Research is Key When Buying a Treadmill Check Out the Best Treadmill Ratings and Reviews Online!

A home treadmill offers many advantages ? just imagine, no more waiting in line at the gym or worrying about what other people think of your clothes! But choosing from the extensive range of treadmills can be a daunting task, so it pays to do your homework. A treadmill is a long term investment in your health, not just a fad until you forget your new years resolutions and good intentions!

It you are serious about making a positive change in your life, buying a treadmill can be a major step in the right direction to help you achieve your goals. First of all, define your aims and expectations, and consider the fitness needs of all the users in your household. Then calculate your budget ? there?s no point buying a fancy piece of equipment that you can?t afford. Get online and compare treadmill reviews and ratings of models in your price range.

There are several things to bear in mind when finding the best treadmill for you. It?s always advisable to choose a reputable company with a proven track record in the fitness industry. Look out for those that supply commercial treadmills to gyms, as their products are likely to be high quality. A specialized fitness equipment store should have knowledgeable staff that can offer useful advice, as well as offering a good standard of customer service. Remember to ask what the warranty covers. Most home treadmills have lifetime warranties on the frame. Find out what parts are covered, especially the motor, deck, belt and electronic components. As a guide, you should be looking for a minimum of 1 ?3 years warranty.

Check to see if there is sufficient evidence of research to back up the manufacturers grand advertising claims. For example, shock absorption is a key factor when choosing a treadmill, so look at the science behind the cushioning system offered by manufacturers. Safety features are essential, such as built in heart rate monitoring and warm up/cool down periods. Comfort is important too ? look for well designed handrails or grips. Ideally a home treadmill should be low maintenance. A bigger motor isn?t necessarily better ? a 2.0 continuous duty HP motor should be sufficient for most users, with an efficient cooling system to prolong the life of components. A reversible deck can be a good choice, as this can effectively double the lifespan of the machine.

Electronic features can be overwhelming, so make a note of what is important to you personally. What will motivate you to stick at it? Personalized user IDs can be really useful, as they can store records of previous workouts. A fitness test facility can be handy to measure progress and set targets. Pre-set programming can help prevent boredom by introducing some variation into your daily workout. In general, a console that is easy to read and is simple to operate with just a few buttons, preferably with a ?quick start? feature is a good choice.

A home treadmill offers a convenient, safe and reliable way to increase your fitness levels and keep you looking and feeling great! Doing your research to find the best treadmill can have fantastic results!

Caroline Smith is a successful freelance writer and regular contributor to http://www.treadmill-reviews-ratings.com your one stop source for finding the best, impartial treadmill ratings and treadmill reviews. Kickstart your fitness goals with the best selection of home treadmills at discount prices.

Recognize Breast Cancer Symptoms

The figures concerning breast cancer are alarming. One woman in every nine will get breast cancer at some point in her life. There are more than 212,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the USA each year. In Canada the figure is about 20,500, Australia 13,000 and in UK the figure is over 41,000. It doesn?t matter if you are a mature women or a young girl in your teens. It is important for all females to know the symptoms of this dreaded disease.

Who is at risk?

Breast cancer is overwhelmingly a female disease, but rarely a few men are also affected. It becomes more common in women as age increases. Over 80% of the cases occur in women over the age of 50. Other risk factors include:

-taking an oral contraceptive pill
-having hormone replacement therapy
-obesity and/or high fat diets
-one or more relatives who have had breast cancer
-alcohol use

Early detection is very important

Currently, six out of every seven patients diagnosed with breast cancer are cured at an early stage. However, if they are diagnosed when the cancer has become advanced, the cure rate falls to about one in seven. It is extremely important to catch breast cancer at an early stage. Knowing the symptoms is crucial.

Common symptoms of breast cancer

Usually, early breast cancer does not cause pain. As a matter of fact, when breast cancer first develops, there may be no symptoms at all. As the cancer grows and spreads, it can cause changes that women should watch for.

Here are few symptoms one should be aware of:

-Itching in the armpit or around the breast region.
-Pink, red, or dark colored area (called erythematic) with texture similar to the skin of an orange (called peau d'orange).
-Ridges and thickened areas of the skin of nipple or breast.
-Appearance of a bruise that does not go away.
-Nipple getting inverted.
-Breast is warm to the touch.
-Pain in the breast (from a constant ache to stabbing pains).
-Change in texture as well as color of the aureole.
-Change in the shape or size of a breast.
-Dimpling of the breast skin.
-Swelling or a lump in the armpit.
-A discharge from the nipple.

On noticing any of these changes, a woman should see her doctor. However, there is no need to panic. Most often, it is not cancer. Many conditions can cause symptoms listed above. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.

Dennis Hardy is a senior writer for the Health-Articles-Online.com website. For more articles from this author, please visit http://www.Health-Articles-Online.com

Avian Flu Virus

About the Avian Flu Virus

The current Asian outbreak of avian flu, also known as bird flu, is associated with the influenza A strain H5N1 flu virus. Although not the same as the Spanish flu virus that claimed 20 million to 50 million lives worldwide in the 1918 outbreak, the current avian flu strain does share many characteristics with the 1918 strain. Both scientists and governments around the world are studying this threat very closely and some have warned of the potential for another pandemic outbreak. Initial studies have shown that Tamiflu may be effective in helping to fight the effects of this flu virus if the medication is taken very early after flu symptoms appear.

Oseltamivir, sold under the brand name Tamiflu, is one of several antiviral medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment and prevention of influenza. Flu shots are still the best way to prevent someone from developing the flu, but as of this writing no vaccine is available to protect humans from the avian H5N1 influenza virus. According to the CDC, development of a vaccine has begun.

Tamiflu, which is generically known as oseltamivir, is part of a family of flu fighting medicines called neuraminidase inhibitors. Tamilflu is used in the treatment of viral infections caused by the influenza A and influenza B viruses. This treatment has shown to be effective in fighting these viruses if treatment starts within two days of the onset of flu symptoms. Tamiflu works by blocking the advance of the viral infection and thus giving the body?s immune system a better chance for fighting the virus. Tamiflu can help you get back to being healthy fast

for more information visit http://www.consumersdiscountrx.com/thaparm/products/tamiflu

Manik Thapar

http://www.careerpath.cc

Autism Society of America ? An Advocacy Organization I Believe In

Autism Society of America ? An Advocacy Organization I Believe In

Autism is a dreaded disease without a cure. Most of the time, and especially in its popular Hollywood depictions, it is treated as if it inflicts only those with a divine gift for performing incredible feats of memory, like the famous Rain Man played by Dustin Hoffman.

Although it is true that some autistic children and adults do display such incredible intellectual feats, my own humble experience has shown me that actually it is a very painful and stressful disease for all concerned. I wish there was a cure for it and that's why I try to support all organizations that work towards that goal.

One such organization I am familiar with is the Autism Society of America, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

Formed some 40 years ago, ASA has a wide reaching public awareness and education program. Their official magazine Autism Advocate is a top-notch publication deserves praise.

As an advocacy organization, ASA supported the Mercury Free Vaccine Act of 2005 in order to prevent the ethyl mercury's (found in in thimersal) debilitating effects on fetuses and young kids.

ASA also supported the ?Combating Autism Act? of 2005 which doubled the NIH funds to press on with autism research.

Another ASA activity that should be mentioned is the popular annual ?Ticket to Ride? event where Harley riders hit the road to raise awareness and precious funds for autism research.

?If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You just do it one step at a time,? said Marian Wright Edelman, the president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund. ASA is doing precisely that, in my opinion.

Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative Copywriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Senior Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases, movie reviews and hi-tech documentation. He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 corporations since 1999.

He is the editor of PRIVATE TUTOR FOR SAT MATH SUCCESS web site http://www.privatetutor.us

In addition to being an Ezine Articles Expert Author, he is also a Senior Member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), and a Member of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI).

A true movie fan since he was a child, Akinci provides FREE MOVIE PLOT IDEAS every day of the year at SCRIPT BOILER. Visit http://scriptboiler.blogspot.com today.

You are most welcomed to visit his COPYWRITING WEB SITE http://www.writer111.com for more information on his multidisciplinary background, writing career, and client testimonials.

Discount Vitamins Online and Buying Precautions

Discount vitamins online ordering can be easy, efficient and cost-effective. However, there are certain precautions to take. In fact, whether you order discount vitamins online or buy in a store, cheaper is likely not better! Here are some considerations when buying discount vitamins on the internet:

? Does the online store value your privacy and confidentiality? Is their privacy policy available to read if you'd like to see it? Be sure your email address won?t be sold and they will maintain your personal details in the strictest privacy.

? How long have they been in business? You may feel more comfortable with an online store that has been in business for some years.

? Does the discount vitamins online store have a way to contact them? Legitimate companies will make it easy to contact them in several ways.

? What if you?re unhappy with your purchase -- do they have a refund policy? A refund policy of at least 30 days is great and even longer is better. If there?s no refund policy, stay away.

As for the products, keep in mind that vitamin manufacturers are not regulated. Since buying discount vitamins online is about your health, pay attention to finding the best value, not just the cheapest price. Buying discount vitamins online presents many possibilities, but in general, you'll get what you pay for.

Discount vitamins are a poor value when they consist of cheaper, lower quality ingredients and will not include other beneficial nutrients known to provide major health benefits. These kinds of discount vitamins tend to use high quantities of cheaper ingredients, which can even lead to an unhealthy imbalance of nutrients. In the case of nutrients, more is not always better. And the cheapest part of nutritional supplements are the vitamin and minerals.

When buying discount vitamins online, try to feel comfortable with answers to these questions:

1. Is the price low because cheap, inferior ingredients are used? There can be huge differences in the quality and costs of individual ingredients. Since your health is the issue, priority should be given to quality since the final product is only as good as the raw ingredients used. For example, most beta carotene used in supplements is synthetic and contains only about 3% beta carotene that costs about $60 per kg. However, a much more effective higher potency 98% natural beta carotene costs about $2,800 per kg. The more effective natural form of Vitamin E d-alpha tocopheryl succinate costs more than the synthetic version called dl-alpha tocopheryl.

2. Does the manufacturer conform to pharmaceutical standards in their manufacturing processes? Very few manufacturers do so. High-volume discount manufacturers can cut costs by shortening the mixing time and by mixing at higher speeds. This can mean that the product must be tableted harder, which can result in a vitamin that will be more difficult to dissolve and may pass right through your system unused.

3. Besides basic vitamins and minerals, does the discount vitamins online product contain other essential nutrients that your body needs? Your body requires and will use a wide array of anti-aging nutrients -- amino acids such as L-Carnosine, alpha lipoic acid and acetyl L-Carnitine plus antioxidants, bioflavanoids, neuronutrients, certain herbal extracts, enzymes and so on. And these nutrients have to be in the correct proportions to each other.

There ARE manufacturers designing and making supplements available online that provide high quality at very reasonable prices. There is one in particular that uses pharmaceutical grade ingredients, many supported by clinical studies. Ingredients are linked to the related clinical studies on their website. Their multivitamin/nutrients supplement is so complete, you can eliminate having to take numerous supplements individually.

Buying quality discount vitamins online is about improved health and energy, freedom from disease, improved sexual vigor and slowing the aging process. Learn as much as you can about what finding the best discount vitamins online really means. Before you spend your money, be informed about the nutrients and substances you'll be putting into your body every day.

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

Read more about the best vitamins for women and vitamins for men. David Buster is VP of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com a website of natural health information and resources.

Childhood Depression: What to Do if Your Child is Depressed

Like adults, children can suffer from depression, in this case: childhood depression. It?s not uncommon and since children actually are the purest of humans, it might be safe to say if a child is depressed-and they actually tell you that-it?s a rather serious issue.

One of the most common misconceptions about childhood depression is:what do children have to be depressed about?. Perhaps this reveals a few misunderstandings about childhood depression and what it is. It is indeed quite similar to clinical depression-borrowing from medical terminology and is not just down moods resulting from a child being ?depressed? cause they have just been punished or have been told they can?t have something. No, childhood depression is more intrusive into the child?s very existence, may be long-lasting and if not attended to life threatening.

Perhaps another misconception may have to do with us thinking, being a child is a care-free, trouble free stage of human life. Not necessarily, with peer acceptance, school and family expectations, it is enough to make a kid worry and could be a huge factor to be considered in regards to dealing with a case of childhood depression.

Childhood Depression: Common Causes

1. Family History of Mental illness or suicide.

2. Abuse (physical, emotional or sexual).

3. Chronic illnesses.

4. Loss of a parent at an early age to death, divorce or abandonment.

5. Improper diet and lack of sufficient exercise.

6. Excessive exposure to negative factors such as parents arguing, bad neighborhoods etc.

7. Insufficient parental attention.

Though this is not a conclusive list of the causes of depression in children, perhaps these factors are the most common ones.

Childhood Depression: Common Symptoms

1. Loss of interest in hobbies and activities

2. Abrupt change in Appetite

3. Change in sleep patterns (either increase or decrease)

4. Difficulty concentrating

5. Making depreciating statements like ?I?m not good enough, I?m stupid??

6. Persistent Sadness

7. Recurring thoughts of Suicide

8. Excessive clinging or withdrawal

If you notice any of these in your child?s behaviour it may be time to seek help. But, keep in mind, the first step may be a good heart to heart talk with your child.

Reconnect with them. Make plans for a getaway saying things like ?How about you and I go to the park, just the two of us eh??. Now seize this time to carefully see what could be the problem.

Also, borrowing from Yoga principles (Natural Healing as well), now will be a good time to assess your entire families diet. Remember, ?you are what you eat?. Diet plays, perhaps the most important role in one?s health, especially children in their growing stages so all efforts should be made to ?pleasantly? enforce a proper diet. You may not have to work too hard, most kids LOVE bananas and other sweet fruits and fresh juices. Vegetables?maybe not so much, but you get my gist. Try to replace processed foods with healthier ones.

Take time out to be there for your child or at least be conscious of who he or she is around the most. Remember children are wonderful imitators.

If you yourself happen to be depressed, I recommend drug-free alternatives such as Yoga, and the previously mentioned proper eating.

Also, look into fasting albeit it short as this works wonders for restoring your emotional balance as result of the body not being taxed with the duties of digestion, assimilation and re-building. Your mind clears and all moroseness disappears and consequently, you tend to find the answers to the problems warranting a treatment for depression in the first place. Keep in mind though; this radical step is suited only for adults not necessarily for kids.

Devote thirty minutes or more a day for open air recreation for yourself and your family. Visits to the zoo, active play, and swimming tend to relieve tension created in the home, school, and work and this may go a long way in assisting in curing childhood depression in the family.

Make efforts yourself to be cheerful as much as possible as kids do mimic what their parents constantly do.

Finally, if you are of a spiritual inclination, try prayer power and introduce your child to it. Hey, the Man did say: ?Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.? I believe a child connected to God is one sure way of preventing childhood depression. (Of course with the factors previously mentioned.)

Parenting or being a role model to a child is a duty that may be tasking at times, even more say when dealing with a depressed child. However with the suggestions given, if tackled properly, childhood depression need not be a thing your kid has to go through.

In friendship,

Foras Aje is an independent health researcher and founder of Bodyhealthsoul.com. For more information on Depression Treatment, feel free to stop by his website today.

Mysteries of Syndrome X Revealed

?I?ve put on 40 pounds in one year!? ?It doesn?t matter how much I workout, I can?t lose weight.? ?My doctor must think I?m eating pizzas in the closet.?

With nearly 4 million Americans weighing in at over 300 pounds, is it any wonder the above cries are heard each and every day by countless frustrated people who can?t lose weight? One such cause for the ever increasing need to buy larger pants is a disease known as Syndrome X.

Syndrome X is also referred to as Metabolic Syndrome, Metabolic Syndrome X and Insulin Resistance. It is a very common disease; however it is widely overlooked by many medical professionals. One statistic reveals 1 in 3 people suffer from it.

This syndrome is a precursor to developing Diabetes Type 2. Sufferers have a high level of insulin. Their bodies are unable to process all the insulin that is being made from their diet. As a result, they become insulin resistant.

Think of it like this: You knock on someone?s door because you want to come in. If they don?t answer, what normally happens? You knock again, right? Sometimes you may even knock a third time, trying to gain entry. Insulin works in the same manner. The pancreas produces insulin (knock). Some foods cause the body to produce even higher levels of insulin (knock again). Once you become insulin resistant, develop Syndrome X, the body is unable to properly process the glucose, therefore the pancreas tries to make up for it by producing even more insulin. It thinks ?no one is home? and just keeps making more.

The main purpose of glucose is to be used as fuel for the cells in the body to produce energy. Unprocessed glucose translates into fat. If the body keeps making it and it?s not being processed, where does it go? Hips, thighs, stomach, and buttocks, that?s where!

In addition to hypertension and heart disease, elevated insulin may be associated with weight gain and difficulty with weight loss, other blood sugar problems such as hypoglycemia, and some menstrual related imbalances.

Genetics is partially responsible for causing this disease. More likely though is lifestyle. In many cases years of high starch, processed foods, simple sugars, lack of exercise, smoking, and increased stress may be the culprit for Metabolic Syndrome X.

Now what? For starters, start exercising today. Increase water intake and totally omit starches, sugars, processed foods from your diet. Limit or omit caffeine. Try to maintain at least one third of your daily food intake to vegetables. Ask your doctor to test your sugar levels. Change what you?re eating and get walking and you?ll be amazed at the pounds start to fall off. The fatigue and fuzziness will start to disappear and in turn you?ll feel much better.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

Healthy Ways To Lose Weight And Keep It Off

Yo-yo, back and forth, roller coaster, whatever you call it the back and forth game of losing and gaining weight back can be irritating at the least and downright depressing at the worst. The simple truth that no one wants to admit is that the key to weight loss and maintaining it is to just eat less.

The fact of the matter is that it is not any more difficult to follow a healthy lifestyle of eating than it is to follow any of the fad diets out today. It may sound like I ma over simplifying things but it really is not that difficult.

Once you get into it you will love it because it will be nowhere near as restrictive as the diets you may have followed in the past.

One of the easiest things to do to start is to just eat smaller portions but include a balance of protein, fat, and fiber in every meal. Get rid of the giant plates. Your meal should be approximately the size of the open palm of your hand.

Always drink a couple of glasses of water with every meal as well as drinking water in between other meals. The purpose is twofold, you will feel fuller plus it will flush toxins and keep your body flushed of toxins.

Don?t do like many on diets and skip breakfast. Breakfast is crucial to success in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. When I say breakfast, I mean a real breakfast not donuts and pastries! Eat a healthy breakfast like oatmeal and fruit instead.

Don?t get into the habit of counting calories. If you do as I suggested above and keep your portions limited to the size of your palm you will not overeat. Never eat until you are totally stuffed. You shouldn?t feel like you just had Thanksgiving Dinner every time you sit down to a meal. Don?t feel like you have to eat everything on your plate either, if you are full just save it and eat later.

Pick something to get rid of. Almost everyone has a vice. It could be having a beer or two or a glass of wine, or sodas. All of these things are devoid of nutritional value and contain only empty calories. Make a commitment to stay off these things for a full year and you will be surprised by the change in your weight.

Be aware of the foods that you turn to when you are upset or stressed out. Instead of grabbing a pizza and a six pack of beer go for a walk or hop on a bike and go for a ride. Do something physical instead of using food as a quick fix for an emotional situation.

Glenn Freiboth is a Certified Health Advisor lives in Illinois and has helped many overweight and obese people lose weight and keep it off. Get weight loss products at http://www.GetYouHealth.com

The Natural 'Cure' for Diabetics That Work Wonders

A natural cure, sorry - therapy, for diabetics begins by totally eliminating sugar and refined carbohydrates - including honey, alcohol, mashed potatoes, cakes, biscuits and sweets.

The other ingredient is the addition of two special minerals to your diet is also a little known natural treatment for diabetics that your health practitioner probably forgot to tell you about.

Chromium and vanadium ? these two minerals improve the action of insulin and in the case of vanadium, actually replace insulin for adult diabetes. The intake should be at around 25 mcg/day. Of course, as with any alternative therapy you should see your health care practitioner - referably one who has heard of these two minerals and is prepared to let you 'try'.

Zinc, B Complex vitamins, copper and glutathione and a high intake of essential fatty acids are also part of a natural cure for diabetics. For your supplements find a high quality source you can trust.

As far as dietary nutrition is concerned, consume a high fiber diet consisting of plenty of complex carbohydrates (vegetables, beans, certain grains such as bran).

Also, an allergy test is very useful for a natural cure for diabetics ? particularly for dairy, soy and wheat. If you test positive, take digestive enzymes before meals to help improve your nutrition and to clean up any intestinal damage that is likely to have been caused.

Be patient with this nutritional treatment and have your physician closely monitor your progress. Monitor your blood sugar regularly and you will notice results within several weeks.

Herbs may be used as part of a natural cure for diabetics and include licorice, yarrow, Canadian fleabane and Jerusalem artichoke.

Essential oils including coriander, cinnamon, fennel, dill, cypress, rosemary, pine and ylang-ylang can be helpful. These may be applied by inhaling or absorbed in a bath. If pregnant, consult with a physician before use.

Paul Newland is a health writer, sports training consultant and martial arts instructor and runs the Global-Longevity.com website.
He is the author of numerous health information books and guides, including the Wellness Report, The Ultimate Antioxidant Report, The Selenium Report, The Ultimate Nutrient Guide and The Ultimate Sports Nutrition Guide - available Free (for a limited time) through Global-Longevity.com.

What You Should Know About Your Weight And Cholesterol

My midsection is not what it use to be! The weight has creeped in with time.

Did you know that if you carry excess baggage in your midsection, the risks are greater than if the extra pounds settle on your hips?

You actually place a strain on your heart and body when you're heavier than you should be.

When a person without heart disease is first diagnosed with elevated blood cholesterol, doctors often prescribe a program of diet, exercise, and weight loss to bring levels down.

The National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines suggest at least a six-month program of reduced dietary saturated fat and cholesterol, together with physical activity and weight control, as the primary treatment before resorting to drug therapy.

Many people respond well to this and end up sufficiently reducing blood cholesterol levels. Study data reinforce these benefits.

For example, a 1998 Columbia University study examined 103 male and female patients of diverse ages and ethnic backgrounds and found that reducing dietary saturated fat directly affected blood cholesterol. For every 1 percent drop in saturated fat, the study showed a 1 percent lowering of LDL in patients.

You should start by maintaining a healthy diet...set a date to start an exercise regiment and stick to it.

Never go on a crash diet or fall for one of those... lose 10lbs in 3 days.

It's not worth the risk to your health.

Set an appointment to see your medical professional to discuss your plans and get a check up.

The good news is that losing as little as 5%-10% of your body weight can reduce your risk of heart disease, by lowering your cholesterol levels and blood pressure and improving blood sugar and insulin sensitivity.

High cholesterol can be a problem for anyone...large or small!

The key is cutting down on those saturated fats and replacing them with good ones.

The decisions you fail to make today, will determine your health tomorrow!

Michael Flowers is editor of http://www.you-and-your-cholesterol.com

Yo Yo Dieting in Men

When a person wishes to go on a diet, they may experience the ups and downs that come with the process of dieting. This is when the term ?yo yo dieting? comes into play. Even though a person may lose weight after beginning a diet, they will have to work hard to keep up and maintain the progress. Yo yo dieting is also seen in individuals who are obese.

Those who are obese have more fat cells than a person who is physically fit. Their fat cells are also larger. When an obese man or woman diets, their fat cells do not decrease in numbers, they only grow smaller. This means that when food intake increases after a diet, the fat cells will return to their original state, making the overall appearance of the individual larger. This is why it is important for a person to find a diet that they will be able to stick to; they will be able to feel better and maintain their weight loss better.

Although the trend of dieting has been mostly associated with women; men also experience these ups and downs of yo yo dieting. During short-term dieting, a dieter must exercise or else half or more of the weight they lose will be due to a loss in muscles. Muscle loss will lead to a variety of problems, such as a thinner, weaken body prone to breakdowns and fatigue; weakened maintenance of weight because it is muscle than burns calories, not fat; and when weight is gained back, it is mostly fat that will stick to the body- exercise is needed to build muscles.

Another result of yo yo dieting is when the weight is gained back, a dieter who does not exercise will not only be fatter, but will appear thicker than they were before. For example, let?s say a man weighed 300 pounds and wore a 5x shirt. He diets without exercising, then loses 20 pounds. Now, let?s say that he regains the weight, but now he is puzzled as to why he now has to fit into a size 6x shirt. The reason is that fat is lighter and less dense than muscle, so it takes more fat weight, as well as bulk, to replace the lost muscle weight. Exercise can eliminate some of these problems.

Not only is yo yo dieting a frustrating process, but it is not good for your overall health. When a person bounces from weight gain to weight loss and back to weight gain again, the immune system suffers. Studies have shown that negative health effects of yo-yo dieting can still be detected years after the fact. If a man participates in crash dieting, such as trying to lose ten pounds in ten days, they will most likely suffer from a yo yo dieting trend. If they are trying to maintain a healthy weight, they should choose a diet that promotes a healthy diet over longer periods of time. The diet should be a complete lifestyle change and not something to try for one brief moment. It has been said that if you lose more than 1-2 pounds a week, you are probably doing too much.

If you are interested in reading a little more on the subject, you should look into such books as:

The Yo-Yo Diet Syndrome: How to Heal and Stabilize Your Appetite and Weight by Doreen Virtue

How to Stop the Yo-Yo Diet Syndrome by Charles Schoelen

The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet : The Lifelong Solution to Yo-Yo Dieting by Rachael F. Heller

The Turbo-Protein Diet: Stop Yo-Yo Dieting Forever by Dieter Markert

The Low Carb Yo-Yo: Why Low Carb Diets Dont' Work by Barry Sears

I lost 40lbs following fad diets - Discover some tips.
Free Fad Diets offers advice on fad diets, and popular diets such as the Cabbage Soup Diet.

Uncover An Effective 3 Day Per Week Weight Training Program

There are so many different ideas on weight training and bodybuilding that it is very difficult to know what to do. This includes various split routines. Most people don't understand how splitting up your workouts can dramatically reduce or increase your training results.

Usually one of two things happen. Some people develop the 'paralysis by analysis' syndrome and end up either never getting started with a program or they quit soon after starting.

On the flip side, many people go from one weight lifting routine to another without any rhyme or reason as to why they have chosen a specific weight training program. And they bounce around so quickly, changing their lifting program so often, that they never stick with a routine long enough to know if it's effective or not.

Many different programs, such as the 3 day training split, can be very effective. The key is to incorporate the fundamentals of weight training into the routines. This will allow you to make the progress that you want. Below, you'll find descriptions of these fundamentals. Here's an example of one aspect of this.

Let's say you've chosen to workout according to a 3 day split. You workout three days per week, training each body part once per week. After a few weeks, you change to a full body workout and you are still training three times per week. Now you are training each body part three times per week.

All things being equal, you will need to drastically reduce the volume of your routine. When you were using one of the 3 day split routines, you might have been doing 8 work sets for your chest, because you were only working chest once per week. Now you are currently working chest three times per week and working your entire body in that same workout. So, in order to keep making progress and not overtrain, you may only do 2 sets for your chest. Likewise, you would reduce the number of sets for all your other body parts as well.

Here is one of my favorite 3 day split routines

Three Times Per Week

Workout 1 (Monday and Friday)

Squats - 1 x 20
Calf Raises 1 x 15 - 20
Seated Calf Raises 1 x 12 - 15
Close Grip Pulldowns (X-Reps) 1 x 8 ? 12
DB Rows (X-Reps) 1 x 8 ? 12
DB Pullovers 1 x 8 ? 12
Decline Bench Press (X-Reps) 2 x 8 ? 12
DB Flyes 1 x 8 ? 12
Dips (X ? Reps)1 x 12 ? 15
DB Upright Rows (X-Reps) 1 x 8 ? 12
Incline Laterals 1 x 8 - 12
DB Lateral Raises 1 x 8 - 12

Workout 2 (Wednesday)

Tricep Pushdowns (X-Reps) 1 x 8 ? 12
Incline DB Curls (X-Reps) 1 x 8 ? 12
DB Overhead Extensions (Drop Set) 1 x 8 ? 12 (6)
DB Concentration Curls (Drop Set) 1 x 8 ? 12 (6)
Tricep Kickbacks 1 x 8 -12
Wall BB Curls 1 x 8 ? 12

This routine involves working the legs, chest, back, and shoulders twice per week and working the arms once per week by themselves.

In order to design an effective program or split routine, it's important to understand the fundamentals of weight lifting. You can read about these training fundametals at http://www.buildleanmuscle.com/weight-lifting-programs.html

Gregg Gillies is the founder of http://www.buildleanmuscle.com. His articles have appeared in Ironman Magazine. He has written two books and is a regular contributor to Body Talk Magazine. He publishes a free fitness newsletter available at his site that includes lots of weight training tips, fat loss, nutrition and exercise program information to help you build your best body as quickly as possible. check it out at Build Muscle and see how you can get a customized muscle building nutrition plan at http://www.mynutritionjournal.com.

What Strategies Can You Use To Make Your Fat Loss Program Successful?

To be quite honest, these strategies that will make your fat loss program successful are similar to the same strategies used by successful men and women all over the world. It doesn?t matter what their industry is, the method is still the same.

First, to make anything successful, you must have an end goal in mind. However, most people don?t have this. Why? I have no idea. But I will tell you this, if you don?t have an end point in mind, you?ll have much harder time getting on the right track.

Secondly, no one successful ever undertakes a project without have a detailed, goal-oriented plan to back them up.

Let?s take Operation Iraqi Freedom for example - Do you think the countries of Afghanistan and Iraq would have made the political progress they?ve made without having a detailed plan in place to insure success?

Now, I don?t mean just any plan - I mean a plan that is thought out time and time again to ensure success. Coach Bear Bryant was known for having such plans in place. His strategy was to make sure his team was going to win in spite of any situation. For example, he had a plan for:

1. He had a plan for when his team was up 28-7 with 1:00 left to go in the 4th quarter - and?

2. He had a plan in place for when his team was down 21-0 in the fourth quarter with no timeouts left, his start quarterback injured, his star running back suffering from a broken leg, his trainer was out sick with pneumonia, there was no Gatorade left in the cooler due to a national Gatorate rationing and his team was freezing cold from the -12 degree weather they were playing and it was raining?

See the difference? Most people plan for when things are 100% right. But as we know - things will never be 100% right so you must plan for it.

Be ready for your workouts when you just got a an extra $500 a month raise at work and your child is on the Honor roll, and be ready to hit the gym for when you were 3 hours late to work and you have to leave work early because your child or loved one is sick with the flu and you get a flat on the way home in the middle of rush hour. Having a strategy in place to help you achieve your fitness goals is a powerful key in your fitness success.

Not only does it take planning, but it takes having the guts to follow through with your plan. The plan is no good unless you follow it so making a plan and not doing it is just as bad as not making the plan itself! Hold yourself accountable and do what needs to be done.

Learn to do what you have to do in spite of the day. That means discipline yourself to eat right, discipline yourself to make your plan, discipline yourself to workout even if you?ve had a bad day, discipline yourself to get enough rest so your muscles can recover and rebuild.

Here?s something you might not be aware of - unwanted body fat is afraid of discipline. In fact, they're mortal enemies. If you?re able to stay conscious of what you put into your body on a daily basis, you'll be far ahead of the game.

If you can hold yourself to a standard that makes you accountable for what you put into your body, you have the power to determine just how much fat goes into your body. By doing this, you also decide how much fat your body is able to retain.

Discipline yourself to do what you need to do and watch the fat disappear. Follow through with your plan, hold yourself to a higher standard, and discipline yourself to hold yourself accountable for your actions.

Online home fitness specialist and fitness author and author Lee Smith specializes in helping people get in shape in the comfort of their own homes. For more incredible tips and tactics like these and a free subscription to his Successful Fitness Strategies newsletter, visit http://www.howtoachieveyourfitnessgoals.com.

How Alcohol Makes You Fat

If you glanced at the title of this article, you might have cringed. When it comes to fitness, nutrition, weight loss, and overall health, many of us have trouble areas. There are some individuals who have a glass of red wine with dinner every night. Others skip the drinking completely on the weekdays, then start throwing a few back on Thursday or Friday night, and keep it up until Sunday. Still others won't drink for two to three weeks, then have a weekend binge of a few dozen drinks or so (you know who you are!). Finally, while there are scores of individuals out there who don't drink any alcohol at all and really won't find this article personally useful, I encourage you (if you are one of those people) to read it anyways, and share the information with someone you think it might help.

So...how does alcohol make you fat, especially when it doesn't have any fat in it? To understand how this process occurs, let's examine the consumption of a 5 ounce glass of red wine by a fictional character named Vinny.

Vinny takes a drink. As the alcohol enters into digestion, it is split into two compounds: fat and acetate. The fat is taken through the bloodstream and stored wherever Vinny tends to deposit fat. The acetate is taken into the bloodstream and used as Vinny's primary energy fuel.

If you take anything away from this article, read that last sentence again. The acetate is used as Vinny's primary energy fuel. This means that rather than burning carbohydrates, protein, or fat as a fuel, Vinny's body relies on the acetate for energy. It completely stops burning anything else. Suddenly, Vinny has a surplus of carbs, protein, and fat circulating in the body with nowhere to go. So where does it all end up? You guessed it...it's converted to fat and deposited on Vinny's waistline.

But that's not the only effect on Vinny. Alcohol also acts as a potent appetizer. Ever heard of an apertif? It's an alcoholic drink taken before a meal to increase the appetite, and many restaurants realize that this is a great way to get you to order more food! Several studies exist that show a sharp increase in caloric intake when an alcoholic drink is consumed before a meal (compared to a glass of water, or even a soda!). So now Vinny wants either: A) another glass of wine or B) food (probably something salty or greasy).

That's not all! Let's say that Vinny succumbs to his appetite and finishes the bottle. Just a single bout of heavy drinking will vastly increase the levels of the hormone cortisol, while significantly decreasing the levels of the hormone testosterone. In addition to his headache, here's why Vinny should be concerned: cortisol causes the body to breakdown muscle and suppresses recovery from exercise, while low testosterone makes the body less likely build lean muscle or to burn fat as a fuel. So Vinny's getting a big belly, and skinny arms and legs.

Now let's consider the actual caloric content of the glass of red wine. Before we begin, bear in mind that at most parties, social gatherings, and restaurants, a typical glass of red wine is really more like 6-8 ounces. But we'll be conservative. So Vinny's glass of wine contains about 110 calories. Contrary to popular belief, there are very few carbohydrates in the wine - only about 5 grams. This is because when grapes are made into wine, most of the fruit sugars are converted into alcohol. For purposes of comparison, this glass of wine has about the same amount of alcohol and calories as a 12 ounce light beer or a shot of 80 proof spirit (yes, that means a shot of tequila = about a whole glass of wine). A regular, non-light beer, is even higher in calories, since it contains over twice as many carbohydrates as light beer.

But realize that alcohol itself contains about seven calories for gram, making it almost twice as calorie-laden as carbohydrates or protein, which contain only four calories per gram. However, these calories contain no beneficial nutrients, vitamins, or minerals. Sure - Vinny gets some benefit from the compounds present from the grapeskins and grapejuice, butif he drinks a big glass of red wine every night with dinner, he consumes over 1000 additional calories per week, and gains a dozen extra pounds of fat a year!

I haven't really discussed mixed drinks and won't say too much. If you read last week's article (click here to check it out), you know about sugar's potent effect on fat levels in the body, and if you've read the label lately on any soda or mixer, you know how much sugar it contains. A ton! Basically, you can take everything I just illustrated in the case of Vinny, and multiply by 4-5. Margaritas, Long Island Iced Tea, Mudslides, and other sweet mixed drinks can do more damage to your diet than a Big Mac with cheese.

So let's be practical and assume that you are not going to completely give up drinking but want some tips for your next social event. Here's some ideas:

Dilute alcohol with diet soda. While there are health problems with the artificial sweeteners and chemicals in diet soda, this will reduce your overall caloric intake.

Use lots of ice. It makes your drink seem bigger without adding actual calories.

If you have to choose between fruit juice and soda in a mixer, choose fruit juice.

Avoid the salty snacks. They'll make you want to drink more.

At the bar, restaurant, or grocery store, try to find a top shelf product or good wine that you enjoy, then pay those extra bucks and sip it slowly. Savoring a drink will reduce overconsumption.

Drink as much water as possible. Try to have two drinks of water for every one drink of alcohol.

I frequently perform nutritional evaluations for my clients, as well as anyone else who wants to have a fitness professional look at their diet. Here's what to do if you want help or guidance with your nutrition: Pacific Elite Fitness offers a complete and detailed nutritional evaluation for $49.99 (less than a personal training session!). Using the convenient online log that I will provide you with, you will write down everything in your diet for 3 days - amounts, times, descriptions, extenuating circumstances and food details. I will then sit down with your diet, perform a complete evaluation, then give you a detailed e-mail on exactly which changes you should make to get the results you desire. What are you waiting for?

Ben Greenfield runs Pacific Elite Fitness at http://www.pacificfit.net, an online portal for personal training, triathlete coaching, and free fitness and multi-sport advice. He resides in Liberty Lake, WA, where he works as director of sports performance for Champion Sports Medicine, a training and testing lab for athletes. Ben graduated from University of Idaho with bachelor?s and master?s degrees in sports science and exercise physiology, and is certified as a personal trainer and coach by the National Strength & Conditioning Association. Ben also offers individualized personal training, multi-sport coaching, training program design for athletes, lifestyle wellness and diet advising, and corporate consulting for workplace fitness programs. To learn more, visit http://www.pacificfit.net or e-mail Ben at elite@pacificfit.net.

Do You Eat Right Before Bed Time?

Acetyl-L-Carnitine

Liquid life night time diet contains 100 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine per serving. It is a naturally occurring product in animals. It shows neuroprotective activity in the human body.

Protein

Liquid life night time diet contains 5 g of proteins. Proteins comprise of amino acids which are composed of oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, hydrogen, and carbon. Amino acids link together in the form of chains. This structure is known as peptides. Each protein type differs from the other on the basis of the structure of the amino acids present in them. When we eat food, the proteins in them are digested. During digesting the protein is broken down into amino acids which are absorbed and are used inside our body to produce newer proteins. There are a total of 8 amino acids that are essential for humans out of many types. These are isoleucine, leucine, threonine, valine, phenylalanine, methionine, lysine and tryptophan. Proteins are required for the repair and development of organs, tissues, muscles and for use in almost every biological function.

L-Lysine

Liquid life night diet contains 100mg of L-Lysine which is a protein type amino acid and is essential for human bodies. It is found in abundance in milk, meat and poultry.

L-Glutamine

Liquid life night time diet contains 250mg of L-glutamine which is a semi-essential amino acid and should be supplied in daily diet. It is one of the most important amino acids when the body is subject to harsh metabolic conditions such as cancer or trauma. In these conditions this protein becomes essential and proper supplementation can provide the required amounts. It is used in many body reactions and is also required to maintain the acid base balance in the body.

L-Arginine

Liquid life night time diet contains 250 mg of L-arginine which is a semi-essential protein which means that body can synthesis it as required. In certain conditions it is not produced. It is necessary for people with genetic disorder in which the amino acids cannot be synthesized and in young children it may not be produced. It becomes essential when excessive metabolic stress is given to body in cases of cancer, burns and trauma.

Carbohydrates

Liquid life night time diet contains 3 g of carbohydrates per serving which are very important and most readily available source of energy.

Why do we need vitamin C?

Liquid life night time diet has 60 mg of vitamin c which is used for production of collagen, and fighting off free radicals.

Vitamin B5

Liquid life night time diet contains 10 mg of vitamin b which is also known as pantothenic acid. It is one of the eight b vitamins that are soluble in water. It helps in healthy nervous system, hair, skin and liver.

Vitamin B6

Liquid life night time diet contains 10 mg of vitamin b6 which is required for carrying out many processes including metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It is also required for healthy nervous and immune system and promotion of heart system.

Peter Salazar's source for quality supplements is http://www.utopiasilver.com

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All products have a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

The Biggest Cause Of Death In The Western World!

Drugs can control symptoms, but in severe cases or after a heart attack, surgery may be the only option. Some risk factors you can change and improve upon, but some you cannot. Therefore it is vital that you make all the possible changes to your lifestyle to reduce as many risk factors as possible.

Two of the biggest causes of death in the Western world are heart disease and atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis clogs up the hearts arteries and is then known as coronary artery disease or heart disease. Heart disease may develop slowly and the first symptom may be a heart attack.

When one or both coronary arteries get blocked by deposits of atheroma, the tissue beyond that blockage no longer receive a healthy blood supply and results in the heart muscle dying due to oxygen starvation. The risk factors for heart disease are the same as those for atherosclerosis. In order to predict your risk factor your doctor will probably ask you questions about your state of health, your exercise routine, check your blood pressure and smoking habits. Some risk factors you can change and improve upon, but some you cannot. Therefore it is vital that you make all the possible changes to your lifestyle to reduce as many risk factors as possible.

The risk factors that you cannot change are: ? Genetic inheritances - Heart disease can often run in families and seems to be more common in people originating/living in northern Europe. ? Gender - Men under 65 years are more likely than women under 65 years to suffer heart disease. This may be as estrogen gives women protection until menopause, but after menopause they are as equally at risk as men. ? Ethnicity - Certain ethnic groups have indicated a higher risk of suffering from heart disease. ? Age - Heart disease is more common with increasing age. ? Diabetes - Diabetics are more at risk of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke. Controlling glucose levels will lessen the risk, but it is especially important to control other risk factors too.

Risk factors that you can change are: ? Smoking - Between 30 and 40 per cent of deaths from coronary artery disease can be linked to smoking, therefore the more you smoke, the higher the risk. With smoking there is no safe level, not even one cigarette a day. After giving up smoking, the risk factor of heart disease does significantly decrease, but it can take up to 20 years to reach the level of a nonsmoker. ? High blood pressure - Managing your high blood pressure can reduce your level of risk, although it will always remain higher than someone with normal blood pressure. Hypertension increases your risk of heart disease. ? High cholesterol levels - Doctors agree that there is a link between high levels of cholesterol in the blood and heart disease. ? Obesity - Being overweight definitely affects the health of your heart and the risk of heart disease is three times more than a person of a healthy weight. ? Inactivity - Participating in regular physical exercise will reduce the risk of developing heart disease quite dramatically.

In the early stages of heart disease there may be no symptoms, until the later stages. The first symptom in the later stages is usually chest pains or possible heart attack. Some people develop arrhythmia and suffer from dizziness and heart palpitations. Drugs can control symptoms, but in severe cases or after a heart attack, surgery may be the only option.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Heart Disease

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Adult ADHD

?Robert, stop it!?

Those words haunted me most of my life, whenever people became overwhelmed by my behavior. I just didn?t understand what their problem was. Neither did any of the voices in my head.

The voices were constant and all mine, not God or spirits, and they didn?t tell me to do anything antisocial. Rather, each (I counted eight) was a stream of regular thoughts, running concurrently, like an eight-track tape playing all tracks simultaneously. I often wandered into a conversational mode described by friends as a ?Robin Williams monologue,? telling jokes, making puns, jumping from topic to topic, and even changing voices and character.

But my head had always been like that. To me, everyone else moved and thought slowly, took forever to get to the point. I was driving my friends, coworkers and family nuts, and I couldn?t to do anything about it. I was also a compulsive eater, injuring my health. Even my decades of meditation practice could not control the internal restlessness.

Then an odd conjunction of events led to help. My sister-in-law, Tina, an Army physician, suffered an injury and needed help driving home from Illinois to New York. I was available, so I spent three weeks with the family, during which time Tina got to observe me at close hand. She soon bluntly told me, ?I really, really, really think you have ADHD.? When Tina, a lieutenant colonel and formidable diagnostician, uses three ?reallys? in a sentence, you had better take her seriously.

But ADHD? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder? Me? I had thought ADHD, ADD, and all those other new acronyms were children?s ailments. I couldn?t have ADHD; I was from the generation that found super-fast flashing of movie trailers and TV shows with handheld camerawork difficult, indeed painful, to watch. My attention span could be measured in minutes and hours, not milliseconds and sound bites. I was a trained systematic zoologist, a profession dedicated to compulsive organization of vast amounts of data. No, I couldn?t have ADHD.

But as we discussed my symptoms, it became clear that kids do not have a monopoly on brain chemical imbalances. I had all the usual symptomatic suspects. Despite earning my two masters and a doctorate, school had always been excruciatingly painful for me, from staying still in my seat to following laboriously slow lectures. I tested poorly because I either read too much into a question or knew about the rare exceptions. In conversations, I often completed other people?s sentences.

Getting to sleep was always an ordeal because my thoughts would not turn off. Though I am very goal oriented, I found it difficult to complete some tasks because I had so many projects going on simultaneously. For example, I had spent a year writing a CD-ROM key to the sharks and rays of the world, but had put off getting it commercially published. On some tasks I focused like a laser, while on others I was dim as a candle. I saw my own physician and a neuropsychologist and, sure enough, got the ADHD diagnosis.

ADHD, first described as ?defect of moral control? by an English physician in 1902, is a simple failure of the brain to balance levels of neurotransmitters called dopamine and norepinephrine, which help regulate moods. My diagnosis and subsequent treatment with Adderall radically and swiftly changed my life for the better. This amphetamine?an ?upper??actually quiets the ADHD personality. My hunger cravings are gone, I sleep well, get more things done, do them better, and haven?t gotten on anyone?s nerves lately?especially my long-suffering wife of thirty years! Overall, I have been clam and happy?not excited or ecstatic?every day since treatment began. Best and strangest of all, I now have only one thought in my head at any time. It is the psychological equivalent, I think, of having sent all the kids off to college, and I get the house to myself.

There has always been stigma attached to mental illness; it?s ?all in our heads.? Mental difficulties are still seen as other than physical or physiological, and even Congress refuses to recognize mental illness for what it is. This stigma is devastating. As a zoologist, I understand how my insides work, so it didn?t affect my decision to be treated, but for most people, being ?mentally ill? ranks in the bad news category with heart problems or cancer?or worse! People who could benefit deny themselves help that could substantially improve the quality of their lives. We do not mock a person with a faulty heart for taking nitroglycerin; a person with a defective pancreas for taking insulin; or any of us with an overwhelmed or compromised immune system for taking antibiotics.

Even Viagra jokes are rare these days. Why, then, do we see such intolerance when another organ, the brain, is ill? Many influential people had ADHD, including Dustin Hoffman, Will Smith, Jimmy Stewart, Vincent van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, and, of course, Robin Williams. Brain disorders are real physical manifestations that can often be simply treated. Unless our brains get moved elsewhere, mental illnesses will always ?be in our heads.? Those of us who can benefit from medication should take it, and the rest of us should support our loved ones who need it. It will make things much happier in our hearts and in our heads.

Bunions a Pain in the Big Toe

Most commonly blamed on wearing narrow, tight and high heel shoes, many American women are now paying the price of beauty and style with bunions on their feet. Medical terminology calls this foot problem a Hallux Valgus, but we all know it as a bunion?and a pain!

With this problem of the forefoot, a bunion appears as a prominent bump on the inside of the foot around the big toe joint. The bump is usually red, swollen and painful on the inside of the foot in and around the big toe joint. The bump that you see is actually the bone protruding towards the inside of the foot. With a bunion the base of the big toe will over time get larger and will stick out even more. Also with time, the big toe can continue to drift toward the rest of the toes and in some cases the big toe can actually come to rest over or under the second toe. Without treatment the second toe can even put pressure on the third toe changing its alignment as well.

So much for looking fabulous in those stylish high heels! Yes, there are some hereditary factors to bunion development, but most bunions are indeed blamed on shoes. With that little piece of knowledge, it shouldn?t be a far stretch to learn that 90% of all bunions are found in women. Not only can ill-fitting shoes can cause problems such as bunions, they can also cause problems such as corns, hammertoes and calluses.

Even though prevention is the best treatment of all, there are treatment options available. Surgery is certainly an option if walking has become painful and often is the only treatment that will ultimately get rid of the pain associated with bunions. The goal of surgery is to realign bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves so that the big toe can be back in its normal position relieving the pressure on the other toes and the pain of the bunion.

Before considering surgery though making changes early in the formation of a bunion such as avoiding shoes with sharp pointy toes, a tight narrow toe box and heels three inches or higher is a great place to start. Anti-inflammatory medications, cold compresses, soaking the feet in Epsom salts for comfort, cortisone injections, protective bunion pads, orthotics, as well as having your shoes professionally stretched are other helpful treatment options.

Giving up some high fashion, especially if you have a genetic tendency towards the development of bunions, may be just the thing you need in order to prevent bunion formation in the first place. It seems a small price to pay.

For more important information on sore feet visit sore-foot-remedies.com where you will find advice on common foot pain causes such as foot corns, ingrown toenails, and other articles.

Can Diet Help to Cure Arthritis? Or Can It Make It Worse?

The medical profession mostly rejects the idea that there is any connection between diet and arthritis (with the exception of gout), but many naturopaths and holistic practitioners disagree.

There are many factors to consider with regards to arthritic diets and nutritional healing, and no hard and fast rules can be applied. For example, some people are allergic to certain foods, and these allergies can indeed worsen some types of arthritis.

Eating foods that contain sodium nitrate or tartrazine can worsen the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis, while ingesting foods containing a substance called hydrazine can contribute to systemic lupus erythematosus, an arthritic condition connected to lupus, Eating black walnuts can cause flare-ups in people with a rare type of arthritis called Behcet's Disease.

These are just a couple of examples of foods which could negatively impact on people with certain types of arthritis so as you can see the whole topic can get very complicated!

The term arthritis covers over 100 different diseases and conditions. Since it would be impossible to cover all of them in one article such as this, we will look at the most common condition: osteoarthritis and tackle rheumatoid arthritis and gout in future articles.

Osteoarthritis is mainly a disease of wear and tear. However there is one thing to avoid. Don?t take large doses of Vitamin A, since there is some evidence that it contributes to cartilage deterioration. Cartilage deterioration is the main cause of osteoarthritis.

There are holistic healers who will swear that a good diet can alleviate many of the painful symptoms. A diet high in fish is recommended as it contain high levels of Omega 3 which helps reduce inflammation and also has many other health benefits.

However if you live in an area where the sea has a high concentration of mercury, fish oil capsules are a better bet. Buy a known brand name to ensure maximum bio-availibility.

Including vegetables and sufficient low fat protein in the diet ensures optimal health and avoids weight gain which puts a heavy strain on arthritic joints

Some osteoarthritis sufferers benefit from the food supplements glucosamine and chondroitin in relieving symptoms of pain and stiffness. As above buy a reputable brand.

The National Institute of Health is currently studying glucosamine and chondroitin, so more should soon be known about the effectiveness of these products for osteoarthritis. People taking blood-thinners should be careful taking chondroitin as it can increase the blood-thinning and cause excessive bleeding.. Seek medical advice first.

Visit http://www.natural-arthritis-medication.com your resource for information on natural remedies for arthritis. The author Wendy Owen is a natural health writer and researcher. Join our list and receive a free 6 part arthritis mini course

Makeup For Acne Scars! Where Effective Cosmetic Products Camouflage Scars Not Your Life

Are you dropping out of society due to experiencing scars after acne breakouts? Are you searching for quality makeup for acne scars to help you blend your skin imperfections, and to also eliminate any future blemishes?

If your answer is yes to the questions above, then let me help you find the best cosmetic scar treatments that will allow you to get back out into the world, and enjoy your life the way you deserve to!

Nowadays, there are many advanced makeup products such as camouflage makeup specially designed for scars, and are widely offered by professional online skincare suppliers. These special skin products help you positively conceal such physical imperfections, such as scars, hyper pigmentation, rosacea, burns, and dark freckles to name a few.

If you happen to suffer from any of these conditions listed above, you?re not alone, and this is why quality acne cosmetics and scar treatments have been designed specially for you to help you in your current condition.

Now You Can Get The Scar Coverage You Need, Custom Made For You!

With treatment makeup, many of these uniquely designed scar products give you a large array of colors to choose from, helping match your skin tone perfectly, thus offering you that custom looking facial skin color blend. You pick 2-3 shades, and unify these colors together for that natural cosmetics look, and quality finishing touch!

The specially created Camouflage makeup products are made with mineral pigments that are fragrance and oil free, so it does not irritate your skin. The best thing is that the finish looks flawless, and your complexion will have virtually no signs of visible acne scars.

Don?t ever think that you?re the only one that has facial scars in this world! You would be surprised and amazed on how many of your favorite celebrities, and athletes have the same scar condition as you. This is the main reason why top quality scar cosmetics have been created, and when you?re under the camera and public microscope, these stars don?t want to take any chances of exposing their skin condition to their fans.

With that in mind, you can now take advantage of these quality skincare makeup products as well, and you don?t have to settle for the over-the-counter generic items that give you that caked on look, and do not properly blend away your scars. In most cases these retail products end up enhancing the look of your scar, rather than blending them.

You may notice that the prices on these products are a little higher than your retail store generic makeup products, but when you actually try them, you will understand why, and also realize that these uniquely designed scar care makeup items easily available to you online, are created for you in mind, and will eventually allow you to get your life back, by feeling comfortable in the public eye again!

About the author: William is the owner and the author of ?1st In Acne Skin Care Products? available at http://www.1st-in-acne-skin-care-products.com A great source for Acne Scar Makeup! Find information and tips on finding quality scar makeup products, facial cleansers, and many pure detoxifying products that will not only help you prevent facial scarring, but also aid in getting rid of your stubborn acne blemishes, that are the major cause and development of your scars.

Yoga Positions for Beginners 2 Things You Need To Know

Each and every one of us experience being in all sorts of positions throughout the day whether it be sitting up, lying down, crouched or stooped. These are all part of your day to day activities but are they doing you any good like Yoga positions do.

Yoga positions for beginners may entail all the above mentioned but all these movements are carefully devised and structured in a way that you will benefit from the positions.

The affects of yoga has now been recognized by doctors who now agree that yoga has proven to be very therapeutic in the results and effects it has on suffering patients. Doctors by the minute are making referrals for their patients to join local yoga classes as a way of encouraging the healing process to quicken up for certain ailments

Beginners after introduction to their yoga positions will find adjusting to the yoga moves quite easy. Yoga may include all the above mentioned positions - like lying down crouching stooping etc - but these positions now become yoga techniques which are classed as healthy exercises expertly structured up the yoga way.

For a new pupil about to practice yoga for the first time there will be a lot to take in and comprehend - only because of the freshness to it all. After a little time it all falls into place where your understanding is a lot clearer on your new found positions. Beginners in the yoga world will be guided throughout exercises and advised of the best positions. So you need not worry that you will get thrown it at the deep end.

Yoga is an unhurried exercise performed by all ages all over the world

The practice of yoga has strongly been alleged by many followers that the mind and the body unite into a combined formation. This belief is still upheld today as it were in the days gone by. Extensively performed and exercised in the right environment - yoga is an incredible way of claiming the therapeutic feeling of harmony.

Yoga positions for beginners if applied correctly can be followed through on there own without supervision.

For any exercise to give results you first have to believe in yourself and most importantly believe in what you do - this way your yoga positions will prove to be affective.

Yoga without doubt will create a more relaxed feeling as well as supplying your mind with positive thoughts. Research has found that yoga is one of the most popular natural ways in helping to speed up many healing processes of an illness. (Depending on the illness)

In your new world of yoga you will begin to notice the change in your joint flexibility after practicing the basic yoga positions. By doing these exercises you take possession of the (The take two factor) looking and feeling good.

Newbie`s will have no problem keeping up with routines that are carefully put together for the beginners yoga positions.

Expect the basic moves and positions to include standing poses, sit down poses and postures, balance, a combination of twisting and turning and the notable forward and backward bends. These yoga positions for beginners are not quite the movements that are exercised by a person who has regularly been doing yoga for some time. Yoga sessions may be shortened for the learner - the reason for this is simple, you are a beginner.

It is a MUST that self discipline is enforced. It is a MUST to be consistent. These are two important issues you MUST do - to gain results.

100% fit in mind body and soul is what healthy living is all about. With yoga you claim what is rightfully yours control. http://www.want2yoga.com Take steps now to move on with your life http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com

Are You Holding in Negative Emotions and Getting Sick?

If you are not used to expressing your emotions, it is understandable that doing so would feel scary. Acknowledge that you feel scared. You are already doing it. That acknowledgment was an expression! In the past, I worried that if tapped into negative emotions, I wouldn?t be able to control myself and the experience would be never-ending. In other words, I felt that if I started to feel some of what was there, I would be devastated all over again. Can you see how my mind was telling me those things out of protection? And by believing all those things my mind was telling me, can you see how I was creating so much fear and pain? This happens for people every day. We want to naturally let go, and yet our mind won?t shut up about how dangerous or terrible that would be.

See, it is actually the belief that creates the emotion. I will write that again?it is the belief that creates the emotion. If you believe, ?I am not good enough,? what emotions would result for you? Anger, grief, deep sadness, resentment? But if you were to believe ?I am perfect just as I am,? what emotions would that belief create? It would create joy and contentment. This is where the body/mind connection comes into play. Negative emotions are toxic for the body. Holding on to them creates dis-ease and illness in the body. Again, the body will mirror what the mind believes.

Negative emotions actually produce several toxic chemicals in the body. These chemicals affect hormone regulation, neurotransmitters, endorphins, and other aspects of brain chemistry. They can create disease and illness in the body. These could manifest as low energy, headaches, flu, colds, cancer, and a vast array of other diseases. This is why it is so important to learn functional, healthy ways to release your emotions without harming anything or anyone. It is equally important to work on thinking positively about yourself. ?I am not good enough? can be transformed to ?I am more than good enough.?

What emotion do you feel when you have a headache? Practice just simply acknowledging what is going on for you. If you connect to a negative belief telling you that it?s not okay to feel emotion, call yourself on it. ?Oops! There?s my pattern showing up again. I don?t have to buy into it!? Tell your mind, ?thank you for sharing? and realize that the feeling is just your old conditioning from the past.

Marnina Reid is a nationally certified Holistic Health Practitioner. She is the author of Natural Cures For Chronic Headaches, a newly released e-book. Marnina has a private practice in San Diego, and faciliates trainings in emotional healing. She mainly works with women who have suffered from emotional trauma helping them to remove the blockages that are preventing them from moving forward. Several of Marnina's clients have suffered from chronic headaches and have been successful at eliminating them. This inspired her to create an e-book specifically addressing headaches.

For free cutting edge health tips that can enhance your life and prevent disease visit: http://www.naturalcuresforchronicheadaches.com/

For more information on Marnina Reid, or Natural Cures For Chronic Headaches Please visit: http://www.naturalcuresforchronicheadaches.com/

Death by Cigarettes

It has long been known that smoking and lung cancer are causally linked. After having discovered this association though, much has been made of the heightened incidence of other forms of cancer caused by of smoking. I am going to highlight the data that reiterates the claims and suggest that the evidence is not so strong for other forms of cancer being causally linked with smoking. The evidence is analysed from the mortality statistics for the UK in 2002.

I will work through the statistics because 26% of the population are smokers and so one might reasonably assume that any incidence of cancer where less than 26% of sufferers are smokers may have other more prevalent causes than smoking.

Firstly, we will deal with the cancer deaths so lets get underway with the 33,600 deaths from lung cancer. 84% of these deaths were in smokers. This means that the average 26% of the smoking population yielded more than three times the proportion of deaths ? a clear link.

Oesophageal cancer deaths numbered just under 5,000 and the deceased were found to be 66% smokers, 71% and 65% men to women respectively; again another clear link that smoking and oesophageal cancer are linked.

Next, bladder cancer takes over 1,800 lives per year of which 37% are found to be smokers. However, only 19% of female cases were smokers compared with 47% of male cases. It is fair to assume that there are other factors more prevalent in female bladder cancer other than smoking but the link is clear in men.

Stomach cancer took 1,650 lives in 2002 but is found in 35% of men compared with only 11% of female smokers. It is reasonable therefore to draw the same conclusion about the causes as for bladder cancer between men and women.

Pancreatic cancer is another cancer that is less prevalent in smokers than the general population. Indeed 20% of men and 26% of women dying from the disease in 2002 were smokers, suggesting parity with women and a disparity with men. It may be reasonable therefore to assume that there are other contributory factors in male pancreatic cancers.

Death from cancer of the upper respiratory tract was found at a rate of 66% in smokers, nearly three times the percentage of smokers. Note though that women sufferers represented half of their cohort compared with three quarters of men, suggesting upper respiratory cancer is more likely in men than in women smokers.

Kidney cancer is another cancer where smokers are seen less frequently than non-smokers in the statistics.

The next disease we shall look at is the non-cancerous, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. The disease manifests itself mainly in two forms, being emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Emphysema is the destruction of the lung leading to loss of surface area, alveoli (air sacks in the lungs) and the loss of elasticity. Chronic bronchitis manifests itself through swollen bronchii and over production of mucus within the lung. It is characterised by daily coughing, bringing up sputum. Both emphysema and bronchitis lead to slow, debilitating and frustrating deaths for their victims.

Deaths from COPD in 2002 in the UK numbered 28,500 of which 84% were smokers demonstrating a clear link between the inhalation of tobacco smoke and the disease as is the case with lung cancer.

Some sources suggest that pneumonia is more likely to kill in smokers but only 17% of the 36,000 fatal pneumonia cases were found in smokers suggesting this is not the case.

Finally, heart disease is the biggest single killer in the UK with over a quarter of a million deaths a year as a result of its various forms.

Of all the major forms of heart disease, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, aortic aneurysm, myocardial degeneration and atherosclerosis, the percentage of smokers suffering from aortic aneuryism was just under 60%. All other forms of heart disease showed near 26% or below. This suggests that smoking may not be the main contributory factor but it almost certainly will have had an impact.

All in all, there were over 114,000 premature deaths in 2002 from cigarette smoking, mostly from cancer, but also from heart disease and pulmonary (lung) disease. The best way to improve ones chances of not suffering from a shortened life and succumbing to one of the diseases mentioned in this article is by quitting smoking once and for all. Benefits have been clearly documented and the sooner smokers quit, the bigger the benefits of quitting become on their life expectancy. Indeed, smokers who quit before they reach thirty, statistically negate virtually all the ill health effect of smoking and can generally expect to live as long as a non-smoking contemporary.

Pete Howells owns the website http://easyquitsystem.com and has devised a simple system that will help any smoker quit by giving them the instructions they need to follow to achieve their ambition to quit. Please visit http://easyquitsystem.com to find out more about his incredible process for quitting smoking.

Go Have a Cheat Meal

We are all guilty of cheating on our diets from time to time and can also feel guilty about doing it. So why do we cheat anyways? This article is going to address this question. You will also learn how often you should cheat on your diet and supplements that should be taken before and after a big cheat meal.

Strict dieting can cause many psychological problems such as headaches, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and wanting to be unsocial. Marta Meana Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas states, When you cut back on sugar, you`re experiencing a decrease in brain chemicals, such as serotonin and endorphins, that make you feel good. If you`re feeling a severe drop in mood, you`re probably restricting too much, too fast. You may also be out with a couple of friends one night and they say, Hey, do you want a beer, or the best one yet, How about a piece of pizza. On special occasions like these or when you feel that you need a treat from the past few weeks of dieting, then cheating is okay. Just don`t make a habit out of it.

From a health perspective, using a cheat day as an excuse to gorge yourself is horrendous. It`s fine to have cookies, cakes, soda, pizza, etc., but the key is to not gorge yourself to the point of sickness. You should use your cheat meal as an opportunity to eat anything you want, but not everything you want. Eat enough to enjoy the food, but don`t over do it. Speaking personally, I cheat once a week to satisfy my cravings. Some people don`t cheat at all while others can get away with a cheat meal two or three times a week. You will have to find which method works best for you.

So how do I go about preparing for my cheat meal? You better be guessing that I am prepared supplement wise to keep myself from feeling guilty afterwards. I also need to decide if I really need a cheat meal or if it`s just a craving that I normally get from time to time. The first thing I do is take a thermogenic, such as Hot Rox or Xenadrine, and a healthy fat source such as fish or flax seed oil. I`ll then wait twenty minutes to decide if I am still hungry and if I am, then I will get something such as cookies, cakes, or pies. Then i`ll go eat some pizza, lasagna, or spaghetti, topped off with something healthy to aid with digestion. I won`t train after a cheat meal because I feel my body needs the excess calories to replace damaged muscle tissue. Again, different people have their own methods of going about cheating, and there is no right or wrong way of doing it.

Cheating is fun and sometimes it is the only thing that can turn a bad day into something good. I know of no one who can go their entire life without eating something that`s bad for them, and if someone ever tells me that they don`t cheat, I know they are lying! Another reason people can`t stick to their diet long-term is because they think that they have to be perfect all of the time. Live a little and go have a cheat meal!

*http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/qa/afc/afcjan032003.htm
*http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi14.htm
*http://www.naturalphysiques.com/faq/273.html
*http://chetday.com/cheatdays.htm
*http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mim0846/is924/ain13661416

MY SITES: http://www.mightybody.com and http://www.geocities.com/bashore69/bodybuildingarticles.html

Heel Pain Treatment Tips How To Live With Heel Pain and Heel Spur

The heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis or by a heel spur can be hell to live with. If you?ve experienced heel pain like this then you'll know just how debilitating it can be. But - as with all things medical - understanding the cause of heel pain can go along way to providing relief and reassurance.

So what are the causes of heel pain and why is it sometimes called plantar fasciitis?

The plantar surface is the name given to the sole of the foot. Fascia means gristle and the suffix (?itis) is used in medicine for inflammation conditions. Think of the meaning of tonsillitis, dermatitis and conjunctivitis if you want examples.

Plantar Fasciitis, then, simply means inflammation of the gristle on the sole of the foot.

Plantar fasciitis heel pain is felt at the front of the heel and the pain then often spreads along the sole of the foot towards the big toe. The heel pain is agony when walking ? especially first thing in the morning. Putting your foot to the ground on getting out of bed is usually something you learn to dread because the gristle of the foot (the fascia) tightens up overnight as a result of the inflammation. The tight area is stretched as you put your weight onto the foot - causing a searing pain along from the heel to the base of the big toe.

Sometimes the inflammation around the heel encourages calcium or new bone to grow along the line of the gristle on the sole of the foot. This creates a spurred effect when the heel is seen on x-ray. Doctors call this a heel spur. You can see a heel spur x-ray on my website by following the link at the bottom of this article.

What Causes Heel Spur?

There are many possible triggers for heel spur and its related heel pain. The commonest ones include: poor footwear and a long walk (Wellington boots in winter), tight calf muscles or achilles tendon tissues and flat feet or other changes in the shape of the arch of the foot.

The heel pain of heel spur or plantar fasciitis can happen at any age but is seen most often in the elderly and in those who are overweight.

Heel Pain Treatment

The heel pain from plantar fasciitis or the pain of a heel spur eventually settles without treatment in about 80% of cases but it may take many months before it does so.

Treatment options for plantar fasciitis heel pain include:

Physical therapy including stretches and massage (this works but it can take a while)

Injection of the tender area with steroid and local anesthetic (effective but can be painful if done by an inexperienced doctor)

Anti-inflammatory medication (not usually very effective and may have side effects)

And orthotic insoles or heel cushions (effective but can be uncomfortable in your shoes).

I find it is often better to invest in a pair of good quality running shoes with a deep cushion sole. This solution is often very effective - but not entirely fashionable if you're more than 35yrs old!

If you are unlucky enough to suffer from this kind of heel pain then the best advice I can give is to STAY POSITIVE - the heel pain of plantar fasciitis will eventually go away even without treatment.

You?ll find a lot more information about the treatment of heel pain on my website at http://www.cameronmedical.com

Dr Gordon Cameron MD is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is a specialist in treating joint and muscle pain.

Dr Cameron has a special interest in whiplash injury and his website also contains more information about heel pain and plantar fasciitis.

Knowing More About Cord Blood Banking

When a mother is still pregnant with her child, the umbilical cord is actually considered as the lifeline between the mother and the baby. Once the umbilical cord has been discarded after the baby?s birth, then you will lose the chance of being able to obtain precious cells that the cord contains which are an exact match with your baby and that you can have preserved. By preserving your baby?s stem cells through cord blood banking, your baby will be ensured to have a guaranteed source for perfectly matched cells that can help your child during unfortunate events (like a life threatening illness). These cells would actually come in handy when it comes to combating this disease. All you have to do is just have it set up during the time of your delivery.

But what exactly are diseases that the cord blood banking will help you save your child from? Stem cells that are preserved due to the cord blood banking can actually help a child be cured of the following life-threatening illnesses: leukemia, lymphoma, breast cancer, Hodgkin?s disease, aplastic anemia, various other cancers, sickle cell anemia, blood diseases, hereditary/genetic conditions and various immune system disorders. There are actually an approximate of 14 million new cancer cases that are being recoded every year. Single cell transplants that can be brought about by cord blood banking can also be used for the treatment of ling cancer, AIDS, lupus, multiple sclerosis as well as many other genetic diseases.

You may also be wondering if cord blood banking can actually be beneficial to all of your kids because you may have only one child undergo the cord blood banking process. Well in cord blood banking, your baby will be well ensured that the stem cells will be a perfect match for him or her as well as in the case of having an identical twin.

However, if another child who has not gone through the cord blood banking process is actually needing some stem cells to help fight off a life-threatening disease, it is highly important to note that they can also be used for a sibling since it will possibly a close match for them. But there is the 1:4 chances for the cord blood banking to be proven as beneficial for the other child. Relatives or other close friends who haven?t gone through cord blood banking may also benefit from the stem cells that can be derived from cord blood banking if and only if they will pose a close match with the cord blood banking donor?s stem cells.

But how does one actually collect stem cells for cord blood banking? Well, the collection process for cord blood banking will actually take place right after the delivery of a baby wherein the cord has already been separated from the newborn infant. This is in no way will be able to interfere with the birth of the baby. The attending physician or nurse or even midwife will be the one to collect the cord blood for the cord blood banking by utilizing it in a sterile kit which will be provided by the Cord Partners Blood Center. The collected cord blood will then be sealed in a specially designed package for cord blood banking and will then be delivered to the cord blood banking laboratory for the testing as well as the processing. In the end, the sample will be cryogenically stored for the cord blood banking until it is needed by the owner.

Another concern by mothers when it comes to cord blood banking is how safe will cord blood banking be for the baby as well as for the mother; if there will be any pain or discomfort involved in the whole cord blood banking process. When it comes to cord blood banking, the first priority will always be the well being of the baby.

The stem cell extraction for the cold banking process will actually be very safe both for the baby as well as for the baby?s mother because the blood for cord blood banking will be collected right after the umbilical cord has already been separated from the baby. Afterwards, blood will also be extracted from the mother for the cord blood banking process. The baby, as well as the mother will not really experience any pain or discomfort when it comes to cord blood banking.

For more great cord blood info and advice check out: http://www.cordbloodhq.com

Try This Muscle Building Solution

A lot of gyms nowadays have a smoothie bar. Everyone is figuring out how important it is to get the proper nutrition right after a muscle building, fat burning workout. But there are two good reasons not to hit that smoothie bar after your workout. One is the price. It's sort of like buying a beer at a baseball game. You might have to take out a loan.

The second problem is that you can't control exactly what is in the smoothie. Even health bar smoothies may contain lots of hidden calories that are high in fat and sugar, like sherbert, frozen yogurt and various forms of high-fructose corn syrup.

Creating your own muscle building smoothie allows you to control the cost and the ingredients. And that's a plus, both to your wallet and your physique.

Your muscles can't grow witout the proper nutrition and that nutrition is vitally important right after a hard weight training session. And that means loading up on the right protein and the right carbs at the right time - immediately after your workout. You can prepare your post-workout shake before you hit the gym, stick it in a thermos and take it with you to store in your locker.

Here are two versions of my favorite post-workout shake. The first one involves a specific post-worktout powder called RecoverX by Muscle Link. It's designed just for after your weight lifting session. It includes fast acting carbohydrates and hydrolized whey protein islolates. This version of whey is more digestable and faster acting, so it can start helping your muscles immediately.

The second version will do pretty much the same thing, without getting RecoverX.

Muscle Building Shake

1 serving RecoverX
1 serving Creatine
1 cup frozen fruit (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries)

Mix in a blender. You can alter how much of the powder and fruit you use to get the appropriate number of calories you want.

Or you can try this version of the muscle building post-workout shake

1 1/2 cups of Orange Juice
40 grams of whey protein isolate (I use vanilla)
1 serving Creatine
1 cup frozen fruit (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries)

You can alter this any number of ways to suit your taste buds. You could add banana, or even some yogurt, which will also make the shake a little thicker in its consistency.

One thing I've found that has helped my progress is to add a few more calories than I normally would and then drink part of the smoothie right before my workout, or even sip some of it during my workout so my muscles are constantly getting the nutrients they need, both to power my workout and to recover from it.

Consider creating your own pre and post-workout muscle building smoothies so you can start adding new muscle mass fast.

Gregg Gillies is the founder of Build Lean Muscle.com His articles have appeared in Ironman Magazine. He has written two books and is a regular contributor to Body Talk Magazine. He publishes a free fitness newsletter available at his site that includes lots of weight training tips, fat loss, nutrition and exercise program information to help you build your best body as quickly as possible. http://www.buildleanmuscle.com

Celebrity Beauty Secrets What They Are and How You can Copy Them

You are probably wondering how celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Simpson & Hilary Duff look so gorgeous all the time? How does their hair always look so perfect and well-conditioned?

What?s the Secret?

Well the secret is in the tools, the products and the stylist.

You can create these looks at home, and one of the best tips is:- the less time you spend on it the better it will look. Now you are probably wondering how, but if you think it takes 8-20mins to straighten your hair, you may start to believe me.

Here?s some great tips that you can use at home that will help you to look even better. These tips come not only from personal experiences but also from the celebrity stylists, who help to create a great red carpet look.

So here we go, read on for the ultimate in celebrity hair tips.

How to get that ?Going to the Oscars? Glamour

Whenever you see a picture of a celebrity on the red carpet, you are probably thinking how amazing they look. And what you can see is a hairstyle that has taken months of planning and trips to the stylists in order to look absolutely Hollywood perfect.

Before the big event, the celebrity will consult with their stylist about how they want to look, but also ask advice from their hairdressers on how to look up to date, but also very sexy and feminine.

Those who kept up with the times on the red carpet this year went for very large Hollywood curls, with an extra rich colour and shine. To recreate this look here are some tips on how to curl your hair so you can look just as elegant. Create Great Curls

If you have just bought yourself some very expensive straighteners, or you are thinking about it, why not consider the idea of curling your hair with straighteners? You can get more controllable curls which are far easier to manage than your natural hair is!

Try:-

1. Make sure that your hair is semi-straight, or if not straighten it.

2. Spray on some heat-protection spray and then divide your hair into sections. The fewer the number of sections the tighter the curls will be.

3. Take the straightener and clamp it over the top of the section, then whilst pulling down the straighteners turn the straightener round. To produce a tighter curl clamp harder with the straighteners and pull harder when you bring it down.

4. Do not brush your hair after you have done this, but simply tease through with your fingers. And add some shine spray.

Another way to curl your hair that always creates great celebrity styles hair effect is to use some heated rollers. The type of rollers that you should get should depend on how long and thick your hair is, and how tight the curl that you want to achieve is.

I would recommend for short thin hair to use a straightener (the above method) or tongs, for thick medium length hair to use some medium sized heated rollers and for really long hair I would use some very large velcro rollers. Try using these on wet hair and then drying off with a hair dryer (be sure to have plenty of hair grips on hand however).

The most perfect thing about celebrities hair is that it always appears in perfect condition. Just think, can you remember every seeing Jennifer Aniston with her hair looking messed up?!

Many celebrities will have plenty of deep conditioning treatments at their salon before the big event. These treatments will vary from Damage Restructuring to Deep Conditioning and Detoxifying.

There are plenty of high street products out there that are suitable for home use and you can pick them up on the high street for reasonable prices. I would always recommend that you look on the back and see the list of ingredients, the more chemicals it has in it, the worse it will be for your hair in the long run.

You may wish to consider trying some organic haircare products, which are not always as expensive as you think, and with organic followers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Elle McPherson you will be in great company!

Or indeed for a special event such as a prom or a ball, why not go down to your local hairdresser or beauty salon and have a hair wrap or mask? These may be quite expensive but will definitely get you the look that you desire and it?s worth treating yourself for a special event.

Always check with the salon about which treatment they think will be right for you, because not all of them will be suitable for your hair type.

For further celebrity beauty secrets and ideas for how to get your hair looking great, visit Celebrity Sedu Hairstyles

This article was submitted by Alissa Carter, owner of Dress Search - Prom Dresses website.