One Big Health Nut

Diet is a word that brings shivers down the spine and hunger pains to our stomachs.  But a diet should not deprive you of nutrients and provoke anxiety attacks.  The word diet actually refers to your regular daily eating habits.  Significantly reducing your caloric intake can have an adverse affect on your metabolism.  This is especially true if you reduce the calorie intake suddenly.  Sometimes people refer to this as a crash diet.   

Dieticians use the crash diet technique to help underweight people gain weight.  It’s true!  The sudden drastic reduction of calorie intake will slow the metabolism.  Underweight individuals are instructed to crash diet for several days and then encouraged to eat regularly immediately following.  The body believes it is in danger of starvation and stores everything the body eats as fat.  The result is weight gain! 

So instead of starving yourself and suffering the resulting weight gain, try this for thirty days and see what happens.  Everyday, make sure you drink 5 eight ounce glasses of water.  (Do not count vitamin waters that are colored and not clear.)  Substitute water as your drink with meals to help ensure you meet this requirement.  Also, when you feel the urge to snack, drink a small (4oz) cup of water first.  

 After a few days, you may begin to notice you are not as hungry anymore.  And drinking the water may prevent you from consuming multiple high calorie drinks.  After 30 days, you should find you have lost weight and developed a new way to reduce your hunger without starving.  But make sure you do this everyday for the full 30 days. 

Alternative forms of cardiovascular exercises are extensive.  The benefit is that you can find a variety of exercise programs to create or add to an existing exercise program.  Realistically you could probably participate in a different form of cardiovascular exercise each day of the week.  Or, you could change your exercise routine every two months to avoid a plateau and not repeat the same cardio program twice in a year.   

One such program is T’ai-Chi Ch’uan.  If you haven’t already ascertained from the name, T’ai-Chi Ch’uan is a form of Martial Art.  It has been in existence for some three hundred years.  The name translates to grand ultimate boxing. T’ai-Chi Ch’uan is considered an excellent low intensity workout program.   

T’ai-Chi Ch’uan is utilizes a series of kicks, hits, and throws.  The premise of T’ai-Chi Ch’uan is that it promotes good health by lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, and improving coordination.  It is also credited with promoting a harmony of the body and mind and encouraging higher body awareness.  The benefits of the program are extensive and worth considering if you are seeking a new cardio exercise program to try.

The Fastest way to lose weight

There is no miracle weight loss solution. Every body is different. Metabolisms vary by person and the way your body responds to exercise can differ also. So unfortunately, an exercise program that works for one person does not guarantee it will work for you. But the main premise is the same. You have to burn more calories than you consume each day. And you must exercise to accomplish this. Also, the longer you adhere to an exercise program, the more responsive your body becomes. It will increase your metabolism.

If you really want to lose weight, commit yourself to a 90 day program. You must abide by a regular schedule to reap the rewards. Plan your exercise program in advance. If you determine your schedule (i.e. the number of days, the type of exercise, and the amount of time you will exercise), you will be more likely to adhere to the program. Below is an example schedule you could follow for the first month:

Week 1-4:

Sunday: 2 mile walk-try to complete it in 30mins
2 sets of 8 crunches

Monday: 2 mile walk- try to complete it in 30mins
2 sets of 8 bicep curls w/ 2-8lb weights (Choose one that provides resistance but not actual pain. It should be difficult)

Tuesday: Break

Wednesday: 2 mile walk- try to complete it in 30mins
2 sets of 8 squats holding one 5 to 10lb weight in both hands.

Thursday: 3 mile bike ride- try to complete in 30 mins
2 sets of 8 dips on chair or stairs.

Friday: Break

Saturday: Take a Yoga or Pilates class or follow a video.

After the first month, increase the miles and the repetitions. You can substitute with a new cardio exercise. You can add more weight lifting exercises to each day. The key is to increase the intensity. You want to continue to improve your strength and endurance.
After the third month, your body will be slimmer, stronger, and you will see improvement.

We are in the midst of cold and flu season. And though it is helpful to learn remedies that help alleviate symptoms and expedite your recovery, it is even better if you can avoid becoming ill all together. In order to accomplish that you will have to build up your immune system. And nutrition supplies the means to do just that.

If you build up your immune system, you just might avoid the inconvenience of illness. The strength of your immune system depends largely on the fuel you provide. So what will boost your immune system?

Vitamin C is essential to proper immune functioning. Vitamin C increases the production of the white blood cells and antibodies necessary for fighting off infections. Vitamin C is also responsible for fighting chronic conditions that can affect your overall general health. Conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease will lower your body’s ability to fight off other illnesses. Eat plenty of fruits and foods supplemented with vitamin C.
 Strawberries
 Oranges
 Cantaloupe
 Grapefruit
 Kiwi

 Carotene is a common carotenoid. Like vitamin C, this nutrient also helps prevent chronic conditions that can lead to a deterioration in health. The stronger your body, the more efficient the immune system will be. Carotenoids are found in fruits and vegetables.
 Carrots,
 Sweet potatoes
 Squash
 Spinach
 Tomatoes
 Grapefruit
 Milk

 Bioflavenoids are responsible for protecting the cells of the immune system from environmental toxins. The toxins will invade the cells and weaken the immune system. The bioflavenoids prevent this from occurring by eliminating open space in the cell.

 Vitamin E incites the body to produce the cells that destroy germs and cancers. These cells include the killer cells and B-cells. Vitamin E can also prevent or reverse the weakening of the immune system inevitable with age.

 Zinc will increase the infection fighting cells known as T-cells.
 Oysters
 Crab
 Beans
 Beef
 Cereal w/ zinc

 Garlic will also increase white cells and the killer cells in the body. Both are responsible for fighting infections. Garlic will also multiply the efficiency of the antibodies. So add garlic to your meats and enjoy the immune boosting properties.

 Selenium will increase, once again, the natural killer cells and the cancer fighting cells in the body.
 Tuna, shrimp, red snapper, lobster
 Whole grains
 Garlic
 Brazil nuts
 Chicken
 Cottage cheese

Make sure you eat from these foods every day. The more immune boosting nutrition you flood your body with, the less likely you will become ill. And if you are unlucky enough to catch a cold, your immune system will have the ability to fight it off much faster.

Psoriasis is an uncomfortable skin condition that afflicts over 7 million Americans.  There are five types of Psoriasis: plaque, guttate, inverse, erthrodermic, and pustular.  The most common form is plaque psoriasis.  Psoriasis generally appears as a red patch on the skin with a scaly, silvery/white compilation of dead skin cells.  It may also appear as red spots, white blisters inside a reddened area of skin, or severe redness over a large area of the body.  Psoriasis can appear on any part of the body.   

Psoriasis triggers the onset of unpleasant symptoms.  People suffering from psoriasis will experience extremely dry, itchy skin.  The skin can become sore.  Sometimes a burning sensation will occur if the psoriasis is aggravated.  Psoriasis also causes inflammation of the joints.  The inflammation results in a condition know as psoriatic arthritis.     

Individuals that have psoriasis may find that winter can be a difficult time.  The colder temperatures and dry air tend to exacerbate the psoriasis symptoms on the affected areas of the body.  In addition to the weather conditions, the decreased exposure to sunlight worsens the condition.  So what can you do to alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms

There are treatments available to individuals with psoriasis.  Psoriasis results most commonly in dry, itchy/flaky skin.  So to alleviate the symptoms it is important to keep the afflicted areas moist.  This can be done by using moisturizers or moist towels.  Baby oil is another option that doesn’t seem to burn or dry out the skin.  It doesn’t contain any alcohol.  Over the counter anti-itch creams can offer some relief.  Creams with antihistamines are best.  Cold packs may also help.  And sometimes a trip to the tanning salon will offer relief.  If your symptoms are severe, your can check with your doctor.