Treat Acne Naturally With An Acne Diet

The importance of nutrition in preventing, controlling and eliminating acne has already been touched upon. Let us take a closer look at how controlling what we eat can treat acne naturally. Without a question your diet can influence the way you look and feel. Research has shown time and again that certain food items make you feel good while some make you unwell and unhealthy. It is good for you to identify those food types which are healthy for you and to include these in your diet.

An Acne Food Plan

1. If you suffer from acne, it will be helpful to reduce your intake of milk. Your acne meal plan should not have more than maximum two glasses of milk per day. There are a number of hormones in cow’s milk which can be harmful to your skin.

2. Eat a lot of fish. Fish is well known to have the omega 3 oils that are so good for the heart and surprisingly also for the skin. Hence, if you want a natural acne remedy, you need to eat more fish.

3. Have as little sugar as you can. Sweets, sugary drinks, cookies, chocolates and similar things which contain sugar should be avoided at all costs to help remedy acne by natural means.

4. Studies have shown that the levels of sebum in and on the skin are directly related to the presence of acne. Adopting a plant-based, low fat food diet may help to reduce the levels of sebum in and on your skin, thereby improving your acne.

5. Try and increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet which are loaded with acne-fighting vitamins and antioxidants.

The goal in treating acne whether by natural means or conventional medications, is to reduce the levels of sebum (oils) in and on your skin. Concentrate on keeping your skin oil-free with a healthy acne meal plan.

Vitamins For A Natural Acne Remedy

Like other organs of the body, skin needs the correct amount of vitamins for its health. The skin defends the body against external harmful agents as well as excreting toxic compounds through glands and pores. Therefore, it is matter of common sense to conclude the importance of taking the necessary amount of vitamins for acne to assist the body’s healing mechanism. Here are some of the vitamins and minerals that can be used as part of a natural acne treatment regimen. For more advice on vitamins and antioxidants, visit http://www.bodysupplementsinfo.com

Vitamin A

Studies have revealed that reduced levels of vitamin A in the body can result in or aggravate acne. The main process whereby vitamin A prevents or improves acne is by reducing the production of sebum ( a natural oil that is produced in the skin to lubricate it). Vitamin A also serves another necessary function for the skin and overall health by serving as an antioxidant. Antioxidants help to eliminate toxic free radicals in the body. Green leafy vegetables, yellow or orange fruits and carrots are the best natural sources for vitamin A.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B is actually a group of vitamins containing Thiamine (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Niacin (also called Nicotinic Acid/Niacinamide, vitaminB3), Pantothenic Acid, Pyridoxine (vitamin B6), and Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12). The vitamin B complex help to keep the skin’s health. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is notably important due to its antioxidant role . A lack of vitamin B can precipitate or exacerbate acne. Natural food sources of vitamin B complex include sweet potatoes, avocados, green pepper, chickpeas, bananas, blackcurrants and watermelons.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps in in the production of collagen in the body. Collagen is the connective tissue found in skin and bones. Also, vitamin C fortifies immunity and fights against infections. One should bear in mind that acne is a skin infection and improving immune function assists in the fight against acne. Vitamin C also boosts the body’s healing powers and helps in the absorption of iron. Smoking, taking antibiotics or oral contraceptives depletes your body’s vitamin C levels. If you fall into any of these categories, you will need to proportionately increase your vitamin C intake. Natural sources of vitamin C are oranges, grapefruit, lemons, blackcurrants and blackberries.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another vital vitamin for a natural acne treatment. It has antioxidant properties that work to heal and repair skin tissues. Vitamin E protects against cellular damage by checking the oxidation of fats and also by inhibiting the development of free radicals. A recommended daily dose of vitamin E is 400 IU.

Besides the use of vitamins to improve symptoms of acne, the minerals zinc and chromium are also effective in the battle against acne.

In conclusion, there are several natural acne remedies which acne sufferers can try that have been shown to be effective in eliminating acne. Investigate each treatment option carefully and choose the right one for your skin.

Did you know that more than 25% of the adult population worldwide suffers from acne? If we leave the pages of statistical data and look at people with plain eyes it will be hard to find a man or a woman who did not suffer the gnawing problem of zits. However, even though this problem is “skin deep”, its effects germinate into bouts of despair and social angst, which jeopardizes quality of life.

Digging Into The Roots Of Adult Acne

Sebum secreted from the hair follicles moves to the skin pores and lubricates the skin. But sometimes the oil glands expand, producing an excess of sebum, which ultimately gets trapped in the hair follicle and clogs the pores. These clogged pores permit bacteria and growth of Propionibacterium acnes. This bacteria causes inflammation of the hair follicle and the surrounding skin and thus acne emerges.

Though till now the exact causes of adult acne are not known, most of the theories suggest hormonal imbalances as the root cause. Some other causes proposed are evolutionary biology, diet, stress, vitamin deficiency and the list goes on.

Some Effective Treatments To Get Rid Of Adult Acne

Studies reveal that Vitamin A plays an important role in the reduction of serum and keratin production and thus minimizes their growth in follicle comedos. So, nourish your system with Vitamin A and take at least five servings of vegetables and fresh fruits daily. However, always consult a doctor before starting up with any kind of regime.

Zinc is an important element in treating acne too. Zinc enhances the functions of Vitamin A and lends a helping hand in the healing and regeneration of tissues. Zinc also reduces the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, which shrinks sebum production.

Most acne sufferers lack Selenium, which plays a crucial role in the action of the enzyme Gluthathione Peroxidase that prevents the inflammation of the hair follicle. Vitamin E minimizes this process and plays a vital part in the action of Vitamin A and Selenium.

Friendly bacteria, Acidophilus, can check injurious intestinal bacteria including yeasts such as Candida albicans. You can take in Acidophilus either in gel capsule form or as yogurt with live culture.

Benozyl peroxide reduces pimples and is effective for acne. You can have it in cream or lotion form.

Creams containing sulphur are also useful in treating acne

Medications containing iodide and bromide can worsen your acne condition so stay away from such products.

All these things are medicines, all of which may have side effects and should not be taken without a prescription and the guidance of a doctor.

Good News For Foodies

You will be glad to know that chocolate or fried foods do not cause acne. These foods are often seen as unhealthy food habits and therefore “must be” related to skin breakouts, but this theory has no scientific backing.

However, foods which are high in refined sugar, trans-fatty acid (milk products) oxidized fatty acids (fried oils) and synthetically hydrogenated vegetable oil contents may not cause acne but are definitely not very good for your health, and so an excess of these foods should be avoided. You can be infected with intestinal toxemia if your diet is low on fiber and essential vitamins and high on these contents. The result of glut of toxins may show on your skin.

Some Natural Remedies Of Adult Acne

The good news about the use of natural things is that they come without the risk of side effects.

Name And Fame Of Some Natural Ingredients

Azelaic acid

This acid makes the keratin production stable and you will get almost same results as using Benzoyl- Peroxide or oral antibiotics.

Tea Tree Oil

Reduces acne with its antibacterial and antifungal qualities.

Green Tea

A renowned antioxidant, which trims down inflammation and infection

Topical Vitamin C And E

Both are strong antioxidants, which improve skin condition by diminishing inflammation and infection.

Fruit Acids (AHAs And BHAs)

These acids gently exfoliate your skin, leaving it smooth.

Some Tips To Control Outbursts Of Adult Acne

Cleanse your face with a mild soap or sulphur soap but do not rub your face with a towel.

Never ever pick or squeeze the zits, it will only worsen your skin condition.

Some acne treatment products will hike up your skin’s photosensitivity so when you are using these products, use a sunscreen and wear a hat when you are out. Avoid the tanning booths while using these products as well.

Try to avoid the use of oil-based products on your skin. To prevent the clogging of pores use only “noncomdomedogenic” skin products

Try to avoid friction from sports equipment and airborne grease from fast food places; these can make your acne worse.

Along with a good diet include at least 8 to ten glasses of water in your daily regimen to keep your system clean and the skin glowing.

Choosing the right path will help your skin get rid of adult acne scars. Make your skin dazzle with a smooth glow by following the tips in this article.

When I first learned about the raw food diet, it took me years to figure out how to do it properly. Then it took me even more years - making mistakes and compromising my health - until I started experiencing the benefits I was looking for from the start!

Let’s face it, if you’re going to bother changing your diet at all, there’s got to be a reason for doing it. I would bet you want to improve your health and energy, right?

But why take years to get those results, when you can get them in months or even weeks? Here are some of the things that I’ve found can help you get faster results from your raw food diet.

1. Incorporate Fitness

It’s interesting to note that even though a person may be fit but unhealthy (think of all the athletes who died of a heart attack!), it’s *not* possible to be healthy without being fit.

Until you reach the point where your body fat is at an optimal level and your fitness “above average”, you probably won’t get all the results you’re looking for even with an ideal diet.

Fit people not only digest better, the entire process of nutrition is improved with improved fitness. This means assimilation will be better, blood sugar will be more under control, and much more besides.

To start improving your fitness, you have to identify your areas of weakness and work on improving these first. We explain how to do this in the Perfect Health Program and we put it into action in our 30-Day Body Enlightenment System.

2. Address Emotional Issues

Just like fitness, your emotions are an integral part of your nutrition. You’ve probably had the experience of hearing a piece of bad news and suddenly losing your appetite. This shows that emotions are an integral part of how your body processes food. It’s an essential part of your health.

Often people jump into a raw-food diet, hoping that it will help them “clear emotional problems”, when in fact it puts these problems right in their face and they can’t deal with it!

Let’s face the fact that most people eat for emotional reasons, most of the time. It’s really easy to do so with heavily processed or fatty foods, because these foods literally “drug” us and “numb” our feelings.

With raw foods, it’s harder to eat emotionally. That’s why you don’t see lonely overweight people eating buckets of apples to “comfort” their feelings. Instead, they do it with a pint of ice-cream!

Be aware and ready to feel and face your emotions. Equip yourself with whatever tools are necessary to get over emotional baggage - including self-improvement seminars, tapes, and group support.

3. Cleanse

One of the best ways to accelerate your health success is to go on some sort of cleanse, such as the Green Cleanse or the one included in the Body Enlightenment System.

A cleanse should be easy to do, while giving you results in terms of increased energy, weight *release* (if necessary), and increased vitality and health.

My favorite cleanses are:

- Green Cleanse: consuming only green smoothies and fruit for 5 to 10 days or longer.

- Fruit Cleanse: consuming only mono meals of fruit for 3 to 7 days or longer.

- Low Fat Cleanse: consuming only fruits and vegetables without any fat (avocados, oils, etc.) for 3 to 7 days or longer.

While it’s possible to do a cleanse on your own, it’s best if you have someone to coach and support you in the process.

4. Find Raw Friends

Feeling alone and isolated can kill your success with the raw diet! It’s very important to find at least one “buddy” who can support and encourage you on this path.

Now with the Internet, it’s possible to connect with more people than ever. In our different programs (such as the Body Enlightenment System), we have seen the value of offering phone coaching and support, as well as discussion forum support.

Connect with other raw-food enthusiasts using available resources, such as local potlucks, teleseminars and phone coaching, coaching programs and discussion forums.

5. Get a Coach and a System

Besides lack of social support, the reason why most people don’t succeed with a raw-food program is that they don’t have anybody coaching them personally and showing them a system that works for incorporating all of the different elements of a healthy lifestyle.

Unless you think you can do it on your own, you need someone to show you a system that works!

No matter what the coach and system you choose for yourself, you have to make sure that:

- You find a supportive and non-judgmental coaching environment, yet one that challenges you enough to keep improving.

- You have enough quality tools and easy-to-use systems to make progress with your health, fitness and diet.

- The support you get is *constant* or *daily*, not just occasional.

- The program or coach you choose has a track record of success and lots of experience in the field.

Make no mistake about it, you can either take 2 months to put all of the pieces of a healthy raw lifestyle together, or you can take 2 years or 20 years! Do yourself a favor and choose the shortest route to success.

It’s coming. The signs are already everywhere and you just know the inevitable. With the market brimming with calorie- laden processed foodstuffs combined with the sedentary lifestyle of today, more and more people are facing the problem of getting fat. Not just plain fat- obese.

Obesity can’t all be that bad if it’s just the mocking and the inability to do most normal things like running and climbing a long length of stairs… then again, with obesity comes high blood pressure, heart diseases, respiratory problems, diabetes and arthritis among other ailments. If you want to live long enough to enjoy your golden years, gear up for another version of the Battle of the Bulge.

Obesity does not choose its victims. It can sink in as early as the age of six and decreases life expectancy by an average of 7- 20%, not to forget that the pollution and stress will make those numbers rise even higher. Factors to obesity include age, gender, genetics, stress, lifestyle and of course, food.

Most weight loss programs target the elimination of unnecessary calories or those calories beyond a person’s required basal metabolism- that’s the amount of calories needed to keep a person’s basic bodily functions up and running normally. However, with the fads and trends of “Kate Moss” models, some programs go as far as starvation and gastric bypasses.

These are not recommended for a lot of reasons but let’s enumerate some for good measure:

1) Quick weight loss tactics only mean quick weight loss- not permanent, not long- term and not healthy.

2) Complications can and will arise from drastic measures beginning with the lack of nutrients. Besides, obese people usually don’t do well under the knife unless the doctors say so.

3) Do you really want liposuction? Or cutting off a part of your stomach or intestine?

Some programs focus on removing the sources of fat from a person’s diet. The Eat More, Weigh Less does just that by encouraging fruits, vegetables, whole grains and little meat without any caloric restrictions whatsoever as long as the fat content falls below 10% of what you eat. The Pritkin diet also goes along these lines. But before choosing any of these diets, one must consider that fat- the unsaturated kind- is also essential to our body. Some critics have said that these diets are not for everyone, especially those who have high- fat bodies, as the diet will only lead to an inadequacy in fatty acids.

The Atkins diet promotes protein since Dr. Robert Atkins believes that carbohydrates are the main causes of obesity. The diet would allot a person meals consisting of 36% protein, 8% carbohydrates, 53% fat or for maintenance 24% protein, 40% fat, 31% carbohydrates. Another popular diet called the South Beach diet also makes meat a hero by advocating foodstuffs that are high in protein, high in fiber, low in carbohydrates and low in animal fats. Although the South Beach diet was developed for those with a high risk of getting diabetes or heart diseases, the aforementioned diet does not balance the basic food groups.

Then there’s the McDougall Project for Maximum Weight Loss, which is basically a vegan diet. Think greens and yellows as these should make up 1/3 of what you eat.

Another example is the Weight Watchers Winning Points program. Based on your statistics and details, the program will allot you “points” that you can use when choosing what to eat. All you have to do is to remain within that range by taking care to select what’s right. Vegetables almost have an equivalent of 0 while fruits have 1-2 points per serving. Complex carbohydrates and fats have the highest.

What you can do to get the best program for you is get to the root of the problem and attack from that point. Be idealistic when setting goals. The weight lost per week should fall in the range of ¾- 2 lbs and not exceeding 3. It will be slow at first. Weight lost during the early stages will be mostly water fat so a doctor’s supervision is really needed if you plan on losing a lot of pounds.

The body will adapt quickly to the diet so prep up the arsenal with a combination of aerobic (running) and anaerobic (weight training) exercise. In order to maintain this, exercise for at least 15- 30 minutes in increasing increments per day.

The program should also include help for when hunger anxiety attacks and depression urges you to binge. Losing weight involves the mindset too.

Those are just some examples of diet programs, which promise weight loss. But here’s catch, what works for others may not work for you. For example, there’s such a diet that dictates what you can and can’t eat based on your blood type. One can’t guarantee same results on such general terms. Weight and build depends on a lot of factors and not just on a single basis as blood type. Word of advice: have a weight loss program tailored for you. Specialists can aid you on this one and with their supervision you will win this fight!

Almost everybody, at some point in their of life, has experienced weight-related problems. Most of us, women and men alike, are not content with what we see. We feel that unless we are wafer thin like the models and celebrities we see on television and magazines, we will never be attractive and beautiful.

On the other hand, there are an increasing number of obese individuals across the world. Becoming overweight has become a trend in both the West and East hemispheres. The increasing popularity of processed and fast foods have exacerbated the obesity situation.

There are many diseases related to being overweight, such as hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, coronary heart disease, to name a few. Thus, you need to find ways to incorporate weight loss activities and good eating habits to our daily routine.

Before you start any type of diet, however, you need to go to a physician first. The doctor will tell you if your weight loss plan is appropriate for your health condition. Furthermore, the physician will also assist you in determining if you really need to lose weight and how much weight you need to shed. Many people develop eating disorders because they do not visit a doctor before drastically changing their eating habits and starting a diet plan.

If you want to lose weight fast, healthy and permanently, you need to follow the tips below.

Maintain a balanced diet

The reason why many people are overweight is partly due to an unbalanced diet. If you eat too much from one food group, you won’t be able to get the vitamins and nutrients that your body need.

A balanced diet is composed of protein, dairy food, a little bit of fat from healthy oil, fruit and vegetables, and good carbohydrates — at least 5 portions every day. Many professionals suggest a diet that is composed of mostly carbohydrate, moderate protein intake, and a little bit of fat.

However, there are many diets espousing a huge amount of protein intake and a dramatic decrease in carbohydrates. Before you apply such diets to your daily routine, you need to talk with a physician first. This high-protein diet may not be ideal for some people, such as those with kidney disease.

Increase servings of fruit and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals that our body need. Such food supplies us with vitamin A that is good for our eyes, vitamin C that boosts our immune system, beta-carotene that helps protects our body from the damage of free radicals, and nutrients.

Most fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and low calorie, so they also help clean our colon and make us feel fuller. Canned fruits and vegetables are acceptable; however, there is no substitute for the real thing.

Stay away from junk food and sugar-loaded drinks

Try eliminating junk food and soda from your diet for a week or two, and you will surely feel and see the difference. Maybe the reason why it is called junk food is due to its poor nutritional value. Try looking at a junk food’s label, not only is it full of saturated fat, but also usually high in salt or sugar, or both.

Aside from water, most of the things you drink are also loaded with calories. Soda and sweetened fruit juices are mainly sugar. Thus, no matter how little you eat, but if you still drink lots of soda and sweetened beverages, you will still continue to gain weight.

Don’t skip breakfast

Even if you are in a hurry or late for work or school, you need to grab a bite. It would be better if your breakfast is healthy – probably an apple, oatmeal and a glass of nonfat milk.

If you miss breakfast, you most probably will feel hungrier the rest of the day. In order for our body function properly, we need energy from the food we eat. If you skip breakfast, or a meal or two, your body’s metabolism will slow down to compensate for the lack of energy supply.

More often than not, people who skip meals, particularly the first meal of the day, will binge later in the day. So, even if you skipped breakfast, you will have a tendency to eat a lot during lunch or dinner.

Start exercising

Many of us spend an extended number of hours in our offices. We get stuck sitting down in front of the computer for more than eight hours. When we get home, we spend another hour or two to check e-mails and chat with friends. Thus, we don’t expend most of the calories from the food we eat and those excess calories go straight to our belly, arms and thighs.

If you want to increase your metabolism, you must start exercising. Brisk walking is a good way to start your exercise routine. If you do not have time to go to the gym, you need to find ways to increase your activities. Try sports activities that you will enjoy – boxing, badminton, or spelunking. There are many to fat burning activities to choose from.

The tips above will not let you lose 10 pounds overnight. However, in the long run, such changes will help you become healthier and fitter. The weight loss you will experience will be more permanent.

Every single year, almost 75% of American suffer with headaches. They are often scared that they may have a brain tumor or a stroke.

Benign (harmless) headaches can sometimes be just as severe as those from a more sinister cause. The first concern of the Doctor is to make sure what is causing your headache. To do this, he relys on the person’s descriptions of the symptoms, any pattern that the headaches may follow and any possible triggers.

So what sort of things will your Doctor be looking at? If you are planning to visit your Doctor because of headaches, this list will be a useful check point for you. Having the answers to these questions will help both you and your Doctor.

How long have these headaches been going on?

As a general rule, the longer you have been suffering a similar sort of headache – the more likely it is to be harmless (however debilitating or painful). Sufferers with migraine will often have started having them as a child, teen or young adult. Migraine may finish when a woman begins her menopause – but they can also start at that time, too. Tension headaches can start at any time.

Does anyone else in your family suffer with headaches? Migraines can often run in families but cluster headaches don’t.

How frequently do you suffer with these headaches?

Your doctor will want to you to tell him how many times a day, month or year you get headaches. This will help to decide whether the treatment should be:

Prophylactic (preventing the headaches from starting)

Abortive (trying to stop a headache attack that is already happening)

Has the pattern of your headaches changed – or are you getting them more often?

Many people struggle on with headaches for months or even years. What finally brings them to the Doctor is a change in that pattern or the headaches becoming more severe. The Doctor will want to know what is causing your headache and check out the things that might be making it worse.

When you have a headache, where is the pain located?

The location will help your Doctor to diagnose what type your headache is. For instance:

Migraine: anywhere in the head but most common in the temple area.

Tension headaches: Felt on one or both sides. May be in the front. Commonly most intense in the neck, shoulder and back of the head.

Cluster headaches: always on one side – usually around the eye.

Try and describe the pain for me?

Again, this will help with the diagnosis:

Migraine: commonly throbbing or pulsating

Tension headache: dull, dragging ache – often tight band

Cluster headaches: Deep and intensely painful as if something sharp and hot is being pushed into the eye

Do you have any other symptoms with the headache?

Migraine: losing appetite, feeling sick, being sick, dislike of light and/ or noise

Tension headaches: stiff or sore neck, grinding teeth at night, clenched jaw

Cluster headaches: watering eye, blocked nose

How long does the headache last?

Migraine: commonly less than 24 hours. Or may be as short as 20 minutes or go on for weeks – although less common. Usually a pain-free period between migraines.

Tension headache: Can last for days, weeks and rarely, years.

Cluster headache: Very severe, but short. Usually 30-90 minutes, repeated 2-6 times during a ‘bout’

Do your headaches always seem to be at a particular time?

Migraine: The sufferer often wakes up with one. May happen more at weekends. Women with menstrual migraine may have them a few days before their period.

Tension headaches: Commonly during stressful times.

Cluster headaches: Often wake the person from a deep sleep at night.

Have you or your family noticed your behavior or mood changing because of the headaches?

Migraine: Person can become withdrawn, easily irritated and want to be on their own.

Tension headaches: Happy to receive care and attention.

Cluster headaches: The person may pace up and down, hold their head or rock during an attack.

Headache sufferers are at a higher risk of depression due to their condition (or sometimes the depression causes the condition).

Signs of depression that the Doctor is looking for are:

Poor sleeping – either too much or too little

Feeling tired all the time

Loss of appetite

Loss of interest in sex

Do you get any warning signs that a headache is going to start?

15% of all migraine sufferers may get a warning in the form of an ‘aura’. This is often seeing dazzling lights or zig-zag lines.

Numbness and/or noticing a distinctive odor are also auras.

If you have an aura that carries on after your headache has finished, make sure you tell the Doctor.

Have you noticed anything particular triggering your headaches?

Headaches and migraines can have many triggers. If you know what yours are, that’s fine. If not, it may help to keep a headache diary – which includes what you have eaten and done during that day. This will help the Doctor to find out what is causing your headache and what type it is.

Knowing the answers to these questions will help your doctor determine the typr of headasche you have and the best way to combat the pain.

Advancing technology is a great thing – after all, it’s seen us progress from TV to video and now the DVD. Advancing technology for gym goers has seen the rise of the multi-gym, the Smith Machine and the Nautilus variable cam. One of the unfortunate side effects of such progress, however, is that sometimes the old, tried and true basics get lost in the rush to try out the new and exciting. Nowhere is this more evident than when it comes to the deadlift. Once the king of mass and power movements, the deadlift is virtually unknown by modern day weight trainers. Those who are familiar with it have been taught to leave it alone as a useless and potentially dangerous movement for bodybuilders. The truth of the matter, however, is that there’s only one way to build a physique that emanates rugged power and thick, deep mass - and that is to enter the dead zone.

WHY IT’S SO GOOD

There is no other exercise that will increase your core strength while packing thick slabs of muscle onto your torso than the deadlift. Every muscle group at the back of your body is involved in this deceptively simple movement.

Here’s how each of them comes alive when you deadlift:

Calves: The gastrocnemius, along with the soleus, is the part of the calf responsible for plantar flexion at the ankle, which naturally occurs when you deadlift. Result? Deadlifting will increase the size of your calf muscles.

Hamstrings: The hamstrings do two things – they extend the hip and flex the knee. So it follows that to fully develop them we need to mimic both of these movements. Leg curls, which are the start and finish of most bodybuilder’s hammy program, only flex the knee. Enter the deadlift – it provides full hip extension and, therefore, a great hamstring work out (the stiff legged variation even more directly targets this muscle group).

Glutes: The gluteus maximus is the biggest, strongest muscle in your body and it gets direct stimulation from the hip extension involved in the deadlift. As well as giving you a kick-ass butt, it’s development will give you tremendous thrusting power when you jump or sprint (or whatever else you choose to do).

Spinal Erectors: These are two thick columns of muscle that run alongside the spine from just above the hips to the mid back. Their prime functions are to straighten the back from a bent position and arch the spine. They are also largely responsible for maintaining a fit and problem free lower back. Deadlifts will hammer them mercilessly.

STANDARD TECHNIQUE

Place a loaded barbell on the floor in front of you. Squat down, with feet shoulder width apart, grab it with an overhand grip, arms slightly wider than shoulder width. With arms straight and back arched, lift to an upright position. Pause at the top before lowering back to the floor.

OPTIMIZED TECHNIQUE

Stand in front of the bar with feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing out slightly. With back arched, squat down to grab the bar with a reverse, shoulder width grip (one hand should be supinated (palms facing you) and the other pronated (palms facing away)). Hold the bar as high on the palm as you can to allow for any bar roll as you lift. Begin the upward pull by driving your heels into the ground as you pull the bar towards you and up. As your knees straighten, the bar should be right up against your legs. As you near the top of the movement push your hips forward and your shoulders back. Lift to an upright position with legs straight. Your shoulders should be pulled back and your lower back arched. Pause for a two count and then slowly lower to the floor. Pause and move into your next rep. Don’t let the momentum of a fast rep rate do the work for you.

5 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER DO WHILE DEADLIFTING

(1) Round your Back: Rounding your back is the natural reaction to going heavy on the deadlift. But, unless you want to take 20 excruciating minutes to get your pants on in the morning, you must avoid this tendency at all costs. Keep your chest high, chin up and eyes focused on a spot above you and you’re back will naturally remain arched.

(2) Jerk the bar up or move so quickly between reps that momentum is doing most, or any, of the work. You want to have a smooth cadence and a slight pause at both the top and bottom of each rep.

(3) Lean back at the top position. While this was recognized as good form in decades past, we now know that it puts too much stress on your lower back. If you want to hyperextend, do hyperextensions.

(4) Move your foot position during the movement. Keep your feet planted in one spot and push through your heels as you lift. Juggling your feet with a handful of heavy iron could give a whole new meaning to the DEADlift.

(5) Lift your hips faster than your shoulders. Correct technique has the hips and shoulders moving together. If you have already straightened your legs before the bar has hardly left the floor, you need to drop the weight back and get your form on song. Failure to get this right could lead to serious back rounding with its associated problems. It would pay to have a spotter check out this aspect of your technique.

SETS, REPS

Suzanne Somers has single-handedly aroused world-wide interest in bio-identical hormone therapy – this is good.

She has made women and men aware that they have to be proactive about their health – in other words, take responsibility – this is good.

However, the specific recommendations that she is championing with regard to hormone replacement is not only ill-advised, it may actually be dangerous. She is a strong advocate of the hormone estrogen – which is fairly ironic since this is the hormone that gave her breast cancer, contributed to her life-long battle with weight (it is lipogenic, i.e. it causes fat to be deposited around the hips, thighs, buttocks, breasts, etc.), and recently caused her to undergo a gynecological procedure for uncontrollable bleeding.

When advising women to take high dosages of a toxic hormone it is important to give them the entire picture. Estrogen is known to cause six different cancers, it predisposes to strokes, heart attacks, and pulmonary emboli (it is contraindicated in coronary artery disease), it is the hormone that causes menstrual symptoms, such as cramps, PMS, breast tenderness, and migraine headaches, it can cause gallbladder disease, asthma, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and causes nausea during pregnancy.

Nature is a lot smarter than we are – it allows estrogen levels to diminish at a certain time in a woman’s life when procreation is not necessary. I suspect nature recognizes that estrogen is not a safe hormone which is another reason the levels are decreased.

Women, and their doctors, should be aware that women never stop making estrogen, so very often it is not necessary to be replaced except in specific instances (i.e. vaginal dryness, low body fat (because estrogen is produced primarily in fatty tissue, etc).

From a bio-identical hormone replacement standpoint, progesterone is the only hormone that has to be replaced. Prior to the menopause, this hormone prevents or eliminates all the downsides to estrogen. Ms. Somers was on birth control pills for 21 years which meant she did not ovulate for 21 years, which means she was without progesterone for 21 years. The progestins in B.C. pills are not progesterone – they are synthetic and are as dangerous as the estrogen in B.C. pills.

After stopping B.C. pills it is my understanding that Ms. Somers was on extremely high levels of estradiol, the strongest estrogen – no wonder she got breast cancer. I am confused why she feels it necessary to surround herself only with hormone doctors that recommend estrogen.

The purpose of this article is not to criticize Ms. Somers – I am extremely grateful that her activities brought BHRT out of the closet. I would simply recommend that she speak to doctors that may have a different viewpoint.

In her latest book called Ageless, she is now recommending human growth hormone (HGH) therapy to her readers. She states her IGF-1 levels were low which is why she started on this therapy. Perhaps one of her hormone specialists should have pointed out that estrogen lowers IGF-1 levels. She might be interested in the fact that IGF-1 is a hormone that speeds up aging – it is not an anti-aging hormone. People should also be aware that it is illegal to give this hormone for anti-aging purposes; it is only allowable for documented growth hormone deficiencies.

Let me now address some of the critics of Suzanne Somers. They claim that bio-identical hormones are not FDA approved. Wrong. All compounded hormones put out by compound pharmacies are FDA approved. Upjohn Pharmaceuticals was producing FDA approved bio-identical hormones 70 years ago (and most physicians are still not aware of them).

Critics say that it is better to go with known medications such as Premarin, which are “safer”. In point of fact, all estrogens (except bio-identical estriol) are unsafe. The first 10 years Premarin was on the market, they estimate somewhere between 200,000 and 2,000,000 women got uterine cancer.

Bio-identical hormone therapy, although in existence for 70 years, is still in its infancy. Ms. Somers is in the position of receiving the kind of ridicule that Semmelweiss and Lister received a hundred years ago when they suggested that doctors should wash their hands prior to surgery. I salute her for her courage. I would recommend that she educate herself about hormones. They are extremely potent chemicals and must be used in a safe, logical manner.

Eventually, she may get to the full realization of the potential bio-identical hormones have for healing. They control every system of the body and are major determinants of our health. A person should not be waiting for the menopause or andropause to get their hormones in balance.

Michael E. Platt, M.D., Board Certified Internist, is the author of The Miracle of Bio-Identical Hormones. He is in private practice in Palm Desert, CA. His website address drplatt period com.

Fruit and vegetables are brimming with fibre, plus a whole range of vitamins and minerals, and because they’re low in calories, they make an important and healthy addition to any diet. Here is some information for you about vegetable nutrition. “Eat your fruits and vegetables” is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet, and for good reason. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.”5 A Day” is a national health programme in the USA and also in the UK to explain why you need vegetable nutrition as well as fruit and to encourage you to eat more servings of fruit and vegetables every day. People all over the world are becoming more and more aware of how important fruit nutrition and vegetable nutrition is to stay healthy.

In general, yellow and dark green vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and many of the B vitamins. The greener the leaf, the richer the nutrients will be. Here are some suggestions to think about color to pack nutritional power in your diet: · White: Eat cauliflower more often than potatoes, onions and mushrooms.· Green: Add more dark lettuces, such as romaine and red leaf lettuce, spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts to replace iceberg lettuce and green beans. · Yellow-orange: Substitute more carrots, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, oranges and grapefruit for corn or bananas. · Red: Select tomatoes, red peppers and strawberries in favor of apples. If you are trying to watch your weight, an idea is to make sure you are not eating too many calories if you are adding these foods to your diet. increasing the amounts of fruits and vegetables you eat can promote weight control, but only if they replace higher fat foods like ice cream, meat and chips to help you consume fewer calories. But if fruits and vegetables are simply added to what you already eat, total calories won’t significantly drop and weight loss should not be expected. The most important thing to do is to vary the fruit and vegetables that you eat from day to day. This is to give your body a variety but to also keep you interested in your food. There are always great new recipes, ideas and ways to make your food look and taste great!

Spinning is a term for indoor, stationary cycling. Spin bikes have fixed racing handlebars, pedals with shoes straps so that you don’t slip, adjustable bike seat and adjustable handle bar crank.

This is great, because it’s important that you are sitting in the right position depending on your height for maximum comfort and results. The intensity of your spinning workout session on the spin bike can be adjusted with either a resistance knob or gear lever. Depending on the type of spin bike you’re looking at, some of the higher quality spin bikes come with a gear lever which offers up to 8 gear changes for harder workouts.

While spinning classes are very popular, more and more people are buying spin bikes for home use as time restraints, and hectic lifestyles make it very difficult to get to scheduled spinning classes on time.

While a typical spinning bike class lasts for up to 40 minutes, every minute working out on your spin bike does count! Remember…your muscles can’t count time so if you’ve only got 12 or 5 or 17 minutes….go for a spin on your exercise bike! It will still make a difference! Like all exercise programs, start out with a warm up and gradually build up speed and resistance as your fitness levels increase!

People of all ages and fitness levels can enjoy spinning on the spin bike and because the impact is so low, if you’re after an exercise program that doesn’t add stress to the joints, but still want to burn maximum calories, then a spinning exercise program may be what you’re after!

A spinning exercise routine using your spin bike will work out a few different muscles groups. These include the quadriceps (thighs), hamstrings (back of the thighs), hips, gluteus maximus (bum), and abdominal muscles. As you can see…your spinning exercise routine can really get great results if you go for it!

Spinning indoors on your spin bike is a perfect way to exercise all year round because you never have to worry about the weather. You can watch TV, read a book or really ramp it up for an intense training session! It all depends on the outcome of your exercise session.

I recommend investing in a pair of proper cycling shorts as after a while you may need the extra padding! For those looking for an exercise that really works your bum, spinning on a spin bike will give you great results here! By the way, make sure you drink plenty of water during your spinning exercise program. Very important!

If you have any ailments, injuries or queries, firstly consult with your personal trainer, a fitness instructor or a physician. Make sure your seat is in the right position and the handlebars have been adjusted to suit you. Your knees should be slightly bent when positioned at the bottom of the stroke pedal. Your elbows should be slightly bent, with your arms a comfortable distance from the handlebars. Keep adjusting them until you’ve got it right!

Spinning on your spin bike in the comfort of your own home is an excellent, safe and fun way to burn those unwanted kilos while increasing your fitness level. Because you can jump on your spin bike any time of the day (even if it’s only for a few minutes), you will see results fast if you keep it up! Mixed with a healthy eating plan, spinning on your spin bike will have you feeling like an athlete in no time at all!

My name’s Amanda and I’m one of Australia’s leading Personal Trainers, thanks for stopping by and reading my guide. For more information drop by my Spin Bike page http://www.bigdollardiscounts.com/NewSite/spin.html and check out what a quality Spin Bike should look like.

Amanda