The Beauty Benefits of Exercise by Nicole Blades

There are plenty of reasons to exercise. For some, it’s because they booked a beach vacation, while others are focused on staying healthy. No matter what your motivation is, we can all agree that the benefits of exercise are obvious. But there’s a stealthier payoff: healthy skin. Read on to learn more about the skin and beauty rewards that come from regularly working up a sweat.

Instant Glow

When you get your heart pumping from aerobic exercise, you’re supplying your skin with a nice dose of oxygenated blood, says Noëlle S. Sherber, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist based in Baltimore, Maryland. “It gives you that great post-workout glow.”

Wrinkle Reduction

Working out also helps maintain healthy levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol, Sherber says. “Elevated cortisol levels are linked to increased sebum production, which means more acne breakouts,” she says. Too much cortisol can also cause the collagen in the skin to break down, Sherber says, which can increase wrinkles and sagging. “Exercise actually supports the production of collagen,” says Amy Dixon, a Los Angeles–based exercise physiologist and celebrity trainer. “The boost in this protein helps to keep your skin firm, supple, and elastic.”
Acne Relief

Regular exercise boosts circulation. “It nourishes your skin, bringing more blood flow and oxygen to it,” says Mauro C. Romita, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Ajune Center for Beauty Synergy in New York City. “This will help draw toxins out of the body.” Plus, all that sweating cleans out the pores of congested skin. “Working out corrects the hormonal imbalance that can cause adult acne,” Romita says.

To reap the beneficial skin effects of working out, a few extra steps are required, Sherber warns. “If you're acne prone, make sure to keep gentle, fragrance-free cleansing wipes in your gym bag.” Be sure to cleanse your face and other areas that tend to break out immediately after exercising, she says. “For eczema, wear fabrics that wick perspiration away from the skin, since the wet-dry-wet-dry cycle will dry out your skin and provoke flare-ups,” Sherber says. And above all, avoid exercising with makeup on your face.

Healthier Hair

The improved blood flow helps keep your hair stronger and healthier, Dixon says. This blood, full of nutrients, stimulates the hair follicles and promotes growth. “Exercise is also a big stress reliever,” she says. “Lower stress means your hair is less likely to be brittle and, worse, fall out.” Even if you’re as stress free as a cucumber, Dixon recommends checking with your dermatologist about any hair loss to rule out other causes.

As for the best type of exercise for your skin, Dixon says it’s all good. “Every modality will improve circulation and reduce stress,” she says, “but it’s a wise move to mix up your workouts as often as possible.” Try adding 30 minutes of a few simple yoga postures or a brisk walk to your day three times a week, Dixon says, to see the beauty returns in your hair and skin.

Benefits of Bananas

Bananas are yummy, easy to eat and very CHEAP and they have tons of health benefits.

Bananas consist mainly of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and fiber, which makes them ideal for an immediate and slightly prolonged source of energy. Instead of drinking caffeine or having a sugary snack, bananas provide a level of energy that lasts longer without the dramatic crash caused by caffeine.

Reducing Depression

Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood.

Anemia

Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body’s hemoglobin function.

Constipation and Diarrhea

Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.

Eyesight Protection

Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

Healthy Bones

Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy bacteria infections. Thanks to fructooligosaccharides, probiotic bacteria can increase both in number and functionality, increasing our body’s ability to absorb calcium. In addition, green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently

Healthy Kidney

About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year. Research published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective to kidney health. The results show that, over a long time frame (13.4 years), women eating more than 2.5 servings of fruits and vegetable per day cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who did not eat this fruit. The conclusion of the study is that frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may reduce risk of kidney cancer. This is because bananas and many root vegetables contain especially high amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds, while cabbage is rich in sulfur, necessary for effective detoxification of potential carcinogens.

Blood Pressure

Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg), thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Heartburn

Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness

Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Smoking

Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Ulcers

This is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid). Additionally, bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.

Nerves

Bananas are high in B vitamins that have been shown to improve nerve function.

Mosquito Bites

Many people report that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite is very effective in reducing itching and swelling.

Stress Relief

Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the heartbeat and regulate the body’s water balance. During periods of high stress, our body’s potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted: eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using drugs.

Stroke Risk

According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%.

Peels Can Be Used to Treat Warts

The outside of the banana peel also has healing and beneficial properties for the human body. If you have a wart on your foot, wrapping a banana peel around your foot so that the exterior of the peel rubs against the wart will help it go away in a matter of time. To keep the peel in place, you can wrap tape around it for better results.

Eat Bananas after a Night of Partying

The natural ingredients in bananas and their ability to replenish the body’s vitamins make them an ideal way to reduce the effects of a hangover. Put a couple bananas in the blender with some plain yogurt and add some honey to sweeten the taste. The fruit tends to calm the stomach and the honey helps to restore the blood sugar levels to normal.

Eat a Banana during Your Monthly Visitor

Instead of taking pills designed to reduce your menstrual pains, bananas can be a great help. Bananas have a level of vitamin B6 that helps to regulate blood glucose level and help your overall mood.

My Final Thought: Eat more Bananas! With all of the banana health benefits, it is easy to see why they are such a popular fruit. In many ways, their benefits are far greater than that of other fruits. They not only have more vitamins and minerals than some other choices, they also taste great and are easy to eat and very CHEAP!

Weight Loss: Men vs. Women

Men often lose weight faster than women, because men are endowed with more of the body's primary energy consumer; that is, muscle. Even while resting, men, as a result of their greater muscle mass, burn 5 to 10 percent more calories than women.

Shedding pounds from the "right places" is a problem for a lot of women. Here again, this has to do with the differences between the sexes. Most of our body fat, regardless of gender, is located under our skin and around our internal organs. With diet and exercise, we all lose this fat at about the same relative rates.

The remainder of our fat is called "essential fat" and is deposited in bone marrow, in various organs, and throughout the nervous system. However, essential fat in females also includes "sex-specific fat." This fat mainly accounts for the higher percentage of total body fat in women.

Herein lies the "right places" problem. Although some of this sex-specific fat is stored in the breasts, most is deposited in the pelvic, buttock, and thigh region. And once in place, sex-specific fat, as well as all other essential fat, is hard to dislodge. Some experts say this reflects the importance of this fat in childbearing and hormone functions.

In short: Women have less calorie burning muscle than men. Women also have "sex-specific fat," most of which is deposited below the waist and is stubbornly resistant to diet and exercise. Achieving a lighter, trimmer figure is, therefore, a little more demanding for the female.

Water vs. Coke

Water

75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Coke

In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.

To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid cleans out the stains. Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

Sugar – The Silent Killer

Sugar – The Silent Killer – STOP eating or drinking it.


Weight loss is not easy, especially since the delicious-tasting foods we eat are full of sugar. But the truth is, there are more than 70 reasons why you should be afraid – very afraid – of sugar. It is one of the most deadly substances you can eat, and yet it tastes so good! None of us is perfect in our eating habits, but if we know the truth about a food, we can make better choices about when we eat it and how much we are willing to ingest.

Here is the bottom line. Sugar turns into FAT and fat, when it surrounds our organs, is very dangerous to many aspects of our health. Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch (so that candy bar you just ate is worse for you than a piece of bread –  That is why I call sugar the Silent Killer. We don’t know it is killing us until our weight is so out of control that we start to get a variety of ailments.

Here are some of the things that sugar can do to you. In general, it can:

· suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.

· cause a loss of tissue elasticity and function

· weaken eyesight

· cause premature aging

· lead to alcoholism.

If that isn’t enough, sugar contributes to:

· obesity, tooth decay and periodontal disease,

· arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, gallstones,

· appendicitis, hemorrhoids, yeast infections,

· osteoporosis, lethargy in children, food allergies,

· skin disease, cardiovascular disease, premature aging of skin,

· cataracts, nearsightedness, emphysema, Parkinson’s disease,

· liver disease, kidney stones, headaches and migraines,

· depression, gout, Alzheimer’s, dizziness, polio risk,

· epileptic seizures, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia

· gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, lowered Vitamin E levels

· toxemia in pregnancy

· ……and worse, yet, sugar can actually impair the structure of your DNA and SUGAR IS ADDICTIVE.

Is this enough evidence of the danger in using too much sugar? No? Here is more on what sugar can do to the normal functioning of your body. Sugar can:

· Limit your body’s absorption of calcium and magnesium

· produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.

· change the way proteins act in your body.

· impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.

· lower the ability of enzymes to function, compromise the lining of your capillaries and make your tendons more brittle.

· can affect your ability to think clearly, cause hormonal imbalances and increase free radicals and oxidative stress.

It’s bad enough what sugar can do to YOUR body, but here is what it can do to your children:

· Cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.

· Given to premature babies, sugar can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce. Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.

· Sugar may induce cell death. In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.

· Sugar dehydrates newborns.

· It can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.

· In pregnant adolescents, sugar can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.

· Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Killing Off the Silent Killer - What You Can Do About Your Sugar Intake.

Now that you can see what sugar does to your body, doesn’t it make sense to limit your intake? The USDA recommends limiting added sugars to 40 grams or 10 teaspoons a day for a 2,000 calorie diet.

Here are four steps to eliminating sugars from your Diet:

Step 1 – Dump those sodas: A good start to get sugar out of your system is by getting rid of ALL sodas. If you drink sodas, you might as well start drinking syrup. After all, soft drinks have 40 grams of sugar per 12 ounces.  Also don’t be fooled by the synonyms for sugar like sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, honey and molasses. They are all SUGAR. Drink water instead.

Step 2 - Read labels: Sugar is ADDICTIVE and makes things taste better. Manufacturers put sugar in anything and I mean ANYTHING! Would you put sugar in your soup? Or sugar on your salad? Well look at the labels and you will find sugar in canned soups and salad dressings. No wonder we can’t avoid sugar. It is everywhere in our foods.

Step 3 – Reduce your desserts: I know, this one is hard, but once you do this, it will be easier to totally eliminate all added sugars from your diet.

Step 4 – Watch those fruit drinks: Be aware of fruit drinks or fruit juices you buy. Most of them have almost no real juice in them - less than 5 % - so all you are actually getting is flavored sugar water. Again, drink water or pure juices.

Note: Fruits and Vegetables also have sugars in them, but those are not considered added free sugars, so don’t worry about them. Most fruits have a lot of other beneficial ingredients that will override the effects of the sugars in them.

Eat 6 Meals a Day for Maximum Weight Loss

Severely cutting your calorie intake is NOT the key to permanent weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. Instead, you should be eating 5 to 6 small meals and drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day for maximum weight loss. Read on to find out why.

There are so many people who think losing weight is about slashing your calories to ungodly amounts. However, I'm here to tell you that this is all wrong. You've been lied to.

How many people do you see on the roller coaster diet? Probably too many to count. Why is this? Simply because diets don't work. Most diets restrict your calories and slow down your metabolism. This causes your body to go into starvation mode. In starvation mode, your body burns very few calories and experiences extreme hunger pangs.

Fortunately, there is a solution. Eat 5 - 6 healthy, small meals per day. Men should shoot for 6 meals a day while women should try to get in 5 meals per day. Yes, you heard me right and you may have heard it before, but please take notice this time. Frequent, small, healthy meals provide a number of benefits that will help you reach the highest fitness level possible.

Increase Your Metabolism

Eating 6 meals a day will boost your metabolism, helping you to burn more calories all day long.

In fact, by eating super-clean, high protein foods at each of your six meals, you will find that your metabolism goes into overdrive, becoming extremely efficient at burning off calories.

Burn Calories with the Thermic Effect of Food

Frequent eating revs up your metabolism due to the thermic effect of food. This is because the breakdown and absorption of food itself requires a substantial number of calories.

This is known as the thermic effect of food. Foods have a thermic effect ranging from 3% to 30%. Protein foods create a thermic effect of up to 30%. This means that 30% of the calories from foods like turkey, tuna, and salmon are burned simply by digesting them. Complex and fibrous carbohydrates burn about 20% of their calories through digestion. This includes broccoli, spinach, corn, green beans, etc.


On the other end of the spectrum are fats and refined carbohydrates. They have an extremely low thermic effect of about 3%. This is one of the reasons that dietary fat is stored as easily as body fat.

As you can see, what you eat matters even more than how much you eat.

Maintain Peak Energy Levels

You will feel 10 times better by eating smaller, more frequent meals. Your energy level will soar and your hunger cravings will be destroyed.


This is because eating 5 to 6 meals per day helps maintain a balanced blood sugar level, preventing hunger attacks.

This is in direct contrast to the calorie depriving diets that send your blood sugar levels into havoc, with too many peaks and valleys.

Build Muscle


You will also find it easier to build and maintain muscle. The more muscle you develop, the faster your metabolism becomes.

Frequent meals help promote muscle growth by regulating insulin levels and providing a steady flow of amino acids into the muscle cells.

By eating approximately every three hours you are constantly delivering a steady output of insulin, which is necessary for muscle growth and glycogen storage.

Insulin plays a major role in transporting glucose and amino acids into the muscle cells where they can then be used for recovery and muscle growth. Are you starting to see the many benefits of eating 6 meals a day?

Frequent meals also allow for more efficient use of vitamins and minerals. Your body simply becomes much more effective at processing these vital nutrients.

To reap the full benefit of this lifestyle, be sure that you eat on a consistent schedule. This requires a bit of meal planning, but it is certainly worth it. It is very important to get your body into the habit of knowing when it will be supplied with nutrients. This way, your body won't fall into dreaded hunger attacks and cravings. Instead, it will always know that a steady flow of nutrients will soon be supplied.

The key is to center your diet on lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.

By eating 5 to 6 small meals per day, you will increase your energy levels, accelerate muscle growth, and speed up your metabolism without storing fat. In fact, frequent eating will actually allow you to eat up to 50% more calories without storing an ounce of it as fat.


To really burn the fat, you will need to combine this healthy eating plan with cardio work and strength training.

Combine those three and you will turn your body into a fat-burning machine.
By Kim Roach

Kim Roach is the Fitness Reporter at HealthyEveryDay.com, where you will find healthy diet recipes, fitness articles, and information.

It takes time to lose weight

Do you believe it's simple to lose weight? If you listen to the weight loss industry, you've been told over and over how easy it is--just take this pill, follow that diet or buy this piece of equipment and everything will melt away in a flash. In fact, we spend over $30 billion each year on weight loss products and yet we're still overweight. Is weight loss really that simple?

Complex Problems, Simple Solutions

The idea behind weight loss is simple--burn more calories than you eat. This can be accomplished by replacing a couple of sodas with water and adding 20 minutes of walking each day. Sounds simple...and it is. If it's that simple, why can't we seem to do it?

There are a number of factors that contribute to our weight gain that you already know. But it's not just about finding time to exercise or choosing the salad over the burger--it's about genuine commitment to make healthy decisions every day....REGARDLESS of what's happening in your life. If you're not ready to make some changes, losing weight will be hard. Below are 10 things you'll need to look at in order to get yourself on a healthy track.



1. Your Attitude. If you're only on a health kick to lose weight or look a certain way, it will be hard to lose weight permanently. Why? Because, what happens if you don't see results quickly enough? You give up. Weight loss is a great goal, but unless you have something else to motivate you, what's to keep you going if the scale doesn't budge? It takes time to lose weight--how will you motivate yourself in the meantime? Find more reasons to be healthy--having more energy, dealing with health problems or wanting to live longer to be around for your kids. Those are some darned good reasons, if you ask me.



2. Your Workouts. If you don't workout consistently enough, it's hard to lose weight. Yes, it's possible to lose weight through diet alone, but you'll likely hit a plateau. You don't need to spend hours in the gym, you only need to set up a reasonable workout schedule that you can follow each week. It's not about killing yourself with workouts--it's about finding something you like and that you'll continue with for the rest of your life. You have to be willing to be more active on a regular basis--not just for a week here and there.



3. Your Eating. Changing the way you eat is another thing you're going to have to do for long-lasting weight loss. You need to be willing to replace unhealthy foods with healthier choices--every single day. This might mean:

Keeping a food journal

Spending more time in the grocery store reading food labels

Spending more time preparing meals

Saying no to extra portions

Making conscious choices about what you put in your mouth.

For permanent weight loss, you need to pay attention to what you eat and make good choices more often than not. Maybe a structured diet eventually ends, but healthy eating never stops...there will never be a time when you're done eating healthy. You might feel you're sacrificing the good stuff (pizza, fast food, etc.) and your life won't be fun if you can't have those foods. Guess what? You can still have them...just not whenever you want. Are you ready to make these changes? Are you ready to stop giving your body the most convenient thing available (and often the most fatty) and, instead, spend time planning what and when you'll eat? Because that's what it takes to get healthy...permanently.



4. Your Lifestyle. If you want a healthy life, you have to be willing to change how you live. It doesn't mean changing everything overnight, but simply being open to new ways of doing things. Some things you might need to change for a healthy life are:

Daily Routines. You may need to get up earlier to prepare your lunch or squeeze in a workout, use your lunch hour for exercise or go for a walk after work instead of watching TV. Are you willing to do this?

Limits. You might need to set new rules for yourself limiting how much TV you watch or how long you sit at the computer. You'll need to pay attention to how you spend your time and where you're out of balance so you can add more movement.

Your Pantry. I'm the kind of person who will eat an entire bag of Potato Chips if they're in the house. That means I don't keep them in the house. If you want to be healthy, you may need to get rid of those foods you just can't resist.

Your Schedule. If you're not willing to sit down and change the way you live each day to include exercise, time to prepare meals and time to nurture yourself with sleep, it's hard to lose weight. People use busy schedules as an excuse not to be healthy...are you one of them? If you're not ready to take responsibility for the schedule you've created, it will be hard to lose weight.

5. Your Surroundings. Sometimes, you can't control the things around you. At work, you may be surrounded by temptations--donuts, vending machines and the like. That's just one thing you have to deal with...but what about your home? Surround yourself with things that will support you in your efforts to get healthy. That might mean spending some money on home workout equipment, setting up a corner of the house for your gear. Set up an environment that encourages those healthy choices and reminds you of them--just walking into my kitchen and seeing that bowl of fresh fruit is often enough to remind me of all the healthy choices I'll need to make that day.



6. Your Support System. While getting healthy may be something you're doing on your own, it's a big help to have a support system. At the very least, family members who understand what you're doing and are either willing to participate or help. If you have a spouse who wants to continue eating the kinds of foods that tempt you, you need a plan to deal with that so you can still reach your goals and keep your relationship together. Try to surround yourself with people who support what you're doing and avoid those people (like that co-worker who always offers you a donut even though you refuse on a daily basis) who don't. A workout buddy is also an excellent idea for support.



7. Your Spiritual and Mental Health. If you have other reasons for being overweight--past hurts that you've used food to deal with, depression or other problems, it's hard to lose weight. For many of us, food is a comfort and something we've relied on all of our lives to help us deal with emotional problems. If that's the case for you, pinpointing those behaviors and what drives them is important for becoming aware of what you're doing and why. A counselor can help you with this or take some time to read about emotional eating. Be willing to learn why you make the choices you make and to confront them.



8. Your Goals. If you've set impossible goals, you are guaranteed to fail. Weight loss becomes hard to achieve if you feel like a constant failure...who wants to feel like that? If that's how your weight loss experience is, it's no wonder you keep quitting. The key is to set reasonable goals. So what is reasonable? That's going to be different for each person depending on your genetics, eating habits, exercise, and metabolism to name a few. You're better off setting a long-term goal (whether it's to lose weight or compete in a race) and then focusing your attention on daily or weekly goals. Your weekly goal might be to get in 3 cardio workouts, minimum. Pick things you KNOW you'll achieve so you're always successful. It can be as small as you like, as long as it's reachable.



9. Your Flexibility. You hear a lot about lifestyle changes, but it's daily choices that really test you. What happens if you have to work late and you can't get to the gym? Or what if you get stuck in traffic and miss your fitness class? Any number of things can happen in a day that may throw you off track. The trick is to be flexible. It helps if you're always prepared--keep some workout shoes in the car so you can stop off at the park for a quick walk. Keep some food handy so if you get stuck in traffic, you get a snack in before your workout. Often people skip workouts because something comes up and they simply aren't ready for it or they aren't willing to give themselves other options--can't do 45 minutes? Why not just do 10? Something is always better than nothing.



10. Your Willingness to Fail. You will not be perfect every day. As a perfectionist, I have to say that is a frustrating concept for me but, the truth is, everyone (even perfectionists) has good days and bad days. On the good days, you'll eat all your fruits and veggies, say no to that pizza and do your workout even though you're tired. On the bad days, you'll wake up late, forget to bring your lunch, have an extra piece of cake at your friend's birthday party and skip your workout. The bad days will happen if you're a human being. The trick is to never give up, even when you mess up. You're not a loser just because you make some mistakes...you're simply a person trying his or her best to make good decisions.

Exercise vs. Diet

In a recent study of 52 obese men with an average body mass index (BMI) of 31, Canadian researchers demonstrated the power of exercise as a weight loss tool.

One group of men dieted, consuming 700 calories per day less than they needed to maintain their weight. Another group walked or jogged on a treadmill at 80 percent of heart rate maximum for about an hour each day, long enough to burn off 700 calories.

After three months, both dieters and exercisers lost the same amount of weight - about 16.5 lbs, or eight percent of their body weight.

Exercisers, however, lost more abdominal fat (4.2 lbs) than dieters (3.3 lbs).

Exercisers also did not lose muscle mass the way dieters did, and got the added benefit of improved cardiovascular fitness.

A third study group kept their weight stable by burning off 700 calories per day with exercise, but making up for it with an extra 700 calories of food.

Although these men did not lose weight, they did lose visceral abdominal fat, which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Exercise and Cellulite

CELLULITE. We all know what it looks like, but misconceptions prevail.

The first thing you should know is that, in the true medical sense, cellulite is simply plain old fat. Yet it does have one defining characteristic—a dimpled, cottage-cheese, orange-peel look. Here’s why: Everybody has connective tissue that separates fat cells into compartments. While men tend to have horizontal or crisscross patterns to those compartments, women’s compartments have a honeycomb appearance, giving fat a greater chance to protrude or bulge, hence the cottage-cheese effect.



As a result, women are more likely to develop cellulite than men, mainly around the hips and thighs. However, men can develop the condition, too. Although cellulite becomes more noticeable with age, largely because the skin gets thinner over time, it generally strikes individuals in their 30s.



Of course, not everybody will develop cellulite in their lifetime. That’s because genetics determines where your fat cells are and how many fat cells you have. Activity level is another crucial factor associated with cellulite. If you exercise regularly, you’ll decrease your odds of developing cellulite, or if you do, the dimpled look won’t be quite as pronounced.



Beware of the Quick Fix

Unfortunately, too many people still hang on to the idea of quick and easy fixes. Beware of cellulite cream makers, medical procedures like liposuction or cosmetic treatments like body wraps. They don’t work. No cream applied to the skin can penetrate the skin and rearrange the fat cells beneath the surface. Liposuction is designed to remove excess deposits of fat, but it won’t change the appearance of fat. As for body wraps, the effect is only temporary. Fat is compressible, so when you do the wrap, it will smooth your skin, but by the next day, your skin will be back to normal.



Another misconception is that dieting alone can zap fat. Although there are diets that make you lose weight, at least one quarter of the weight lost is muscle, which lowers your metabolism. If you return to your usual eating habits, you’ll likely regain more weight than you lost because your metabolism is slower.



The Cellulite Solution

So what can you do to diminish the appearance of cellulite? Experts recommend daily cardio exercise combined with two to three strength-training sessions a week and a healthy diet.



The good news is that there’s actual proof that this approach works. Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass., and author of No More Cellulite (Perigee, 2003), designed a cellulite-reduction program that includes 20 minutes of strength training with five exercises for the upper body and five for the lower body, and 20 minutes of treadmill walking or jogging, staying at about 70 percent to 80 percent of maximal heart rate. This program is followed three days per week, although participants can always do more cardio.



Participants in an eight-week study of Westcott’s program lost about 1 pound per week or about 10 pounds after two months. When participants combined the exercise program with good eating habits (a food pyramid–based diet consisting of either 1,600, 2,220 or 2,800 calories), they doubled the fat loss, losing 9.1 pounds of fat (compared to 4.5 pounds without the nutritional component).



In another study led by Westcott, 72 men and women did three 30-minute workouts for eight weeks. The group that did only aerobic exercise, cycling for 30 minutes at a time, lost 4 pounds of fat but gained no muscle, which only slightly improved body composition. Yet when subjects did aerobic exercise (15 minutes of cycling) and strength training, they dropped 10 pounds of fat and added 2 pounds of muscle, which resulted in a greater improvement in body composition.



How to Get Started

An exercise program doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. For strength-training exercises, any tool is fine, including dumbbells, elastic bands, body weight and machines. If you prefer machines, leg presses, seated leg curls, hip adduction and abduction, and overhead presses are recommended. And effective free-weight exercises include the dumbbell squat, band hip adduction and abduction, bodyweight trunk extension and trunk curl.



Still not sure where to start? A session or two with a certified personal trainer can help get you started on the right track. And while results won’t happen overnight, a consistent program of regular exercise combined with a sensible diet can go a long way toward not only improving your appearance, but your overall health as well.

Beat Stress and Lose Weight

1. Exercise. Working out, no matter how intensely instantly reduces stress and cortisol levels. Lift weights or go for a walk or two during the day to manage stress.

2. Eat slowly. When we’re stressed, we eat faster. So it goes to reason that by slowing down at mealtime we’ll not only eat less before feeling full, but reduce our cortisol output.

3. Don’t Diet. Strict dieting can actually increase cortisol levels by 18%. When you’re hungry, you’re stressed. Dieting can also lower blood sugar which will intensify cravings. Eat healthy, well-balanced meals and avoid fad or restrictive diets.

4. Give In to Cravings. Indulge in your favorite dessert or snack occasionally (but avoid binging) to keep cortisol under control and your happiness in check.

5. Limit Caffeine. If drink caffeine while stressed, it can raise your cortisol output an additional 25%. The more coffee or caffeine you consume over the course of the day, the higher your cortisol rises.

6. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Eating a breakfast high in B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium and magnesium (think OJ, grapefruit, whole grain cereal with strawberries or whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and yogurt) will reduce cortisol levels and decrease food cravings later in the day.

7. Sleep Well. Last but certainly not least, getting enough sleep may be the best way to beat stress and lose weight. Sleep deprivation is a major stressor and can increase your appetite for sweet and salty snacks by 23%. Get 7-8 hours of shut-eye a night and you’ll feel better and eat less.

Amino Acids: Information

Amino acids are nitrogen-containing nutrients that form the building blocks of protein. Hundreds of different types of protein are vital for growth, development and sustaining life and therefore, amino acids are vital. The human body must make its own proteins "from scratch" since protein in food is broken down into amino acids during digestion. The body absorbs then uses these amino acids to make the new protein it needs. New protein is required on a constant basis to build and replace body structures (hair, skin, muscle, bone, cells of every kind) and to make hormones (insulin, growth hormone), enzymes (digestive, etc) and other fluids that sustain life.

Of the roughly 80 amino acids that occur in nature, the human body requires 20. Of these 20, 9 are known as essential amino acids; they are essential in the sense that, like vitamins, the body cannot manufacture them and therefore they must come from the diet. The other non-essential amino acids can be produced if the diet provides insufficient amounts. Some amino acids like arginine and glutamine have been termed conditionally essential, meaning supplemental amounts are needed only in certain conditions.



Most vegetable protein, except for soy and hemp, is considered incomplete protein, meaning it lacks one or more of the essential amino acids. Protein from animal sources such as meat, fish, egg, and whey are complete proteins, meaning they contain all 20 amino acids, including the 9 essential amino acids.

Amino Acids: Health Benefits

Individual amino acids are used as dietary supplements for a wide range of purposes. See the list at the end of this article.



Occasionally, individual amino acids are used to correct known or suspected deficiencies. Common causes of amino acid deficiencies are inadequate amounts of dietary protein, injuries, illness, recovery, medications and some genetic and digestive disorders. Deficiencies can be diagnosed by a physician with a blood test, and may be remedied by taking an amino acid supplement.



If the body lacks sufficient essential amino acids from the diet when needed, it immediately breaks down muscle tissue protein as a last-resort. So strength trainers or athletes should be sure to consume high-quality complete proteins with each meal, and eat 4 to 6 meals per day to support increased muscle production. Recommendations on protein consumption vary based upon individual differences and goals. A general recommendation for healthy non-athletes is to consume about 0.4 grams of protein per pound of ideal body weight, while athletes and bodybuilders may need from 0.8 up to 1.5 g of protein per pound of actual body weight.

Using Amino Acid Supplements

Take amino acid supplements within 30 minutes of a meal or as directed by the manufacturer or by your physician.

Amino acid supplements are available as individual amino acids and in various combinations. Products are available in tablet, capsule, powder, and liquid form. Amino Acids are very important after an intense workout and I recommend taking them within 30 minutes after a workout and/or before sleeping when your muscles heal and recover.

Side Effects and Cautions:

High doses of arginine may cause herpes and/or cold sore outbreaks in prone individuals. Consult your physician if you are pregnant/nursing or have a serious illness before taking amino acid supplements. Be sure to take only recommended doses, as some amino acids may be toxic if taken in large amounts. Do not take individual amino acid supplements on a long term basis except on the advice of a physician. Do not take lysine supplements with milk.

The 9 essential amino acids:

Histidine (carnosine prescursor)

Isoleucine (muscle growth and maintenance)

Leucine (muscle growth and maintenance)

Lysine (cold sores)

Methionine

Phenylalanine (supports alertness, mild appetite suppressant)

Threonine

Tryptophan (promotes sound sleep, relaxant)

Valine (muscle growth and maintenance, nitric oxide production, circulation)

The 11 non-essential amino acids:

Alanine (cellular energy production)

Arginine* (nitric oxide production, circulation, growth hormone, erectile dysfunction)

Asparagine

Aspartic acid

Cysteine* (antioxidant, supports healthy hair)

Glutamic acid (muscle, immune and intestinal health)

Glutamine* (muscle, immune and intestinal health)

Glycine*

Proline (collagen production)

Serine

Tyrosine* (mood support, brain booster)



*Conditionally-essential amino acid

Alcohol and Weight Loss

If you are curious as to the effects of alcohol on the body, this could be the most eye-opening article you will ever read. The effects of alcohol on the body are far more damaging than can be predicted by the number of empty calories in some alcoholic beverage. Many of us associate the effects of alcohol on the body with the heart, lungs, liver, brain, memory, etc. Furthermore, if asked about effects of drinking alcohol in terms of our fitness goals, most people will let you know about the infamous beer belly. You know what I'm talking about right? Drink too much and you end up storing too many calories as fat. Many people will choose low calorie alcohol drinks or low carb alcoholic beverages in an attempt to avoid the fat storage issue. They feel that by making this choice the only bad effects of alcohol - increased fat storage - will be minimized. But what you didn't know is that only about 5% of the calories from alcohol are stored as fat! Then it hit me as it should hit you right about now...The effects of alcohol on the body are far more damaging than can be predicted by the number of empty calories in some alcoholic beverage. The truth is...

1- Alcohol really affects the amount of fat your body can and will burn for energy! In a study done by the American Journal of Clinical Research they concluded that just a mere 24g of alcohol consumption showed whole-body lipid oxidation ( the rate at which your body burns fat) decreased by a whopping 73%! When alcohol goes thru the liver, the by-product is called Acetate. It would appear that acetate puts the proverbial brakes on fat burning. Your body can use many types of fuel. Protein, carbohydrates and fat. In many cases, the fuel used is dictated by its availability. Trouble is...Your body tends to use whatever you feed it for fuel right? As your acetate levels increase, your body burns more acetate as fuel. What this means is...Fat burning takes a back seat! What it all boils down to is this...

a) You consume a couple of alcoholic drinks or more.

b) Your liver metabolizes that into acetate.

c) Your body uses the acetate for fat as fuel.

2- Increase in appetite. In another American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, there was evidence to suggest that consumption of alcohol lead to an increase in appetite over that of any other carbohydrate type drink. Researchers over in the Research Department of Human Nutrition and Center for Advanced Food Studies in Denmark concluded that consumption of alcoholic beverages, and wine in particular, may enhance total energy intake at a meal relative to a soft drink, when served with no restriction.

3- Decrease in Testosterone and an Increase in Cortisol. A study of 8 healthy male volunteers observed that after drinking alcohol, the effects of a significant decrease in testosterone and an increase in cortisol (a muscle destroying hormone) lasted up to 24 hours! The only real question to ask yourself is this...If you are serious about building muscle and burning fat, you want all the free testosterone levels you can get and you want to reduce cortisol in any way you can. That means go lite on the drinking because it does affect your hormones. What more...is that the effects were even worse if you exercise before drinking. This means that if you are going out and will be drinking more than a small amount of alcohol, you might as well skip the gym. Not shocking is a study done by the Department of Radiology, Sahlgrenska Hospital, Goteborg, Sweden that determined increased waist to hip ratio of alcoholics may include not only changes in adipose tissue, but also in muscle tissue distribution. In layman's terms.. that means more fat around the waist and less overall muscle mass.

4- Decrease in vitamin and mineral absorption. When you consume large quantities of alcohol, your liver is busy converting the alcohol to acetate and any vitamins and minerals that it might process are taken up by the detoxification process. Alcohol interferes with the metabolism of most vitamins, and with the absorption of many nutrients. Alcohol stimulates both urinary calcium and magnesium excretion. This just means that you'll get less of a benefit from the "healthy" meal you may be consuming. Food in the stomach will compete with ethanol for absorption into the blood stream. It is well known that alcohol competes and influences the processing of nutrients in the body.

5- Decrease in protein synthesis of type II fibers. This means the actual building of muscle is slowed down by 20%+ or more. This included a 35% decrease in muscle insulin-like growth factor-I (GF-I).

6- Dehydration. A common side effect of alcohol is dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic. Drinks containing 4% alcohol tend to delay the recovery process. Considering how important water is to muscle building and general health, it's clear that dehydration can put a damper on your progress. After alcohol consumption the first thing you might want to do is drink coffee. But that's a diuretic as well. How to avoid dehydration? Drink more water.

7- Sleep. Alcohol consumption, especially at the times when you would normally sleep, can have effects on the quality of sleep. Clearly high quality sleep is extremely important to the rebuilding and growth process of muscle. Without proper rest and recovery, your gains will be affected. Alcohol consumption can induce sleep disorders by disrupting the sequence and duration of sleep states and by altering total sleep time as well as the time required to fall asleep.

8- The next day. A rather obvious conclusion but if you plan on drinking on a Friday night in excess then the leg workout you thought of doing on Saturday morning won't be top notch. It takes a bit to recover, your body to detoxify and for you mentally to be prepared to workout. Not to mention you need energy for the workout ahead. Sure you can hit the weights but my point is...It's not going to be the best workout you've ever experienced. At this point you might be totally discouraged to ever drink any alcohol again. But there's some good news. Here's proof...In the November 2004 issue of the International Journal of Obesity they did a study on the effects of moderate consumption of white wine on weight loss. Each group consumed 1500 calories. 150 calories came from white wine in one group and 150 calories from grape juice in another. The conclusion? An energy-restricted diet is effective in overweight and obese subjects used to drinking moderate amounts of alcohol. A diet with 10% of energy derived from white wine is as effective as an isocaloric diet with 10% of energy derived from grape juice. It's simple: Moderation is the key! (with first place being abstinence as you already know). In any event...The effects of alcohol on your body when it comes to building muscle and burning fat are quite clear. It is a lot more than just some extra calories stored as fat. If you consume too much, it can derail your goals a lot longer after your head has hit the pillow and you've gone to sleep.

ABC's of Staying Positive

Avoid negative sources, people, places, things and habits.

Believe in yourself.

Consider things from every angle.

Don't give up, and don't give in.

Enjoy life today; yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.

Family and friends are hidden treasures. Seek them and enjoy their riches.

Give more than you planned to give.

Hang on to your dreams.

Ignore those who try to discourage you.

Just do it!

Keep on trying. No matter how hard it seems, it will get easier.

Love yourself first and most.

Make it happen.

Never lie, cheat or steal. Always strike a fair deal.

Open your eyes and see things as they really are.

Practice makes perfect.

Quitters never win and winners never quit.

Read, study and learn about everything important in your life.

Stop procrastinating.

Take control of your own destiny.

Understand yourself in order to better understand others.

Visualize it.

Want it more than anything.

Xccellerate your efforts.

You are unique. Nothing can replace you.

Zero in on your target and go for it!

WATER the #1 medicine

Most of us are chronically dehydrated.

Our thirst mechanism is so weak that we often mistake it for being hungry.

Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Benefits of water: Less constipation, drinking more water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain.

Drinking lots of water decreases the risk of colon cancer and the risk of breast cancer and less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Here are some very common symptoms of dehydration.



Fatigue

Digestive discomfort

Headaches

Constipation

Anger

Ulcers

Obesity

Asthma

Allergies, kidney problems, dry skin, pretty much…

WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT WATER.

When you feel thirsty, you already are dehydrated. You should drink before you are thirsty.

Our body is 80% water and muscles are 75%, so without water we have no BODY.

So drink more filtered, reverse osmosis water. Tap water is not the answer, because it has some bad stuff in it, like chlorine.

How much water do we really need?



Water intake = body weight lbs

divided by 2 = ounces to drink

divided by 8 = glasses to drink

divided by 4 = liters to drink

Add 8 oz of water for each cup of coffee or glass of wine you drink



Water is a calorie-free source of fluid your body needs to stay alive. Your heart rate increases eight beats per minute for every liter of water lost during exercise. This increased heart rate combined with inefficient cooling, causes your temperature to rise. This not only compromises performance, but can lead to heat illness as well.

I recommend drinking at least 4 to 6 ounces of water every 15 minutes of exercise.

20 Proven Health Benefits of Exercise

Not only does exercise improve your health, even if you have already been diagnosed with something, but it can go a long way to prevent the onset of several life-threatening conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.


And exercise can make you look great – younger, fitter and thinner. Who needs any more convincing?

We have scrutinized the medical journals. Here's a summary of the proven health benefits of exercise:

1. It is good for your heart

"Even a moderate amount of exercise helps your heart," says Dr William Kraus, associate professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Centre in an article published in The New England Journal of Medicine. "Some exercise is better than none and more is better than less."

Exercise reduces LDL cholesterol, the kind that clogs arteries. It also reduces your blood pressure, relieving stress on your heart; improves your insulin sensitivity; improves heart muscle function and blood flow and diminishes the chances of developing blood clots. These findings have been corroborated by a host of studies over the years.

2. Exercise promotes weight loss

Research has shown that to have an effect on weight loss you need to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. You can also do an hour of intensive exercise every second day if this fits into your schedule more easily. Be consistent and be regular. Do those one-hour exercise sessions three to four times every week, not just one week a month, and you will achieve the result you desire - to lose weight and keep it off, says Dr Ingrid van Heerden, registered dietician.

3. Exercise prevents osteoporosis

Exercise, together with a healthy calcium intake, builds strong bones. Weight-bearing exercises, like running, walking and weight-lifting, help lower your odds of getting osteoporosis as you grow older, according to experts.

Ideally, you should start when you're young, but it's never too late to pick up the habit. Even a brisk walk can help, say metabolic disease specialists.

4. Exercise lowers high blood pressure

Exercise is good for your blood pressure - no matter your age, weight, race or gender. And it really doesn't matter whether you get exercise from a brisk walk, a fast run or a few laps in the pool; the results are equally good.

The studies on which these findings were based used "aerobic" exercise - activities that increase heart rate and improve the body's ability to use oxygen. Most of the studies involved participating in one or more aerobic activity for 20 - 30 minutes per session, several times a week.

On average, exercise helped study participants reduce systolic (top number) pressure by nearly 4 mm Hg, and diastolic (bottom number) pressure by slightly more than 2.5 mm Hg. But experts caution that those with extremely high blood pressure should not rely on exercise alone to control hypertension.

5. Exercise is an excellent de-stressor

It is general knowledge: exercise counters stress and depression. But exactly how and why does this work?

Exercise acts as a temporary diversion to daily stresses and it improves self-esteem. Increased core temperature during exercise may lead to reduced muscle tension and favorable alterations in brain neurotransmitters. Mood improvements may also occur due to the increased secretion of endogenous (internal) opiates, e.g. endorphins. Psychological changes may occur because of changes in nor epinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, all hormones which can affect mood and anxiety levels.

6. Exercise prevents colds

One doesn't automatically associate regular exercise with a reduction in the number of colds people get. But researchers from the University of Carolina found that people who exercised regularly were 23% less likely to get colds than those who exercised less. And if those who exercised got colds, the symptoms disappeared more quickly than in the study participants who did little exercise.

Health experts believe that exercise spikes the immune system for a few hours each day, helping to ward off colds. Thirty minutes of brisk walking is enough to make you reap the benefits of exercise.

7. Exercise reduces the severity of asthma

Many people who suffer from exercise-induced asthma, understandably try to avoid exercise.

But sports medicine specialists say it's possible for asthmatics to continue exercising if they use preventive medications wisely and avoid certain triggers that exacerbate attacks. Exercise-induced asthma can be made worse by cold, dry air or air containing high levels of pollen or pollutants. The extra effort made to stay fit pays off in fewer or milder asthma attacks overall and a need for less medication.

Experts recommend swimming as one of the best exercises for people with asthma.

8. Exercise reduces diabetic complications

Lifestyle factors have a huge impact on certain conditions – and diabetes is one of them. Exercise can help to reduce your insulin requirements, lower your cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, and in the long term can reduce the development of heart disease and stroke. This is important because diabetics have a higher risk of developing heart and circulatory problems. Exercise can also promote weight loss, improve circulation and reduce stress levels (raising your glucose level).

9. Exercise promotes a healthy pregnancy

Although exercise might be risky in some cases, the benefits of exercising during pregnancy generally far outweigh the risks and some women can even exercise up until the third trimester. Relaxation exercises, Kegel exercise that strengthen the pelvic muscles and back exercises are all important for pregnant women.

10. Exercise plays a role in preventing cancer

At least 35% of all cancer deaths may be related to overweight and lack of activity, a recent study from the Seattle Cancer Research Centre has found. Exercise is believed to speed the passage of food through the colon, thereby reducing the amount of time that any toxins are in contact with the body. Overweight people also tend to have more insulin, which promotes the growth of tumors. For women, exercise reduces the level of estrogen, a hormone linked to breast cancer.

11. Exercise has anti-ageing effects

Exercise enhances blood flow to the brain, possibly reducing risk of stroke. It also improves reasoning and memory.

Regular exercise arouses the brain and slows down degeneration of the central nervous system, which leads to slower reaction times and poorer coordination.

Exercise also increases strength and size of muscles and improves lung function. Regular exercise can reduce body fat and lower the risk of chronic lifestyle diseases in the elderly. Recent literature suggests that the greatest threat to health is not the aging process itself, but rather inactivity.

12. Exercise promotes brain health

If you thought exercising your brain meant only doing a few crossword puzzles or learning a language, you may be wrong – rather put on your walking shoes and get moving. This was the finding of researchers from the University of Illinois.

Their study found that the brain responses in active seniors were comparable to those of young adults.

It is thought that exercise increases the flow of blood to the brain, just as it improves circulation to the heart and the rest of the body. Activity also stimulates the growth of nerve cells in the part of the brain involved in memory.

13. Exercise is great for your sex life.

The medical research points towards it: the fitter you are, the better your sex life is.

The reason seems to be two-fold: psychologically you feel better about yourself and more inclined towards sex, and physically, being fit improves libido, blood circulation and sexual functioning.

It has been said before that the brain may be the most important sexual organ. This is because stressed, anxious and depressed people are usually unable to enjoy a healthy sex life. Additionally, people with a bad body image do not feel good about their bodies and often avoid sex or are unable to truly enjoy it.

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), being physically active can be “a natural Viagra boost”. “Men and women who exercise regularly are going to have increased levels of desire. They’re going to have enhanced confidence, enhanced ability to achieve orgasm and greater sexual satisfaction,” says Cedric Bryant, the council’s chief exercise physiologist.

14. Exercise improves sleeping patterns

Relaxation exercises will help you to ease tension and relieve headaches, backaches and insomnia. Exercise releases the body's own painkillers, called endorphins, into your system. It also helps you to gain a sense of emotional wellbeing and a feeling of being more in control.

Exercise during the day promotes the onset and quality of sleep, according to the South African Memory Resource Centre. But you need to exercise at the right time: the ideal time for exercise is in the morning. Exercising late in the day can contribute to sleeplessness, because exercise causes an increase in your body's energy.

15. Exercise combats impotence

If you stop and think about it, it makes sense - increased circulation as a result of exercise should result in lower levels of impotence, as getting an erection is dependent on the efficiency of blood circulating to the penis.

"Losing weight, stopping smoking and doing more exercise are associated with better sexual health," says Dr Andrew McCullough, director of Male Sexual Health, Fertility and Microsurgery at New York University Medical Center in New York City. "We talk so much about treating, treating, treating. Here we're beginning to see an increasing body of evidence that we can modify the appearance of this by changing lifestyle."

16. Exercise helps prevent stroke

Need another reason to make good on that long overdue promise to get more exercise? It can dramatically cut your risk of stroke.

"Highly active" people had a 27 percent lower risk of having a stroke or dying if they had one, compared with sedentary folks. And people who were "moderately active" had a 20 percent lower risk.

These findings are based on a review of 23 international studies that appear in the October issue of the journal Stroke, the Associated Press reports.

Jogging 15 to 20 minutes a day most days would qualify as highly active. Brisk walks of 30 minutes a day on most days would qualify as moderate activity, the AP says.

17. Exercise is good for mind and soul.

In a synopsis on “Exercise, Fitness and Mental Health” (1990), sports psychologist D.R. Brown summarized the possible beneficial effects that exercise has on mental health. These include the following:

Exercise may act as a temporary diversion to daily stresses.

Exercise provides an opportunity for social interaction that may otherwise be lacking in an individual’s life.

Exercise provides an opportunity for self-mastery. Increasing fitness or improving body composition and other health parameters may improve an individual’s self-esteem.

Increased core temperature during exercise may lead to reduced muscle tension or alterations to brain neurotransmitters.

Mood improvements may occur due to the increased secretion of endogenous (internal) opiates e.g. endorphins

Psychological changes may occur due to alterations in nor epinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, all hormones which can affect mood and anxiety level.

18. Exercise improves oxygen and nutrient supply to all cells in your body.

An American study indicates that ‘80-plus-ers’ can dramatically improve their health by exercising a few times a week. If this is true for elderly people, it certainly is for the younger set as well.

Exercise apparently not only improves the body's utilization of oxygen, but also lowers systolic blood pressure (high pressure is a dangerous condition common in elderly people).

Positive results were obtained from the 22 elderly people (80 years and older) who took part in the study at the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System in Michigan.

19. Exercise allows you to improve muscle strength, joint structure and joint function

Strengthening exercises increase not only muscle strength and mass, but also bone strength, and the body's metabolism.

A certain level of muscle strength is needed to function every day and do things such as walking and climbing stairs. Strengthening exercises increase this muscle strength by putting more strain on a muscle than it is normally accustomed to receiving. This increased load stimulates the growth of proteins inside each muscle cell that allow the muscle as a whole to contract.

Exercise can promote joint health for everyone, but particularly for people who suffer from arthritis. Arthritis is a general term for over 100 different conditions that cause pain, stiffness and often inflammation in one or more joints. Exercise can reduce some arthritis symptoms and improve joint mobility and strength.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Normally, the two bones of a joint are cushioned with a strong flexible tissue called cartilage. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage deteriorates, causing pain and stiffness.

Cartilage doesn't have a blood supply; it relies on synovial fluid moving in and out of the joint to nourish it and take away waste products. Exercise helps this process.

20. Exercise helps to manage arthritis

Regular, intensive exercise for patients with rheumatoid arthritis builds muscle strength and aerobic capacity, improves the ability to do daily tasks and fosters a sense of emotional well-being.

That's the conclusion of a new study by Dutch researchers who tracked 300 people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for two years. About half the patients participated in a one-hour exercise regimen twice weekly; the rest received traditional treatment, including physical therapy, if prescribed by their physicians.

The findings, appearing in the latest issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, suggest high-intensity exercise programs can benefit many RA patients, says researcher Dr Thea Vlieland of Leiden University Medical Centre.

The positive effects on muscle strength and aerobic capacity could be translated into an improvement in the activities of daily living, and this is what really makes a difference in your life, Vlieland says.



Reference: http://www.health24.com/Woman/Medical_women/711-3538-3545,31214.asp?CMP=ProNews_0707