Anytime you exercise, you do so in order to try and maintain good health. You also know that you have to eat as well, so your body will have the energy it needs to exercise and maintain for the everyday tasks of life. For making the best of your exercise, what you eat before and after you workout is very important.
No matter if you are going to be doing a cardio workout or a resistance workout, you should always make it a point to eat a balanced mix of protein and carbohydrates. What makes that determining percentage of carbs and protein you consume is whether or not you are doing cardio or resistance exercise and the intensity level that you plan to work at.
The ideal time for you to eat your pre workout meal is an hour before you start. If you plan to work at a low intensity level, you should keep your pre workout meal down to 200 calories or so. If you plan to exercise at a high level of intensity, you will probably need your meal to be between 4,000 and 5,000 calories.
Those of you who are doing a cardio session will need to consume a mix of 2/3 carbs and 1/3 protein. Doing so will give you longer sustained energy from the extra carbs with enough protein to keep your muscle from breaking down while you exercise.
For resistance exercise, you'll need to eat a mix of 1/3 carbs and 2/3 protein, as this will help you get plenty of energy from the carbs to perform each set you do and the extra protein will help keep muscle breakdown to a minimum while you exercise.
Eating after you exercise is just as important as your pre workout meal. Anytime you exercise, whether its cardio or resistance, you deplete energy in the form of glycogen. The brain and central nervous system rely on glycogen as their main source of fuel, so if you don't replace it after you exercise, your body will begin to break down muscle tissue into amino acids, and then convert them into usable fuel for the brain and the central nervous system.
Keep in mind that mostly during resistance exercise, you'll break down muscle tissue by creating micro tears. What this means, is that after a workout, your muscles will instantly go into repair mode. Protein is the key here for muscle repair, as you don't want muscle breaking down even further to create fuel instead of lost glycogen.
Once you have finished a cardio session, you'll need to consume mainly carbohydrates, preferably those with high fiber. Rice, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, and northern fruits are excellent sources. Also, try to consume 30 - 50 grams of there types of carbs after you exercise. After your cardio workout, it is fine to eat within 5 - 10 minutes.
Once you've finished a resistance workout, you will need to consume a combination of carbs and protein. Unlike cardio workouts, resistance workouts will break down muscle tissue by creating micro tears.
You'll need protein as this happens to build up and repair these tears so that the muscle can increase in size and strength. The carbs will not only replace the lost muscle glycogen, but will also help the protein get into muscle cells so it can synthesize into structural protein, or the muscle itself.
After your resistance exercise, you should wait up to 30 minutes before you eat, so that you won't take blood away from your muscles too fast. The blood in your muscles will help the repair process by removing the metabolic waste products.
Friday, 27 February 2009
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
A Cure For The Age Old Problem Of Hair Loss
Men aren't the only ones looking for a cure for hair loss. Some women are also affected. One solution is delving into the Internet for answers. Cyberspace will provide you with a number of solutions to this confidence-breaking problem. You can even sift through a variety of reviews posted by individuals who have tried specific products.
Depending on what you're willing to spend, there is surely a cure for hair loss suitable to you. I recall when my younger brother began losing his dew toward the end of high school. I felt awkward about this I must admit. Why do some guys start losing their hair at such a tender age? Much actually depends on genetics and stress. I'm guessing it was stress in this case since my mother's father has a full head of hair.
If you watch television, then you've most likely spotted a hair loss commercial or two. Those sometimes quirky, yet cheesy ads don't offer much solace when we start going bald up top or the forehead starts to expand. Luckily there are quality solutions at hand. The first step you should take concerning a cure for hair loss is consulting a family doctor or possibly a trichologist. He or she will be able to present you with some decent options.
The good news is many of these products are effective, but not so expensive these days. You can get your hair back. You just need to exhaust your resources in order to pinpoint that perfect cure for hair loss.
This certainly is the simplest choice, but it doesn't have to be your only option. You can find an effective cure for hair loss if you do your homework. In the cosmetically advanced world we currently reside in, there's no reason why you have to take your hair loss like a man.
Are you in desperate search of a cure for hair loss? Many men across the world are going through a daily struggle with hair loss. The inevitable affliction sadly becomes a reality for many of us. Although most men do not prefer a bald scalp, some are taking this route and avoiding the struggle altogether.
This can be helpful in your search for the right and ideal cure for hair loss. You've simply got to love the Internet. If you discover an over-the-counter cure for hair loss, you can likely pick it up at any corner drug store.
Depending on what you're willing to spend, there is surely a cure for hair loss suitable to you. I recall when my younger brother began losing his dew toward the end of high school. I felt awkward about this I must admit. Why do some guys start losing their hair at such a tender age? Much actually depends on genetics and stress. I'm guessing it was stress in this case since my mother's father has a full head of hair.
If you watch television, then you've most likely spotted a hair loss commercial or two. Those sometimes quirky, yet cheesy ads don't offer much solace when we start going bald up top or the forehead starts to expand. Luckily there are quality solutions at hand. The first step you should take concerning a cure for hair loss is consulting a family doctor or possibly a trichologist. He or she will be able to present you with some decent options.
The good news is many of these products are effective, but not so expensive these days. You can get your hair back. You just need to exhaust your resources in order to pinpoint that perfect cure for hair loss.
This certainly is the simplest choice, but it doesn't have to be your only option. You can find an effective cure for hair loss if you do your homework. In the cosmetically advanced world we currently reside in, there's no reason why you have to take your hair loss like a man.
Are you in desperate search of a cure for hair loss? Many men across the world are going through a daily struggle with hair loss. The inevitable affliction sadly becomes a reality for many of us. Although most men do not prefer a bald scalp, some are taking this route and avoiding the struggle altogether.
This can be helpful in your search for the right and ideal cure for hair loss. You've simply got to love the Internet. If you discover an over-the-counter cure for hair loss, you can likely pick it up at any corner drug store.
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Tips And Secrets To Staying Young
Staying Young, looking younger or just feeling younger is a multimillion dollar industry. There's a really good reason for it. We have an ever-aging generation. This generation is one of the largest generation on the planet. Naturally, there's a huge number of this population that do not want to grow old. Therefore, anti-aging products are rampant in the marketplace. But don't get 'taken' by the unnecessary products that play on the emotions of those who wish to look young. The following are three secrets and tips that will allow you to avoid the risks of buying certain products that are not needed. Secret Tip #1: Feed Your Face If you feed your face with anti-aging food on a consistent basis, you'll find it easier to stay young. Another way to say this is to just make sure you're not feeding your body full of junk that is sure to perpetuate the aging process. Also, know that if you try to escape the eating step, you'll grow older faster. The body knows what it needs. Just give it to your body. Secret Tip #2: Pick Something or Go Somewhere In other words, get up off the couch, turn the TV off and do some anti-aging activities. This doesn't have to be work either. Find an activity or two that you enjoy. Walk, run, weight train, ride a bike, get on a pogo stick. Do anything that causes your body to move and exert some activity. This will allow your body to stay young by stretching muscles and keeping you limber at the same time. Secret Tip #3: Don't Be A Party Pooper Mentioned above for the #2 Anti-Aging Secret Tip was finding something you enjoy. That's the whole secret of this entire article. Find something you have fun doing. Just know this, if drinking alcohol into a drunken stupor is the one thing you enjoy, you are not going stay young for very long. In fact, if you're older in age and you're doing this you may not even enjoy staying old. The key to the entire process of anti-aging is to treat your body right and have fun doing it. Enjoy life, stay young mentally, emotionally, physically and you'll see an anti-aging process that you'll be happy about. That will give you the motivation and momentum to continue the lifestyle of anti-aging.
Monday, 16 February 2009
Some Common Myths That Keep Women From Weight Training
Training with weights has long been known to improve health, step up vigor, improve strength, and improve the physique. Men have been capitalising on this fact for numerous years now, but many women have been avoiding weight training and continue to do so because they look at it as a masculine thing meant for building muscle.
Many women have refrained from training with weights because of some misconceptions linked with women and weight training. If you've never given any thought to exercising with weights before, it is probably because some of the common myths about women’s weight training has stopped you.
Let’s have a look at some of these myths and discover just what the real truth is and why you shouldn't let them stop you from taking full advantage of all the benefits weight training has to offer.
One common myth that some women believe is that they are too old to train with weights. The truth is you're never too old to be capable of strengthening and toning your muscles. If you start using lighter weights and a comparatively low intensity training program you can still benefit from weight training. Past studies has proven that people as old as 80 and even 90 who recently commenced weight training saw up to a 200% gain in strength over a four week period.
Another common myth is that some women think they'll loss their flexibility if they undertake weight training. The truth here is that weight training actually helps you to become much more flexible. By exercising with weights through a full range of motion your muscles are being stretched with each repetition and also strengthened which will make them less prone to injury when doing stretching exercises.
This next myth is probably the most common by far. A lot of women think that if they do weight training they will develop big muscles and look bulky and un-feminine. But nothing can be further from the truth! The fact is, women do not have anywhere near enough of the male hormone testosterone, and testosterone is the growth hormone that is essential for producing bulky muscles. Unless women use supplemental substances like steroids and growth hormone, they will not bulk up like men. Weight training will tone up and make your body much more firm but will by no means make you look manly.
One myth that is reasonably common is that some women think that weight training is tedious and boring The truth is that weight training can be done with friends and you can have a bit of a laugh as well as help keep each other on track. If you prefer to train alone you could listen to music as you exercise and this will help motivate you. You can also mix lots of different exercises into your routine and change your routine every so often. After a few training sessions you will find that as your strength and your body are improving, you will feel a lot better about it all. When you have reached a certain goal, give yourself a reward like eating out in a nice restaurant or having a weekend holiday somewhere nice.
Now that you recognise the truth to some of the myths that has probably stopped you from enjoying the many great benefits of weight training, there's no reason for you not to make it a part of you exercise regime. Weight training should not be strictly for men only. So get up, get to the weights, and get fit for life.
Many women have refrained from training with weights because of some misconceptions linked with women and weight training. If you've never given any thought to exercising with weights before, it is probably because some of the common myths about women’s weight training has stopped you.
Let’s have a look at some of these myths and discover just what the real truth is and why you shouldn't let them stop you from taking full advantage of all the benefits weight training has to offer.
One common myth that some women believe is that they are too old to train with weights. The truth is you're never too old to be capable of strengthening and toning your muscles. If you start using lighter weights and a comparatively low intensity training program you can still benefit from weight training. Past studies has proven that people as old as 80 and even 90 who recently commenced weight training saw up to a 200% gain in strength over a four week period.
Another common myth is that some women think they'll loss their flexibility if they undertake weight training. The truth here is that weight training actually helps you to become much more flexible. By exercising with weights through a full range of motion your muscles are being stretched with each repetition and also strengthened which will make them less prone to injury when doing stretching exercises.
This next myth is probably the most common by far. A lot of women think that if they do weight training they will develop big muscles and look bulky and un-feminine. But nothing can be further from the truth! The fact is, women do not have anywhere near enough of the male hormone testosterone, and testosterone is the growth hormone that is essential for producing bulky muscles. Unless women use supplemental substances like steroids and growth hormone, they will not bulk up like men. Weight training will tone up and make your body much more firm but will by no means make you look manly.
One myth that is reasonably common is that some women think that weight training is tedious and boring The truth is that weight training can be done with friends and you can have a bit of a laugh as well as help keep each other on track. If you prefer to train alone you could listen to music as you exercise and this will help motivate you. You can also mix lots of different exercises into your routine and change your routine every so often. After a few training sessions you will find that as your strength and your body are improving, you will feel a lot better about it all. When you have reached a certain goal, give yourself a reward like eating out in a nice restaurant or having a weekend holiday somewhere nice.
Now that you recognise the truth to some of the myths that has probably stopped you from enjoying the many great benefits of weight training, there's no reason for you not to make it a part of you exercise regime. Weight training should not be strictly for men only. So get up, get to the weights, and get fit for life.
Sunday, 15 February 2009
Protect Yourself From This LIittle Known Disease
Candida albicans is a little-known but major disease of the 20th century but affects 33% of the population. The symptoms include drowsiness, skin problems, frequent infections, feelings of anxiety and irrability. Other known symptoms are: cravings for chocolate, sugary cereal, bread and/or alcohol, weak muscles, digestive problems, mood swings or depression, dizziness, pains in the chest, and/or urinary infections. Warning: you will be particularly suceptible if you have taken lots of antibiotics in the past as over-prescription is the major cause of the disease. Preventative measures to take: always be sure that any treatment is absolutely necessary before agreeing to take any course of antibiotics - you may be able to transform your health by simply reducing your intake of antibiotics.
Thursday, 12 February 2009
AEROBICS SHOULD BE JUST A PART OF YOUR WORKOUT
Getting into shape takes more than just aerobic exercise. While aerobics are an important element to overall fitness, you also need to introduce muscle building workouts several times a week to attain a well balanced exercise program.
The benefits of aerobics are well known. When you exercise aerobically you strengthen your heart muscle as well as your entire cardiovascular system. Muscle building workouts fine tune the body and make it better able to function and burn away fat.
There are two types of muscle building workouts that will either allow you to gain muscle mass or tone your existing muscle. The goal of a low rep, high weight muscle building workout is to increase muscle mass, or plump up the muscle to its greatest volume. Lifting heavy weight causes the muscle fibers to swell and you will notice a significant increase in the mass of muscle under your skin. The goal of high rep, low weight muscle building workouts is to tone the muscle and make it stronger without a significant noticeable change in mass. Women often perform toning workouts in order to sculpt their muscles and make them appear more defined and bodybuilders select programs that allow them to increase mass.
When people begin new muscle building workouts they expect results quickly. This is fine if your body is lean to begin with. But if you have a high ratio of body fat to lean muscle, you will have to do aerobic cardiovascular exercises to burn off fat in combination with muscle building workouts to build muscle in order to see the desired results. Eating a low fat diet composed of lean proteins and low carbohydrates is also helpful in building muscle and reducing fat.
One of the benefits of muscle building workouts, aside from larger and more toned muscles, is an increase in your body’s ability to burn fat. Even when you are not exercising, your muscles continue to burn fat more effectively when you perform a regular fitness program that includes muscle building workouts. Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and improves the function of the cardiovascular system which is important in delivering blood to your muscles. But to continuously burn fat you need a combination of both aerobic training and muscle building.
It is a misconception that by working out you are actually building additional muscle tissue. We are born with the highest number of muscle fibers we will ever have and that will never change. What you are trying to change through muscle building workouts is the appearance of the muscle tissue, bulking it up and making the fibers larger and more defined
The benefits of aerobics are well known. When you exercise aerobically you strengthen your heart muscle as well as your entire cardiovascular system. Muscle building workouts fine tune the body and make it better able to function and burn away fat.
There are two types of muscle building workouts that will either allow you to gain muscle mass or tone your existing muscle. The goal of a low rep, high weight muscle building workout is to increase muscle mass, or plump up the muscle to its greatest volume. Lifting heavy weight causes the muscle fibers to swell and you will notice a significant increase in the mass of muscle under your skin. The goal of high rep, low weight muscle building workouts is to tone the muscle and make it stronger without a significant noticeable change in mass. Women often perform toning workouts in order to sculpt their muscles and make them appear more defined and bodybuilders select programs that allow them to increase mass.
When people begin new muscle building workouts they expect results quickly. This is fine if your body is lean to begin with. But if you have a high ratio of body fat to lean muscle, you will have to do aerobic cardiovascular exercises to burn off fat in combination with muscle building workouts to build muscle in order to see the desired results. Eating a low fat diet composed of lean proteins and low carbohydrates is also helpful in building muscle and reducing fat.
One of the benefits of muscle building workouts, aside from larger and more toned muscles, is an increase in your body’s ability to burn fat. Even when you are not exercising, your muscles continue to burn fat more effectively when you perform a regular fitness program that includes muscle building workouts. Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and improves the function of the cardiovascular system which is important in delivering blood to your muscles. But to continuously burn fat you need a combination of both aerobic training and muscle building.
It is a misconception that by working out you are actually building additional muscle tissue. We are born with the highest number of muscle fibers we will ever have and that will never change. What you are trying to change through muscle building workouts is the appearance of the muscle tissue, bulking it up and making the fibers larger and more defined
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
COULD THE 'SLEEP DIET' HELP YOU SNOOZE AWAY THE POUNDS
In my opinion, sleep ranks with great food and fantastic sex as one of life's greatest pleasures. Your body needs enough sleep to slow down, rebuild and replenish. Brainwaves fall to just 5 cycles per second, down from over 14 cycles per second in the waking state. Your metabolism drops to its lowest rate, your basal body metabolic rate.
So, given these facts, how can you burn fat while you are sleeping?
Because your body burns 65% of its daily calories keeping your basic body functions going. While you are dreaming, your body is converting that despised fat into adenosine triphoshate (ATP), the chemical energy your body uses as fuel.
Think about it. Your heart is still beating, right? Your breathing has slowed, sure, but you're still breathing. Your body is building new tissues. If you have ever redesigned a house, you will know how much energy it takes to rebuild! All these activities are burning fat while you sleep.
That means an average adult female, whose total energy needs equal about 2,000 calories a day, will use up to 1,400 calories in a 24 hour period just to maintain normal body activities.
Since this upkeep requires such a large amount of your daily caloric intake, a slight increase or decrease in your basal metabolic rate can have a BIG impact on your weight. A 10 percent reduction in the resting metabolic rate equals a negative energy expenditure of over 50,000 calories per year. That translates into a weight gain of over 14 pounds annually. (You can check my math. A pound of flesh generally equals 3,500 calories.)
Of course, if you raise your basal metabolic rate just 10 percent you can lose 14 pounds a year working out, eating, sleeping, reading, digesting, etc.
So, how do you raise your basal metabolic rate? Exercise will raise the rate 20% for up to three hours after you work out. But eating the right combination of foods can turbocharge your metabolism even more, boosting it 30% above the resting rate for up to 10 hours after you eat.
That means you can eat the right foods a couple of hours before you go to bed and burn fat all night long (as long as you snooze just eight hours! Do the math!)
What are the right foods to eat at bedtime? Well, boys and girls, it's not milk and cookies. Sugar is the worst thing you can ingest before bedtime because it will cause a roller coaster of sugar highs and lows while you sleep. Many wake up feeling slightly queasy.
If you are a slow metabolizer (I call them the "colds" because their hands and feet are always cold), that meal needs to consist of 40% lean protein, 40% complex carbohydrates and just 20 percent fat.
And we're not talking about a lot of food right before bed. I'm talking two to three ounces of protein. One of my favorite night time meals is two soft boiled eggs, two pieces of dry whole wheat toast, a half a grapefruit (no sugar!) and a glass of ice cold water. (It takes calories to warm that water to body temperature.)
Fast metabolizers, who I have dubbed "hots" because they sweat even eating ice cream, should eat 30 percent complex carbohydrates, 30 percent fat and 40 percent lean protein. These people need to eat dairy products, which the colds have to avoid. They can have cottage cheese or cheese and crackers before bedtime. Salami and eggs will work for a hot a few hours before bedtime for these speedy metabolizers.
Stopping eating after 6 p.m. is really not a good idea as your body needs constant nourishment. The best thing to do is to eat small amounts throughout the day. And that means right before bedtime, too.
Freud once said ignorance is no excuse for dumb behavior. In the Meltdown interpretation of those words, ignorance is a choice we make to prevent ourselves from making difficult changes in our lives even though we really know better. Now you have no excuse not to get healthy!
Did you know:
The average human body contains enough:
Iron to make a 3 inch nail Sulfer to kill all the fleas on an average dog Carbon to make 900 pencils Potassium to fire a toy cannon Fat to make 7 bars of soap Phosphorous to make 2,200 match heads Water to fill a ten gallon tank
Thanks to Meltdown International Inc for today's post
So, given these facts, how can you burn fat while you are sleeping?
Because your body burns 65% of its daily calories keeping your basic body functions going. While you are dreaming, your body is converting that despised fat into adenosine triphoshate (ATP), the chemical energy your body uses as fuel.
Think about it. Your heart is still beating, right? Your breathing has slowed, sure, but you're still breathing. Your body is building new tissues. If you have ever redesigned a house, you will know how much energy it takes to rebuild! All these activities are burning fat while you sleep.
That means an average adult female, whose total energy needs equal about 2,000 calories a day, will use up to 1,400 calories in a 24 hour period just to maintain normal body activities.
Since this upkeep requires such a large amount of your daily caloric intake, a slight increase or decrease in your basal metabolic rate can have a BIG impact on your weight. A 10 percent reduction in the resting metabolic rate equals a negative energy expenditure of over 50,000 calories per year. That translates into a weight gain of over 14 pounds annually. (You can check my math. A pound of flesh generally equals 3,500 calories.)
Of course, if you raise your basal metabolic rate just 10 percent you can lose 14 pounds a year working out, eating, sleeping, reading, digesting, etc.
So, how do you raise your basal metabolic rate? Exercise will raise the rate 20% for up to three hours after you work out. But eating the right combination of foods can turbocharge your metabolism even more, boosting it 30% above the resting rate for up to 10 hours after you eat.
That means you can eat the right foods a couple of hours before you go to bed and burn fat all night long (as long as you snooze just eight hours! Do the math!)
What are the right foods to eat at bedtime? Well, boys and girls, it's not milk and cookies. Sugar is the worst thing you can ingest before bedtime because it will cause a roller coaster of sugar highs and lows while you sleep. Many wake up feeling slightly queasy.
If you are a slow metabolizer (I call them the "colds" because their hands and feet are always cold), that meal needs to consist of 40% lean protein, 40% complex carbohydrates and just 20 percent fat.
And we're not talking about a lot of food right before bed. I'm talking two to three ounces of protein. One of my favorite night time meals is two soft boiled eggs, two pieces of dry whole wheat toast, a half a grapefruit (no sugar!) and a glass of ice cold water. (It takes calories to warm that water to body temperature.)
Fast metabolizers, who I have dubbed "hots" because they sweat even eating ice cream, should eat 30 percent complex carbohydrates, 30 percent fat and 40 percent lean protein. These people need to eat dairy products, which the colds have to avoid. They can have cottage cheese or cheese and crackers before bedtime. Salami and eggs will work for a hot a few hours before bedtime for these speedy metabolizers.
Stopping eating after 6 p.m. is really not a good idea as your body needs constant nourishment. The best thing to do is to eat small amounts throughout the day. And that means right before bedtime, too.
Freud once said ignorance is no excuse for dumb behavior. In the Meltdown interpretation of those words, ignorance is a choice we make to prevent ourselves from making difficult changes in our lives even though we really know better. Now you have no excuse not to get healthy!
Did you know:
The average human body contains enough:
Thanks to Meltdown International Inc for today's post
Sunday, 8 February 2009
THE KNOWN FEMALE CANCER THAT CAN STRIKE MEN
Breast cancer can affect both women and men especially males over the age of 60 years as they experience more health problems than younger men. The identification and treatment of breast cancer in men are similar to those for women and men should examine themselves on a regular basis - at least once a month. See your GP immediately if you notice a lump or any changes in and around the chest area.
Saturday, 7 February 2009
A CINICALLY PROVEN TOPICAL DANDRUFF TREATMENT
Clinical research has discovered that a traditional peanut oil and lemon juice remedy is more effective in the treatment of dandruff than those well known specially-formulated shampoos. Rub a small quantity of warm peanut oil into your scalp and wait for a few minutes to enable the skin and hair to absorb it. Then apply the juice from a freshly squeezed lemon and wait again for about five minutes before shampooing your hair thoroughly. Repeat the treatment on a weekly basis for maximum results. The mixture works by bringing proteins to the surface of the scalp, hardening and protecting it.
Thursday, 5 February 2009
FINDING THE RIGHT WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM
An estimated 80 million in the US will go on diets this year. Some will succeed in losing their unwanted pounds but very few, perhaps 5 percent, will maintain their desired weight long term.
If you have ever surfed the net looking for a weight loss program that's right for you then you have no doubt been overwhelmed by the huge range of pills, potions, exercises and diets available. Which one do you choose? How do know if its going to work or that the secret ingredients are not sawdust and ground up egg shells. Yep, its scary but true! So much to consider and all you want to do is Loss Weight.
So what are the do's and don't s of Weight Loss Programs.
The Do's List:
1. If possible, it's best to go with a weight loss program that has been recommended by a friend or trusted source.
2. Check to see if it has the approval of Doctors and/or herbalists.
3. Look to see if the ingredients on supplements are listed.
4. Always go with a program that offers complete support.
5. Investigate any known side effects of supplements.
6. A good program should involve a well balanced diet.
The Don'ts List:
1. Never buy from spam mail offering unbelievable results. If it seems to good to be true it probably is.
2. Don't sign up for a long-term, big bucks program unless you're sure what you're in for. Check out what's being offered. It might not work for you at all.
3. Stay away from rapid weigh loss regimes. Losing weight too rapidly can be dangerous to your health.
Weight loss is such a huge market that it unfortunately attracts many unscrupulous profiteers. So how do you choose a program you feel comfortable with?
If you are going to spend good money on a weigh loss program it pays to choose wisley and personally I always prefer a recommendation over a cold hard sell any day.
If you have ever surfed the net looking for a weight loss program that's right for you then you have no doubt been overwhelmed by the huge range of pills, potions, exercises and diets available. Which one do you choose? How do know if its going to work or that the secret ingredients are not sawdust and ground up egg shells. Yep, its scary but true! So much to consider and all you want to do is Loss Weight.
So what are the do's and don't s of Weight Loss Programs.
The Do's List:
1. If possible, it's best to go with a weight loss program that has been recommended by a friend or trusted source.
2. Check to see if it has the approval of Doctors and/or herbalists.
3. Look to see if the ingredients on supplements are listed.
4. Always go with a program that offers complete support.
5. Investigate any known side effects of supplements.
6. A good program should involve a well balanced diet.
The Don'ts List:
1. Never buy from spam mail offering unbelievable results. If it seems to good to be true it probably is.
2. Don't sign up for a long-term, big bucks program unless you're sure what you're in for. Check out what's being offered. It might not work for you at all.
3. Stay away from rapid weigh loss regimes. Losing weight too rapidly can be dangerous to your health.
Weight loss is such a huge market that it unfortunately attracts many unscrupulous profiteers. So how do you choose a program you feel comfortable with?
If you are going to spend good money on a weigh loss program it pays to choose wisley and personally I always prefer a recommendation over a cold hard sell any day.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Insomnia: Two Herbs to Help You Get a Good Nights Sleep
Sleep has become a valuable commodity these days, with people working longer hours, shuttling kids and grandkids to and from activities, and trying to accomplish all the other daily chores that just need to get done. Our schedules are exhausting, yet more and more people find themselves having trouble sleeping.
Essentially there are two main types of insomnia. The first is when you find it difficult to go to sleep. This is known as sleep-onset insomnia. The other is when you fall asleep, but wake up at, say, 2 or 3 am and cant fall back asleep. This is sleep-maintenance (or interruption) insomnia.
There are numerous over-the-counter sleep aids available. They work, but they can also cause side-effects ranging from that groggy hangover feeling to actual dependency. However, there are a few very effective and safe herbs you can try as an alternative.
Two ways to get to sleep faster One of the key herbs for sleep-onset insomnia is valerian. Its been well-known as a natural sleep aid for quite a while, but whats new about it are the recent clinical trials that found it can work just as well as benzodiazepine drugs, such as diazepam (Valium) which are commonly prescribed for insomnia or sleeping difficulties.For example, in one multicentre, double-blind, randomised clinical trial, 202 insomnia patients ranging in age from 18 to 73 years were treated with either 600 mg/day of valerian extract or 10 mg/day of the benzodiazepine drug oxazepam (Serax) for six weeks (Eur J Med Res 2002;7(11): 480-86). At the end of the trial, researchers concluded that valerian extract was at least as effective as oxazepam for improving sleep quality.And unlike the benzodiazepine drugs, studies show that valerian does not cause sedation or impairment of functioning. In an Australian study, nine healthy volunteers received single doses of either valerian root (1,000 mg or 500 mg), the drug triazolam (Halcion, 0.25 mg), or a placebo (Hum Psychopharmacol 2003;18(8): 619-25).Results confirmed that triazolam had a detrimental effect on cognitive processes, but valerian didnt. Another study compared even higher doses of valerian (600, 1,200 and 1,800 mg) with 10 mg diazepam and a placebo (Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2004;78(1): 57-64). Again, an impairment of performance occurred for the diazepam whereas valerian had no impact on any parameters tested.
In herbal medicine valerian is often combined with hops, another well-known herb for insomnia. A clinical study with a combination of valerian and hops was conducted in 30 patients suffering from mild to moderate insomnia (Eur J Med Res 2000;5(9): 385-90). The patients were treated with two tablets in the evening (each tablet contained 250 mg valerian extract and 60 mg hops extract). After just two weeks of treatment, sleep-onset time had declined and overall sleep efficiency increased.
How to stay asleep once you get there Perhaps the most interesting recent development in insomnia treatment is the herb chaste tree. New research shows that it may actually increase the bodys own natural production of melatonin, which helps you have more restful uninterrupted sleep (Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2003;111(1): 44-6).Researchers examined melatonin secretion in 20 healthy males ages 20 to 32 after the intake of a placebo or various doses (120 to 480 mg) of chaste tree extract for 14 days. The chaste tree caused a dose-dependent increase of melatonin secretion, especially during the night. Total melatonin output was approximately 60 per cent higher in the chaste tree group.Although all of the trials on valerian and chaste tree are small, these are initial findings. However, these alternatives are natural and may be well worth a try before resorting to a prescription medication that can cause side-effects.
Get the most benefit in two weeks for best results, use the doses shown to be effective in the clinical trials. For valerian this is around 600 mg of extract and for hops (taken in conjunction with valerian) its around 120 mg of extract. Take it about an hour before bed. Valerian or valerian and hops are mainly used for sleep-onset insomnia, but you can try them for the sleep-maintenance variety too, especially if you combine it with chaste tree (around 1,500 mg of berries per day). And even though it has been known as a remedy for various female problems for generations, it is perfectly OK for men to take chaste tree. You should give all of these herbs at least two full weeks of daily use to get the most benefit from them.Few adverse events attributable to valerian have been reported for clinical study participants. Headaches, dizziness, itching, and gastrointestinal disturbances are the most common effects reported in clinical trials but similar effects were also reported for the placebo (Planta Medica 1985:2: 144-48; Psychopharmakotherapie 1996;3: 109-15; Pharmacopsychiatry 2000;33: 47-53).
Essentially there are two main types of insomnia. The first is when you find it difficult to go to sleep. This is known as sleep-onset insomnia. The other is when you fall asleep, but wake up at, say, 2 or 3 am and cant fall back asleep. This is sleep-maintenance (or interruption) insomnia.
There are numerous over-the-counter sleep aids available. They work, but they can also cause side-effects ranging from that groggy hangover feeling to actual dependency. However, there are a few very effective and safe herbs you can try as an alternative.
Two ways to get to sleep faster One of the key herbs for sleep-onset insomnia is valerian. Its been well-known as a natural sleep aid for quite a while, but whats new about it are the recent clinical trials that found it can work just as well as benzodiazepine drugs, such as diazepam (Valium) which are commonly prescribed for insomnia or sleeping difficulties.For example, in one multicentre, double-blind, randomised clinical trial, 202 insomnia patients ranging in age from 18 to 73 years were treated with either 600 mg/day of valerian extract or 10 mg/day of the benzodiazepine drug oxazepam (Serax) for six weeks (Eur J Med Res 2002;7(11): 480-86). At the end of the trial, researchers concluded that valerian extract was at least as effective as oxazepam for improving sleep quality.And unlike the benzodiazepine drugs, studies show that valerian does not cause sedation or impairment of functioning. In an Australian study, nine healthy volunteers received single doses of either valerian root (1,000 mg or 500 mg), the drug triazolam (Halcion, 0.25 mg), or a placebo (Hum Psychopharmacol 2003;18(8): 619-25).Results confirmed that triazolam had a detrimental effect on cognitive processes, but valerian didnt. Another study compared even higher doses of valerian (600, 1,200 and 1,800 mg) with 10 mg diazepam and a placebo (Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2004;78(1): 57-64). Again, an impairment of performance occurred for the diazepam whereas valerian had no impact on any parameters tested.
In herbal medicine valerian is often combined with hops, another well-known herb for insomnia. A clinical study with a combination of valerian and hops was conducted in 30 patients suffering from mild to moderate insomnia (Eur J Med Res 2000;5(9): 385-90). The patients were treated with two tablets in the evening (each tablet contained 250 mg valerian extract and 60 mg hops extract). After just two weeks of treatment, sleep-onset time had declined and overall sleep efficiency increased.
How to stay asleep once you get there Perhaps the most interesting recent development in insomnia treatment is the herb chaste tree. New research shows that it may actually increase the bodys own natural production of melatonin, which helps you have more restful uninterrupted sleep (Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2003;111(1): 44-6).Researchers examined melatonin secretion in 20 healthy males ages 20 to 32 after the intake of a placebo or various doses (120 to 480 mg) of chaste tree extract for 14 days. The chaste tree caused a dose-dependent increase of melatonin secretion, especially during the night. Total melatonin output was approximately 60 per cent higher in the chaste tree group.Although all of the trials on valerian and chaste tree are small, these are initial findings. However, these alternatives are natural and may be well worth a try before resorting to a prescription medication that can cause side-effects.
Get the most benefit in two weeks for best results, use the doses shown to be effective in the clinical trials. For valerian this is around 600 mg of extract and for hops (taken in conjunction with valerian) its around 120 mg of extract. Take it about an hour before bed. Valerian or valerian and hops are mainly used for sleep-onset insomnia, but you can try them for the sleep-maintenance variety too, especially if you combine it with chaste tree (around 1,500 mg of berries per day). And even though it has been known as a remedy for various female problems for generations, it is perfectly OK for men to take chaste tree. You should give all of these herbs at least two full weeks of daily use to get the most benefit from them.Few adverse events attributable to valerian have been reported for clinical study participants. Headaches, dizziness, itching, and gastrointestinal disturbances are the most common effects reported in clinical trials but similar effects were also reported for the placebo (Planta Medica 1985:2: 144-48; Psychopharmakotherapie 1996;3: 109-15; Pharmacopsychiatry 2000;33: 47-53).
Sunday, 1 February 2009
STOP A HANGOVER IN ITS TRACKS
The best way to handle a hangover is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Alcohol is a diuretic which means it flushes away the water in your body and causes you to dehydrate. This is due to you losing the body's natural supply of water-soluble vitamins and minerals . It is this mixture of dehydration and vitamin and mineral deficiency that makes you feel so terrible. Avoid drinking on a empty stomach, have an occasional glass of water in between alcoholic drinks and drink a lot of water before going to sleep. Taking a large dosage of vitamin C and a vitamin B complex or brewer's yeast tablets or multivitamin supplements will stop a hangover in its tracks. The best drinks to order to avoid a hangover are vodka and gin.
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