4 Ways To Exercise Outside of The Gym - You Don't Always Need The Gym!

Just because you do not work out in the gym, it doesn't mean that you can't get a great workout. In fact, you may be more motivated to workout outside of the gym!

The truth is, you can miss the gym and still get a good workout elsewhere. Maybe we've been brainwashed into thinking the gym is the only place we will see results, but if you think about logically, those exercises can be done anywhere.

So if you are not a gym enthusiast, or if you are not going to be able to make it to the gym for a while, then try these other great ways to get your exercise in.

Take the stairs - Stairs works both your cardio and give you a built-in strength training bonus. The great thing about stairs is they are always there. They are in your house, work, and even at the mall. Try taking the stairs two at a time, or lunging your way up a flight of stairs, for a better lower body workout.

Want a great start to a stair routine? Take the stairs up normally, and then come back down. Then walk up the stairs sideways, and then come back down. Walk up the stairs with the other side, and then run back down. Lunge your way up the stairs next, and then run back down. Take the stairs up two at a time, and then come back down. Add whatever you like to this routine and you will feel the burn after just a few minutes of doing this.

Fitness Video Games - Video games aren't just for kids anymore. No matter what your age or fitness level there is a game that can help you burn it up. Most fitness games are made by trainers who know what you need to do to get a good workout, and they can increase the intensity every time you pop in the game. I prefer aerobics mixed with strength training. You can use free weights while following along with the trainer on the game. It's fun and get the same workout you would get at the gym. Maybe even better because you are free to dance in between sets!

Watch TV and workout - When the new line up of TV shows comes out it may be hard to get your butt off the couch and out to exercise. So keep watching your shows, but make the most of it by exercising as well. You can buy a step up bench and some free weights, and do an hour of steps ups during two comedies. You will hardly know you are working out, and you will get the benefit of exercise while staying in touch with what happened on your favorite show.

Move your workout outside - Whether you go hiking, walking, jogging, swimming, or canoeing, you can get a great workout outside and get a boost of happiness at the same time. Being in nature is calming and allows you to live in the moment. For strength training you can head to the park and use the equipment there to do push-ups, pull-ups, planks, and anything else you can think up. Lunge down one block then run down the next. If you are into yoga, there is no better place to do it then beside a river or lake. Outside workouts are fun and you will naturally want to get moving when you get outside.

Mental and Physical Benefits of Losing Weight

While we try to tell ourselves that being overweight is okay - it's really not. . Extra weight can cause a lot of problems for us both physically and mentally, and everyone should be striving to reach a healthy weight for those very reasons. If you need more motivation then just fitting into your old jeans, then read the following benefits of losing weight and see if you get some inspiration to get you started on your journey.

Mental Benefits

Just seeing the numbers on the scale going down can have huge mental benefits. Your outlook on yourself stems from your mind, and not your eyes. Even if you are the skinniest person in the world, your mind makes the ultimate decision as to whether that is true or not to you. So going down in number can make your mind look at yourself in a whole new way and motivate you to keep going.

Your self-esteem starts to rise up once your body weight goes down. You feel better about your body and the way others view you. I personally have been held back from going out with friends when I was overweight due to not wanting them to see me like that. Once you lose the weight a new zest for life starts to come into play and you view yourself as this go-getter who is achieving goals and capable of great things. You want to show off your new self to everyone you know. You also start enjoying outings no matter where you go.

When you start to make healthier choices with your food and exercise you also start to make healthier choices in other areas of your life. You stop 'accepting' where you are, and you start living the life you were meant to live. You look after your happiness in all areas of your life, and start to search out new ways to achieve that happiness. When you start losing weight you have one less thing to worry about, and you can focus on fixing other issues in your life, and regain a passion to make it the best life possible.

Physical Benefits

Once the weight starts to come off you can feel the physical benefits. Of course there are some benefits that you don't feel, but are still just as important. Some of the physical benefits are:

1. Reduced risk for disease like cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes
2. Reduced blood pressure
3. Relieves weight off of joints which equals less pain
4. Allows you to be more mobile
5. Gives you your breath back during daily activities
6. Helps with sleep problems like apnea
7. Lowers your cholesterol level

There are other benefits as well, such as playing with your kids or pets, enjoy nature without looking through exhausted eyes, and feeling darn good about yourself when you fit into some sexy clothes. Whatever your reasons are for wanting to lose the weight, remember that the weight loss is full of benefits and void of any drawbacks. It's a win-win situation.

6 Benefits of Cold Showers – Why Should You Crank Up The Cold Water?

If you've ever watched the people in the polar bear club who run into the freezing water for a moment or two, and then run back into the safety of their warm shelter - you will recognize the spark for life it gives them while they do so. While they do it for many different reasons, there are many benefits of the cold water that they may or may not be aware of, and you don't have to join their club to reap the benefits for yourself! You can instead jump into a cold shower.

Here are some benefits to take that cold shower in the morning instead of the hot one.

Improved Circulation - When you immerse yourself in a cold shower your blood has to rush to the organs to keep them warm. This is in contrast to the normal routine of warm water, which causes the blood to move towards the skin. If you mix up the two you are stimulating the circulatory system in a way that doesn't normally happen, and this is argued as a way to keep yourself healthier and younger looking as a healthy circulation aids in recovery from stresses on the body.

Strengthens the Mucous Membranes - Your mucous membranes, such as the ones in your mouth and nose, manufacture slimy fluid called mucus, which is what protects those membranes and keeps them moist. The cold water strengthens these membranes, which means your chances of colds and other mucous issues drops down drastically.

Increases Energy - Skip the energy drink to get you going in the morning and take a cold shower instead. The cold water will get your heart pumping and your mind going better than anything else will. If you weren't awake and ready to go before you stepped into the shower, you will be when you come out.

Nourishes Skin and Hair For Natural Health - Cold water doesn't dry out your skin and hair like hot water does. It also helps keep your pores tight which will give you healthier looking skin. If you find yourself having to lather on the lotion and re-condition your hair after your showers, then you may want to give the cold trick a try.
Boosts Your Immunity - There have been studies done that show the support of cold water therapy produces a stronger immune system. The reasoning is that the immune system releases more white blood cells, due to increased metabolic rate, when the body has to warm itself up.

Reduces Chance Of Infertility - Guys, if you are trying to get your wife pregnant then this may be of interest to you. The testes hang outside of the body for a good reason. The sperm do not like the heat of body temperature and don't 'do well' in that environment. If you are constantly exposing them to hot bathes and showers, then you can decrease the amount of sperm you have and how much they move around. This results in decreasing your chances of producing a baby.


Help With Weight Loss Success – Cold water is said to increase your metabolic rate because your body has to burn through some calories to warm itself up. A higher metabolic rate is associated with faster weight loss. Because your metabolism is a natural calorie burning process, it stands to reasons that an increase in metabolic rate will help you in your efforts to reduce weight.

Simple life changes, like cold showers, can result in a healthier life. There are many ways to cure your ailments and have a healthier life with simple home remedies.

Natural Ways To Get Rid of Your Heartburn

Heartburn is that burning feeling that you get in your stomach or chest that can be not only uncomfortable but painful as well. This occurs when the acid from your stomach backs up into your esophagus, which causes the sensitive tissues to become irritated. There are many things that cause heartburn, but there are some natural ways of relieving your heartburn symptoms.

1. A few herbs you can try is aloe vera juice, ginger, marshmallow, and fennel as they all act as a buffer to stop heartburn.

2. When you feel heartburn coming on try drinking a large glass of water as this often helps relieve it.

3. Adjust your eating habits by eating more raw vegetables in your diet. Also, try chewing your food at least 30 times before you swallow it. This helps make the food more digestible once it hits your stomach and helps your digestive system do its job properly.

4. Juice a raw potato, in a juicer, and mix it with an equal amount of water. You should drink it right after juicing and repeat this process about 3 times a day.

5. Take 1 TBSP of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water during your meals. Avoid other liquids with your meals as well.

6. Pineapple and Papaya are great natural aids for digestion. They may help with your heartburn.

7. Sit up after eating instead of laying down. When you lay down you will find that heartburn increases, because when you lay down the stomach acid will sit in your esophagus longer.

8. If you smoke, quit. Smokers experience heartburn more than non-smokers.

9. If you are overweight, then try losing weight. Start eating less food at your meals and throughout the day. Start eating healthier choices of food as well. This will have an immediate effect on your weight loss.

10. Avoid carbonated beverages, spicy food, processed food, fried food, and highly seasoned food. All of these can trigger a case of heartburn and seem to be one of the main causes of heartburn.

11. Avoid foods that trigger your personal heartburn. Even, if they are not in the common list of foods that trigger heartburn but always seem to start your heartburn, avoid them - or try alternative choices to them.

12. Use gravity to your advantage and raise your head at night time if you experience heartburn while you sleep. You can use a wedge under your back or raise the head of the bed up.

13. Avoid exercise that causes you to have your head below your chest. Certain yoga poses can do this, as well as crunches.

Use these natural ideas to help lessen your heartburn and relieve the symptoms. If you want a natural cure for heartburn, instead of just a way to cover up the symptoms, then click here and learn how to get rid of your heartburn for good.

Reduce your risk for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With These Prevention Techniques

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve in the wrist is damaged. If you use your hands and fingers a lot in your job then you have a risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome. With more and more people having to use computers for their daily tasks, this risk is increasing and we are seeing carpal tunnel syndrome more and more. Other people at risk are assembly line workers, construction workers, musicians, and bookkeepers to name a few.

There are ways you can minimize your chances of getting this though, and they should be strongly taken into consideration if you are at high risk.

• If you are using a computer then use a chair with arm rests. This will keep your wrists from having to flex too much.
  
  
• Change up the routine of your wrist and hand movement. One repetitive motion can cause an injury quicker.
  
  
• Hang around the water cooler and take some breaks. Allowing your wrists to rest is important to their health.
  
  
• If you have to pick up objects or handle objects frequently, then use your whole hand instead of just your fingers when gripping an object.
  
  
• At a computer, keep your elbows bent. This will reduce the amount of pressure on your wrists to type.
  
  
• Readjust your computer screen to be below your line of sight and a couple feet away from you.
  
  
• Shake out the tension in your hands and wrists every so often and do a little stretch. Just as it is important to give your body a stretch, your wrists deserve one as well.
  
  
• You can slowly rotate your wrists as you would your neck when stretching. This will allow circulation to restore itself as well as improve your wrists posture.
  
  
• Do resistance training. Put a rubber band around your fingers and push against the resistance it creates.
  
  
• Try other stretching exercises that will not only help your fingers and wrists but feel good as well. You can put your arm on the table and pull back the fingertips of that hand for a nice stretch. This should be held for a few seconds and then you can repeat the other side. You can also put your palms face down on the table and lean forward to give your wrists and fingers a stretch.

The more you practice these prevention techniques for carpal tunnel syndrome the less chance you will have of suffering from it.

Note: If you already have carpal tunnel sydrome then learn how to reverse and even eliminate it from a professional massage therapist at Carpal Tunnel Master

YouTube - Simpleology - Self Improvement, Time Management, Goal Setting, and More...

YouTube - Simpleology - Self Improvement, Time Management, Goal Setting, and More...

I like this video and think it's funny (truthfully I should I made it) and it points to a program by a guy who is just as funny.

I have used simpleology as well as other products from Mark and I can tell you that I love it. I think that most people that know Mark Joyner naturally talk good about him. I haven't seen any crap floating around about him yet and in all the products that I've bought from him I haven't experienced crap! That's amazing considering what's out there today. So it's natural that we would want to share some of this goodness with other people. Which I do.

His books, courses, ideas, and information works. Bottom line. It's made me do a complete turn around on the way I think about and view my day and my future days to come.

And he seems to pair himself up with great people who add extra punch behind his words. I'm excited to try the Dr. Joe Vitale teaches Law of Attraction course. I'm very into law of attraction and with Joe Vitale's teaching and Mark Joyners method of learning I think it's going to make for an exciting combo. I'll let you know how it goes.

If you are looking to improve your life, whether it be time wise, goal wise, business wise, improve your awareness, or just to get it all together - I highly recommend his products.

Alternative Health/Chiropractic - What is It All About?

A Plantar Fasciitis Natural Treatment - The Ice Dip

By Jake Hickory

There is an ice-dip plantar fasciitis natural treatment that can help ease the agony of this painful condition of the foot. It might get rid of your foot and heel pain for good, or it might not. Sometimes only temporary relief is found with the ice-dip treatment. It's worth a try. There are other more effective, and certain treatments you can learn about.

How do you know if your foot pain is plantar fasciitis?

Do you suffer from pain in the heel of your foot, or do you have sharp pain in your foot when you first get out of bed in the morning that eases up when you begin to walk? Does the pain tend to return later in your day, probably after a period of sitting? Does the pain feel like you are stepping on sharp stone or a piece of glass?

If so, then you might be suffering from a case of plantar fasciitis.

This malady is a common cause of foot and heel pain. It's caused by the inflammation of the plantar fascia connective tissue on the bottom of the foot. It is a kind of tendonitis.

The Ice Dip Natural Treatment

This may help reduce the inflammation in your foot.

1. Find a container (a bucket, a tub, a pot, or pan) you can fit your entire foot into.

2. Fill the container nearly full with water and ice. Instead of ice, you could use frozen bottles of water.

3. Dip your foot into the container with the water and ice.

4. Dip your foot into the ice-water container for only 5-10 seconds. You can leave your foot in longer if you want, but the benefit is not worth the added discomfort.

Be cautious, you don't want to freeze your foot. 5-10 seconds a time is plenty.

5. After the 5-10 second dip, remove your foot from the ice-water container.

6. Perform this ice-water foot dip at least 10 times a day. 10 times within a two hour period is good.

Continue this ice-dip treatment for an entire week. You are after the cumulative effect of the ice-dip anti-inflammatory treatment. It may take 2 to 4 days before you begin to feel any benefit or change in your foot or heel pain. Dipping your foot into ice-water is unpleasant, but stick with it. Hopefully you will turn the corner and feel some results. The ice-dip helps a lot of people, but not all. For those it does help, sometimes the pain returns after a time.

Important things to know about plantar fasciitis and its treatment:

* The ice-dip treatment I've given you may or may not bring permanent relief from the foot and heel pain you are suffering.

* Don't wait for plantar fasciitis to get better by itself. This usually does not happen. You have to take action.

* The most common and recommended methods to get over plantar fasciitis won't heal this painful condition like you expect and hope they should. There are things going on in your foot that cause the pain, they must be understood and corrected. The pain is the result of a condition. Instead of only treating the pain, you must treat the condition.

* There is more you can do besides the ice-dip treatment. Knowledge is power when treating this foot condition. You must know what works. You can learn how to use other methods to ease the pain and heal your foot tendonitis, or at least manage it so it you are as pain free as possible.

* It will take some time and effort, but I recommend a DVD that will teach you how to get rid of your plantar fasciitis with natural treatment. You can learn more about the DVD here: http://plantarfasciitissite.info

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Top 10 Worst Fast & Restaurant Foods in America

Medicinal Herbs and Supplements

Natural Health & Hygiene : How to Relieve Menstrual Cramps Naturally

Would You Like Some Sugar to Help Make You Sicker?

sugar

The impact sugar has on our health is huge but is given very little thought towards. We talk mostly about diet sugar and the impact that can have on health and forget about white sugar and its impact on our health.

We use it in everything from our morning coffee to our dessert after supper. It is listed as an ingredient in food we would not expect to have sugar. It is almost a hidden ingredient that we just do not think about but if you start to look around at how much you are eating you would be surprised.

We consume a lot of sugar.

Obviously are ancestors did not need to sugar to survive except for the sugar that came naturally from fruits and berries the gathered. It is now a staple. It's one of those things you always have stocked up in your cupboard and it's one of the most commonly used ingredients to sweeten and balance out flavour.

All of your calories that you get from sugar are empty calories which mean they contain pretty much none of the nutrients you need to keep your cells healthy.

Raw sugarcane contains various nutrients that our white sugar is lacking. These nutrients help you metabolize the sugar that you consume. If you are eating white sugar then your body must acquire these nutrients from somewhere so they end up stealing it from your own tissues.

Sugar is a factor in tooth decay, obesity, diabetes, yeast infections, heart disease, osteoporosis and immune dysfunction.

Since it can affect your immune system try eliminating it from your diet if you feel a cold coming on and see what happens.

Sugar is an antinutrient. Antinutrients are compounds, that are either natural or artificial, and they interfere with the proper absorption of nutrients.

This means that among other things calcium is lost in the urine from sugar which then forces the body to remove calcium from the bones in order to keep calcium levels normal. So if you are concerned about osteoporosis you can see where eliminating sugar comes in.

Other minerals that become deficient are chromium, magnesium, and zinc. With a lack of minerals your body has a hard time producing digestive enzymes need for good digestion. Undigested food particles can get into your bloodstream with can cause problems like allergies and immune deficiency diseases. So you can see why food that is commonly put together with sugar can cause allergens.

These are just a few of the things that sugar does to our health. To find out more about sugars negative health effects visit The Healthy Vegetarian.

Fad Diets and Calorie Restriction Can End With Our Children

When you think of weight loss you think of dieting. No question about it. In fact, everywhere we turn we see another ad, commercial, or person that refers to dieting and weight loss. New diets pop out at us and they seem to make a whole lot of sense while we are reading about them and learning what they consist of.

Weight reducing products are taking up a lot of the market with their remarkable stories of weight loss in just a few weeks or months. I don't deny the fact that it is possible to lose that weight and and that quickly; I just think that it's not as easy to keep it off without gaining it back.

You can lose weight with these diets and watch the pounds come off, start fitting into your skinny jeans, and watch everyone look at you in amazement at how quickly you are doing it, but without exercise and proper eating you will probably be doomed to one day be back up to your starting weight again or even more when it's all said and done.

In fad diets, where you eliminate a lot of food from your diet, you have to remember that chances are you will eat those foods again. And once you eat those foods again you risk gaining the weight back and losing the 'benefits' of the fad diet.

When you decrease calories by a huge amount you can cause the body to slow its metabolic rate to conserve energy. So essentially by starving yourself you burn less fat and have less energy and it may hinder your weight loss no matter how much you think eating nothing should work.

Add exercise into the equation though and you may have a different story. Regular exercise will change how your body produces energy and increase its ability to burn stored fat and lose weight.

I think instead of letting the next generation grow up to have the same problems we are having, we need to teach them right now that exercise is crucial to maintaining a healthy body and weight along with eating a healthy and well balanced diet.

No, I'm not saying we want to tell them that they will grow up fat if they don't start working on it now but I am saying that we need to make sure they know we don't want them to be obsessed with their weight like we are, but rather we want them to know that taking care of their bodies and health is important to ward off disease and obesity.

Think of everything you learned as a child and you'll know that it had a strong influence about the way you look at things now. I see more teens asking questions such as if they look fat in their pictures, and will they lose weight if they only eat one grapefruit a day and run 2 miles afterwards, and other ridiculous questions that not even my generation seemed fixated on. What will the next set of teens be like if we don't stop this craziness?

Let's raise are kids to be smarter and healthier than us and we'll never have to worry about fad diets again.



Grab a healthy kid cookbook and get them started on a healthy journey at The Cook Book Stop.

Click here to check out some great kids cookbooks that will get them going!

Is Soy Milk Healthy Or Not?

By Isabelle Ganevy


We have heard that it's extremely bad for you and we have heard that it's extremely good for you and I started this whole process of learning about it exactly in the middle of those thoughts now knowing which one was correct.

Long has soy been a part of different Asian countries such as China, Indonesia, Japan and so on. And we all know that they are healthier than their western counterparts by a long shot. I have heard that they don't go crazy on soy and use as much as it as we are beginning to do now though.

That is part of our problem. We take something that we deem healthy or have heard is healthy and we overindulge. We need to learn to stop overeating and start eating what we need and in moderation.

But getting back to soy milk, I found many pages of advantages and dis-advantages that said the same things over and over again. I did not find many studies on the subject to back up some of the claims while of course other points are obvious such as low calcium or high fiber.

Keep in mind that most of the benefits and negatives I found could be argued either way and while some did have studies to back it up, the studies that I found had factors that could change the reasoning for such conclusions, such as in one study that looked at older Japanese men and their lifetime diet of soy and it was found that the men who consumed more soy were at a higher risk of low cognitive skills than men who did not. Although it was not taken into factor other parts of their diet as well, and the study took place in Hawaii instead of in Japan where more soy is consumed and with different growing conditions and other variables.

There are benefits to soy milk such as:

• Soy milk is high in proteins and contains more fiber than cows milk due to the fact it's made from beans

• Soybeans have all of the essential amino acids our body requires which makes it a complete protein. They are the only plant food that can claim that.

• Soy milk is an aid in reducing high cholesterol.

• Soy milk can help to prevent and treat menopausal symptoms.

• Isoflavones are found in soy milk. They are quite similar to the hormone that we call estrogen. They are associated to the prevention of many cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis and more. They are also antioxidants which protect our cells and DNA against oxidation.

• Some studies have shown that cows milk can result in insulin dependent diabetes over time whereas consuming soy milk has not reflected this outcome.

• Only 0.5 percent of the children are allergic to soy milk, whereas 2.5 percent are allergic to cows milk.

The negatives of soy milk are:

• Calcium levels are not the greatest. Even though they do add calcium to soymilk it is still not as healthy as natural occurring calcium but calcium can be obtained from other sources like green leafy vegetables and almonds to name a couple.

• Soy food contains goitrogens. Goitrogens are compounds that interfere with thyroid function and in extreme cases can cause an enlarge thyroid. It is also contained in other foods as well. To rectify this eat a well balanced diet. If you are a vegan you should make an effort to include adequate sources of iodine in your diet.

• Estrogen is found is soy. Testosterone in males, including young boys, can be suppressed by ingesting soy products.

• Soy milk and infertility have been linked together and from the information I found, giving an baby soy formula is comparable to giving a baby up to five birth control pills per day but I also found that that research has been very limited in regards to the advantages and disadvantages to babies drinking soy formula.

• The increased level of estrogen can manipulate the menstrual cycle in women.

The other thing I want to state here is that most of the information that I have found about soy milk and soy products is not listed in benefits or cons but mostly as only one or the other. People seem very adamant about the way they feel about soy and because of their intensity I have started to question what is true and what is not true now.

For me, there is too little actual evidence that supports the health dangers to humans from soy; although, I don't think I would take a chance with the claims about giving babies soy milk. There needs to be more research done.

The best statement I found was that 'moderate amounts of soy foods have been eaten happily by entire civilizations for thousands of years'. And to me the key word is moderate. And what comes with moderate? Diversity. The two best things, I believe, you can do for your diet and health.


Isabelle is the owner of The Healthy Vegetarian. For all your vegetarian information, news, articles, and recipes visit us at http://www.thehealthyvegetarian.net.

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Do Natural Alternative Health Products Really Work?

By Ken Barnes

As society turns away from the days of white bread and greasy McDonald's french fries and launches a new era of conscientious living (minus the greasy fries) more and more people are beginning to recognize the virtues of natural alternative health products.

In fact, these organic cures and supplements are beginning to carve out a considerable corner of the health care market. The question is, are they for real? Or is this just another example of the retail industry trying to take advantage of an "ignorant" consumer?

Consider this. Two hundred years ago our ancestors didn't have access to 99% of the medicine and technology that we have now. They existed using alternative health products they were able to dig up in the forest and boil, bake, fry or simmer to cure their ailments.

Granted, the mortality rate was higher than it is now, but they survived. That means that somehow, somewhere, those alternative health products were doing their job.

Fast forward to the 21st century. Did you know that many doctors actually prescribe natural alternative health products for their patients instead of pharmaceuticals?

This used to be restricted primarily to pediatricians who couldn't prescribe said pharmaceuticals to children under the age of two and doctor who "had some crazy ideas", but that circle is rapidly widening as physicians have learned to recognize the potential value of replacing narcotics and other artificial substances will all natural alternatives.

Natural alternative health products have a number of advantages over traditional pharmaceuticals, not the least of which being a noteworthy lack of side effects. The human body is a complex system, and it takes very little change in one system to throw another completely out of balance.

That's why antibiotics can cause nausea and excessive amounts of supplements cause arrhythmia and other abnormalities. Natural alternative health products work strictly with natural products, most of which are actually a part of the diet of many native cultures around the world.

Whether you were aware of it or not, you've been using alternative health products to treat your ailments for most of your life. Every time you reached for a ginger ale to settle your stomach (ginger cures nausea), used aloe vera lotion on your sunburn (aloe draws heat out of a burn), ate cayenne pepper to help your digestion (cayenne is great for reducing inflammation and irritation in the digestive system) or took a vitamin C drop to stave off a cold, you were using an all natural therapy.

Natural alternative health products have been an unwitting part of the medical community for years, and it won't be long before they become even more widely used than they are today.

Natural Health Products are proving to be of major health benefit throughout the world, try Natural Alternative Products for a huge range of natural products.

This article comes with reprint rights. Feel free to reprint it and distribute it as you like. All that we ask is that you do not make any changes, that this resource text is included, and that the links above are intact.

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MILK - THE DEADLY POISON --- FRIGHTENING

Yummy Raw Fudge Cake Recipe! It Made A Believer Out Of Non-Vegans!

I've made vegan desserts for my husband and I all the time but not for anyone else. We had my parents over this past weekend and I ended up making a fudge raspberry cake. Totally vegan and raw (depending on how you look at agave). It was so good and everyone seemed to be in agreement that it was satisfactory. Oh man, if you haven't tried raw dessert than you are not living. Instead of empty calories it's a nourishing sweet dish. I took pictures of the process but not the actual finished project. Anyhow here's the recipe if you are interested.

Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake

My cake didn't quite look this perfectly formed but it was still in a cake shape and it looked like this when the pieces were cut.

Makes about 6 servings (One serving is sooooo sweet and filling - so if your cake is not huge then don't worry because it will be enough to satisfy 6 people!)

Fudge Cake

3 cups dry walnuts
2/3 cup unsweetened cacao powder or carob powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup pitted Medjool Dates (I find the fresher the better they taste and softer they are)

Frosting

1/3 cups semi-soft Medjool Dates
1/4 cup agave
1/2 cup ripe avocado flesh (from about 1 medium avocado)
1/3 cup cacao powder

Filling

1/2 cup raspberries

To make the cake, combine the walnuts, cacao powder, and salt in the food processor and pulse until coarsely mixed. Avoid over-processing. Add the dates and pulse until mixed well. Shape into 2 stackable cakes of desired shape and set aside.

To make the frosting, combine the dates and agave syrup in the food processor and process until smooth. Add the avocado and process until smooth. Add the cacao powder and process until smooth.

To serve, frost the top of one of the cakes with half the frosting and top with the raspberries. Stack the second cake on top and frost the top and side. Serve immediately, or place in the fridge for a couple hours to firm up. (I suggest the latter because it's easier to cut and serve.)

The cake on it's own will keep in the fridge for many weeks. The frosting will keep separately in the fridge for 1 week. The assembled cake with the raspberries will keep in in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! It was gone by the next morning. I got the recipe from Ani's Raw Food. The book is on the left. It's too die for and so worth the buy.

Positive Thinking and Outlook Equals Better Health

I've know some very sick people in my time, I guess I should specify that they were and are physically sick.

But they all have one thing in common. Their outlook on life sucked.

I've of course seen some sick people who seemed very positive and nice. But I worked in a nursing home for a while so those people were mostly older people who may have surpassed any negativity and were just finally living and enjoying.

There's no doubt in my mind that negativity makes us sick. I think that if people could realize this there would be miracles happening all over like diseases disappearing and our world becoming healthier. But I'll slow it down here because you need to feel what it's like to be positive to have that outlook.


Think about the last time you were miserable - Do you remember how you felt? Did you get a headache or a stomachache? Did you become tired or restless? Possibly panicked and your heart got going a bit?

Now think about the last time you felt pure joy. How did you feel then compared to when you were miserable.

It's so obvious that feeling bad makes us 'feel' bad and feeling good makes us 'feel' good.

If you are into the law of attraction you already know that what you concentrate on you attract. But even if you are not into it you should realize it on some level. Whether you knew you would be late, you knew that the person you were counting on wouldn't come through for you, or you knew that your car was going to break down. Thinking bad things attracts bad things to you. The universe takes it as a sign that that's what you want to have whether you do or not. So being negative attracts more things to be negative about.

We all know that stress causes all sorts of problems in our body. Are you stressed when you feel joy or are thinking positively? Nope. You are just living in the moment. Taking life as it comes at that point.

Also, when you are happy and positive you attract a better lifestyle to you. You take care of yourself more and make better choices with your nutrition and habits. Sorry, but I've never seen a truly positive smoker, drug addict, or alcoholic.

Watch joyful people and you will see they are naturally more healthy than miserable people. I guarantee you will see it everywhere you go. Is that not proof enough that you need to keep a positive and joyful outlook on life? It should be.

So watch those funny movies. Keep laughing. Look for the positive side of everything. Surround yourself with positive people. Don't waste your time on being negative and grumpy. It gets you nowhere but sick.

I found video after I wrote this post and I love it. Like I said you can't take care of your health unless you are a positive healthy person. So picturing herself in perfect health forced her life to become 'perfect health'. It attracted perfect health. Therefore her diet changed etc. Law of attraction and positive thinking at it's best. 

Plant Based Diet - The China Study Tells All

The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health

If you have never heard of The China Study and you are interested in health awareness and how nutrition plays a part in it then you need to read this.

We first saw this guy on a health cruise we attended and he had us captivated from the beginning of his lecture to the end. His is the only book we bought, which was the china study, and we were glad we did in the end.

I think he was in his middle 70's at that time and he was amazingly healthy and young looking. Everything he said just made sense.

He's one of those guys where your head is constantly nodding up and down in agreement.

Our health cruise was full of vegan people and while I'm vegetarian and do eat and drink some milk products I know the implications of doing so which is why I'm striving to a vegan lifestyle.

His book is made up of researched facts and statistics that you and no one else will be able to argue.

He talks about cancer, obesity, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and a whole host of other diseases and how nutrition plays the biggest part.

He talks about the right way to eat and what to eat and why a plant based diet is so good for you.

You need to read his book even if you are questionable about it because it provides many answers and solutions that are invaluable.

If you are concerned about your health or the health of someone else you will be in awe of The China Study.

Binaural Beat Preview - Listen To A Few Minutes Of My Meditation Binaural Beat

Why Raw Food? Is a Raw Food Diet Healthy?

This past year we've been moving more and more towards a raw lifestyle. I think at first it may have been just because it would be a good way to lose weight but now it's because we've learned so much about the benefits of raw food. If you haven't read Never be sick again by Raymond Francis I strongly suggest it.

He was a sick man who discovered how food plays the biggest part in our sickness.


I know you may think that raw food is just vegetables and fruit - I know that's what I thought. But actually raw food is anything that is not cooked over 118 degrees Fahrenheit although I've also seen it at 105.


The benefits of a raw lifestyle are many. To summarize raw, or living food, offers your body nutrients that would be 'cooked out' of cooked food. The food is 'live' so it's essentially going into your body alive and adding to it's health. You have more energy, it's easy to maintain a healthy weight, you body can utilize everything that get's put in - basically everything in your body starts working the way it should.

(By the way a raw food diet for dogs is also great!)

So what can you eat on a raw food diet and does it lack taste?

There is tons to eat and it doesn't lack any taste at all. The only thing that changes is your perception on food. And believe me you will look at food in a whole new (but good) way. There are even raw desserts that will blow your mind. I personally like Ani's Raw Food Desserts: 85 Easy, Delectable Sweets and Treats. We have that at home and made cookies for Christmas that didn't last until Christmas.

If you want to learn the how, when, why, what of raw food then check out this really good resource on raw food:  Eating For Energy. 

This is just a small post on raw food and there is much too learn about it, how it can benefit you, and will you really survive without the overcooked and processed food you eat now...my Italian Mother in Law would have to say you can't but we know that you not only can - you thrive.

Women'sTwisted View Of Weight

I have heard many women talk about how their weight affects every part of their life - as in getting guys, making friends and being succesfful. But I have to say; that is complete crap.

All of those sorts of things are not affected by weight - they are affected by our thoughts and the way we think. 

Because of our messed up view of beauty we associate being boyish thin as what we need to be. The mark that we need to hit and we spend our life being miserable if we have not hit that mark.

If we could change our mind about what we should be striving for then we would be able to move past weight and get on with our lives.

Why are we wasting our time putting all of our energy into our size, shape, and weight. Why don't we put that energy towards being healthy, having healthy relationships, and putting joy into the world.

How many women do you look at, regardless of their size or anything else, and think "Wow they're ugly!"

I'm willing to bet that you are like me and can see the beauty in every single woman out there. So let's start looking at ourselves like that.

Everyday look in the mirror and tell yourself how attractive you are. Remind yourself that other countries don't live like this. They celebrate their bodies and don't obsess over them. They enjoy their life. Remember that a boyish figure is NOT the ideal of sexy.  

A woman's figure should have curves. That's what makes us woman! Otherwise we would all look like men!

Aromatherapy is An Actual Form Of Therapy - It's Been Around Forever And It Works

Aromatherapy has been around for thousands of years. Aromatherapy appeared about 5000 years ago. The Egyptians were the first who used this method. Besides them, also other people like Chinese, Greeks, Indians and Romans had something like that. In Europe, aromatherapy penetrated with the help of Greeks, which borrowed it from Egyptians. With the teasing of Roman Empire, the utilization of aromatherapy, theoretically, disappeared. But one of the places where it was used continuous was the monastery.

For the reappearance of aromatherapy we can thank Avicenna, a famous philosopher and physician. The term “Aromatherapy” appeared in 1937, in a book of Rene Maurice Gattefosse, the chemist which find out the lavender‘s strength after burning his hand.

Aromatherapy is a natural way to help out your body both physically and emotionally.

Essential oils are concentrated extracts taken from the roots, leaves, or blossoms of plants. I love the fact that it is the essence of the plant.

Essential oils stimulate our powerful sense of smell. The everyday odors that we smell have a major impact on how we are feeling. We have the potential to distinguish between 10,000 different smells! That’s why those air freshener commercials show a powerful pleasant emotion with someone ignoring everything else but the smell and being lifted into a state of euphoria because, as exaggerated as it may seem, that’s essentially what smells can do to us.

Smells enter through the fine hairs lining the nose and move on to the limbic system, the part of the brain that controls our moods, emotions, memory and learning. This is why smells can have such a powerful effect on us.

I know most people associate a specific past event or person in our life with a smell. Even if you’ve forgotten about the event or person for years and years, just one whiff of a smell from that time will trigger the memory and feeling of it very quickly.

Essential oils can also be massaged into the skin or even taken by mouth. When taken orally any guidelines given should be followed. Whether inhaled, absorbed, or ingested, essential oils are gaining attention as an alternative treatment for infections, stress, and other health problems.

Almost every ailment can be helped with essential oils. For example, a few drops of Lavender or Chamomile added to a warm bath can help with stress. Cedarwood or Lemon added to your cream or lotion can help with oily skin or you can add them to rosewater to use as a toner for your skin.

A common one is ginger or peppermint for nausea or stomach upset. You can massage a few drops into the abdomen or add a few drops to a warm bath or even use it as an inhalation.

Those are just a drop in the bucket of what essential oils can do for us. It is quite exciting to think about using these natural oils to help us with physical ailments and emotional issues instead of reaching for the nearest drug.

And the best part is you can make your own oils, lotions, and balms at home.

Homemade essential oils help in relieving the symptoms of various types of mental and bodily disorders but the effectiveness of any homemade essential oil will depend on the quality of herbs used. So use organic herbs when you can, and also very high quality oil.

When you make them at home you know exactly what’s going in them plus it ends up costing less than having to purchase them. It eliminates any unwanted ingredients, or worse an unknown ingredient. Plus while you learn you get to share your new knowledge with all your friends and family and become an example of a natural therapy.

Tips For Preventing Food Poisoning

What worse way to get sick then from something we should be enjoying. Our food. Here's some tips to keep food poisoning away and healthy eating at bay. I know sometimes I'm quite lame with my cliche's and rhyming.

• Keep food either hot or cold. Leaving food at room temperature encourages the growth of bacteria.
• Keep perishable stuff in your refrigerator.
• Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible. Don't put them in the same containers they were cooked in (I used to do this all the time) - transfer it into clean containers so that they will cool more quickly.
• Never use raw eggs that are cracked.
• Wash your hands before handling food, and after handling raw meat or poultry. (This should just be an obvious one that everyone practices already)
• Don't diddle daddle after the supermarket especially when it's warm out. Get home and put grocery's away. You can go on the swings later.
• Do not use utensils that you've used for raw meat for any reason afterwards. If you don't have more than one utensil you should probably invest in that.
• If you have bulging, cracked, or loose lid cans I wouldn't eat from them. These can indicate botulism. What the heck is that? Have a look. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botulism Check under prevention.
• Wash kitchen sponges with a bleach-and-water solution.
• Thaw all frozen foods in the refrigerator.
• When eating at restaurants and salad bars - do not eat food that does not look fresh and clean or from salad bars that do not have 'protective' glass over them. Avoid the following foods when eating at salad bars in general. chicken, fish, creamed foods, mayonnaise food, undercooked foods, soups that are not kept at near boiling point.
• Don't cut off mold from moldy foods and eat. (I used to do this with cheese until I learned it still affects the not moldy part) .Just chuck it.
• Do not give honey to a baby. This can lead to infant botulism. See above. Honey is safe for after one year of age.

I got this list from my trusty Nutritional Healing Book. You can buy it from Amazon and it's stuffed with tons of info like this and for natural healing in general.

Water - H2O - Liquid Ice - Whatever You Want To Call It We Should Drink It

I grew up in a house of Pepsi. Pepsi was what I drank when I was thirsty, sick, not thirsty, not sick - it didn't matter what I was...Pepsi was what I drank because my dad drank Pepsi and it was the 'cool' thing to do for me.

I remember my Mom trying to get me to drink water when I was really sick and I had to choke it down. Wow! That's just crazy!

And even crazier is that my Dad still does not drink a lot of water. Although I do think he drinks more then he did. It's probably because his body YELLS at him to drink it.

I'm not sure how his body functions. In fact I know he doesn't function as well as he could and I think, besides other bad habits, it's in part to not drinking much water.

Lately I've been trying to down a good amount of glasses each day for many different reasons and I'm having a tough time remembering to drink it over my other daily beverages. But I have really good reasons for it.

1. Keep overeating at bay - It is true that sometimes when you feel hungry you are just thirsty. Although sometimes I just feed myself instead of trying the water first which is silly. I mean how hard is it to drink a glass of water. Is it going to kill me? And if I'm still hungry I could seriously still eat anywase.

2. Drinking really cold water is supposed to burn calories - I've read this many places and I have to agree with the logic. The reasoning is if you drink really cold, or hot, water your body has to use energy to adjust the temperature of the extreme temperature.

So with this theory I guess I could go sit in the snow and burn calories as well. Whatever the case it burns calories by taking nothing in and most importantly by doing nothing. That's a winner!

3. Sometimes I just have to go to the bathroom - Constipation is not fun. I've suffered from irregular bowel movements my whole life and I'm assuming that's in part to not drinking water when I was younger and drinking too much other stuff when I was older. But now it's time to get serious.

My grandfather passed away from what began as colon cancer. I want to keep my colon as healthy as I can and water is one way I have complete control over.

4. Energy - I feel more alive when I drink water. My husband always says that when he's fatigued at working out he just needs to drink a glass of water and it gives him his energy back. I find that to be true too. I'm not sure if it's just because he said it or because it's real but it happens either way and that's good enough for me.

5. Well here's some good reasons that you can't argue with - Water role in our body is insane. It plays a part in pretty much every bodily function.

Water regulates our body temperature, water carries oxygen and nutrients to all of our cells, it helps convert food into energy, protects and cushions vital organs and joints, helps to metabolize fats, removes and detoxifies waste from our system, keeps the liver and kidneys functioning properly, and is the basis for all our fluid secretions (saliva, tears, etc.). Crazy as it sounds this is only a small part of the responsibility water has in our body.

No other substance within our body can say it does as much as water does. So if this doesn't make water a priority I don't know what will!

So as I sit here writing about water I've already drank a few glasses. Maybe I should write about it more often. Hmmmmm....I think I will. :)

Using Your Mind To Feel Better and Heal Yourself

I've been doing a lot of meditation and Binaural Beats lately and I know that it works without a doubt for what I'm using it for.

The brain and our thoughts is and are extremely powerful and I know that they can help us overcome illness among every other ailment or upset in this world.

I'll give you an example.

Every time I used to go out to a movie I would get a headache before we even got there. I honestly believed and thought that I would get one and SURPRISE I would. I decided to change the way I think about getting a headache and instead replaced it with I'll feel good while going to the movie. Not surprising the headaches are now gone.

Here's another example of mine that was way more extreme and something that I wasn't manifesting as far as I knew, like my headache, but something that was just occurring for whatever the reason.

I was having really bad lower back pains for years. My back would give out at random times during the day and it would always give out if my husband startled me. It was almost like my back muscles had just given up. I had gone to the doctor many times for the pain and had x-rays and tests done. Every time it turned out there was nothing wrong with me. But I knew that there was. I was the one feeling it and walking around with a rubber back. I was exercising and at a good weight so I didn't know what else there was I could do.

Then I started picturing myself feeling better. I would go to bed a visualize the pain going away. I had a tiny army of men who I would put to work during my visualizations. They would bring wheelbarrows and literally chip out the bad or painful parts and put them in a wheelbarrow then take them away. They would also replace the bad parts of my lower back with healthy and new parts. Well, within days my back pain that I had suffered with for years - was gone. I haven't had it since.

Even though I absolutely believe in the power of the mind it still surprises me that my back is so good considering how bad it was every day of that time.

I now use this method with the tiny little army of workers whenever I feel something coming on or something wrong in my body. It comes naturally to me now.

There are many other visualizations that I use like a green light washing through my body and cleansing it of anything unpure.

If you have a problem focusing and visualizing I 100% recommend Binaural Beats. People also call it Brain Entrainment. I can't say enough good things about them since I use them and know that they work. They can help get you into a relaxed state and help you get your brain to the place it needs to be to heal your body and life.

Relaxation is the key to using your mind for great things.

A Permanent and Natural Cure for Hemorrhoids

By Janet Pfeiffer
Best-Selling Author of Hemorrhoids Saviour

If you have hemorrhoids, you just want to shrink them. It's understandable - the pain can be crippling and prevent you from leading a normal life.

And while it certainly is possible to shrink hemorrhoids quickly - in as little as 24 hours depending on severity - this may or may not offer you a permanent solution.Why? Because all treatments to relieve pain, shrink veins and stop bleeding are generally only treating the symptoms.

Of course, you need these treatments - you need to be able to free yourself from the pain in order to function in everyday life.

And one of the easiest, cheapest, safest treatments for shrinking hemorrhoids and stopping bleeding is better than anything the multi-national drug conglomerates or knife-wielding surgeons have to offer.

In some cases, direct shrinking treatments may cure a hemorrhoid attack permanently. This is generally so in cases where the condition was caused by a temporary condition such as lifting a heavy object or prolonged sitting (such as long road trip), etc. However, the majority of hemorrhoids are caused by more complex issues than this.

That's why many sufferers of piles wonder why their hemorrhoids continue to return after using creams, suppositories or even undergoing surgery.They may be free from piles for a few weeks or a few months, only to find they suddenly return to inflict more pain.

The only way to cure hemorrhoids is to address the root causes - this cannot be achieved by any other means than making some small - but amazingly effective - changes to your eating habits and lifestyle.

No special diet as such is required, just a few modifications - not so much what you eat, but how you eat. This makes all the difference to your body's digestive and immune systems.
When you treat the actual causes, you can achieve life-long freedom from hemorrhoids.

For more information see Janet's website at Hemorrhoids Saviour

Hemorrhoids - Symptoms, Reasons, and Cures

Anyone who has suffered from internal or external hemorrhoids knows how annoying and uncomfortable they can be.

Blood on your toilet paper? Itching in your anus area? Pain during constipation? All of these are likely signs that you may have hemorrhoids and it's no laughing matter – because although common, they can be irritating and embarrassing.

External are painful and embarrassing. There comes a point when you think they are never going to go away - and it's only been a few hours!

Internal are scary and surprising. No one wants to see blood in their stools. And unfortunately TV has made us think the worst when we see it although it is commonly a hemorrhoid.

The biggest thing I find that helps is staying hydrated. In fact within a day of drinking tons of water I notice an improvement. But there's more to it to keep them away and help them disappear.

In the more severe stages, they can fall out like a lump outside your bottom! There are common mistakes that many people make which help earn themselves the pleasure of hemorrhoids.

Even if you have these already, avoiding the following 3 mistakes can start relieving the problem gradually.

Mistake #1: Eating too much processed food

This can be a toughie for some people. However, it's known that processed foods create harder stool and troubles in digestion. This creates constipation and other issues which can lead to hemorrhoids. The key here, especially when you are suffering and trying to cure hemorrhoids, is to lower your intake of processed sugars and foods.

Mistake #2: Sedentary lifestyle

A lot of long term sitting can create additional pressure on the bottom area and this invokes the perfect environment for a hemorrhoid to occur if combined with a sharp force such as constipation or pregnancy (in women). The solution is to make sure you do not sit for over 1 hour at a time, and remember to do stretches that promote healthy blood flow.

Mistake #3: Intake of processed medication and creams

This creates the same potential problem as processed foods. Even many of the fiber supplements contain processed and artificial elements that can create side-effects elsewhere… and lastly they are not even attacking the root of the problem here.

The other downside of these creams which do no benefit is that they waste one's time and the hemorrhoid can get worse over time if the root problem is not reversed.

So try to avoid these 3 mistakes and you will not be contributing to any worsening of hemorrhoids. It's very important to understand these in our modern lifestyle of sedentary office work and processed, convenient diets.

I seriously recommend checking out Hemorrhoids Saviour.

There's tons of information and that can help you.

I know going to the doctor can be embarrassing and the next best thing is learning from people who have had them and conquered them. They are the ones that know what works and what doesn't because - believe me - when you have them you figure it out pretty fast.

Eat more and Do Less Cardio to Lose that Unwanted Weight

Is the above statement too good to be true? That’s what Rory DeLuca thought. The 42 year old New Jersey resident, husband and busy father of 3 couldn’t believe what I was telling him when he came to see me in January 2006. Like most people, after the holidays, Rory was frustrated with his increased weight and was even more frustrated that his previous “weight loss” efforts were not providing any results. He told me he was trying to eat less and run 4 miles every day, but every time he tried to stick to that routine, his back would hurt because of the running and he would end up starving at the end of the day. You can imagine his surprise when I told him that he would have to eat a lot more and do less cardio to achieve the results he was looking for.

Now, 3 months later, Rory has lost a total of 30 pounds and 9 inches off his body. His back no longer hurts and he is not starving. He eats tons of food all day and exercises less than an hour 5 days a week. So what is the secret to his success? Three very important weight loss principles that we can all incorporate.

1. Rory started strength training 3x’s a week. The key here is Rory was doing the right kind of strength training for his weight loss goal. He was not going from one machine to the next, doing 3 sets of 10 reps on each one. His strength training routine incorporated exercises that used his whole body so his heart rate was up the whole time. Try doing 3 exercises, back to back, using only free weights, stability balls and your own body weight, and you’ll see how quickly your heart rate goes up. No sitting on a bench and chich chatting in this workout. We keep the intensity high the whole time and the workout is complete in 45 minutes.

Incorporating strength training and reducing the amount of aerobic cardiovascular training was integral to his success. The ONLY tissue in the body that burns fat is Muscle. So the more muscle you have in your body, the more fat you’re burning at any given time during the day. The amount of muscle you have in your body also greatly affects your metabolism. So someone with more muscle mass will have a higher metabolism (This is why most men can eat a lot more than women). For example, one pound of muscle in your body requires approximately 50 calories per day. So if I had two people, both weighing 150lbs, but one was comprised of 100lbs of muscle while the other was comprised of 120lbs of muscle, the one with the more muscle mass is burning more calories all day long. That means that this person can eat more during the day and still maintain their weight and will also have an easier time losing weight. Aerobic training does burn calories while you’re doing it, but it does not do anything to increase the amount of muscle in your body, thus it does not help you to continue to burn calories when you’re done

2. Rory only did aerobic cardiovascular exercise using interval training. This concept could encompass a whole article unto itself, but basically, your body becomes accustomed to anything that you expose it to for long periods of time. Aerobic cardiovascular exercise makes your body more efficient at burning fat. But that’s exactly what you don’t want (If your car was more efficient at burning gas, you’d use less of it). Same with your body. If your body becomes efficient at burning fat, you burn less of it for the same amount of work. So instead of burning 200 calories for your 2 mile run, you may burn 150 calories for the same distance in 2 months. So you’ll have to increase the distance and continue to do this, just to burn the same 200 calories. This can eventually turn into running for an hour just to burn the same number of calories! I don’t know about you, but this is exactly what I don’t want to do.

Interval training refers to a series of intense activity separated with short rest periods. You want to make sure that you are constantly changing the intensity of your cardio workout during the whole workout, alternating from high intensity to low intensity. So a typical workout on an elliptical machine would be 5 min warmup, 1 minute at a high intensity (level 9or 10), then 2 minutes at a lower intensity (level 3 or 4). You would repeat this 3 minute round 3 or 4 times, gradually increasing the intensities once you feel like it’s getting easy. Cool down for 5 minutes, and that is a total of 19-22 minutes of cardio, not 1 hour! Keep your body guessing the whole time and it will not become accustomed to the same cardio workout.

3. Rory ate a lot of food all day long. Rory couldn’t believe his meal plan when I laid it out for him. He was going to be eating more than he was currently eating and couldn’t believe this was actually going to help him lose weight. The biggest difference would be what foods he would be choosing. Every meal was comprised of a healthy protein, carbohydrate and good fat. Lots of eggs (whole organic eggs, not whites), poultry, meat, fruits, whole grains, vegetables, olive oil, and raw nuts and nut butters. In order for his body to burn fat, it had to believe it wasn’t starving and the only way to do that was to feed it well.

So what can you do to achieve the same great results?

1. Incorporate both a good strength training routine and interval cardio routine to your workout regimen. Don’t just do one all the time. Your body needs muscle to keep your metabolism high, and it also needs cardio to keep your heart strong, so find a good balance between the two.
2. Incorporate a strength training routine that focuses on whole body movements. No sitting on machines, please. Unless you are rehabilitating an injury, you want to keep your body moving the whole time. What do you think burns more calories, a squat with a shoulder press combination or sitting on a leg press? Just try to squat and raise your arms overhead a few times and you’ll see how quickly your heart rate goes up. Keep your body moving through the whole workout and you’ll be sweating just as much as during your cardio.
3. Eat consistently throughout the day. We’ve all heard it before: Eat five meals a day to lose weight. Well, guess what? It works, as long as those meals incorporate healthy food. Eat a protein with each meal. That is the biggest mistake I see. People are not feeding their muscles with enough protein. Remember, you want to keep your metabolism cranking all day and the best way to do that is to feed your body and to keep your muscle mass high.

Hopefully, this will help you to reduce those countless hours on the treadmill and stop starving yourself to lose a few pounds. I don’t know about you but if eating all day and doing less cardio is going to keep me at a healthy weight and in shape, I say AMEN to that!

Stop your weight loss struggles once and for all with these Fat Burning Meal Plans.

Magic Foods For Optimal Health

If there was a magic food that would cure everything (weight gain, heart disease, aging, your annoying boss) would you eat it? Of course you would!

Unfortunately, I can’t say I have found that one magic food yet (as soon as I do, I promise to let you in on it). The good news is there are several foods you can eat that give you some extra bang for your buck. By this, I mean, not only are they tasty and healthy additions to your meal plans, they also provide a chock full of antioxidants to your body.

What exactly are antioxidants?

Antioxidants have been all the rage for quite some time now, but many people don’t know exactly what they are. Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen (in almost everything we do each day), they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. (Exercise is a good example of a healthy activity that naturally produces free radicals.) Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers” and help prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, and cancer are all contributed by oxidative damage.

You can see how it’s important for us to get these “free radical scavengers” into our bodies each day, especially if we have made exercise a part of our daily routine.

What foods contain antioxidants?

Lucky for you and me, the list of foods containing antioxidants is pretty extensive: vegetables, fruits, most nuts, fish & shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic are just a few examples of some great, healthy foods that will get you your daily scavengers (and all foods that are part of your Diet Solution Meal Plans).

There are some foods that are particularly high and famous for their free radical destroying abilities. Here are three of my favorites.

Acai Berries

Acai is a fruit that grows on the Acai Palm Trees in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. The Acai berry is small in size (smaller than a grape) and is dark purple in color. Although Acai may be small in size, it is jam packed with antioxidants and amino acids, and is thought to be one of the most nutritional fruits of the Amazon basin. Acai has 10 Times the antioxidant power of red grapes and twice that of blueberries.

With that being said, I am not going to tell you that this fruit is the cure all for everything that ails you (like many internet sites trying to sell their Acai berry supplements and going a bit overboard with their claims). The Acai berry is a wonderful antioxidant and it is a great addition to your healthy meal plan, but not a magic potion that will cause the weight loss many make it out to be.

Green Tea

Green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and white tea all come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. All teas from the camellia tea plant are rich in polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant. Whether it’s green or black, tea has about 8 to 10 times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables (although the types of antioxidants are a bit different).

You can see how including a cup or 2 of tea can be a great way to get a mega dose of antioxidants into your day. However, just as people have taken information about the good ‘ol Acai berry too far, they have done the same with green tea. Yes, it is a wonderful addition to any diet, but it is not the miracle drink many people make it out to be. Studies have shown that it may have some metabolism increasing effects and assist the body in fat burning but drinking jugs and jugs of it all day is not going to guarantee long term weight loss. One to two cups is more than enough to receive its benefits. We also want to remember that tea does contain caffeine and some people need to be careful with their daily caffeine intake.

Pomegranate

The pomegranate is a popular exotic fruit whose origins are from the Middle East and Asia. It is also known as the granada, grenade, and the Chinese apple. Aside from its rich flavor and the number of ways to eat and drink it, studies have shown that pomegranate contains more antioxidants than green tea, cranberries and even red wine.

Pomegranates have also been shown to promote healthy blood pressure levels and low cholesterol. Pomegranates may be especially helpful for men as studies have concluded that it may help prevent prostate cancer and growth.

How can I incorporate these great foods into my daily meal plan?

1. Start your day with one cup of green tea. I say the morning, so the caffeine does not affect your sleep that night. You can sweeten your tea with Stevia, Xylitol, Agave Syrup, or a small amount of raw honey.

2. Eat a pomegranate as your fruit of choice with breakfast, lunch or snack or drink 2-4 ounces of pomegranate juice. I suggest mixing your 2-4 ounces with water and sip alongside one of your meals.

3. If getting in antioxidant rich foods each day is a challenge for you, you can supplement with an antioxidant supplement. Prograde, one if the very very few supplement companies I trust, has a powerful antioxidant supplement I highly recommend. It contains a high-octane extract blend of coffeeberry, pomegranate, green tea, acai berry, wolfberry and Biovin grape. You can read more about it here: http://fishoilforyou.getprograde.com/longevity.