EFT is a cool tool developed by Gary Craig as a way of simplifying and condensing a number of ‘energy healing’ methods devised by earlier practitioners for use by therapists in this field. It differs mainly in that it is intended to generically rectify certain symptoms of internal imbalance rather than deal with specific developmental or traumatic causes. It is also suited to ‘DIY’ practices, rather than requiring a trained therapist to be present.
Together, these factors make EFT an ideal self-help system - it is relatively simple and easy to learn, does not require ‘belief’ (although active disbelief may prevent it working), and is easy to ‘program’ for any purpose from removing or reducing physical pain to re-scripting limiting beliefs to allow the flow of abundance.
The philosophy underlying this technique involves the belief that as well as all the physical systems identified by Western medicine, the human body has a set of ‘meridians’ or energy channels flowing through it, and that these come to the surface at various specific points. This idea is based on traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture). EFT similarly holds that ‘blockages’ in the meridians can cause disease and other problems, and that tapping gently into the right locations in a particular order while reciting certain phrases can restore flow and so rectify the ‘targeted’ problem.
A majority of Westerners (at least those who have not experienced the real benefits of acupuncture) will probably dismiss this whole idea as nonsense. It is completely without any basis in the scientific world. Yet EFT works for the overwhelming majority of people who try it, and it works well. HOW exactly it works is therefore not of particular importance to anyone who simply wants to benefit from the simple procedures involved.
EFT and Money
If you have read about the 'Law of Attraction' you will know how crucial it is that your expressed desires for financial prosperity are not cancelled out by 'automatic negative beliefs’ lurking in your subconscious mind. A number of effective tools are provided on this site to help 'rescript' such beliefs, but EFT is one such tool that is often overlooked.
EFT homes in straight at the 'symptoms' (the apparent lack of progress towards increasing financial wealth), so it is not necessary to directly address the underlying belief system that is causing this lack of progress. All that is needed is to 'mechanically' go through certain routines a few times each day, and the bconscious mind itself is directed to seek out the causes of a self-imposed limitation, and eradicate them.
One of the best methodologies around for using EFT to clear the way to wealth has been developed by Joe Vitale, working with EFT practitioner Brad Yates. Their ebook package, 'Money Beyond Belief' is now one of the top sellers in the field, and has a host of testimonials that show that real people are getting the results they want from the information. tap this:
Click Here!">Click Here!
Sunday 23 March 2008
A new weight loss secret
A new breakthrough secret is all you now need in order to forever shed countless pounds, stay healthy, and add many years to your life!
A lady doctor from Arizona has blown the lid off the best-kept secret in weight loss ever discovered -- and this has the whole diet food and drug industries turned upside down and in nothing less than a torrential uproar.
Her name is Dr Suzanne Gudakunst, and she's marching to the beat of a different drum.
And no, nothing about her "secret" is difficult -- nor does it require that you do something completely out of the ordinary or anything unnatural.
Instead, the Arizonian boasts proudly "...this is something that I caught onto just before 2002 when there was so much research and exploration going around concerning the human colon and digestive system working in harmony with nutritional absorption, and I started doing independent studies just to test things at first ... but which I later expanded on after seeing some fantastic results."
This same woman medical practitioner went on to accurately determine a definitive correlation between harmful plague and parasitic infestations of the human bowel tract, and people suffering chronic obesity -- and who despite intense diet and exercise appeared to be unable to lose any weight whatsoever.
Over the course of six years the Arizona doctor developed a number of natural treatments for the removal of these same harmful, even life-threatening plaques and rapidly reproducing digestive parasites -- and when applied to even worse-case patients suffering extreme obesity (98% of which were in immediate danger of dying) she saw a 100% effectiveness and success rate.
She then borrowed from her research on the severely obese, and applied the same strategies on milder cases of overweight persons -- only to find the same effectiveness and quality results as described above (although the individual weight loss per subject wasn't nearly as much as those obese patients 100 lbs to 200 lbs or more overweight).
So powerful is her secret that she's able to reverse diabetes, rid illness altogether in people suffering from cancer (linked directly to poor diet and overweight factors), as well as an elimination of an entire spectrum of serious and otherwise life-threatening diseases.
Nearly 100% of all her case subjects were told in the alternative by "conventional doctors" that they either had just months or years to live, or they would never live a life anything resembling remotely a "normal" existence -- yet after applying Dr Suzanne's treatments saw a complete contradiction to others doctors' prognoses.
Again, nothing about her secret is unnatural or requires someone to do any major action or modification in their lives.
In fact, her entire treatment is based completely on built-into-nature 'protection agents' scattered throughout the world in the form of select herbs, extracts, and organic constituents, and which can be found in a variety of plants -- but when combined in specific combinations and carefully chosen amounts make for a solution to what is perhaps the world's worst ever plague: OBESITY (and the illnesses and diseases resulting from it -- or at least severely aggravated or exacerbated by it).
Now to everyone else's great gain, whether suffering from just a few extra pounds and inches, to those extremely fat and overweight, this brave, bold lady doctor is releasing to the general public her secret for forever destroying the tight unrelenting closed-fist of obesity's stronghold over the now more than 40% of Americans labeled obese, and others worldwide.
But she's not promising any of us for how long.
Some experts and sociologists suggest that in the bigger scheme of things, the world will never tolerate a discovery of such magnitude, any more than it would be realistic to expect a car that runs on water (even if very real) to ever become commercially available to the general public for day-to-day use.
One well-respected and famous diet & wellness author wrote years ago that if anyone ever "truly unlocked the keys to permanent fat loss, they may actually suffer the same fate as JFK."
...so you may want to head on over there now and get it and before someone or "something" gets it forever yanked out of ever getting in YOUR hand at least.
It's in a very easily readable format and is quickly and readily understood and mastered by anyone with even a 4th grade reading level.
While you're there, why not scroll down and review for yourself the huge successes others are now having with this incredible breakthrough in rapid, massive weight loss and extremely improved and enhanced health, now made freely available to the rest of us?
click here:
http://john1080.fatsecret.hop.clickbank.net
A lady doctor from Arizona has blown the lid off the best-kept secret in weight loss ever discovered -- and this has the whole diet food and drug industries turned upside down and in nothing less than a torrential uproar.
Her name is Dr Suzanne Gudakunst, and she's marching to the beat of a different drum.
And no, nothing about her "secret" is difficult -- nor does it require that you do something completely out of the ordinary or anything unnatural.
Instead, the Arizonian boasts proudly "...this is something that I caught onto just before 2002 when there was so much research and exploration going around concerning the human colon and digestive system working in harmony with nutritional absorption, and I started doing independent studies just to test things at first ... but which I later expanded on after seeing some fantastic results."
This same woman medical practitioner went on to accurately determine a definitive correlation between harmful plague and parasitic infestations of the human bowel tract, and people suffering chronic obesity -- and who despite intense diet and exercise appeared to be unable to lose any weight whatsoever.
Over the course of six years the Arizona doctor developed a number of natural treatments for the removal of these same harmful, even life-threatening plaques and rapidly reproducing digestive parasites -- and when applied to even worse-case patients suffering extreme obesity (98% of which were in immediate danger of dying) she saw a 100% effectiveness and success rate.
She then borrowed from her research on the severely obese, and applied the same strategies on milder cases of overweight persons -- only to find the same effectiveness and quality results as described above (although the individual weight loss per subject wasn't nearly as much as those obese patients 100 lbs to 200 lbs or more overweight).
So powerful is her secret that she's able to reverse diabetes, rid illness altogether in people suffering from cancer (linked directly to poor diet and overweight factors), as well as an elimination of an entire spectrum of serious and otherwise life-threatening diseases.
Nearly 100% of all her case subjects were told in the alternative by "conventional doctors" that they either had just months or years to live, or they would never live a life anything resembling remotely a "normal" existence -- yet after applying Dr Suzanne's treatments saw a complete contradiction to others doctors' prognoses.
Again, nothing about her secret is unnatural or requires someone to do any major action or modification in their lives.
In fact, her entire treatment is based completely on built-into-nature 'protection agents' scattered throughout the world in the form of select herbs, extracts, and organic constituents, and which can be found in a variety of plants -- but when combined in specific combinations and carefully chosen amounts make for a solution to what is perhaps the world's worst ever plague: OBESITY (and the illnesses and diseases resulting from it -- or at least severely aggravated or exacerbated by it).
Now to everyone else's great gain, whether suffering from just a few extra pounds and inches, to those extremely fat and overweight, this brave, bold lady doctor is releasing to the general public her secret for forever destroying the tight unrelenting closed-fist of obesity's stronghold over the now more than 40% of Americans labeled obese, and others worldwide.
But she's not promising any of us for how long.
Some experts and sociologists suggest that in the bigger scheme of things, the world will never tolerate a discovery of such magnitude, any more than it would be realistic to expect a car that runs on water (even if very real) to ever become commercially available to the general public for day-to-day use.
One well-respected and famous diet & wellness author wrote years ago that if anyone ever "truly unlocked the keys to permanent fat loss, they may actually suffer the same fate as JFK."
...so you may want to head on over there now and get it and before someone or "something" gets it forever yanked out of ever getting in YOUR hand at least.
It's in a very easily readable format and is quickly and readily understood and mastered by anyone with even a 4th grade reading level.
While you're there, why not scroll down and review for yourself the huge successes others are now having with this incredible breakthrough in rapid, massive weight loss and extremely improved and enhanced health, now made freely available to the rest of us?
click here:
http://john1080.fatsecret.hop.clickbank.net
Thursday 20 March 2008
Wondering If You Hair Dye Brand Is Safe?
Wondering If You Hair Dye Brand Is Safe? Here's Where To Check Out Your Brand, On the Hazard List.
www.searchwarp.com/swa307313.htm
www.searchwarp.com/swa307313.htm
Wednesday 19 March 2008
if you think of yourself as the body read this
Ninety-eight percent of the atoms in your body are replaced each year.
The bones in your skeleton regenerate every three months.
The cells of your liver are made new every six weeks. You generate a whole new skin once a month.
Your stomach lining is replaced every five days.
So, if you feed yourself with the right "foods," you can influence the regeneration process. You can help your body back to a healthy state.
The bones in your skeleton regenerate every three months.
The cells of your liver are made new every six weeks. You generate a whole new skin once a month.
Your stomach lining is replaced every five days.
So, if you feed yourself with the right "foods," you can influence the regeneration process. You can help your body back to a healthy state.
yoga and health of the hair
Look and feel younger. Yoga reduces facial wrinkles and produces a natural 'face-lift'. This is mainly due to the inverted postures. By doing the inverted postures for a few minutes each day, we reverse the effect of gravity and use it to our advantage. The result is firmer facial muscles, which cause a reduction in wrinkles, and a natural face-lift.
It is claimed that the inverted yoga postures often convert gray hair back to its natural color and they will delay the onset of gray hair. This is due to the inverted postures causing an increase in blood supply to the hair follicles in the scalp. Also, the increased flexibility of the neck produced by the asanas removes pressure on the blood vessels and nerves in the neck, causing an even greater blood supply to the scalp. The release of pressure on the nerves in the neck also causes the scalp muscles to relax, since the nerves in the neck supply the scalp muscles. This means that the hair follicles are better nourished and thicker healthier hair is the result.
An exercise for improving the condition of the hair from Massage therapist and yoga expert, Ann Lloyd:
Starting on the temples press firmly with the finger tips and move upwards under the hair till you get to the back of the head at the top. Then make a fist, gathering up the hair and firmly and slowly pull the skulp up and down a few times . Do the same moving up from the top of the neck with your finger tips and ending on top of the head with a fist.
It is claimed that the inverted yoga postures often convert gray hair back to its natural color and they will delay the onset of gray hair. This is due to the inverted postures causing an increase in blood supply to the hair follicles in the scalp. Also, the increased flexibility of the neck produced by the asanas removes pressure on the blood vessels and nerves in the neck, causing an even greater blood supply to the scalp. The release of pressure on the nerves in the neck also causes the scalp muscles to relax, since the nerves in the neck supply the scalp muscles. This means that the hair follicles are better nourished and thicker healthier hair is the result.
An exercise for improving the condition of the hair from Massage therapist and yoga expert, Ann Lloyd:
Starting on the temples press firmly with the finger tips and move upwards under the hair till you get to the back of the head at the top. Then make a fist, gathering up the hair and firmly and slowly pull the skulp up and down a few times . Do the same moving up from the top of the neck with your finger tips and ending on top of the head with a fist.
Tuesday 18 March 2008
what to do about piles
What are Hemorrhoids or piles?
Excess pressure in the abdominal or anal area causes enlargement or inflammation to the anus-tissue.
The enlargement can be External kind – which are tender, itchy, hard bumps that are painful and accompanied by bright red blood, or Internal, where hemorrhoids develop inside the rectum about 1 inch above the anus. They are painless, cannot be felt or seen. But they often bleed a dark rust colored blood when they are swollen.
What are the symptoms of Hemorrhoids or Piles
1. Pain after bowel movement.
2. Anal itching and discharge of mucous.
3. Painful, hard bump on the edge just outside the anus (External hemorrhoids).
4. Skin protruding outside anal sphincter is moist, swollen and painful (Prolapsed hemorrhoids).
5. After a bowel movement there is bright red blood on the stool or in the toilet bowl.
Causes of Hemorrhoids/Piles
Straining for a bowel movement, constipation, diarrhea, pregnancy (puts additional pressure on the lower abdomen), being obese, leading a sedentary life and eating a low-fiber diet are factors that promote and aggravate hemorrhoids.
Home treatment for Hemorrhoids or Piles
1. Certain foods and beverages like red pepper, mustard, nuts, alcohol, decaffeinated and regular coffee are primary offenders. Try and eliminate these.
2. Inflammation and discomfort can be reduced, by using cold compress or ice packs several times a day.
3. For painful hemorrhoids try sitting in warm water baths.
4. Choose a time for defecating when you aren’t rushed.
5. Vitamin and mineral supplements are of no use.
6. Wear loose clothing and cotton underwear.
7. Witch hazel, cortisone cream, petroleum jelly and zinc oxide paste or powder can soothe itching and ease defecation.
8. Clean the anal region very gently and wipe with pre-moistened wipes or wet paper.
Prevention of Hemorrhoids /Piles
1. Drink at-least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day that improves digestive and bowel movements.
2. Take short breaks, if you are sitting or standing for long periods.
3. Exercising daily improves blood circulation, prevents development of hemorrhoids and constipation and helps in shrinking existing hemorrhoids.
4. Do not use laxatives, because diarrhea can be rough on the hemorrhoids.
5. Lift heavy objects carefully as it can cause pressure on the rectal-anal veins. Bend your knees and pull up with your arms, straightening your legs simultaneously.
6. Obesity exerts pressure and causes hemorrhoids.
7. Constipation can be avoided by eating fiber-rich foods.
NB The herb 'golden seal root' has traditionally been used for piles :
' Many congested conditions in the human body can be treated using the goldenseal remedy, these include sluggish venous conditions, problems such as varicose veins and disorders such as hemorrhoids - the ability of the herb to improve and promote the circulation is helpful in the treatment of all these conditions.'
ps. try using aloe vera juice - a few tablespoons per day in water internally.
pps, do a google search on 'Ganesh Kriya'
Excess pressure in the abdominal or anal area causes enlargement or inflammation to the anus-tissue.
The enlargement can be External kind – which are tender, itchy, hard bumps that are painful and accompanied by bright red blood, or Internal, where hemorrhoids develop inside the rectum about 1 inch above the anus. They are painless, cannot be felt or seen. But they often bleed a dark rust colored blood when they are swollen.
What are the symptoms of Hemorrhoids or Piles
1. Pain after bowel movement.
2. Anal itching and discharge of mucous.
3. Painful, hard bump on the edge just outside the anus (External hemorrhoids).
4. Skin protruding outside anal sphincter is moist, swollen and painful (Prolapsed hemorrhoids).
5. After a bowel movement there is bright red blood on the stool or in the toilet bowl.
Causes of Hemorrhoids/Piles
Straining for a bowel movement, constipation, diarrhea, pregnancy (puts additional pressure on the lower abdomen), being obese, leading a sedentary life and eating a low-fiber diet are factors that promote and aggravate hemorrhoids.
Home treatment for Hemorrhoids or Piles
1. Certain foods and beverages like red pepper, mustard, nuts, alcohol, decaffeinated and regular coffee are primary offenders. Try and eliminate these.
2. Inflammation and discomfort can be reduced, by using cold compress or ice packs several times a day.
3. For painful hemorrhoids try sitting in warm water baths.
4. Choose a time for defecating when you aren’t rushed.
5. Vitamin and mineral supplements are of no use.
6. Wear loose clothing and cotton underwear.
7. Witch hazel, cortisone cream, petroleum jelly and zinc oxide paste or powder can soothe itching and ease defecation.
8. Clean the anal region very gently and wipe with pre-moistened wipes or wet paper.
Prevention of Hemorrhoids /Piles
1. Drink at-least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day that improves digestive and bowel movements.
2. Take short breaks, if you are sitting or standing for long periods.
3. Exercising daily improves blood circulation, prevents development of hemorrhoids and constipation and helps in shrinking existing hemorrhoids.
4. Do not use laxatives, because diarrhea can be rough on the hemorrhoids.
5. Lift heavy objects carefully as it can cause pressure on the rectal-anal veins. Bend your knees and pull up with your arms, straightening your legs simultaneously.
6. Obesity exerts pressure and causes hemorrhoids.
7. Constipation can be avoided by eating fiber-rich foods.
NB The herb 'golden seal root' has traditionally been used for piles :
' Many congested conditions in the human body can be treated using the goldenseal remedy, these include sluggish venous conditions, problems such as varicose veins and disorders such as hemorrhoids - the ability of the herb to improve and promote the circulation is helpful in the treatment of all these conditions.'
ps. try using aloe vera juice - a few tablespoons per day in water internally.
pps, do a google search on 'Ganesh Kriya'
Sunday 16 March 2008
Sprint 8
SPRINT 8 IS A 20-MINUTE WORKOUT you can do with any aerobic activity: swimming, running, rowing, cycling—you name it. After a three-minute warm-up, start a series of eight 30-second intervals. Prep your muscles for the pace with the first three, then push yourself as hard as possible through the rest. "If you can keep charging past 30 seconds, you aren't trying hard enough," says Sprint 8 creator Phil Campbell.
Between each sprint, slow to an easy pace for 90 seconds, to fully recover for the next one. Finish with a couple minutes of easy work.
For the best results, do a series every other day so your body has time off. If you don't currently have an exercise routine, I would suggest you start with at least three weeks of moderate sprints to strengthen your joints' connective tissue and to prep the muscles for full-bore exertion.
Between each sprint, slow to an easy pace for 90 seconds, to fully recover for the next one. Finish with a couple minutes of easy work.
For the best results, do a series every other day so your body has time off. If you don't currently have an exercise routine, I would suggest you start with at least three weeks of moderate sprints to strengthen your joints' connective tissue and to prep the muscles for full-bore exertion.
Hindu Squats - good for PACE
This is one of the best exercises for the legs and overall body conditioning and can be used for Dr Sears PACE program. It strengthens the legs, hips, calves, gluts, chest, arms and back. Never be afraid to bring the knees foward, that helps strengthen the knees, it did for mine.
Some people shouldnt do this (if you have certain knee problems) but I believe most people who will feel the benefits. If you're into football you will build strength as well as cardiovascular conditioning for the 40 yrd dash, or just keep your legs durable for those final moments in the game where most of ther players are worn out. Its great for all sports and better yet its great for your health because it strengthens the internal organs, heart, kidneys, lungs, liver, etc.
Give this one a go and soon enough you'll have legs of a tree trunk while having tri-athlete endurance.
Heres the way to do them correctly.
www.bronzebowpublishing.com/HinduSquat.gif
Some people shouldnt do this (if you have certain knee problems) but I believe most people who will feel the benefits. If you're into football you will build strength as well as cardiovascular conditioning for the 40 yrd dash, or just keep your legs durable for those final moments in the game where most of ther players are worn out. Its great for all sports and better yet its great for your health because it strengthens the internal organs, heart, kidneys, lungs, liver, etc.
Give this one a go and soon enough you'll have legs of a tree trunk while having tri-athlete endurance.
Heres the way to do them correctly.
www.bronzebowpublishing.com/HinduSquat.gif
importance of testosterone
i am still working to increase my strength and muscle - see previous post on aiming to gain 3 stone in 3 months - muscle not fat! There's not a great deal to report at present - I have started to lift heavy weights and am taking whey protein powder regularly - watch this space:
Here i some points I came accross about the importance of testosterone for health and fitness.
There are many factors that determine how much muscle a person can ultimately build. Training intensity, nutrition, supplementation and rest; these are just a few of the many variables that will contribute to your overall muscle-building “bottom line”. Another major factor in this equation is your body’s natural levels of the anabolic hormone testosterone.
Quite simply, testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body and is one of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can build. Here is just a small handful of the many amazing benefits that increased testosterone levels will provide you with:
* Increased muscle size and strength.
* Decreased body fat levels.
* Increased sex drive and sexual endurance.
* Improved mood.
* Decreased levels of "bad" cholesterol.
Here are some basic methods you can implement in order to naturally raise your body's levels of testosterone and take advantage of all of its amazing benefits.
1. Use compound exercises as the cornerstone of your workouts. I’m talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. This will place your muscles under the greatest amount of stress and will force your body to increase testosterone production.
2. Always train with 100% effort and intensity. If you want to see real muscle gains, you must be willing to push yourself to the limit in the gym. Again, greater muscular stress in the gym translates to higher testosterone output.
3. Train your legs equally as hard as your upper body. As you may already be aware, intense leg training can actually stimulate growth in your chest, back and arms. This is due in part to the increase in testosterone that leg training induces.
4. Increase your EFA consumption. Essential Fatty Acids from sources such as peanuts, avocadoes, fish and healthy oils like flax seed, olive and canola are a great way to naturally boost testosterone levels.
5. Reduce your intake of soy. Soy protein raises the body’s levels of estrogen (the main female hormone) and this has a direct negative effect on testosterone levels.
6. Limit your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to have quite a dramatic effect on testosterone levels, so try to limit your "binge drinking" nights and keep your alcohol consumption in moderation.
7. Increase your dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts have all been shown to dramatically reduce estrogen levels, thereby raising testosterone.
8. Lower your daily stress levels. Being overly stressed stimulates the release of “cortisol”, a highly catabolic hormone that will cause your testosterone levels to plummet.
9. Increase your sexual activity. Sexual stimulation causes the body to increase the production of oxytocin which increases endorphin production (the "feel-good" chemical), and this also raises testosterone.
10. Make sure to get adequate sleep every night. A lack of sleep contributes to cortisol production, and this will lower your testosterone levels.
So there you have it, 10 basic, easy-to-follow guidelines for increasing your testosterone levels naturally.
Here i some points I came accross about the importance of testosterone for health and fitness.
There are many factors that determine how much muscle a person can ultimately build. Training intensity, nutrition, supplementation and rest; these are just a few of the many variables that will contribute to your overall muscle-building “bottom line”. Another major factor in this equation is your body’s natural levels of the anabolic hormone testosterone.
Quite simply, testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body and is one of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can build. Here is just a small handful of the many amazing benefits that increased testosterone levels will provide you with:
* Increased muscle size and strength.
* Decreased body fat levels.
* Increased sex drive and sexual endurance.
* Improved mood.
* Decreased levels of "bad" cholesterol.
Here are some basic methods you can implement in order to naturally raise your body's levels of testosterone and take advantage of all of its amazing benefits.
1. Use compound exercises as the cornerstone of your workouts. I’m talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. This will place your muscles under the greatest amount of stress and will force your body to increase testosterone production.
2. Always train with 100% effort and intensity. If you want to see real muscle gains, you must be willing to push yourself to the limit in the gym. Again, greater muscular stress in the gym translates to higher testosterone output.
3. Train your legs equally as hard as your upper body. As you may already be aware, intense leg training can actually stimulate growth in your chest, back and arms. This is due in part to the increase in testosterone that leg training induces.
4. Increase your EFA consumption. Essential Fatty Acids from sources such as peanuts, avocadoes, fish and healthy oils like flax seed, olive and canola are a great way to naturally boost testosterone levels.
5. Reduce your intake of soy. Soy protein raises the body’s levels of estrogen (the main female hormone) and this has a direct negative effect on testosterone levels.
6. Limit your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to have quite a dramatic effect on testosterone levels, so try to limit your "binge drinking" nights and keep your alcohol consumption in moderation.
7. Increase your dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts have all been shown to dramatically reduce estrogen levels, thereby raising testosterone.
8. Lower your daily stress levels. Being overly stressed stimulates the release of “cortisol”, a highly catabolic hormone that will cause your testosterone levels to plummet.
9. Increase your sexual activity. Sexual stimulation causes the body to increase the production of oxytocin which increases endorphin production (the "feel-good" chemical), and this also raises testosterone.
10. Make sure to get adequate sleep every night. A lack of sleep contributes to cortisol production, and this will lower your testosterone levels.
So there you have it, 10 basic, easy-to-follow guidelines for increasing your testosterone levels naturally.
Saturday 15 March 2008
New Study: Sugar Substitute Causes Weight Gain
Before you reach for that diet cola or sugar-free ice cream, you might want to consider a new study published by Purdue University on the effects of artificial sweeteners in yogurt. The research, which was reported this week by Wired.com, suggests that sugar substitutes could actually lead to increased weight gain, contradicting the popularly-held notion that artificial sugar substitutes have a slimming effect.
In the Purdue study rats were fed a diet of yogurt sweetened with either saccharine or regular sugar. The results of the research showed that the rats eating the saccharine-sweetened yogurt ate more and gained more weight than those eating regular sugar-sweetened yogurt.
The sugar substitute business is a billion dollar industry, which is primarily driven by the desire of individuals to eat lighter and lose weight. And although the recent Purdue study tested artificial sweeteners on rats, not humans, researchers at other universities are already taking note of the results, and more research is underway to discover if the weight gain effect from sugar substitutes is transferable to humans.
According to the Purdue researchers, the problem with artificial sweeteners lies in their affect on metabolic regulation within the body. For example, when rats are fed a diet of sugar-sweetened yogurt, their body temperature rises significantly, and process more calorie rich nutrients.
On the other hand, when rats are fed a diet of artificially-sweetened yogurt, their average body temperature rose only marginally, causing them to eat significantly more and gain more weight than their sugar-fed counterparts. Although researchers are not entirely sure why this effect takes place, some experts theorize that the rats may be confused by the false sweetness of the yogurt, reducing their natural ability to burn calories.
This theory ties in with the results of other research studies on artificial sweeteners, including a meta study that found a significant correlation between drinking diet colas and “metabolic syndrome,” a collection of symptoms and risk factors that contribute to heart disease, diabetes, abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood pressure.
More research will be necessary before scientists can say exactly how the sugar substitutes are affecting the metabolism, and why they appear to be leading to increased food intake and weight gain.
But with the consumption of saccharine and other sugar substitutes rising annually in both North America and Europe, the new research suggests that consumers should carefully consider their choices when purchasing soft drinks, yogurts and other snacks. The bottom line is, those “light” products containing sugar substitutes could actually be making us unhealthy — and fat.
In the Purdue study rats were fed a diet of yogurt sweetened with either saccharine or regular sugar. The results of the research showed that the rats eating the saccharine-sweetened yogurt ate more and gained more weight than those eating regular sugar-sweetened yogurt.
The sugar substitute business is a billion dollar industry, which is primarily driven by the desire of individuals to eat lighter and lose weight. And although the recent Purdue study tested artificial sweeteners on rats, not humans, researchers at other universities are already taking note of the results, and more research is underway to discover if the weight gain effect from sugar substitutes is transferable to humans.
According to the Purdue researchers, the problem with artificial sweeteners lies in their affect on metabolic regulation within the body. For example, when rats are fed a diet of sugar-sweetened yogurt, their body temperature rises significantly, and process more calorie rich nutrients.
On the other hand, when rats are fed a diet of artificially-sweetened yogurt, their average body temperature rose only marginally, causing them to eat significantly more and gain more weight than their sugar-fed counterparts. Although researchers are not entirely sure why this effect takes place, some experts theorize that the rats may be confused by the false sweetness of the yogurt, reducing their natural ability to burn calories.
This theory ties in with the results of other research studies on artificial sweeteners, including a meta study that found a significant correlation between drinking diet colas and “metabolic syndrome,” a collection of symptoms and risk factors that contribute to heart disease, diabetes, abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood pressure.
More research will be necessary before scientists can say exactly how the sugar substitutes are affecting the metabolism, and why they appear to be leading to increased food intake and weight gain.
But with the consumption of saccharine and other sugar substitutes rising annually in both North America and Europe, the new research suggests that consumers should carefully consider their choices when purchasing soft drinks, yogurts and other snacks. The bottom line is, those “light” products containing sugar substitutes could actually be making us unhealthy — and fat.
Thursday 13 March 2008
Parsons Acupressure technique (www.patlife.homstead.com)
I am very excited to have launched my new website about the Parsons Acupressure Technique (PAT).
www.patlife.homestead.com
Parsons Chiropractic - not just a Chiropractic Clinic - a Life Transforming experience!
The Acupuncture Meridians have been used successfully for over 2000 years
for prevention and healing . There are 1000s of modern research studies on
acupuncture, acupressure and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is
also endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO)*.
Parsons Acupressure Technique (PAT) is the modern interpretation of this
work - invented by UK chiropractor and healer Dr John Parsons. Dr Parsons
has developed PAT over 30 years, combining TCM with Applied
Kineasiology (AK), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT),Bioenergetic
Synchronization technique (BEST) and many other alternative natural
therapies, ancient and modern.
The main principle of PAT is that we do not focus on disease , but rather on restoring balance in the body, enlivening the body's own innate
intelligence to do the healing. The body heals itself when interferences are removed.
The meridians are connected to every organ of the body - the heart , lungs, thyroid, gallbladder, etc.
Acupressure (acupuncture without needles) deals with
problems all over the body using the traditional chinese concept that the
body is connected by meridians.
The PAT practitioner is able to detect which of these meridians are out of balance and by applying unique and gentle treatments is able to restore and maintain health in each individual.
No needles are used - just gentle finger pressure.
No unpleasant herbs to boil up or tablets to swollow.
Treatments are available for :
> Weight Loss
> Allergies
> Alzheimers
> Anxiety & Stress
> Arthritis
> Asthma
> Bronchitis
> Chronic Fatigue
> Chronic Pain
> Colitis
> onstipation
> Depression
> Diabetes
> Fibroids
> Fibromyalgia
> Gastritis
> Headaches
> Heart Disease
> Hiatus Hernia
> High Blood Pressure
> Infertility
> Insomnia
> Irritable Bowel
> Menopause
> Multiple Sclerosis
> PMS
> Sinusitis
> Ulcers
However, regarding this list we sould be aware that all disease ("dis-ease") is the result of a body that is not functioning properly, and the "improper functioning of the body" is caused by the poor way we eat and the poor way we live.
PAT for Weight Loss:
with the Parsons Acupressure Technique (PAT) for weight loss you get a specially tailored programme.
www.patlife.homestead.com
Parsons Chiropractic - not just a Chiropractic Clinic - a Life Transforming experience!
The Acupuncture Meridians have been used successfully for over 2000 years
for prevention and healing . There are 1000s of modern research studies on
acupuncture, acupressure and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is
also endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO)*.
Parsons Acupressure Technique (PAT) is the modern interpretation of this
work - invented by UK chiropractor and healer Dr John Parsons. Dr Parsons
has developed PAT over 30 years, combining TCM with Applied
Kineasiology (AK), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT),Bioenergetic
Synchronization technique (BEST) and many other alternative natural
therapies, ancient and modern.
The main principle of PAT is that we do not focus on disease , but rather on restoring balance in the body, enlivening the body's own innate
intelligence to do the healing. The body heals itself when interferences are removed.
The meridians are connected to every organ of the body - the heart , lungs, thyroid, gallbladder, etc.
Acupressure (acupuncture without needles) deals with
problems all over the body using the traditional chinese concept that the
body is connected by meridians.
The PAT practitioner is able to detect which of these meridians are out of balance and by applying unique and gentle treatments is able to restore and maintain health in each individual.
No needles are used - just gentle finger pressure.
No unpleasant herbs to boil up or tablets to swollow.
Treatments are available for :
> Weight Loss
> Allergies
> Alzheimers
> Anxiety & Stress
> Arthritis
> Asthma
> Bronchitis
> Chronic Fatigue
> Chronic Pain
> Colitis
> onstipation
> Depression
> Diabetes
> Fibroids
> Fibromyalgia
> Gastritis
> Headaches
> Heart Disease
> Hiatus Hernia
> High Blood Pressure
> Infertility
> Insomnia
> Irritable Bowel
> Menopause
> Multiple Sclerosis
> PMS
> Sinusitis
> Ulcers
However, regarding this list we sould be aware that all disease ("dis-ease") is the result of a body that is not functioning properly, and the "improper functioning of the body" is caused by the poor way we eat and the poor way we live.
PAT for Weight Loss:
with the Parsons Acupressure Technique (PAT) for weight loss you get a specially tailored programme.
The hormone connection- the thyroid and acupressure
Can´t find your car keys? Jeans getting tight? Feeling tired or anxious? Feeling down? It just might be your hormones.
Have you ever found yourself misplacing things, unable to concentrate, not able to grasp the right words? I have many patients who refer to this as 'having a senior moment'. "No," I tell them. "It sounds more like you are having a thyroid moment."
Are you suffering from slow and consistent weight gain even though you are eating well and exercising? Have you been feeling tired and fatigued even though you get to bed early? Do you have feelings of anxiousness or depression? All these symptoms (and more) can be linked to an improperly functioning thyroid.
The thyroid is a small gland just under the skin on the front of the neck. This gland plays a very important role in controlling the body’s metabolism and how the body functions. It does this by producing hormones that tell the body how fast to work and how to use energy - Unused energy turns into fat.
Thyroid hormones play a major part in creating the correct metabolic rate. If it is not functioning properly everything slows down leading to these classic symptoms: * weight gain * fatigue * cold hands and feet * difficulty focusing and remembering * anxiety * depression * constipation * hair loss. The list can go on and on including many problems with the female reproductive system including menstrual disorders, endometriosis, and breast cancer.
What is the connection between reproductive problems and the thyroid? When one gland does not work properly it affects other glands and hormones in the body. When you decrease the thyroid hormones you increase estrogens. The function of estrogen is to promote growth. When your estrogens are over-producing or when you take them in from outside sources, growth can get out of control.
"But I am not on birth control pills and I am not taking HRT, I must be safe."
All of us are exposed to substances daily that mimic estrogens. These false estrogens lock up the hormonal system including the thyroid gland and the cells that need the information to work properly. These false estrogens are called 'endocrine disruptors' (ED).
These ED’s are in much of the food we eat. Haven’t you wondered why the teens now are all taller and more developed than any time in history? Their bodies have developed much earlier than they used to. And why do we have so many instances of breast cancer in devoloped countries? If you eat non-organic meats you are regularly ingesting additional estrogen. Farmers use hormones in animal feed to produce bigger livestock as fast as possible. You are what you eat.
Other substances that can lock up the system are pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and hundreds of other chemicals that we use daily. Also micro-waving food in plastic coverings creates a toxic substance known as 'xeno-estrogen' that goes right into our meal.
Often a person can have normal thyroid test results but still have thyroid problems. This can be due to ED’s blocking the cells. 'The thyroid is talking but nobody is listening'. We have grown to accept that our metabolism is going to slow down in our 30’s. This could be due to many years of exposure to toxins. Luckily there is a test that can identify the most common things locking up the system and a non-supplemental method of removing them. It is part of the Parsons Acupressure technique.
www.patlife.homestead.com
Have you ever found yourself misplacing things, unable to concentrate, not able to grasp the right words? I have many patients who refer to this as 'having a senior moment'. "No," I tell them. "It sounds more like you are having a thyroid moment."
Are you suffering from slow and consistent weight gain even though you are eating well and exercising? Have you been feeling tired and fatigued even though you get to bed early? Do you have feelings of anxiousness or depression? All these symptoms (and more) can be linked to an improperly functioning thyroid.
The thyroid is a small gland just under the skin on the front of the neck. This gland plays a very important role in controlling the body’s metabolism and how the body functions. It does this by producing hormones that tell the body how fast to work and how to use energy - Unused energy turns into fat.
Thyroid hormones play a major part in creating the correct metabolic rate. If it is not functioning properly everything slows down leading to these classic symptoms: * weight gain * fatigue * cold hands and feet * difficulty focusing and remembering * anxiety * depression * constipation * hair loss. The list can go on and on including many problems with the female reproductive system including menstrual disorders, endometriosis, and breast cancer.
What is the connection between reproductive problems and the thyroid? When one gland does not work properly it affects other glands and hormones in the body. When you decrease the thyroid hormones you increase estrogens. The function of estrogen is to promote growth. When your estrogens are over-producing or when you take them in from outside sources, growth can get out of control.
"But I am not on birth control pills and I am not taking HRT, I must be safe."
All of us are exposed to substances daily that mimic estrogens. These false estrogens lock up the hormonal system including the thyroid gland and the cells that need the information to work properly. These false estrogens are called 'endocrine disruptors' (ED).
These ED’s are in much of the food we eat. Haven’t you wondered why the teens now are all taller and more developed than any time in history? Their bodies have developed much earlier than they used to. And why do we have so many instances of breast cancer in devoloped countries? If you eat non-organic meats you are regularly ingesting additional estrogen. Farmers use hormones in animal feed to produce bigger livestock as fast as possible. You are what you eat.
Other substances that can lock up the system are pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and hundreds of other chemicals that we use daily. Also micro-waving food in plastic coverings creates a toxic substance known as 'xeno-estrogen' that goes right into our meal.
Often a person can have normal thyroid test results but still have thyroid problems. This can be due to ED’s blocking the cells. 'The thyroid is talking but nobody is listening'. We have grown to accept that our metabolism is going to slow down in our 30’s. This could be due to many years of exposure to toxins. Luckily there is a test that can identify the most common things locking up the system and a non-supplemental method of removing them. It is part of the Parsons Acupressure technique.
www.patlife.homestead.com
Tuesday 11 March 2008
10 ESSENTIAL MUSCLE MASS GAINING TIPS
I'm trying to gain weight and muscle and am trying this program: I am 5'9" and 11 stone now, and aim to be 14stone in 3 months (without getting fat!) I will keep you posted with progress:
update on 30th march
not doing too well - strained back and neck lifting heavy weights and couldnt stand the wey protein powder - now trying anabolic diet (high fat - low carbs) and lifting weights slowly - more news soon...
10 ESSENTIAL MUSCLE MASS GAINING TIPS (by Anthony Ellis in IronMagazine.com)
Ten tips to help you gain rock hard muscle mass. Now there are many other things that you can do to help you build mass, BUT these 10 things are the bare essentials. In other words, they are absolutely necessary for a successful program.
1. Weight Train
Weight training involves the use of equipment that enables variable resistance. This resistance can come in the form of "free weights" like barbells and dumbbells, machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or dips.
For anyone trying to gain muscle, several things must be done. One is to train with heavy weights. By heavy I mean a weight that is challenging for YOU. The average guy in the gym usually works with a weight he can lift for 10-15+ reps. For mass gaining purposes, this is too light. Using an appropriate weight, you should only be able to do 4-8 reps. That's it! Using heavy weights and low reps puts your muscles and nervous system under much more stress than using lighter weights for many reps. This added stress causes the involvement and stimulation of more muscle fibers, which will cause rapid muscle growth.
For maximum muscle gain, the focus of your workouts should consist of free weight exercises. Not machines or bodyweight exercises. This is not to say that you should not use machines or bodyweight exercises, but they should not be the focus of your training. To get an effective, muscle blasting workout, you must stimulate the most muscle fibers as possible, and machines do not do this.
2. Eat More Calories
The most important thing that I cannot emphasize is that you need to eat to gain weight. You need to eat like you've never eaten before. If you are not eating enough calories, you will NEVER gain weight, no matter what you do. In order to build new muscle, you must eat more calories than your body burns off, creating what is called a caloric surplus. To gain mass, you should strive to eat around 18-20 times your bodyweight in calories. The extra calories will be used by your body to repair muscle tissue that is damaged during the heavy workouts, and to build new muscle.
Now, when I say eat, I do not mean just anything. All calories are not created equal. In other words, some types of calories are not equal to others for gaining muscle. For example, if I said that you need to eat 2,000 calories per day to gain weight, and you eat 4 bags of potato chips each day, do you think you would gain muscle? Not likely. The majority of your weight would be fat. Why? Because potato chips, like most processed junk food, contains empty, totally nutritionless calories. These foods do not provide you with the correct nutrient breakdown essential for gaining muscle.
3. Eat More Protein
Without protein, your body will not be able to build new muscle. Years ago, a higher carbohydrate and lower fat diet was the rage, recommended by professional bodybuilders and trainers. They claimed that this was the only way to eat for muscle gain. Unfortunately, the only people gaining muscle on that type of diet were a genetically gifted few. The rest just got fat.
Carbs serve mainly as energy for the body, while protein provides the necessary amino acids to build and repair muscle. For muscle growth, carbohydrates are not as essential as protein and fats. High quality protein, which the body breaks down into amino acids, should be the center point of all your meals. There are many studies that show intense exercise increases demand for amino acids, which support muscle repair and growth. To build muscle, you should try to get at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Whether you believe it or not, the fact is: High protein diets build more muscle when incorporated with intense training. Low protein diets do not. Period. Only protein can build muscle. Carbohydrates and fat cannot.
4. Eat More Often
To gain weight, you will be eating a large amount of calories. Unfortunately, your body can only assimilate a certain number of calories at each meal. For our purposes, eating three meals per day is not beneficial. If you had to eat 3,000 calories per day, then you would end up eating 1,000 calories at each meal. The average person can only use a portion of those calories. The excess will be stored as fat or removed from the body.
To enable your body to actually assimilate and use the 3,000 calories you will ingest, you have to reduce your meal size and increase your meal frequency. Splitting your calories into smaller, more frequent portions will enable food absorption and utilization of nutrients . I always eat six meals each day, evenly spaced out at three-hour intervals.
My goal is to provide my body with constant nourishment throughout the day. So if it typically takes about 2.5 hours to digest most meals, want to be eating another meal just as my last meal is leaving my stomach. I do this because my body is constantly in need of nutrients to repair itself. I do a lot of damage during my workouts and completely stress my system. My body is trying to "adapt to the stress," but in order to do this, it needs consistent fuel.
If I ate only three meals per day, then my body would be without nutrients for about six hours between each of those meals! This is unacceptable for skinny guys. Without food, your body will quickly begin to breakdown muscle tissue for energy.
5. Eat More Fat
If you want to gain muscle mass, you must eat enough dietary fat. Dietary fats play an essential role in hormone production, which in turn is responsible for growth and strength increases. I have never gained muscle on a low fat diet, though many people still believe that eating fat makes you fat. This is absolutely false. In fact, there is a very popular muscle gain diet that been around for years, called the "Anabolic Diet" that requires you to eat only fat! Butter, bacon, and heavy cream are all on the menu. Though quite extreme, this diet does work.
Most people are overweight because of a diet high in simple carbohydrates, not from eating fats. If your diet is too low in fat, your body will actually make a point to store any fat it gets, because it doesn't know when it will get more. A low-fat diet will also lower testosterone levels, something we do not want when trying to gain weight. Studies have shown that dietary fat has a direct relationship with testosterone production. An increase in dietary fat intake seems to bring on an increase in testosterone levels. The inverse is also true. A decrease in dietary fat intake is usually accompanied by a decrease in free testosterone levels.
However, you don't want to increase your intake of saturated fats. Saturated fats are what cause disease and coronary problems. Though you will always have some saturated fats in your diet, your main focus should be to increase your intake of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs).
EFAs are unsaturated fats that are necessary for thousands of biological functions throughout the body. Because they cannot be manufactured by the body, the must be provided by your diet. These fatty acids not only help increase testosterone production, but they also aid in the prevention of muscle breakdown, help to increase your HDL level (good cholesterol) and assist in hormone production. To get your recommended amount of EFA's, I recommend supplementing your diet with either Udo's Perfect Oil Blend (which combines omega- and omega-6), or Cold-Pressed Flaxseed oil (which is mostly omega-3).
6. Drink More Water
To make sure that your muscles stay hydrated, you must drink plenty of water. Dehydration can happen easily if you train hard. A dehydrated muscle, takes longer to repair itself than one sufficiently hydrated.
Drinking a sufficient amount of water not only increases your vascularity (more visible veins), but it will also help to quickly remove toxins from the body. Protein generates metabolic waste products that must be dissolved in water. Without enough water, the kidneys cannot efficiently remove these wastes.
7. Take a Multi-Vitamin
There are many supplements and specific muscle gain enhancing products that I recommend using in my book, but I have to remember that this is only the 10 most important elements of a successful mass program. So, I have to keep this brief and to the point. All of the other products will help, but they are not essential. So, I will only touch on two vitamins supplements.Multi-Vitamins and Antioxidants.
If you want to gain muscle, you must make sure that you are not deficient in any vitamin, mineral or trace element that your body needs. I know many people are going to disagree with me, but I believe that in this day, we absolutely need to supplement our diet with vitamins and minerals. I know that those who are against using vitamins are going to say that if we "just eat a balanced diet. . . ", You know the rest.
Well first, eating a balanced diet is easier said than done. America is the most overweight country in the world. Most people don't even know what a "balanced" diet is. Balanced with what Experts will continue to spout, "eat a balanced diet," while Americans feast on nutritionless fast food and sugar.
8. Take Antioxidants
An antioxidant like Vitamins A, C, E, Glutathione, Glutamine, and Selenium are essential in preventing free radical damage, which is accelerated after the heavy trauma of weight training. Antioxidants protect other substances by being oxidized themselves. Here's a good antioxidant blend that I also use.
9. Rest More Often
Rest is the most overlooked "skinny-guy secret". If you don't rest, you won't grow. Simple as that. Your body does not build muscle in the gym, it builds muscle while resting!
The key to successfully gaining weight is eating enough calories, training hard and then resting. No diet adjustments will make up for lack of rest. If you train hard in the gym, then you should be resting your muscles as much as possible. If you do not give them time to rest and repair, you will not grow. Period.
10. Be Consistent
O.K., so you want the secret to gaining muscle mass fast? Well, here it is: CONSISTENCY.
You can have the best diet, the best training schedule, join the best gym that has the best equipment, but without consistency it's all worthless.
Over the past 3 years, I've talked to hundreds of people who have successfully transformed their physique. Though most of them trained in totally different ways, there was one common denominator that appeared throughout each success story:
Day in and day out, they followed their pre-determined plan, consistently, without fail.
You must find the determination and drive within yourself to consistently put one foot in front of the other and see this through. If not now, then when?
"You never know what you can do, until you try to do more than you can." - Tony Blauer
update on 30th march
not doing too well - strained back and neck lifting heavy weights and couldnt stand the wey protein powder - now trying anabolic diet (high fat - low carbs) and lifting weights slowly - more news soon...
10 ESSENTIAL MUSCLE MASS GAINING TIPS (by Anthony Ellis in IronMagazine.com)
Ten tips to help you gain rock hard muscle mass. Now there are many other things that you can do to help you build mass, BUT these 10 things are the bare essentials. In other words, they are absolutely necessary for a successful program.
1. Weight Train
Weight training involves the use of equipment that enables variable resistance. This resistance can come in the form of "free weights" like barbells and dumbbells, machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or dips.
For anyone trying to gain muscle, several things must be done. One is to train with heavy weights. By heavy I mean a weight that is challenging for YOU. The average guy in the gym usually works with a weight he can lift for 10-15+ reps. For mass gaining purposes, this is too light. Using an appropriate weight, you should only be able to do 4-8 reps. That's it! Using heavy weights and low reps puts your muscles and nervous system under much more stress than using lighter weights for many reps. This added stress causes the involvement and stimulation of more muscle fibers, which will cause rapid muscle growth.
For maximum muscle gain, the focus of your workouts should consist of free weight exercises. Not machines or bodyweight exercises. This is not to say that you should not use machines or bodyweight exercises, but they should not be the focus of your training. To get an effective, muscle blasting workout, you must stimulate the most muscle fibers as possible, and machines do not do this.
2. Eat More Calories
The most important thing that I cannot emphasize is that you need to eat to gain weight. You need to eat like you've never eaten before. If you are not eating enough calories, you will NEVER gain weight, no matter what you do. In order to build new muscle, you must eat more calories than your body burns off, creating what is called a caloric surplus. To gain mass, you should strive to eat around 18-20 times your bodyweight in calories. The extra calories will be used by your body to repair muscle tissue that is damaged during the heavy workouts, and to build new muscle.
Now, when I say eat, I do not mean just anything. All calories are not created equal. In other words, some types of calories are not equal to others for gaining muscle. For example, if I said that you need to eat 2,000 calories per day to gain weight, and you eat 4 bags of potato chips each day, do you think you would gain muscle? Not likely. The majority of your weight would be fat. Why? Because potato chips, like most processed junk food, contains empty, totally nutritionless calories. These foods do not provide you with the correct nutrient breakdown essential for gaining muscle.
3. Eat More Protein
Without protein, your body will not be able to build new muscle. Years ago, a higher carbohydrate and lower fat diet was the rage, recommended by professional bodybuilders and trainers. They claimed that this was the only way to eat for muscle gain. Unfortunately, the only people gaining muscle on that type of diet were a genetically gifted few. The rest just got fat.
Carbs serve mainly as energy for the body, while protein provides the necessary amino acids to build and repair muscle. For muscle growth, carbohydrates are not as essential as protein and fats. High quality protein, which the body breaks down into amino acids, should be the center point of all your meals. There are many studies that show intense exercise increases demand for amino acids, which support muscle repair and growth. To build muscle, you should try to get at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Whether you believe it or not, the fact is: High protein diets build more muscle when incorporated with intense training. Low protein diets do not. Period. Only protein can build muscle. Carbohydrates and fat cannot.
4. Eat More Often
To gain weight, you will be eating a large amount of calories. Unfortunately, your body can only assimilate a certain number of calories at each meal. For our purposes, eating three meals per day is not beneficial. If you had to eat 3,000 calories per day, then you would end up eating 1,000 calories at each meal. The average person can only use a portion of those calories. The excess will be stored as fat or removed from the body.
To enable your body to actually assimilate and use the 3,000 calories you will ingest, you have to reduce your meal size and increase your meal frequency. Splitting your calories into smaller, more frequent portions will enable food absorption and utilization of nutrients . I always eat six meals each day, evenly spaced out at three-hour intervals.
My goal is to provide my body with constant nourishment throughout the day. So if it typically takes about 2.5 hours to digest most meals, want to be eating another meal just as my last meal is leaving my stomach. I do this because my body is constantly in need of nutrients to repair itself. I do a lot of damage during my workouts and completely stress my system. My body is trying to "adapt to the stress," but in order to do this, it needs consistent fuel.
If I ate only three meals per day, then my body would be without nutrients for about six hours between each of those meals! This is unacceptable for skinny guys. Without food, your body will quickly begin to breakdown muscle tissue for energy.
5. Eat More Fat
If you want to gain muscle mass, you must eat enough dietary fat. Dietary fats play an essential role in hormone production, which in turn is responsible for growth and strength increases. I have never gained muscle on a low fat diet, though many people still believe that eating fat makes you fat. This is absolutely false. In fact, there is a very popular muscle gain diet that been around for years, called the "Anabolic Diet" that requires you to eat only fat! Butter, bacon, and heavy cream are all on the menu. Though quite extreme, this diet does work.
Most people are overweight because of a diet high in simple carbohydrates, not from eating fats. If your diet is too low in fat, your body will actually make a point to store any fat it gets, because it doesn't know when it will get more. A low-fat diet will also lower testosterone levels, something we do not want when trying to gain weight. Studies have shown that dietary fat has a direct relationship with testosterone production. An increase in dietary fat intake seems to bring on an increase in testosterone levels. The inverse is also true. A decrease in dietary fat intake is usually accompanied by a decrease in free testosterone levels.
However, you don't want to increase your intake of saturated fats. Saturated fats are what cause disease and coronary problems. Though you will always have some saturated fats in your diet, your main focus should be to increase your intake of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs).
EFAs are unsaturated fats that are necessary for thousands of biological functions throughout the body. Because they cannot be manufactured by the body, the must be provided by your diet. These fatty acids not only help increase testosterone production, but they also aid in the prevention of muscle breakdown, help to increase your HDL level (good cholesterol) and assist in hormone production. To get your recommended amount of EFA's, I recommend supplementing your diet with either Udo's Perfect Oil Blend (which combines omega- and omega-6), or Cold-Pressed Flaxseed oil (which is mostly omega-3).
6. Drink More Water
To make sure that your muscles stay hydrated, you must drink plenty of water. Dehydration can happen easily if you train hard. A dehydrated muscle, takes longer to repair itself than one sufficiently hydrated.
Drinking a sufficient amount of water not only increases your vascularity (more visible veins), but it will also help to quickly remove toxins from the body. Protein generates metabolic waste products that must be dissolved in water. Without enough water, the kidneys cannot efficiently remove these wastes.
7. Take a Multi-Vitamin
There are many supplements and specific muscle gain enhancing products that I recommend using in my book, but I have to remember that this is only the 10 most important elements of a successful mass program. So, I have to keep this brief and to the point. All of the other products will help, but they are not essential. So, I will only touch on two vitamins supplements.Multi-Vitamins and Antioxidants.
If you want to gain muscle, you must make sure that you are not deficient in any vitamin, mineral or trace element that your body needs. I know many people are going to disagree with me, but I believe that in this day, we absolutely need to supplement our diet with vitamins and minerals. I know that those who are against using vitamins are going to say that if we "just eat a balanced diet. . . ", You know the rest.
Well first, eating a balanced diet is easier said than done. America is the most overweight country in the world. Most people don't even know what a "balanced" diet is. Balanced with what Experts will continue to spout, "eat a balanced diet," while Americans feast on nutritionless fast food and sugar.
8. Take Antioxidants
An antioxidant like Vitamins A, C, E, Glutathione, Glutamine, and Selenium are essential in preventing free radical damage, which is accelerated after the heavy trauma of weight training. Antioxidants protect other substances by being oxidized themselves. Here's a good antioxidant blend that I also use.
9. Rest More Often
Rest is the most overlooked "skinny-guy secret". If you don't rest, you won't grow. Simple as that. Your body does not build muscle in the gym, it builds muscle while resting!
The key to successfully gaining weight is eating enough calories, training hard and then resting. No diet adjustments will make up for lack of rest. If you train hard in the gym, then you should be resting your muscles as much as possible. If you do not give them time to rest and repair, you will not grow. Period.
10. Be Consistent
O.K., so you want the secret to gaining muscle mass fast? Well, here it is: CONSISTENCY.
You can have the best diet, the best training schedule, join the best gym that has the best equipment, but without consistency it's all worthless.
Over the past 3 years, I've talked to hundreds of people who have successfully transformed their physique. Though most of them trained in totally different ways, there was one common denominator that appeared throughout each success story:
Day in and day out, they followed their pre-determined plan, consistently, without fail.
You must find the determination and drive within yourself to consistently put one foot in front of the other and see this through. If not now, then when?
"You never know what you can do, until you try to do more than you can." - Tony Blauer
Sunday 9 March 2008
Man saves own life by meditating
A construction worker buried alive for two hours in Ningbo, China, survived by meditating and slowing his breathing. Wang Jianxin, a buddhist, should have died within five minutes, reports the U.K. paper the Mirror- march 7th "I knew the air wouldn't last, so I made myself relax and concentrated on my breathing by meditation," says Jianxin. "It was very still and quiet down there. I was surprised at how easy it was to focus my mind and achieve inner calm, even though I believed I was facing death." Do you know anyone who has overcome a grave situation via meditation?
also see http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3497087.ece
see also research on lowering high blood pressure through transcendental meditation
also see http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3497087.ece
see also research on lowering high blood pressure through transcendental meditation
Wednesday 5 March 2008
5-HTP and depression
Depression: Drug-Free Ways To Alleviate Depression By Boosting Levels Of The “Feel-Good” hormone - seritonin:
Often when people complain about “feeling depressed”, it means they’ve had a bad day or are feeling temporarily down. However, as a medical condition, depression is quite different.
It can leave you feeling constantly sad and empty, pessimistic about the future, unable to enjoy things that once gave you pleasure, tearful and unable to cope. It can also disturb your sleep patterns and cause marked changes in your appetite. All of these symptoms can soon fill you with despair and paralyse your ability to get on with life.
Apart from being triggered by a bereavement, redundancy or illness, the cause of depression is still unclear. One of the most probable scientific explanations is a deficiency of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly of the “feel-good” hormone serotonin.
Normally, optimal amounts of serotonin flood your brain’s tissues and synapses (cell connections), which helps regulate your moods, feelings of well-being and many emotional responses. So, it follows that if your body produces too little you can soon start to feel low, which can eventually progress to full-blown clinical depression if left unchecked.
You should see your doctor immediately if you are severely depressed or experiencing suicidal thoughts, as you could benefit from medication. For sufferers with mild to moderate depression, natural approaches may offer a better choice to help overcome the problem, as anti-depressants can cause serious side effects.
For example, commonly prescribed SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), such as Prozac, can cause stomach upsets, indigestion, skin allergies, headaches and anxiety. More disturbingly, they’ve even been linked to increased suicidal tendencies in some people, especially among children and adolescents. To date there have been 90 legal actions brought against the pharmaceutical companies which manufacture antidepressants.
5-HTP, a mood-elevating natural supplement, can help lift you out of depression
While this remedy can help keep depression at bay, it’s important that you consult your doctor before taking as it can have side effects if mixed with other antidepressants or medication.
Numerous clinical trials have studied the efficacy of 5-HTP for treating depression. One compared it to the antidepressant drug fluvoxamine and found 5-HTP to be equally effective (Psychopathology 1991; 24:53-81). Scientists also examined research from around the world on the use of 5-HTP in treating depression and found that: “Of the 17 reviewed studies, 13 confirm that 5-HTP has true antidepressant properties” (Neuropsychobiology 1988; 20: 28-35).
The recommended dosage for 5-HTP is 50mg to 100mg taken three times a day.
Often when people complain about “feeling depressed”, it means they’ve had a bad day or are feeling temporarily down. However, as a medical condition, depression is quite different.
It can leave you feeling constantly sad and empty, pessimistic about the future, unable to enjoy things that once gave you pleasure, tearful and unable to cope. It can also disturb your sleep patterns and cause marked changes in your appetite. All of these symptoms can soon fill you with despair and paralyse your ability to get on with life.
Apart from being triggered by a bereavement, redundancy or illness, the cause of depression is still unclear. One of the most probable scientific explanations is a deficiency of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly of the “feel-good” hormone serotonin.
Normally, optimal amounts of serotonin flood your brain’s tissues and synapses (cell connections), which helps regulate your moods, feelings of well-being and many emotional responses. So, it follows that if your body produces too little you can soon start to feel low, which can eventually progress to full-blown clinical depression if left unchecked.
You should see your doctor immediately if you are severely depressed or experiencing suicidal thoughts, as you could benefit from medication. For sufferers with mild to moderate depression, natural approaches may offer a better choice to help overcome the problem, as anti-depressants can cause serious side effects.
For example, commonly prescribed SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), such as Prozac, can cause stomach upsets, indigestion, skin allergies, headaches and anxiety. More disturbingly, they’ve even been linked to increased suicidal tendencies in some people, especially among children and adolescents. To date there have been 90 legal actions brought against the pharmaceutical companies which manufacture antidepressants.
5-HTP, a mood-elevating natural supplement, can help lift you out of depression
While this remedy can help keep depression at bay, it’s important that you consult your doctor before taking as it can have side effects if mixed with other antidepressants or medication.
Numerous clinical trials have studied the efficacy of 5-HTP for treating depression. One compared it to the antidepressant drug fluvoxamine and found 5-HTP to be equally effective (Psychopathology 1991; 24:53-81). Scientists also examined research from around the world on the use of 5-HTP in treating depression and found that: “Of the 17 reviewed studies, 13 confirm that 5-HTP has true antidepressant properties” (Neuropsychobiology 1988; 20: 28-35).
The recommended dosage for 5-HTP is 50mg to 100mg taken three times a day.
Tuesday 4 March 2008
eat up the chocolates
Good News for Chocoholics
A great deal of evidence has emerged linking the consumption of chocolate to
improved cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity and energy levels. A new study
has linked a preference for chocolate over other treats to better overall health and
psychological well- being in old age.
The study involved an analysis of data collected via questionnaires from 1,367 male
subjects, from a variety of backgrounds, born between 1919 and 1934. Confectionary
preferences were determined, and those who reported no confectionary consumption
were excluded from the analysis. Men preferring chocolate had lower body mass index
and waist circumference, and they also reported more exercise and better subjective
health. Importantly, indicators of psychological well-being were consistently better
in those preferring chocolate. Chocolate consumers were found to be significantly
less likely to experience feelings of loneliness, and far more likely to feel happy
and make plans for the future. Chocolate consumers also scored higher on a measure
of depression.
The authors concluded that in “this socioeconomically homogenous male cohort,
chocolate preference in old age was associated with better health, optimism and
better psychological well-being”. This study is a fascinating addition to the
body of evidence indicating that chocolate consumption can be beneficial to health.
Click here to view the study abstract.
So what’s in chocolate?
Cocoa beans are a rich source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are chemicals found in
plants that act in the body as antioxidants (substances that neutralise damaging,
reactive toxins known as free radicals). The particular flavonoids of interest in
cocoa are called catechins and
epicatechins. Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is densely packed with these
powerful substances. Indeed, it has a higher Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity
(ORAC - a measure of a food's antioxidant power) than foods such as green tea,
blueberries and prunes. Dark chocolate also contains high levels of the vital
minerals magnesium, iron, potassium and chromium.
It is important to choose high quality dark chocolate (absolute minimum 50% cocoa).
It would appear that milk proteins have the capacity to bind to flavonoids; thus
milk chocolate will not provide the benefits to health associated with chocolate
consumption.
Chocolate does contain a modest amount of caffeine – approximately 20mg in a 30g
bar – however, compared to coffee the amounts are very low (an average cup
contains about 115mg) and are not detrimental to health.
Chocolate is a high calorie, high fat food so keep portions moderate, but do not
feel guilty as you tuck in – the major fatty acid in cocoa butter is a saturated
fat called stearic acid, which is known to have no effect on serum cholesterol.
So when you want to eat something indulgent, reach for a healthy chunk of dark
A great deal of evidence has emerged linking the consumption of chocolate to
improved cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity and energy levels. A new study
has linked a preference for chocolate over other treats to better overall health and
psychological well- being in old age.
The study involved an analysis of data collected via questionnaires from 1,367 male
subjects, from a variety of backgrounds, born between 1919 and 1934. Confectionary
preferences were determined, and those who reported no confectionary consumption
were excluded from the analysis. Men preferring chocolate had lower body mass index
and waist circumference, and they also reported more exercise and better subjective
health. Importantly, indicators of psychological well-being were consistently better
in those preferring chocolate. Chocolate consumers were found to be significantly
less likely to experience feelings of loneliness, and far more likely to feel happy
and make plans for the future. Chocolate consumers also scored higher on a measure
of depression.
The authors concluded that in “this socioeconomically homogenous male cohort,
chocolate preference in old age was associated with better health, optimism and
better psychological well-being”. This study is a fascinating addition to the
body of evidence indicating that chocolate consumption can be beneficial to health.
Click here to view the study abstract.
So what’s in chocolate?
Cocoa beans are a rich source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are chemicals found in
plants that act in the body as antioxidants (substances that neutralise damaging,
reactive toxins known as free radicals). The particular flavonoids of interest in
cocoa are called catechins and
epicatechins. Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is densely packed with these
powerful substances. Indeed, it has a higher Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity
(ORAC - a measure of a food's antioxidant power) than foods such as green tea,
blueberries and prunes. Dark chocolate also contains high levels of the vital
minerals magnesium, iron, potassium and chromium.
It is important to choose high quality dark chocolate (absolute minimum 50% cocoa).
It would appear that milk proteins have the capacity to bind to flavonoids; thus
milk chocolate will not provide the benefits to health associated with chocolate
consumption.
Chocolate does contain a modest amount of caffeine – approximately 20mg in a 30g
bar – however, compared to coffee the amounts are very low (an average cup
contains about 115mg) and are not detrimental to health.
Chocolate is a high calorie, high fat food so keep portions moderate, but do not
feel guilty as you tuck in – the major fatty acid in cocoa butter is a saturated
fat called stearic acid, which is known to have no effect on serum cholesterol.
So when you want to eat something indulgent, reach for a healthy chunk of dark
Do You Really Want Fluoride Added to Your Tap Water?
The current Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, has announced plans to add fluoride to
the UK Water Supply in a bid to improve dental health in the UK.
Stuart Jeffery, health spokesperson for The Green Party pointed out that “Besides
the reality of negative health effects, this is an issue of medical ethics.
Fluoridating water is essentially medicating people without their permission, and
the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine distinctly states that
individuals have the right not to be medicated without their consent."
In regards to the cause of poor dental health he said, "Poor dental health is a
complex public health issue. The root causes are poor diet and inadequate dental
hygiene. Typically, the government seems more concerned with dangerous knee-jerk
action and to be seen 'doing something', rather than confronting the real causes of
the problem," adding that "While we continue to feed refined sugar to our children
in schools, efforts to reduce tooth decay will be in vain."
"Fluoride is a known poison if ingested over a long period of time, even in small
daily doses. Its consumption has been linked to a range of medical afflictions
including severe skeletal problems, fluorosis (discoloration of the teeth),
osteosarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer) in boys, and problems affecting the
central nervous system," said Stuart Jeffery.
The Green Party concluded, "We want to see a programme of education for children
and adults regarding proper dental hygiene and a healthy diet, a health warning on
all sources of fluoride intended for human consumption, and a ban on the
fluoridation of drinking water."
Yet again, it seems the government are in danger of simply sticking on a (dangerous)
band-aid to solve a problem, rather than dealing with the root cause.
the UK Water Supply in a bid to improve dental health in the UK.
Stuart Jeffery, health spokesperson for The Green Party pointed out that “Besides
the reality of negative health effects, this is an issue of medical ethics.
Fluoridating water is essentially medicating people without their permission, and
the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine distinctly states that
individuals have the right not to be medicated without their consent."
In regards to the cause of poor dental health he said, "Poor dental health is a
complex public health issue. The root causes are poor diet and inadequate dental
hygiene. Typically, the government seems more concerned with dangerous knee-jerk
action and to be seen 'doing something', rather than confronting the real causes of
the problem," adding that "While we continue to feed refined sugar to our children
in schools, efforts to reduce tooth decay will be in vain."
"Fluoride is a known poison if ingested over a long period of time, even in small
daily doses. Its consumption has been linked to a range of medical afflictions
including severe skeletal problems, fluorosis (discoloration of the teeth),
osteosarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer) in boys, and problems affecting the
central nervous system," said Stuart Jeffery.
The Green Party concluded, "We want to see a programme of education for children
and adults regarding proper dental hygiene and a healthy diet, a health warning on
all sources of fluoride intended for human consumption, and a ban on the
fluoridation of drinking water."
Yet again, it seems the government are in danger of simply sticking on a (dangerous)
band-aid to solve a problem, rather than dealing with the root cause.
Sunday 2 March 2008
Want to prevent colds? Start exercising
A long-term moderate exercise program can reduce the risk of colds among older women, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.
In the first randomized clinical trial to investigate the impact of moderate physical activity on the common cold, researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that post-menopausal women who worked out regularly had about half the risk of colds as those who did not exercise.
"There has always been this anecdotal evidence, and some small studies, suggesting that with moderate exercise you can improve your immunity," said Cornelia Ulrich, lead author of the study published in the American Journal of Medicine.
"Our study ... is the first time that a rigorous trial showed that the number of colds can be affected by exercise," she said in an interview.
The study involved 115 overweight, post-menopausal women who had not been exercising before the trial.
The group was divided in two, with half the women assigned to undertake a moderate exercise program of 45 minutes a day, five days a week. The other half were told to take part in once-weekly, 45-minute stretching sessions.
The exercisers were told to do moderate physical activity such as walking on a treadmill, cycling on a stationary bicycle or rapid walking outside.
Over the course of a year, the women filled out questionnaires every three months to report the number of times they had allergies, colds or other problems.
The study found that over 12 months, the risk of colds decreased modestly in exercisers and increased modestly in the group of stretchers.
The researchers found that the ability of moderate exercise to ward off colds seemed to increase over time. In the last three months of the study, the group of women who were only stretching were three times as likely to catch a cold as those who were exercising regularly.
The study did not reach any conclusions about the benefit of stretching but said that regular cardiovascular exercise was
most beneficial.
"With regards to preventing colds, it seems you really have to stick with exercise long term," Ulrich said.
The results were seen as important in understanding the health benefits of exercise, Ulrich said.
"It may apply also to other age groups, it may apply to men," she said. "In the past, immune studies have been quite consistent among men and women. I wouldn't expect that to be different."
In the first randomized clinical trial to investigate the impact of moderate physical activity on the common cold, researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that post-menopausal women who worked out regularly had about half the risk of colds as those who did not exercise.
"There has always been this anecdotal evidence, and some small studies, suggesting that with moderate exercise you can improve your immunity," said Cornelia Ulrich, lead author of the study published in the American Journal of Medicine.
"Our study ... is the first time that a rigorous trial showed that the number of colds can be affected by exercise," she said in an interview.
The study involved 115 overweight, post-menopausal women who had not been exercising before the trial.
The group was divided in two, with half the women assigned to undertake a moderate exercise program of 45 minutes a day, five days a week. The other half were told to take part in once-weekly, 45-minute stretching sessions.
The exercisers were told to do moderate physical activity such as walking on a treadmill, cycling on a stationary bicycle or rapid walking outside.
Over the course of a year, the women filled out questionnaires every three months to report the number of times they had allergies, colds or other problems.
The study found that over 12 months, the risk of colds decreased modestly in exercisers and increased modestly in the group of stretchers.
The researchers found that the ability of moderate exercise to ward off colds seemed to increase over time. In the last three months of the study, the group of women who were only stretching were three times as likely to catch a cold as those who were exercising regularly.
The study did not reach any conclusions about the benefit of stretching but said that regular cardiovascular exercise was
most beneficial.
"With regards to preventing colds, it seems you really have to stick with exercise long term," Ulrich said.
The results were seen as important in understanding the health benefits of exercise, Ulrich said.
"It may apply also to other age groups, it may apply to men," she said. "In the past, immune studies have been quite consistent among men and women. I wouldn't expect that to be different."
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