Which MuscleWhich Equipment

If you are a newbie to the gym, all the equipment may look confusing. Now I am sure over time, you can watch others use the equipment and get the hang of how to use it but not necessarily will you know when to use it. In other words which muscle group are benefiting.

You see, most workouts consist of focusing on one muscle at a time. Generally you should not do one exercise for chest, followed by an exercise for legs and then followed by an exercise for back. It just doesn?t maximize the intensity of your workout. You should perform the entire workout on a given body part or muscle group before moving to the next.

Okay, so which exercises hit which muscle groups? I will detail that out below but keep in mind this is a shopping list that you choose. Also, this list is not all encompassing. I sure I could add a dozen more exercises but I will just list some of the basics. Also I will not list the machines for the specific muscle groups below. The machines are self defining. BUT you should add some of those machines to your routine.

Chest

• Flat Bench Press-Barbell
• Incline Bench Press-Barbell
• Decline Bench Press-Barbell
• Dumbbell flies with flat, incline or decline bench
• Standing Cable Crossover Flies

Back

• Wide Grip Pull Ups using body weight (hands forward)
• Wide Grip Seated Cable Pull down
• T bar rows
• Bent over barbell rows
• Seated Cable Row
• One arm dumbbell rows

Shoulders

• Seated Bench Barbell Presses
• Seated Bench Dumbbell Presses
• Side lateral flies-Dumbbells
• Front Alternating flies- Dumbbells
• Seated bent over (chest on legs) flies ?Dumbbells
• Barbell Shrugs
• Dumbbell Shrugs

For a more complete listing of muscle groups,exercises and pictures go to http://www.bodybuildingprogramzone.com/article195.htm

Scott Jameson is a bodybuilder and trainer for over 30 years. He has a passion for bodybuilding and helping other achieve this success. He regularly applies the techniques in this article. See more of his articles at http://www.bodybuildingprogramzone.com

If you want to more information on a Bodybuilding Program - Check out the Zone, the site with a passion for you to succeed.

This article may be reproduced on your website provided you acknowledge Scott Jameson as the author and must show link

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Why Are They So Important

While health experts argue the benefits of some health supplements, the evidence continues to mount in favor of fish oil. Fish and fish oil supplements supply us with the Omega 3 fatty acids that are needed for heart and brain health. Even the American Heart Association strongly endorses the use of fish oil for cardiovascular health. Why? Because those with diets rich in Omega 3 fats are less likely to have high blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms, and are less likely to die from heart attacks or strokes.

Omega 3 fatty acids are also beneficial for brain health. The human brain is more than sixty percent structural fat. But, the type of fat needed for the brain to function properly is Omega 3 fatty acids. According to recent research, decreasing your intake of Omega 6 fats (primarily vegetable oils) along with increasing Omega 3 fatty acids, reduces the risk of depression, aggressive behavior, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia and lowers your risk of developing Alzheimer?s. Other current studies with Omega 3 fats have shown benefits with regards to cancer, inflammatory diseases, diabetes and other health related conditions.

Of course we all know that there are good fats and bad fats. Any artificially produced fat, called transfats, are not good for us and saturated fats should always be kept at a minimum.

But there is a type of fat called EFA?s (Essential Fatty Acids) that are not only good for you but essential for normal growth and development. Furthermore, your body can?t manufacture them, so you must get them from your diet. Essential Fatty Acids are polyunsaturated and are grouped into Omega 6 and Omega 3?s.

Although both types of Omegas are essential for health, experts agree that our diet ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids is greatly unbalanced. While our ancestor?s diets consisted of a diet ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 of about 1:1, our modern dietary habits now reflect a ratio closer to 20:1 to 50:1.

According to Dr. Donald Rudin, author of Omega 3 Oils, fatty acids are the main structural components of every cell membrane in the body, and therefore influence every process in the cell. He concludes that a balanced intake of essential fatty acids is necessary for both healthy cell function and a sense of well-being.

The permeability of the cell depends on the essential fatty acids. This allows nutrients into the cell and toxins to escape. When we rely on other fats to do the job required of Omegas 3 fats the structure of the membrane of each cell becomes stiff and unable to remain healthy enough to do its job.

The primary sources of Omega 6 fats are canola, soy, corn, safflower and sunflower oil. These oils are overabundant in the typical diet, which explains our excess Omega 6 levels. Omega 3 fats are typically found in flaxseed, walnuts and fish.

The Omega 3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish, such as tuna, salmon, trout and mackerel consists of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Omega 3?s in the form of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) can be found in flaxseed and walnut oils, and seaweed. However, the body must convert ALA to DHA and EPA to derive the heart & brain healthy benefit. This conversion however, is often difficult for some people to make. Therefore getting your Omega 3 fat acids directly from cold water fish or fish oil supplements may be your best bet.

Omega 3 fatty acids?An important addition to True Healthy Living Now!

Due to personal health issues we have been researching health & fitness for the last five years. The information we have obtained has helped us and our family members get off pharmaceutical drugs and regain a level of health we had never known. Please visit us at http://www.truehealthylivingnow.blogspot.com.

Ulnar Neuropathy: Sane Treatment of a Crazy Bone

Do you remember what it felt like when you banged your elbow on a hard surface and it sent shocks through your forearm and into your little finger? Not too pleasant, to be sure. But on the plus side, the unpleasantness was merely temporary and, for the time being, you remembered not to do that again.

The part of the nervous system responsible for this annoying symptom is the ulnar nerve, a peripheral nerve-bundle whose individual nerve-fibers originate in the spinal cord where it passes through the neck. The nerve-fibers run most of the length of the arm, including through the ulnar groove which you may know as the funny bone or crazy bone.

Some people experience a more persisting impairment of the ulnar nerve called ulnar neuropathy. With -pathy as the medical suffix meaning illness or impairment, an ulnar neuropathy means an illness or impairment of the ulnar nerve. The ulnar nerve is vulnerable to injury or pinch in the ulnar groove for more than one reason. First, instead of being surrounded by soft, cushioning muscles and tendons, it is sandwiched between a layer of skin on its exterior surface and nothing but hard bone on its interior surface. Second, when the elbow bends, the ulnar nerve stretches because it has to take the long way around the elbow.

Like a telephone cable containing numerous wires, the ulnar nerve-bundle contains many individual nerve-fibers, some of which tell the muscles what to do and others of which carry messages back to the spinal cord and brain about sensations experienced by the skin and other tissues. So when the ulnar nerve is injured, both motor and sensory symptoms are possible. Most of the muscles of the hand receive their marching orders via the ulnar nerve, so when the ulnar nerve is out of whack, there can be weakness in hand muscles. The muscles that spread the fingers and those that straighten the middle joints of the ring and little fingers are often affected. Damage to the ulnar nerve also causes changes in sensation. The ring and little fingers can become numb, and so can the heel of the hand.

The ulnar nerve can come to harm in more than one way. For some people the problem might result from leaning on their elbows too much. This can compress the ulnar nerve within the ulnar groove. Granted, many people lean on their elbows without damaging their ulnar nerves, but like most things in medicine, an ulnar neuropathy is usually caused by a combination of factors, and it is likely that some people are more vulnerable than others based on their particular anatomies. Of course, rearranging one's anatomy, as for example from a preceding elbow fracture, may also put one at risk for an ulnar neuropathy.

Another way to injure the ulnar nerve is by over-stretching it. In the author's clinical practice a thin, young lady with loose elbow-joints who worked as an emergency medical technician injured her ulnar nerves repeatedly while lifting heavy patients. For her, it was a problem that wouldn't go away, and she eventually changed professions.

Although, as discussed, the ulnar nerve at the elbow is especially vulnerable to injuries, it can also come to harm by getting compressed or pinched by nearby abnormal tissues. The usual culprits are tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, cysts and scars.

Sometimes, an ulnar neuropathy is the leading symptom of a polyneuropathy, meaning that all the peripheral nerves in the body are somewhat impaired, but the ulnar nerve is the first one to cause symptoms noticeable to the affected individual. Polyneuropathy is not the result of injury, but can be seen in a variety of illnesses, including diabetes, alcoholism and also on an inherited basis.

Diagnosing an ulnar neuropathy starts with the story of the symptoms and a physician's examination. The physician might subsequently order nerve conduction testing which looks at the nerve and muscle electricity, and can determine the degree of impairment. Moreover, nerve conduction studies can also evaluate other nerves to see if the ulnar nerve is the only one impaired, or merely one of many.

What if a simple injury to the ulnar nerve at the elbow is diagnosed? What can be expected? Fortunately, the peripheral nerves have some capacity to heal themselves. So if the degree of nerve impairment is not too severe, conservative treatment is called for. Unfortunately, there are no conservative treatments that have been studied by good, randomized, controlled trials, a form of evaluation in which the outcome of a treated group of patients is compared to that of an untreated group. Randomized, controlled trials are the gold standard for deciding whether or not a treatment is effective, so in this case all we have to go on is clinical judgment and observation.

A typical conservative treatment consists of putting a sport-pad (not a medical brace) on the elbow with the foam covering the ulnar groove. This accomplishes two things. First, if the elbow gets leaned on, then the nerve is still protected. Second, a well-fitting pad also prevents excessive elbow-bending (including during sleep) that overstretches the nerve and re-injures it. In addition, eating nutritious, well-rounded meals, together with vitamins, gives the ulnar nerve the building-blocks it needs in order to make the best possible recovery.

If the nerve injury is severe, or fails to respond to conservative treatment, then surgery might be beneficial. When the nerve is tied up in scar tissue or compressed by nearby abnormal tissues, a simple release operation might suffice in which the nerve is freed up. Otherwise, in a procedure called anterior transposition the nerve is transferred out of the ulnar groove so it is out of harm's way from leaning on the elbow, and also gets to take to the short way around when the elbow is flexed.

Neurosurgical researchers at Radboud University Nijmegen in The Netherlands conducted a randomized, controlled trial of patients with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow in which half the patients received simple release surgery and the other half received anterior transposition. In this study there was no difference in outcomes between the two surgeries. About two-thirds of the patients in each group obtained an outcome that was considered either excellent or good. However, there were more complications in the patients receiving the anterior transposition procedure, so the results of this study favored the simple release approach.

(C) 2005 by Gary Cordingley

Gary Cordingley, MD, PhD, is a clinical neurologist, teacher and researcher who works in Athens, Ohio. For more health-related articles see his website at: http://www.cordingleyneurology.com

A Radiant Complexion in 5 Simple Steps

A healthy, radiant complexion is nourished from the inside out by eating a balanced diet and drinking lots of water. How much your complexion glows also depends on how you take care of it; first with proper cleansing and moisturizing and second by not smoking and avoiding stress and sun exposure.

If you follow the steps below regularly, which will take less than 5 minutes a day, the results will be noticeable.

1.Cleansing: It is important to use a cleanser that is formulated for your skin type in order to get the best results. While a regular soap maybe great on the rest of your body your facial skin needs extra care.

*Dry skin feels very tight and dry all over. Choose a creamy cleanser formulated for dry skin. The rich emollients will leave your skin feeling clean and soft. Also use extra emollient moisturizers and cleanse twice a day.

*Normal skin is neither dry nor oily. Choose a cleanser and moisturizer that have balancing moisture formulated for normal skin. Even though your skin feels great, to keep it looking radiant, cleanse and moisturize regularly.

*Combination skin is dry with oiliness in the t-zone - the forehead, nose and chin. To take care of this type of skin you?ll need products that both moisturize and prevent oil buildup.

*If you notice that by noon your skin has become oily, then you have an oily complexion and will need oil control products that will keep your skin fresh longer and prevent oil buildup.

2.Exfoliate: To deep clean, condition and remove dead skin cells, exfoliate twice a week using a facial mask or scrub. A creamy scrub or mask that moisturizes and hydrates the skin is best for dry to normal skin types. Combination and oily skin types need a mask that deep cleans and controls oil.

3.Toner: Toners remove the last traces of cleaners and restore skin to its natural pH balance. Those with dry skin should avoid toners with alcohol.

4.Moisturize: All skin needs a good moisturizer to keep the natural oils balanced and skin looking fresh. Dry skin needs extra moisture, normal skin needs a balancing moisturizer and oily skin needs an oil-free moisturizer.

5.Foundation: This is the last step to even out your skin tone and protect your skin from the environment. Choose a color that is as close to your natural skin tone as possible. Try it along your jaw line for best results and look for a shade that blends with your skin. Foundation shouldn?t be visible.

There are also products on the market that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA?s), naturally derived from sugar cane, olives, milk, fruit and wine. Those products get rid of dead skin cells leaving fresher, newer looking skin. The benefits of using ?age-fighting? creams are reduced surface wrinkles, soft skin and fading of ?age spots?.

Follow this routine and you will be on your way to having healthy, radiant looking skin.

?Copyright 2006 Sheila Dicks

Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who helps women feel more confident by dressing to suit their body type. To get tips on how to dress slimmer and find your best styles get a copy of her ebook ?Image Makeover? at http://www.how-to-dress.com or go to http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to get the Free Report ? 7 Things Your Girlfriends Won?t Tell You About Beauty and Fashion?.

Reiki and the Care of Pregnant Women

The concept of motherhood is extolled in many cultures. It is sanctified and women are expected to feel fulfilled by it. Yet women have an ambiguous attitude towards it. Some look forward to it with joy. Others would rather not have a baby as they feel it would ruin their figure or they are convinced that they would die during delivery.

The more aggressive women would simply dismiss it as unwanted responsibility. The attitude would make all the difference to the way in which the woman handles her womanhood and pregnancy. The attitude would also impact the unborn child in more ways than one.

Reiki clinics are flooded with women who have physical and psychological problems related to pregnancy. Reiki alleviates many of the symptoms of pregnancy such as morning sickness, excessive tiredness and backache. Reiki helps them adjust to the changes in their body and gives them a positive attitude towards the birth of the child. It emotionally supports the mother and makes her aware of the meaning of motherhood. It also helps the fetus grow normally and often delivery becomes easy for those who have had Reiki just before or during the course of delivery. Reiki improves the bond between the mother and child.

Fathers who wish to support their wives through the pregnancy and develop a bond with the unborn child should consider taking a course in Reiki. They can assist the mother nurture the fetus and ensure its psychological and physical well being by giving Reiki to their wives during pregnancy and delivery. Many fathers who have participated in this exercise have excitedly reported that they can actually feel the fetus move towards the energy when Reiki is given. They have also reported that their bonding with the child is better and they feel that they have contributed to the nurturing of the child in the womb.

If you are serious about learning Reiki, check out Discover-Reiki

Case Study

Ms.R did not want to have a baby. She became pregnant by accident and her pregnancy was diagnosed too late to do anything about it. The Doctors refused to abort the fetus as the pregnancy had gone beyond a six week period and her husband was opposed to the idea and refused consent. She therefore, developed a lot of negativity towards the child. She insisted that ?the thing? had taken over her body and was playing havoc with it. ?The thing? was constantly moving around and making her uncomfortable, queasy and the laughing stock of all her friends. She refused to go out of the house till she could get ?the thing? out of her body and be free of its influence! She would scream at her husband and hold him responsible for the predicament she finds herself in. In the extreme she would threaten to kill ?the thing? by piercing her abdomen with a sharp instrument.

Her husband was very worried and desperate. He did not know how to convince her that the baby was a blessing and would bring joy into their lives. He wanted the child and was afraid for his wife. He tried talking to her, convincing her of his love and that the child would bring them closer. She refused to listen. Her mother tried talking her out of her skulks to no avail. She hated the baby and refused to regard it with any kind of open mindedness. When Mr.R had finally given up hope of improving the situation he heard about Reiki from some of his colleagues and decided to try it. However, he was not very sure that he would be able to get his wife to visit the clinic.

One day he dropped in after office hours for a casual chat with me. He wanted to know how Reiki worked and whether we were certain it would work for his wife. Fortunately, there was another pregnant mother at the clinic who had come in with a similar problem and had immensely benefited from the treatment. She volunteered information on how it helped her through the most difficult period of her pregnancy. Mr.R was very hopeful at the end of the discussion and promised to persuade his wife to undertake treatment.

A week later, Mr and Ms R visited the clinic together. It was obvious from the expression on Ms R?s face that she was a reluctant visitor. She was about five months pregnant at that time and very weak and irritable. She was pale and had dark circles under her eyes and there were worry lines cracking up her forehead and corners of her eyes. She held herself very awkwardly and gave an impression that she was trying to pull in her stomach and hide her pregnancy. Her feet were swollen, but she had squeezed them into an over tight shoe in defiance of the swelling. On the whole she appeared uncomfortable, sick and dispirited. I felt that the usual pep talk may not help in her case.

As I was wondering about alternate approaches, Mr.R volunteered ?Madam my wife has decided that she will take up your offer and help you with your patients in this clinic. She says she can type up your cases and generally potter around for a week and see how she likes it.? He accompanied this with a wink. I took up his cue and welcomed her and told her how hard pressed we were for help. We would be very grateful to her for whatever help she can extend. The expression in Ms.R?s face lightened slightly. She said a little diffidently, ?I thought he was bringing me to some kind of clinic for a checkup. He keeps doing that all the time these days. I am fed up with Doctors and clinics. I don?t mind helping you. It will keep my mind off this ?horrible thing? that is destroying my life.? Mr.R looked very distressed. I quickly told him ? Please do leave Jane with us. We will have plenty of work for her. You can pick her up on your way from work. We will take care of her.?

Ms.R spent the next few days with us. Her husband would drop her off in the morning and pick her up in the evening. Initially, she was very diffident with us. As we continued to be friendly and cheerful, she relaxed and accepted us as her friends. We never spoke to her about her reaction to the pregnancy or her attitude to life. We appeared to accept her as she was. This made her feel at home. We gave her the task of gathering basic bio data from the patients and categorizing them according to the problems. We told her to sit in the visitor?s room and chat with the patients who came in so that we could get information about the psychological make up of the patient. She enthusiastically took up the task of questioning the patients with a predefined set of questions. She faithfully recorded their replies and sometimes even identified factors that could be the cause of some particular reaction on the part of the patient.

As the promised week slipped into the next, we could see that she was getting interested in all that we were doing. She asked us if she could continue coming. We expressed our gratitude and told her how helpful she was. She was very pleased and informed her husband that she liked the work and would continue to come for some time.

As the days passed her curiosity got the better of her and she asked some of the attendants on what Reiki was all about and even wondered what it felt like to have Reiki done to you. She began questioning the patients as they left the clinic on their experience with Reiki. At the end of the second week she came to me with a request that she would like Reiki done to her?just to see what it felt like. I agreed and immediately started the treatment. At the end of the session, she was very quiet. When she got ready to leave, I asked her curiously what she thought of Reiki. She said honestly ?It was very nice. I feel very energized but confused?. ?Confused? Why?? I asked. She thought for a while and replied ?I don?t know. I feel peaceful and more positive about life. I was so depressed about my pregnancy and could not think that life would ever be the same again. Now I am not so sure. It will not be the same I know, but I feel ready to accept the change. It is all very strange. Does Reiki do that to you?? So I explained ?Reiki is a positive energy. It does help you getter a better perspective on life and a greater grip on situations. I am glad you enjoyed it. Would you like to continue this treatment for some time? It will help you over the physical problems of pregnancy.? She said she needed time to think about it.

The next day when she came in, she said she would like to try the treatment for some time and see how it impacts her physically. We agreed and registered a slot for her on the busy schedule of the day. What followed is history. Her attitude to her pregnancy gradually underwent change. The child ceased to be ?the thing? and became ?My baby?. She enjoyed the sensation of the baby moving within her. She even began looking forward to the day when the child would be born and she would hold it in her arms. At the end of the month she was thinking up names for her baby. The rest of the pregnancy was spent calling him (she was sure it was a boy) Mark. He soon acquired an identity in her life and she would greet her husband joyfully every evening with reports on what Mark had done to her today. Mr R was overjoyed at the change Reiki had brought into their lives. He could not thank us enough. He enrolled himself and his wife for the first degree and spent the rest of her pregnancy sharing wonderful ?Reiki moments together?. Ms.R comes to the clinic often to help us out. Mark now two years old, accompanies her sometimes and is completely spoilt by everyone at the clinic and is given complete license to do what he pleases. We all feel a bond with the child who acquired an identity and personality in the clinic. Ms R and her husband are part of our team and will rush over to the clinic whenever we need additional hands.

Reiki is a gentle energy that brings about transformation of attitudes and even the personality of an individual. Reiki provides the required stimulus to access a different level of awareness and the patient no longer experiences the discomfort and attitudes of the former level of awareness.

If you are serious about learning Reiki, check out Discover-Reiki

Warmest regards,

Peter Tremayne
Learn Reiki In 7 Days! - www.discover-reiki.com

Peter Tremayne has published an ebook - 'Discover-Reiki' written by Reiki Master Stephen Leigh.

The ebook is a simple, step by step guide for anyone wanting to learning Reiki from the comfort of your own home.

What is Botox and What's the Use

Botox is an injectable substance that is a medical grade form of the botulinum toxin, most often used to soften and relax forehead/scowl lines as well as crows feet around the eye area.

Botulin toxin or botox is the toxic compound produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is an enzyme that breaks down one of the fusion proteins that allow neurons to release acetylcholine at a neuromuscular junction. By interfering with nerve impulses in this way, it causes paralysis of muscles in botulism. The toxin is a two-chain polypeptide with a 100 kDa heavy chain joined by a disulphide bond to a 50-kD light chain. It is possibly the most toxic substance known, with a lethal do

Botox is most commonly used to smooth out wrinkles but can be used to help in many other cases. It's been found that botox injections can help children with cerebral palsy from agravating and suffering some other side effects. Muscle tension that often occurs with cerebral palsy has been seen to ameliorate while using botox. A side effect is a dry mouth, but in the case of neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy, where excessive drooling is a problem, this is actually helpful.

It's been found that BT, the botulinum toxin, injected into the prostate reduces the levels of prostate-specific antigen and the prostatic hyperplasia symptoms while being well tolerated. These results have been observed in a preliminary trial that was placebo controlled. The trial went great with no systemic adverse effects or any complications.

The botulinum toxin type A can be deadly, paralyzing muscles needed for breathing, but only very small doses are given in medical or cosmetic treatments.

Botox works by blocking the signal that nerves are trying to pass to the muscles.

For more information on botox treatment or botox doctors please visit : http://www.botox-cosmetic-doctor-center.com

Panic Disorder: Did Charles Darwin Have It?

Charles Darwin, author of the Theory of Evolution, was born in 1809, the son and grandson of physicians. At age 16, he was sent to study medicine at Edinburgh University in Scotland, but he was more interested in beetles than medicine. At age 22, he was invited to join the HMS Beagle for a five-year sail around the earth, where he collected specimens of plants and animals from around the world. He made lots of friends at school, was the life of the party in college, met all sorts of people when he traveled around the globe, and he was an active hiker and camper.

However, in 1837, at age 26, one year after returning to England from his boat trip around the world, he became terrified to meet people because he would develop, in his own words, a sensation of fear accompanied by troubled beating of the heart, sweat, trembling of muscles. He no longer went to parties and began to withdraw from society, he was afraid to meet people, and spend his time entering notes in a special journal. He consulted many physicians who at various times diagnosed him as having bad nerves, tropical disease, arsenic poisoning, intellectual exhaustion, dyspepsia, and suppressed gout.

Today he would be diagnosed as having panic disorder, a condition that usually starts between late adolescence and the mid-thirties. This condition affects an estimated 13 million Americans, manifests itself in unexpected attacks of extreme anxiety, with symptoms including rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling, sweating, nausea and dizziness. Some victims feel they are losing their minds or are about to die. Many become so obsessively worried about subsequent attacks that they make major changes in their behaviors, shunning whatever situation may have prompted the panic.

Darwin might never have revolutionized biology with his theory of evolution if he had not suffered from chronic mental illness that turned him into a scholarly recluse. When he died in 1882, he was buried at Westminster Abbey next to another giant named Isaac Newton.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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Another New Year Another Resolution to Lose Weight?

Most parents or schools never teach how to establish positive self-discipline unless you?re a Green Beret. That?s why most diets fail. There's not a diet program around that teaches someone how to create an unshakeable foundation of self-discipline and motivation, the kind necessary to really stick with healthy eating and exercise long enough to see results. And sure, people are motivated on January 1st but they are not so motivated on March 1st. The Warrior program is based on the science of self-discipline and self-motivation. It is complex and creates results.

A Warrior is someone who has the self-discipline and motivation necessary to go into battle and win. Everything they think about and do is about victory. Defeat is not an option. They realize what it will cost them if they do not focus all on their goal and strategize to win, no matter what.

People world-wide who have tried diet after diet and been unsuccessful will learn how to establish this unshakeable foundation of self-discipline and motivation through online support, daily email communication and teleclasses offered through the Warrior Weight Loss Program.

One of the first questions a new Warrior must answer is, ?What does being overweight cost me in my life?? Too often the focus is on the deprivation of missing out on certain foods instead of focusing on the loss of life and vitality that eating too many of those foods brings. It?s short-sited living. For most people being overweight costs them their self-respect, their health, higher wages, relationships, their joy in living and so much more, but they don?t think about that as they take the next bite.

Then new Warriors are taught how to focus on the joy of the reward not the pain of the deprivation. Dieting is so awful when you don?t have some of the key Warrior components. There?s a lot of joy and satisfaction in walking away from ice cream or potato chips when you focus on the reward of a thinner body, instead of how much you miss their taste.

New Warriors are also are taught to ask themselves at the end of each day, ?Who won today? The Warrior? Or the Enemies of Gluttony and Gratification? The more days a new Warrior stays focused on moderate eating and exercise the Warrior wins and the more weight they lose. The more a new Warrior overeats and doesn?t exercise the Enemies win and the more weight they maintain or even continue to gain.

The Warrior Weight Loss Program offers men and women a viable long-term solution to losing weight and maintaining it for the rest of their life that is not found in any diet book or pill ? it?s a simple solution called self-discipline and self-motivation.

Alicia Ashley, M.A. is the Founder of the Warrior Weight Loss Program. She is a psychotherapist who has specialized in working with men and women who suffer from eating disorders and obesity. She personally uses all of the skills and techniques of the Warrior that she recommends to others in order to maintain her own healthy weight and active lifestyle.

Alicia is a graduate of Pepperdine University where she received a B.A. in Psychology. She holds seminars and retreats for women on sexual self-worth, self-empowerment and health, in addition to weight loss and eating disorders.

Founding Warrior of http://www.WarriorWeightLoss.com/

The Psychology Of SelfHarming Behaviour

There are many forms of self-harming behaviour and numerous reasons why self-harm begins. One of the most common elements associated with self-harm is ?compulsion?. Compulsive behaviour can be seen most clearly in conditions such as Trichotillomania, where the sufferer repeatedly pulls hair from the scalp, eyebrows and/or eyelashes. It is unclear why this problem arises or why it seems to involve an almost overwhelming compulsion. The sufferer may often pull out hairs in a trance-like state (daydream) and become almost incapable of acknowledging their actions until they return to conscious awareness (return from their dream-like state). This compulsion can be so strong that some people may resort to radical solutions such as head shaving - in order to stop their self-harming behaviour.

The result of chronic hair-pulling can frequently cause extreme embarrassment and is often unfairly judged by others. Societal attitudes may lead sufferers to feel guilty or ashamed, and even depressed or withdrawn. When people feel low, they often repeat the behaviour that caused the original problem, which may in turn compound their suffering. It is a strange irony that repetitive and familiar behaviour is often experienced as source of ?comfort?. Although, this may explain why infants repeatedly suck their thumbs or older children bite their nails when feeling anxious or lonely.

It is possible that extreme compulsive behaviour may be triggered by traumatic life events. For example, physical or mental abuse, family conflict, neglect, separation or loss may be contributory factors. Negative stress caused by excessively busy lives may also result in a need for ?comforting? behaviour. Therefore, compulsive behaviour should not necessarily be seen as ?abnormal? or requiring a ?psychiatric diagnosis?, but may simply be a coping strategy for adverse life events/circumstances.

Clearly, when coping strategies become exaggerated by overwhelming emotional difficulties, they can appear more complex and problematic to understand. For example, it may be difficult to view compulsive self-injury, by cutting or burning, as a means of ?comfort?. However, when individuals experience continuous conflict within personal relationships, or perhaps bullying at work, extreme reactions may be understandable. By repeating familiar behaviour - however extreme - there may be a sense of comfort. Therefore, whatever the form of self-harm, and however it begins, it invariably develops into a compulsive need to repeat a pattern of behaviour, which appears to offer some relief.

Sal Peacock is a counsellor working in private practice and runs a website dedicated to emotional health issues. This article has copyright status - but you are welcome to use it provided you supply a hyperlink to http://www.thevelvetmind.com With Thanks

The Hottest Cosmetic Surgery Trends Today

Today, cosmetic surgery is an extremely common procedure carried out on both the young and the old. Most cosmetic surgery patients want to look good, nip and tuck a little bit here and there in an effort to hide evidence of the aging process. Statistics show that most cosmetic surgery patients are women, but there seems to be an influx of men who are unafraid of going under the knife in order to look good. Hence, cosmetic surgery is now common in both women and men. And in this modern era, cosmetic surgery patients want to get optimal results from cosmetic surgery without having to fork out the insane amount that cosmetic surgery used to cost some decades back. Therefore, more and more ways continue to be developed to satisfy the needs of consumers.

Once upon a time, facelifts and liposuction were the only options open to cosmetic surgery patients. Other untested and unproven cosmetic surgery methods were called ?high-risk? or ?alternative? cosmetic surgery methods. When the cosmetic surgery procedure comes with a term like ?high-risk?, consumers tend to be more hesitant.

While previous methods of cosmetic surgery aims to CHANGE the way a person looks, modern cosmetic surgery methods aim to help the patient look better, healthier, younger without having too much of their facial features or body parts altered. Indeed, patients show that they want the cosmetic surgery to be done as quickly as possible, as noninvasive as possible and require as short a recovery time as possible.

Instead of pulling, nicking and tucking skin away, the latest that the cosmetic surgery world has to offer is the noninvasive form of cosmetic surgery; the facial fillers. Instead of pulling skin tighter in an effort to reduce wrinkles, the facial filler cosmetic surgery method is a form of hyaluronic acid injected to fill out parts of the face to reduce signs of aging. Facial fillers also help erase unsightly acne scares, chicken pox scars or simply provide the face with more meat. It has been shown that this type of non-invasive cosmetic surgery lasts longer than collagen itself. And furthermore, undergoing this cosmetic surgery procedure, there is no risk of developing an allergic reaction associated with other types of facial fillers available in the market today!

Botox is also an extremely popular cosmetic surgery method. Botox helps relax the miscles, fades wrinkles slowly and fill in deep laugh and frown lines. Botox is also a non-invasive method that helps etch away the signs of aging slowly and inexpensively.

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.your-plastic-surgery.comon which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.your-plastic-surgery.comon which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is sometimes referred to as mature onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is much more common than Type I. In Type 2 diabetes the pancreas either does not produce adequate levels of insulin or the body becomes resistant to its own insulin.

Type I diabetes, also known as adolescent diabetes, differs from Type 2 in that the body stops producing insulin altogether. Type I diabetes is generally diagnosed in children or young adults. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in older adults, however, it is becoming substantially more prevalent in the younger population.

With the onset of diabetes, whether it be Type I or Type 2, we lose our ability to adequately utilize sugar. When this occurs, blood sugar levels increase due to the body?s inability to transport sugar into the cells and out of the blood stream. Sugar is very important in that it is the basic fuel source for the cells in our bodies. Insulin is necessary for the transport of sugar from the blood and into the cells.

Diabetes is a serious condition and can lead to many other health problems. Some problems that diabetics commonly encounter are an increased risk for heart and circulatory problems, high blood pressure, visual problems and blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage. With the diagnosis of diabetes, it becomes extremely important that blood sugar fluctuations are tightly controlled. With good control of blood sugar levels and the prevention of prolonged periods of elevated blood sugar, people with diabetes can live long and healthy lives.

Fortunately for the newly diagnosed diabetic, there are more and more tools available to help monitor and control the condition. Glucose meters are becoming smaller and easier to use. Blood samples necessary for glucose meter use are much smaller than in the past. Painful finger pricks can now be avoided with blood samples being able to be taken from alternate, less sensitive areas, such as the forearm. In the relatively near future, non-invasive glucose monitoring devices not requiring a sample of blood at all will become commonplace.

A simple blood test, known as the A1c test, can measure the average blood glucose levels over the previous three months. This test is a very good way to monitor and critique how effective current treatments, diet, medications, etc. have been recently. This test is now available for home use and as such does not even require a visit to the doctor.

Type 2 diabetics have more options available to them for blood sugar control than do Type I diabetics. Not only are there oral medications, often eliminating the need for insulin injection treatment, but other methods that may eliminate the need for medications altogether.

Type 2 diabetics should look to multiple sources of information in order to determine the best methods available to deal with their condition. A good start is a physician specializing in the treatment of diabetes. Most physician specialists will have nutritional counseling available to help understand the relationship of various food items with blood sugar levels.

Additionally, diabetics should become very familiar with vitamin, mineral, and herbal options to improve blood sugar metabolism and control. A few examples of supplements that are well known to help in this regard are chromium, magnesium, and vanadyl sulfate. Various natural glucose transport factors can be very helpful in aiding the body?s transport of glucose from the blood and into the cells. Vanadyl sulfate has been shown to improve glucose sensitivity and decrease insulin resistance.

Various herbal preparations have been shown to significantly improve blood sugar levels, sugar metabolism, and reportedly even improve the function of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Notably, Gymnema sylvestre, known as ?sugar destroyer? in Sandskrit, has been shown to have positive effects and benefits for diabetics.

Along with proper nutrition, appropriate supplements and vitamins, other important considerations are weight control and exercise. Excess weight tremendously increases the burden on the pancreas as fat requires much more insulin than lean tissue. Exercise not only helps control body fat and reduce weight, but additionally aids the transport of sugar from the blood and into the cells.

Diabetes is a very serious condition, but proper diet, glucose monitoring, and exercise can substantially improve our ability to control the condition. We should attempt to educate ourselves not only in the importance of tight blood sugar control, but also the various methods and options available to help in this regard. By utilizing good judgment in diet, weight control, exercise, and appropriate supplementation, diabetics can markedly reduce complications and lead long and healthy lives.

Further information regarding diabetes can be obtained at http://www.diabetessites.com/

About the Author: Dr. Mark S. Johnson, D.C., FAFICC, QME is a doctor of chiropractic medicine, specializing in nutrition and exercise rehabilitation. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Forensic and Industrial Chiropractic Consultants and a Qualified Medical Evaluator for the State of California.

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #6

I am so proud of you and your accomplishments. You?re embarking on your own journey and you astound me because you want something more, something that surpasses what you currently know. You are such a gift from God and He is right there with you as you?re on your journey to discover you?peeling back the layers to find the wholeness that already exists.

When I went through my transformation to discover myself after being very sick and peeled back my own layers and changed my thoughts, I had a difficult time adapting to the new me. For years I had been this person who lived in fear and worry and attracted everything that was separate from God; I didn?t know the person I had become.

Here I was experiencing a higher vibration of energy encompassing peace, love and joy and didn?t quite know what to do with these feelings. I was having new conversations with people on a whole different level and saying goodbye to some when I felt the need to do so. You may experience this as well. People are going to see changes in you and might be unsure of what this means for your relationship with them. Try not to be alarmed as there might be relationships that you?re going to have to say goodbye to because they don?t represent who you are any longer. Make sure you thank them for the role they played in your life (either in person or writing it down in a journal). This is necessary for your healing. Be aware of it and embrace it.

Wayne Dyer, my mentor who wrote The Power of Intention, eloquently states ?Surround yourself with the conditions which you want to produce.? If you?re looking for harmony, then attract only those people, those experiences that will produce harmony. Likewise, if you want to attract weight loss, then attract those people, those experiences that will help you produce weight loss. If you are around people who always want to eat in an unhealthy way, how is this going to help you in your quest to lose weight? What are you going to do about it? To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, ?Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.?

This is the intention of these lessons. To show you that you already have all the answers within. I am the one who holds your hand to guide you to your answers. As Wayne Dyer serves as my mentor, I will serve as yours. I?ll be your coach, your cheerleader to say, ?You can do it.? It?s so easy to look outside yourself for the answers, but the answers always lie within. We need to be ready to be open and to listen to our inner voice, our spirit. Sometimes we can listen to the itty bitty committee that is within us as well. Have you ever heard of this committee? They tell us that we can?t do it. They shout at us and say ?Who do you think you are to lose weight. You?re never going to be able to do it. You?ve tried in the past and haven?t been successful.?

Take a few moments and write down all the thoughts you?ve had in the past that supports the committee?s existence. Every thought that you?ve had that you couldn?t do it, it?s too hard, everyone else can lose weight but me?all those I can?t statements.

Right now, express gratitude to the committee. Take a moment and thank them for their presence because you needed them at one time. Our challenges can be our greatest gifts so it?s important to communicate gratitude because of the lessons we?re supposed to learn. Remember, the itty bitty committee is our own negative thoughts.

Ready to have some fun? Stand up and visualize the committee as these small, troll dolls lined up across the floor. Now turn around and shake your hineys at this committee while shouting and laughing, ?I am my ideal weight. I am a beautiful person. I am a lean, mean, sex machine. My butt is nice and shapely. I am a Divine child of God.? You can keep going with this and use any affirmations you would like and have more fun. Here?s a bumper sticker we could make?.my thighs are smaller than your thighs. Now, you?re changing your thoughts to embrace a higher vibration of energy to attract only positive people and experiences in your life. Keep practicing and use the EFT tapping points too!

We haven?t talked about exercise yet so here?s your homework. Exercise your little (notice I said little) hineys off. Pick something that you like to do and do it for at least ten minutes a few times each week. It can just be walking around the house. You can turn on butt movin? music and dance around the house for a few minutes?even more. If you have children, get them involved. Dance with your significant other. They will love this time with you.

As you?re exercising throw your body into it. Let your body know that you love it and are giving it the attention it deserves. Your blood is moving, your toxic cells are leaving your body. Your lungs thank you, your muscles thank you. Every part of your body is feeling the exhilaration. Ba bye, fat cells!

Thank you for letting me part of your life and help you. You are the most incredible person there is and I?m very blessed to have you in my life.

Love and hugs,

Tami Close
Weight Loss Expert
www.tamiclose.com

Tami Close is an Integrative Body Therapist and uses an integrative method, including cleansing and nutritional products from Isagenix, in her weight loss management practice. She is certified in Rapid Eye Technology and has a basic and advanced certificate in Emotional Freedom Techniques. She is also a Reiki Master. Tami is a recipient of a grant from the Sumasil Grant Foundation in her work with RET and EFT. She is a master trainer and has a B.S. in Training and Development. She is a #1 best selling co-author, Wake Up...Live the Life You Love Finding Personal Freedom. The other authors include Mark Victor Hansen, Wayne Dyer and Deepak Chopra and others. http://www.tamiclose.com http://www.closekeptsecrets.com

Healthy Balanced Life Tips

Taking good care of yourself is mandatory!

The following tips are all required to maintain a healthy, happy, and prosperous life.

~ Eat a healthy diet

We all know we need to provide our physical bodies with high quality fuel if we want it to run properly. We should concentrate on eating a regular healthy diet high in nutrients and keep junk food to a minimum. Also include herbal and vitamin supplements.

~ Get plenty of physical exercise

Physical exercise is known for a load of benefits. Not just physical benefits, but for mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits as well. To live a longer and healthier life, move it, or lose it!

~ Get plenty of mental exercise

Keep challenging your mind to expand, grow, learn, and explore. Television has its place, but turn it off sometimes, in favor of a great book and increase your mental sharpness. Use it, or lose it!

~ Play hard

Some people are workaholics and feel guilty for having fun, but recreation is vital to maintaining balance in our lives. All work and no play is a recipe for burnout and contributes to lower productivity in every other area in your life.

~ Get adequate rest

Try to get as much uninterrupted sleep as you need to stay mentally sharp, emotionally sound, and physically rested. Sleep is your nervous system?s way of healing and refueling your entire being.

~ Stay focused in the present moment

?Be anxious for nothing.? (Phil 4:6) Regretting the past or worrying about the future is a complete waste of time. It stresses your emotions, which makes you more susceptible to disease. Besides, power is only found in the present moment.

~ Surround yourself with positive people

You can?t fly like an eagle if you are running around with chickens. I believe a person tends to gravitate toward the style of thinking of their associates. Keep yourself surrounded with positive-minded people who are on the increase.

~ Laugh

Laughter will keep you healthy. ?A merry heart does good like medicine.? (Prov 17:22) There is humor in almost every situation. Sometimes, we just have to look for it.

~ Think positive

Examine how you feel emotionally at any given time. And then ask yourself, ?What am I thinking about that?s causing this feeling?? Thinking and feeling go hand in hand, and many times we don?t even realize what we?re thinking about.

~ Deal with your emotions

Have you been avoiding dealing with a negative emotion? If left unattended, it will eventually manifest itself in some form of physical illness. Sooner or later, you will express it, so express it sooner than later and stay healthy.

Daniel N. Brown is the publisher of the Living your Abundant and Prosperous Life Newsletter. A FREE weekly publication that teaches how to live the abundant and prosperous life. Receive a FREE 7 page report entitled, How to Receive from God when you sign up. http://www.secretplaceonline.com

Good Skin Care Begins with Nourishment From the Inside Out

We nourish our bodies and we even nourish our skin from the outside in, but we often forget that nourishing our skin from the inside out can help to prevent a host of skin and health conditions, such as dry skin, premature aging and so much more.

Good skin care begins with quality vitamins in our daily diet. It?s always better to get the vitamins from the source ? natural whole foods, rather than supplements, but supplements can help fill in the gaps in today?s busy world. Nutritionists and dermatologists recommend the following supplements for healthier skin:

?Selenium ? New research shows this mineral is necessary to the antioxidant known as glutathione peroxidase, which helps protect the body from cancers, including skin cancer caused by sun exposure. The best dietary sources of selenium include whole grain cereals, seafood, garlic and eggs. Oral doses are effective in daily supplements of 50 to 200 micrograms.

?Vitamin E ? This most important antioxidant in the body protects cell membranes and prevents damage to membrane-associated enzymes. It can be found in vegetable oils, especially sunflower oil, grains such as wheat germ, brown rice and oats, nuts, dairy products, meats and margarine. As an antioxidant, vitamin E supplements of 400 milligrams per day help to inactivate free radicals.

?Vitamin C ? This is the most abundant antioxidant found naturally in the skin. It is commonly found in vegetables and citrus fruits. Much like vitamin E, vitamin C in doses of 500 to 1000 milligrams per day is important in repairing free radicals and preventing them from turning into cancers and accelerating aging.

?Vitamin K ? This vitamin has recently been found to be successful for the dermatological treatment for dark circles under the eyes and bruising on the face. Best way to get your daily dose is eat plenty of lettuce, cauliflower, green beans and spinach.

?Vitamin A (Retinoids): Helps to prevent dry, flaky skin; reduces lines and wrinkles; anti-aging properties, helps reduce stretchmarks; helps to treat acne. It can be used topically, as a supplement, or gotten from your diet. It can be found in your diet in such things as eggs, organ meats, whole milk dairy, carrots and broccoli. Unless you suffer from a deficiency, topical use is best when treating the skin, as megadoses are not wise.

?B-complex: The B vitamins as a whole, B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic acid), B6 (Pyridoxine) and B12 (Cyancobalamine), help prevent dermatitis and hair loss, treat stress and depression, as well as helping with acne, eczema, and psoriasis. They are absolutely necessary for proper skin (and hair) nutrition, as they form the basis of skin, hair, and nail cells. They can be used topically, taken as supplements, or found in your diet. In the diet, they can be found in such things as bananas, eggs, oatmeal, and rice. Unless you suffer from a deficiency, supplements shouldn?t be necessary, but are not likely to be harmful.

?Vitamin D: This is a powerful antioxidant and anticarcinogen. However, because the main source of this vitamin naturally is exposure to sunlight, the anticarcinogen properties can get lost amid the other carcinogenic properties of being in the sunlight for long periods of time. You can supplement this topically, but avoid megadoses.

?Chromium: Helps to fight acne and reduce infections. Recommended dose when taken internally is around 150 mcg daily Whole grains, ready-to-eat bran cereals, seafood, green beans, broccoli, prunes, nuts, peanut butter, and potatoes are rich in chromium. Sugary foods are low in this mineral and may even promote chromium loss; vitamin C may increase its absorption.

?Zinc: Helps to promote healing, reduces scarring and acne, as well as treating eczema and psoriasis and is also an antioxidant. Recommended dose when taken as a supplement is around 25-30 mg daily. A serving of lean beef or plain yogurt will do it.

Good skin care is a matter of diligence and quality living. Knowing what vitamins and nutrients are most beneficial and researching the best food sources to obtain those vitamins can help to turn back the hands of time. Vitamins can help thwart dry skin, premature aging and other skin disorders. http://www.skincarenet.org

Len Simpson is a freelance writer based in Pasadena, CA. She has worked for award-winning newspapers for more than ten years and now writes about health issues, alternative and natural remedies.

Understanding the Herpes Virus at the Cell Level

The word herpes conjures up different images for different people. Some see herpes as an ugly and annoying cold sore or blister that periodically appears on or around the lips. Others see herpes as a feared sexually transmitted disease that, once you have contracted, you have to suffer with for the rest of your life. Of course both of these images do represent the term herpes quite accurately for many people throughout the world, but medically speaking herpes is also appropriately applied to several lesser known afflictions. These conditions include herpes inside the mouth (herpes gingivostomatitis), herpes of the throat (herpes pharyngitis), herpes of the eye (herpes keratitis), herpes of the brain (herpes encephalitis), herpes transmitted to newborn infants (neonatal herpes), chickenpox (varicella-zoster), mono (mononucleosis) and shingles (herpes-zoster). All of these conditions are caused by one of the two closely related herpes viruses known as herpes simplex virus type 1 and herpes simplex virus type 2.

To truly understand the herpes virus it is helpful to first gain some knowledge about viruses in general. Viruses are the smallest known microbes, or infectious agents, that medical science has discovered to date. Most viruses consist of a nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat known as a capsid; this nucleic acid-protein complex is referred to as a nucleocapsid. In more complex viruses, such as the herpes virus, the nucleocapsid is surrounded by a membrane-like structure containing carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. This membrane-like structure is referred to as an envelope. Each virus contains one of two large complex chemicals that contain the viruses genetic code which serves as a blueprint for making more viruses. This complex chemical code is either RNA (ribonucleic acid) or DNA (deozyribonucleic acid).

Unlike bacteria and more complex organisms, viruses do not carry all the equipment necessary to reproduce themselves. In order to multiply, a virus must enter a living cell, remove the cells protein coat and then use its RNA or DNA to redirect the cells synthesizing mechanism to make more copies of the virus. This process of making new viruses can actually destroy or injure the living or 'host' cell. If enough living host cells are injured or destroyed it results in a viral illness such as influenza (the flu), viral diarrhea or genital herpes. There are hundreds of known viruses and probably thousands of others not yet discovered. Each virus has adapted to infect a particular type of cell in a specific living organism which explains why there are so many types of viruses. Because they have become so specialized some viruses can only infect certain types of cells, for instance, liver cells or muscle cells or brain cells while leaving other cells alone. Likewise, many viruses are even limited to the type of species they can infect. In general, this usually means that viruses which infect cells in one type of animal, say a dog, can not be passed on to another type of animal, say a cat. Of course as with most rules, there are exceptions and some viruses can cause similar diseases in closely related species. Another exception is that sometimes viruses can cause also cause very different illnesses in the same species.

The term herpesvirus refers to any member of the herpes simplex type 1 and herpes simplex type 2 virus family. The necleocapsid of a herpes virus is surrounded by an envelope with spike-like structures projecting from the surface and contains DNA. So far, scientist have identified over 115 different herpesviruses and have found more than 50 different animal species that can be infected with some type of herpes virus. Humans appear to be a natural reservoir for at least 8 different types of the herpes viruses that normally spread from human to human and generally do not cause disease in other animals.

Coming in contact with the virus, usually through sexual intercourse, is the first in a complex series of events that result in contracting genital herpes. Projecting from the outer surface of the herpes virus are protein-carbohydrate structures called glycoproteins. Glycoproteins allow the virus to attach initially to proteoglycans, which are complex chemical structures present on the surface of living cells. After attaching to the host cell, glycopoteins then interact with the cells surface structures to trigger changes in the cell membranes cytoskeletal structure. These changes allow the viral envelope to fuse with the cell plasma membrane, essentially merging to form a changed cell. When this fusion occurs, the nucleocapsid of the herpes virus enters into the cytoplasm of the host cell, attaching tiny skeleton-like structures known as microtubules and microfilaments which form an internal transportation network used to move materials within the cell. Using this structure the DNA of the herpes virus enters the nucleus of the host cell where it makes copies of the viral DNA which are released from the cell and spread to and infect other surrounding cells. This process of generating new virus particles kills the infected host cell.

If the herpes virus remained in the skins cells where initial viral attachment occurs, chances are that a healthy immune system could eventually control the infection and rid the body of the virus. The herpes virus however has found a way to hide from the immune system by hibernating in nerve cells. For unknown reasons the herpes virus does not start the replicating process in a select number of nerve cells, instead hibernating and establishing a latent infection. When the herpes virus is hybernating it is in an inactive state and can not be detected by the immune system. This inactive state is referred to as latent infection or simply latency. Latency does not cause illness but unfortunately the latent virus can reactivate and produce more virus which, in turn, causes recurrent herpes.

How reactivation occurs is unknown but it can happen for no apparent reason or be triggered by trauma, stress, or exposure to ultraviolet radiation such as too much sunlight. Whatever the trigger, after reactivation, the herpes virus is transported from the nerve cell body to the nerve endings where it is released into the skin to replicate in the skin cells. This replication may sometimes cause full blown herpes sores outbreaks, but other times may result in shedding the virus which causes no recognizable symptoms. However, either way, whether this reactivation is symptomatic or asyptomatic, the person is contagious during this reactivation period and it is possible to pass on the virus to a partner. For this reason, experts recommend that people with genital herpes use condoms even when there is no obvious symptoms of an active herpes breakout.

John Trout is an internet research specialist and web master of several information related websites including: http://www.herpes-pics.com/ where this article was first published. This informative website is an excellent source for a sound education about the herpes virus as well as the latest news about treatments and a possible herpes cure.

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #3

Whew! So how did you do on that last lesson? Have you been practicing? There was a lot of content to take in and absorb, and practicing the techniques as well. I wanted to make sure I included it all so you could see it from start to finish.

Now, this is via e-mail, and my sessions over the phone and face-to-face, are longer. I?ve seen such amazing results with Rapid Eye Technology and Emotional Freedom Techniques and it?s only over a short period of time. Everyone feels a substantial release only after one session.

We?re moving into a new reality with energy therapy. Take care of the problem in quick, easy steps. It?s very different than standard talk therapy, which some people have used for several years to overcome a problem. I was here as well. I had been to see different therapists off and on, but never released the problem until I saw an energy practitioner. I understood the part my childhood played in my life; I just didn?t know how to release the pain. Once I did, I felt pure euphoria (I love that word) and became a totally different person. It?s a very freeing experience!

So how long is a session? Sessions are one and half hours the first session to gain information on the client and one hour in subsequent sessions. Some people can actually release their pain in three sessions... a woman who suffered from sexual abuse from her father did just that. Incredible, isn?t it? Once the pain is released, then the client is able to make new, healthy choices and live the life he or she is destined to have.

It?s amazing the pain we hold in our thoughts/our bodies and that becomes the basis of our existence. We tend to live life in struggle and we believe that this is what life is supposed to be. We grew up thinking that life is hard and strife becomes our comfort.

We get stuck in our thoughts that there is no other choice. We think in terms of limits and we place those limits on ourselves with our thoughts. God has wonderful plans for you; you just will continue to peel back layers to know your wholeness.

Here's your homework. If you have't written your affirmations, then this week take some time to do so. Spend time each day on your affirmations. The more positive information you can bring into your energy space (this is the entire space around you) on a daily basis, the better. Make sure they're in the present... I am powerful, I am my ideal weight, I am beautiful!

Remember, we have to break free of the negative programming that life is a struggle. Spend time doing positive things and affirmations is one way to do this. Have fun with this process. Turn on the music and dance while you're reading them. I love butt-movin' music. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

Again, thank you for allowing me this opportunity to live my passion. I am destined to

help you clear your negative stuff so you, the glorious child of God that you are, get to truly experience life on such a deeper spiritual level.

I can?t wait until next week when I get to talk to you again. Check out http://www.tamiclose.com.

Love and hugs,

Tami

Tami Close is an Integrative Body Therapist and has a successful energy practice. She is certified in Rapid Eye Technology and has a basic and advanced certificate in Emotional Freedom Techniques. She is also a Reiki Master. Tami is a recipient of a grant from the Sumasil Grant Foundation in her work with RET and EFT. She is a master trainer and has a B.S. in Training and Development. She is a #1 best selling co-author, Wake Up...Live the Life You Love Finding Personal Freedom. The other authors include Mark Victor Hansen, Wayne Dyer and Deepak Chopra and others.

Back Massages?A Proven Way to Relieve Back Pain

Back pain is a common ailment; however, people may get better within a few weeks through massages. Massage is known to improve blood flow and eases tension, thus providing relaxation to muscles. While gentle massages are pleasurable, it does not necessarily offer relief to sufferers of acute low back pain. Combining massage with other treatments, such as physical therapy and chiropractic, is likely to produce best results. In addition, back massages, in combination with non-medical treatments, back exercises and good diet, ensures gradual pain relief.

Benefits of Back Massage Therapy

According to the American Massage Therapy Association, research proves that massage therapy provides many important health benefits, including: Improvement in blood circulation in the body, which aids in the recovery of muscle soreness due to physical activity.

Relaxation of muscles for an improved range of motion. Muscle relaxation also helps in the treatment of insomnia.

Increased endorphin levels. The increase in endorphin levels is actually one of the greatest benefits of the massage therapy. Endorphins are body chemicals that lend a feel-good feeling, which is very effective in managing chronic pain.

It is important to ensure that precautions are exercised while receiving massage therapy. Your muscle should relax in response to the pressure applied by a massage therapist, in the absence of which, it is possible that muscles are inflamed. In such cases, you should not opt for back massages as a treatment option and consult his/her doctor for the treatment. Most muscle spasms require four massage treatments, usually spread over a six weeks period, to achieve best results. If muscle spasms do not respond to the neuromuscular therapy within two massages, try using another therapy.

If you have severe lower back pain, it is advisable that you undergo thorough medical checkup before commencing the massage therapy.

Asheesh Mani is the Online Editor of Online Back Pain Resource. He has developed this site to provide valuable information to people suffering from back pain. This site enumerates different causes and factors related to back pain, guides through the different back pain treatments and suggests exercises for treatments of different types of back pain. The site is a free online resource for back pain and its remedies. The visitors can also find valuable information and reviews about the different equipments and therapies for back pain relief.

Visit http://www.backpain-resources-online.com for more information.

Tummy Tightening and Weight Loss

With all the diet fads and quick weight loss claims out there, how do you know who and what to trust for a successful weight loss plan?

The truth is, there are so many different voices of reason out there that no one weight loss solution is suitable for everyone. If you are serious about wanting to lose weight successfully without falling victim to yo-yo dieting, a reliable rule of thumb is: when in doubt, go organic. This means no miracle pills, no secret formulas, no magical weight loss belts, but rather pure organic exercise, healthy eating and nutrition. It may not sound as easy as a miracle pill but it is definitely more reliable. One great way to get a little exercise and work at slimming your bulge is to focus on tummy tightening.

Tummy Tightening the organic way?

The good news about tummy tightening is that you can pretty much get started anytime, anywhere. Here?s a couple organic tummy tightening exercises that you can perform either at a gym, in your living room or in the open space of your back yard:

1. The crunch

• Lie on you back.
• Place your feet on the floor, as close to your bottom as possible, with your knees placed together.
• Fold your arms across your chest and relax your neck.
• Inhale and slowly raise your shoulders as high as you can while keeping your lower back on the floor.
• Hold that position for a count of 1 and breathe out forcefully.
• Slowly relax the stomach muscles and allow your shoulders to return to the floor.
• Repeat this procedure 10 - 12 times, rest for 60 seconds then repeat.

2. Lying Leg Raises

• Lie on your back with your hands, palms down under your buttocks.
• Raise your legs about 30cm (12) off the floor and hold them there.
• Now trying to use just your lower abs, raise your legs by another 15cm (6). Do this by tilting the pelvis upwards instead of lifting the legs with the psoas.
• Make sure your knees are slightly bent.
Repeat the pelvis tilt 10 times, rest for 60 seconds then repeat.

In conjunction with good ol? organic exercise, it?s important to include a healthy organic diet and nutrition plan in order to reap the most long-term benefits of tummy tightening exercises and weight loss.

Healthy Eating and Nutrition the organic way?

Although there are many food plans out there to help guide you in getting a sufficient amount of nutrients throughout the day, the truth is, it can sometimes be difficult to find time for healthy eating. If you tend to fall victim to a busy schedule, you may want to consider a nutritional supplement plan to help boost your energy and gain the nutrients difficult to get out of meals on the run. Nutritional supplements can be a great addition to any tummy tightening weight loss plan and will help you develop longevity with your results.

For more information on tumnmy exercises please visit my site at Tummy Tighteners (http://www.tummytighteners.com). Feel free to reprint this article on your own site or in your newsletter but please leave the resource box intact with a live link to my site.

You Can Lose Weight on a High Carbohydrate Diet

A startling fact is that carbohydrates are not responsible for making people fat. Don't feel too badly though, you are not the only person who was sold on the idea that a high protein, low carb diet was the only way to lose weight.

Here is a simple way to demonstrate this fact. Think about the vegetarians you know, are there any overweight problems among them? The high protein diets rely on a lot of animal fats and proteins, but these vegetarians don't eat them. Startling indeed, isn't it?

Maybe you don't know any vegetarians. They certainly are hard to find, especially in the Midwest, where I live.

You may wonder about the science involved here. After all, many of those folks promoting the low carb diets are well educated, aren't they? Being well educated doesn't mean that you are infallible. Besides, the same science that supports the low carb diet also supports the high carb diet. They didn't get it wrong, they just didn't consider the whole story.

That might sound like a contradiction, but it isn't. I'm going to explain why in just a moment. Fist, let me give you the science on this. You most likely are not a biochemist or a physiologist and neither am I. But I have studied the subjects a bit. Don't focus on the technical jargon in the next paragraph,just try to grasp the overall point. You don't need to be a scientist to use common sense and basic reasoning skills. Ready?

Consider this bit of biochemistry. Malonyl -CoA exists in high amounts when there is plenty of metabolic fuel present. Thus,carnitine acyltransferase is inhibited and this in turn prevents acyl-CoA from crossing into the cell?s mitochondria. Another enzyme is inhibited by the presence of NADH and Thiolase is also inhibited by the presence of Acetyl-COA. In short, when a lot of glucose is present, fatty acid metabolism is inhibited.

It is the last sentence that clues us in here. Basically, a cell will not convert fat into energy if there is glucose present. When the cell has carbs and sugar to work on, it will not convert the fat to energy, thus the fat gets stored.

This is why the low carb diets work, with little to zero carbohydrates and subsequently glucose to work on, the fat will be used for energy. This is exactly why the high carb diet works too. When no or little fat is present, it won't be stored as fat.

In addition to this, it is important to realize that it costs the body quite a bit of energy to take carbs and store them as fat. This alone is actually a positive. There really needs to be some form of fat present to make it easier.

This should help you understand that whatever your diet consistsof, if you want to remain or get thin, you need to avoid mixing fats and carbs together. A fat consists of a fatty acid head and a carbohydrate tail. This means when you mix your fat andcarbs together you are asking for trouble, assuming you care about weight, that is.

So now it should be clear why so many people in North America have a weight problem as the NIH was happy to point out a few weeks ago. Think about the typical American diet.It generally consists of lots of combinations of fat and carbs.

As Dr. Neal Barnard points out in his book, Foods That Cause You To Lose Weight, It is fat that makes people fat.

Don't want to be a vegetarian? I don't blame you. Really, you don't have to be one. Just quit mixing your proteins/fats and carbohydrates together.

Don't overlook the obvious, there is ton of candy and desserts out there that are a mixture of fat and sugar. Meat and potatoes - perhaps this classic is a serious blunder in seperating fats and carbs. Armed with this knowledge,you can probably come up with dozens of examples of potentially fattening mixtures of food on your own.

This article is for information only. It is not intended to prescribe, treat or diagnose any health problem. Consult your physician before changing your diet.

David Snape writes for All Things Pondered: http://allthingspondered.com - where you can have your say and (almost) anything is pondered. He also writes for To Be Informed: http://tobeinformed.com - a site supportive of health, fitness and wellness.

AntiAging: Part 5 Allow Old Lessons Not Memories to Create the Face

Isaiah 43:18 ?Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old?. The most powerful Anti-aging instruction from Isaiah is very plain because of it?s importance. Life changing and therefore face changing experiences can happen over 5 minutes or 5 years.

The ?former? or 5 minute one is the easiest to deal with but even this will require basic awareness and a level of discipline. Evidence of its power will be in place the following morning if the mind is filled with regurgitation of the event.

Awareness of the potential manifesting danger must be known. A thought can build in strength and move through your mind numerous times during the course of the day. A simple negative thought must never be allowed to organize a life.

Once this occurs other more important, enjoyable, productive activities receive second place. Over time even this position is eliminated and the intended life style becomes a distant and foggy memory.

The ?things of old? or 5 year memory is the result of an issue that began as a small mistake, was never rectified but grew out of all proportions bringing sad and long term major challenges.

This is the hardest to forgive and forget but His strength, love and power will come in a very special way once the decision has been made to do both.

Copyright 2006 Patricia Little

Patricia Little is a writer and the editor of a re-released classic ebook- it will show you how to get the best of health and wealth out of all your future years. For more go to ==> http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com

Remarkable How I Became Young at Sixty brings renewed vigor to your body, and hope to your mind. You Can Get your Free ebook How I Became Young at Sixty by going to http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com/get-your-f-r-e-e-ebook.htm

Hair Loss Solutions

A common problem

As it happens, we do not even notice when out hair starts to fall out and recede. Surprisingly, we lose and average of fifty to one hundred hairs daily. That is a lot but with recent scientific studies they have found many new hair loss solutions. There are three main ways to save your hair and as you read this article you will better understand everything you need to know about hair loss and how to prevent it.

What is Hair Loss?

What is hair loss? Well this is the point in time when your hair starts to shed. This will gradually start to daily. You lose hair but it is not noticeable at first unless you have long hair. The main reason that scientist think hair loss occurs is because your scalp needs to absorb more nutrients and some of your hair will need to move out of the way for it to do that. The other reason would be because your hair may start to die out, new hair is made to come in and replace it.

Preventing Hair Loss

One way to prevent hair loss would be to let nature do its job. Instead of using all that high-tech equipment and all those medicines and creams, you can allow your hair to grow naturally. By treating your hair right from the start your chances of keeping it in place rise dramatically. Who needs those fancy hair loss solutions?

Speak to your doctor

Speaking to your doctor or physician about what types of creams and pills or other hair loss solutions they recommend you use is a good idea. Since all of these items have been made for you to use for your hair, you can go out and buy them right?

Wrong, even though your hair may grow back you may pick up different sicknesses from these items. In order for your hair to successfully grow back the pills or creams interfere with your hair growing hormones. If they possibly interfere with any other hormones, then you are in very big trouble.

Treatments

The other way to help with hair loss is to go in for laser treatment. The way this works is that the laser technician will remove hair from areas where there is a lot of it. The bad thing about this is that they only have the ability to take out two to four hairs at a time. After the hair is removed, the insertion of it into your scalp begins. That has got to hurt! Using needles to insert the hair is very time consuming and painful; good thing you are knocked out!

These kinds of hair loss solutions cost a lot of money and can even be harmful. The rays of the laser are very strong and could damage your skin so you may want to research other hair loss solutions first.

Now that you have learned about hair loss and different hair loss solutions you will hopefully make the right decision on how to restore your hair to its former glory. The saying beauty takes pain has come to a whole new level!

Are you a man or a worrying about Hair Loss? Are you a woman or a worrying about Hair Loss? Stop worrying and visit Hair-Loss-Answers-Here to find the answers that you need.

Eyecare And Macular Degeneration

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) and the care of your eyesight. There is so much to see in life, seeing the world or the wonderful things around you. Don't take your eyes for granted be actively involved in their care. One of the number one causes of blindness or vision loss in older Americans is AMD, Age Related Macular Degeneration.

Macular Degeneration is a common problem all over the world with older adults. A great way to keep up with the latest information is to talk with your eyecare professional. Regular, yearly, extensive eye exams can make it possible for early detection and prevention of these eye diseases. Just because you are told that you have cataracts forming doesn't mean you will loose your sight or have to have surgery. There are many things you can do to slow or even stop the progress of cataracts. The same is true of AMD. There isn't a cure but studies have been done and you can fight it and at least slow down the process or possibly keep from developing wet AMD which is more serious. Your eye doctor can find these conditions and give you much of the information you need.

With this condition your sight is at great risk. AMD results in the gradual and progressive loss of acute and detailed vision. The most common form is dry AMD which is caused by yellowish deposits called drusen that accumulate on the macula. The macula is the part of your eye responsible for central vision. This can lead to deterioration of the retina and loss of vision. This drusen can be seen by your eye doctor when you have your eyes dialated during your yearly examination. If you get the more serious wet macular degeneration there aren't many things to help combat it. They do use laser surgery to try to keep eyesight from getting a whole lot worse when you have wet AMD. There have been many advances in the care and treatment of dry AMD.

While some macular degeneration is a natural part of growing older there are things you can do to minimize the damage to your eyes. One type of vitamin and mineral formula was clinically proven by the National Institutes of Health's 10 year AREDS trial. This trial did find a way to help slow the advancement of AMD. The Areds formula showed consitantly to slow or stop the degeneration in patients that took their vitamins daily. These AREDS formulas are obtainable from several vitamin and mineral companies. Make sure you purchase a formula that duplicates the AREDS formula exactly or adds to it.

To further reduce your risk for developing age related macular degeneration, you need to watch your cholesterol level, eat a well balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, keep your blood pressure in check, avoid prolonged sun exposure, wear sunglasses, and don't smoke. We all have a lot to see in this special world of ours and healthy eyes are essential to enjoying them.

Linda Moore has AMD but still wanted to stop using glasses. She went to the Lasik Vision Institute AKA Lasik Institute for more information

Your Cosmetics And Personal Care Products 5 Necessary Steps You Should Take Before You Buy

What you put on your skin is as important as the food you eat. Chemicals that come in contact with your skin can be absorbed into your bloodstream. Many of the ingredients used in cosmetics and personal care products are toxic, even though they may not cause any reaction on the skin. Some cause cancer. Some of the most commonly used ingredients combine with other ingredients to form cancer-causing substances. Here's a list to help you choose safer and healthier cosmetics and personal care products:

1. Read the List of Ingredients

Most products are labeled to sell rather than provide accurate information about the product. The sales pitch on the label doesn't tell you anything about the safety and quality of the ingredients in the product.You need to read the ingredients list rather than the label for more accurate information about the product.

The ingredient list may not be easy to find and it may be so tiny you need a magnifying glass to read it because that's not what the manufacturer wants you to see. The ingredients are required by law to be listed on the product label in order of quantity. The ingredient present in the largest quantity is listed first, the ingredient in the smallest quantity is listed last.

2. Check the Ingredients for Safety

The cosmetics and personal care industry is very poorly regulated. There are more than 12,000 ingredients that can be used in cosmetics and personal care products and most of them have not been adequately tested, many not tested at all. The manufacturers are not required to prove the claims they make about their products or to test them for safety. Many products contain cancer-causing ingredients along with ingredients that enhance absorption of the product through the skin into the bloodstream. To make sure the products you're buying are safe, check the ingredients against a reliable safety list.

3. Beware of Words That Are Used to Sell Rather Than Provide Accurate Information

Many of the words manufacturers use on labels to promote their products do not have official definitions so they can be used to mean anything that the manufacturer wants. These terms are very often misleading.

Some words to watch out for include:
Natural -- may contain all natural ingredients, a few or none at all
Hypoallergenic -- may be tested or based upon manufacturer belief; no proof is required
Fragrance free -- means no detectable odor; fragrance ingredients may still be added

4. More is Not Better

Choose products with fewer ingredients, not more. Besides the fact that most ingredients have not been adequately tested, those that have been tested have only been tested individually, not in combination with other ingredients. Nobody knows the effects of the many different ingredients used in thousands of different combinations, the effects of using numerous different products, one on top of the other, or the effects of repeated use of ingredients or products over time.

5. Buy From Companies Truly Committed to Healthy Products

As consumers are becoming more conscious of using safer and healthier products, many manufacturers are tapping into that consciousness and producing pseudo-healthy products. The label looks like the product is natural and healthy, but if you read the ingredients, that's not the case. On the other hand there are companies dedicated to producing safe and natural cosmetics and personal care products. Many of these are small companies that were started because of the lack of availability of healthy products and many of them use organic and food grade ingredients.

We live in a toxic world and there are some things that we have no control over, like air pollution. However, we do have control over what we put into our bodies and what we put on our bodies -- if we just take the time to educate ourselves and make safe and healthy choices. With the increasing number of chemicals in everything these days, it's important for everyone to become health conscious. Taking control over what you put into your body and on your body will affect your quality of life and may just be a matter of life and death!

Dr. Christine H. Farlow, D.C. is The Ingredients Investigator. She has been researching ingredient safety since 1991 and is the author of three books, including the new, second edition of DYING TO LOOK GOOD. To learn more about the safety of ingredients in your cosmetics and personal care products, visit DyingToLookGood.com.

All There Is About Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is, technically speaking, epilation by laser or with the use of a special light. Besides the body, certain types of laser hair removal may safely be used to reduce facial hair as well. The laser (or light) of a particular wavelength is used to cause damage to dark elements in hair follicles. These elements are referred to as chromophores. They can be artificially produced or naturally occurring.

Today, most techniques target naturally occurring chromophores, in particular, melanin. Melanin gives colour to both hair and skin. Of the former, there are two types: eumelanin and pheomelanin. Eumelanin gives a brown or black colour. The latter gives a blonde or red colour. Since the dark matter in hair follicles are the target, only the former - darker - type of hair is suitable for this procedure.

While laser hair removal became a commercial cosmetic procedure about 10 years ago, it has been experimented with well before then. In fact, medical lasers have been used to remove dark spots, acne scars, other types of skin blemishes and even tattoos. The point about laser hair removal is that, it's not permanent. In fact, in countries like the U.S., the FDA prohibits the advertisement of FDA-approved laser treatments to be described as a method of permanent removal. Hence, use of the term permanent reduction or laser hair reduction to describe the procedure.

A more realistic description of laser hair removal is the permanent reduction of hair. It should be noted that, it's sometimes required to have multiple sessions of laser treatment over a certain period of time to achieve this goal. There is also no guarantee that ALL of the hair in the area treated will be reduced. To actually guarantee genuine permanent hair removal is to risk genuine scarring.

Ideally, the first thing the individual should do is to consult a qualified dermatologist. They should be able to advise on the suitability of the procedure. In any event, results will be most noticeable on light skinned individuals with dark hair. A lot more care will need to be taken, if the procedure is done on darker skinned and/or tanned individuals.

What you should be careful about

As noted above, one is well advised to avoid establishments that make false claims. The following are some of the more popular ones:

There is absolutely no pain or it's virtually painless. It is for many without needing any relief from the pain, but not for everyone.

The safe, permanent removal of hair. Again, the safe goal is hair reduction. Permanent removal is possible with scarring.

No re-growth of hair whatsoever. To date, there has been no real, genuine, qualified and objective evidence to support this claim.

It's laser electrolysis or lasertrolysis. Hair reduction via electrolysis is completely different from reduction via the use of a laser. Both have their pros and cons, in terms of suitability and effectiveness.

In the end, it's best to consult a qualified dermatologist first.

This article has been brought to you by Laser Hair Removal Toronto

The Deadliest Days of the Year

Most people think of Christmas as a time of gift giving, reflection and family, however one study pointed out that this time of year accounts for 12.4 percent more deaths than normal.

A spike in the number of heart attacks and deaths from other causes were reported to occur in a much higher rate over the Christmas and New Year's holiday than any other days of the year. Results of a study revealed that over the 14 days spanning the Christmas and New Year's holiday season, there was nearly a 5 percent jump in heart-related deaths and non-heart-related deaths.

This drastic surge in deaths over the holidays accounted for nearly 43,000 more deaths than would have normally been expected.

Researchers explored some of the possible reasons for the significant number of deaths during this time. They came up with some possible explanations:

* People were either too busy or feeling too festive to seek medical attention or go to the hospital over the holidays

* Changes in medical staff over the holidays might compromise the quality of medical care

Experts recommended not putting off seeking medical attention if it is needed just because it's the holiday season. They also urged holiday travelers to investigate their medical resources prior to taking their trip.

Researchers agreed that more studies need to be conducted in order to find out what triggers the Merry Christmas coronary and the Happy New Year heart attack.

Heart Center Online December 14, 2004

Yahoo! News December 13, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

If you are a physician or work in a hospital you will understand what a major influence the hospital staff can have on patient status. More and more the hospital has become a place for the very seriously injured or impaired. This further compounds the challenge of improperly or less than optimally trained for holiday coverage. It is well proven that hospital deaths increase over the weekend. Considering that drugs and doctors are the leading factors for deaths, my vote for the primary reason as to why the holidays have an increased death rate would be the care they receive in the hospital setting.

Fortunately for you this is an easy one. If you are following the Total Health Program the likelihood that you will require hospital care at some point is very low. By being proactive and staying out of the hospital, not only do you radically reduce your risk of dying over the holidays, you will feel so good you can more fully appreciate the social aspects of the season.

-------------------
Dr. Joseph Mercola
Author of Total Health Program
Founder of the renowned Optimal Wellness Center
http://www.Mercola.com - The #1 Natural Health Site on the Internet!

What is Fitness Pole Dancing All About and Would I Benefit From a Lesson?

Once seen as a taboo pastime or career that very few women would admit to doing or being even interested in, Pole Dancing is now one of the hottest fitness trends ready to explode into the mainstream. As a Dance and Fitness Instructor for over 17 years I have sought out, studied and taught every different fitness trend imaginable, as every new trend brings a new section of women into fitness, and one of my main aims is to make fitness fun, enjoyable and motivational. Getting fit and in shape should never be boring or dull, it?s a lifelong journey that is exciting and inspirational and Fitness Pole Dancing ticks all those boxes!

It?s easy to see why Pole Dancing is catching on. It?s great for self-expression, relaxation and confidence building, as well as being able to perform well and feel good about yourself and can raise confidence and self-esteem. I have taught so many introverted, shy girls who, after only 1 lesson, have found inner confidence and beauty they thought they would never have. Fitness Pole Dancing is for women of all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life; it doesn't matter in the slightest what you weigh, what shape you are in, or how tall you are, Fitness Pole Dancing is for everyone.

A typical Fitness Pole Dancing lesson is really a combination of aerobic dance, strength training and flexibility all mixed into one session. After a thorough warm up and prestretch the lessons will include basic spinning moves, poses, dancing and finally putting the spins and choreography together to form a routine. Everyone leaves a Pole Dancing lesson wanting more, you find you start dreaming about Pole Dancing, it really is that addictive. But it?s not for the fainthearted. After an initial session, the whole body will ache and will be so stiff. As a Fitness Instructor I am used to feeling my muscles ache, but after my first lesson, I could hardly sit down or even hold up my hairdryer! But don't let that put you of!! Your body will soon get used to it and in no time you will be spinning upside down and climbing the pole.

The moves can be as simple as a basic spin, holding on to the pole with both hands, to something as complex as spinning round the pole upside down with one leg. You can take Pole Dancing in whatever direction you like, keep it simple or continually strive for new moves and combinations. Pole Dancing is not only a great cardio vascular exercise, but is also great for muscle building, body toning, flexibility, body posture and suppleness. As the moves become more complicated the body will be put in more demanding positions and some of these positions can mean supporting the whole of you body weight on one arm or leg. You can expect great increased muscle definition and toning all over, especially in the arms, thighs, buttocks and abs.

If you would like to take a look at Fitness Pole Dancing you can visit http://www.fitnesspoledancing.com/home.asp where you can download Fitness Pole dancing moves and lessons and buy your own pole to work out on at home.