Saturday, February 6, 2010

4 Easy Health and Fitness Tips

The US has seen an enormous increase in the mumber of people considered obese by the medical community. In fact many call it an obesity epidemic. To combat this we find all sorts of pharamceutical companies selling the "quick fix" pills, powders, and lotions that do nothing to actually help people take the fat off and keep it off.


Of course the same could be said of the diet industry as well. There are so many different diets going around now you could pick one a month and in a years time still have more to choose from.

What is truely needed are some sensible proven weight loss tips that people can implement no matter what their present physical condition is. That said let's dive right in.

#1 Drink more water. All too often Americans are borderline dehydrated and so their bodies are working on the water starvation reflex and not flushing the toxins and junk out.

#2 Eat more often. I bet you thought I was going to say eat less. While it is true that to lose weight you need to eat less calories than you expend...you need to eat more often to get the metabolic furnace stoked up and burning right. Get it out of starvation mode. So start the day off with breakfast. Even an instant breakfast drink and a piece of fruit as we head out the door in the morning.

#3 Move more. Depending on your physical condition you need to be moving more. Use the stairs rather than the elevator, park farther out from the office or the store, go for a walk around the block, go dancing, play with your kids. Make it fun. Running is not the only way to burn more calories.

#4 Finally, determine your "Why". Decide why you want to discard fat. Make your reason big enough to motivate you through the slumps that invariably happen.

Personally my reason was to be able to live to see my great grandkids graduate college. My youngest kids are 4 and 6 now. Besides I wanted to get out and play with them without being out of breath all the time.

http://www.fitnessgenerator.com/shadowknight

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

3 Ways To Drink More Water

After a little research it is apparent that nobody really knows where the saying that you need to drink 8 cups of water per day comes from. Some people trace it back to a study in the 1980's, and other people claim that doctors starting telling people that amount because it was a good goal, but didn't have any scientific research to back it up with.


Either way, the point is clear, water does wonders for your body, and your brain. Water is well known to cleanse your body of harmful chemicals through your intestines and also throughout your urine tract. Without proper water intake, our bodies break down very quickly, in a matter of days. Without food, however, some people can live for a week or two. That just shows how important water is to our bodies.

Here are 3 quick tips for taking in more water.

1. Always have water available.

I like to buy the 12 ounce bottles of water and keep them in the fridge. Whenever I go to the gym I grab a bottle. On my way out the door to work, I grab a bottle. Before a trip that will be 30 minutes or longer, I grab a bottle. When I watch a movie, I grab a bottle.

Whenever I am sitting watching TV or a movie, I will keep the bottle in my hand with the lid off. I take a lot of little sips until the bottle is gone. A great way of making sure you drink more water is to make sure it is easily accessible.

2. Keep it cold.

I don't know many people who like to drink room temperature water, I sure don't. If you keep your water cold, you will drink more. I make sure there is always ice in my freezer, this make it very easy to have a cold glass of water anytime.

3. Chose water in restaurants.

Whenever I go out to eat, I always drink water with some lemon. The lemon adds a little spunk to the taste and the water is always nice, cold and refreshing. After a short time you will stop craving your old drink of choice and will begin to appreciate the taste, or lack of taste, that water provides.

Give water a shot and your body will be thankful!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

3 Things Crohns & Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Sufferers Must Do

It is said that nearly one in four Americans suffers from some kind of digestive disorder such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohns Disease. Although medically recognized as incurable there is no need for sufferers of Crohns and IBS to give up hope. Although the conditions cannot be eradicated, the symptoms and distress can however be controlled. It is often true that what medical science cannot cure, common sense, information and commitment can subdue.


It is a frustration to many, that in many areas, medical advancement has brought breakthrough and hope to many suffering at the hands of illness, but still there are is a silent percentage, waiting in the wings hoping for their time to come.

So how can we loosen the chains of Crohns and IBS?

1. Get Informed.

In today’s world of super fast and open communication there is really no reason why someone should suffer in silence or ignorance for anything. A simple trip to the library will uncover many books and guides outlining possibilities and methods for controlling disorders such as Crohns Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. A quick search on the internet will uncover many opportunities and avenues for discovering exactly what is going on with your body.

2. Get Support.

In the same way, that there is no excuse to being ignorant, there is also no reason to be alone. Some people early on after being diagnosed with Chrons Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) go through a phase of denial – that’s natural – but there also comes a time to pick yourself up and face your disorder head on – but that doesn’t mean alone. There are many national and local support groups established which will help, encourage and motivate you to live life to the full and give ideas about how to

3. Get Control

Although the general principle is something of an illusion (after all, we are all uncontrollable factors in life) – it is absolutely essential for Chrons and IBS sufferers to work towards getting to grips with their disorder so they can start to feel free and live life again. For the majority, its not actually that hard – as long as you have been through the process of Getting Informed and Getting Support. In my experience the only way to get control that lasts and is beneficial is to take the information and support and apply to my own life religiously. With careful monitoring, strict adherence and continual awareness, you to can live the life you deserve.

Friday, November 6, 2009

3 Steps To Helping Your Asthmatic Child

The first and most important step to take is to decide to take charge of your child's asthma. Parents of asthmatic children suffer a range of contradictory feelings. Strongest is the natural concern for their child. Are you giving them the best treatment, or is there something you have not thought of or are unaware of? Then there are the doubts about being over or under protective. If they have non-asthmatic siblings do you treat all of your children the same? Perhaps there is some guilt that asthma may have been inherited and it is your fault your child has the condition.


Let's take charge of the situation and dispel this myth straight away. You have not willed it onto your child. It is nobody's fault or a judgement of some sort any more than an inherited ability that makes someone more likely to be good at sports or singing. You can also take charge by educating yourself about the condition. Do not waste time worrying if there are better treatments or medications for your child. Find out. Use the medical profession, library and internet. The best prescription is knowledge.

The next step is to be aware of your child's health. One problem with having an ill child is their inability to clearly explain how they feel. An asthmatic child may not come to you in the middle of the night and mention difficulty breathing, or persistent coughing. Instead they may leave their condition to worsen until their lungs have expanded enough to start pressing on their stomach. At this point they may mention they feel sick.

Some children just take a rest when their breathing becomes difficult and never mention they feel out of breath.

If you suspect your child may have asthma you probably know the classic signs to look for: coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, changes in color of skin, nails, or lips, and a tightness of the chest. But also be aware there are other signs that suggest there may be a problem: nausea, lethargy, and low appetite. Also notice if your child has to hunch forward as they exhale if they are feeling short of breath.

If possible take a look at your child's breathing as they sleep. This will enable you to see how they breathe when they are relaxed. Then you will be able to tell when their breathing becomes labored.

Next, ensure your child takes any inhaled medication properly. Many asthma medications are delivered by inhalers and it is often difficult for a child to understand and perform the necessary sequence of breaths to take these medicines. How long did your child take to learn to blow their nose properly? I know of one child who insisted they were holding their breath while they kept their lips firmly together as they breathed through their nose. Many children feel they cannot hold their breath for the required interval and end up dramatically gasping for air. If your asthmatic child has to take medicines through a metered dose inhaler it is often best to use it with a spacer or aero-chamber.

You need to be prepared for an asthma attack. Know what to do. If your child suffers an asthma attack keep calm and resist the urge to cuddle your child. Though this is perfectly natural it will constrict their chest and make it harder for them to breathe.

If you are driving your child to ER or a physician while they are having an asthma attack you must still buckle them into their child seat. Do not hold your child. Imagine what would happen if there was an accident.

To deal with asthma effectively you have to understand the disease and understand your child. You may be tempted to let your doctor make all the decisions, but there is so much more you can do than just administer medication. You can improve the condition by making changes to the home environment, to your child's diet, to how they breathe, and to the exercise they take. The more you know about asthma the more effectively you can control it.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

3 Steps to Managing Skin Allergies

An effective approach to managing skin allergies has three components. Firstly you must understand the condition, then you must discover if anything is triggering your skin reaction, and thirdly you must look after your skin.


Many people think that allergies only affect the respiratory or digestive systems, but they can also affect your largest organ- your skin. As with other allergies the immune system overreacts to the presence of certain substances and releases inflammation-producing chemicals. Do some research and talk to your doctor. You can be confident of controlling your skin condition better if you are sure you understand what causes it.

The second component in managing a skin allergy is identifying then eliminating the allergens and irritants that start the itching/scratching cycle. There are over three thousand known triggers for skin allergies. Many are natural, but there are plenty of man-made ones too.

A common man-made trigger is latex, which comes from the sap of the Brazilian rubber tree. The natural proteins and those added in the manufacturing process can trigger an allergic reaction. Most people are aware that this can lead to reactions if you wear latex gloves. However latex is also present in baby pacifiers, balloons, pencil erasers and elastic bands in undergarments. There can also be problems when latex particles become airborne and are inhaled. If you have a latex allergy try to avoid the material and use vinyl or plastic where possible.

Nickel is another trigger. In addition to the obvious nickel-containing metallic objects like coins and jewelry, nickel is also present in everyday objects like scissors, bathroom and kitchen cabinet handles, and zippers. Mascara, eye shadow and eye pencils also contain nickel. Experts estimate that the number of people suffering from a nickel allergy has risen about 40% in the last decade. Much of this is believed to be due to the popularity of body piercing. Some foods also have natural nickel content and people who suffer severe symptoms may need to restrict their diet under medical supervision. At present there is no way to desensitize a person with a nickel allergy. Avoidance is the best strategy.

The third component of effective management is looking after your skin. The easiest thing to do is to keep your fingernails short to reduce the damage caused by scratching.

Managing your skin's condition means firstly moisturizing and softening the skin to ensure it does not dry out. Your doctor may recommend you use topical corticosteroid preparations to control the inflammation.

When you take a bath soak in lukewarm water for 20 to 30 minutes. Do not have hot baths or showers, as the heat will increase skin dryness and itching. You can add oatmeal or baking soda to the bath for a soothing effect, though it does not help moisturize the skin.

Use a mild soap or a non-soap cleanser with neutral pH (pH7). If you wish to add bath oils do so after you have been in the water so that it can seal in the moisture. Do not use bubble baths as they can form a barrier that stops the bathwater moisturizing your skin.

After the bath dry yourself by patting your skin with a soft towel. This helps retain moisture. Immediately after drying your skin apply a lotion or emollient cream to help your skin retain the moisture.

To look after your skin you will also need to avoid situations where you will experience extreme physical contact, heavy perspiration, or heavy clothing. This may mean avoiding some sports. Swimming is permissible if you rinse the chlorine from your skin as soon as you leave the pool, and use a moisturizer after drying yourself.

Follow these three steps and you will be able to control your skin allergy and minimize its impact on your everyday life.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

3 Simple Steps To A More Restful Sleep Tonight

Picture this: It's 5:27 PM. You're hungry after a busy day at work, itching to get home to see your family, and now you're stuck in traffic. Frustration sets in. But you're used to it since this is an every day occurrence.


So you finally stroll into your house at 6:04 PM, your 2 young children are clamoring for your attention, and they're hungry too. You pop some frozen dinners in the microwave knowing full well they're not healthy, but also knowing that you just don't have time to think, much less cook. After a quick dinner consisting of Salisbury Steak you're day's not even close to over.

Now it's time to do laundry, read with the kids, and of course a day's work left over from the office. When do you have time to rest? At night you keep telling yourself.

But every night it's the same old story. You flop into bed past 1 AM and close your eyes. Your mind is still racing from the day that just passed and the busy day ahead. So you toss and turn, hoping that you'll be able to get at least a little shut-eye before your 6:00 AM wake up call (an annoyingly loud alarm clock
you've had for 15 years).

And the next day it starts all over again. You're tired at work, you don't have time to eat, you're stressed, and you can't get out of the vicious cycle.

So what do you do?

First thing's first: take a deep breath. You're probably stressed out just reading this far.

To get a more restful sleep tonight do the following:

1) Get a notebook and take 5 minutes right before laying down to free write. What you want to do is get every thought from the past, present, and future out of your head and on paper where it's safe and secure. This will free the clutter from your head and allow you to rest easier.

2) Get a new alarm clock that wakes you up gradually with classical music. This will do absolute wonders for your morning routine. What you want to do is set the alarm to go off 15-20 minutes earlier than you usually wake up. It will turn on very quietly and slowly bring you out of your slumber.

3) Add a few very healthy snacks to your daily routine. One of my favorites is a 2 oz pre-packaged bag of baby carrots. They taste good, they're good for you, and they take no prep-time. When you're hungry at work or on the way home, munch on these. Another great snack is raw almonds. Eating healthier works
amazingly well to help you sleep better.

Please use these 3 simple tips to enjoy a more restful sleep tonight.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

3 Simple Factors to Beating Cocaine Addiction

3 Simple Factors to Beating Cocaine Addiction


Ok, someone you love and care about has a Cocaine Addiction Problem. Now what?



At this point many thoughts will go through your mind. Most people actually follow a common series of thoughts, believe it or not. The first thought is denial. The addict actually goes through this several times as well.



When the actions of the Cocaine Addict make this impossible to consider further, the next thought is that there is only a minor problem, not a drug addiction. This is where the majority of Cocaine Addicts fail to get the help they really need. It is the extreme exception that someone is a true casual cocaine user. There are no casual crack users as this is clearly the most addictive drug known to man. So the answer is clearly a cocaine addiction program. But how to you choose the right one?



Ultimately, you want your loved one back. You want that person free from drug addiction. You want that person to live a healthy and productive life. The answer is the right drug rehab program. But how do you find that one? The answer is actually much easier than most people think.



The majority of people do look into a number of drug rehab programs before making a selection. However, no one really knows the right questions to ask. In fact, because most people really have no understanding of effective drug rehabilitation, they actually eliminate the right program very early in their search. This is unfortunate simply because all that time and money invested then becomes a waste.



There are only 3 issues you need to address for any drug rehabilitation program to make sure your loved one is getting the best and you are getting not only your money's worth, but your loved one off drugs for good.



#1. What is the Program Success Rate?



This is clearly the most obvious question to ask. What few people know is that the very best programs have a better than 75 success rate and try to convince you that this is somehow the best that can be done. Obviously, these programs are a waste of time and should be avoided. All you need to know is to look for the program with a 75% success rate or better.



#2. What is the Drug Detoxification Method?



Any Drug Rehab Program that you would choose simply must have some sort of drug detoxification method. This is an absolute requirement if there is to be any serious chance that the addict will really get off drugs for good. The single greatest cause of relapse was drug residuals remaining in the body. This is why a drug detox program is required.



All drug detox methods are not the same. There are many detox methods that are very expensive, but no better for the addict. There are several hospital monitored detox methods that are not only very expensive but may also put your loved one into a coma-like state for a day or more. You want a simple, risk free drug detox program and the best of this is the time-tested sauna based detox method. This is not only the lowest cost method, but offers nearly zero risk to the addict. The drug rehab program that uses this approach is more concerned about getting your loved one off drugs permanently than trying to make a profit from you.



#3. What Guarantee do you offer with your Program?



Only the best programs will offer a rehabilitation result guarantee. Most people have never heard of this simply because so few programs actually offer it. You know that a program that will offer not only a medically safe drug detox, but extensive life skills training plus a long term follow-up program really cares about addicts. But a program that offers all this and a guarantee where the relapsing addict is re-treated at no additional cost really has the best interests of your loved one in mind. This is a program that is more concerned about the full rehabilitation of your family member back into the family and society than making profits.



If you simply use the above three questions in your rehabilitation program search, you will find the right program for your loved one, simply, easily and quickly.