Good Article (Health)

Lose Weight While You Watch TV & Get Maximum Benefits From Using A Spin Bike

2006-11-03T09:19:00.000-08:00

Spinning is a term for indoor, stationary cycling. Spin bikes have fixed racing handlebars, pedals with shoes straps so that you don't slip, adjustable bike seat and adjustable handle bar crank.

This is great, because it's important that you are sitting in the right position depending on your height for maximum comfort and results. The intensity of your spinning workout session on the spin bike can be adjusted with either a resistance knob or gear lever. Depending on the type of spin bike you're looking at, some of the higher quality spin bikes come with a gear lever which offers up to 8 gear changes for harder workouts.

While spinning classes are very popular, more and more people are buying spin bikes for home use as time restraints, and hectic lifestyles make it very difficult to get to scheduled spinning classes on time.

While a typical spinning bike class lasts for up to 40 minutes, every minute working out on your spin bike does count! Remember...your muscles can't count time so if you've only got 12 or 5 or 17 minutes....go for a spin on your exercise bike! It will still make a difference! Like all exercise programs, start out with a warm up and gradually build up speed and resistance as your fitness levels increase!

People of all ages and fitness levels can enjoy spinning on the spin bike and because the impact is so low, if you're after an exercise program that doesn't add stress to the joints, but still want to burn maximum calories, then a spinning exercise program may be what you're after!

A spinning exercise routine using your spin bike will work out a few different muscles groups. These include the quadriceps (thighs), hamstrings (back of the thighs), hips, gluteus maximus (bum), and abdominal muscles. As you can see...your spinning exercise routine can really get great results if you go for it!

Spinning indoors on your spin bike is a perfect way to exercise all year round because you never have to worry about the weather. You can watch TV, read a book or really ramp it up for an intense training session! It all depends on the outcome of your exercise session.

I recommend investing in a pair of proper cycling shorts as after a while you may need the extra padding! For those looking for an exercise that really works your bum, spinning on a spin bike will give you great results here! By the way, make sure you drink plenty of water during your spinning exercise program. Very important!

If you have any ailments, injuries or queries, firstly consult with your personal trainer, a fitness instructor or a physician. Make sure your seat is in the right position and the handlebars have been adjusted to suit you. Your knees should be slightly bent when positioned at the bottom of the stroke pedal. Your elbows should be slightly bent, with your arms a comfortable distance from the handlebars. Keep adjusting them until you've got it right!

Spinning on your spin bike in the comfort of your own home is an excellent, safe and fun way to burn those unwanted kilos while increasing your fitness level. Because you can jump on your spin bike any time of the day (even if it's only for a few minutes), you will see results fast if you keep it up! Mixed with a healthy eating plan, spinning on your spin bike will have you feeling like an athlete in no time at all!

My name's Amanda and I'm one of Australia's leading Personal Trainers, thanks for stopping by and reading my guide. For more information drop by my Spin Bike page http://www.bigdollardiscounts.com/NewSite/spin.html and check out what a quality Spin Bike should look like.

Article by : Amanda Clarkson

Why Eye Lasik Is Necessary For Athletes

2006-11-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

Most people would have the misconception that eye lasik is a cure to short-sighted or long-sighted problems. The fact is eye lasik surgery is designed to improve the vision of the person under-going the surgery. It is not intended to give you super sharp vision or extreme clear focus. The expectation need to be correct. Many athletes with minor short-sighted eye problem would opt for eye lasik surgery. Now you might ask, why do they do so?

The number one reason is improve on their current performance with the sport they are in. Take for example Tiger Woods, the professional golfer, with severe shor-sightedness and need to wear contacts lens for each of his game. He is always concern about the weather condition like windy or rainy day which can affects his judgement.After his lasik eye surgery, he claim to experience an improvement in viewing the holes on the green. And until now he is still happy with his vision. Many golfers would agree to opt for this eye cosmetic treatment which ultimately can potentially helps in their overall scoring.

Another great benefit to the sportsman is that they not longer need to wear their contact lenses or vision aid device during their training. This would mean one less worry for them. Especially for swimmers, they no longer need to wear degree fitted googel,specticle or sunglasses. The cost in saving can be alot over a period of a few years.

An interesting finding shows that footballers, golfers, basketball players and hockey players are among the top group of people who opt to have an eye lasik surgery. This is followed by divers and swimmers.

With the in-born talent and training, athletes should be able to excel in the sports that they love. Althletes should not be put down by the problem of poor eye sight which hinder the growth of their career as a sportsman. Perhaps the biggest obsticle to the althlete is the risk involved. However, with the advancement of technology in eye lasik surgery operation, the risk factors would no longer be of concern.

Article by : Adwin Ang

Why You Should Drink Green Tea

2006-11-02T04:17:00.000-08:00

In the Asian nations green teas has been enjoyed for a long time for a number of reasons, including both taste and health. The western world and the medical community have recently started to recognize the many benefits of choosing to drink green tea. The great reasons to drink tea are discussed briefly below.

Reason #1: A Vacation from the Ordinary

Each day most Americans consume at least a few cups of coffee. In the supermarket today there are countless different flavors available, although sometimes you will want to truly escape from the ordinary. Green tea might just be the change you want with its grassy flavor and sweet, nutty aroma.

Reason #2: Green Tea Chock Full of Antioxidants

For centuries green teas has been drunk and enjoyed for its healing properties. The western medical world is beginning to see why with the advances of science. Since green tea contains antioxidants it is a great reason to drink it. These antioxidants have been proven to help in the growth of healthy cells and increase the energy needed for daily life activities.

Reason #3: Escape the Caffeine Jitters

Caffeine jitters can result for some people who drink coffee. Everyone experiences at some point the bodies feeling after a last cup of coffee when it start to shake as if in preparation for liftoff. This is why many have decided to give up coffee altogether. Green tea is a great reason for these consumers since it is a different, milder form of caffeine. When it comes to the jitters caused by caffeine most green teas that aren’t decaffeinated seem to have a milder effect. There isn’t an exact known reason for this, but for many it is easier to stay awake during the business day by drinking green tea.

In the list of reasons to drink green tea these are just a few. Depending on your personal taste preference and why kind of health benefits you want there may be many other benefits of green tea. Green tea will help you feel better and more inclined to face the day no matter what your reasons are.

Article by : Colin Holcomb

Skin Treatment - 8 Great New Skin Treatments

2006-11-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

Great new treatments for your skin

Want great looking skin in under an hour? Well now it’s possible to achieve this with a variety of new skin treatments available at your local salon. Whether you want to smooth out lines and wrinkles or improve the tone and texture of your skin there is no need to go under the knife as the new treatments available require no down time.

Here are 8 treatments that are currently available:

Botox and Dermal Fillers

A popular choice – Botox can temporarily erase lines and wrinkles and can also be administered to reshape the face to create a softer, more youthful appearance. It can also give a lifting effect to the brow, or make the face appear more slim-lined. Similar to Botox are Dermal Fillers (Perlane, Restylane) and these are equally as popular to fill out unwanted lines on the face.

Omnilux Revive

Targets ageing, rejuvenates skin and improves the effect of skincare. This treatment involves a spectrally pure, non-laser light source that is directed on to the skin for 20 minutes. Through the use of only the red light part of the natural white light spectrum, the skin is rejuvenated.

Mesolift

A series of injections that aim to firm and tighten facial contours. Injected under the skin are a combination of vitamins, minerals and hyaluronic acid and amino acids. This has a rejuvenating effect and also lifts the skin. A few treatments may be required

Aptos Threads

Placed under the skin to lift facial contours and smooth out wrinkles. The treatment can be used on the face, breasts, buttocks and neck. A local anesthetic is administered and threads are placed between the skin and muscle using a special needle. The threads are then tightened to deliver the desired result.

Restalift

A stabilized haluronic acid that is injected to lift and fill hollow cheeks and sagging jowl areas.

Sculptra Wrinkle Treatment

An injectible form of polylactic acid, which helps stimulate the body's own production of collagen, making skin firmer and younger looking. This treatment can be used on the face and neck, but also effective used on the hands.

Fraxel Laser Treatment

A specifically targeted laser applied to pigmented or damaged skin cells. A topical anesthetic is applied, then a blue tint, this highlights skin contours therefore increasing accuarcy. After treatment expect fewer lines and wrinkles and a reduction in pigmentation.

IPL LaserSmooth Photorejuvenation

This treatment directs Super Intense Pulsed Light on to the skin to reduce pigmentation, broken capillaries, enlarged pores and fine lines. The intense pulsed light is applied in a series of gentle pulses. Heat from the light causes damage to abnormal blood vessels or pigmentation. When the body heals it clears away the blemished skin in the process.

Article by : Hayden Barile

The Power Of Vitamin D

2006-10-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

Most of us know that taking Vitamin C helps when we are getting sick because it builds up our immune system. Eat your carrots (or broccoli), it's good for your vision because the vegetable consists of high levels of Vitamin A. Vitamin E helps strengthen your hair and nails.

According to a new study, taking Vitamin D can cut the risk of pancreatic cancer nearly in half. This study appears in the September issue of a medical journal, Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. Earlier studies have shown that Vitamin D can also protect against colorectal and breast cancer. Lab and animal studies have shown that Vitamin D stifles abnormal cell growth and curbs formation of blood vessels that feed tumors.

Northwestern and Harvard universities led the studies and proved that taking 450 international units (IU's) of Vitamin D – the standard IU that is in most multivitamins – reduced the risk of pancreatic cancer by 43 percent. There is no need to take more than that amount either. Through statistical analysis, conclusions were that 12.5 cases of pancreatic cancer occurred each year per 100,000 people who were taking 600 IU's or more of Vitamin D. But taking only 150 to 300 IU's reduced the risk by 22 percent. The rate was 21 cases for patients taking below 150 IU's a day.

Here are some other ways Vitamin D is produced. Spend some time at the park or the beach because Vitamin D is created by sunlight exposure. In terms of food, try eating more tuna, salmon or other oily fish. You also might want to drink a cup of milk every now and then many other dairy product are also high in Vitamin D, you could also use margarine instead of butter. For people between the ages of 50-70, the suggested amounts of Vitamin D is 400 IU's. For people over 70, the suggested amount is 600 IU's and of course lower levels for those that are younger.

As for multivitamins, be weary. Multivitamins usually package Vitamin D with Retinol (a form of Vitamin A) to promote bone health, but that combination actually dilutes the Vitamin D and does not effect prevention of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is fairly rare – it only makes up 2 percent of new cancer cases in the United States. But it is also very lethal being the fourth deadliest form of cancer in the United States. Around 33,700 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year and almost 96% will die from the disease. Here are so more statistics to keep in mind. Those that are over 60 and those that suffer from diabetes are more likely to be diagnosed with this disease. More males than females are diagnosed. Smokers are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed. If any of the above apply to you, start taking Vitamin D. It just might save your life.

Article by : Carl Hampton

Do You Step Aerobics?

2006-10-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

Step aerobics is based on stepping up and down on a platform, in time to music of course. it can be good fun, and is good for the leg muscles and to get some aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is when your body works hard enough to raise the heart beat by 40 per cent or so.

You use a platform about 30 inches by 15 inches and four to twelve inches high, according to your level of fitness. First, you step on to the platform landing at a particular point, with one foot, then bring the other foot up alongside. Then you step down to a different place with your feet in turn. There are many different movements you can do to make it more interesting, but you always have to lift your body up to get on the step.

More vigorous exercise than aerobic dancing

Proponents of step aerobics point out that it is simpler than aerobic dancing, and that you don't have to learn many movements. Step aerobics is more vigorous than aerobic dancing, because you have to lift your body weight up instead of just moving it around. How vigorous it is depends on the instructor.

Step aerobics certainly provides aerobic exercise that improves your fitness, strengthen your heart and make you less likely to suffer heart disease. There is some evidence to suggest that step aerobics increases your 'good' cholesterol while reducing overall cholesterol levels. However, one eight-week study of a group of women who did step aerobics showed many positive benefits, but did not affect their weight. Don't expect step aerobics alone to reduce your weight - you will need to eat less, better food.

Is step aerobics really good for you?

Like jogging, though, step aerobics has its detractors. Why? Well, because in doing all that stepping up on a block you are straining your knee joints which are very delicate. In fact if you work too hard at you can damage your joints.

If you are young and healthy, step aerobics is probably OK. But if you are overweight and middle aged, it is definitely not a good idea.

In fact, the old fashioned aerobic exercises like swimming, vigorous hill walking and cycling or roller skating are probably the best forms of aerobic exercise. We could add a new one - power walking - but you need to power along.

Article by : John Hartley

Natural Alternative Cancer Treatments

2006-10-08T23:39:00.000-07:00

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in this country. It affects about 1 in 3 and is moving towards a ratio of 1 in 2. It strikes men, women, and children. Cancer is caused by a variety of factors, including exposure to environmental toxins, smoking, an unhealthy lifestyle, and genetic predisposition.

What is cancer? Our bodies are made up of billions of cells. When some of these cells deviate and do not perform as they should, they become cancer cells and must be removed. Otherwise, the cells will propagate and destroy the body from within.

If your immune system is healthy, it is designed to eradicate these cancer cells before you are diagnosed with cancer. However, if the immune system is fragile or the cells multiply too quickly then cancer follows. Therefore, it is crucial to restore your immune system to its strongest state in order for it to battle the cancer cells.

There are many ways to strengthen the immune system. The first and easiest method is to make some changes in your diet and lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy weight and eating a nutritious diet are extremely important tools in your fight against cancer.

Nutrients found in certain foods strengthen your body’s abilities to ward off diseases like cancer. Consuming a predominantly plant-based diet (fruits, vegetables, and beans), when matched with regular physical exercise and the avoidance of tobacco, can greatly decrease your cancer risk.

If you have already been diagnosed with cancer, no matter what stage of cancer or what type of cancer, there are natural alternative methods of treatment available. Many people, who are given little hope by their doctors, choose to receive alternative treatments.

More and more people are now learning about the benefits of supplementing their conventional cancer treatments with natural therapies. These natural remedies improve the body’s immune system instead of relying on the often inconsistent results from chemotherapy and radiation.

There are many natural alternative cancer treatments and remedies available today. Some of these methods, used in conjunction with conventional methods, strengthen the body and control the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. Other methods are used in place of the conventional methods.

All alternative remedies share the belief that a genuinely healthy body, and thus a balanced immune system, is less susceptible to cancer and better equipped to fight off cancer cells if they develop. Their methods try to eliminate the fundamental problem that permitted the cancer to develop in the first place by restoring a healthy immune system, thus allowing the body to heal itself.

Alternative treatments, usually holistic (whole body treatment) in their methods, strive to treat the whole body of the person rather than only the affected area(s). They also care for the patient on many different levels not just the physical part. A patient’s spiritual and emotional conditions are included in their treatments.

ALTERNATIVE CANCER TREATMENTS:

METABOLIC THERAPIES: The basic premise of metabolic therapies is that due to the close connection between diet and disease, chronic and life-threatening diseases can be reversed by restricting the type of calories our bodies consume. Since diet determines the health of a person, the treatments must consist of ways to cleanse the body from within.

Metabolic therapy uses a combination of methods in an attempt to remove the toxins from the body. The treatments use detoxification to flush the toxins out of the body, plant-based diets consisting of whole foods, and a regimen of vitamins, minerals and enzymes which heal damaged tissues and strengthen and revitalize the immune system.

HERBAL THERAPIES: Herbal therapy is the oldest form of medicinal treatment in the world. This treatment uses herbs to strengthen the ability of the body to eradicate cancer cells. It has been around for thousands of years and was used as mainstream medicine by doctors until the late nineteenth century.

At that time, the AMA (American Medical Association), consisting of doctors who were in a partnership with a growing pharmaceutical industry, used its clout to abolish the use of natural substances. Because there is no profit to be had from these “natural” drugs, they were no longer considered viable treatments.

The established medical community does not encourage its patients to treat their own cancer by using inexpensive natural substances and therapies. Instead, millions of dollars are spent to create synthetic drugs.

MIND-BODY THERAPIES: Because our mind has a powerful effect on our body, these therapies concentrate on the function of emotions and spiritual faith in the recovery process from an illness. They do not guarantee a cure but they can greatly affect what happens in your body and have become an increasingly important part of cancer treatments.

Examples of these therapies include hypnosis, biofeedback, visualization techniques that help increase the effectiveness of the immune system, meditation, yoga, tai chi, and participating in pleasing activities like listening to music or taking walks. Anything that promotes improved emotional and spiritual well-being is a mind-body therapy.

Using these techniques can alleviate pain, enhance your quality of life, and in some cases eliminate or reduce the disease. Because you can do most of the mind-body therapies yourself, you feel like you are gaining back the control over your life that cancer has taken away from you.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, do not give up hope. You must be proactive and research the various alternative treatments that are available, and there are many. The more you do to help yourself, the better your chances will be to eliminate cancer from your life.

Article by : Chris Chenoweth

Low Carb Diets

2006-10-08T02:37:00.000-07:00

Low-carbohydrate diets or low carb diets, are food diet programs for weight loss and dietary health that suggest a reduced carbohydrate intake, with the success of the Atkins diet, several other low carb diets have emerged onto the market promising quick and effective weight loss. Diets like South Beach, the Sonoma Diet and The Zone are all low carb diets that revolve around the same concept of eating less carbohydrates and more proteins.

The thought behind all of these low carb diets is that we are eating far too many simple carbohydrates such as items high in sugars, as well as "bad" carbohydrates like white breads and pastas. If less simple, or bad, carbohydrates are eaten and there is more consumption of whole grains and proteins, then it is believed that the average person will lose weight.

Most of the reduced carb diets include an initiation stage that allows a negligible sum of sugar consumption for a period of about five to fourteen days. This is meant to ship the system into ketoacidosis, which burns plump instead of carbohydrates for vitality. Once the initiation period is completed, most of the reduced carb diets permit a dieter to gradually increase the consumption of "better" carbohydrates until they hit a plateau in weight departure. The sugar consumption must so be decreased until the dieter is losing weight again. If the dieter has reached their finish weight, so he or she can stay at the plateau degree of carbohydrate consumption for weight upkeep.

Several of these reduced carb diets offer a good kind of resources through guidebooks and cookbooks. In addition, there are several websites that offer backing through content boards, recipe sharing and newsletters updates. Many larger foodstuff shop chains are too carrying foods created by and sold under the names of these reduced carb diets, making it rather easy to select foods that equip into the diet one has to decided to come.

While there has not been any definitive evidence that these reduced carb diets are harmful or harmful to health, they normally are not recommended by medical professionals as a perfect way of weight departure. Many think that there should be much kind in diet, and nothing should merely be deemed as "terrible" as it could head to consumers not really following the concepts of the diet and just cutting away the carbohydrates without any training. If one decides to come one of these reduced carb diets, it is extremely recommended to get routine blood tests to stop cholesterol levels. As with any diet, it is ever better to confer a physician before beginning.

Article by : Julie Hart

7 Things You Can Do Today to Double Your Energy

2006-10-08T01:52:00.000-07:00

Admit it, there are times when you wish you could just feel more energetic and get more done. Don't you just hate it when you feel like hiding under your bedsheets, and yet more and more things come up that you have to deal with?

Though mastering the energy game is a complex topic, I'd like to give you 7 things you can do anytime you need an extra boost.

1. Breathe

Breathing is one of the best ways not only to calm yourself but also to energize your body. Whenever you start feeling overwhelmed, take one minute to do a simple deep-breathing exercise.

Here goes: Sit in a comfortable position, then breathe in for 5 counts, hold your breath for 5 counts, and breathe out for 5 counts.

Repeat for approximately 1-2 minutes, or longer.

2. Yoga

One of the best ways to feel more energetic is to combine stretching, movement and breathing with yoga. It works like a charm every time, but you probably think you have to spend an hour doing it.

Not so! Just 15 minutes of yoga give tremendous benefits. Practicing a few “sun salutations,” along with a back bend and a few more postures will really make a difference in your day.

Another possibility, which is just as powerful or even more so, is to spend ten minutes practicing the five Tibetans, a simple series of exercises that anyone can do and that give tremendous benefits. (For more information, go to this link ).

3. Wait for True Hunger ... Or Eat!

Depending on how you feel, you can either eat to gain more energy, or wait.

Why the two diverse options? The reason is that tiredness can either be caused by your body trying to “detox” the previous meal, or simply due to the fact that you haven't eaten enough.

If you're in “detox,” you might feel a little depressed or irritable. Your stomach might make all sorts of noises.

In that case, I find that when I fast a few hours until I feel “truly hungry” - I will gradually feel more energetic as my body is restored to homeostasis.

But if you have eaten well lately, then try the following drink for quick energy. The water, the electrolytes (like sodium in the celery) and the natural sugar will help recharge your batteries.

- 1-3 bananas
- 1 cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2-3 stalks of celery
- 1 to 2 cups of water

Blend and enjoy!

4. Drink

One of the main reasons people feel tired is that they are dehydrated. It happens very often in hot weather. You can easily forget to drink. If you feel tired for no apparent reason, it's warm outside and you haven't been to the bathroom in the last 2 hours, then you should drink a liter of water and watch what happens.

If you were dehydrated, you will immediately feel more energetic.

5. Dump Your Brain

Often you may feel overwhelmed by everything on your schedule, especially if you don't know exactly where to start to get things done. This is a major energy-drainer.

Trying to keep things in our brain becomes extremely draining when there are more things than we can keep in mind at one time.

Here's one quick solution: Take out a bunch of sticky notes. Write down as many things as you know you have to do. Write one item per sticky note.

Literally dump out your brain. Then organize the stickies by category, and identify your top 3 priorities.

For each of those 3 priorities, identify the very next action you have to take to get it done. Then schedule a time to do this.

When you do this, you will immediately feel yourself coming back to life, and your energy will instantly double.

6. Clean Up Your Space

Untidy or messy surroundings are a major drain of energy. Especially when getting through the mess seems overwhelming.

My suggesting is to spend 15 minutes to clean up, and see what happens.

What I recommend is actually timing yourself. I personally use a countdown timer. I set it to 15 minutes and then get as much done as possible in those 15 minutes, like a race!

Try this and you'll find that so much can be done to clean up your environment in just 15 minutes. You'll feel your mood instantly change and your energy double.

7. Find a Program That Works

The best thing you can do to keep your energy up is to pay attention to the factors that influence your health.

Those factors include: eating a good diet based on fruits and vegetables, getting sufficient nutrients, training your body in the 5 areas of fitness, mastering your sleep, and more (there are more than 21 in total).

Your health program should focus on mastering these different factors of health - not just diet - and show you how to become a high-energy person!

Article by : Frederic Patenaude