Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Get Fit, Not Hurt

How many of you have had this experience? There’s been no time to get to the gym in the last month or so. So finally when there is time, you (consciously or subcounsciously) “make up” for lost time. The next day…OUCH, you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck!

This is a common scenario for most of us. New exercisers often “overdo” at first because they are unaware of the impact of sudden and intense activity on the body and its need for adjustment.

Regular and experienced exercisers often forget that fitness slowly declines when stopped for more than a couple of weeks. The body needs to readjust to the demands placed on it. For me, it’s just plain old ego…I don’t want to admit to myself that I have lost any of my fitness!

“Overdoing” is just one of the many ways that we can hurt ourselves when we are using our bodies vigorously. Aside from the obvious twisted ankle (acute injury), there are many injuries that happen insidiously (tendonitis, arthritis etc.). Now before I scare you away from exercise, its worth mentioning that most of these injuries happen just as often in sedentary people because of lack of exercise.

So, the real point of this article is to give you some guidelines to help you avoid exercise/sports injuries whether you are a newbie or an experienced exerciser/sports participant:

• Wear proper shoes for the particular sport or activity.

• Always were protective gear for the sports you are involved in. Helmets are not just for kids!

• Comfortable clothes that you can move in are always good, but special outfits for the sport are not usually required unless you like them or for a team.

• Start out slowly if you are new to the sport or exercise OR you haven’t done it in more than 2 weeks.

• Warm up BEFORE stretching. This is important. Muscles are tight when cold and stretching them can injure them. What is a good warm up? A slower version of the activity you are going to do is good. For example, walk for 5 minutes before you begin running. If you are going to throw a ball, gentle arm circles and other movements for several minutes will warm up the shoulder and elbow joints.

• Stretch often. Stretching can be performed after warm-up, but I find it to be the most efficient when I am finished with the activity or when there’s a break in the activity. The muscles are warm and most receptive. Always be careful not to overstretch.

• Take lessons or training if you are new to the activity. This ensures that you are moving in such a way to not only perform well (win!) but also not injure yourself. I have personal experience with this: I decided to run a marathon. I trained myself but just couldn’t accomplish the distances I needed to get there. Then, I had coaching for my running style which I was told was a speed style, not distance style. I thought running was something we all do naturally and all that’s needed to run was to run! Since that coaching, I have completed many marathons.

• Add new activities or exercises carefully. The body needs time to adapt.

• Drink LOTS of fluid (water is usually best) before during and after your activity, especially in hot weather. A good guide for this is 500ml of liquid every 15 minutes during the activity. It’s not nearly as good for the body to drink only before and after, drink during as well. You will find your performance to be much better!

• Apply the 10% rule. This is a great rule of thumb. Increase your time OR intensity level by a maximum of 10% per week. If you are running, increase either distance by 10% per week or speed by 10% per week – but not both in the same week. If you are weight lifting, increase the number of times you lift the weight (repetitions) by 10% maximum or the amount of weight by 10% maximum per week.

• If you are already working with injuries, talk to your physical therapist or personal trainer about what to do that works and doesn’t work with your body and situation.

Listen to your body! If you are tired, rest! If you have pain beyond muscle soreness or swelling, see a doctor.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Debate Between Modern Medicine And Herbal Remedies

Around the world people are continuously relying on the power of medicine. We all want to make sure our loved ones are healthy, and refuse to believe that modern medicine could actually harm them. For years, modern medicine has ruled Western culture. It has become part of our customs as we continuously acquire medicine on a daily basis. From a simple dose of aspirin to more intense treatments like chemotherapy and daily medical visits, we cannot help but feel drawn to such assistance. After all, medicine has the ability to heal, fix, and alleviate problems that afflict billions of people each year. So why not jump on the bandwagon and hand over your life to modern medicine?

It is a known fact that we live in a fast paced world where immediate results are craved. If we are sick, we want to have a prescription within hours and medicine to cure us in a day or so. Due to the fact that the safety of medicine has always been around for us, it becomes a common theme to rely on such safe treatments. Since we know that there are medicines out there, we want the situation to be alleviated as soon as possible.

While there are those who are against modern medicine, it is clear that this type of medical treatment has come a long way. With hundreds of medicines dedicated to incurable illnesses, it is a miracle for some. We now finally have the opportunity to feel better, and know that there are things being done to help the sick. But with opportunity, comes a bitter battle. Due to the fact that the media is one of the largest outlets for the world, advertising has taken over modern medicine and has turned it into a dangerous spectacle.

We all see the commercials for sleeping pills, testimonials for cancer drugs, the suggestions for dieting. We become drawn into these safe treatments, because we are in desperate need for a cure. Unfortunately, this desperation often turns into blindness. We immediately run to our local pharmacy and pick up these pills, without taking a glance at the label or the warnings. The media has allowed us to believe every word they say, and in return, trust the FDA, the doctors who prescribe such medications, and the advertisements. After all, who would actually want to lie to us? Why would any loyal physician and medical companies do such a thing?

Astonishingly, our trust is feeding into the lies and helping such modern medicine suppliers become prosperous. Thousands of people die each year, just because the medicine they were taking was not as safe as people claimed. There are always problems with certain prescriptions on the markets, but many of these companies do not want to say anything. They write it off, pretend to not know the truth, and ship it out, because soon they will have enough money to forget. Due to their selfishness, modern medicine has become quite faulty in some aspects. It has forced us to question what medicines we are taking, and what effects they could actually have on us. Just because they are FDA approved, does not mean that they are 100% safe.

Although modern medicine is one of the largest industries in the world, it is not the only option. Herbal remedies and traditional medicine are also rising steadily, as it is more focused on herbs, safe nutrients and minerals that will not have hazardous effects on the body. With the ability to extract such benefits from plants, it is surprising that the majority of people do not want to stick to such safe routes. Unfortunately while herbal medicine can cure painful ailments, it may not be as effective for serious illnesses. Nevertheless, it is an alternative that people should seek out, if the illness is not life threatening. For many, it is more affordable, nicer to the body, and actually reduces the amount of side effects.

Have you ever been sick from a cold? The majority of people rush to the doctor’s office, in hopes that they will get an anti-biotic or another type of cold medicine. Even if this is safe, it is unnecessary to immediately seek professional guidance. Surprisingly, natural remedies can cure your cold more effectively, if not make you feel better in a shorter amount of time. It also provides greater benefits for your body. One of the most popular natural products on the market today is Noni Juice. Derived from the Pacific Islands, this natural fruit has been causing quite a stir. It not only boosts the immune system, but it also allows you to alleviate joint pain, common cold symptoms, and dozens of other ailments. By taking a safe and natural product like Noni Juice, you will see many more benefits, rather than a plethora of side effects that just are not worth it.

Looking for a diet plan? Natural green tea not only boosts the immune system, but it speeds up metabolism and actually allows you to lose weight. Instead of finding a strong prescription drug that may help shed the pounds, it is recommended that you try something more natural. When consumers rush to their nearest drugstore just to pick up a fat shedding drug, they rarely realize how dangerous and life threatening it could be to their health.

Regardless of how many alternatives there are to modern medicine, the majority of consumers still seem to run towards modern medicine. In many cases, it is due to the fact that this is all they have ever known. When we grow up with modern medicine by our side, it is hard to see anything else that is effective. We want immediate results, and herbal remedies tend to have a negative stigma. It is hard to risk your life on an herbal supplement, when you know that you could just go to the hospital and get a treatment that is more popular. It truly comes down to the severity of the illness, and how much modern medicine has been drilled into your brain. Unfortunately, advertising and physicians make it known that modern medicine is the only way.

There is no correct answer to this debate. It is normal to want to feel safe, healthy, and informed. On the other hand, it is also important to not be blindsided by the greedy and uninformed side of modern medicine. In order to live a healthy and happy live, one has to pick what is best for them. While modern medicine may be popular, herbal supplements like Noni Juice may work more effectively. Nevertheless, the debate between modern and traditional medicine will continue to enter our households. Perhaps one day there will be a winner.

Pascal Erdmann is the owner of Natures Products Ltd a manufacturer and distributor of natural remedies like Noni juice. Website at http://www.noninz.com.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Treadmill. The Right Sort Of Exercise Machine.

Treadmill. The Right Sort Of Exercise Machine.

In this first of two articles that I have written I will explain why it is important to consider a number of essential facts prior to making a purchase of a treadmill as a piece of home exercise equipment. One of the biggest fears that many people have when thinking about buying a treadmill is whether they will actually use it. In fact you could say that this is the biggest fear any one will have when buying any sort of exercise or fitness equipment.

But as many know people know a treadmill is not only great for helping them to lose weight, get fit and burn off those extra calories. But this will only occur if it is used.

Certainly you will find that a treadmill is a very large investment for anybody to make and you must be certain that it is the right sort of exercise equipment for your particular needs.

But how do you tell if a treadmill is right for you, and whether it is suitable for the kind of exercise that you want to carry out and will fit in to the lifestyle that you lead.

However, if you are seriously thinking about purchasing a treadmill, then there are 3 things that should be considered to make sure that it is the right exercise equipment for you.

Firstly, do you prefer to exercise alone or with people? As using a treadmill is not a group activity and if you prefer to exercise with other people then a treadmill may not be the right machine for you. However, if you are finding that you are already getting most of exercise from social or sports groups then use of a treadmill can provide you with an additional exercise option. Do not buy a treadmill if you don’t like exercising on your own.

But many people actually do prefer to exercise on their own, because it’s a way of getting away from the constant stresses and strains of every day life and this type of exercise equipment is ideal for this sort of person.

Secondly, do you like to exercise indoors or outdoors? If you are one of these people who prefers to take their exercise outdoors then may be better off taking up hiking (and enjoying the beauty of nature around you) or just rollerblading. Certainly a treadmill will not be the ideal exercise equipment for you, especially if you live somewhere where the weather is always kind, then you may not even need a treadmill (but if you want to exercise somewhere with air conditioning), then this may be your preferred option.

Unfortunately many people live where the climate changes and where it rains, snows or does both, then a treadmill would be ideal for maintaining a fitness regime during the long bleak winter months. Not only can it help fight against the winter weight gain that many people experience, but it will also help to keep those nasty winter blues at bay.

Thirdly, are you someone who enjoys either walking, jogging or running? If you have answered yes to this question then a treadmill may be the best piece of exercise equipment you could ever invest in. Not only is walking an exercise that everybody can do, it is simple and does not require any particular complex movements to carry it out. Also many people find that going for a walk not only a great form of exercise, but always a great way of dealing with any stress or problems that they are dealing with at the time. But above all any one can do it and it does not matter how fit you are it can be done by a beginner through to the elite athletes we see competing at the Olympics.

Some people find that they enjoy the rhythm and routine that jogging and running offer and certainly these types of exercise are one of the best all round ways of burning off that excess fat that they have. As with walking it is fairly simple to do and does not require the need for any complex co-ordination by the person doing it.

There are numerous benefits to taking up walking, jogging and running, but some people just do not like to carry out their exercise in this way. These kinds of people like a challenge such as those provided by box aerobics classes or by taking up some form of martial arts. If you do fall in this category of fitness fanatic then purchasing a treadmill is not an option as it will not meet your exercise requirements.

However, if you do like walking, but are still looking for a challenge or even a distraction then you may find that a treadmill can offer these to you. Not only are they growing more sophisticated as time passes, but many now come with built in work out programs, upper body work outs for the arms, a built in stereo system or somewhere where you can plug in your favourite CD’s. There are even some treadmills which can be directly connected to your computer at home and offer you a site where you can download work out programs as well. You could even read a magazine (many come equipped with a magazine or book rack) or watch T.V. whilst you are doing it (how about buying a small T.V. mounted above your treadmill).

Certainly the 3 points above will hopefully help you to decide whether a treadmill is the right piece of exercise equipment for you to help improve your health.

In the next article I will explain why a treadmill is ideal for those people who lead busy life’s and have a lack of time to spend exercising and which should be considered prior to purchasing a treadmill.

Kerris Samson a work from home who has been looking at ways of staying fit over the years. If you would like to learn more about ways of keeping your body healthy then please visit http://www.gym.avonmay.info.

Monday, May 5, 2008

What You Didn't Know About Keeping Fit And Keeping Your Man!

I constantly receive interesting feedback from readers of my ebooks and articles on the different topics I write about. Once in awhile I receive mails I feel, I need to share their content with others because of the interesting information contained in them. I recently received one of such mails from a reader in Auckland, New Zealand. Her letter touched on one of the reasons why people lose their fitness.

The reason I found this mail quite interesting, is because of the way it connects the subject of fitness to stability in relationships. I will write more about this later in this article. I hope you will be able to benefit from the information contained in this short piece. Below are excerpts from her e-mail:

"I have always tried to keep a normal weight and fitness level, but I had neglected my body for a while. I got so comfortable in my relationship, that I started neglecting my body. I used to be a very active individual, exercise on a weekly basis to keep my body fit. Why did I start neglecting my regular fitness routine?

I started neglecting my fitness because of emotional issues that developed in my marriage. Sometime ago, I started noticing a coldness from my husband. He suddenly became so distant from me. I decided to overlook things, but this was a wrong move because we stopped communicating as well as we used to. He became very unromantic and I in response to this stayed away from him as much as I could. We started quarreling over little things.

There was serious tension in our relationship for months as things deteriorated. I knew we couldn't continue like this, so I asked him why he's feelings towards me had changed. First he didn't want to talk, but after much pressure and harsh exchange of words between us, he revealed that our relationship had become boring and so predictable. This really shook me, because he was right, things had actually become predictable.

The worst part of all this was that I noticed he stayed out late at night and started receiving nightly calls from some lady. He refused to talk about it when I confronted him. This went on and created more tension between us. I knew our relationship was heading for the rocks, but I didn't know what to do to prevent this fom happening.

Our relationship continued in this manner for months. During this period, I felt really low, slowed down on my daily activities and ignored my normal fitness training. Of course , I started adding the extra pounds. I gained a lot of extra weight.

To cut a long story short, a few weeks back while going through my daily email, I saw a letter in my mailbox informing me that a friend of my was recommending a website to me to visit. I was your website. I read the Free information you provided through your infidelity prevention series. I also read your book on infidelity prevention.

I followed just a few of the tips you gave in strengthening my relationship. I especially enjoyed the romance enhancement tips, such as; complimenting him in public for things he did at home. I bought a domain name "www.his-name.com" and had a website designed in his honor, praising him for all his love and support.

I would send him romantic messages on his mobile phone thanking and commending him for working so hard in providing for our family. I also decided to start feeling good about myself, started my exercise routine again and thus started losing weight. I got some new exciting clothes too, which he noticed. I did some other things you wrote about too.

I immediately started noticing more love and attention from him. He even apologized to me for his behavior the last couple of months. Things have greatly improved in our relationship. Just felt you would like to know that I got him back on track by doing some simple romantic things and by feeling good about myself and getting fit again through my daily exercise routine.

My advice to women is don't ignore yourself. Take good care of your body, get infidelity prevention information and stay fit. This way, your romance will blossom too."

Now, what interested me about her mail was the way her weight and fitness issues was strongly connected the issue of infidelity. The tension at home and the risk of losing her man to another woman created a bad situation that made her neglect her passion for staying fit and healthy.

The fear of infidelity can badly affect your health, but the great news is that infidelity can be prevented in relationships. You only need to get the necessary information to avoid its sometimes devastating effect on the family. Wishing you all the best in your fitness and infidelity prevention efforts.

Nelson B. Babs is the author of the bestselling e-book "How To Keep Other Women Away From Your Man". Get a FREE copy today at: http://www.keep-other-women-away-from-your-man.com/recommend.htm Visit to also receive the Totally Free, complete article series on infidelity prevention and other gifts.