5 Tools That Lead to a Happier & Healthier Life

If you have experienced a massage session, you already know the wonders a great massage can have on your mind and body. You know about the complete feeling of health and relaxation that overcomes your entire being. You know about the calmness that permeates throughout the therapy room. And you know about the subtle healing music that gently eases your tension away.

With the holidays fast approaching, many of us will begin to think of our New Year?s resolutions. Without a doubt, ?lose weight? and ?become a healthier and happier person? will top the list. Unfortunately many of us will never take that first step towards our goals. We simply do not have the general health and fitness know-how. We know what we want- drop 5 pounds, learn to laugh more, etc- but we do not know the best and safest way to reach those goals.

What if we had 5 simple ideas that would lead us on the path to a healthier life? Would we utilize those tools? We are smart enough to realize there is no magic pill or secret weapon against illnesses, but are we practical enough to realize what will solve many of our health problems?

Below are 5 tools you can use to take your first step towards a healthier and happier holiday season. While they may not reveal a whopping secret, they do provide the complete foundation of health.

Tool 1- Strength Training

Every pound of muscle burns 35-50 calories per day. Adding lean muscle mass is the best way to jump start your metabolism, fight osteoporosis and sustain fat reduction.

Tool 2- Cardio

Cardio strengthens our heart and lungs. Anything that gets your heart pumping will do: walking, jogging, running, dancing, swimming, biking, or house cleaning. Cardio should be done at varying intensity and time levels.

Tool 3- Nutrition

Nutrition is often the hardest part becoming a healthier person. We simply forgot how to eat well in our culture. We need to eat protein, carbs, and fat to sustain our way of life. Cut one of the three out and imbalances will occur.

Tool 4- Rest

Rest is not a luxury. It is a necessity. We should eat well every day and we should workout 5-6 times per week. The leftover 1-2 days are meant for rest. Our muscles need time to rebuild and repair themselves.

Tool 5- Massage

Massage is extremely beneficial. Massage can stimulate weak, inactive muscles and partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness or injury. It also can hasten and lead to a more complete recovery from exercise or injury.

Participating in a positive strength training, cardio, nutrition, rest and massage program will result in an enormous increase in health. There is no magic bullet. Just simple and effective tools to create the life we want. Make a promise to yourself right now. Try using the above tools consistently and to the best of your ability for 4 weeks. You'll look great and feel amazing.

Copyright 2005 strength-training-woman.com

Lynn VanDyke is the Internet?s leading fitness and nutrition advisor. Her ebook has been ranked The best fitness ebook on the net by the No Limits ezine. Learn more about her services and grab her best-selling ebook by visiting: http://strength-training-woman.com/31-no-holds-barred-answers.html

Lanolin for Dummies Benefits of Lanolin

Lanolinn.Fatty substance obtained from wool. [German : from Latin lana (wool) + oleum (oil)

Wool oil, also referred to as ?wool grease? and ?wool fat?, originates as a unique substance, similar to wax, secreted from special glands in sheep?s skin. This substance migrates to the wool and offers natural protection to the animal against harsh weather and climatic conditions.

Wool oil is washed from the sheep?s wool during the scouring (cleaning) process. This takes place after the sheep has been shorn (similar to us having a haircut), a completely harmless process that takes place once a year meaning this natural wool fibre a renewable resource.

The raw oil obtained through the scouring process is then refined into lanolin, an organic, non-toxic, non-hazardous, biodegradable product. Pure lanolin contains less than 3 parts per million of all impurities. The lanolin used in the production of our Lanocreme skin care range is considered to be more pure than most foods we consume. The chemical make up of lanolin is fascinating, demonstrating nature?s ability to create a protective coating which, to this day, chemists have been unable to duplicate in performance or composition.

Lanolin is entirely safe and included in all medical pharmacopoeias and the EEG Cosmetics Directive Second Amendment, which allows lanolin to be used freely in cosmetics without restriction.

Lanolin plays a major role in the production of our Lanocreme range of skin care products due to its well-deserved reputation of being the ultimate natural substance that gives a soothing and moisturizing effect when applied to the skin. Lanolin closely resembles the oil produced by our own oil glands and is easily absorbed by the outer, protective layer of our skin reducing excessive moisture loss and thereby restoring softness and elasticity.

Kim Bright has over 15 years experience with skin care products, having been involved in extensive market research throughout that time. She is currently employed as a marketing/customer services representative for Lanocorp Pacific Ltd who have been in the business of producing and distributing Lanolin based skin care products since 1987.

10 Weight Training Tips

1. Have A Plan.

Why do most people fail? They do not set goals and write out detailed plans on how they will attain the goals that they set for themselves.

2. Keep A Journal.

By keeping an accurate journal you will guarantee that you are making progress, and if you are not then the journal itself will have the answers to why you are not making progress. You are in essence your own personal trainer.

3. Basic Movements.

Focus on the basic movements of weight training: Squats Deadlifts Bench press Shoulder press Chin ups Dips Rows Curls Situps Calf raises

4. The Tempo of your workout.

Tempo is the speed at which you lift the weight. You should vary the tempo at which you train.

5. Rest Between Sets.

The amount of time that you rest between sets is dependent upon the intensity at which you lift (how close to your maximum). If you are doing higher reps (12-15) then you rest periods will be shorter (45-75 seconds), but if you are doing only a few reps (1-5) then you will need longer periods (2-5minutes) between each set.

6. Prevent Imbalances.

Have you ever seen a guy that trains nothing but bench? His shoulders are pulled forward and rounded in. He will have trouble sooner or later because he has an imbalance between his horizontal pushing and pulling muscles. When designing a program make sure that the program trains both the agonist and antagonist muscle groups. A few examples would be bench press and rowing, shoulder press with pull downs, curls with tricep extensions.

7. Pre-workout Cardio & Stretching.

By doing the cardio before you train you will be able to increase your core temperature and thus be less likely to get injured while training. Having said that, many people like to train cardio after their weight training. The bottom line is, as long as you are doing cardio training, do it when you want to.

8. Train with a partners.

By training with someone else, it makes you more accountable for your training. If motivation is you problem, having a partner who is counting on you being there might be the trick. Also, training with a partner has a safety element as well. If you are training with heavier weights, it is nice to have someone who left that bar off you chest when you have trained to failure.

9. Post Workout Nutrition.

I know it is supposed to be about weight training. The most common mistake most people make is not eating after they train or not eating the right thing. This meal should contain a mixture of different types of carbohydrates such as a high glycemic carbohydrate like glucose, a medium gylcemic carb like maltodextrin and a limited amount of a low glycemic carbohydrate like fructose.

10. Take Time Off.

One of the most common mistakes people make in their training is over training. Many people believe that more is better. In fact, if you over train you are running the risk of having a negative effect on your workouts.

For more information on an Online Personal Trainer visit http://www.swerdfigerfitness.com

The Skinny on the Metabolic Syndrome: Cutting the Fat

The overweight and obesity epidemic has fueled a dramatic rise in the prevalence of something doctors call the Metabolic Syndrome--the combination of abdominal obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and a particularly malignant form of high LDL (bad) cholesterol. Recently published statistics suggest that almost one half of adult Americans are overweight and one in four are obese.

This new syndrome is a lethal risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. The eleven year study by Kuopio found that middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome were about three times more likely to die of coronary artery disease than unaffected individuals, and twice the risk of stroke. This combination of risk factors is also vitally important for women, and several investigations have evaluated their effects on women's health. The Framingham Heart Study found that diabetic women weighted more and hid higher blood pressure than non-diabetic women. In addition, their LDL (so-called good cholesterol) levels were lower than those of non-diabetic women. A Finnish study of newly diagnosed diabetic women determined likewise that they were more obese and had lower good cholesterol levels than non-diabetic women. Sixty percent of them were also taking medication for high blood pressure.

The common denominator for this syndrome is abdominal obesity. The Framingham Study found that as weight rises and falls, so too do blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Obesity leads to diabetes, and low good cholesterol. Dr. William Castelli, director of the study, ahs described this characteristic pattern of obesity: When you put the 'spare tire on at the waist, you produce a different kind of LDL, much more atherogenic (causing atherosclerosis). You raise your blood pressure and increase your lipids (fats). It is estimated that obese individuals develop diabetes at more than twice the rate of others.

Why are such seemingly different problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol grouped together? Because they are very much interrelated and there are similar or identical methods to prevent and/or control them.

What to do?

The best approach to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight has four basic components. None of them involves being on a diet:

1. Understand and modify your relationship with food. This will enable you to be in control, rather than being under the control of compulsive or rigid and unrealistic goals. According to author Dr. Janet Greeson, who has managed not to regain the 150 pounds she lost more than 18 years ago, Diets are not really treating the person, and so if you focus on food as the problem, you are not successful. The problem is the feelings a person associates with food.

2. Enjoy what you eat by becoming a conscious eater. This will help you select healthy and satisfying food, including some of your favorites, rather than limit you to rigid calorie-cutting and self-deprivation. Experiment. Become a student of your own behavior.

3. Exercise regularly. Physical activity is a powerful weapon in weight control for several reasons. It burns calories, it contributes to positive feelings and thus reduces the stresses and emotions that cause overeating, and it restores a consciousness of the body, which overweight people tend to lose. Exercise allows you to reclaim yourself physically and thereby strengthens you motivation to achieve and maintain healthy weight.

4. Create a support system. This can come from family, friends and/or a support group. Joining a structured weight loss program like Weight Watchers can be invaluable. Such a program provides you with a caring environment and people who both understand and share your struggle with overeating. They help you to become more honest about your eating habits and when you feel you may be slipping, they are there to help.

Remember: We are more than what we eat, but what we eat can help us to become less and therefore more of what we want to be.

Richard Helfant, MD is a Harvard-trained cardiologist. Courageous Confrontations, Dr. Helfant's latest work, is about how life-threatening illnesses transformed patients' outlooks on life, often resulting in significant weight loss.

Essential Oils Shown to Alleviate Sypmtoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

In an article published in the Journal of Gastroenterology in 1997** entitled:

Enteric-coated peppermint-oil capsules in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a prospective, randomized trial

researchers Liu JH, Chen GH, Yeh HZ, Huang CK, Poon SK from the Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan reported interesting and encouraging results of the effects of the essential oils of peppermint in the treatment of Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS.

According to Wikepedia*** IBS is:

A functional bowel disorder characterized by abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits that is not associated with any abnormalities on routine clinical testing, and

IBS ?is fairly common and makes up 20-50% of visits to gastroenterologists.

The prognosis for patients with IBS is not fatal nor does it lead to the development of other serious bowel diseases.

However it is associated with chronic pain, discomfort, and other symptoms, work absenteeism, depression, social phobias, and other negative life effects. Often the symptoms appear to have or are exacerbated by emotional life stresses that then manifest in part in physical form.

For individuals with this problem it can become quite frustrating to live with a problem that can so readily cramp one's goals and dreams.

In the quoted study the researchers shed some light on a solution that is not only simple; it is in my view empowering and all with next to none of the side-effects seen with common pharmaceutical agents.

Here is a summary of their study;

They did a well designed (i.e. a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled) clinical study with 110 subjects from an outpatient clinic.

To the experimental group they gave an enteric coated (i.e. in a capsule that would prevent the oil form irritating the upper gastrointestinal tract i.e. mouth, esophagus, and stomach) dosage of peppermint oil that was allowed to reach the large bowel where the problem was without degradation.

The control group received a placebo capsule.

Each group received their treatment 3 to 4 times a day about 30 minutes before meals for 1 month.

At the end of the study they found that:

1) Forty-one patients in the peppermint oil group (79%) experienced an alleviation of the severity of abdominal pain (29 were pain-free), compared to 21 patients (43%) with reduced pain (4 were pain-free in the control group.

2) Forty three in the peppermint oil group (83%) had less abdominal distension compared to 14 (29%) with reduced distension in the control group.

3) Forty three in the peppermint group (83%) had reduced stool frequency compared to 16 (32%) with reduced stool frequency.

4) Finally in the peppermint oil group they found that thirty eight in the peppermint group (73%) had fewer borborygmi (i.e. stomach growling sounds) and 11 (22%) with less flatulence.

Only one patient in the peppermint oil group has some upper gastrointestinal irritation as a result of chewing the capsule and releasing the oil.

The study reached a statistical significance of p

Herbs for Acne Are you Serious?

I can?t think of anything worse than a face full of sore, irritating and unsightly spots. I not only suffered as an adolescent but I?ve been cursed with reoccurring acne as an adult too. There are people who have it a lot worse than I do and there are also those that have it no more but have been left with terrible acne scars as a reminder. Having said that, this does little to comfort me when I suddenly flare up with a fresh outbreak. If you suffer from acne you?ll know what I mean.

Unfortunately, acne continues to baffle all of us including those in the medical profession. The real causes of acne are unknown but many have logical theories.

You know what, I must have tried every cream, lotion, potion and cocktail of modern acne medicine in an attempt to combat this truly awful skin condition. The ones that worked the best often left me with dryness of skin, inflammation and irritation that just replaced an old problem with a new complaint.

I can remember reading an article about using herbs for acne. When I fist saw I thought herbs for acne sounded like a pretty ridiculous claim, but as I?m always open for new ideas and suggestions, I?m prepared to give anything a shot once and who knows, maybe the cure for the universal pimple may just lie in herbal remedies, so I continued to read up on herbs for acne.

I actually found out that using a herbal cure to treat certain medical conditions has been around for many hundreds if not thousands of years in certain parts of the world, and none more so than China. I also discovered that Chinese herbs are used in all manner of treatments for today?s ailments. Having said that, you?ll not get any help from your local quack for such treatments which is why this is not commonplace knowledge. Therefore, I wouldn?t recommend going to see you physician and requesting he prescribe herbs for acne as you?re likely to be escorted out of the practice for wasting his time.

In order find any real solution to the acne problem, we must first understand what that problem is. Many believe that acne is caused by heat and dampness, and I must admit, I do tend to flare up more during the hot and humid simmer months. The herbs for acne that arise out of the heat and dampness theory seek to address these two causes for outbreaks. This theory comes from a Chinese traditional practice.

I learnt that in Chinese theory, heat does not refer to temperature as we would initially assume which puts my theory about hot summers to rest! They believe that heat is related with 1. Over stimulation, 2. Over exertion, and 3. Inflammation. Each of these three elements is closely related to heat. An inflamed area of skin usually feels warm to the touch. Over stimulation and over exertion, including friction, are sources of heat. You feel the burn when you exercise. The Chinese medical herbs for acne treat heat in these forms. Sound like a pretty clever theory to me.

There?s also another aspect in the Chinese theory behind spots and that is dampness. This factor refers to our Western perceptive of dampness in relation to fluids. Surplus water, swelling and inflammation associated with breakouts are addressed with Chinese herbs for acne. In the middle of the dampness problems is improper digestion, which seems to be a common thread among different theories about the causes of acne although this is denied as poppycock by the medical profession.

Finally, another interesting theory is that acne breakouts lies in hormones and this is sometimes addressed by western doctors with certain drugs.

Another interesting relationship between the Chinese theory of heat and dampness and other theories of the source for acne breakouts lies in hormones. The heat theory suggests that overactive hormones are an element that can add to the heat factor. So, these herbs for acne are supposed to help an individual balance his or her hormones internally, leading to cool, clear skin. This all sounds fantastic and theory doesn?t it.

When it comes to Chinese herbs for acne, just think dry and cool. Come to think about it, cool, dry skin is usually clear. Hmm! Maybe there?s a herbal acne cure out there for us after all?

Andy Maingam is a expert publisher and webmaster. He?s recently researched and written some articles on alternative and ancient cures for modern day ailments. You can view some of his more recent writings at Oriental Cures where he includes a piece on the common cold amongst other things

Yoga Instruction How to Find the Right Yoga Teacher for You

In order to find a quality yoga instructor, you need to know what to look for. Since there is no universal certification program for yoga teachers, not all of them are created equal as you can see by the following example.

I had been practicing yoga in my home for a while when I decided to take some classes at a local center. I had been using a variety of yoga videos and DVDs that were taught by senior instructors with impeccable form, so I expected the same quality of yoga instruction when I arrived at this class. Unfortunately, it wasn?t the case.

The teacher who taught the class was sloppy in her style as she moved through the poses and it seemed more as if she were doing her own practice, rather than leading the class. She never came around and adjusted the alignment of any of the students, which really annoyed me because that was the main reason I decided to attend the class. Additionally, she was facing one way and the students were facing the opposite way, so it was very difficult to see what she was doing. Needless to say, I wasn?t impressed.

I am optimistic by nature so the next morning, I took another class at the same center, but this time there was a different teacher leading the practice. Her style was more of what I was looking for. Her execution of the positions was excellent. She showed the students how to do the pose and then she got up and checked the alignment of the students and made necessary adjustments. She brought attention to those students who did a pose particularly well, and she encouraged others to go a little deeper. I was very happy with the teacher, and even though the class did not fit my schedule particularly well, I attended it on a regular basis.

Although my initial endeavor into the world of taking yoga classes was somewhat hit or miss, by asking certain questions and checking some details, you have a better chance of finding the right yoga instructor for you.

Here are some things to consider.

Decide what your goals are for your yoga practice.
Do you want to practice yoga to relieve stress, heal from an injury, or gain strength and flexibility? If a center offers yoga that is very fast paced and very physically challenging, it probably won?t be the right match for you if you want to learn how to relax.

What style of yoga interests you? Make sure that the center offers that particular style.
Are you interested in a certain level of yoga instruction? If you are a beginner, you probably don?t want to take a class that lumps all levels together. You also don?t want a class that is too advanced where you have a greater chance of feeling discouraged because you can?t keep up with the other students, or worse, you could get injured. You want a class where the instructor takes ample time to explain the postures and also helps students achieve the correct alignment.

Ask about the teacher?s level experience
Find out how many years the teacher has been practicing yoga and how long he has been teaching. With my experience with the two yoga teachers, I found out that the one that didn?t impress me had just become a teacher, while the one I liked had been teaching for quite some time.

Ask about how many hours of training he has received. Although there is no universal yoga teacher certification, many quality studios require that their instructors complete a minimum number of training hours before they are allowed to teach. If the instructor has 200 or more hours of training, there is a good chance that he has solid skills to work with.

Does the instructor know the benefits and contraindications of each pose? Can he offer modifications for students who have physical limitations? You want a teacher who can provide information about how each pose relates to your unique physical condition.

Also, find out if the teacher has specific training in basic anatomy. I cannot emphasize this point strongly enough. When I was in my early twenties, I took a gymnastics class which was taught by an instructor who had no training in anatomy. Each week he stretched my body in a position that caused me a great deal of pain. If he knew about body mechanics and physiology he never would never used that stretch, because it is almost guaranteed to cause injury. The end result for me was years of pain and permanent injury. If the teacher is not trained in anatomy run, don?t walk, out of the class.

What is the teacher?s personal style?
In order for you to get the most out of yoga, you have to feel comfortable with the teacher. Is the teacher friendly, encouraging, and supportive? Does she treat students and others with respect?

Yoga is intensely personal so it is critical that you like and trust the teacher. She will be touching your body to adjust your alignment, so you need to feel totally safe with her. A good instructor will make the class a secure and peaceful experience for students.

How clean is the studio?
As you look around, do you notice dust or dirt? Is there a musty or sweaty odor? A yoga class encourages you to practice barefoot and breathe deeply. It is very difficult to get the most from your yoga instruction if you are worried about contracting a disease from an unclean studio.

How does the teacher handle your personal beliefs?
A good yoga teacher does not impose her personal beliefs on students. Yoga is not a religion. You should be able to practice any religion, or none at all, and still feel comfortable in the class. You also should not be required to eat or act a certain way to be considered acceptable to the teacher.

Yoga promotes freedom, so you should not be held bondage to someone else?s beliefs. You should be free to live whichever way is right for you.

Quality yoga instruction can be very important for you in your yoga journey. By keeping these ideas in mind when you search for a yoga teacher, you are very likely to find the one that is just right for you.

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Here website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life.