THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PHYSICAL FITNESS

Physical fitness is one of the great essentials of match play. Keenness can only be acquired if the physical, mental, and nervous systems are in tune. Consistent and systematic training is essential to a tournament player.

Regular hours of sleep, and regular, hearty food at regular hours are necessary to keep the body at its highest efficiency. Food is particularly important. Eat well, but do not over-eat, particularly immediately before playing. I believe in a large hearty breakfast on the day of a big match. This should be taken by nine-thirty. A moderate lunch at about one o’clock if playing at three. Do not eat very rich food at luncheon as it tends to slow you up on the court. Do not run the risk of indigestion, which is the worst enemy to dear eyesight. Rich, heavy food immediately before retiring is bad, as it is apt to make you “loggy” on the court the next day.

It is certain injury to touch alcoholic drink in any form during tournament play. Alcohol is a poison that affects the eye, the mind, and the wind three essentials in tennis. Tobacco in moderation does little harm, although it, too, hits eye and wind. A man who is facing a long season of tournament play should refrain from either alcohol or tobacco in any form. Excesses of any kind are bad for physical condition, and should not be chanced.

“Staleness” is the great enemy of players who play long seasons. It is a case of too much tennis. Staleness is seldom physical weariness. A player can always recover his strength by rest. Staleness is a mental fatigue due often to worry or too close attention to tennis, and not enough variety of thought. Its symptoms are a dislike for the tennis game and its surroundings, and a lack of interest in the match when you are on the court. I advocate a break in training at such a time. Go to the theatre or a concert, and get your mind completely off tennis. Do your worrying about tennis while you are playing it, and forget the unpleasantness of bad play once you are off the court. Always have some outside interest you can turn to for relaxation during a tournament; but never allow it to interfere with your tennis when you should be intent on your game. A nice balance is hard to achieve, but, once attained is a great aid to a tournament player.

The laws of training should be closely followed before and after a match. Do not get chilled before a match, as it makes you stiff and slow. Above all else do not stand around without a wrap after a match when you are hot or you will catch cold.

Many a player has acquired a touch of rheumatism from wasting time at the close of his match instead of getting his shower while still warm. That slight stiffness the next day may mean defeat. A serious chill may mean severe illness. Do not take chances.

Change your wet clothes to dry ones between matches if you are to play twice in a day. It will make you feel better, and also avoid the risk of cold.

Tournament players must sacrifice some pleasures for the sake of success. Training will win many a match for a man if he sticks to it. Spasmodic training is useless, and should never be attempted.

The condition a player is, in is apt to decide his mental viewpoint, and aid him in accustoming himself to the external conditions of play.

All match players should know a little about the phenomenon of crowd-psychology since, as in the case of the Church-Murray match I related some time back, the crowd may play an important part in the result.

It seldom pays to get a crowd down on you. It always pays to win its sympathy. I do not mean play to the gallery, for that will have the opposite effect than the one desired.

The gallery is always for the weaker player. It is a case of helping the “under-dog.” If you are a consistent winner you must accustom yourself to having the gallery show partiality for your opponent. It is no personal dislike of you. It is merely a natural reaction in favour of the loser. Sometimes a bad decision to one play will win the crowd’s sympathy for him. Galleries are eminently just in their desires, even though at times their emotions run away with them.

Quite aside from the effect on the gallery, I wish to state here that when you are the favoured one in a decision that you know is wrong, strive to equalize it if possible by unostentatiously losing the next point. Do not hit the ball over the back stop or into the bottom of the net with a jaunty air of “Here you are.” Just hit it slightly out or in the net, and go on about your business in the regular way. Your opponent always knows when you extend him this justice, and he appreciates it, even though he does not expect it. Never do it for effect. It is extremely bad taste. Only do it when your sense of justice tells you you should.

The crowd objects, and justly so, to a display of real temper on the court. A player who loses his head must expect a poor reception from the gallery. Questioned decisions by a player only put him in a bad light with the crowd and cannot alter the point. You may know the call was wrong, but grin at it, and the crowd will join you. These things are the essence of good sportsmanship, and good sportsmanship will win any gallery. The most unattractive player in the world will win the respect and admiration of a crowd by a display of real sportsmanship at the time of test.

Any player who really enjoys a match for the game’s sake will always be a fine sportsman, for there is no amusement to a match that does not give your opponent his every right. A player who plays for the joy of the game wins the crowd the first time he steps on the court. All the world loves an optimist.

The Heart and Healthy Aging

As we grow older we, experience higher risks of heart disease, cholesterol increase, weaken joints, muscles, and so on. Most people who experience illnesses often feel frustrated and experience feelings of despair. People who suffer illnesses or tragedies unfortunately set themselves up, saying, “It can’t happen to me.” It can happen to any of us, which is why we should take the steps in our youth to prevent illnesses and tragedies.

Many of us fail to take the steps in our youth. It hinders us to a large degree, yet we have options regardless of what we endure.

According to experts in aging and heart disease is rising higher these days than ever. The aging progression alone slowly builds up through impulsive changes of the body and mind. The maturity phase carries on starting at childhood as the person works through puberty, teenage and so on. At this time the body and minds starts to decline. As the person reaches mid-age or moves into advanced aging, the person starts to decline its natural physical functions.

Aging alone starts as we are born and carries throughout our life. Through the process, the body has positive reflections on our bodily components and development, yet as we age negative effects take fold, which include the declining phase.

According to experts in medicine, no one can determine when our body becomes aged. At one time people 65 and older where considered the aged, yet today people are working further on than 65 years of age. In short, people are working in the 70s, 80s and even 90 years of age today, which returned a different view on the aged.

Still, millions of American citizens are falling victim to heart disease, strokes, etc. What can they do?

How to relieve emotional strikes after a heart attack:
If you’ve experienced a heart attack, likely you feel frustrated, hopeless, etc. The emotions are common after any illnesses, yet you must take steps to control these negative emotions, since it only causes stress on your body. The stress will wear you down and perhaps lead to another heart attack. Let’s stop it now. After illnesses, including heart attack learn to focus on the day, instead of yesterday and tomorrow. You only have control of each day you live. Instead of sweating weeks ahead, try doing something you enjoy. Walking is a great way to reduce the risks of heart attacks. You can also visit friends or family members that make you feel good about you.

Support is essential. If you have support, you will have friends and family members who will open their minds to your feelings. You should never allow your feelings to linger in your own mind without expressing what you feel. Express your feelings to people you trust. Take time to listen to them and let these people know what you need. For instance, if you just need a friendly ear, then let them know. Holding back emotions leads to soaring complications.
If you can find support groups in your area that is experiencing the same thing as you, then join the team. The support will help you to share information with people who understand what you are going through. It is frustrating to express feelings with people who have not experienced similar illnesses or experiences as you. Try to find someone that you can relate to and speak your feelings.

Exercise:
Exercise is the leading element we have offered to us in life that helps to reduce any disease, emotional reactions and so on. When you sit around feeling anxious, depressed, or despaired, you are working toward worse health conditions. Reverse your actions and take the steps to live longer by exercising each day.

The Health Risks of Cigar Smoking

We have all heard of the risks associated with smoking cigarettes, but what are the risks of cigar smoking? Are the risks of smoking cigars just as dangerous, or more so? According to the National Cancer Instituted, regular cigar smoking can result in a major health threat. Scientific research has linked cigar smoking with cancers of the larynx, lungs, esophagus, and oral cavity. Newer research also indicates that cigar smoking may be strongly linked to the development of cancer in the pancreas. Doctors also caution that individuals who regularly inhale while enjoying a cigar are also at greater risk of developing lung disease and heart problems.

The health threats of cigar smoking appear to increase dramatically in those individuals who smoke regularly and inhale while smoking. Someone who smokes three to four cigars each day will him or herself at eight times the risk of developing some kind of oral cancer than a nonsmoker. Unfortunately, we do not yet know the health risks of smoking the occasional cigar. It seems clear however that smoking cigars on a daily basis can pose serious health risks.

Many individuals wonder if cigars are as addictive as cigarettes. Many wonder why, for instance, so many people become addicted to cigarettes, and not cigars? The truth is that any tobacco product can become addictive because it contains nicotine. Witness the effects of smokeless tobacco products on individuals. These products, such as chewing tobacco, can become very addictive, simply because they contain tobacco, which in turn contains nicotine. Many cigar smokers do not inhale deeply, thus causing the nicotine to be inhaled superficially. Cigarette smokers tend to inhale, causing the nicotine to be absorbed faster and more readily by the lungs. Even though most cigar smokers inhale the nicotine more superficially, it is still possible to become addicted if the user smokes cigars on a regular basis.

If nicotine is so addictive, why don’t more cigar smokers smoke more often? It appears that more people avoid becoming ‘hooked’ on cigars for several reasons. The most obvious reason is that the nicotine is inhaled much more superficially than in regular cigarette smoking, causing less nicotine to be absorbed by the body. Also, cigars are not as readily accessible as cigarettes. They are viewed by most as a luxury item, saved for special occasions and used infrequently. However, when cigars are smoked on a regular basis, they can become addictive. The health risks of any kind of smoking increase dramatically as frequency of use increases.

The Family that Eats Together Stays Healthy Together

Recent studies have shown that not only do children like to sit down at the dinner table and eat a meal with their parents, but they are more likely to eat a well-balanced, nutritious meal when they do. But with the hectic lives we seem to lead these days, getting the family all together in the same place at the same time can be a difficult chore. Between work schedules, after-school activities, errands, and the like, it seems we have less and less time. But with a few simple ideas and some planning, meal time can be an enjoyable and treasured family time.
Designate no less than one night per week to have a sit-down meal with your family. Sunday nights are usually a good choice for this because you have more time to relax and the weekend chores have been completed.
Involve your children in the meal planning and preparation. This gives them a strong sense of self and the foundation for a lifetime of healthy meal planning and preparation.
Make sure the television is off, and make it a rule that all phone calls go to voice mail or the answering machine during the meal. Take this time to visit with one another and enjoy one another’s company. This is a great time to reconnect and find out what events happened this week. Take your time eating, and teach your children how to do the same in the process. Eating slowly is a healthy habit. Don’t jump up and start clearing dishes and putting things away until everyone is done eating and talking.
On those days that you can’t sit down as a family, try to make a habit of sitting down and chatting with them while they are eating, instead of rushing around catching up on the chores. This shows them you’re interested and that you care and want to be and involved and important part of their every day life.

The Brain and Healthy Aging

Growing older and learning from your mistakes is a clear sign that our brain is improving. The brain will improve as we learn. In return, it helps us to live a better life. We live longer and learn new skills that help us to develop a healthier way of living.

Our brain has learned a lot from our younger days. All those skills you accomplished made the brain stay healthy. Remember practice makes perfect and as we grow older the more practice we get. The more we learn the quality of talking grows and improves even more. We need to learn how to manage stress too because stress will damage the circuit in your brain.

As you grow you, become wiser. The challenges and opportunities along with making decision were all improving the brain. Be positive on life and ready for new challenges.

The brain works by increasing knowledge and it builds the connecting elements in the bran that make us function well. You’re never too old to learn something new.

As you grow older, keep your connection with your family and friends. The more we stay in contact with our family and friends we are keeping our mental sharpness working. You can learn from them and it will help to maintain your mental sharpness each day that goes by.

Your diet is very important to keep the brain healthy, as we grow older. Eat as many colorful fruits and leafy vegetables as you can. Vegetables are known to help your brain to perform and become better. If vegetables can help prevent cancer, it has to be good for the brain as well.

Fruits and vegetable are full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals along with being low in fat and calories. Antioxidants have proven to benefit us, since it contains Vitamins known to reduce dying or damaged cells. Eat those blueberries the color is known to improve short-term memory.

Very few doctors disapprove of taking multivitamins and herb supplements. As we get older, our diets change by eating less just is careful and make sure that your dosage isn’t going to react to your medications. Vitamins are good to take to replace what you don’t get in your diet but first consult with you physician to make sure your taking what you need.

Stress busters:
Stress can take over our lives making it harmful to your bodies and brain as well. There isn’t any way a person can relieve all stress but we can decide what can be eliminated and concentrate on what you can do to relieve the rest by bring pleasure to yourself. It is very important that you don’t let stress take over your life. Stress causes depression easier as we grow older.

The brain releases stress hormones to help use manage some stress but if to many hormones are released it can damage the nerve cells. Depression can set in if the hormones are released too much and fast.

Relieve those stressful elements that cause you misery:
Relieving stress isn’t easy for anyone. You have to forget about the things you have no control over and fix the ones you do. Try taking a walk or do somekind of activity to relax that brain not stress it. Putting some fun into your life and make yourself happy again.

Sometimes it takes awhile to make changes in your life, as we grow older to fit your health and needs. Changes are hard to do and it sometimes becomes a challenge but in the end, it will relieve stress and improve the brain by giving it a new learning experience.

The Body and Mind in Healthy Aging

As we all grow older, we notice many changes going on in our minds and with the body.
At this time, the body and mind is saying you need to take charge and keep yourself active and in shape. Our health in very important and needs work everyday to keep it in control.

Getting older is something we cannot control so taking charge now is very important. It is always best to start youthfully. Our diets change as we grow older, which the body starts to loose nutrients it requires to stay healthy. As we grow older, the body loses vitamins it needs to stay strong. You might want to think about taking a supplement to increase your daily vitamins, which you are no longer getting from your meals. Aside from meals, you also need activities to keep you strong.

Activities play an exceedingly important role in keeping our bodies and mind in shape. As we age, we have a tendency to slow down. The slowness causes the bones stiffen and the brain starts to slow down as well. Our brains and body need as much activities as they can get to keep them from loosing the ability to function, as they should.

Our bodies need exercise everyday or as much as possible. Get yourself into an exercise program to keep the movement going and it will help the brain at the same time. An exercise program can be done with a group making it more fun and you’ll enjoy doing it with others and at the same time as you meet new people. Keep the body moving all the time so it doesn’t get lazy and want to stop. Exercising will help you lose weight, tone up, keeps you from getting stiff and will give you something to look forward to each day. If you get bored doing the same thing each day, try walking every other day for 30 minutes and on the off days enjoy your curriculum with your new friends.

When starting a new exercise program take it slow and easy so you don’t get sore. When you start something new, such as workouts you are using muscles and parts of the body that where out of use. The muscles are tight, so you want to take it slow at the start. Begin with stretches always and end your excise with stretches as well. Don’t stop once you’ve started a program; keep going and you’ll notice a big difference? It takes time to see growth but it will benefit you in the end.

If you’re feeling sick, don’t always take it into your own hands. Some things have to be taken care of with medications, so if you’re feeling sick especially for more than a couple of days you need to consult your doctor. See your doctor on a regular schedule for a check up, he can sometimes catch something that you can’t before it starts to develop.

Your diet plays a vital part in maintaining your health. Being overweight is common and it should be evaluated regularly by your doctor. If you’re overweight, it can cause many things to go wrong with your system.

Diabetes has become increasingly in young and old alike. Diabetes if caught in time can be controlled by medications and diet. Be sure to get the right amount of carbs, fats, and protein in your diet each day to help keep the doctor away. A well balanced diet slows down the aging process and makes a healthier you. The best choice for keeping healthy, as you grow older is to exercise first, diet next, visit your doctor often, and take control of your mind and body.

The Aspects of Aging and Staying Healthy

Money is the root of evil, and as we age, our money becomes less and less. You still need to keep in mind that you have to stay healthy. Staying healthy is the key to a long and better life.

The older we get the more we think we know what is going on when we’re sick and not feeling well. It is very important to know when it is time to make that visit to your doctor’s office. It is good to know how to take care of yourself but there is some things that if let go to long it could be too late. Over the counter drugs may not be the right decision. Recently, studies showed that some over-the-counter drugs are causing serious side effects. Your doctor can help you to find which over-the-counter, or medications to help you stay well.

When you do break down and make that appointment or go to the emergency room for care you need to be able to work with the doctor. Your doctor needs to know what you’ve already taken at home for the problem so he doesn’t give something that will counteract to your home remedy.

Tell your doctor about all your past history of illness. He needs to know what immunization shots you have had and what treatments you’ve had in the past. If you can’t remember, keep records and dates handy. Knowing about your family health is important as well. Some illness run in the family and the doctor needs to have an idea what to look for when he makes his diagnosis. Always keep a list of current medications your taking including the over the counter drugs.

When you go to see your doctor write down questions you may have. Ask him to explain. Always ask questions if he says or does things and your not sure, what they are for. Remember a question not asked is a stupid one. Tell him if you are already taking a drug and you don’t feel like it is helping. If you don’t agree with what your doctor is saying always feel free to get a second opinion.

Routine check ups are very important to a healthy you. Having routine checks may not seem important but there could be something going on and maybe your doctor can catch it in time before it progresses too far. Make sure you get your flu and pneumonia shots every year as recommended. The shots may not stop you from getting the flu but it can lessen it so you won’t be so sick. Get out to help that depression, which sets in on older people faster than others do. Maybe take some classes on diet and exercise. There you will learn and meet new people. The activities will be good for all. If you don’t want to take, classes try a support group to meet people.

Most importantly, don’t take your health into your own hands. I know with the high cost of medications and healthcare it prevents us from receiving the care we need. Still, you will find resources available to help you get that care.

One little thing like a sore throat that won’t go away could be a serious problem and it is very risky in the end. So, don’t just keep trying to treat it yourself. This is what doctors are all about.

See your doctor especially if you’re experiencing a squeezing in the chest, having severe pain, your vision is blurred. Trouble talking and swallowing, feeling weak on one side or the other, dizzy or confused, your doctor may find something more serious than you think it is. In addition, if you notice blood in your urine or stool, depression set in for any length of time and a fever lasts longer than it should, you should see your doctor. Remember taking your health into your own hands increases your risk of uncommon aging.

The Aging Body in Healthy Living

The body goes through many changes starting at adolescence. As a person ages the brain, eyes, ears, mouth, smell, heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, bladder, colon, metabolism, and so on starts to change. The body functions start declining which affects reproductive organs, blood, cells, tissues and so on. To slow aging one must exercise, eat right and continue visiting their doctors. Doctors are essential, since these caring souls take time to monitor your bodily functions. Doctors will consider environment, overall health, hereditary factors and more to maintain your health.

Who studies aging?
Geriatrics are the men and women in the branches of medicine that study seniors or aging. The experts often focus on aging or the aged since the majority of disease all start in later years. In view of the fact, geriatrics study the syndromes and disease simply because one disease that affects the young will effect the elders in a different light. For instance, if a younger person has a thyroidal problem, it may cause them to feel cranky, gain weight and so on. However, if an older person has a thyroidal problem, they may sink in and reduce themselves into depression.

Compare the diseases:
If an older person has a thyroidal condition, they may feel depressed, confused, withdrawn, fatigue, confused, and will lose memory. If common doctors noted these changes they may deduce dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, since the symptoms are in like. Therefore, someone has to focus their attention on aging only to understand the changes that older persons go through.

Older people are subjects to Alzheimer’s disease, which is a progressive brain dysfunction. The disease causes massive memory loss, which the person will shrink back to infancy in time and finally die. Older people are subject to Aortic aneurysm, which is a disease of the aorta where the walls start dilating, rupturing the main functions and gradually causes death. Older people are subjects to atrophic arthritis, which is in harmony with vaginitis. This condition causes the urethra, as well as the vagina to shrink. As the organs thin the tissues, various symptoms emerge, including burning sensations. The person may feel pain during sexual intercourse. With the burning sensations during urine release, a typical doctor could confuse this disorder as some sort of infection, or sexual transmitted disease. (STD)

Of course, the average doctors receive valuable information from the study groups of senior citizens. For this reason, the doctors stand alert to challenge aging symptoms, rather than confusing the symptoms with other disease.

Elderly people are subject to bedsores. Due to prolonged force, this condition causes the skin to breakdown. In addition, elderly people are subject to cataracts, which the lens are clouded causing impairment of vision. Diseases such as benign prostate hyperplasia often develops in the older generation of men. This condition causes the prostate glands to expend large then normal. Urine is blocked when this condition emerges.

Understanding what you are potentially, facing as an elder person, or youthful person can help you get ahead of the aging game. While we have no control over aging, we do have the ability to slow aging. To slow aging you will need to learn preventive tactics and so on. Ask your doctor to provide you pamphlets that help you understand common aging disease.

Elderly people face ongoing declinations of the body changes and can lead to chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This disease progresses in a later stage and grows. The condition can grow into malignant leukemia, which is cancerous. Finally, elderly people are potential victims to diabetes type two, glaucoma, hypothyroidism, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease and so on. Don’t be the next victim take action today!

Texas Group Health Insurance

Most people are generally covered under the group health plans provided by their own employer or by the spouse’s employer. Whichever way, coverage provided under the group insurance programs not only serves to control the medical expenses of employees, but also provides them with the security and peace of mind, which goes a long way in ensuring their loyalty towards the company.

Group plans can be broadly classified under small employer plans and large employer group plans. Texas government has made some provisions for the small employer group plans in that they do have to have to cover state mandated benefits that are to be covered by the large employer companies.

It is also important to point out that it is not mandatory for the employers to provide group health coverage. Also, the companies are not required to pay the premiums on behalf of their employees.

Small Employers Group Plans: To benefit from the small employers plans, the company should have between two to fifty employees. Another thing is that they should be full time employees putting in at least 30 hours of work every week. Part time or contractual employees are not eligible under this plan.

Large Employers Group Plans: To benefit from these plans, the company should have more than fifty employees. Also, another precondition is that the company should not be self funded or funded through organizations such as the churches, trade unions or any other professional organizations.

Being covered under the group plan makes sense because of the large number of employees involved. This is beneficial in the sense that the insurance company can give more coverage at reduced costs. Also, you can choose your priorities in your own group plan and another set of priorities in the plan of your spouse if he or she is also being covered through group plans that cover spouses also.

Texas Pet Health Insurance

The general population thinks of cowboys, Quarter Horses, rattlesnakes, Brahma bulls, and Longhorn steers when they think about the livestock and pets typically found in the Lone Star State. When they think of pets they probably think of Australian Heelers, Heinz fifty-seven mixes, barn cats, and other ranch related working animals. What you probably don’t think of is English Cocker Spaniels. You should. Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine just announced that they have a new genetic test for Familial Nephropathy in English Cocker Spaniels.

Familial Nephropathy is an inherited renal disease that is recessive. Breeders of English Cocker Spaniels have been aware of Familial Nephropathy for more them fifty years. Typical symptoms of Familial Nephropathy are excessive drinking, excessive urination, the dog is suddenly loosing weight because they don’t have much of an appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Most signs of Familial Nephropathy start to show up when the dog is somewhere between six and twenty-four months old.

Dogs that are going to develop Familial Nephropathy are difficult to predict because they are born with two completely normal kidneys. As the dog grows and develops the kidneys start to deteriorate from the lack of a certain type of collagen.

Familial Nephropathy is normally fatal. Because it is a genetic disorder most pet health insurance plans will not cover the cost of any treatments the dog owners wish to pursue. In addition to researching Familial Nephropathy Texas A&M University sees over 11,500 small animals a year. That is 11,500 pet owners that could have saved money by purchasing a pet health care policy for their family pet.

Some pet owners in the state of Texas like snakes, the more exotic the snake is the happier the pet owner. Like with all pets there are certain health care needs that snakes have that other pets do not. Typical snake health care issues can be respiratory infections, eye infections, mite infestation, metabolic bone disease, abscesses, belly burns, and parasites. The problem with pet snakes and other pet reptiles is that signs of health care issues are not as easy to identify as with their mammal counterparts.

A big part of maintaining the health and well being of your pet snake is finding a veterinarian. One of the first things you need to do when selecting a veterinarian for your snake is making sure they are comfortable around snakes. The reality of the world is that everybody has phobia and lots of people are phobic about snakes. If your veterinarian is uncomfortable handling your treasured snake they will not be able to accurately diagnosis any health problems it might be having.
In addition to the typical dogs, cats and horses, many Texans also have exotic pets such as ferrets, wallabies, glider squirrels, and Coatimundi’s. People who purchase exotic pets should realize that the more exotic the pet the harder it is going to be to find the proper veterinary care and the more the veterinary care is going to cost. Before you purchase an exotic pet you might want to research how much you could potentially spend on veterinary care during the pets life time and find out if it is possible to purchase a pet health insurance plan.

Testosterone Levels And Overall Health

Maintaining proper amounts of testosterone in the body is important to sustain overall health and well-being. Testosterone is a steroid hormone necessary for enhanced libido, energy, immune function, and protection against osteoporosis. In addition, this hormone supports the development of certain male attributes like hair patterns, muscles, and voice modulation. Although testosterone is considered a male hormone, women also need small quantities of it for muscle and bone strength. In general, an adult human male produces about eight to ten times more testosterone than their female counterparts. Testosterone production in men increases under the puberty stage. Normal testosterone levels in the bloodstream is about 359 and 1230 nanograms. As people age, a decline in testosterone production is experienced. This decline causes low sex drive, constant tiredness, depression, and loss of strength. Furthermore, very low levels of testosterone in men increases the risk of obesity and heart attack.

Low testosterone levels result from inability of the testes to produce adequate quantities of testosterone. This development affects the whole body system and causes many physiologic, chemical, and hormonal changes. Age is not the only culprit for the drop of testosterone production. According to David Zava, PhD., the president of ZRT Laboratory, a leading hormone research lab in the United States, many factors contribute to low testosterone levels. Environmental toxins, prolonged stress, and depression are just some of the factors that may trigger the body to lower testosterone reproduction. Lifestyle can also be a factor in lowered production of this hormone. Excessive drinking, smoking lack of exercise, and unhealthy diet may damage the testes and lower testosterone production. Other reasons for low production of this substance are hypertension, use of anabolic steroids, prescription or non-prescription medications, surgeries, cancers, and infections.

People can improve testosterone levels by changing their lifestyles, improving their diet, or by including exercise programs in their daily lives. Exercise and other physical activities are proven to show measurable improvements in testosterone levels. However, these activities should be done properly to avoid over-training. Over-training causes fatigue and diminish sterility, it temporarily reduces sperm quality and quantity. This happens because the body literally “kills” itself during exercise to build and improve the body and needs rest to attain normal cell development. Intense physical activities may reduce the level of hormones in the bloodstream that affects sperm production. These sperm levels return to nearly normal after about three days. They added that drinking coffee after a few hours of training may protect sperm quality because of the antioxidants that are found in caffeine.

If these adjustments do not work, there are different options that are available to treat this deficiency. General treatments include testosterone injections, patches, and pills. Many products like herbal supplements and vitamin products that claim to boost hormones levels are available in the market. In addition to these medication, replacement therapy can also be done to promote testosterone production. Improved muscle mass, increased bone density, higher energy levels, decreased irritability and anxiety are some of the benefits associated with testosterone replacement therapy.

While low testosterone levels pose a potential threat to the well-being and health of many old men, the treatments are not simple. Individuals are encouraged to talk to doctors or other medical specialists and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of many remedies for low testosterone levels. Increasing testosterone levels in men is possible, but it should only be done with the advices of medical professionals.

Testosterone Levels And Overall Health

Maintaining proper amounts of testosterone in the body is important to sustain overall health and well-being. Testosterone is a steroid hormone necessary for enhanced libido, energy, immune function, and protection against osteoporosis. In addition, this hormone supports the development of certain male attributes like hair patterns, muscles, and voice modulation. Although testosterone is considered a male hormone, women also need small quantities of it for muscle and bone strength. In general, an adult human male produces about eight to ten times more testosterone than their female counterparts. Testosterone production in men increases under the puberty stage. Normal testosterone levels in the bloodstream is about 359 and 1230 nanograms. As people age, a decline in testosterone production is experienced. This decline causes low sex drive, constant tiredness, depression, and loss of strength. Furthermore, very low levels of testosterone in men increases the risk of obesity and heart attack.

Low testosterone levels result from inability of the testes to produce adequate quantities of testosterone. This development affects the whole body system and causes many physiologic, chemical, and hormonal changes. Age is not the only culprit for the drop of testosterone production. According to David Zava, PhD., the president of ZRT Laboratory, a leading hormone research lab in the United States, many factors contribute to low testosterone levels. Environmental toxins, prolonged stress, and depression are just some of the factors that may trigger the body to lower testosterone reproduction. Lifestyle can also be a factor in lowered production of this hormone. Excessive drinking, smoking lack of exercise, and unhealthy diet may damage the testes and lower testosterone production. Other reasons for low production of this substance are hypertension, use of anabolic steroids, prescription or non-prescription medications, surgeries, cancers, and infections.

People can improve testosterone levels by changing their lifestyles, improving their diet, or by including exercise programs in their daily lives. Exercise and other physical activities are proven to show measurable improvements in testosterone levels. However, these activities should be done properly to avoid over-training. Over-training causes fatigue and diminish sterility, it temporarily reduces sperm quality and quantity. This happens because the body literally “kills” itself during exercise to build and improve the body and needs rest to attain normal cell development. Intense physical activities may reduce the level of hormones in the bloodstream that affects sperm production. These sperm levels return to nearly normal after about three days. They added that drinking coffee after a few hours of training may protect sperm quality because of the antioxidants that are found in caffeine.

If these adjustments do not work, there are different options that are available to treat this deficiency. General treatments include testosterone injections, patches, and pills. Many products like herbal supplements and vitamin products that claim to boost hormones levels are available in the market. In addition to these medication, replacement therapy can also be done to promote testosterone production. Improved muscle mass, increased bone density, higher energy levels, decreased irritability and anxiety are some of the benefits associated with testosterone replacement therapy.

While low testosterone levels pose a potential threat to the well-being and health of many old men, the treatments are not simple. Individuals are encouraged to talk to doctors or other medical specialists and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of many remedies for low testosterone levels. Increasing testosterone levels in men is possible, but it should only be done with the advices of medical professionals.

Terrific Ways To Stay Hydrated And Healthy

Dehydration is among the most common heat-related dangers for children and adults, so making sure your family meets their daily fluid intake needs should be at the top of your “To Do” list.

Dehydration can cause dizziness, nausea and weakness. “The human body is made up of about 60 percent water and can experience dehydration with only a two percent water loss,” says registered dietitian, Jennifer Seyler. “Getting enough fluid can help you feel and look good. Studies have shown positive effects in healthy individuals when proper hydration is maintained.”

As a general guideline, most adults need eight to 12 cups of fluids daily, while children ages one to three need five to six cups and children ages four to eight require seven to eight cups. Although this may seem like a lot, there are many easy ways to meet these needs.

Variety is Key. You may be surprised to learn that a peach can help you meet your daily fluid requirements. There are many natural, delicious choices with high water content, including refreshing fruits and vegetables, broth soups, sorbets and beverages like tea, juice and of course, water. Making these foods part of your day is as easy as enjoying a cup of hot or cold tea with breakfast, eating vegetables with lunch, or serving fruit compote for dessert.

Be Prepared. Stay ahead of the game by keeping fluids handy to sip throughout the day. When heading out of the house, make it a habit to put a bottle of water in your purse or your child’s backpack. Keep a bottle of water in your briefcase to ensure you stay hydrated at work. Pack delicious, juicy fruits such as peaches for a satisfying and hydrating treat.

Go All-Natural…The Easy Way. Natural hydration doesn’t have to be a flavorless task. Add a burst of flavor to your water with natural flavor enhancers such as new Celestial Seasonings Zingers To Go, which are packaged in individual servings for convenience as you zip through your busy day. With no artificial ingredients or calories and available in four delicious flavors, both kids and adults alike will love them. In fact, studies show that children consume approximately 50 percent more fluid when it’s flavored.

These tips will help you enjoy the warm weather with a natural, healthy and hydrated body.

Tennis Psychology and Fitness

Is physically being adapted one of the conditions most important to play tennis. The force, the intensity and the sensitivity to tennis are only possible if all systems physical, mental, and highly-strung persons of an individual player are in the air between them. To realize intensified this level of state of preparation requires regular and methodical formation on behalf of the player of tennis in order to succeed.

To keep and maintain the effectiveness maximum of the body , regular hours of the needs for a player for tennis for the sleep and a healthy mode. To eat the suitable mode is particularly important in order to be able to carry out at the maximum levels and not to support useless damage or losses on the court. A player of tennis should not drink nor to smoke because these two substances will degrade certainly any quantity of physical health and preparation during one very short time. The two substances affect a capacity of the person to think clearly and objectively and affect a capacity of the player to support the prolonged physical activities which can be necessary to any point given during the play of match.

During the play itself, the need for players of tennis all the concentration which they can gather and it is only possible if their body and mental preparation are well made before the play. It is useless to worry before, during and after a match, which is important must be able to play the game with all your heart including/understanding of the mental and physical capacities.

You never allow to obtain nervous before a match as this slows down you certainly downwards.

All the things being equal between you and your adversary, the match would be gained thereafter by the player who underwent the treatment of formation, physics and mental suitable. Not carry out themselves to believe that the occasional formation is enough; you should return account to you that it is useless if you are serious about being a good player of tennis.

A physical treatment of the player is the impressive factor which would decide finally how it can think while on the court. Is it what it would draw thereafter above for the additional force and the wind in order to bring the play to a conclusion in its favour.

The one-way to gain a psychological advantage compared to your adversary must make sure that crowd supports you! It is very easy to make this since a whole player must make must play to gain the spectators ‘ sympathy. The play as a Sir, appreciate the play and the play merrily even if the play does not enter in your favour. Periods ago when to obtain crowd behind you would be enough to gain the play. And if you don’t, they motionless acclamation you above since you played the game for them!

Always maintain in the spirit that a player of tennis which appreciates a match in the intéret game will be always perceived by crowd like personification of a good sportsman, if you can make this then to equalize before you take a step on the court you would have already gained the support of crowd. Very that you must make must play your game and to play it good for the victory!

Tennis Fitness

Even athletes with the most dominating serves will find their feet dragging, their legs burning, and their service power diminishing more and more as each point passes. And when a match is tight, some players will feel conserving energy for their opponent’s service return is almost a necessity.

With this, it becomes easy to drop the pace on serves allowing the player across the net to dictate your every move, and possibly derailing any chance of victory. That’s why leg strength is a crucial weapon in any tennis competitor’s game.

This is the first part of an ongoing series that will include exercise progressions that will not only increase your serving power, but it will increase your muscle endurance so that you’ll be serving just as hard in the last set as you did in the first. Plus, with the right swing technique, your overall power will increase in a few short weeks allowing you to crush a more aces and winning shots

Though technique is the #1 factor you should concern yourself with, once you’re sure that your mechanics are just right, increasing your strength, strength endurance, and explosion will add velocity to not only your serve, but to every shot.

So let’s get to it…

Power, in tennis, is first initiated by your feet driving into the ground. The harder you can drive your feet, the more force and power you can generate and *potentially* transfer to your racquet.

I say potentially, because if you can generate a lot of force but can’t smoothly transfer it from your legs to your racquet through your hips, core, shoulders, and arms, well, you’re just not gonna have very powerful shots, much less a powerful serve.

It’s that simple.

As you can see, you must be able to smoothly transfer the force generated by your legs to your racquet to increase the power of your serve. But first and foremost you have to be able to generate that force.

Today we’ll concentrate on exercises that increase the strength and power in your legs, so you’ll be able to generate the force needed to increase your power.

And in the following weeks, we’ll discuss how to strengthen each muscle up the kinetic chain, so that the increased force you’re now able to generate is properly and entirely transferred smoothly to increase your power.

Exercises to Increase the Strength and Power in Your Legs:

Progression #1) The Back Squat

How to do it:

Place a barbell behind your neck across the top of your shoulders. The bar should be resting entirely on your trap muscle. Be SURE that the bar is not sitting high on your neck and resting on a vertebrate. If you’re not sure and you feel pain from the bar, re-rack the weight and position the bar about an inch lower on your shoulders. If this is still uncomfortable, you can use a pad or wrap the bar with a towel to add cushion.

Now that you have the bar securely on your shoulders, position your feet approximately shoulder width apart.

Keeping your abs tight and your back straight, bend your knees and lower your body toward the ground until your thighs are approximately parallel to the ground. Return to the starting position.

If you’re a beginner, use a light weight that you can handle for 12-15 reps and perform 2-3 sets with 90 seconds between each set. It’s important to first develop proper form before increasing the weight.

The more advanced trainee should perform 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps with a bit heavier weight to stimulate the fast twitch muscle fibers that are used on the tennis court and to prepare your legs for progression #2

Stay tuned for Part II of the ongoing series, we’ll be discussing the implications of Progression #2: The Jump Squat, and how it transfers to the tennis court.

For more Tennis Specific exercises log on to TennisFitnessTips.com and download your free copy of Tennis Fitness Tips eBook.

Ways Fathers Model Healthy Relationships for Their Children

Your children learn how men should behave in relationships by watching you. Even if you do not live with their mother, they are keenly aware of the way you interact with her. Most divorce and domestic violence happens to men and women who grew up without a father modeling healthy relationship behavior. Here are 10 tips to help you model the way you want your daughter to be treated in her adult relationships, and the way you want your son to treat the woman he loves.
1. Value their mother: Children value themselves and others more when they feel that their mother and father value one another.

2. Perspective-taking (seeing things through someone else’s eyes): Show your children the importance of respecting the perspectives of people they love, even when they disagree with them.

3. Cooperation: Show how to participate willingly in work, problem-solving, or task-accomplishment.

4. Negotiation: Show your children how to work out solutions to problems that respect one another’s perspectives.

5. Resourcefulness: Never stop trying to make things better.

6. Motivation to improve: Approach disagreements with the attitude of making them better, not worse.

7. Compassion: This gut-level reaction to your wife’s pain, discomfort, or anxiety includes sympathy, protectiveness, and willingness to help but not control. It recognizes that your wife is different from you, with her own temperament, set of experiences, beliefs, values, and preferences.

8. Good will: Learning a positive attitude toward the people they love will greatly improve your children’s chances of having good relationships. Think good thoughts about your wife, and always give her the benefit of a doubt.

9. Affection: Showing affection toward their mother makes children feel more secure.

10. Relationship investment: Successful relationships require that people care about and occasionally do nice things for one another.

Things You Need To Ask About Your Health Insurance

For many Americans, simply finding an employer that offers health insurance is an accomplishment. As health care costs spiral, many employers have eliminated this once-standard benefit so many people are seeking out insurance on their own. Those lucky enough to be offered insurance may simply sign on the dotted line, feeling that any insurance is better than none at all.

This is not always the case.

Before signing up for insurance, it is important to know what you are getting into. All plans are not right for all people. If you determine that the offered insurance will not meet your needs, you have a few different options. One is to speak with your employer. You may be able to negotiate a different plan at a different cost to you. You can also look into private insurance plans that are offered directly to individuals, though these tend to be priced much higher. Additionally, if your spouse’s employer offers insurance, be sure to check into both policies. One may offer better coverage, or you may be able to combine your policies for maximum coverage. Be careful not to duplicate coverage, however, or both insurances may refuse to pay.

When investigating offered coverage, there are a few things that it is important to understand. What is the monthly premium, and will it be automatically deducted through payroll deduction, or will you need to make payment each month? What is your co-payment for doctor visits? What about for hospitalization? What is the annual deductible per person and per family?

Be certain that you understand exclusions. Will you be a member of an HMO or PPO? What doctors are in the network? Where is the nearest in-network hospital? What do you do if you need medical care while traveling inside the United States? What if you are in a foreign country? Do you need a referral to see a specialist? What do you need to do prior to going into the hospital?

Pre-existing conditions are often not covered. What constitutes a pre-existing condition? Additionally, certain medical procedures that are considered experimental may not be covered. Be sure that you understand what makes a medical procedure “experimental.”

Be sure that you understand exactly what types of care are covered. Are maternity benefits offered? What about well-baby care? Are vision, dental, and prescription medication plans available? What about mental health and substance abuse treatment? Are you entitled to one or two yearly physicals? For women, are you able to choose a gynecologist as your primary care physician?

What are the rules governing changing life events? Marriage and the birth of a child are events that will change your coverage needs. What will you need to do to add dependents to your plan? What will happen to your coverage if you retire? Are partner benefits available for those in a long-term relationship?

Be certain that you understand how your rates and benefits can be changed. Your employer may decide to switch providers. How much advance notice will you be given in that situation? The insurance company may decide to raise rates. Are you protected against rate increases for a certain length of time? Can your rates be raised individually or your coverage dropped if you are diagnosed with certain illnesses?

In many cases, employer-offered health insurance is the best solution. However, it is important to investigate group insurance just as closely as you would a private solution. Your employer will usually have a benefits office, with counselors who are specially trained to answer all of your questions. Read all documentation that you are given, and take the time to make an informed decision. Investigate all of your options, and you will discover the insurance plan that works best for your family.

Yes, there are a lot of little details so force yourself to take a deep breathe and slow down and focus on each item until you understand it and the options you have. Try to avoid getting a ‘I just want to get this over with’ type of attitude. This is important and you could save yourself a lot of stress and grief in the future should anything ever happen by taking time now.

Don’t be afraid to ask any questions you have. Your insurance agent is supposed to be working for you. He or she is not doing you a favor, your doing them a favor by giving them a chance to convince you to do business with them

Remember that you are the client. Don’t be rude, but do not be intimidated. It is your right to ask questions. Please do so.

Teas And Your Health

There are many teas that have been drunk throughout the ages. They are basically infusions of plants, usually the leaves and sometimes the flowers, by boiling them with water. Teas can be drunk hot or cold and are used for a variety of ailments. Teas of different sorts are drunk worldwide.

The official tea that we drink is the second most popular beverage and grown in the mountainous regions of China, India, Sir Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, Georgia, Japan, Kenya, Malawi and Taiwan. The tea we drink is taken from the top leaves and the buds of the Camellia Sinensis tree. These leaves are specially dried and then crushed for maximum flavor.

Tea is a mild stimulant, with small amounts of caffeine. It has far less than its counterpart coffee. It also has small amounts of vitamin A, B2, C, D, K, and P. there are also trace amounts of some minerals. Overall it is good for your health. It is recommended that about 3 cups of tea and more should be drunk a day to get the healthful qualities of this beverage.

There are 4 common forms of tea are:

Black tea
White tea
Oolong tea
Green tea

Black tea is the most common form of tea and is known as the famous “English tea” as this is drunk predominantly in Britain and the Western world. This tea is drunk hot but can also be used to brew the famous iced tea. It is made from the leaves of the tea plant and is completely fermented. This results in its darker color. It is more of a stimulant than the other teas and a more intense taste. Sometimes it is drunk with lemon but most commonly with milk.

White tea comes from the bud of the tea plant. It undergoes little or no processing (fermenting or oxidizing) this brings out the antioxidants but will reduce the stimulant quality of this tea. Because the buds can only be harvested in the spring season this tea is not so common and fairly expensive.

Oolong tea is fermented more than green tea but less than black. Research has shown that this tea helps the digestive system and is good for metabolism.

Green tea is also not fermented like white tea but is made from more mature leaves so is much more common and affordable. This tea was predominantly drunk in the Orient namely Japan and China, but is gaining new ground in the West as research is showing the beneficial properties of this form of tea. Again it has more antitoxins (flavonoids) and is less of a stimulant. Added to this it has vitamin C and fluoride.

Tea Houses are becoming very popular especially in fashionable areas of Europe like Paris. As more research comes to light we will hear more about the benefits of this popular drink. So the next time you relax with a good refreshing cup of tea you can rest assured that your favorite beverage is also good for your health.

Tea Origins

How many times do we just want to drink tea after a heavy meal, but are then bombarded with all the various tea flavours that we get lost. This article answers that need.

What you should always remember is that there are only four types of tea.
1) Black tea
2) Green tea
3) White tea
4) Oolong tea

All these are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, also known as the tea plant. Other herbal infusions such as chamomile tea, ginger tea or red tea made of rooibos leaves are disqualified as types of tea since the tea plant is not involved in their making. The difference between the four tea variations lies in the process of making them. In addition, each type of tea has another flavor and various health benefits.

1) Black Tea
The strong flavored burnt Sienna colored hot beverage is the most popular type of tea in the West. Either served with a squeeze of lemon or added milk and a cube of sugar, the cup of black tea is part of daily tea ceremonies that take place worldwide. Black tea is made of heavily oxidized Camellia sinensis leaves. When served plain, it contains no calories, carbohydrates, or fats. A cup of black tea contains more caffeine than any other types of tea but less than in any cup of coffee.

2) Green Tea
The lightly oxidized tea has been popular in China, Japan and Korea for centuries. Recently, rumors on its health benefits increased its popularity in the West as well. It has been proven that drinking green tea can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, increase metabolic rates and be helpful in variety of other conditions and illnesses. The green tea is lightly oxidized, dried, but not fermented. It is usually served plain, without sugar or milk. Since some of the green tea variants taste a bit bitter, it should be brewed in lower temperature than the boiling point.

3) White Tea
White tea is rarer and more expensive than the other types of teas mentioned above. Originated in the Fujian province of china, the white tea is made of young Camellia sinensis leaves, which go through a long process of steaming or frying, inactivate fermenting and drying. Since the leaves are harvested while the buds are still covered by white hair, it is called white tea. White tea has the most delicate, sweet taste than the other types of tea. Moreover, it contains the smallest amount of caffeine and the largest amount of antioxidant that help prevent cancer.

4) Oolong Tea
The traditional Chinese tea is the common companion of Chinese foods such as dim sum and chop suey in American Chinese restaurants. The oolong tea, black dragon in Chinese, got its name after its long, dark distinguished leaves that look like wild black dragons when brewed. The unique taste of the oolong tea is achieved by a long process that includes sun drying of the Camellia sinensis leaves, light oxidization, cooling and drying processes. The result is a lighter flavor than the popular black tea and stronger than the delicate green tea.

Tea Benefits

A sip in the morning, while reading your newspaper just makes your day complete. Most people’s understanding about tea is that, it is a source of refreshment and nothing more. Many do not have a clue about its benefits and how useful it has been in making our life a healthier one.

For many who are not aware about the importance of tea, can get to know it a little better. Tea has been around for more than 5,000 years and hopefully would be around for another 5,000 years. There are four basic types of tea black, green, oolong and the most uncommon and rare breed is the white.

All teas come from the same plant called as “Camellia sinensis” a shrub which happens to grow up to 60 feet if found in wild. The processing pattern is different for each tea which makes the difference.

You can also have iced tea which is equally beneficial like any other hot cup of tea. Tea carries anti-cancer properties of polyphenols which helps to fight cancer. There is very less risk of heart disease as it prevents blood from clotting and helps to reduce cholesterol levels.

With the charm of refreshment and adding sparkle to your life, it also helps in shielding you from some of the most deadly diseases mankind has ever known. After a thorough research it has been said that drinking 2 cups of tea everyday can reduce your risk of developing ovarian cancer by 50%.

It has been very useful to maximize your body defenses to fight diseases like cancer and heart disease. Black tea protects you against cancers. It also helps in reducing your bad cholesterol.

Having tea in comparison to coffee is better because coffee contains more caffeine which is not good for our health. One who adds milk to their tea helps in developing strong bones as milk has calcium which is good for the bones.

Tea contains fluoride and tannins which drive the plaque away. It helps in keeping your dental records white and shiny, of course including your usual dental regime which would involve brushing and flossing.

Even though there has been research that caffeinated fluids dehydrates your body which includes tea. But it has now been seen that caffeine doesn’t dehydrate you entirely, unless you happen to drink five to six cups at one time. So having little tea can help you remain hydrated.

Having ginger tea may help you get relief from sore throat. Having herbal tea can be very good to get rid of the early cold attack. Teas like enchinacea, peppermint and chamomile would do wonders against the cold if you combine all these together to make a brewing hot cup of tea. If taken 2 to 4 times a day, it may just do the trick.

Healthy Body with Weight Loss

In the fast pace of the contemporary world, health hazards have become universal phenomenon. Amongst these health hazards, obesity is one health issue faced by young and old alike. Be it child obesity or gaining those extra pounds, weight loss is always a tough task to accomplish.

By being overweight or obese, you indirectly entice many health hazards such as:

•Gallbladder disease
•Coronary heart diseases
•Diabetes
•Osteoarthritis

Weight loss in essence means reduction in the body mass. There are certain tips as to ensure maintaining a healthy body, as they say there are different roads to a single destination such as:

•Do not skip the first meal of the day that is the breakfast
•Indulge in regular workouts
•Eat a balanced diet
•Drink plenty of water
•Avoid consumption of fatty foods including junk food

When do you actually realize you need to loose weight? Understanding your body mechanism makes it easier for you to shed those extra pounds. It is recommended that you should not fall in the web of fast weight loss, as your chances to put on that fat even more quickly increase with rapid weight loss. Instead opt for a steady weight loss for long-lasting results. Weight loss pattern depends on your BMI. BMI stands for Body Mass Index, which is a calculated value of weight in proportion to height of a person. The BMI level differs in adults and children and basically indicates the amount of body fat in a person.

Everyone dreams of a healthy slim and trim body. With the growing health consciousness, the pharmaceutical industry has come up with a solution known as diet pills. The market is swamped with an assortment of weight loss drugs such as

•Acomplia
•Adipex
•Xenical
•Phentermine
•Meridia
•Didrex
•Tenuate
•Bontril

Weight loss drugs should be the last resort, you go for. Online pharmacies are becoming a rage in the fast-paced life. You can buy diet pills at the convenience of your doorstep. Make an online order, and have it delivered within 24 hours. This saves you a lot of your precious time. Prior consultation with a doctor is recommended before you embark upon on any diet pill treatment.

Taking Medications and Improving Sexual Health

Many specialists define sexual health as the ability to relate to each other sexually in a way that satisfies and rewards both parties. However, some men and women, it may be difficult to have an arousal or a satisfying orgasm. Some cases may require the mind to stay focused, nerves to be healthy, and to have good blood circulation. However, many things may break the cycle—stress, excessive alcohol, and even certain medications may take its toll on one’s sex life.

Medicines may affect sexual function because it alters blood flow and brain chemistry. Some types of medication may affect decrease a person’s sex drive, delay or prevent orgasms, while others may cause erectile dysfunction in men. If one notices a decline in sexual performance while under certain medication, it is important to seek the doctor’s advice to know the possible causes. But the medication should not be totally stopped. Doctors can help determine if it is the medicine that is causing the problem and help switch to another medication. Antidepressants which contain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), narcotic painkillers, and blood pressure medications can affect sexual functions.

A report conducted by the American Family Physician in 2000 conclude that up to half of patients taking antidepressants with SSRI reported sexual problems. The study results varied depending on the patients studied, but it suggests that the sexual side effects of antidepressants are common. Men who are taking antidepressants with SSRI may switch to non-SSRI medication that may less likely cause sexual side effects. If one’s current medication is working well, they may ask their doctors if they can lower the dose or temporarily stop the intake of certain drugs.

Narcotic painkillers bring more than just pain relief. These drugs may also reduce the production of testosterone and other hormones that are needed for sex drive in both men and women. The side effects of narcotic painkillers have not been thoroughly investigated but individuals who take these medicines may experience a drop in sex drive or may experience irregular monthly periods.

Diuretics, beta blockers, and other medications to control blood pressure can cause erectile dysfunction in men and diminish the sex drive of women. In other cases, the remedy that can be done to overcome sexual problems caused by these medications is to change medication. Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium antagonists may less likely to cause sexual side effects than diuretics or beta blockers.

Over-the-counter drugs like antihistamines may also take its toll on one’s sexual health. These medicines may cause ejaculation and ED among men and vaginal dryness among women. These effects cannot be properly explained by health professionals but some studies suggest that the antihistamine’s sedative effect might be the culprit for its sexual effects.

There are other drugs that may cause sexual health problems that are not included in this article. Other possible causes of sexual health problems include the use of certain oral contraceptives, anti-psychotics, and other medications. Individuals who notice effects on sexual health should inform their doctors about their condition to make adjustments and lessen these side effects.

Taking Care Of Your Health with Vitamins and Minerals

Many people across the country and around the world are concerned about their health. Even if they are living healthy lives already, they are still concerned with keeping their health and trying to get the most out of life. When people are concerned with their health, they are aware of their vitamin and mineral intake. You can get many different vitamin and mineral substances within the foods that you eat, but many people do not get enough of these vitamin and mineral substances from food. To combat a vitamin and mineral deficiency in your life, you should check out vitamin and mineral supplements.

Vitamin And Mineral Supplements

Vitamin and mineral supplements can be a great addition to your life in order to keep your body healthy. They are an important part of maintaining overall health in the body.
Vitamin and mineral supplements can aid in the prevention of illness and disease as well as giving your body the fuel to run properly. If you are living a healthy life with the right food, exercise, and vitamin and mineral intake, you will feel better about yourself. Your body will be able to maintain itself and repair itself when you sleep.

If you are thinking about beginning a vitamin and mineral supplement, first consult your doctor. If you take any medications you will want to check and make sure that a supplement will not interfere with your medication. You may also want to consult a doctor if you want to find out if there is a specific vitamin or mineral that your are lacking in your system. For general overall health though, many people find that a multivitamin supplement is the best type of vitamins to take.

You can get vitamin and mineral supplements in different forms as well. You can buy it is a liquid form that uses the consistency to be able to work in your body faster. It is also convenient for those on the go that do not have the time to stop and take a pill every morning. Another convenient form of vitamins is the spray form. It is very easy and quick to take.

For those who like the traditional pill form, those are widely available. For those who are worried that the pills may be too large to swallow or just have a hard time in general swallowing pills, there are chewable tablets available. Many people think that chewable tablets are only available in children’s vitamins, but they are also available for adults as well.

Taking Care of Your Health For Safe Travelling

Are you going to Paris? Trekking in Nepal? Cruising the Caribbean? Yes, you want to go and to spend some time enjoying the wonderful weather, view and just have a rest from everyday routine.

Whether you tramp through the rain forest or bask on a love boat—travel presents new and different health concerns mostly unknown at home.

We do not want to set on you with our lectures just, please, keep in mind some facts – that will be useful for you.
Preparing before you go is the best way to stay healthy while you’re traveling. See a doctor at least 6 weeks before you leave so that you’ll have time for immunizations that may need to be done in advance. Check with your doctor to see if there are medications or extra precautions that you should take. For example, people who have heart failure may need to take shorter flights with more stops to avoid long periods of sitting or they may need to adjust their medications.

Before you go, research local sanitation and other conditions so that you can take appropriate measures while you are traveling:
– Is the water safe to drink?
– Do insects, such as mosquitoes or ticks, carry disease?
– Is there air pollution?
– Will the altitude make you sick?
– Is it safe to swim in pools, lakes, or the ocean?
– Could you get heat exhaustion, sun stroke, or a sunburn?

Basic precautions, such as drinking bottled water or using insect repellent, can prevent some illnesses, ranging from an inconvenient bout of diarrhea to life-threatening malaria.

Preparing for a journey takes planning and time. Proper planning is the best way to stay healthy during your trip. See a doctor at least 6 weeks before you go so that you’ll have time for immunizations and other health precautions you may need to take in advance. There are several factors to consider in preparing for a trip.

Enjoy your trip.

Taking Care Of Inner Health 2

Taking Care of Your Inner Health 2.

The first of these two Inner Health articles dealt with diet, healthy eating and exercise habits. This article deals with hygiene and avoiding the dreaded “tummy bugs.”

Poor hygiene can lead to food poisoning and gastro-enteritis. The biggest cause of food poisoning is transmitted from the hands of people who do not thoroughly wash them after visiting the toilet. A few weeks ago, when I first started planning these articles I decided to do a private poll on how many men fail to wash their hands after visiting the toilet. The result was a real scary 60%. Obviously this figure cannot be claimed as totally accurate because I did not hang around public toilets for long periods; instead I just took my time when visiting a public toilet, washing and drying my hands thoroughly. During this period I found that around 40% walked out without washing and a further 20% just flicked their hands under running water. Parents please note that the time to educate your children about washing their hands starts as soon as the start going to the toilet alone. Habits that start in early childhood usually remain with us.

Food Care:

Storing food is important, more so in hot weather when bacteria flourish on the surface of chilled or frozen food which start to warm up in the hot boot of a car as you drive home from the supermarket. The same applies to storing food in an inefficient or overloaded refrigerator. Here are some tips:

– Meat that is not frozen should be covered and refrigerated at a minimum temperature of 37 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees C). It must be covered fully and aluminum foil is better than plastic wrap to ensure that light doesn’t penetrate.

– We all re-heat food at times and most are guilty of just warming rather than heating. Bacteria thrive on cooked meat surfaces and warming doesn’t destroy bacteria. If you are re-heating please re-heat thoroughly to ensure that bacteria does not survive.

Allergy Problems:

Certain people have allergies to various things such as: dairy products, nuts, shellfish etc. and eating these foods may result in diarrhea, palpitations or a skin rash. Others simply have food intolerance and find that their insides react to particular substances. If this problem is persistent it may be due to an underlying disease and you should visit your doctor. When the problem is identified it will be possible to avoid the offending foods and limit the recurrence.

When you are fully sure that your actions and habits are compatible to good food hygiene you are able to identify problems in those around you early and obtain early medical action to cure them. If your hygiene isn’t up to standard you can never be sure when a health problem exists. – It’s worth the effort to take care of your inner health for your own peace of mind.

Taking Care Of Inner Health

Taking Care of Inner Health 1.

Inner health is a very important subject because 95% of life threatening diseases starts inside our bodies where we can’t see what is happening. By ignoring symptoms we often allow the problem to increase until treatment becomes difficult or, in the worst cases, impossible. It is also true that one hour of prevention is far better than one year of treatment. In this article we will look at the main source of “body fuel” – the food that we eat and, more importantly, how we eat it. But before going into that subject there are other things we should not be doing:

1. No smoking.
2. No drinking alcohol to excess.
3. No taking of unprescribed drugs.

This article is written on the assumption that you abide by the three rules above.

What we eat is the starting point. There is no point in eating foods that are saturated in fat as your basic diet and complaining that you are overweight and/or feel unwell. Of course you do because this is self-inflicted by inadequate diet. A good diet requires daily intake of the five major food groups that we have covered extensively in previous articles.

Small meals taken regularly (even six meals each day) are better for you than long periods without food followed by a heavy meal.

Large, rich, meals late at night should be avoided, especially for older people. A cooked meal at midday is digested better than a late night meal.

You should drink at least one and a half quarts (1.5 liters) of fluid each day; much more if the weather is hot. If you become ill you should double your fluid intake. Water is best.

Improving your diet is not as difficult as most people claim. In most instances it is simply a case of adjusting the balance of what we eat. Here are a few tips:

Eat more fiber in the form of fruit, vegetables and whole grain bread. In addition add two tablespoons of coarse bran to your breakfast cereal. This provides bulk, or roughage, that your digestive system depends upon to function properly.

Cut down on fat, normally taken in fast foods and fries etc. Eat more lean meat, fish. Grill rather than fry foods where possible.

Eat less sugar (This means no soda’s because the average can of soda contains an equivalent of 20+ Tablespoons of sugar equivalent) Do not drink beer with meals because beer stops your body from breaking down fats. Water is the best drink followed by low calorie drinks and unsweetened fruit juices.

Walk for at least half an hour each day. Park your car at the furthest parking space from the supermarket; the exercise will increase your lifespan. If possible use stairs rather than escalators. All of these small things, together with your balanced diet, will increase your health and lifespan.

Take Control of Your Health

In large part, you’re in control of your health, not your doctor. And taking control of your health doesn’t really depend on whether or not you have medical conditions.

Taking control means developing habits and discipline.

The most important thing you can do is educate yourself. Learn about your health problems and how you can take care of your body. What do the latest studies say? The Internet is an excellent place to research health issues. Sometimes just finding different ways of doing things can help.

Now, take the time to decide what your health goals for the next year will be. Write the goal(s) down. Some examples of goals might be:

– to stop yo-yo dieting and focus on get healthier.

– to start exercising regularly.

– to move toward my perfect weight.

– to find alternative ways to control diabetes.

Then list specific ways you can accomplish these goals. For instance, try a new healthy dinner recipe once a week, go to the gym five days a week, or research nutrition on the Internet 10 minutes a day.

Work on your mind and thought patterns. You have to believe that you can become healthy and reach your ideal weight before you will be able to do so. Learning to accept what you can’t change, but striving to change what you can, is key. A large part of succeeding in health improvement is being comfortable with yourself to begin with.

Find time to do something good to reward yourself for making this commitment to improve your health. Reward yourself each week as you find yourself accomplishing your goals.

If you have another person to work with, you will be more successful in meeting your health goals. This partner should be someone you can trust to share your feelings with.

It helps to have a partner for accountability. We work harder when we know someone is watching us and holding us accountable. A good partner also helps us stay realistic in our goals and challenges us to grow.

Try to find someone who will encourage you in the down times and celebrate your successes with you as you accomplish your goals. And of course you need to be that kind of a partner to your friend in return.

You might consider forming an informal support group with some of your friends or acquaintances. People who belong to a group with mutual interests and a shared purpose accomplish more. A group might get together weekly or monthly and discuss progress or concerns and help encourage each other. Sometimes all a person might need is another opinion or just a little encouragement to help them get past a place where they are having problems. Even if you are doing great, perhaps you could be of help to someone else who is struggling.

Communication is important when putting together a group. Set up a regular time and method to report progress to each other and stick to it. Set realistic benchmarks to monitor your progress. Reward yourselves for your effort. Do something fun as a group once in a while.

There can be great rewards in working with others toward common goals. It makes the journey more enjoyable as well as more productive.

Take Care of Your Health

Article: Now more than at any other time, many people are alooking to have the best health possible. The result of this is that the health and fitness industries are raking in billions every year on herbal supplements, vitamins, fitness equipment, diets, etc.

Making a commitment to take care of your body, both internal and external, is probably one of the most important you’ll ever make so getting it “right fiirst time” is critical for your overall health.

Here are a few tips to help you discover ways to maintain a healthier lifestyle, and enjoy the best of health without spending a fortune.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture can be traced back more than 2,000 years. This traditional treatment of many eastern countries is said to be beneficial by stimulating zones of the body, known as “Meridians” that have a direct relationship to internal organs, and the spirit. Practioners insert fine needles into the Meridians to promote natural healing, improve bodily functions and give your immune system a boost.

Therapeutic Massage
Therapeutic massage such as Aromatherapy aren’t there just to make you feel good!.
The benefits of therapeutic massage are many:

· Pain reduction / elimination
· Stress reduction / elimination
· Improved circulation in the blood and lymphatic systems
· Improved mechanical function

Are just a few of the benefits. Massage styles include Aromatherapy, Swedish, Sports and Reflexology.

Eat Well
We all know we should eat well, reduce fat, salt and sugar intake but eating well also means eating at the right times. Breakfast should never be missed! Later meals should be lighter and healthy, and eating just before bed is a definite no no.

The basic lessons about we learned as children about the four major food groups (NOT coffee, burger, donuts and fries!!) still apply to us as adults if your are vegan or vegetarian you might consider a taking a B 12 supplement.

Supplements and Vitamins
Before buying and using vitamins and food supplements there are a couple of rules to follow.

Get advice from a reputable source
· Buy from a reputable source

The following supplements and vitamins are reputed to be good for general health: Aloe Vera, Grape seed extract, Glucosamine, and Selenium (said to be a powerful anti-viral supplement) . Vitamins E, C, B-12, Iron, Magnesium, and Calcium.

Kill Stress
Stress is not just a key contributor to poor health, it can prove fatal. Studies have found that stress can be linked to heart attacks, certain cancers, high blood pressure (can result in strokes) mood swings, depression, and broken relationships.

Sleep
If you aren’t sleeping well, you aren’t healthy! Consult your doc immediately. Sleep deprivation leads to stress (see above), an increase in the likelyhood of accidents at home, at work and on the road and reduced performance all round.

Laughter
When you laugh beneficial things happen to your body:

Your Heart becomes stronger
Blood presure is reduced
Muscles relax
Your Lungs becomes stronger
Stress is reduced;
Pain is forgotten
Immunity is boosted

And on top of all this you feel better in general. Enough said!

Stop Smoking
You already know the facts, it’s been rammed down your throat for years. So who am I to nag you?

DISCLAIMER:
All health care planning should be made under the guidance of you physician and/or other qulaified health practitioners. The content within only presents an overview and does not replace medical advice from a practicing physician. Further, the information in this articlel is provided “as is”and without warranties of any kind either express or implied. under any circumstances,including, but not limited to, negligence, neither shall any distributor of this informationbe liable for any special or consequential damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, the information presented herein.

Fruits That Are Good For Your Health

If you’re looking to start eating healthier but aren’t really sure where to start, try one of these five fruits that not only taste great, but have some incredible health benefits as well. One of the other great things about eating more fruit is that the natural sugars in fruit will also help to quell those cravings for fatty sweets!

1) Cranberries
Cranberries contain extremely high amounts of antioxidants that help to protect your body against things like heart disease and kidney problems, while also working to boost your immune system. Drinking a glass of cranberry juice every day will also help to prevent urinary tract infections, especially for individuals over 40.

2) Strawberries
With more vitamin C than any other known berry, strawberries contain large amounts of antioxidants that can help against heart disease. Strawberries are an excellent choice for anyone who may be suffering from anemia, as they contain iron, and the folic acid in strawberries is especially useful for the health of pregnant women and their babies. In normal adults, low levels of folic acid can lead to health complications such as cancer and depression – eating strawberries can help prevent this!

3) Kiwis
Kiwis pack a whole lot of vitamins E and A into their fruity flesh, while also competing with oranges for their amount of vitamin C! Kiwis contain a large amount of fiber, which is good for your heart. Eating several kiwis per day can help to prevent blood clots in the elderly, while diabetics often look to kiwis to help control their blood sugar levels on a daily basis.

4) Apples
Apples, one of the most readily available fruits throughout the entire year, help to protect your body against heart disease and cancer. Apples are high in dietary fibers and phytochemicals that will actually help to boost your memory and give you extra energy on a daily basis! Remember the old saying “an apple a day…”? It’s actually true!

5) Bananas
Bananas are extremely high in fiber and potassium, which work together to ensure the health of your bowels and intestinal tract, protect you from ulcers and strokes, reduce blood pressure, and also help keeping your heart healthy and happy. With vitamins B, C, and A working together in bananas, you’ll have more energy and your body will actually hold less water – perfect for fruit-a-holics looking to lose weight!

Tahitian Noni Juice

Noni Juice, which comes from the morinda citrifolia fruit, has been claimed over many years to be a cure-all for numerous types of ailments. Recently it has become the huge health rage over the entire United States. Bottles of Tahitian noni juice, which are often small in comparison to the juice we often buy at the grocery store, range from ten dollars a bottle up to eighty dollars a bottle. Why is this juice becoming such a huge hit? Could it be a miracle cure-all or just snake oil?

Many years ago, islanders from the South Pacific used the noni fruit for many different ailments including such problems as joint discomfort and arthritis, depression and sleep-loss, to topical solutions for irritations and bites. To the islanders, this fruit was a great source of health benefits and a universal one at that.

But how much do we actually know about this fruit? No actual proof has been made to right these claims or put up any fight against them. Our society, however, is often eager to jump on the bandwagon at any chance to feel better, stay younger, or live healthier.

What is known about Tahitian noni juice? Well Noni is a fruit like any other fruit. It does have vitamins like other fruit, and yes, it is very nutritious. Other than that, Tahitian noni juice seems no different than most other tropical fruits. Could there be something in it that is a miracle cure for numerous ailments? Possibly, but no evidence can strongly support this. Have many claimed it has helped them with their health? Yes, definitely! Many have claimed that it does help numerous areas of their health and probably shouldn’t be dismissed as completely pointless.

The problem lies when people and marketing agencies make claims that Tahitian noni juice cures things without proper proof of it doing so. There have been those diagnosed with cancer and was told that noni juice could cure their cancer. Unfortunately, those people can’t be here to make their testimonial that it does not cure such an illness because they are no longer with us. It is only propaganda which we have been force-fed to believe and there are those who prey on vulnerable people who really want to believe that a simple juice could be such a cure.

A word to the wise, take health supplements for the sole purpose of “supplementing” your health, not cure a disease. If you take a supplement, weigh out the risks involved, ask questions, and don’t assume a single supplement will cure anything. If it does happen to cure anything, great! But simply don’t expect it to just because a business person says so or you hear it on a commercial or label.

Sweet News Strawberries

The road to a healthy heart runs through the kitchen. Just ask Joe Piscatella, who had coronary bypass surgery at the early age of 32. Told that he wouldn’t live to see his two young children graduate from high school, Joe decided to take a crash course in heart-healthy eating and learned a few things along the way.

Thirty years later, Joe is now the President of the Institute for Fitness and Health and best-selling author of “The Road to a Healthy Heart Runs Through the Kitchen.” Full of facts and sound advice, this book is an easy-to-follow lifestyle plan that combines the newest guidelines from the USDA with 300 easy and delicious recipes.

Joe knows the importance of eating foods that you love and explains how to include them in a heart-healthy diet. Take America’s favorite fruit: the Strawberry. Strawberries are a superfood that Joe recommends to increase levels of folate, a B vitamin important for heart health. Studies have shown a reduction in artery-damaging inflammation and lower blood pressure after eating a serving of strawberries every day for eight weeks. Luckily for your heart, fresh, sweet strawberries are available year-round from California!

According to Joe, “This book is easy to follow and will engage your head along with your stomach in the quest for a lifestyle that will really make a difference.”

Spinach, Strawberry and Walnut Salad

4 servings

4 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves

1/4 cup wine vinaigrette

1 cup thickly sliced California strawberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup walnut halves, chopped

Toss spinach with vinaigrette. Add berries and walnuts. Toss again.

Nutrition Note: The antioxidants in strawberries and the omega-3 fatty acids in the walnuts help keep artery walls healthy.

You can include the food you love in a heart-healthy diet.

Holistic Approach To Skin Health

The skin is the largest organ in the body. It defends against disease and infection, regulates temperature and even aids in vitamin production. Keeping skin healthy is crucial for beauty and general health, even if most of us are interested in knowing how to keep skin looking healthy, rather than really keeping it healthy.

The best way to keep skin looking healthy – young, fair, radiant, supple, soft and wrinkle free – is to keep out of the sun.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun bring about a healthy-looking tan, but do much damage to the skin in terms of pigmentation, sunburn and loss of elasticity. These can lead to premature aging in the form of wrinkles, fine lines, sagging, dark skin, uneven skin tone, loss of translucency, enlarged pores and dryness. Even the best of genetics, topical skin lightening treatments and oral skin supplements would be of little use if one tans mercilessly and regularly.

Keeping out of the sun helps, but if you cannot avoid it, you will have to ensure that you use a sunscreen. This is especially crucial if sun exposure is for an extended period of time.

Assuming that one is already sensible about sun exposure, how can we then further improve our skin condition? We know that certain oral supplements are effective for good skin health, but which are these supplements and how effective are they?

Supplement From Within

The first group would be vitamins and minerals, essential for proper functioning of every organ.

The vitamins and minerals that can affect skin health include the B-complex, especially B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B12 (cyancobalamine). Overt deficiencies of vitamins B1 and B2 are known to cause special forms of dermatitis (a kind of skin inflammation). B12 deficiency is particularly detrimental to neurons and rapidly dividing cells, including skin cells.

Besides the B vitamins, deficiency of vitamin C, iron and copper also affect skin health. All three are important for the synthesis of collagen, a key structural protein in the skin, which fills the skin and gives it tone.

Vitamin A is critical for the normal life cycle of skin cells. Vitamin A deficiency causes skin to become dry, fragile and prone to wrinkles. On the other hand, excessive Vitamin A intake may cause serious toxicity and should be avoided.

Vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene have been touted as anti-oxidants that reduce free radicals. (Free radicals result in skin degeneration and aging.) However, while free radicals and the role of anti-oxidants are beyond doubt, clinical results have not conclusively proved if supplementary vitamins and other micronutrients improve the skin quality and defy the aging process.

Excessive doses can be just as harmful as deficiencies, so it is best to abide by the recommended daily allowance (RDA).

Topical Help

Oral supplements should go hand-in-hand with topical applications – sunscreen of at least SPF 30, creams (preferably with skin whitening agents) and moisturizer (preferably with skin lightening agents). Compared with topical applications, the effects of oral supplements are slower and more subtle. Consumers have to be realistic about their expectations because results certainly will not be seen in 7 days or 2 weeks.

We recommend a holistic approach to skin health, comprising:

* A healthy balanced diet comprising all food groups as well as vitamins, minerals and micronutrients.
* Keep a happy positive mood. It is well documented that some skin conditions – such as acne and eczema – are more prevalent among the stressed.
* If you smoke, quit smoking. Smoke causes free radicals, damages the microcirculation of skin and also causes staining of teeth and other discoloration.
* Minimize sun exposure and use a good sunscreen on a daily basis.

Supplements And Your Health

A lot of people these days are trying to make their health better. No matter where you turn, from TV to newspapers, you’ll see stories about people and how bad their health actually is. Even though there are many different companies out there that offer vitamins and supplements and claim that they will change your healthy, you’ll need to research what they offer and sure that you aren’t just wasting your money.

If you are looking to improve your health, you’ll need to at many different vitamin supplements to find which ones are the best for you. You should look at everything available, and not just try a few to see what happens. Dieting is the ideal place to start, as it can make the most improvements on your health. Dieting can change your body, and make you feel a lot better as well.

These days, a lot of people eat way too much sweets and sugar, choosing refined products over healthy food. Even though it isn’t a bad thing to enjoy sweets and chocolate, you should never make a habit out of it. You can still enjoy your favorite foods as well, although you should be looking at the healthy benefits of food as well and think of everything as a whole.

If you include healthy foods such as salads, vegetables, and fruit into your diet, you’ll be eating healthy. Protein is also beneficial to your health, as it promotes the growth of your muscle. Those of you, who are serious about eating healthy but are unsure where to start, should contact a nutritionist. They will be able to tell you where to start, and how to achieve a healthy diet that will chance your life.

Even though you may be eating healthy or trying to eat healthy, you’ll probably find yourself wondering about vitamins and supplements and how much of an impact they have on your diet. Dieticians are ideal to consult with these types of questions, as they can answer any questions relating to vitamins that you have. They can also tell you which supplements are ideal to your health, and which ones you should include in your diet.

Different people will have different needs and requirements, making it essential to get advice from a qualified professional. If you get the advice from a professional, you’ll know what you can add to your diet. If you try to do it all yourself without the advice of a professional, you can end up not getting enough in your diet, or you could end up taking something that you shouldn’t be taken.

Exercise is also important to your diet and your health. Although supplements and vitamins will go a long way, exercise will do a lot for your body. If you exercise on a regular basis, and take the right supplements and vitamins with your diet, you’ll notice that you have more energy and you feel better than you ever have in your life.

Before you start with your new diet or rush out and buy your new vitamin supplements, you should always check with your doctor first to see if he has any recommendations. You should also tell him what type of exercise you are planning on doing, and see if there are any complications with your health. Getting a healthy lifestyle is always a great thing, although you should always consult with your doctor. This way, you’ll know the best way to start and how to go about getting in the best shape of your life.

Supplements For Brain Health

Most people believe a progressive decline in overall brain function is a natural process of aging. This degenerative process causes us to lose our short-term memory and abstract reasoning ability. It also may make concentration or learning new information difficult. Many neurological diseases are also directly related to aging such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

Many published studies have shown that the decline of brain function can be delayed, or even reversed, by proper diet and/or supplementation. This report is a review of the existing research done on the ingredients in Melaleuca’s Unforgettables™ dietary supplement.

-Omega-3s in Fish Oil

Cold water fish is high on the list of brain foods because EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fish, have been linked to enhanced memory and brain function. The fish chosen by Melaleuca for the supplement Unforgettables are anchovy, mackerel, and sardine. These fish are small and live only a short time; not long enough to accumulate a buildup of harmful mercury. The fish are also pre-screened for mercury content before processing.

In the United States and Canada, omega-3 intake through diet alone is very low because it is usually limited to canola oil, corn oil, and other cooking oils, as well as walnuts and flaxseed oil. These plant-based sources give us a form of omega-3 which then needs to be converted into DHA by the body. In women, the conversion rate to DHA is about 7%, and in men it is less than 1%. Needless to say, these plant based sources of omega-3 are not the optimal way to feed our brains with plenty of DHA, which is what is needed for best brain, eye, and heart functioning. Since cold-water fish oil is already rich in DHA, adding it to the diet as a supplement is the best way to provide your body with DHA.
Scientists working on a nine-year study completed in 2006 found that patients with dementia have less DHA in their brains than patients of the same age without dementia. There is a 47% reduction in risk for developing dementia when DHA levels in the brain are high. Free radicals do more damage in the aged brain when there is a deficiency of DHA because DHA protects the brain from oxidative stress. Studies are finding that supplementation with fish-based DHA, and another component of fish oil known as EPA, can delay and lessen the impact of age-associated diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

-Vitamin E and Blueberry Extract

Vitamin E and blueberry extract act as antioxidants in Melaleuca’s Unforgettables. The two of these are together in a single supplement because the synergy between them increases their benefits. Just as we said in our “Antioxidants for Natural Cellular Protection” Research Report, “Many studies have indicated that combinations of antioxidant vitamins, carotenoids and flavonoids are believed to be more effective than supplementation with any of these nutrients alone.”
Vitamin E is purported to be a very important ingredient for optimal brain health. It could possibly halt or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease because it relieves oxidative stress to brain cells. The brain is rich in lipids (fatty compounds) which are susceptible to oxidative damage from free radicals. Oxidative stress can really damage memory function, and brain cells in general. When the damage has been done, older adults start showing symptoms of “age associated memory impairment.” In the brain, antioxidant molecules like those in vitamin E and blueberries “wage war against molecules known as free radicals, which can harm brain cells and brain function.” Vitamin E has actually been shown to block the death of neurons in the brain. Essentially, a good vitamin E supplement can prevent or slow the rate of cognitive decline as the brain ages.

Blueberries can alleviate inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, according to a study done by Thomas Kuhn, PhD, of the University of Alaska. Two of the most damaging players in brain aging are inflammation and oxidative stress. We learned that vitamin E helps to alleviate the oxidative stress and now we find that blueberries can help to lessen the inflammation of the spinal cord and brain tissue. Blueberry can also strengthen the communication between neural cells and can actually REVERSE damage done to the circuitry in the brain. The neural circuitry in the brain tends to resemble a tree or leaf, with branches and sub-branches feeding off the main stem. In brains of memory impaired rats, some of the branches have withered and become disconnected. Studies done on older memory impaired rats that were fed a diet supplemented with blueberries found that blueberry could return brain structure back to normal, as well as prevent the breakdown of neuronal communication. This m!
ade headlines for many health news outlets in November 2007

-Gingko Biloba

Gingko biloba is featured in all of Melaleuca’s ProVex products for cardiovascular health because its properties include the improvement of blood flow and the ability to block the effects of blood clotting. It is added as an ingredient in Unforgettables for these reasons and because of another property it possesses — the protection against oxidative cell damage from free radicals. A recent six-month study on the effects of gingko biloba in the diet of ten patients, with no dementia but mild memory loss, found that after supplementing with at least 120 mg twice daily, verbal recall was improved. PET scans showed better brain function in brain memory centers. A French study found that long term supplementation of gingko biloba “enables cognitive performance to be maintained for longer, and indicates that the development of Alzheimer’s disease can be prevented or at least delayed.”

In a meta-review of previously published studies on gingko biloba related to memory function, a “small but significant effect” to short-term recall was found when patients were treated with 120 mg to 240 mg over three to six months.(9)

-Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid normally found in nearly every cell in your body. A phospholipid is a type of lipid. Lipids add to cell structure and are a source of fuel. In the brain PS operates in part as a communication facilitator between nerve cells.
Most Phosphatidylserine research has been conducted with PS derived from the brain tissue of cows, and shows a substantial health benefit in age-related cognitive decline, but because of concerns about the possibility of humans contracting infectious diseases such as “mad cow” disease, this form is not available in the US.

More recent data suggests that the complexation of standardized Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) with soy-derived phospholipids, the form used in Melaleuca’s Unforgettables, enhances the bio-availability of GBE’s active components.

Results of a recent study utilizing ginkgo biloba extract with soy-derived phospholipids showed that “administration of GBE complexed with Phosphatidylserine resulted both in improved secondary memory performance and significantly increased speed of memory task performance across all of the post-dose testing sessions.”

It appears from this study that Phosphatidylserine acts synergistically to enhance the cognitive effects associated with a low dose of GBE. Further research is required to identify whether this effect is due to the complexation of the extracts, their mere combination, or the separate psychopharmacological actions of the two extracts.

-Conclusion

The ingredients in Unforgettables are a well-chosen blend of brain health ingredients whose positive synergistic effects can help to maintain cognitive function in older adults. We have seen that two of the most damaging effects of age to the brain are inflammation and oxidative stress caused by free radicals. The ingredients in Unforgettables combat against both of these adverse side-effects of aging.

Supplements a Fitness Beginner Needs

One of the most frequently asked questions that someone new to fitness will ask is “What supplements should I take?” The answer to that isn’t a simple one: you don’t need to take any supplements, especially when you are a beginner; However, supplements can be very good for your fitness. Many people are concerned with supplements and their side effects. All the supplements mentioned here are all natural and are present in normal diets. Supplements are only there to supplement our diets.

The first supplement that a starter should begin taking is a whey protein supplement. Whey protein is an extremely fast absorbing protein and because of that is the best protein to take after a workout, when all your muscles are in need of protein to rebuild themselves. Whey can also be consumed early in the morning after your body has undergone around 8 hours of fasting. Whey should not be mixed with milk as milk slows down the absorption rate that whey protein is so famous for. Whey should be mixed with water and dextrose and maltodextrin postworkout.

After you have passed from your “beginner” stage to the “amateur” stage, you might want to start taking creatine. Creatine is found in our muscles and helps produce energy and strength. Creatine is found naturally in red meat, but supplementation with creatine causes the muscles to be saturated with creatine and causes huge strength and size gains. Creatine supplements are not dangerous when taken used according to the maker’s instructions, but you should always speak to your physician prior to taking creatine. Starting creatine usually involves a “loading” phase, where a lot of creatine is taken in the first 5 days or so, and then the regular amount is taken following that. While on creatine, it is paramount to consume a large amount of water; upwards of a gallon a day is preferred, otherwise liver damage could occur.

Supplements are one of the most important parts of fitness and yet they are very often misunderstood by beginners. When supplements are taken correctly, there are little to no ill effects and many benefits to be had.

Supplemental Medical Insurance

Group health insurance rates have been increasing year after year and employers have been forced to make some drastic changes in their employee benefit programs. Many employers have changed their health insurance to high deductible plans. Dental Insurance has been discontinued by some companies as well as vision care. Disability programs have been trimmed down as well as group life insurance. This has created gaps in coverage and employees have had to look for alternatives for coverage that has been omitted or decreased in their benefit package. The answer to this problem has come in the form of supplemental health insurance. Supplemental health insurance companies will enroll employees with these products and the premiums are paid through payroll deduction.

Supplemental health Insurance Products

1. Disability Insurance – Supplemental disability insurance is sold to employees to fill in gaps or replace lost benefits. Long term and short term disability insurance can be purchased with a variety of waiting periods and benefit periods.

2. Life Insurance – Supplemental life insurance includes a variety of permanent plans as well as term life insurance. There are non-medical life policies available for larger groups when a certain amount of employees participate in the plan.

3. Dental Insurance – This is one of the more popular supplemental health products because it usually the first discontinued by the employer.

4. Cancer Insurance – The cancer policy is a single need policy with relatively low premiums.

5. Accident Insurance – The accident policy covers accidental injury and death. There are accident disability riders on some accident policies.

6. Hospital Income – The hospital income policy pays a daily dollar rate to the insured while hospitalized. These policies can pay as low as $10 per day and as high as $200 for each day hospitalized.

The need for supplemental insurance is stronger than ever before. These policies can also be purchased on an individual basis with most companies.

Supplememnts Can Improve Your Prostate Health

Prostate health is an important topic on the minds of many today. Prostate health is extremely important, as prostate cancer and other related
medical conditions are common among men. Prostate cancer symptoms are similar to those for prostatitis and BPH and can also include blood in urine or semen, painful ejaculation and constant pain in the lower back, pelvis or upper thighs. With supercharged saw palmetto, powerful antioxidants and a list of proven prostate supporters, Prostacet is the most comprehensive formula available.

Each year thousands of men are treated for inflamed prostates, in most cases those cases of prostatitis could have been prevented with the help of
supplements for prostate health. Maintaining a healthy prostate is easy enough these days with all of the dietary supplements and herbal pills
now available. In the past few years, supplements for prostate health have been made available to help men minimize their chances of developing
any of these disorders.

Supplements for prostate health are not cures, they are habits and nutrients that can help improve a man’s prostate health and thereby narrow his chances of acquiring prostate-related disorders such as prostatitis, enlarged prostate and even cancer. Supplements and food sources rich in antioxidants (vitamin E and selenium) have been shown to control cell damage and may prevent prostate cancer.

Herbal remedies have long been found effective as supplements for prostate health. Some of the most common ingredients in prostate supplements are herbs like saw palmetto and pygeum. Good supplements, such as Prostacet, combine different ingredients proven to support good prostate health.

Afflictions of the prostate are most commonly found in developed countries whose dietary habits focus on red meat and dairy products. To maintain
the health of the prostate gland, experts have claimed that excessive intake of animal-derived foods such as red meat and dairy products should be avoided. While, products like saw palmetto berries and lycopene may help naturally improve an enlarged prostate.

The difference now is, we’ve become a nutritionally advanced culture who has learned more and more about natural supplements and products that can help us achieve and maintain health much longer than we used to, as well as to eat the right foods that will make our organs function at peak levels well into late ages. A healthful diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and soy products along with vitamin and herbal support can have a beneficial effect on the prostate gland.

Prostate health is a concern for men of all ages and this increases as we grow older. A healthy prostate is also vital to proper sexual function,
so most men take the health of their prostates very seriously. For men, particularly those aged 45 and above, maintaining a healthy prostate is
necessary. Since prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in men, every man should consider trying to improve the health of this
vital gland naturally through diet and supplements. Prostacet is a super prostate formula and the best supplement to give your body all that it needs to help you in reducing your risk for prostate cancer.

Superhuman Senses

You have superhuman senses, but you don’t know it yet.

You can detect the presence of a tiny speck of anthrax in a vast public space, or count the fish in a 4,000 square mile area. You can hear a gunshot hundreds of yards away and use your super-powerful vision to zoom in on a criminal as he tries to escape. You can look in the eyes of a person you’ve never met, and tell me her identity.

Best of all, with every passing day, your superhuman senses grow stronger. You acquire new ones, too. No, you didn’t get bitten by a radioactive spider or exposed to gamma radiation. You’re not a mutant X-Man.

You are just lucky enough to be alive during the birth of a new class of computers, called sensors. They are multiplying faster than chocolate stains at a nursery school birthday party.

In the time it took me to write this far, the human race deployed thousands of new sensors into the world. Some are old-hat sensors like burglar alarms and smoke detectors. But others extend and supercharge our senses in ways that seem ripped out of the pages of your favorite comic book.

If a tree grows in the forest and no one is there, does it make a noise? Sensors are being added to forests – often to study the behavior of wild animals – and the answer is a resounding yes.

Sensors called drifters have been floating on ocean currents for several years now, sending back information not only to researchers but also to elementary school classrooms. In the process, we are learning immense amounts about our oceans and climate.

Thanks to sensors, Air Force pilots in Colorado Springs now control drone planes that run bombing missions in Afghanistan; the pilots’ biggest problem is coming home to a normal family life at 5 pm, after operating in a war zone.

Sensors extend your senses to the very little, and the very distant. They can detect pathogens at the molecular level, and monitor the Earth – or other planets – over vast distances. Pictures from satellites show the impact of human development on places such as Mexico City, Las Vegas and the Amazon.

Never before have you – or any other human – been able to see in such detail how our world changes from one day to the other, or one year to the next.

Four big changes are impacting the growth of your new superhuman senses:

  1. 1. Sensors are increasingly becoming wireless, which means they can operate almost anywhere
  2. 2. We are figuring out how to get sensors to use very small amounts of power, or even to generate all the power they need from their environment (i.e. solar power, or power from natural vibrations)
  3. 3. Sensors are shrinking rapidly
  4. 4. Sensors are being networked together

Altogether, these changes mean that sensors will literally be woven into the fabric of our world.

Think of a new Internet of sensors, which will extend your senses in ways that are difficult to imagine. Do you know where your children are right now? Soon, your answer will always be yes.

In fact, it’s already a mistake to think that Google only searches web pages. Through the web, you can already access millions of sensor readings, from radar screens and satellite imagery to sensor data from nature preserves such as Great Duck Island

If you have ever read a comic book, you know that gaining superhuman powers will change your life. Peter Parker didn’t come home with new spider powers and go on with life as usual. These powers turned his life upside down.

Likewise, these new powers will change the course of human history. Quickly.

Sensors will reveal the truth about our history, environment, interactions, and universe. Just look at NBC’s Olympic coverage, and you’ll get an idea what I mean. They can now superimpose one ski racer’s run over his competitor, so you can see precisely when and how one racer got the edge. No more vague generalities; we can now see 1/100ths of a second differences between two performances.

Knowing the truth excites some people, and terrifies others. Just ask Superman what it’s like to have x-ray vision. Sometimes it’s pretty depressing to know the truth.

Take a moment and look around. In less time than it will take the Yankees to win another World Series, sensors will be in your clothing, walls, pets, vehicles and body. Of course, you may be an early adopter, in which case all of these are already true.

Super Healthy Diet Plan

Get ready to lose 10 pounds! By paying attention to the amount of food you eat, eliminating unnecessary sugar and fat from your foods and making sure you include absolutely delicious meals and snacks to keep your taste buds happy. Use this easy-to-follow and super healthy diet plan to lose the first 10, the last 10, or any 10 in between! Because it’s a balanced and flexible program, you can stay on this diet as long as it takes.

Top Fast Secrets
• Keep track of everything you eat and drink. No need to estimate calories – just write down the type of food or beverage and the amount.
• Cut your fat intake in half, that means half as much margarine or butter on toast, vegetables and your muffin, half the mayonnaise on your sandwich, and half the oil in the pan when you saute foods. You get the idea!
• Limit the sugar treats to three times per week maximum.
• Include good sources of protein at meal, chicken, fish, legumes, peanut, cottage cheese, eggs or yogurt.
• Eat at least one meatless lunch and dinner each week to reduce fat, increase fiber, and get yourself into the habit of building meals around whole grains, beans and vegetables.
• If you’re not currently using skim milk, go down to the level of fat content in the milk you use. For example, if you currently use two percent, use only one percent. If you insist on whole milk, try two percent.
• Eat at least two servings of fresh fruit every day. Choose whatever type of fruit is in season.
• Instead of fruit juice for breakfast or snack, drink water. Add a slice of lemon or lime for zest.
• Include two servings of vegetables with lunch and dinner, for a total of at least four servings per day.
• Choose one to two servings of foods made from whole grains with every meal.
• Shut off the TV whenever you eat – that includes meals and snacks. Studies show that we automatically eat larger portions when we snack in front of the tube, and typically those foods are high in fat and sugar, which means excess calories!
• Choose calories you can chew – that means only calorie-free beverages (except for milk) Sodas are loaded with empty calories, and fruit juices provide less fiber and vitamins per calorie than the fruit they’re made from.
• Plan ahead for meals and snacks so you know exactly what you plan to eat. Last-minute choice tends to be higher in calories and lower in satisfaction.

DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”

Super Foods For Super Health

We all hear about the many wonderful foods that are good to eat, and good for us. We always hear about eating fruits, and vegetables, and nuts. But that’s a big list to sort through, and wouldn’t it be simpler to have a few super foods that you can always turn to? To help you in your endeavors to lead a healthy lifestyle and a healthy life you can use the list compiled below as quick reference list of 9 super foods. These super foods and 14 others can be found in SuperFoods Health-Style, by Steven G. Pratt M.D.

Apples

Apples are a great food for many reasons including the ability to reduce the risk or heart disease, certain cancers, high blood pressure, and type-2 diabetes. They also benefit the respiratory system by preventing lung cancer and asthma.

By consuming apples your body gets fiber, potassium and antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and polyphenols. Studies show that the real benefit comes from the synergistic interaction between these ingredients.

To take best advantage of apples for your health, eat a wide variety and make sure that you eat the peel, which contains several times more antioxidants than the inside. As they say, eat an apple a day.

Avocados

When you want to help you body absorb more nutrients from the foods you eat, have an avocado too. Fat soluble phytonutrients, like beta-carotene, are more easily absorbed by the body because of the monounsaturated fat in the avocado.

Avocados also help you keep your weight down because they help you feel full, which triggers your body to stop eating. They are calorie rich at 48 calories per ounce, so for best results eat one-third to one-half an avocado two to three times a week.

Dark Chocolate

When you want a little indulgence with your health food, try dark chocolate. It contains lots of polyphenols which lower blood pressure and is a natural anti-inflammatory. You should keep in mind that blood pressure lowering qualities are only in dark chocolate, but not in its cousin, milk chocolate.

In 2000 a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the affect on blood flow from high flavonol cocoa was similar to taking a low-dose aspirin. These means that dark chocolate could possibly be used to treat ailments like minor pains or headaches.

For the best results use Newman’s Own Sweet Dart Chocolate, as Dr Pratt has found it has more polyphenols than any other dark chocolate he has found. Like avocado, chocolate is high in calories, so shoot for no more than 100 calories a day.

Olive Oil

There has been much discussion lately about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Well olive oil is one of the main components of that diet and its benefits are outstanding. It is a great substitute for other oils and fats and has been shown to reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer, lower blood pressure, and improve the health of your cardiovascular system.

For best results take a tablespoon a day of extra virgin olive oil that is cold pressed and greenish in color. This green color helps you spot high levels of polyphenols.

Garlic

Another component of the Mediterranean diet, Garlic is great for your cardiovascular system. By eating garlic regularly you can reduce your blood pressure, triglyceride levels and your LDL(bad) cholesterol. Garlic also has anti inflammatory agents and antibiotic properties.

To grab all the health benefits of garlic eat one clove several times a week. Raw garlic is best, but cooked is good too. Keep in mind that dried garlic and garlic supplements don’t have the same benefits as fresh garlic.

Honey

Honey is not often seen on many lists of healthy foods, but don’t let that fool you. Eating honey daily increases the amounts of antioxidant in the blood, helps to prevent constipation, and reduces cholesterol and blood pressure.

If you are running low on energy, reach for the honey, not sugar. Honey does a better job of maintaining blood sugar and energy than other sweeteners. And choose dark honeys over light ones, because they are higher in antioxidants and flavor. One to two teaspoons several times a week should do the trick.

Kiwis

If you want extreme quantities of Vitamin C and E that can reduce risk of asthma, osteoarthritis, and colon cancer, and boost your immune system, then grab a kiwi or two. An interesting point to keep in mind is that dietary vitamin E appears to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s, and by consuming kiwis, you get vitamin E without the calories that most other vitamin e rich foods contain, like nuts and oils.

Another stellar ingredient is lutein, which lowers the risk cataracts and macular degeneration. To get all the above benefits and reduce the risk of blood clots, then consume one kiwi, two to three times a week.

Onions

For the benefits of onions, you can just reread the benefits of garlic, because they are pretty much the same.

Try to eat dishes containing onions at least three times a week, and make sure that you let the onion sit for 5 to 10 minutes after you cut it open. If you apply heat too soon you will deactivate the thiopropanal sulfoxide, which is the substance in the onion that gives us the most heart benefits. And remember the more pungent the onion, the better it is for you.
Pomegranates

Pomegranates are packed with tons of phytochemicals like potassium, which is great for lowering your blood pressure. Studies also suggest that pomegranates can slow the progression of prostate cancer and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.

Instead of fighting with the little pulpy seeds to get your dose of pomegranate, try four to eight ounces of 100% juice several times a week. Be sure to stay away from juices with added sugar.