Daily Archives: January 18, 2010

Understand How To Exercise To Lose Weight

Anyone who is serious about losing weight needs to understand that you must exercise to lose weight. Diet alone will not do it.

The question then is: What kind of exercise and how much?

It’s significant to understand that there are many health benefits from physical activity even if you do not lose weight. Imagine having less abdominal fat and lower blood pressure.

Through proper exercise you can improve the ratio of good blood fats to bad ones and can increase protection from heart disease and cardiovascular diseases.

In short with proper exercise you’ll feel better and increase your chances for a longer life. The weight loss is just another benefit!

An exercise program must be something that continues forever and not for just a few weeks or months. But don’t worry. This doesn’t mean you have to follow a rigid exercise plan and I constantly. It just means that it needs to be a consistent element in your life.

The challenge with weight loss exercising is:

- determining how much we need to do for weight loss purposes.

- arriving at the place where we truly enjoy physical weight loss activities.

There needs to be a certain level of intensity involved in the activity you are doing if you want to actually lose weight through exercising. Simply taking the dog out for a 30 minute walk isn’t going to do much good for weight loss purposes. It is better than doing nothing at all though.

You may have heard that walking 10,000 steps per day is a reasonable goal to shoot for. A good brisk walk of 30-60 minutes will accomplish that.

However to really lose weight through exercise you must do more than aerobic exercising. At some point you’ll need to add resistance training or some kind of weight lifting.

You actually burn 50 more calories per day with muscle than you do with fat. So you must begin to replace your body fat with muscle. You can only do that through some type of weight program.

You can even accomplish this without a home gym or weight set. Push ups are a great form of resistance training. Start slowly and gradually build to as many as you can do each day. Of course if you can go to a gym 3 days a week do it.

Making it fun is the best way to exercise to lose weight. Exercise with someone. Go dancing. Ride a bike. Play tennis. The more you do the better.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/understand-how-to-exercise-to-lose-weight-1743350.html

Hungry Eyes Fill Your Stomach

Have you ever been to an all you can eat buffet and gone back to your seat with a pile of food on your plate. Before you take that first bite you are so excited to dig in you can hardly contain yourself. Your eyes are making your mouth water over the food that you have brought back to the table.

Before you get half way through your plate of food you start to feel full. Not to the point of unbuttoning the top button of your pants, but you’re getting there, but it’s all you can eat, so you have to keep going. You eat the rest of what is on your plate. Maybe you go back up for dessert and all of a sudden you can hardly walk out of the restaurant.

Your weight loss plans are shot for another day.

What happened? Fifteen minutes ago you were starving and that’s what drove you to an all you can eat buffet in the first place.

Well, I call it Hungry Eyes Syndrome. (not a medical condition, but I am petitioning the medical community to make it one.)

What is Hungry Eyes Syndrome?

It’s when your eyes are bigger then your stomach. You’ve heard people say that at the end of a meal right? After not finishing everything on their plate, they look up and say, boy I guess my eyes were bigger then my stomach.

Is there a cure for Hungry Eyes Syndrome?

Well, there’s no pill you can take to get over it or shot you can take to avoid getting it in the first place (again I am working with the medical community) but there is one way to avoid it or at least slow it down.

Use a smaller plate. Deceive your eyes into thinking that there is more on the plate then there actually is. If you’re at an all you can eat buffet, grab a bread plate instead of one of those big plates that they give everyone coming through the line. A bread plate may not seem like much and truth be told it’s not, but if you’re still hungry after cleaning your bread plate of food, you can always go back for more.

Tricking your eyes into thinking there is more food on the plate then there really is is the best way to avoid overeating. We eat with our eyes first and if our eyes see that the plate is full, no matter how big or small the plate is, we are more likely to eat just what is on the plate and call it a day.

By the way, Hungry Eye Syndrome doesn’t only occur at all you can eat buffets. Try this method when serving dinner to the family and you’ll quickly realize, smaller portions equals healthier and quicker weight loss.

Adam De Young
Founder of Turnupmyworkout

After losing 110lbs., I started Turnupmyworkout to share my secrets with you on how to achieve weight loss and keep it off. Through the power of the best workout music, I suggest the right mix of music for your workout intensity level. Every month, you recieve a new playlist to keep you on track to reach your weight loss goals.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/hungry-eyes-fill-your-stomach-1743432.html

What You Should Know About High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted against the walls of our arteries. This definition is according to the National Heart Association (AHA). It affects tens of millions of people in this country and about a third of them are not aware that they have this condition. This is why it is often referred to as the “silent killer”. When blood pressure is tested it is represented by two numbers called systolic and diastolic. One is created when the heart pumps blood into the circulatory system and the other is the force of the arteries as they resist blood flow.

When you see your blood pressure reading it will look like 120/80 mmHg. The way this is read is 120 over 80. 120 is your systolic number and 80 are the diastolic. This level of 120/80 in considered optimal for adults. Prehypertension is defined as systolic between 120 to 139 mmHg or when diastolic pressure of 80 to 89. Prehypertension is a condition that needs to be monitored. High blood pressure is when your numbers exceed 140 or 90.

Some people find the technical term for high blood pressure which is hypertension to be confusing. It dies not mean that a person is nervous or hyperactive. You can have a very mellow demeanor and have high blood pressure. There are many factors that can result in a high reading. If you experience a high reading this means that you should monitor it. Your primary care provider is the best one to let you know how often it should be checked.

Hypertension can be caused by certain diseases such as diabetes or kidney disease. While in 90 to 95% of cases the exact cause is unknown we do know that certain factors such as weight, race, and heredity present risk factors. The best way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked by a medical professional. It is normally suggested that you have it tested every two years unless something is found that would require more frequent testing. Along with looking for high blood pressure if one has an abnormally low reading this also needs to be evaluated as it may be caused by an underlying medical problem.

One concerning thing about high blood pressure is that initially there are no symptoms. This is the reason that one third of the people that suffer from it are not even aware. The only way to know is to be tested at regular intervals. Hypertension is also known to travel in families. So regular testing is even more important in this situation. People that have extremely high blood pressure may experience symptoms such as severe headaches, fatigue or confusion, problems with vision, chest pain of difficulty breathing. Some other symptoms can be irregular heartbeat, blood in urine and pounding in one’s chest, neck or ears.

It is advised that if you have any of these symptoms you contact your physician immediately. If left untreated they could lead to heart attack or stroke. These symptoms could also be caused by other underlying conditions that need to be checked.

Blood pressure levels are affected by many things such as age, heart condition emotion, and activity level and prescription medication. It is usually necessary to test blood pressure several times before coming up with a typical value.

Your doctor usually requires three elevated readings to come up with a diagnosis of hypertension. He or she may also want to review your medical history. Family history will be evaluated along with risk factors such as smoking, diabetes or history of high cholesterol. A physical exam will be done and your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen for any abnormal sounds in your heart or a whooshing and swishing sound in your arteries would indicate some degree of blockage. If you are diagnosed as having high blood pressure your doctor will probably order additional tests to determine the most appropriate treatment plan.

The good news is that while high blood pressure can cause a variety of serious if not fatal medical conditions, once identified it can be very successfully treated. This is why it is important to have it check regularly and avoid such problems

John Bradstreet is an experienced Biochemist with extensive knowledge in nutritional supplementation. He is committed to a healthy lifestyle through natural means. To learn more about Blood Pressure we have included additional links at the bottom of the page to help educate you on the subject. Or you can subscribe to our Vitamin and Supplement blog where you will find information on topics concerning natural supplementationArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/what-you-should-know-about-high-blood-pressure-1743604.html

Reducing Cholesterol Naturally and Safely

Every time you open a newspaper or magazine it seems there is the latest way of reducing cholesterol and with so many different opinions, it can be confusing! Once you understand the main cause of high cholesterol, you can then ensure you take the right course of action.

The main thing to know is that most, over 80% in fact, of your cholesterol is produced by your liver with only the remaining 20% being attributed to what you eat. This doesn’t mean you can eat what you want as it is always good to eat a healthy diet, but means that it only has a minimal impact on your overall levels.

Another important point to consider when reducing cholesterol is that not all of it is bad. Indeed you want to increase some levels while decreasing others.

The two main types are called LDL (bad) and HDL (good) and it is the balance between these levels that is more important than anything else. Too much LDL can lead to coronary disease and heart attacks and this gets all the publicity.

However, while it is good to reduce your LDL level, it is vital to increase your HDL one as it travels through your bloodstream and clears away excess harmful LDL and takes it back to the liver.

The most effective way is to use natural nutrients to balance your levels rather than the harmful statin drugs and their serious side effects. Even though statins can help, they can lead to an increased risk of a heart attack and can cause impotence, severe muscle pain and nausea.

There are proven and natural ingredients you can get to help, normally in the form of a cholesterol supplement, for reducing cholesterol gradually and safely.

The most effective ingredients are Policosanol, Theaflavins, Phytosterols, Lecithin, D-Limonene and Rice Bran Oil.

Policosanol in combination with the others helps to lower your bad levels, increase the good ones significantly, reduce the absorption of cholesterol and help to dissolve it as well.

Once you start using natural nutrients like these to balance your levels safely, you can help avoid potentially life threatening conditions and enjoy improved health and well-being.

If you would like to learn more about the natural cholesterol balancing supplements I personally take, visit my website below today.

Discover the best natural cholesterol balancing supplements today.

Reuben Hopkins is a dedicated researcher of nutrition, diet and the amazing health benefits of natural cholesterol balancing supplements. Take a moment to visit his site now at http://www.balanced-cholesterol.com and discover the latest supplements he recommends after extensive research.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/reducing-cholesterol-naturally-and-safely-1743730.html

Statin Cholesterol Lowering Drugs – Discover Their Unwelcome and Dangerous Side Effects

Let’s face it, cholesterol lowering drugs like statins are not the wonder drug they are made out to be. What they are is the most profitable drug in history. Now they do work well to lower your bad cholesterol but the potential side effects and the fact you have to take them for the rest of your life make them a liability in my opinion.

Perhaps in extreme cases where the person has a history of heart disease and is in a very high risk group they could be used but for most people they are unnecessary. When you consider that there are excellent natural solutions today that are proven to be as effective as these statin cholesterol lowering drugs, it makes even more sense to avoid them

The main problem is that they decrease the production of an essential enzyme called CoQ10. This helps to produce energy in all your cells and is vital for maintaining a healthy heart. Low levels of CoQ10 can lead to an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke as well as severe muscle pain, especially in the legs.

Some statin drugs have been removed from the market place after multiple reported deaths, the most notable one being Baycol.

These types of cholesterol lowering drugs can also lower your levels too much resulting in problems with brain function and depression because a certain amount of cholesterol is healthy.

Other reported side effects include nausea, impotence, numbness, weight gain and sleeplessness.

The media tend to go over the top with their “all cholesterol is bad” hype when in fact you have two levels called LDL (bad) and HDL (good). The key is to lower your bad one while importantly raising the good HDL level.

The best way to balance your levels and stay healthy is to try to exercise every day for 30 minutes – even a brisk walk is fine, try to eat healthier food with more fruit and veggies and also to take a natural cholesterol supplement containing Policosanol, Phytosterols and Lecithin.

These combined will gradually and safely balance your levels, helping you to maintain the safest ratio and helping you to avoid premature death from heart disease.

If you would like to learn more about the natural cholesterol balancing supplements I personally take, visit my website below today.

Discover the best natural cholesterol balancing supplements today.

Reuben Hopkins is a dedicated researcher of nutrition, diet and the amazing health benefits of natural cholesterol balancing supplements. Take a moment to visit his site now at http://www.balanced-cholesterol.com and discover the latest supplements he recommends after extensive research.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/statin-cholesterol-lowering-drugs-discover-their-unwelcome-and-dangerous-side-effects-1743733.html

The Problem with Low Cholesterol Diets

With so many of us experiencing dangerous cholesterol levels today, the increased interest in low cholesterol diets is understandable. However, the problem is most of your cholesterol comes from somewhere else.

Low cholesterol diets only account for helping to reduce 20% of your total amount as the rest is produced by your liver and it is this area that should be treated.

Now it goes without saying that improving your diet can help as long as you are aware that it will only have a small impact. Foods that contain high cholesterol like eggs and liver are less harmful than saturated and trans fats in foods like takeaways, fried food, pastries, dairy and red meat.

The reason for this is that it has been shown that very little cholesterol from these foods like eggs actually makes it into your bloodstream. Consuming too much saturated fat however causes your liver to produce more harmful LDL cholesterol.

Experts agree that the best way to lower and balance your levels naturally is to combine eating healthily, exercise and taking a quality cholesterol supplement.

A good supplement containing natural nutrients like Phytosterols from plants, Policosanol from sugar cane, D-Limonene from citrus peel and Lecithin can help to significantly raise your good or HDL levels while effectively reducing levels of the LDL type.

 HDL will go through your system mopping up excess LDL and return it to the liver, lowering your risk of heart disease or a stroke.

 So low cholesterol diets in combination with a natural supplement and more exercise is the key to staying healthy, not just focusing on your diet alone.

 The most successful way is to change one thing at a time, introducing one a week is a good way to do it so you don’t feel too overloaded!

 The benefits are well worth the effort though with a much reduced risk of a heart attack or stroke which are one of the biggest killers in our society today.

 If you would like to learn more about the natural cholesterol balancing supplements I personally take, visit my website below today.

Discover the best natural cholesterol balancing supplements today.

Reuben Hopkins is a dedicated researcher of nutrition, diet and the amazing health benefits of natural cholesterol balancing supplements. Take a moment to visit his site now at http://www.balanced-cholesterol.com and discover the latest supplements he recommends after extensive research.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-problem-with-low-cholesterol-diets-1743737.html

The Normal Range of Cholesterol Levels and How To Maintain A Healthy Balance

With more and more people eating a poor diet high in saturated fat, it is no wonder that fewer people have the normal range of cholesterol levels. It is thought that over 30% of those over 40 have unhealthy levels.

The normal range of cholesterol levels is:

Total Cholesterol: 200mg/dl

LDL: Less than 100mg/dl

HDL: At least 40mg/dl

Triglyceride: Less than 150mg/dl

If your total is between 201–239 you have an increased risk of heart disease and over 240 puts you much more at risk unless you have high HDL levels too. This is because HDL is the good type which helps to clear away excess amounts of LDL or the bad one, to keep you healthy.

It is good not to get too hung up on your total levels but rather ensure you have a healthy ratio. A good one is 3:1 LDL to HDL with an optimal one being 2:1.

You can help balance these out in many ways and concentrating on one at a time is usually the most successful way.

Increasing the amount of exercise you do is very beneficial and 30 minutes a day of a raised heartbeat can significantly reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke and lower your bad cholesterol level.

Eating less fast food, red meat, dairy, cakes and pastries while increasing your intake of fruit, vegetables, oatmeal, nuts and wholegrains will have a positive impact too.

As only a small proportion of your total cholesterol comes from your diet, it is good advice to take a natural cholesterol supplement as well with a quality one proven to lower your LDL and raise your HDL levels to maintain a healthy balance and ratio.

Now you know what the normal range of cholesterol levels is and how to achieve it, you can take the appropriate action and help yourself maintain optimal health and help to avoid a premature heart attack or stroke.

If you would like to learn more about the natural cholesterol balancing supplements I personally take, visit my website below today.

Discover the best natural cholesterol balancing supplements today.

Reuben Hopkins is a dedicated researcher of nutrition, diet and the amazing health benefits of natural cholesterol balancing supplements. Take a moment to visit his site now at http://www.balanced-cholesterol.com and discover the latest supplements he recommends after extensive research.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-normal-range-of-cholesterol-levels-and-how-to-maintain-a-healthy-balance-1743740.html

Memory Enhancement Tips

Did you forget where you put your custom poker chips again, or how about those car keys? If your memory has been less than stellar lately, it can create undue irritation and stress. It can make you late for an important meeting and it can create tension between you and your family members. If you can’t simply laugh these moments of forgetfulness off then it’s time to make some changes in your lifestyle to improve your memory.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

This is essential for improving your memory. Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest causes of memory loss. In order to get a good night’s sleep, it’s important to allow yourself some time to relax and wind down from your day. It’s important to allow yourself at least 7 hours of sleep per night on a regular schedule. Avoid sleeping in during the weekends as this will throw off your weekly sleeping schedules.

Play Brain Games

Improve your memory by exercising your brain. Activities like chess or crossword puzzles. These kinds of games will keep many of your unutilized neurological functions active and in effect, help to improve your memory.

Eat Healthier

Food is our source of energy, and if you’re feeding your body unhealthy fuel then it’s sure to have an effect on your memory functioning. Make sure that you are supplying your brain with healthy foods, such as organic vegetables, fruits and lean proteins. These types of foods will help your brain and your body to function at its highest level.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/memory-enhancement-tips-1743851.html

Why Ten Pounds Can Change your Life

Do you ever wonder, what’s the difference in ten pounds? Don’t give up and drink your sadness away on bar stools, no one is too heavy to start trying to lose weight. Even though the overall goal may be way more than ten pounds, science has shown us that losing just ten pounds can change your life. There are many benefits to a simple weight-loss.

1. Just losing ten pounds can minimize the changes that you end up with type-2 Diabetes by about 50%.

2. By reducing the load on your knees, it decreases your risk of osteoarthritis. (Every one pound of your weight translates to a four pound reduction that bears on your knees).

3. For every pound you drop, there is about a 1-2% reduction in your chances of developing heart disease.

4. Losing just ten pounds can also decrease your chances of developing certain cancers.

5. This is a given, but just ten pounds can give you that extra confidence that works to improve your sex life.

6. Your immune system will be stronger and can function easier, keeping you away from disease and petty sicknesses.

7. Studies have shown that losing ten pounds can also help you sleep better.

8. It also helps you perform better during physical exertion and in some cases it can get rid of or reduce serious asthma. Losing ten pounds can definitely cure exercise induced asthma.

9. Not only that, it gives you a confidence boost and can help you reduce inches and decrease in pant sizes.

10. You also add years back to your life. Under the healthiest conditions, you can live far past the current life expectancy age. Now that’s worth ten pounds!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/why-ten-pounds-can-change-your-life-1743854.html

How to Start a Running Routine

So the new year has rolled around, and while you’ve given up your soda habit and cut back on the red meat you still can’t seem to work up the motivation to get your butt off the couch and exercise. A common reason cited for this is a lack of sufficient funds to join a gym. To this I say it’s a darned good thing you have legs and feet. This article will outline the essential steps to beginning a running plan in the safest and most effective way possible.

Before beginning any exercise regimen the most important thing you can do is visit a doctor. If you have lived a sedentary lifestyle, your body will be unaccustomed to such strenuous exercise and this could be quite dangerous. Your doctor should give you a full physical to ensure you have no undiagnosed health conditions that could potentially become a problem when you begin a strenuous exercise program. In addition, you should discuss with your doctor the best types of exercises to do given your physical capabilities. Running is incredibly stressful on the knees, and not everyone possesses the appropriate equipment to run with little no serious pain. Your doctor can also help you with a diet plan to accompany your new found zest for life.

Once you have been given clearance from your physician to begin a running program, the next step is to purchase proper workout gear. When it comes to running, the most important aspect of your workout gear is clearly the shoes. The shoes your purchase should fit properly, which is something the salesman can help you with. You want to make sure they’re not too tight – which can cut off circulation and cause blisters – or be too loose. If you have problems with the arches in your feet, you may want to consider special inserts or, if it comes down to it, forgoing running and taking up a low-impact exercise such as cycling or even rowing.

Once these two steps are out of the way, it’s time to begin your first week of running. Before you begin, however, you need to limber up, which helps lower the risk of injury. Walking for approximately 5 minutes and doing some light stretching is highly recommended. Although the rate at which you run is different for everyone, you want to aim for approximately twenty to thirty minutes a day, about three to four times a week. During the first week you should start with walking anywhere between five and six minutes, followed by a light jog for a minute. Repeat two or three times.

The following week you’ll want to decrease the time spent walking and increase the time spent running, with the numbers changing every week. After several weeks, you will eventually be able to start and stop your workout with a brisk walk with uninterrupted running in between. Always be sure to warm up and cool down, or you could run the risk of injuring yourself or delaying the healing time between each workout. Over time you will notice not only physical changes but mental changes as well, and all the hard work you put in over the past several weeks will have been completely worth it.

Source: About.com

Writer and content producer for Associated Content.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-to-start-a-running-routine-1743928.html

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