing will be effective.

Waste material is carried from the cells by both blood and lymph. Skin brushing stimulates the release of toxins with their carrier cells, primarily lymphocytes, that will find their way to the colon.

A sedentary lifestyle, with the common use of anti-perspirant, keep people from perspiring enough. Toxins and metabolic waste are not released through sweat, but back up into the body and eventually, the colon. Skin brushing opens up the pores, allowing the body to breathe and thus enhances proper functioning of the organs.

Continued in Future Articles




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Some Facts About Eating Healthy

We have had to abandon all of our favorite restaurants since my husband was diagnosed with diabetes. It is so hard to find a restaurant that has healthy food. No one wants to go a restaurant and eat nothing but salad. Even the salad dressing is too high in salt and sugar for many diabetics.

The American Diabetes association has a few tips for people who want to eat out. But, even that is not comfort. Especially, as much of the food we eat at home has the same salt and sugar content as in a restaurant.

One thing that my husband has learned is that he only need to look at a portion, not the 'can'. For example, he stopped eating spaghetti sauce (eliminating tomatoes from his diet completely) because it was about 1/4 salt. But, when we broke that can into a single portion and then further diluted the sauce with water, the salt intake dropped to an acceptable limit.


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Tell Us How You Celebrate Life

Post comments to tell everyone how you celebrate your life. What little things do you do to make life better - to make people feel loved - and to make yourself happy. Celebrations of life are easy to make a part of your life.

We celebrate by having a family night. We get together and have a few laughs as a family.

Another thing we will do is just stop life mid stride and go out for hot chocolate and pastries or donuts.

Sometimes we just have a group hug. Anything it takes to get through the day and feel loved and happy.




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What is Beauty

I've been asking my friends what beauty is. Mirella Patzer writes wonderful historical romance novels. Her novels do not focus on the body parts, but on the true beauty of the characters.

"True beauty is comprised of many factors beyond physical appearance. Charm, wisdom, and love combine to make a person truly beautiful inside and out. Helen Keller summed it up best. "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor touched, but are felt in the heart." www.mirellapatzer.com


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A brief Look At Silicone Breast Implants

One of the most popular plastic surgery options for women are breast implants. I am not sure I would really like larger ones. In fact, I wouldn't mind being smaller - and tighter - like I was in my early 20s.

When a woman has a plastic surgery these can involve any part of the body. For the most part these surgical procedures will be ones that involve reducing fat deposits from the thighs, face, waist, stomach and the breasts. The numbers of breast surgeries that can be found are an indication of the popularity of these plastic surgery procedures.

In general the places where this cosmetic surgery will be done can usually be found in hospitals. There are private surgeries where you can also have silicone breast implants performed. Since you are planning on having a part of your body changed you should take the time to hunt for plastic surgeons that are known for their reconstructive work in breasts.

At present the breast surgeries will include a number of different procedures. These list silicone breast implants as among the popular ones. In this procedure the silicone is mainly implanted into the breasts to provide the tight and up lifted appearance. When you look around for plastic surgeons who are qualified to perform this surgery you can find many doctors.

You should make sure that you undergo treatment with a well qualified doctor as the silicone breast implants do have problems. The most common problem is that the implants may rupture. If this does occur, the silicone which is in the implant will leak outwards into the rest of the body. There is a chance that you will become allergic or infected with the leaked silicone.

Since this is an occurrence that has happened previously many women nowadays prefer to have gel or saline based breast implants inserted instead. Unlike the silicone breast implants the saline ones are safer to your body.

If you still feel that having silicone breast implants is a better option for you it is a good idea if you are familiar with the advantages and disadvantages to be found. These pros and cons for the breast implant surgeries can be found on the internet as well as with your doctor.





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Have You Taken a Good Look at Your Deoderant?

I was less than 30 when I came down ill. The cause - toxins. One of the main culprits was the aluminum in my deodorant. I now use Arm and Hammer, but I've also used natural deodorants with some success.

One of my friends had a good theory when it came to food and eating considering the fact that most of our foods are so chemical laden. She refused to eat anything for which she couldn’t pronounce the name of the ingredients.

Having scared myself by reading my deodorant ingredients, I have to say that I whole-heartedly agree with her, only in this case, I have resolved not to put anything on my body that has ingredient names that I can’t pronounce.

Most of the deodorant ingredients that you find these days are bad for you in some way or other, and although some of them might only be used in minute amounts and therefore alright to use, isn’t it true that we use our deodorants every single day, year after year?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it true that even a minute amount of toxins, if taken on a long term basis, will have an effect on our system? And that’s where the confusion and the denials begin, and throw people off the scent. Yes, claim the scientists and other associated people, this is perfectly true, because even a small amount of toxins taken over a long period of time, can add up to something bigger.

But, and this is where the tap dancing begins, it has not been conclusively proven that any of the deodorant ingredients that you find on the labeling are toxic to man (or woman). We need more proof to tell us that the deodorant ingredients we use now can be harmful to human beings.

Need I remind anyone that up until a few years ago arsenic was commonly used in households, and let’s not even go into the whole CFC thing. How many times do we need to be hit over the head with these things before we wise up?

With the turn of the twentieth century however, there has been a positive trend, and people now seem to lean more towards natural products, and to stay away from the chemical laden products that we are bombarded with.

Although the majority of the people have yet to be convinced on the matter either way, it is uplifting indeed to see the numbers of those willing to turn away from these chemical laden products, swell the ranks of those already existing people.

And to think that on my part at least, it all started because I took the time one day to read the deodorant ingredients on something that I had been using ever since I hit puberty. Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it?






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Natural Treatments for Arthritis

We treat my husband's arthritis with several of the natural herbs including Black Cohash and FeverFew and Nettle. We also use sage tea and a diretic which causes him to urinate, eliminating some of the toxins from his body.

It is easier to eat this than expected. I poweder some into tea and other drinks. They can be 'tart' but that can be masked with juice.


Treating Arthritis - Naturally

Copyright © 2005 Mike Law
There are actually three common types of arthritis. These are Osteoarthritis which is the most common, affecting around 16 million Americans with an average age of 45. It usually will attack weight bearing joints like knees, hips, and ankles but has been found in the fingers, neck and spine. Each of our joints is cushioned by cartilage, a very dense, sponge-like substance. Osteoarthritis attacks that cartilage and gradually wears it down.

Another type of arthritis is Rheumatoid Arthritis. Extremely painful and inflammatory, it strikes the lining of the joints and actually attacks two million Americans in their twenties.

Psoriatic Arthritis is not as well known as the previous two, but actually eats away at the joints and can also manifest as psoriasis on the skin.

The term Arthritis literally translates to “joint inflammation.” If you suffer from any of the different types of Arthritis listed above, chances are you have taken drugs to combat the effects or tried other “home remedies.” If you haven’t yet tried “Urtication,” it might be helpful. The term “Urtication” comes from the botanical name, Urtica dioica and dates back some 2,000 years to biblical times. Urtica dioica is “Stinging Nettle. The treatment is to grasp the nettles in a gloved hand and swat the sore joints with the nettles. This may seem bizarre, but the practice has proven to be so effective for some sufferers of arthritis that they now maintain a nettle plant on their window sill.

Here are a few more herbs that are used effectively for the treatment of arthritis:

Black Cohosh
Also known as Black Snakeroot, Bugbane, Rattleroot, Rattleweed, Squawroot. The dried root is the part used. This is a powerful relaxant as well as being extremely effective with easing painful menstrual cramps. Ovarian cramps will be relieved as well as bringing on a delayed menstrual cycle. It is also effective in the treatment of arthritis, osteo-arthritis, rheumatic pain and neurological pan. In small doses, appetite and digestion are greatly improved and is very beneficial for the nervous system in general.

Bogbean
Useful for treatment of rheumatism, osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Also has a stimulating effect on the walls of the colon and digestive juices.

Celery Seeds
Use dried ripe fruits to use as an anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, diuretic or anti-spasmodic. Great for treating rheumatism, arthritis and gout.

Chapparal
Very useful in cases of acne, arthritis, chronic backache, skin conditions of warts and blotches. Also one of the best cancer herbs.

Feverfew
Use the leaves to treat migraine headaches, arthritis, dizziness and tinnitus.

Nettle
The is the herb we referred to earlier and is another one of those “universal” plants. They are found all over the world and they strengthen the entire body. Rheumatism, arthritis, eczema, nosebleeds, arteries, lessen blood pressure are just a few applications. Nettles contain calcium, chlorine, iron, potassium, silicon, sodium and sulphur.

Saffron
A natural hydrochloric acid (utilizes sugar of fruits and oils), thus helping arthritics get rid of the uric acid which holds the calcium deposited in the joints. Also reduces lactic acid build up. Good for measles, skin, scarlet fever and perspiration.

Yucca
Hope for arthritics. The extract from the plant has been used with surprising success on arthritis and rheumatism sufferers.

All of the herbs mentioned here should be available at your local health food store along with suggestions on how to prepare them for use. Some applications will be to ingest in teas while others may facilitate creating a topical treatment.

No matter what natural remedies you choose please consult your physician to make certain that your course of treatment does not interfere with medications that your doctor subscribes for your treatment.


Whether you are looking for renewed strength, energy and vitality in your life, drug-free relief from arthritis and joint pain, or wanting to make a difference in your financial future by becoming a MonaVie distributor, click here http://www.whatismonavie.com/wealthontap


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Living With Food Related Diseases

Beauty and Sexuality

Sexuality is illusive. There are many women who look sexy, but do not understand sexuality. There are other women who may not look beautiful, may be heavy, or may be 'plain' but they exude sexuality.

A truly sexy woman does not need to flaunt it. They do not need to dress sexy. It is something that just emanates from them. The first step is not to become a size 3, but to teach yourself to enjoy sex.

Sex is not a sin. It is not evil. It is not something that 'good women' don't like. And, it isn't anti God. In fact, God made sex. The myth that women shouldn't like sex is not only wrong, but it is unhealthy. It has been proven that a good sex life can keep you healthy.

It also keeps a relationship strong. It lets two people enjoy each other's company, share intimacy, build trust, and share something they don't share with the rest of the world. It also gives them an emotional outlet to express themselves in ways they wouldn't be able to outside of the bedroom.


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In Celebration of Older Women
Pro Aging
Living With Food Related Diseases

Cancer fighting Tomatoes

Our family has increased the amount of tomatoes we eat after first learning that they have the ability to fight cancer, especially prostate cancer in men. We eat a lot of tomato paste. This is a little difficult now that my husband is diabetec, because there is a lot of salt and starch in the paste.



Attack of the Cancer Fighting Tomatoes


Copyright © 2005 Michael Brooks
That’s right, the colorful little fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) has been shown to pack a powerful punch against several forms of cancer. A variety of studies indicate that a diet rich in tomato based products (tomato paste, sauce, juice, soup and ketchup) can significantly reduce the risk of prostate, lung and colon cancer. Not bad for a fruit that was considered by many to be poisonous and inedible until the 19th century.

What is the Active Ingredient?

The active ingredient that makes tomatoes such a formidable opponent against cancer cells is the carotenoid called Lycopene. Lycopene is the natural red pigment found in tomatoes and tomato based products. The redder the tomato, the more lycopene is present.

How does Lycopene Fight Cancer?

In the body, lycopene is deposited in the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon and skin. Its concentration in body tissues tends to be higher than all other carotenoids. Some organs, such as the testes and adrenal glands, store higher levels of lycopene than do other organs or tissues. Lycopene acts as a super antioxidant by picking up free radicals in the body. Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals can start a chain reaction. Their primary danger comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if this occurs.

Is there any Research on the Cancer fighting power of Lycopene?

Although more large-scale studies are needed before any definitive conclusions can be made, current research does suggest that lycopene from various tomato products is indeed associated with the lowered risk of several types of cancers. Several published reports are listed below.

Gann et al. 1999 - Cancer Research
The study examined initial plasma caroteniods (including lycopene) of 1872 men in 1982, and then followed them for 13 years. These men were randomly assigned to a placebo group or a group to receive beta-carotene and aspirin supplementation. Of the men studied, 578 developed prostate cancer versus 1294 control subjects. Lycopene was the only antioxidant with a significantly lower average blood level in those men with cancer as compared to those without cancer. In those men not receiving the aspirin and beta carotene, plasma lycopene levels were very strongly related to a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. This study concluded that increased consumption of tomato products and other lycopene-containing foods may reduce the onset of prostate cancer.

Giovannucci 1999 - Journal of the National Cancer Institute
This journal is a review of research studies available regarding cancer risk (not just prostate cancer) and intake of tomato based foods as well as blood lycopene levels. After identifying 72 studies that fit these criteria, it was found that an inverse relationship between tomato intake or blood lycopene levels and cancer risk was reported in 57 of them. Of these 57, it was found that 35 of these inverse relationships were statistically significant. It was also found that cancer protection from lycopene was strongest for prostate, colon and stomach cancers, but also appeared to have some benefit in the treatment of other cancers.

Rao et al. 1999 - Nutrition and Cancer
This study examined plasma and prostate lycopene levels in cancer patients and a control group free of cancer. Though only 12 patients were in each group, significantly lower serum and prostate lycopene levels were found in those with cancer. Levels of other carotenoid substances did not vary between the groups.

Additional Benefits

In addition to fighting cancer, the lycopene found in tomatoes has been associated with better mental activity in old age and a reduced risk of heart disease. A University of Maryland study found that tomatoes might protect the eyes by hampering macular degeneration, a cause of vision loss in older adults.

How do I get Lycopene into my body?

The best source of lycopene intake is through eating tomato-based products. This is more effective than supplementation. You will get the most lycopene through concentrates and processed products such as tomato paste, sauce, soup and canned tomatoes. Heating helps to release lycopene and adding a little light olive oil will increase absorption. Start packing your diet with more tomato based recipes and begin enjoying the cancer fighting power of the mighty tomato.

Mike Brooks has been a life long follower and proponent of the fitness lifestyle. Through his avid research, Mr. Brooks has come to the realization that being healthy is a choice and encompasses not only proper diet but also a fitness regimen that includes the mind, body and soul. Mike Brooks is the publisher and editor-in-chief for the health information site http://www.ultimatehealthreport.com/.




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In Celebration of Older Women
Pro Aging
Living With Food Related Diseases

Over 40 and Dating

I was 35 when I found myself divorced. One day I was married, the next my EX informed me that he didn't want to be married, or a father, anymore. He walked away from his responsibility. That left me a single mother in a world where men thought I was nothing more than an easy mark.

This was hard on my self esteme, my bank book, and my children - not in that order.



Women wanting a relationship

At least 50% of the women over 40 whom I coach say at some point, rather defensively, “I want to do this coaching work with you but I don’t really know whether I want to be in a relationship”. They are defensive because they think that everyone is expected to want to be with a partner. That is how the world appears, especially when we are single. Interestingly this is not the whole of the story. When I dig a little deeper what usually comes up is that for many women their worst fear is that they don’t want to lose their independence.

You have all worked hard to gain your independent place, especially those in their 40s, 50s & 60s. This of course is not only in relationships but also in the world of work. For many women when they have got used to being single they are, on many levels, very happy with their lives. “I like being able to do what I want to do, when I want to do it, without having to ask anyone else’s permission.” said Emily a divorced women in her 50s. “I spent so many years being at the beck and call not only of my husband but also my children, they are grown up and it is now time for me”. We can all sympathise with her.

Women want independence & relationships

In fact, many women come to me to find out is whether they can find the kind of relationship that they want whilst still retaining their independence. Like everything in life it is about balance. Relationship coaching does not mean that we don’t look at the whole picture of your life. No relationship will work if you are not in balance with yourself. Now you may have got very used to ‘doing your own thing’ but there remains a niggling doubt. That little voice is saying “Why can’t I have all this and have a relationship too”. Well the answer is that it is possible and I help women achieve that. It is especially important that you first become clear about what you want to retain about your independence and what you are looking for in a relationship.

What must be in place for a relationship to work?

What you must become clear about is what elements of your independent life you want to retain. Think about what are the ‘must haves’. These may be things like time, certain kinds of space and a certain amount of time to spend with friends and family. You get the idea. Once you are completely clear what these are you start to have a blueprint for the life you want to have with someone else. Equally make a list of what it is that you want from the relationship. Remember these days there are all kinds of relationship arrangements - they are not all live-in married partnerships.

How to keep your relationship boundaries intact

What is most important is that you are conscious about your boundaries in a relationship. Getting the balance right can be difficult, but if you have articulated for yourself your own ‘must haves’ you will be in a much stronger place. This might sound very contrived but think about it. When you go out to buy some new piece of kitchen equipment you will have spent some time thinking about what functions you want it to have. There are100s of different kinds of washing machine out there but if you have your ‘must haves’ clearly listed then it is going to make the process much easier.

I know this sounds like finding a relationship is like going shopping. Well it is in a way, and don’t we all love shoppinng? Remember this is about you being The Chooser, that is one of the ways that you retain your independence and don’t get swept away in the moment.

If you would like more information packed articles or course information email Trisha@thesinglescoach.co.uk or visit http://www.thesinglescoach.co.uk/.


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Living With Food Related Diseases

Stay Beautiful - Lower Bloodpressure - with TAI CHI

I do not push TAI CHI for everyone. Some people need the 'burn' of aerobics and weight training to keep them motivated. But, TAI CHI has benefits that are not found in other health maintenance campaigns. The exercise is safe for people at all levels of fitness, at all stages of life, and in all age groups.

It is fairly easy to learn, and you cannot hurt yourself if you do it wrong. Consult your doctor if you are worried, or if you already have health problems. There is very little to learn. I learned enough to stay fit in less than two hours.


High Blood Pressure and Tai Chi Therapy

Way back in 2003, the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine’s Oct. 9th issue reported a study finding that Tai Chi “could decrease blood pressure and results in favorable lipid profile changes and improve subjects' anxiety status. Therefore, Tai Chi could be used as an alternative modality in treating patients with mild hypertension, with a promising economic effect.” This study laid out a way to save our society, perhaps billions of dollars annually, and possibly save some patients with mild chronic hypertension the potential negative side effects of chronic lifelong medication. However, this largely hasn’t occurred.

I caught a glimpse why when I was staying in the beautiful mountain town of Otavala, Ecuador, with a woman known for her knowledge of traditional Indian medicines. A tour of young American medical students stopped here to listen and learn from the Indian woman’s tour of her herbal gardens. As I followed them, I asked a group of young bright medical students if they were aware that Tai Chi was found to reduce high blood pressure. One lovely young woman replied, “Oh, yes, I’ve heard that, but I would never prescribe it.”

I asked why, and she responded that she couldn’t because she didn’t know if it would work. Although Tai Chi studies do show that Tai Chi indeed helps lower high blood pressure, it is true that it does not reduce it in every person. However, it is also true that every drug prescription does not work on every person either. I suggested to the young medical student that she consider that many times I’ve been to the doctor, and he’s pulled out a prescription pad and explained, “Let’s give this a try, and see how it works for you, and if it doesn’t do the job, we’ll try something else.” Most of us are familiar with this, and by the confused look on the student’s face, I’m assuming her memory banks were bringing up similar images.

So, why are our medical universities giving students the impression that they should not be prescribing Tai Chi, since we know it can help lower high blood pressure for many, who if it is successful with them, can enjoy a lifetime free of chronic and costly medications? And not only do that, but offer a plethora of GOOD SIDE EFFECTS including a stronger immune system and healthier respiratory system. This is a deep and important question we need to be asking as patients and consumers, and health professionals must begin asking this question regularly in order to fulfill the duties of their Hippocratic oath. For, today we have even a much better understanding of Tai Chi’s potential than we did a few years ago, so ignorance or inconclusive data is not an acceptable explanation from our medical universities that train our future doctors, without teaching them about Tai Chi research, and what it portends for their future patients.

Today, we are clearer on exactly why Tai Chi is such a powerful therapy for high blood pressure sufferers. In a March 17, 2005, article by the Mayo Clinic staff posted at mayoclinic.com they lay out what a “stress response” is, and the effects it has on the body. This is at the core of high blood pressure problems and the physical changes chronic stress responses illicite that creates or aggravates hypertensive conditions.

In their article, they explain that a stress response, or “fight or flight” reaction involves our pituitary gland releasing adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which sets a domino effect signaling other glands to produce additional hormones, such as adrenal glands which flood the blood stream with stress hormones, such as “cortisol” and “adrenaline.”

When ordinary life’s daily frustrations trigger this effect over and over again, the results can be damaging to the mind and body. Many of us experience this domino effect of triggers and hormones daily, which is why about 1/3 of Americans, or over 90 million Americans, suffer from high blood pressure.

Cutting edge scientists like Dr. Herbert Benson, President of the Mind/Body Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, are discovering a stunning reality through their research. In a wonderful article by Jeanie Lerche Davis at WebMD Medical News entitled The Mysterious 'Medication' of Meditation (http://my.webmd.com/content/article/25/1728_
57992.htm), she writes of how such researchers are discovering that “meditation can indeed be medication – creating long lasting physiciolgical effects that reduce high blood pressure and even help unclog arteries to reverse heart disease.”

Dr. Benson, who is also associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, sought to prove how this effect could be shown objectively, and had five long-time meditation practitioners take MRI brain scans while meditating. Dr. Benson informed WebMD in the aforementioned article by Davis, "There was a striking quietude across the entire brain which was documented through MRI . . . The areas of the brain that became active from that quietude were those that control metabolism, heart rate, etc., . . . We knew meditation caused a relaxation response, but we couldn't prove it. We knew that if you thought in a certain way, with repetition, that physiologic changes would occur in the body. Here now is proof that mind, in the form of repetition, is affecting the brain, which affects the body . . . "

Stroke Magazine reported on a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, conducted by Dr. Amparo Castillo-Richmond, from the Maharishi University, more specifically on high blood pressure afflicting black people. The meditating group saw a reduction in the thickness of one of the arteries that supplied blood to the brain. Which indicates that blood flow is increasing. The group only using diet and exercise saw their artery walls getting thicker, which indicated that less blood was flowing through to the brain. This finding led Dr. Castillo-Richmond to make the profoundly exciting assertion, "It's possible to reverse heart disease through meditation."
In fact, not only hypertension, but up to 90% of other illnesses sending us to the doctor are being caused by stress, according to Dr. Herbert Benson. Which makes Dr. Benson’s and Dr. Castillo-Richmond’s findings that meditative techniques can so dramatically alter our stress producing “fight or flight” response in healthy ways even more wonderful.

Dr. Benson explains, that the relaxation response triggered by repetitive forms [like tai chi, yoga, etc.] can result in decreased metabolism, heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and also slower brain waves.” Benson asserts that it is the repetitive nature of acts like praying the rosary, yoga, or tai chi’s physical repetitive muscular actions that provides the profound hope for reducing anxiety, mild and moderate depression, anger and hostility, hypertension, cardiac irregularities, and all forms of pain, which are made worse by stress.

This concept of Tai Chi being an effective tool for reducing or even avoiding incidence of high blood pressure or other illnesses all together, is echoed elsewhere. Mayoclinic.com also recommends Tai Chi for relaxation training in an article entitled, “Relax: Techniques to help you achieve tranquility” which also explains why relaxation is important and what you might experience by practicing tools that will help you relax.

They detail how you can improve body responses to stress, such as: Slowing your heart rate; Reducing blood pressure; Slowing your breathing rate; Reducing the need for oxygen; Increasing blood flow to the major muscles; Lessening muscle tension.

They go on to explain that practicing relaxation techniques may help you experience: Fewer symptoms of illness, such as headaches, nausea, diarrhea and pain; Few emotional responses such as anger, crying, anxiety, apprehension and frustration; More energy; Improved concentration; Greater ability to handle problems; More efficiency in daily activities.
So, time and time again as we begin to examine one particular benefit of Tai Chi, such as lowering high blood pressure, we see a whole universe of potential opening up before us.

An article from Archives of Internal Medicine, as reported on NBC’s local WCAU Health (http://wcau-tvhealth.ip2m.com/index.cfm?pt=itemDetail&Item_ID=112735&Site_Cat_ID=77) explained a Tai Chi research program at Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston revealed a great deal. The article authors wrote, "Overall, these studies reported that long-term Tai Chi practice had favorable effects on the promotion of balance control, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness and reduced the risk of falls in elders . . . Cardiovascular and respiratory function improvements were noted in healthy people and those who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery as well as people with heart failure, hypertension, acute myocardial infarction, arthritis and multiple sclerosis . . . Benefit was also found for balance, strength, and flexibility in older subjects; falls in frail elderly subjects; and pain, stress and anxiety in healthy subjects.” They add the actual ways that Tai Chi provides these benefits are not well known.

The fact is that less than .5% of the National Institute of Health’s budget goes to research alternative therapies, leaving yoga, meditation, tai chi, massage, herbal therapy, aroma therapy, and the entire massive field of alternative health systems to struggle over .5%, or a little over $100 million of the $28 billion (approx.) annual budget. Given the above studies, it boggles the mind that such a small portion of the health research dollars are going to Tai Chi.

To recap, about 1/3 of the American population suffers high blood pressure. Tai Chi is proven to be a beneficial therapy that not only has no bad side effects, but dramatically improves immune function, respiratory function, lowers the incidence of anxiety and depression, and profoundly improves the balance of practitioners. Tai Chi does more, but for our purposes here these profound realities are enough to show exactly why it is truly unbelievable that Tai Chi is getting so little scrutiny in medical research dollars, when it can save so many from chronic suffering and perhaps some from a lifetime of chronic costly medications.

It is time we all began to ask the question that all good consumers should ask, “What is the best way/product for my health?” If Tai Chi is that product, the next question is, “Why isn’t every physician offering it as an option to their patients with hypertension, as a prescription?” “Why aren’t all insurance policies covering such prescriptions for Tai Chi?” Ask and ye shall receive. We must become informed and demanding health consumers, in order to get the best health options available.

This article does not advocate self-treatment, and encourages all to make health choices in conjunction with their physician. However, if your physician is close-minded to anything but a certain group of health options, even when research indicates your choices may be wider, than it is time to have a good talk with your physician about possibly widening your options.

Bill Douglas is the Tai Chi Expert at DrWeil.com, Founder of World T'ai Chi & Qigong Day (held in 50 nations each year), and has authored and co-authored several books including a #1 best selling Tai Chi book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to T’ai Chi & Qigong.” Bill’s been a Tai Chi source for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc. You can learn more about Tai Chi & Qigong, and also contact Bill Douglas at http://www.worldtaichiday.org





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In Celebration of Older Women
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Living With Food Related Diseases

Eliminating Flabby Arms

I had flabby arms. I looked in the mirror one day and thought, 'Those are my mother's arms.' I was a little shocked because it is the only part on my body that really looks old. What amazed me was how easy it is to get rid of flabby arms - without liposuction.

I started by placing 2 soup cans on my desk. Every day I lifted them above my shoulders a few times. I did this for a few weeks before I realized that I was helping my heart to...win-win.


How To Get Rid Of Flabby Arms

Hats off to a very brave women who stepped up and finally wanted to get rid of the flabby arms and the sooner the better. Luckily for her, this problem is quite common and the solution is quite simple and two-fold. Working to get rid of flabby arms comes with overall fitness but there's some specific exercises you can to in addition to reducing body fat that will bring those arms into super shape once again.

On just another normal day, I received an email with a cry for help.

"I would like to know how to build up the muscle around the humerous bones of the upper arms. I would like to know how to build up the muscle around the humerous bones of the upper arms. I want to get rid of flabby upper arms!"

For starters...

The muscle that is most problematic for flabby arms is called: The Tricep

Most women think of these things when it comes to that area:

* flabby arms * exercise for flabby arms * tone flabby arms * how to get rid of flabby arms * flabby arm help * flabby upper arms * etc

There are really two key concepts to that particular predicament. Keep in mind that this is such a common question so you are certainly not alone in this. But just keep reading because the answer is pretty simple and may surprise you!

First, get the idea out of your head that there's any such thing as 'spot reduction.' Meaning, if you do certain exercises for that area, the fat will magically disappear just from there and your arms will suddenly be taunt and tone again. Let me give you a real quick lesson on fat. Don't worry this is going to be easy.

Your body stores fat. It stores it in general areas that are common to you as a female. Most men store the most fat in their stomachs. Women tend to store it in their thighs, hips and buttocks. But with anything, you can and will store fat wherever. So the first thing you want to do is...

Reduce the body fat period!

Once you start to reduce fat, you'll see it disappear. Don't bother with creams and rubs and all the other gimmicks out there. You cannot spot reduce. Your body stores fat and the only way to reduce fat in any particular area that is bothering you is to reduce fat period from your body as a whole.

For all these reasons,...

Your first mission, should you choose to accept it, is to reduce the body fat.

Second, in order for that area of your arm to become tone, you'll want to build muscle in the back of the arm. That is called the Tricep and there's several good exercise you can do to build up that area.

But first, let me give you a list of some of the best exercises for flabby arms that will focus on the tricep and help you develop the area and make it stronger. This isn't all inclusive but it's some of the more common and better exercises you can do for the back of the arms.

* Weighted dips * Close grip bench press * Close grip push ups * Lying barbell French press * Overhead cable extensions * Cable press downs * Reverse cable press downs

Frankly...

Many people are caught up in the idea that in order for them to get rid of a problematic area they need to just work it out and do some exercises to target that area.

But that's only half of the solution as you've read.

By working out the area AND reducing body fat, you will progress at twice the speed and make twice the visual differences.

Let's suppose you only worked out the back of the arms. The muscle would be stronger and firmer no doubts, but it might not show IF your level of body fat is such that the muscle is still covered up.

As you see, by doing both, you will tone up (build) the tricep and make it more visible when the layer of fat that covers it up is reduced.

Men and women who want to reduce the 'flabby' anything simply have to realize that it's a combination of body fat in that area, maybe loose skin and a muscle that generally needs to be developed in order to be taunt.

But I'm getting way ahead of myself!

This is a two fold mission.

1- Reduce body fat

2- Do specific exercises to build muscle in the back of the arm so that once the fat is gone, you'll have a tricep and it will appear tight and tone

In a nutshell what this will do for you is make the back of your arms less flabby as the fat is lost from your body and the new muscle will bring added tone and tightness to the back of your arm.

Marc David is a bodybuilder and author of the, Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding. You can get info on Marc's e-book at: http://www.justaskmarc.com/




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Living With Food Related Diseases

TAI CHI for Health

TAI CHI is easy for anyone to start learning, no matter how out of shape or overweight you are. It is easier than yoga, and can be done in your home. I learned my first lessons in TAI CHI from tapes borrowed from the library. There is no need to push to keep up with the class, and no pressure to preform to certain standards.

In fact, TAI CHI is something that can be done by beginners without being obvious newbies - like in an aerobics class. There is no strain on the knees or other joints. There is no pain. This is not a 'no pain no gain sport.' In fact, I've lost weight and built muscle after a heart operation while 'taking it easy.'


Bone Loss, Osteoporosis, Depression, Menopause & TAI CHI



Emerging medical research indicates that an ancient health therapy may be the prescription for the future. Increasingly the menopausal problems of hormonal imbalance, often resulting in bone loss, are also affected by depression and stress. Change is stressful for all of us, even good changes, like changes of life. Maturity is a good thing, yet the stress of major life changes can result in stress and depression, which according to emerging research may further aggravate the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause. Is there any escape from this catch-22? Yes, although this may seem overwhelming in its scope, there may be great news. An ancient Chinese natural health therapy, known as Tai Chi, may help alleviate many of the aggravating symptoms of menopause in profoundly healthful ways.

Of course only your physician can help you decide what is right for your personal therapy as you enter the menopausal transition. However, you may find that you need to educate your physician regarding the benefits Tai Chi may offer you at this important time in your life. Or, perhaps if you ask around you may find a physician who has already educated himself or herself about the benefits Tai Chi may offer all women, but definitely has much to offer women entering menopause.

Emerging research indicates that Tai Chi can help reduce the incidence of depression, anxiety, and mood disturbance in regular practitioners. In a Prevention Magazine report entitled, “Tai Chi May Relieve Anxiety and Depression,” Donal P. O'Mathuna, Ph.D., a lecturer in Health Care Ethics at the School of Nursing in Dublin City University, Ireland says that, “. . . . evidence there is suggests that the benefits of tai chi extend beyond those of simply exercising. The combination of exercise, meditation, and breathing all may help relieve anxiety and depression. . .” In its article entitled, “Tai chi,” the Mayo Clinic staff at MayoClinic.com stated that preliminary research shows that practicing Tai Chi regularly may not only reduce anxiety and depression, but also increase bone mineral density after menopause. This was echoed by a report in http://www.intelihealth.com by Natural Standard and the Faculty of Harvard Medical School.

This is a very important finding, and begins to make even more sense, when you consider the National Institutes of Mental Health reports that the stress hormones found in depressed women caused bone loss that gave them bones of women nearly twice their age. Exactly why Tai Chi offers such benefit may be explained by a study from Australia’s La Trobe University that found that Tai Chi reduced levels of stress hormones more effectively than some other forms of activity. (Details at: www.seniornet.org/php/default.php?PageID=6055).

But, no matter how you slice it, research is indicating that Tai Chi may be a “very” effective multi-level beneficial therapy for women. A Chinese study reported in the December 2004 “Physician and Sportsmedicine” found that tai chi could retard bone loss among postmenopausal women significantly. Bone mineral density was measured before and after the study period. Both groups experienced general bone loss, but the rate of bone loss for the Tai Chi group was less than in the control group. In fact, the Tai Chi practicing group of women slowed bone loss by 2.6 to 3.6 times more. The study reported, “Bone loss was 2.6 to 3.6 times slower (p<.01) in the distal tibia in the [Tai Chi] exercise group compared with bone loss in the control group.” Back in 1999, before these studies began showing that Tai Chi may actually improve bone density, or at the least dramatically slow bone loss, the “Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery’s” 1999; 7:19-31, reported that “…Coupled with drug therapy should be a comprehensive approach to exercise and fall prevention. Stretching, strengthening, impact, and balance exercises are effective.

Of the balance exercises, tai chi chuan has proved to be the most successful in decreasing falls..” This was because falling injuries are a grave health risk for all aging Americans, but given the dangers of osteoporosis for women, an especially important concern. In fact the sixty leading cause of death for aging Americans is complication from falling injuries. However, research has shown time and time again in major medical studies, such as John’s Hopkins, that Tai Chi can reduce the incidence of falling injuries by 50% in those who practice Tai Chi. So, even before emerging research began to show that Tai Chi may contribute to stronger bones in menopausal women perhaps by reducing stress hormone levels and providing a gentle weight bearing exercise, it was know that Tai Chi was a powerful therapy to reduce falling injury.

Now, there may be even more benefit ancient Chinese health therapies can offer to relieve the discomfort of life changes. Tai Chi is known as a general therapeutic form of “Qigong” (pronounced chee gung) exercise. Qigong means “energy exercise” or “breathing exercise” in Chinese. This indicates that Qigong combines gentle motion, or physical stimulation, with breathing techniques, and visualization/relaxation techniques to achieve substantial health benefits. There are over 7,000 Qigong therapies in the Chinese Medica (the Traditional Chinese Book of Medicine). Tai Chi, again, is a highly sophisticated general health Qigong practice, therefore this Qigong research may be relevant to the Tai Chi’s applications for those in menopause.

An interesting study at healthy.net, revealed that sex hormone levels may be balanced by the practice of Qigong exercises (http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?id=382). The report stated, “…female sex hormone (estrogen) levels tend to increase in men and decrease in women. Three studies indicate that qigong exercise can reverse this trend. The effect of qigong exercise on plasma sex hormone levels was determined for hypertensive men and women. The sex hormones levels were measured before and after qigong practice for one year…” Results showed that high estrodiol levels in men lowered to near normal, and low estrodial levels in women raised to near normal after qigong practice. Medline Plus, a service of the National Instututes of Health’s March 3, 2004 update discussed the problems with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which had been the main treatment for menopausal symptoms. But in the update, Medline Plus, explains, “…the results of a major study -- called the Women's Health Initiative -- has led physicians to revise their recommendations.

In fact, this important study was stopped early because the health risks outweighed the health benefits. Women taking the hormones did see some benefits. But they greatly increased their risk for breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.” The Medline article goes on to offer non-drug alternatives to reduce menopausal symptoms that included “yoga, tai chi, or meditation.” (See entire article at: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000894.htm) In a great article at webmd.com, Dr. Herbert Benson, head of hypertension studies at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital and author of “The Relaxation Response,” goes further to suggest that Tai Chi’s moving meditation is “…vitally important in PMS, infertility, hot flashes, insomnia,…" (Read the entire article at: my.webmd.com/content/article/25/1728_57992.htm).

Dr. Benson’s comments illustrate the vast multi-dimensional possibilities that Tai Chi offers everyone’s health on so many levels. The purpose of this article is not to prescribe treatments for you, but to help you expand your dialogue with your health professional to explore more possibilities for your health. However, the purpose here is also to encourage physicians to begin demanding more focused medical research on what Tai Chi may offer their patients on many levels. Currently all alternative therapies research is only about one half of only one-percent of the National Institutes of Health’s budget, meaning that Tai Chi research is only a tiny fraction of that tiny fraction.

Given the emerging possibilities of benefit Tai Chi is showing already with such limited research, this is inexcusable. Massive resources should be used to fully explore what Tai Chi offers, so that all hospitals can not only offer classes, but prescribe them. Tai Chi should be covered by medical insurance and national health insurance programs. The future is ours, by beginning to demand of our health system a natural and cost effective approach to our health and well-being. Share this article widely with everyone you know, but especially your health professionals, and your local media’s health reporters.

Bill Douglas is the Tai Chi Expert at DrWeil.com, Founder of World T'ai Chi & Qigong Day (held in 50 nations each year), and has authored and co-authored several books including a #1 best selling Tai Chi book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to T’ai Chi & Qigong.” Bill’s been a Tai Chi source for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc. You can learn more about Tai Chi & Qigong, and also contact Bill Douglas at http://www.worldtaichiday.org/



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I Weigh Less - But Eat More

This was me for years. I ballooned to 220lb while on diets. I didn't start to lose weight until I started to eat smaller meals, more often. In six months I dropped under 200lb, without exercise. But, it wasn't the number - it was the way I looked.

My body tightened. I dropped several pant sizes. My legs are firmer. I've also noticed that I am sleeping better. But, the more I lose, the more I want to do - so I will start exercising soon. Before I do I will take measurements of myself, because I know that muscle weighs more than fat.

I use to be very athletic, and looked as good at 160lb, as many women look at 130lb.


Why Eating More Often Will Help You Lose Weight


People will often look at me in disbelief when I tell them they are not eating often enough. The logical mind wants to think, "If I skip meals ... I am bound to lose weight." WRONG!!!!! There has been a ton of research that has proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the body gears down and hangs on when put under this type of stress.

I call it "starvation mode." When your body isn't receiving nutrients every few hours, your metabolism drops into low, low gear; basically, the rate it maintains while you are asleep. In that state, your body is ultra-conservative. It uses energy very efficiently, and if any nutrients come in, they are immediately stored for fear that it won't be getting any more for another long period of time. Hence, you will not lose weight and, in fact, may even gain.

On the other hand, if you were to begin eating 5-6 small meals every day, in a week or two your body will be convinced that "more nutrients are always coming ... on a regular basis", and you will begin to drop weight almost effortlessly. Hard to believe but its true.

Now, an important key is to eat the right small meals every 2-3 hours. You can't be eating fast food or double fudge brownies and expect the weight to fall off. Of course you need to eat a balanced healthy diet consisting of 7-8 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2-4 servings of grains, 1-3 servings of good fats, 2-3 servings of dairy and 2-3 servings of lean protein. The actual reality is that you will be eating more food then you have probably ever eaten but, because it is the nutrient-packed food that your body needs, you will lose weight with relative ease.

So, let's go through a typical day's food plan.

7 a.m. - 8 oz glass of purified water, 1-2 eggs, 1 slice hardy multigrain bread, 1-2 teaspoons all fruit, 2 slices turkey bacon, 1 cup decaf or green tea.

Midmorning snack - 8 oz water, a small apple or 15 raw almonds.

Noon - Ideally, this is your largest meal of the day with 4-6 oz lean protein, 2-3 servings of veggies, 1/2 sweet potato or 1/2-cup brown rice and more water.

Afternoon snack - Warm or cold herbal tea, 5-7 Triscuits with a thin coating of peanut butter.
Dinner - Very large mixed green salad with all the fixings, put 2-3 oz. of lean meat on it and use balsamic vinegar and olive oil as dressing, more water.

Evening - Finally, if you so choose, an evening snack of a small container of no-fat yogurt or 5-7 strawberries cut up and mixed with 1/3 cup of no-fat cottage cheese and, of course, more water.

This may seem challenging at first, but over the course of a week or two, as you settle into this food regimen, you will notice that your energy level will markedly increase, you will not have sugar or non-healthy carb carvings and you will sleep much more soundly. Give it a try, and mark my words ... you are going to feel wonderful and lose weight to boot. Click on Fitness Tips for more information.


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Dieting and Beauty

Is a size 2 really beautiful? Do you honestly think you will be more beautiful if you drop two sizes? Well - the answer is relative. You will be beautiful if being a size 7 makes you feel beautiful. But, you will not be more beautiful if you are a size 2, but don't 'feel' beautiful.

First you must define what beautiful is. Does making a stranger turn around and look at you make you feel beautiful? It doesn't make everyone feel beautiful. In fact, if you are one of those women who have never experienced this, then I have a few truths to tell you.

Women who grew up with the right 'look,' the one that made men stop and look, do not feel beautiful by that attention. Men like that are predators. They do not care about the woman beyond the size of her chest. If you actually spent time with that man, you would end up hurt - probably both physically and emotionally. So, instead of envying the woman who turns heads, that God you are not like her.




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You Can Avoid Osteoporosis

My mother has one treatment a month. It is painful, and she is 'down' for three days after. In fact, it can take her a week to recover. She never took the warnings seriously. I can remember several times when she started to exercise, but then was 'too busy.' Now, it is too late. She must suffer this monthly procedure for the rest of her life - she is not 70 yet - and her father lived to 93.

Ignoring the facts and the warning signs is 'not' the way to deal with this debilitating and painful chronic disease.


Osteoporosis And The Facts


Osteoporosis is called the silent thief because you do not experience any symptoms, the first time you know about it is when a bone snaps unexpectedly. Osteoporosis means "porous bones" and it is a condition where the skeleton becomes very fragile and the bones break easily. Simple things can cause a bone to break, such as stepping off a curb, sneezing, being hugged or even bending down to pick something up. Breakages are mainly in the hips, spine and wrist and effects mainly women but men can have it as well.

Nowadays you can be tested to see what your bone mass is like and because of more knowledge you can delay the onset of osteoporosis with diet and exercise earlier in your life.

You might think that the skeleton does nothing else but holds you up but it is every bit as dynamic as other tissues, bone responds to the pull of muscles and gravity, repairs itself, and constantly renews itself. The skeleton also protects the internal organs, as well as allowing you to move about.

After the age of 30, the bone starts to breakdown and outpaces formation. The volume of the bone remains the same, but it's density declines.

Calcium intake is important to build bone but you also need vitamin D to help the body absorb the calcium. Vitamin D is produced by the skin in sunlight or can be found in many foods, such as in milk products and many breakfast cereals. It has also been found that Magnesium and Vitamin K can also assist in the reduction of bone loss. Vitamin K can be found in greens, whereas Magnesium is found in small quantities in a variety of foods, so eating a varied, healthy diet should provide what you require.

A lifelong habit of weight-bearing exercise, such as walking or biking, will also help build and maintain strong bones. The greatest benefit as you grow older is that physical fitness reduces the risk of fracture, because it gives you better balance, muscle strength, and agility, making falls less likely. Exercise also provides many other life-enhancing psychological and cardiovascular benefits.

You don't have to do too much, to get the most benefit from exercise. It is suggested that 30 minutes brisk walking five days a week is all you need. Add in a little weightlifting, and that's even better. The reason behind this recommendation is that the flexing of bones during exercise is thought to prompt the body to lay down more calcium in the bones. It's always smart to ask your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you already have osteoporosis or other health problems.

It is important to ensure that when exercising the body has enough nutrients to build muscle otherwise minerals could be leeched from the bone making the bone more susceptible to osteoporosis. It is therefore important that you do not exercise on an empty stomach.

Osteoporosis is a problem that can affect anyone in their later years and you should do all that you can to keep your bones strong.

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Gill Webster is dedicated to helping women over 40, learn how to live a healthy beautiful life. To learn more, jump to www.feelinggreatafter40.com and sign up for her free newsletter on health and fitness. Signup is a simple sign and Gill guarantees a no-spam policy!




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Aging Does Not Cause Health Problems

Many people are surprised to learn that aging does not cause health problems. More and more reports are proving that it is our sedentary lifestyle - not our age - that causes most of our health problems.

In fact, many of today's 20something generation are suffering from 'old people's ailments, because they are sedentary....and many older people are fit and healthy because they've maintained a healthy and active lifestyle.



Inactivity, Not Aging Causes Most of our Health Problems

Copyright © 2005 Raymond Kelly
Just like the young, older people can gain many benefits from exercising. Life can be made a lot easier through improvements in strength, balance, coordination, and mobility. If the person has not exercised for a while, they must start slow. Even walking 10 minutes per day will give them great benefits.

Weight training is also a great option. Start them on a 20 minute program (3-4 exercises), and increase them from there as they adapt. Keep sets at 2-3, reps at 10-15, and the rest interval between sets at 90 seconds.

The facts:
· Improvements in fitness and oxygen consumption with training are similar for younger or older men and women. Though, an older person will generally start at a lower level and peak at a lower level than a younger person.
· Older subjects show greater gains in muscle oxidative enzyme activities.
· Aging appears neither to impair the ability to improve muscle strength nor prevent muscle growth.
· Exercise can help arthritic patients by increasing strength and mobility.
· Older people who exercise have:
· Higher VO2max values and half the expected decrease in VO2max due to age
· Higher HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol
· Enhanced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
· Greater strength, reaction time, and a lower risk of falling
· Increased bone density (reduced chance of osteoporosis)

Guidelines:

· Always get a medical examination and clearance before starting an exercise program.
· All equipment should be safe and inspected regularly for defects.
· Training equipment should be located in an uncrowded area.
· There must be adequate supervision by an experienced and registered trainer to ensure correct technique is used.
· Programs should start with regular stretching and strengthening exercises, with a progression to more dynamic aerobic activities. Cycling and swimming are recommended over jogging.
· Older people are generally less tolerant of environmental stress so restrict training in extreme temperatures.
· Until they are experienced in weight training, only use exercises that require them to keep both feet on the ground (e.g. Squats instead of Lunges). This will reduce their risk of falling and injuring themselves.
· Ensure all abdominal work is done on the floor and not on the Swiss Ball.
· Only light lifting should be done above the head.
· No isometric exercises.

Ray has worked extensively in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years. He has a degree in Exercise Science and is a Level 2 Strength and Conditioning coach. His latest web site can be found at http://www.free-online-health.com



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